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.
Update on 7/6/26: Another Flood Watch has been issued, through midnight Tuesday. From the National Weather Service:
Flood Watch issued July 6 at 4:09AM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC
Ayers Variety and Hardware, the Westover shop generations of Arlingtonians have relied on for the one screw, seed packet or odd gadget they couldn’t find anywhere else, is closing.
The family that has owned the store at 5853 Washington Blvd since 1977 announced the closing in social media posts earlier this afternoon (Sunday). Its lease ends July 31 and the doors will close for the last time “in a few weeks,” owners Kristy Peterkin and her brother, Keith, wrote.
It’s going to be stormy, sweltering Fourth of July in Arlington and the D.C. area.
Amid an ongoing heat wave, strong storms are expected to form later today, potentially packing hail and damaging wind gusts up to 75 mph. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch was just issued and will be in effect until 10 p.m.
The supersized July 4 fireworks display planned over the National Mall for America’s 250th should be spectacular, but it could also be worse than ever for pets and people with respiratory conditions.
Arlington’s air could turn “very unhealthy” this weekend as a result of the roughly 40-minute show, according to the Washington Post.
Good Thursday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Jul 2, 2026.
Here is what’s going on Friday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
It will be sunny and hot with a high of 103 degrees and a heat index up to 110. There will be a west wind at 3 to 7 mph. Friday night will be mostly clear with a low of around 80 and a light west wind. On Independence Day, expect showers and possible thunderstorms after 2 PM. It will be hot with a high of 102 and a heat index up to 109. Winds will be calm, becoming west at 5 to 8 mph in the morning. There is a 60% chance of rain, with rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch, although more is possible in thunderstorms. See more from Weather.gov.
“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.”
– Sam Levenson
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
Thanks for reading! If you have something to say about an issue of local note not covered today, feel free to post it as a letter to the editor on our new forum.
Potomac Towers Could Triple — “Newly filed plans reveal that owner Caruthers Properties wants to add three new towers to the existing Arlington apartment complex, which sits on about seven acres between Interstate 66 and Langston Boulevard.” The 800 new units would be built in phases alongside the original 1961 building, which has 406 units. [WBJ]
DCA Grounded for Fourth — Reagan National Airport will halt flights for much of July 3 and 4 to accommodate celebrations in D.C., with no departures or arrivals scheduled after noon Saturday. The FAA has set roughly 15 hours of airspace closures across the two days, and terminal services will run at reduced capacity until flights resume July 5. [ARLnow]
Where to Watch Fireworks — With the record-setting Independence Day fireworks now expected to begin around 10:30 p.m. Saturday, ARLnow has rounded up the county’s best viewing spots, from the Marine Corps War Memorial to Marymount University. The 850,000-shell display will launch from 10 sites along the National Mall and the Potomac. [ARLnow]
Declaration Reading Moves Indoors — Due to expected heat advisories, the Arlington Historical Society’s Saturday, July 4 community reading of the Declaration of Independence has been moved from the Ball-Sellers House (which has no air conditioning) to the Arlington Historical Museum. It will begin at 2 p.m. Attendees can also tour the museum and make Revolutionary-themed protest signs. [Arlington Historical Society]
Marlinspike Closes $127M Fund — “Marlinspike Partners, an Arlington venture capital firm backing defense tech startups, has closed a $127 million fund as investors crave new technologies being developed for the Defense Department.” The close on its second fund was well above the firm’s original $70 million target and will fuel larger checks for 20 to 24 companies. [WBJ]
English Manor Hits Market — A six-bedroom, nine-bathroom English manor-style home in the Country Club Hills neighborhood has hit the market for $7,150,000. Built in 2009 at 4614 36th Street N., the 9,850-square-foot house features five fireplaces, a wine cellar, a home theater and a 40-by-20-foot pool. [N. Va. Magazine]
Wakefield’s Javelin Standout — It is not a Virginia High School League-sanctioned event, but that hasn’t stopped rising Wakefield High School senior Olivia Barr from making a name for herself in javelin. A recent success for the multi-sport athlete was a sixth-place finish at the Penn Relays. [RunWashington]
Hidden Art Spreads Joy — After losing her job last year, Rachael Wood began hiding colorful handmade artwork around Arlington for strangers to find, an effort she calls the Joyful Art Project. “My purpose is to spread joy, and I don’t know if I grasped how I was going to do that,” Wood said. “I think I found it.” [WUSA9]
East Potomac Golf Overhaul — “If built as shown, the redesign would reduce East Potomac from its current three-course, 36-hole layout to a single 18-hole championship course. It would also expand golf into roughly 50 acres of parkland now used for picnicking, fishing, cycling and other recreation.” A court hearing on a lawsuit challenging the project is set for this week. [Washington Post]
D.C. a No-Drone Zone — From the FBI Washington Field Office: “Washington, D.C., is a #NoDroneZone, so if you plan to celebrate #America250 in the district, don’t crash the party; leave your drone at home.” Unauthorized drone activity can be reported at 1-800-CALL-FBI. [FBI Washington Field/X]
ICE Mask Ban Blocked — A federal judge blocked Virginia’s new law barring ICE officers from wearing masks less than 12 hours before it was set to take effect, finding the Justice Department likely to succeed in arguing the state cannot regulate the conduct of federal officers. Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones (D) said his office “strongly disagrees” with the ruling and will keep defending the law. [Courthouse News]
Spanberger Signs Energy Package — Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) signed a package of energy bills Tuesday aimed at lowering costs, meeting rising demand and keeping data centers from driving up bills for families, along with legislation directing Virginia to rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. “We’re investing in energy that is cleaner, more affordable, more reliable, and homegrown,” Spanberger said. [Press Release]
Data Center Battle Lines — N. Va. is home to more than 300 data centers, but public sentiment has soured: a recent Washington Post-Schar School poll found just 35% of Virginia voters would be comfortable with a new one in their community. “The battle line has been drawn around that question in Virginia,” said Brennan Gilmore of the advocacy group Clean Virginia. “And folks are lining up on either side of it.” [NOTUS]
It’s Thursday — Expect sunny skies with a high near 103 and heat index values as high as 110. Winds will be light out of the northwest around 5 mph. Skies stay clear overnight with a low around 80. [NWS]
There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.
Good Wednesday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Jul 1, 2026.
Here is what’s going on Thursday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Expect sunny and hot conditions with temperatures reaching around 102 degrees and heat index values climbing to 109. A gentle west wind will blow at 3 to 5 mph. Thursday night will be clear with temperatures dropping to about 80 degrees, accompanied by a light southwest wind. See more from Weather.gov.
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
– Martin Luther King Jr.
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
Thanks for reading! If you have something to say about an issue of local note not covered today, feel free to post it as a letter to the editor on our new forum.
Its official: Arlington and the D.C. area will be under Extreme Heat Warnings over the next couple of days.
The National Weather Service just upgraded the earlier watch to a warning, in effect from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Dangerously hot conditions with heat index values above 110 are expected, posing a risk to people and pets spending significant time outdoors — or in hot buildings or vehicles.
Paris Baguette is now serving pastries, sandwiches and coffee in Clarendon.
The French-inspired bakery and cafe recently opened in the Hartford building at 3101 Wilson Blvd, near the Clarendon Metro station. On a visit this week, customers were sipping coffee and eating meals inside the new space, which was adorned with “now open” signs outside.
A woman has died after her vehicle veered off Lorcom Lane and struck a parked car in a driveway.
Mauricia Flores De Andrade, 61, of Burke, was alone in the vehicle, Arlington County police said. She was taken to a hospital, where she died.
Drivers who speed through five Arlington school zones this summer can still expect a $100 ticket.
The county’s PhotoSPEED speed cameras at those locations will stay on through Arlington Public Schools’ summer session, which runs July 6 through 31, police said.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal law enforcement authorities are preparing for one of Washington, D.C.’s, largest and most complex security operations as the nation’s capital gears up to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the nation’s freedom.
With rising political violence, including recent incidents near the White House, and a president who enjoys being at the center of public pomp yet has repeatedly faced attempts on his life, a major security challenge awaits.
