Author: ARLnow.com

Bennett-Parker Gets Key Endorsements — Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5) on Thursday picked up endorsements from Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-39) and Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger (D) in her quest for the seat being vacated by Ebbin in February. “Our commonwealth will be stronger with Elizabeth Bennett-Parker in the Virginia Senate,” said Ebbin, who is resigning to take a position in the incoming Spanberger Administration. Spanberger called Bennett-Parker “a dedicated and effective leader who listens and delivers.” [Bennett-Parker for Senate]

Wreaths Out This Weekend — “Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) and Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery (SAHNC) in Washington, D.C. will hold their annual removal of wreaths, known as Wreaths Out, on Saturday, Jan. 10, beginning at 8 a.m. Thousands of visitors are expected to help remove approximately 265,000 wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery… The high volume of visitors at ANC may create traffic congestion and delays on nearby streets and at the cemetery’s entrances.” [ANC]

Suspect Arrested After Foot Chase — “S. Frederick Street at Columbia Pike. At approximately 7:44 p.m. on December 30, officers observed a wanted suspect (associated with case number 2025-12190211) traveling in a vehicle and conducted a traffic stop at Columbia Pike and S. Frederick Street. The suspect ran from the vehicle and, following a foot pursuit, he was taken into custody. During a search of the vehicle, a firearm was recovered.” [ACPD]

ACPD on Capitol Plaque — “Senate… approves resolution to (finally) hang Jan 6th plaque honoring police,” including the Arlington County Police Department. “It’ll hang in US Senate (w/ approval of GOP Leader John Thune) until Architect of Capitol finds permanent location.” [Scott MacFarlane/X]

Childhood Vax Rates — “D.C.’s child vaccination rate doesn’t meet the herd immunity threshold, per new data analyzed by the Washington Post… D.C.’s vaccination rate for kindergarteners sits at 92.7%. The only other DMV jurisdiction to fall below the 95% herd immunity threshold is Alexandria City (88.3%).” [Axios, Washington Post]

Ruthie’s Second Location Opening Soon — “It doesn’t appear to be long before a local favorite will begin serving diners in Fairfax Corner. Ruthie’s All-Day, a restaurant brand offering Southern comfort food, is targeting March to open its newest location — its first in Fairfax County.” [FFXnow]

D.C. Traffic Camera Changes? — “The Transportation Department is seeking to scrap the use of automated traffic enforcement cameras in Washington, a move that would cost the city millions in lost revenue but would likely be cheered by many drivers in the nation’s capital. The proposal, authored by DOT and sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget… seeks to outlaw speed, red light and stop sign cameras throughout the city as part of the upcoming surface transportation bill.” [Politico, Washington Post]

Credit for Compass — “An affiliate of Robert Haft, the longtime D.C. businessman and father of Compass Coffee CEO Michael Haft, has agreed to loan his son’s company up to $450,000 to ensure it has enough cash to follow through with its restructuring.” [WBJ]

More on Golf Course Takeover — “The National Links Trust retained Williams & Connolly to help fend off a Trump takeover of Washington’s historic public golf courses, sources familiar with the matter (who were not authorized to speak on the record) tell Axios… the president wants golf course architect Tom Fazio to redesign East Potomac, with a potential new name: ‘Washington National Golf Course.'” [Axios]

It’s Friday — Rain is possible after 4pm with clouds increasing and a high near 56. South winds between 6-10 mph and gusts up to 20 mph. On Friday night, rain is more likely after 1am, with temperatures dropping to around 49. Southwest winds of 5-8 mph will shift northwest after midnight, and there’s a 70% chance of precipitation. New precipitation amounts could range between a tenth and a quarter of an inch. [NWS]

D.C. Area Federal Employment — “It’s worse than we thought. The number of federal jobs Greater Washington has lost since President Donald Trump took office a year ago and began slashing the federal workforce is now said to be around 53,000, according to the Stephen Fuller Institute at George Mason University, or about 12,000 more than the institute had previously estimated. The research institute revised its numbers Wednesday after the Bureau of Labor Statistics released data for November.” [WBJ]

Trump Threatens Arlington Company — “President Trump threatened to kneecap a division of RTX, the world’s second-largest defense contractor, if it did not step up and invest in “plants and equipment.” This was the most specific in a series of warnings Trump sent out to American defense firms on Wednesday, ordering them to cap executive pay, halt all dividends and stock buybacks, and speed up production.” [Axios]

Funding for Local Tech Firm — “Arlington tech unicorn Interos Inc. has raised millions in fresh funding to further refine its technology that can monitor and respond to threats affecting supply chains. In a LinkedIn post, Interos announced it landed a $20 million check from New York alternative investment asset management firm Blue Owl Capital Inc. and Menlo Park, California-based investment firm Structural Capital.” [WBJ]

Phoenix Bikes Profiled — “Reinaldo Fernandez dreams of joining the military and says he’s always been drawn to machines. “I have a passion for anything with wheels and an engine,” he said. “And I did have dreams of having a bike shop and starting a program like this one.” Even if their careers never involve bikes, Phoenix Bikes believes the skills — and confidence — last.” [WUSA 9]

New Drinking Fountains on Trail — “Thirsty? Try one of 14 new freeze-resistant drinking fountains and bottle-filling stations now along the Mount Vernon Trail! The park celebrated with a ribbon cutting yesterday.” [GWMP/X]

Compass May Be Sold — “‘After more than two months of active negotiations with one such suitor, the company has agreed, subject to this Court’s approval, to sell substantially all of its assets to a strategic buyer with a substantial, global presence in the retail coffee business,’ Haft said. ‘Compass expects to file with the Court within days of its bankruptcy filing an asset purchase agreement to document the proposed sale.'” [WBJ]

Gov. Touts Employment Growth — “Governor Glenn Youngkin announced today that Virginia added 8,600 nonfarm jobs in November, according to preliminary estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Employment Statistics survey. Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 3.5 percent, 1.1 percentage points below the national rate. Since January 2022, nonfarm payroll employment in the Commonwealth has increased by 264,000 jobs.” [Governor of Virginia]

Spanberger on Making History — “Less than two weeks before her inauguration, Democrat Abigail Spanberger says she’s still digesting what it means to become the first female governor in Virginia’s nearly 250-year history.” [Associated Press]

New Legal Notice — ABC Internet Wine/Beer Off-Premises license application; objections within 30 days. [Public Notices]

New Legal Notice — Giftshop seeks wine/beer off-premises license; objections due in 30 days. [Public Notices]

It’s Thursday — Expect a mostly sunny day with a high temperature near 53 degrees. Moving into Thursday night, the skies will become mostly cloudy with a low around 40 degrees. [NWS]

Arlington’s RTX Gets Big Contract — “The federal government has picked two companies to replace 612 radar systems nationwide that date back to the 1980s as part of a multibillion-dollar overhaul of the nation’s air traffic control system. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the Federal Aviation Administration said Monday that contractors RTX and Spanish firm Indra will replace the radar systems by the summer of 2028.” [Associated Press]

Board Candidates Plan Announcements — County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti and challenger James DeVita are expected to formally kick off their election campaigns at tonight’s Arlington County Democratic Committee meeting. The meeting will be held beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Washington-Liberty High School, and also will feature voting for party chair. –Scott McCaffrey

U.S. Attorney Order — “A federal judge ordered Trump ally Lindsey Halligan to explain why she’s identifying herself as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia despite a court ruling that she was unlawfully appointed to the role.” [Axios]

‘Neighborhood Village’ Earns Grant — Arlington Neighborhood Village is one of 11 organizations across Virginia to share grants totaling more than $105,000 to expand efforts supporting seniors facing social isolation. The funding also will support the development of new Villages programs across the commonwealth, with an emphasis on underserved areas. Funding comes the Virginia Villages Collective and Washington Area Villages Exchange. –Scott McCaffrey

Park Corps Application Open — “Get experience in Park Services. Join the Park Corps one-week program where you will learn first-hand with permanent park employees. You’ll get real work done, all while having fun outside, building job skills and making connections with other like-minded students. This program is for ages 16-18 and participants will receive a $200 stipend.” [Arlington County]

VHC Holiday Donations — “Over the recent holiday season, more than 400 people received gifts as part of the Virginia Health Center’s Adopt a Family Gift Drive. The program provided gifts for 231 children in 66 local families plus another 100 individuals who might have otherwise gone without during the holidays.” [Patch]

Volunteer Arlington Award Winner — “Volunteer Arlington selected Camille S.A. Watkin as the fourth recipient of its Beloved Community Award and will present the award at the MLK Day of Service opening program on Monday, January 19.” [Leadership Center]

Seven Corners Development Proposal — “The longtime owner of a 3.15-acre site that borders the Seven Corners intersection has filed plans to redevelop the property with 450 apartments and 30,000 square feet of retail… The property, bounded by Arlington Boulevard, Hillwood Avenue, East Broad St. and the twin office towers formerly known as the Falls Church Corporate Center, is currently home to a New Grand Mart international supermarket and Pistone’s Italian Inn.” [WBJ, FFXnow]

Plea Possible in CEO Murder — “Loved ones of a CEO killed while asleep in his Fairfax City home are speaking out against a potential plea agreement that would allow the suspect to serve time in a mental institution instead of prison. Authorities say Gret Glyer, 32, died while he was in his bed next to his wife in June 2022. Joshua Danehower, 36, of Arlington, was accused of shooting Glyer 10 times.” [WUSA 9]

Va. In-State Tuition Case — “Virginia officials reached an agreement with the Justice Department in its effort to bar undocumented students from receiving in-state tuition, sparking criticism from advocacy groups and the incoming Democratic state attorney general. The Legal Aid Justice Center and the ACLU of Virginia filed an emergency motion to intervene in the case, saying affected students deserve a chance to be heard in court.” [Washington Post]

Federal Employment Decline — “There are 271,000 fewer federal employees than there were at the start of 2025 — about a 9% drop, per the latest tally from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The sharp decline is a result of President Trump’s efforts — initially spearheaded by Elon Musk’s DOGE — to drastically reduce the size of the federal government.” [Axios]

It’s Wednesday — Expect mostly sunny skies during the day with a high temperature of around 57°F. The northwest wind will be blowing at 6 to 11 mph, and it could gust up to 23 mph. Wednesday night, the sky will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to around 36°F. The northwest wind will diminish to around 6 mph by the evening. [NWS]

Last Night’s Fireworks — “Washington Monument – Freedom 250 Fireworks Display – Monday, January 5, 2026.” [DCFEMS/X]

Fantasy League for Seniors — “If you wander into Sunrise at Bluemont Park on a Sunday afternoon, you’ll likely hear it long before you see it — laughter, lively cheers, and a spirited back-and-forth… Walker and Colby first arrived at this assisted living and memory care community earlier this fall, eager to launch their community service project: a fantasy football league for seniors.” [Sunrise Senior Living]

Community Police Academy Applications — “The Arlington County Police Department is now accepting applications for its 30th Community Police Academy… The CPA is an immersive educational program that strengthens communication, collaboration and mutual understanding between the department and those we serve.” [ACPD]

Local Burial Ground Profiled — “One of Arlington’s oldest family burial grounds, the Old Ball Family Burial Ground, is the final resting place of Ballston’s namesake… The individuals buried at this cemetery are interesting enough to warrant a visit, but it’s the hidden location — behind the parking lot of an auto mechanic shop — that makes it a must see.” [Atlas Obscura]

Honoring LGBTQ+ Journalism Pioneers — A celebration of the Falls Church News-Press’ Nicholas Benton and the Washington Blade’s Lou Chibbaro, Jr., two trailblazing LGBTQ+ journalists, will be held on Thursday, Jan. 8 at 6 p.m. at the Woman’s National Democratic Club of Washington. D.C. Both in-person and online participation options are available. —Scott McCaffrey

Traffic Deaths Down — “Traffic deaths in the D.C. region fell roughly 18 percent in 2025, continuing a trend from the previous year that is reflected across the country: A spike in fatalities during the pandemic is now on the decline.” [Washington Post]

New Starbucks Winter Menu — “Starbucks is kicking off 2026 by betting on viral Dubai chocolate-inspired beverages — alongside more protein-forward drinks. The menu push is part of the coffee giant’s broader turnaround effort to boost traffic and revive sales.” [Axios]

Sunsets Getting Later — “Sunset cracked 5 pm in DC today, for the first time since early November. Goodbye to the 57-day streak of 4-o’clock darkness… and now we’re gaining a minute of evening light daily. Onward!” [CWG/Bluesky]

It’s Tuesday — Expect patchy fog to clear by 10am, giving way to mostly cloudy skies and a high near 51°F, accompanied by a calm southeasterly wind at 6 mph in the afternoon. Tuesday night, it will remain mostly cloudy with a low around 44°F and a westerly wind at 7 mph. [NWS]