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.
AI-generated image of festive gondolas over the Potomac at Christmastime (generated by ARLnow via OpenAI)
As many of us gather with family and friends to celebrate, we wanted to take a moment to wish our readers joy during this festive season.
To those celebrating Christmas Eve tonight and Christmas tomorrow, we hope your days are merry and bright. To our readers who are celebrating Hanukkah this week, we hope the start of the Festival of Lights bring warmth and peace.
Christmas lights and decorations in the Waycroft-Woodlawn neighborhood in 2020 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Reminder: Don’t Drink and Drive — “Drunk driving is the No. 1 cause of road deaths in Arlington, with alcohol factoring in 75% of fatal injury traffic crashes since 2022. We can prevent unnecessary tragedy this holiday season if everyone steps up to stop drunk driving. The County’s Vision Zero team and the Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) have launched a new anti-drunk driving campaign this month.” [Arlington County]
Scammers Target Transgender Workers — “Email messages claiming to be from an employee that were sent in November to the LGBT+ Counseling Collaborative in Arlington, Va., and to a yoga studio in Middleton, Del., requested that the employees’ direct deposit paycheck be sent to a new bank account. According to an official with the LGBT+ Counseling Collaborative and the employee at the yoga studio, the emails had the employees’ correct names, including a photo, and included a bank account number for the Green Dot Bank where the email messages said the salary payments should be deposited.” [Washington Blade]
County’s Year in Review — “A look back on the many achievements of 2024 — who we are, and who we strive to be. From employee groups engaging with the community to imagining what Arlington looks like in 2050, and from important initiatives in human services to welcoming home an Olympian — and everything in between — join the County in reflection on the community’s values and achievements.” [Arlington County]
It’s Christmas Eve — Rain or freezing rain is expected in the morning, followed by a slight chance of rain in the afternoon, with a high temperature near 45. There’s an 80% chance of precipitation and a possibility of less than 0.1 inches of new ice accumulation. Tuesday night will be partly cloudy, with a low around 32. On Christmas Day, expect partly sunny skies with a high temperature near 42. [NWS]
Rain or freezing rain is expected until 1pm, followed by a slight chance of rain between 1pm and 2pm, with a high temperature near 45. The southwest wind will be around 5 mph, becoming light and variable in the morning. There’s an 80% chance of precipitation and a possibility of less than 0.1 inches of new ice accumulation. Tuesday night will be partly cloudy, with a low around 32 and a north wind at 6 mph. On Christmas Day, expect partly sunny skies with a high temperature near 42 and a north wind at 3 to 5 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” – Henry David Thoreau
Police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)
Arlington County police are warning of a man who has been grabbing people from behind in a sexual manner.
The incidents have taken place in the Arlington Mill neighborhood and typically involve female victims having their buttocks touched inappropriately by the suspect, who then flees the scene well before police arrive, according to ACPD.
Santa checks in with the North Pole while awaiting customers at Ballston Quarter (staff photo)
Lines at DCA — “The lines are growing at area airports as the rush to get out of town for the holidays is in full swing. WTOP talked to flyers at Reagan National Airport who were headed all over the place… One flyer, who chose to remain anonymous, was headed down to Florida and described the lines at the airport as: ‘So far about what I expected, maybe a little shorter.'” [WTOP, PoPville]
Fisherman Catches Grenade — “A hand grenade was pulled out of the Potomac near Roosevelt Island by magnet fisherman. DC bomb squad and Park Police investigated and have declared it safe.” [PoPville, Twitter]
Mystery Stains on Clarendon Sidewalk — It’s unclear how what appears to be numerous drops of blood ended up on a Clarendon sidewalk. [Twitter]
Holiday Hope for Rescue Pets — Lucky Dog Animal Rescue welcomed 53 dogs and cats from overcrowded South Carolina shelters this past week. Five of the animals found their forever homes immediately upon arrival. The Arlington-based nonprofit continues to seek loving families for the remaining pets looking for their forever homes this holiday season. [WUSA 9/YouTube]
Courthouse Construction Concluding — “Still some construction work wrapping up at the N Courthouse Rd intersection but the sidewalks at The Wendy are now open!” [Twitter]
Party City Closing in Bailey’s Xroads — “Party City is planning to close all of its stores, more than a year after it exited bankruptcy, the retailer confirmed Saturday in an email to consumers. The New Jersey-based party supplies company has been struggling for years even before the pandemic.” [Axios]
New Year Festivities in F.C. — “Ring in the New Year in the City of Falls Church with free, family-friendly, fun festivities at the Annual Watch Night New Year’s Eve Celebration. The event will take place from 7 p.m. to midnight on Tuesday, December 31, at the intersection of Broad Street (Route 7) and Washington Street (Route 29) and indoor venues. The event is open to the public and includes live music and children’s amusements.” [City of Falls Church]
It’s Monday — Expect a mostly sunny day with a high around 35 degrees with calm winds that will later shift to the south at 5 to 7 mph. As for Monday night, the skies will turn mostly cloudy with a low temperature of approximately 27 degrees. [NWS]
Today’s Morning Notes are brought to you by Industrious. Start your new year right with a place to work that’s not your living room. ARLnow has called an Industrious coworking space home for years, enjoying the convenience of having everything from fresh coffee to copy machines taken care of for you. With several Metro-accessible Arlington locations, Industrious makes it easy to focus on what matters most — your work.
Expect mostly sunny skies and a high near 36 during the day, accompanied by a northwest wind of 14 to 16 mph, gusting up to 30 mph. The night will be partly cloudy with a low around 21 and a northwest wind of approximately 8 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“The only true wisdom is knowing that you know nothing.” – Socrates
We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋
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 1 million house with a finished walk-out basement, fenced rear yard and deck.
Let’s take a look at that and some other upcoming open houses, below.
If you’re in the real estate market we have a great agent for you: longtime ARLnow real estate columnist Eli Tucker. Let Eli and his team expertly guide you through the unique market dynamics in Arlington. Start by filling the form below. It will support ARLnow’s local news mission and you’ll get some perks in the process.
The holidays are here and in less than two weeks we will be in a new year.
Before we welcome in a new year, it’s time to highlight the voices that made community discussions on ARLnow so engaging in 2024. We’ve gone back and checked the stats to compile the top choices for “Commenter of the Year” as part of our ARLnow Readers’ Choice awards.
Don’t see your favorite ARLnow commenter listed? Write them in.
Polls will close in two weeks, so don’t wait to vote!
Voting for Best Hill to go Sledding on 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 place to get a massage. The results are now official:
Call Your Mother is coming to Crystal City (courtesy Call Your Mother)
A “Jew-ish” deli with something of a cult following is coming to Crystal City early next year.
Call Your Mother, known for its bagels that blend New York and Montreal styles, plans to open a new kiosk at the Water Park along Crystal Drive in “early 2025,” according to property owner JBG SMITH.
