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.
The weekend is here and so is a new episode of the ARLnow podcast.
In the latest episode, Vernon, Dan and Lene — and a special guest, Charnita Fox from the Animal Welfare League of Arlington — discuss a few notable local news stories in Arlington from the past week, including:
Fall is regarded as one of the ideal seasons to schedule HVAC maintenance, and there are plenty of service providers in and around Arlington to choose from as temperatures start to cool.
Labor Day Protests — “Labor Day, a holiday honoring the contributions of workers, will be met with two planned protests against the Trump administration in Arlington. Arlington is one of the locations across the U.S. holding protests against the ‘billionaire takeover.'” [Patch]
Columbia Pike Robbery — “Suspect One entered the business and began concealing merchandise during which an employee started to take photos of him with their cellphone. When the suspect went to exit the store without payment, he took the employee’s phone and threw it across the business before fleeing the scene in a black sedan driven by Suspect Two.” [ACPD]
Missing Teen Sought — “ACPD is seeking the public’s assistance locating 14-year-old Brianna… She is described as a Hispanic female, 5’0” tall with black hair. She was last seen in the 4200 block of 16th Road S. wearing a black shirt, white pants and a gold necklace with a B pendant.” [ACPD/X, Patch]
Beyer Blasts RFK Jr. — “President Trump must fire Robert F. Kennedy Jr. before he further endangers millions of American children, mothers, and families. If Trump does not remove Kennedy before this kook fully unleashes his crackpot conspiracy theories on America’s vaccination efforts, Trump will bear the responsibility for the unnecessary and preventable illnesses and deaths that result.” [Press Release]
Labor Day Travel — “Labor Day weekend travel is expected to surpass last year’s record levels, with the Transportation Security Administration preparing to screen hundreds of thousands more passengers than during the 2024 holiday.” [Axios]
Record Freshman Class at MU — “Marymount University in Arlington is one of two universities in Northern Virginia celebrating a record freshman class — here it numbers 538. At Marymount, it’s the fourth consecutive year the freshman class has grown.” [NBC 4]
Pizza Honor for Local Chain — “The verdict is in: An eatery with multiple Northern Virginia and D.C. locations is serving up the best slice of pizza in Virginia, according to a new list compiled by Food Network. Wiseguy Pizza was recently featured on Food Network’s 50 Best Pizza Slices By State 2025.” [Patch]
It’s Friday — Expect sunny conditions and a high temperature near 80 degrees during the day, accompanied by a northwest wind at 5 to 9 mph. By Friday night, the skies will turn partly cloudy, while the temperature dips to a low around 57 degrees. [NWS]
Expect sunny conditions and a high temperature near 80 degrees during the day, accompanied by a northwest wind at 5 to 9 mph. By Friday night, the skies will turn partly cloudy, while the temperature dips to a low around 57 degrees. A 6 mph north wind is anticipated throughout the night. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein
Noteworthy: Custom Contemporary in the heart of Lyon Park, walkable to Clarendon.
Fresh to the market, a striking 4-level custom contemporary in the heart of the Lyon Park community. This gem is uniquely nestled on a hill, overlooking one of the prettiest tree-lined street corners in Arlington. The location is A+, walkable and bikeable, or a short drive, to the Clarendon Metro, the bustling orange line corridor, the Lyon Park Community Center, Long Branch Elementary, numerous restaurants, coffee shops, stores, farmers markets, fitness centers, running and walking trails, parks and playgrounds. The sun drenched 5-bedroom-4.5 bath home was completely and meticulously renovated in 2021/2022 from top to bottom. Features include a new large chef’s kitchen with top shelf Miele appliances including two dishwashers, granite countertops, prep sink, and a nice size breakfast area with access to the outdoor patio, gleaming hardwood floors, spacious living and dining rooms, a luxurious primary with ensuite and walk in closets, custom window treatments, a laundry room with separate dog bath, a large 4th floor bedroom (currently the music room) with an adjoining oversized trunk room, an all house generator, gutter helmet, and a two-car garage with two EV charging stations. The icing on the cake, a stunning, circular sunroom/sitting room on the upper level, perfect for enjoying your morning coffee or entertaining friends and family. This sophisticated home offers timeless elegance with all of the modern conveniences for today’s living. Convenient to numerous commuter routes including Arlington Boulevard (Rt. 50), Washington Boulevard (27), Pershing Drive, Glebe Road (120), Wilson Boulevard, and I-66. What’s not to love?
A D.C. woman has been arrested and charged with a trio of thefts from Arlington stores.
The thefts date back to October 2024. Police did not identify the businesses involved but they occurred on two blocks, in Pentagon City and Rosslyn, that correspond with the location of Target stores.
Mason Square on the GMU Virginia Square campus (courtesy George Brazier)
Flyover Later Today — From AlertDC: “The Naval Air Force Atlantic will control a flyover in the National Capital Region at Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday, August 28, 2025, at approximately 1:05PM.”
Recycling Event Next Month — “A family favorite returns for the sixth year as the Solid Waste Bureau opens its doors at the Trades Center in Shirlington. Explore the world of recycling, trash-to-energy and other key environmental services. See the big work machines (The Rock Crusher! The Tub Grinder!) up close, sit in the driver’s seat and meet the experts who keep Arlington clean and sustainable.” [Arlington County]
GOP Poll Gains — “Virginia Republicans are growing cautiously optimistic about Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears’s (R) chances in November’s gubernatorial race after polling showed the Republican nominee closing the gap.” [The Hill]
Viral Sign Plays Role? — “With one tone deaf sign, Arlington leftists completely changed the tone and tenor of this campaign… the last week has been a game changer in the race for governor in Virginia.” [Arlington GOP/X]
FCPS Tightening School Board Security — “Starting this school year, Fairfax County Public Schools announced that it will expand its growing weapons screening program to school board meetings, requiring attendees to pass through OpenGate detectors before gaining entry.” [FFXnow]
It’s Thursday — Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures reaching up to 81°F and a calm wind transitioning to a southwest breeze of 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. For Thursday night, anticipate partly cloudy skies, lows around 61°F, and a gentle south wind at 3 to 5 mph. [NWS]
Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures reaching up to 81°F and a calm wind transitioning to a southwest breeze of 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. As for Thursday night, anticipate partly cloudy skies, lows around 61°F, and a gentle south wind at 3 to 5 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” – Steve Jobs
A Waymo spotted in the Safeway parking lot on Langston Blvd (courtesy Jennifer Galloway)
Google’s self-driving taxi arm, Waymo, is coming to D.C. — but making some pit stops in Arlington along the way.
The company announced in March that it would start operating in the District in 2026. Before it starts picking up ride-hailing passengers, however, Waymo has been conducting tests on D.C. streets.
Basketball court at Rocky Run Park (courtesy George Brazier)
New Food Distribution Site — “The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC), in collaboration with True Ground Housing Partners and Affordable Homes & Communities (AHC), has opened a new public food distribution site in Arlington’s Westover neighborhood to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity. This initiative enables access to free, supplemental groceries for Arlington residents in an area where access to food assistance is limited.” [Press Release]
Flyover This Morning — From AlertDC: “The U.S. Military will conduct a flyover in the NCR over Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, at approximately 9:04AM.”
Brandishing in East Falls Church — “At approximately 1:00 p.m. on August 21, the male victim and male suspect became involved in a dispute while they were driving their vehicles in the area of N. Sycamore Street and 17th Street N. When the vehicles subsequently came to a stop on N. Roosevelt Street, the suspect exited his vehicle, brandished what appeared to be a firearm at the victim, reentered his vehicle and fled the scene.” [ACPD]
Beyer Blasts Fed Firing — “Prices are rising because of Trump’s tariffs. Now Trump is trying to illegally fire Fed leaders to stop them from using interest rates to fight inflation. If Trump gets his way, confidence in our economy will fall, the value of your dollars will go down, and prices will go up.” [Rep. Don Beyer/X]
Trump Wants Apology from GMU — “George Mason University’s efforts to diversify its workforce violate a civil rights law intended to end segregation, according to the Trump administration… To resolve the alleged violation, the department has proposed an agreement that would require Mason President Gregory Washington to issue a statement and ‘personal apology.'” [FFXnow]
Governor’s Race Ad Battle — “The candidates in Virginia’s 2025 governor’s race are staking out new and unusual ground for their parties as voters start to narrow their focus on the election this November. In their campaign events and new television ads, on the air as of Tuesday morning, their contrasting strategies are becoming clear.” [NBC 4]
Nearby: New Tysons Stores — “A busy August at Tysons Corner Center is expected to spill over into the fall with a slew of store openings… Newcomers slated to open in this year’s third quarter include the electric vehicle maker Rivian, artisan cookie shop Chip City and the shoe retailer Kizik.” [FFXnow]
GSA Looking for New NSF Home — “The General Services Administration has launched an official search for office space in Alexandria to relocate the National Science Foundation after the agency was displaced from its Eisenhower Avenue headquarters. In a presolicitation notice posted to the federal contracting website SAM.gov on Thursday, GSA is seeking between 240,000 and 280,000 square feet of Class A office space for a 48-month lease term.” [ALXnow, WBJ]
Dry Weather Continues — “Through Monday, D.C. had tallied only 8 percent of average rainfall to date in August. The monthly total of 0.20 inches will probably set a record for the driest August on record. The current low point is 0.55 inches of rain in August 1962.” [CWG]
It’s Wednesday — Expect sunny skies and a high of 77°F, accompanied by a northwest wind blowing at 7 to 10 mph, with gusts reaching up to 20 mph. As night falls on Wednesday, clouds will increase, and the temperature will drop to around 59°F. [NWS]
Expect sunny skies and a high of 77°F, accompanied by a northwest wind blowing at 7 to 10 mph, with gusts reaching up to 20 mph. As night falls on Wednesday, clouds will increase, and the temperature will drop to around 59°F. The northwest wind will slow to about 6 mph, becoming calm as evening progresses. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.” – Arthur C. Clarke
A landscaper mows the grass at Fields Park in Bluemont (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Robbery in Pentagon City — “The female suspect entered the business, collected merchandise and attempted to exit the store without payment during which she was confronted by loss prevention personnel. The suspect shoved loss prevention personnel before running from the scene. A lookout was broadcast and a responding officer located an individual matching the description of the suspect in 1100 block of S. Hayes Street and took her into custody. During the course of the investigation, the suspect spat on an officer.” [ACPD]
Rosslyn Robbery Arrest — “It’s the arrest of a man charged with a Wednesday afternoon assault and robbery of a cell phone at Nash St. & Key Blvd. Police made an arrest minutes later at Wilson Blvd. & Ft. Myer Dr.” [Dave Statter/X]
Motorcycle Crash on Langston Blvd — “Most of this crash Friday night occurred off-camera but you will get the idea. A motorcyclist on Langston Blvd heading toward Falls Church collided with a car at Washington Blvd. As you can see, apparently no serious injuries as the frustrated biker got up on their own.” [Dave Statter/X]
USS Arlington Visit — “Honored to host the USS Arlington’s Chief Petty Officers & their families at Station 5A for a special dinner this week. Grateful for the chance to connect, share a meal, and show appreciation for their service. Looking forward to more moments of fellowship.” [ACFD/X]
Local Energy Firm Optimistic — “Maggie McCarey, vice president of policy and strategy for Arlington geothermal developer Dandelion Energy, said her startup is “well-positioned” following the bill’s passage. The company sells geothermal heating and cooling systems to home developers across the country, and it appears to be unmoved by the bill.” [WBJ]
It’s Tuesday — Expect sunshine and a high near 79 degrees with a northwest wind of 5 to 7 mph. On Tuesday night, it will be partly cloudy and the temperature will drop to around 59 degrees. [NWS]
