Author: ARLnow.com

Latest on the Shutdown — “Senior federal officials have quietly counseled several agencies against firing employees while the government is shut down — as President Donald Trump has suggested he will — warning the strategy may violate appropriations law, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations.” [Washington Post, Virginia Mercury, WJLA]

Disruptions from Pike Project — “Three years of roadwork along Columbia Pike in Arlington has shifted to a new phase. Local business owners aren’t happy.” [NBC 4]

Expect Loud Booms Today — From AlertDC: “October 3, at 12PM, a total of 11 (LOUD) rounds will be fired as part of a gun salute being conducted at the Washington Navy Yard.”

Coffey to Serve as Acting Board Chair — County Board members on Thursday tapped Maureen Coffey to serve as acting Board chair from noon on Oct. 3 to noon on Oct. 12, when Board Chair Takis Karantonis will be in Germany at an Arlington Sister City Association program, and Vice Chair Matt de Ferranti is on paternity leave. Though no official actions are expected during the period, “a lot can happen in one week,” Karantonis acknowledged in the runup to the 4-0 vote. –Scott McCaffrey

Video of Carjacking — “Some distant video of Tuesday morning’s carjacking in Crystal City. It happened as a man walked across S. Eads Street to his Lincoln MKZ parked in front of Kabob Palace around 2:30 a.m. @ArlingtonVaPD reports he was approached by two men with knives who knocked him down and stole his cell phone and keys and then drove off with the car.” [Dave Statter/X]

Local GOP Fundraising Record — “And finally — the metric I usually share with you (but not the only measurement of success) — $22,722.62 raised in the 3rd Quarter, $5,629.96 more than our previous quarterly fundraising record of $17,092.66 in the 3rd Quarter of 2023.” [Arlington GOP]

Fairfax Supports Arlington, F.C. Projects — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to support Arlington’s request for Northern Virginia Transportation Authority funding for multimodal projects on S. George Mason Drive, as well as Falls Church’s funding request for construction of a shared-use path on Haycock Road. Decisions on whether to fund the projects will come next summer. –Scott McCaffrey

Youngkin Transgender Order — “Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued an executive directive to ‘prevent biological males from participating in organized female-only athletic teams and competitions in Virginia” and “prevent biological males from using designated female spaces where females are likely to be in a state of undress.'” [Nick Minock/X, Washington Post]

D.C. Recession Predicted — “D.C.’s top financial official predicts a “moderate recession” (escalated from a “mild” one) through the next 12 months, with more anticipated job losses than once thought… Over the next five years, 40,000 federal jobs are expected to evaporate in D.C., coinciding with lagging private sector job growth, per Lee’s office.” [Axios]

It’s Friday — Expect a mostly sunny day with a high temperature near 72°F, as calm winds shift southward at around 5 mph in the afternoon. The night will remain mostly clear, with a low temperature around 52°F. [NWS]

Flyover Planned This Morning — From AlertDC: “The United States Military will conduct a flyover in the National Capitol Region at Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday, October 2, 2025, at 11:05 AM.”

Data Center Power Usage — “Data centers and AI are gobbling up electricity, but the share differs significantly by state. Between 2010 and 2025, data centers went from less than 5% to roughly 40% of Virginia’s electricity consumption.” [Derek Thompson/X]

Shutdown Shakes Up Va. Races — “The federal government shutdown — and the escalating battle over which party bears the most blame — has injected a major new question mark into the governor’s race in Virginia, home to hundreds of thousands of federal workers… The state is home to more than 300,000 federal workers — more than any other state but Maryland. That reality means anxiety over government shutdowns and their economic fallout runs especially deep in northern Virginia’s densely populated suburbs.” [CNN]

Top of Ticket Spending Down — “Republican nominee and current Lt. Gov Winsome Earle-Sears and Democratic nominee Abigail Spanberger are making their final pushes to voters before they fill out their ballots. Even with the historic implications, total fundraising for this gubernatorial race is substantially down from other recent elections, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.” [Virginia Mercury]

Gov. Touts Efficiency Gains — “We are CUTTING RED-TAPE and REDUCING COSTS for Virginia families and businesses! Our best-in-class regulatory reform efforts have set a gold standard for the Nation. Over $1.275 million in saving each year for Virginians. Less government bureaucracy, saving you time and money!” [Gov. Glenn Youngkin/X]

‘Suspicious Person’ Arrest — “The male suspect allegedly jumped over the fences of residences in the 400 block of S. Edgewood Street. A lookout was broadcast, and responding officers observed the suspect exiting a residence in the 300 block of S. Fillmore Street where they detained him following a brief struggle. During a search incident to arrest, brass knuckles were recovered.” [ACPD]

Local Woman’s Sake Shop — “Arlington resident Reiko Hirai started her online shop, DC Sake cō, with a grand plan to introduce the DMV to the wide world of sake. “I have a personal mission to bring sake to everyone,” she says. “My dream would be for everyone to one day say, ‘Honey, are we having beer, wine or sake tonight?’” The Kyoto native sells all sorts of hard-to-find sake and Japanese beverages.” [Arlington Magazine]

Coming to Potomac Yard — “The longest-standing vacancy at Potomac Yard Center has been filled. Ulta Beauty Inc. will replace Dressbarn, which closed its location at 3501 Richmond Highway in 2019 along with all 650 of the retailer’s locations. The 9,700-square-foot storefront is listed “at lease” on Willard Retail’s Potomac Yard Center brochure, but Ulta confirms it is opening there, with a planned debut in spring 2026.” [WBJ]

New Legal Notice — Establishment seeks restaurant/caterer alcohol license. Objections are due within 30 days. [Public Notices]

It’s Thursday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 70 degrees, accompanied by an east wind around 8 mph. Thursday night will see partly cloudy conditions with a low around 52 degrees. [NWS]

Shutdown Politics in Va. — “Even as the president and his party tried to blame Democrats for what could happen next, some Republicans saw it as almost inevitable that Virginia voters would punish them somewhat. ‘I do think that blame will be laid at Republicans’ feet, no matter what,’ said Matthew Hurtt, the chairman of the Arlington County GOP. ‘It feels like the layoffs are exclusively going to Democrats, who were going to be voting for Spanberger anyway.'” [Semafor, Arlington Democrats/X, Matthew Hurtt/X]

Bill to Help Feds During Shutdown — “‘Americans join the federal workforce because they want to help provide essential services to communities across the country,’ said Senator Kaine. ‘They shouldn’t be punished for that, especially in the event of a government shutdown. That’s why I’m glad to join with my colleagues in introducing this legislation to help make it easier for these patriotic workers to pay their bills.'” [Press Release]

Credit Unions Offer Support — “Several financial institutions, including Navy Federal Credit Union and PenFed Credit Union, are offering paycheck assistance, interest-free personal loans and lines of credit to federal workers who need them in the event of a shutdown. Some are also waiving penalties for early withdrawals from retirement accounts or allowing customers affected by a shutdown to skip a loan payment or two.” [WBJ]

New Poet Laureate — “Jennifer Kronovet has been selected as the fourth Poet Laureate of Arlington County. During her two-year appointment, the award-winning poet will serve as an advocate for poetry and the literary arts and will work to raise Arlingtonians’ consciousness and appreciation of poetry in its written and spoken forms.” [Arlington County]

Pre-Planning for Bridge Project — “Members of the Fireboat are pre-planning the construction site for the new Long railway bridge across the Potomac. This project is scheduled to go through year 2030 and has the potential for both water and technical rescues.” [DCFEMS/X]

Man Killed By Train Was Chased — “The man who was struck by a train at the Potomac Yard Metro station on Sept. 22 succumbed to his injuries that evening at George Washington University Hospital, according to the Alexandria Police Department. Metro Transit Police said at the time that the man trespassed onto the tracks, and an investigation has found that he was being chased by two alleged fare evaders, a 17-year-old female and an 18-year-old female, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.” [ALXnow]

It’s October — Expect partly sunny skies to transition to sunnier conditions, with temperatures reaching around 72°F and a 10 mph north wind. Wednesday night will be clear and cool with a low near 51°F, accompanied by a 6 mph northeast breeze. [NWS]

Shutdown Worries for Fed Contractors — “The PSC, an Arlington-based trade group for government contractors, had already been bracing for staff reductions in contracting offices across the U.S. government amid the Trump administration’s voluntary early retirement plan… the trade group is warning the government shutdown could bring larger setbacks for the contracting world.” [WBJ]

Home With a View for Sale — “The owners of Hard Times Cafe are asking $3.85 million for their 13,000-square-foot home at 1701 S. Arlington Ridge Road. The half-acre property sits on the ridge overlooking RiverHouse, the apartment complex, with Crystal City’s skyline clear as day, Fashion Centre at Pentagon City a 15-minute walk and the District in the distance.” [WBJ]

Design Submissions Open — “Arlington County’s design awards program, DESIGNArlington, is now accepting submissions for architectural, historic preservation, landscape, and public art projects. Submissions will be accepted through November 14, 2025.” [Arlington County]

ACPD Officers Attend Conference — “Last week, members of ACPD proudly attended the 2nd Annual She is Beyond the Badge: Women in Law Enforcement Conference. Women leaders attended to exchange best practices, highlight real-world tools, provide actionable strategies to address challenges and inspire excellence.” [ACPD/X]

Bishop Celebrates Migrant Mass — “Yesterday, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge celebrated a special Mass in honor of World Day of Migrants and Refugees at Holy Martyrs of Vietnam Church in Arlington. Present at the Mass were members of Catholic Charities Migration and Refugee Services (MRS), which turns 50 this year.” [Arlington Catholic Herald/X]

Another Dry Stretch — “Great for outdoor plans, bad for drought: Rain prospects look bleak for the foreseeable future. After the chance of a few showers today into early Tuesday, rain chances in the DC area are slim for almost 2 weeks according to most models.” [CWG/Bluesky]

It’s Tuesday — Expect a cloudy day with highs near 77°F and a northeast wind at 5 to 8 mph. Tuesday night will be mostly cloudy as well, with lows around 59°F and a north wind at 6 to 9 mph. [NWS]

Board to Designate Interim Chair — County Board members on Thursday, Oct. 2 will convene a special meeting to designate one of their ranks to serve as interim chair the week of Oct. 4-11. According to county leaders, Board Chair Takis Karantonis will be out of the country on an Arlington Sister Cities trip and Vice Chair Matt de Ferranti will be on paternity leave, necessitating that one of the other three members be designated chair for the period when neither is available. –Scott McCaffrey

Flyover Planned This Morning — From AlertDC: “The U.S. Military will conduct an aircraft flyover in the National Capital Region (NCR) over Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, September 29, 2025, at 9:16AM.”

Prosecutor Blasts Youngkin — “This is BS. My office (“far left prosecutor” per the GOP) is prosecuting this case and it would have been a crime regardless of which gender bathroom — or a parking lot for that matter. Elected leaders weaponizing what these victims went through for political purposes is its own depravity.” [Parisa Dehghani-Tafti/Bluesky]

Beyer Statement of ICE Visit — “ICE field offices are not designed or equipped to safely hold individuals for more than 12 hours, which was the long-standing policy until June, making the dangerous overcrowding both disturbing and wholly predictable. We are relieved to report that as of today, conditions appear to have improved from the horrifying reports we received just weeks ago.” [Press Release]

Worries About Local Economy — “The D.C. region is bracing for new economic pain next week as paychecks stop coming for thousands of federal workers who took the government’s offer of deferred resignation — and the threat of a shutdown could make it worse.” [Washington Post]

New Funding for Local Startup — “Epic Padel Inc., an Arlington sports and investment company, has raised $10 million to fuel its ambitions to build more padel courts and clubs across the country and to take equity stakes in other padel companies. Two United Arab Emirates-affiliated firms, Nowais Inc. and Stryde Ventures, led the Series A round for Epic Padel.” [WBJ]

Swift Album Release Events — “TS12, known by non-Swifties as Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl, comes out Oct. 3, and fans are ready to partay (see what we did there?). Take a break from speculating on the pop star’s wedding plans with Travis Kelce and head out to sing and dance along with your next earworm from her 12th album.” [Arlington Magazine]

It’s Monday — Clouds will increase throughout the day, reaching a high near 79 degrees, accompanied by a 6 mph east wind. Tonight, there is a 20% chance of showers after 2am, with cloudy skies and a low of 66 degrees in a light northeast wind. [NWS]

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