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.
There’s still time to register for tomorrow’s free workshop with ARLnow real estate columnist Eli Tucker.
The event runs from 6-7:30 p.m. at Arlington Central Library’s Bluemont Room, with Eli available starting at 5:30 p.m. for one-on-one questions. Food and drinks will be provided.
Halloween display on 24th Street S. in Aurora Highlands (Flickr pool photo by Jason Gooljar)
Uncertain Future for Courthouse Building — “The Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. is looking to short sell a mostly empty office building it owns in Arlington’s Courthouse, billing it as residential or hotel redevelopment opportunity. MetLife’s building at 1320 N. Courthouse Road, a block south of the Courthouse Metro station and catty-cornered to the county courthouse and jail, is currently 18% leased to three tenants.” [WBJ]
Marine Corps Marathon Recap — “Marine Major Kyle King claimed victory with a finish time of 2:25:06, outpacing 16,556 other racers. This will be King’s second time winning the men’s MCM, after his first triumph in 2022. Arlington-native Tessa Barrett, won the women’s MCM with a finish time of 2:39:36, vanquishing 6,214 other female competitors.” [Stars and Stripes]
Another Gun Stopped at DCA — “Transportation Security Administration officers prevented an Arkansas woman from bringing a loaded gun onto a plane leaving Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday. TSA officers found the 22 caliber firearm loaded with five bullets in the traveler’s carry-on items at one of the airport’s security checkpoints.” [Patch]
Local Woman’s Long Bike Journey — “Meet Miranda Baltaxe, a recent college graduate and native of Arlington, Virginia, in the midst on an incredible journey from Maine, to Key West on the East Coast Greenway route.” [Twitter, YouTube]
Thirsty Bat Rescued — From the Animal Welfare League of Arlington: “This handsome Eastern Red Bat was rescued this week after he was found a bit dehydrated. Thanks to one of our amazing rehabbers he’s getting some much-needed hydration and rest.” [Twitter]
Arlington ‘Tomb Raiders’ — “In late October 1976, police discovered a gruesome scene inside the Abbey Mausoleum, a once grand burial place next to Arlington National Cemetery. Vandals had tampered with a dozen caskets and 15 urns, placing a copy of Circus (a now-defunct music magazine) into one opened coffin. In the gray cremains from an overturned urn, someone had drawn a smiley face. It wouldn’t be the tomb’s only raid. ” [Arlington Magazine]
Funding for Ballston Tech Co. — “Interos Inc., an Arlington tech firm that helps companies monitor and respond to supply chain threats, has obtained $40 million in new funding to expand product capabilities following several executive leadership appointments.” [WBJ]
Funding for Another Local Startup — “Fixify, an Arlington startup automating IT help desk jobs for companies with up to 2,000 employees, has raised $25 million from investors and will use a chunk of the proceeds to beef up its sales team.” [WBJ]
More Arlington Tech News — “CoStar Group, the Arlington-based provider of online real estate marketplaces… said it will acquire New Jersey-based Visual Lease, the developer of a software platform for lease management… …Arlington-based FU Associates, a provider of analytic and technology services to government health clients, said it has rebranded as Inclined.” [Potomac Tech Wire]
No Charges for Fmr. F.C. Official — “The Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Arlington-Falls Church announced it is declining to… seek charges against former City of Falls Church Council member Caroline Lian. Because the instructions on the Virginia Economic Interest Disclosure are ambiguous and subject to interpretation, the Office has determined… that there is no good faith basis for criminal charges.” [Falls Church News-Press]
It’s Monday — Patchy frost will clear up by 9am, making way for sunny skies and a high of around 63°F. Expect a 5-7 mph southeast wind in the afternoon. Monday night will see partly cloudy conditions and a low near 44°F. [NWS]
Today’s Morning Notes are brought to you by Industrious. Need a workspace where you can focus on what matters? ARLnow’s team knows firsthand how Industrious’s fully-stocked Arlington offices eliminate daily workplace hassles. With multiple Metro-accessible locations, you can leave office management to them while you get down to business.
Two years ago, during a Washington-Liberty High School choral-department trip to New York City, students had the chance to tour Radio City Music Hall and even stand on its famous stage.
Expect a predominantly sunny day, as temperatures reach around 69°F accompanied by a northwest wind blowing at 10-16 mph and gusts soaring up to 24 mph. The evening will continue to be mainly clear with temperatures dropping to around 40°F, and the northwest wind persisting at 7-9 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“It is never too late to be what you might have been.” – George Eliot
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. 👋
Arrest of armed robbery suspect at the Ballston Metro station (staff photo by Dan Egitto)
Metro train traffic was halted near Ballston after an armed man reportedly fled into the tunnels.
Police were dispatched to the 7-Eleven store across Fairfax Drive from the Ballston Metro station around 2:50 p.m. for an armed robbery. Initial reports suggest that a man robbed the store of wine, and pulled out a gun when confronted.
Police car speeding to a call at night (staff photo)
A man accused of masturbating in public in view of a local pickleball court is back behind bars.
Police say 50-year-old Arlington resident Alexei Rodriguez was seen peeping into homes, exposing himself and masturbating last night on the 300 block of S. Glebe Road, near Thomas Jefferson Middle School. He was arrested after a foot chase.
The ARLnow Press Club has 120 new members and we want to sincerely extend our appreciation to those who stepped up to — and continue to — support local news.
We put out the call to email newsletter subscribers earlier this week that we needed some help, at least temporarily, to support a larger newsroom following our GazetteLeader acquisition last month. Arlington was in danger of losing the GazetteLeader’s comprehensive local government and sports coverage had the acquisition not happened.
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 $3 million house on a 18,583 sq. ft. lot featuring a screened porch with ceiling heaters.
As the seasons change we say goodbye to warm weather, shorts and outdoor activities. But Arlington has plenty of indoor activities for every age.
We have the top picks for “Best Indoor Activities in Arlington” as part of our ARLnow Readers’ Choice awards, based on a mix of ARLnow article views and online reviews. Feel free to write in your favorite if it’s not already on the list.
Don’t delay — voting will close in two weeks.
Voting for Best Burger 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 brewery near Arlington. The results are now official:
Ruthie’s Opening Fairfax Location — Popular Arlington eatery Ruthie’s All Day has picked Fairfax Corner for its second location. Ruthie’s will move into a space at 11951 Grand Commons Avenue, the company announced Thursday. The new restaurant, which follows the elevated comfort food spot’s well-regarded first location in the Arlington Heights neighborhood, is expected to open in fall 2025. [FFXnow]
Mail Ballot Deadline — From Arlington’s elections office: “Have you made a plan to vote yet?! The deadline to request a mail ballot is [today], 10/25 at 5pm and the last day to vote early is Saturday, 11/2! Make a plan today!” [Instagram]
Arlington’s Voting Machine History — “By the 1930s, ‘essentially all of the nation’s larger urban centers had adopted lever voting machines,’ Jones writes. Virginia, being Virginia, was a bit slower to adopt this technology. A news story in the Northern Virginia Sun in 1940 reports that Arlington County Democrats were debating whether the machines were too expensive. Arlington eventually decided they weren’t. The first use of voting machines in Virginia apparently came in Arlington on Aug. 1, 1950, in a primary election.” [Cardinal News]
Traffic Stop Drug Bust Near Clarendon — “At approximately 9:41 p.m. on October 23, a patrol officer observed a vehicle displaying an improper registration and conducted a traffic stop. During an inventory search of the vehicle prior to towing, officers recovered suspected narcotics including cocaine, amphetamine/methamphetamine and a large quantity of marijuana, drug packaging/distribution materials, and a large sum of cash.” [ACPD]
I-395 Crash on Camera — From Dave Statter: “Another left turn on I-395S at Exit 8C to Crystal City ends with a crash. It doesn’t happen as frequently thanks to @VaDOTNOVA’s fixes but lots of drivers still do squirelly things to avoid missing the exit. Early indication that there were no serious injuries.” [Twitter]
Beyer Hopeful for Lee Name Removal — Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) on Monday told the Arlington NAACP he believes legislation removing Robert E. Lee’s name from Arlington House ultimately will succeed, even if they prove unsuccessful this year. “When Kamala [Harris] wins, we’re going to pass it,” Beyer said of the effort, which has picked up 120 cosponsors (all Democrats) but will have to start from scratch when the new Congress convenes in January. —Scott McCaffrey
Warner, Kaine Want More Work Visas — “U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD), Angus King (I-ME), and a bipartisan group of colleagues in urging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) to release the maximum number of Congressionally-authorized H-2B visas for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025.” [Press Release]
‘International Showcase’ This Weekend — From a PR rep: “This Saturday from 1 – 5 p.m., Fashion Centre at Pentagon City is slated to host its annual Mosaic International Showcase… The event will highlight representatives from Bavaria (Germany and Austria), Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mongolia and more. Families are invited to the mall’s Metro Level to experience a celebration of culture with each country providing its own traditional entertainment, music and dances and food sampling.” [Simon]
Training for the Next MCM — “Thousands of first-time racers will take to the starting line Sunday at this year’s Marine Corps Marathon in Arlington, Virginia. If you would like to take on the challenge, one day, a running coach and MCM veteran has advice on how to prepare for your first 26.2-mile race.” [WTOP]
It’s Friday — Expect sunshine and a high temperature around 68 degrees alongside light and variable winds turning southwest at around 6 mph in the afternoon. Friday night will be partly cloudy, with lows near 54 degrees. [NWS]
Expect sunshine and a high temperature around 68 degrees alongside light and variable winds turning southwest at around 6 mph in the afternoon. Friday night will be partly cloudy, with lows near 54 degrees. South winds at 5 to 7 mph will shift to the west after midnight. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” – Albert Einstein
