Launched in January 2010, ARLnow.com is the place for the latest news, views and things to do around Arlington, Virginia. The ARLnow staff byline is used for the Morning Notes and reporting done by an editor or other member of our full-time staff.
Matthew Abramson passes for Washington-Liberty (photo by Deb Kolt)
Arlington school leaders Thursday night (Nov. 14) took a victory lap, congratulating students and staff for athletic achievements during the fall season.
“There’s a lot of great success happening,” Superintendent Francisco Durán told School Board members.
Arlington’s real estate market reflects the broader community — it’s diverse, dynamic, and never boring.
This weekend’s local open houses offer a snapshot of Arlington’s wide variety real estate offerings, from affordable condos to multi-million dollar homes. One highlight: a four level townhome for just under $2 million with a rooftop deck and attached garage.
It doesn’t matter if you’re in need of a meal to-go or at your doorstep within an hour, these restaurants serve up mouthwatering selections secured for travel.
We’ve gathered the top spots for “Best Restaurant for Takeout/Delivery in Arlington” as part of our ARLnow Readers’ Choice awards. Feel free to write in your favorite restaurant if it’s not already on the list.
Voting will close in two weeks! Don’t wait — make sure you vote for your favorite spot.
Voting for Best Lunch Spot in Arlington is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday at 9 a.m.
Two weeks ago, we voted on Arlington’s best urgent care. The results are now official:
Ronald Reagan National Airport (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Busy Travel Season Expected — “With over 50 million passengers traveling through Washington’s airports in 2024, the Airports Authority is preparing for record travel volumes throughout the upcoming holiday season. During busy weekends and holidays… passengers may experience heavily congested airport-area roads, limited parking availability and bustling terminals.” [Press Release]
Big Donation for Marymount — “Marymount University’s continued momentum is fueled by transformative gifts… In the latest example of this generosity, a recent $1 million donation from Terry Thompson — a Marymount Board of Trustees member since 2022 — will make a significant impact on both Women’s Athletics and Honors Program scholarships.” [Marymount University]
Warby Parker Opening in Clarendon — Warby Parker, the eyeglasses retailer and optometry office, will celebrate a grand opening 10 a.m. Saturday at its new location at The Crossing Clarendon. The event at 2800 Clarendon Blvd feature free treats from Good Company Doughnuts and tote bags with purchase. —Katie Taranto
Rosslyn Crash on Camera — From Dave Statter: “From a distant camera on I-66, another red light runner crash with injuries on N. Lynn Street at Langston Blvd. eastbound.” [Twitter]
Hamster Up for Adoption — From the Animal Welfare League of Arlington: “Who’s the cutest little snack-sized friend? It’s Brownie! This adorable hamster is ready to scurry her way into your heart. With her tiny paws, twitchy nose, and a personality as sweet as her name, Brownie is the perfect companion.” [Facebook]
It’s Friday — Expect scattered showers to end by 7am, followed by patchy fog clearing by 9am. The sky will transition from cloudy to mostly sunny, with temperatures reaching a high near 56 degrees. A northwest wind will blow at 6 to 10 mph. Friday night will be mostly clear, with a low temperature around 45 degrees and the northwest wind at 8 to 11 mph. [NWS]
Expect scattered showers to end by 7am, followed by patchy fog clearing by 9am. The sky will transition from cloudy to mostly sunny, with temperatures reaching a high near 56 degrees. A northwest wind will blow at 6 to 10 mph, and there is a 30% chance of precipitation. Friday night will be mostly clear, with a low temperature around 45 degrees and the northwest wind picking up speed at 8 to 11 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“Everything you can imagine is real.” – Pablo Picasso
An ASEAN Festival of the Arts held earlier this year (via ASEAN)
Authentic crafts and live performances will spotlight Southeast Asian cultures this weekend at a bazaar in Pentagon City.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations plans to host the ASEAN & Friends Bazaar from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City.
Three suspects were apprehended this morning after an armed robbery at a local CVS store.
The robbery happened around 6:45 a.m., at the CVS next to the Courthouse Metro station. Initial reports suggest one of the suspects pulled a knife on a CVS employee before fleeing with stolen items.
Water tower as seen from Country Club Hills (staff photo)
Board Meetings Could Start Later — Arlington County Board Saturday meetings in 2025 would start an hour later, 9:30 a.m. vs. the current 8:30 a.m., under a proposal coming to Board members Saturday. Any decision won’t be final until the body’s organizational meeting on Jan. 6. [Arlington County]
GMU Law Lawsuit — “Two law students at George Mason University… have filed a free speech and due process lawsuit against the school president and other leaders, saying their constitutional rights were violated after raising concerns about putting tampons in men’s restrooms.” [WTOP, Virginia Mercury]
Ribbon Cutting for Hopkins Clinic — From state Sen. Barbara Favola: “Proud to welcome @HopkinsMedicine to Arlington’s Ballston neighborhood. This center offers primary & speciality care to patients, including walk-ins. It’s located on bus & metro lines in one of our most densely populated areas, taking a step in improving equitable access to care.” [Twitter]
Follow ARLnow on Bluesky — ARLnow will soon start posting local news headlines regularly on Bluesky, the fast-growing social network that just crossed the 15 million user mark. ALXnow and FFXnow are also on the service. [Bluesky]
Local GOP Greets Trump — From Arlington GOP Chair Matthew Hurtt: “Excited to welcome @realDonaldTrump back to the White House today. @goparlington and our friends were out in force as his motorcade made its way onto the White House compound for his historic meeting with @JoeBiden.” [Twitter]
Torri Huske Back on Campus — “An exemplary student, Huske took a gap year last year to prepare for the Olympic Games and returned to Stanford in September. Though she isn’t quite sure of her long-term career goals yet, she will be a design major working in engineering and sustainability.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Hacking Event for Parking Data — From Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services: “Hey Arlington nerds: Do this Nov. 16 parking-data hacking event. Please note: this is an in-person multi-person experience so prepare accordingly.” [Twitter]
Some Optimism for More Snow — ” It would be going out on a limb to forecast a cold and snowy winter. But we’re not convinced this winter will be a total bust. In fact, we’re projecting more snow than last winter (8 inches) and perhaps the most since 2018-2019 (16.9 inches). And we don’t expect it to be as mild as most recent winters. We’re predicting that temperatures will end up close to the norm.” [Capital Weather Gang]
It’s Thursday — Expect rain in the afternoon, with cloudy skies and a high of 52°F. Winds will be east at 5-8 mph, and there’s a 70% chance of precipitation, potentially up to a quarter of an inch. Tonight, rain will continue until 4am, accompanied by patchy fog and a low of 45°F, with east wind around 7 mph. The chance of precipitation increases to 90%, with potential amounts between a quarter and half an inch. [NWS]
Expect rain in the afternoon, with cloudy skies and a high of 52°F. Winds will be east at 5-8 mph, and there’s a 70% chance of precipitation, potentially up to a quarter of an inch. Tonight, rain will continue until 4am, accompanied by patchy fog and a low of 45°F, with east wind around 7 mph. The chance of precipitation increases to 90%, with potential amounts between a quarter and half an inch. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took any excuse.” – Florence Nightingale
Police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)
A bullet was fired into a woman’s home just south of Columbia Pike, though it’s not clear who fired it.
The incident happened around 8 p.m. Monday on the 4500 block of S. Four Mile Run Drive. The woman heard a loud noise and called police after discovering a broken window and a damaged wall. Officers then found a bullet inside the home.
Green and brown leaves in the sun, in Westover Park (staff photo)
ACPD Announces DUI Arrests — “On Saturday evening, officers conducted a DUI Saturation Patrol, a detail designed to make our roadways safer by identifying, stopping and apprehending drivers who are under the influence. During the detail, officers conducted 28 traffic stops which resulted in 4 DUI arrests, 1 Open Container arrest, 3 Reckless Driving summonses and issued 17 traffic summonses.” [Twitter]
Fmr. Airline Exec Dies in Arlington — “Ben Baldanza, who turned a small money-losing airline called Spirit into a profit-making powerhouse through a combination of ultralow prices, bare-bones service, outrageous marketing and a no-apologies approach to customer complaints, died on Tuesday at his home in Arlington, Va. He was 62.” [New York Times, Skift]
Bishop Talks Abortion Initiatives — “Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, who chairs the USCCB’s committee on pro-life activities, told Catholic broadcast company EWTN last week that his committee will discuss the election results, particularly state ballot initiatives where the anti-abortion movement has a losing record.” [Associated Press]
Amazon Office Return Causes Stir — “Amazon CEO Andy Jassy reportedly told employees last week that the company’s stricter return-to-office policy was not put in place as a way to ‘backdoor fire’ employees. At an all-hands meeting on Nov. 5 Jassy told employees that the company’s new five-day-a-week policy for corporate employees was aimed at improving company culture… The headcount at its HQ2 in Pentagon City totaled 8,000 as of the start of the year.” [WBJ]
New Nature Center Hours — Arlington’s two nature centers, Long Branch and Gulf Branch, are now operating on their expanded operating hours. The new hours, which took effect yesterday, include weekday hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, Saturday hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday hours from 1-5 p.m. [ARLnow]
Fairfax Co. Cracking Down on Races — “Police Chief Kevin Davis and other officials warned at a press conference last week that those caught drag racing on Fairfax County streets will be found and prosecuted to the extent of the law. ‘This is not youthful indiscretion,’ Davis said. ‘This is a brazen street race that does, can, and will cost people their lives.'” [FFXnow]
Meager Local Snow Outlook — “There’s good news and bad news for snow fans in our Storm Team4 winter outlook. First, the bad news: It’s not looking like we’ll see all that many snowflakes this year. Now, here’s the good news (again, assuming you’re a fan of snow): We’re not ruling out the possibility of a white Christmas.” [NBC 4]
It’s Wednesday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 52 with a north wind at 7 mph, shifting to an eastward direction in the afternoon. As night falls, the sky will become mostly cloudy and temperatures will drop to around 37 degrees. [NWS]
