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.
Arlington County police cars (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Update 2/20/26: The felony charge has been dropped, but the driver was found guilty of two misdemeanors: assault and battery and property damage under $1,000. He has received a suspended six-month sentence.
A 58-year-old Arlington man is in jail after police say he purposely struck a bicyclist with his car following an argument.
“No Kings” protest in Ballston on Saturday (courtesy Randy Swart)
Courthouse Hotel for Sale — “The owner of an Arlington extended-stay hotel is abandoning its plan to convert the property to residences and is now looking to sell the property instead. Five years after winning approval for the conversion, Fulton, Maryland-based Sunburst Hospitality has tapped KLNB and HREC Investment Advisors to market for sale the 187-room Arlington Court Suites Hotel at 1200 N. Courthouse Road.” [WBJ, Bisnow]
Rowdy Group in Ballston — “Police and EMS called a short time ago to Ballston Quarter for a large crowd, a fight, and one injured. The group of young people left the mall heading east on Wilson Blvd. and then south on N. Randolph with @ArlingtonVaPD watching closely.” [Dave Statter/X]
Prosecutor Still Supports Jones — “Jay made the point better than I have the last few days: the AG, arguably even more so than the governor, is the office that can effectively protect Virginia communities from the President’s authoritarian rampage. We can’t think that electing Spanberger alone will be enough.” [Parisa Dehghani-Tafti/Bluesky]
Mail Ballot Deadline — “The last day to request a mail ballot for the November 4, 2025 General Election is next week on, Fri. Oct. 24 at 5pm! All registered voters are eligible to vote by mail.” [Arlington Elections/X]
Diocese on Abortion Amendment, IVF — “Since the 2022 Dobbs ruling returned the regulation of abortion to the states, abortion proponents have been on the march. They successfully enacted extreme abortion policies through ballot initiatives approved in 14 out of 17 states, amending their state constitutions. Unless we act, Virginia is next.” [Arlington Catholic Herald, Diocese of Arlington]
Funding for Local Company — “Lightshift Energy, an Arlington-based developer of battery energy storage projects, said it has landed a new $75 million credit facility… it will use the funds to support its pipeline of energy storage projects across the East Coast, at a time when the U.S. is experiencing increased demand for energy storage.” [Potomac Tech Wire]
More EDVA News — “Fresh from indicting two of Trump’s top political targets in her first three weeks on the job, interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan this week continued to push prosecutors at her Eastern District of Virginia office to move quickly to charge another politically sensitive case: a Democratic state lawmaker who has been under investigation since the Biden administration, according to three people familiar with the discussions.” [MSNBC]
Lanternflies Threatening Va. Wine — “If you needed another reason to crush those spotted lanternflies, here’s one that may hit close to home: they’re threatening your wine. The spotted insects have developed a taste for grapevines — their favorite host after the tree of heaven.” [Washington Post]
New Legal Notices — Restaurants seek on/off-premise ABC mixed-beverage license; objections due 30 days. [Public Notices, Public Notices]
It’s Monday — Expect a sunny day with highs near 65 degrees and west winds blowing at 13 to 15 mph, gusting up to 28 mph. The night remains clear with lows around 44 degrees, and the west wind slowing to 6 mph before becoming calm during the evening. [NWS]
Today’s Morning Notes are brought to you by Industrious. ARLnow has been in an Industrious office for years and we love the convenience — you get to focus on your work rather than worrying about brewing your own coffee or keeping the copy machine stocked. Industrious has several Metro-accessible coworking locations in Arlington.
Expect mostly cloudy skies to gradually clear up and bring sunshine with a high around 71 degrees. The calm wind will transition into a southerly breeze at 5 to 7 mph during the afternoon. As for Saturday night, it will be mostly clear and a low of approximately 55 degrees, accompanied by a southeast wind around 6 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington! 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. 👋
Police on scene of an incident at Mister Days in Clarendon during an Arlington GOP debate watch party (via Bruce Majors/X)
While a debate among the candidates for Virginia Attorney General focused on violent rhetoric, a debate watch party in Arlington descended into physical violence.
Police were called to Mister Days on N. Highland Street around 6:45 p.m. Thursday after a fight broke out at the debate watch party held by the Arlington County Republican Committee. A video posted online, which includes explicit language, shows a man being restrained and ordered to leave the restaurant while a female companion records the incident and is later also ordered to leave.
The closure was announced at around 10:15 a.m. and appears to be associated with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Washington. The Ukrainian embassy is in Georgetown, near the entrance to the Key Bridge. The bridge was also closed for a few hours in August due to a Zelensky visit.
Nighttime traffic and pedestrians on the Key Bridge (courtesy George Brazier)
New Va. Rep. Shutdown Prediction — “Rep. James Walkinshaw, whose Northern Virginia district has one of the country’s highest concentrations of federal workers, is expecting the government shutdown to last around 30 days. Walkinshaw is the newest sworn-in member of Congress, but he served as chief of staff to the late Rep. Gerry Connolly during the previous three government funding lapses.” [Axios]
Shutdown Not Impacting Some — “President Donald Trump is all but ignoring the federal shutdown for parts of the government he favors — keeping paychecks flowing for military service members and FBI agents and backfilling publicly sensitive social benefit programs in a push to alleviate political pain from the closure as it enters its third week.” [Washington Post]
Beyer on Shutdown Negotiations — “Dems are floating a reversal of the RIFs as a shutdown demand (even as courts could curb them anyway) Rep. Beyer: ‘It’d be pretty unconscionable to open it up and still have to put up with those thousands and thousands of firings.'” [Politico, Nicholas Wu/X]
Beyer on Jay Jones — “I asked Rep. Beyer about Jay Jones: ‘What Jay said was awful. It’s no worse than what Donald Trump says almost every day and the things JD Vance has said… People make mistakes. I very much hope he prevails.” [Michael O’Connor/X, O’Connor/TikTok]
Car Noise Bill — “Fairfax County leaders are welcoming renewed efforts giving localities the ability to electronically monitor vehicle noise and fine those whose vehicles exceed state limits. Del. Rip Sullivan (D-6) plans to reintroduce legislation on the subject during the 2026 General Assembly session, his office confirmed. In this year’s session, his measure made it to the desk of Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), but was vetoed.” [FFXnow]
Nestle Layoffs in Arlington? — “Food giant Nestle SA said Thursday it plans to cut headcount by 16,000, including 12,000 white-collar workers, across its global ranks over the next two years to drive annual savings. The layoffs will likely impact the Rosslyn-based headquarters of Nestle USA, though to what extent is to be determined.” [WBJ]
Pike Fest Saturday Afternoon — “Come together to celebrate and support Columbia Pike’s small businesses and vibrant community… Enjoy local food and drinks, music, family-friendly activities, and pike photos, all designed to showcase and uplift the businesses that make the Pike special.” [Columbia Pike Partnership]
Anti-Trump Protests Sat. AM — From a press release: “We of Action Virginia (WofA) is organizing the No Kings! WofA Bridge Brigade. Arlington community members will provide messages of patriotism and protest to motorists along I-66 in Arlington. Examples include VA IS 4 LOVERS NOT KINGS; TROOPS OUT OF OUR CITIES; HEALTHCARE NOW; and EPSTEIN FILES NOW.” [ARLnow]
Protest Planned in F.C. — “Amid more than 2,500 similar events nationwide, a “No Kings” rally in the City of Falls Church is expected to draw a huge turnout of citizens lining Broad Street (Rt. 7) from end-to-end this Saturday morning, Oct. 18.” [FCNP]
Backlash After Miller’s Move — “It’s sad that the Miller family couldn’t feel safe among my neighbors in Arlington… NOVA has a hate problem and is filled with the most privileged, insufferable, malicious, and vile malcontents in the country. Just read the comments to get an idea of what living in Arlington is like.” [Corey Inganamort/X]
Warmer Winter on Tap? — “The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released on Thursday its winter outlook covering the period from December through February. For the D.C. region, NOAA leans warmer than normal (33 to 40 percent chance) with equal chances of above-, near- or below-normal precipitation.” [CWG]
It’s Friday — Expect sunny skies and a high of 63 degrees with a northwest 6-to-8-mph wind during the day. On Friday night, the sky will be mostly clear with a low of around 46 degrees. [NWS]
Expect sunny skies and a high of 63 degrees with a northwest 6-to-8-mph wind during the day. On Friday night, the sky will be mostly clear with a low temperature of around 46 degrees, accompanied by calm wind conditions. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took any excuse.” – Florence Nightingale
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.
A Virginia State Police vehicle (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
A Baltimore man is facing multiple charges after a police chase ended in Shirlington late Thursday afternoon.
The chase started on northbound I-395 around 4:15 p.m. after a Virginia State Police trooper spotted a car that had earlier run from Alexandria police, according to VSP.
Address:1404 N Herndon Street Neighborhood: Lyon Village Type: 4 BR, 4 (+1 half) BA single-family detached – 3991 sq. ft. Listed: $2,575,000
Noteworthy: Stunning Lyon Village Modern Masterpiece.
Stunning modern masterpiece designed and renovated in 2016 by acclaimed Moser Architects, seamlessly blending cutting-edge design with refined comfort. Nestled in sought-after Lyon Village, this home offers a light-filled, open layout that exudes sophistication and warmth. Every detail reflects the vision of the current owner, a talented interior designer who curated the interiors with an elevated sense of style. Upon entry, soaring ceilings, white oak flooring, and Italian lighting by Artemide set the tone for contemporary elegance. The striking dining room features Schumacher wallpaper, custom cabinetry, and Scandinavian lighting by Louis Poulsen, while a stylish home office with built-ins complements the design. Along the hall, a custom mural by NYC’s Calico Wallpaper leads to the mudroom and powder room, accented by Kelly Wearstler Visual Comfort lighting and Scalamandre wallcoverings. The open-concept living area, wrapped in walls of windows, centers around state-of-the-art kitchen by Jack Rosen Custom Kitchens with Canadian Elmwood cabinetry, Dekton countertops, walk-in pantry, butler’s pantry with beverage center, and custom banquette upholstered in Christopher Farr Cloth. Upstairs, the primary suite includes two custom-designed walk-in closets and a luxurious spa-inspired bath with an oversized shower and bench seating. Three additional bedrooms, two full baths—one showcasing a Scandinavian light fixture by &Tradition—and a convenient laundry room complete the upper level. The lower level includes a recreation room with 9-foot ceilings, guest suite, full bath, second laundry, and garage access. Outside, professional landscaping and a private flagstone patio provide a serene retreat just two blocks from Clarendon Metro, shops, and dining.
