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.
Vibrant fall colors of leaves in Quincy Park (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
It might still be the height of beach season, but make no mistake — savvy local advertisers are busy booking up the choicest sponsored content, email blasts and other spots on ARLnow.
The fall advertising rush has begun and you don’t want to get left behind.
Stream at Glencarlyn Park (courtesy George Brazier)
Rescue in Lubber Run Park — “A vehicle attempting to cross a bridge with water running over it was swept into the creek behind Lubber Run Park. Five occupants were safety removed from the vehicle. No injuries to firefighters or occupants. Please do not attempt to cross moving water!” [ACPD/X]
Abduction Arrest in Arlington — “Southfield police say a missing 3-year-old who was believed to have been taken out of state by his mother has been found safe. Authorities say [the child] was found in Arlington, Virginia, with the help of the U.S. Marshals Missing Child Unit. Police said Terri was taken by his mother.” [CBS News]
Police Issue Scam Warning — “Spoofing is when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity. Victims have reported receiving unsolicited phone calls from individuals fraudulently claiming to be members of the Arlington County Police Department. These individuals accuse the victims of owing money which must be paid immediately, or they must turn themselves in to the police department.” [ACPD]
Gateway Park History — “The creation of Gateway Park is a remarkable story, connected with the complicated history of the creation of Interstate 66. It took decades to get I-66 built in Arlington. Planning for the highway began in the 1950s, but the Arlington portion was not completed and opened until 1982. The Virginia Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration agreed to build an urban park over the top of I-66.” [FCNP]
It’s Monday — Expect a sunny day with highs reaching near 95 and heat index values as high as 101. A northwest wind around 6 mph will provide some relief. For Monday night, the sky will be mostly clear and temperatures will drop to a low of around 76 with calm winds. [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.
There is a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3pm, with mostly sunny conditions and a high around 94°F. The heat index may reach up to 101°F, with light winds turning east at 5 mph in the afternoon. On Saturday night, there’s a 60% chance of precipitation with showers and thunderstorms, some producing heavy rainfall, mainly between 8pm and 2am. Expect mostly cloudy skies and a low of 76°F with southeast winds at 3 to 5 mph. Rainfall amounts between a quarter and half an inch are possible. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” – Albert Einstein
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. 👋
Demolition continues on the former Macy’s in Ballston (staff photo)
Safety Concerns After Fatal Crash — “Virginia State Police say they believe a driver of a Scion XB stopped in the roadway as she entered the Express Lanes before a chain-reaction crash involving five vehicles Monday afternoon… The details of Monday’s crash are still under investigation, but McGurk says you should never stop in the lanes if you have mistakenly entered them.” [NBC 4]
More on Rising Ambulance Fees — “The fire department went on to explain the expenses for providing EMS care have gone up due to rising costs of technological advances, medical equipment, wages for personnel, fuel and the ambulances themselves. No one is ever denied services because they can’t pay or don’t have insurance, ACFD said.” [NBC 4]
Aspire Faces Funding Cut — “Aspire is now confronting an existential crisis, which CEO Paul Fynboh said could result in turning students away. The program, which provides free academic and enrichment support to low-income families in Arlington County, has lost nearly a third of its funding after the Trump administration cut roughly $400 million in federal funding for AmeriCorps.” [DC News Now]
New Fund for Ballston VC — “Arlington venture capital firm Marlinspike is nearly halfway to its goal of raising $70 million for an investment fund to back emerging defense tech startups… It plans to cut checks totaling $250,000 to more than $10 million to companies developing technologies at the convergence of AI systems and manufacturing.” [WBJ]
Recognition for Motor Startup — “Torev Motors, an Arlington-based developer of electric motors that don’t rely on rare earth minerals, was named the “People’s Choice Award” winner at this month’s Accelerate Breakfast Series event in Reston.” [Potomac Tech Wire]
Defense Conference Mulls Threats — “Leading experts in national security, aviation, and transportation convened this week for a critical workshop, “Defense of the Homeland: Aviation and Transportation in Irregular Warfare.” Held from July 15-16 in Arlington, Virginia, the event brought together government officials, military leaders, academics, and industry professionals.” [DVIDS]
D.C. Traffic Worse Than LA? — “Washington DC has overtaken Los Angeles as the US city with the worst traffic, in annual rankings from ConsumerAffairs. Drivers around the US capital spend more time in traffic than in any other city, with average daily commute times of 33.4 minutes, according to traffic data from the 50 biggest metropolitan areas in the nation.” [BBC]
FCNP Publisher Honored — “The venerable Washington Business Journal… honored 14 LGBTQ+ business leaders in the D.C. region with a classy rooftop reception in Arlington… Among the honored are two from Falls Church, Falls Church News-Press founder, owner and editor Nicholas F. Benton and Dr. Jorge Ramallo, medical director of the Inova Pride Clinic located in Falls Church.” [FCNP]
It’s Friday — Showers and thunderstorms are possible, mainly between 2pm and 5pm, with increasing clouds and a scorching high of 98. A heat index up to 106 is expected, with a southwest wind at 5-7 mph and a 30% chance of precipitation. On Friday night, anticipate more storm chances, primarily before 7pm, followed by partly cloudy conditions and a low of 77. There will be a northwest wind around 6 mph, and a 30% chance of precipitation. [NWS]
Showers and thunderstorms are expected mainly between 2pm and 5pm, with increasing clouds and a scorching high of 98. With a heat index up to 106, a southwest wind will blow 5-7 mph, and there’s a 30% chance of precipitation. On Friday night, anticipate more showers and thunderstorms primarily before 7pm, followed by partly cloudy conditions and a low of 77. There will be a northwest wind around 6 mph, and a 30% chance of precipitation. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale.” – Hans Christian Andersen
Address:5018-11th Street, N. Neighborhood: Waycroft/Woodlawn Type: 5 BR, 3 BA single-family detached – 3000 sq. ft. Listed: $1,199,000
Noteworthy: 5 BR 3 bath home in Cardinal Swanson W-L pyramid near Ballston and Westover
Over 3,000 square feet of space in this expanded Cape Cod, well-sited on a 10,600 square foot lot between Ballston and Westover Village. Recent updates include remodeled lower level kitchen and bath in 2021 along with main level bathroom, laundry, gas water heater, and kitchen appliances. The long time owners are passing on their well-loved home to savvy buyers who can restore it as they wish. The two story addition provides light filled family room on the main level which opens to a sunroom with steps to the fenced, rear yard. In the lower level there is a separate entrance through the open, airy rec room, making it ideal for in-laws, au pair, or long term guests. Near Lacey Woods Park, bike path to Ballston restaurants, central library, shops and night life. To the west lies Westover Village with library, restaurants, and Sunday farmer’s market. Also near Virginia Hospital Center and Lubber Run Rec Center with many programs and Saturday farmer’s market. Bring your vision and sweat equity to create value in this large home and yard.
Cranes and construction on the West Falls development project (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)
VSP Arrests Cruiser Crash Suspect — “Arrest in trooper hit & run: A man trying to retrieve his Porsche 911 after it ran into a Virginia State trooper early yesterday on I-395 has been charged with felony hit and run.” [Dave Statter/X]
Arlington Man Arrested in Fairfax — “A 25-year-old man has been arrested after police allege that he forced his way into two Fairfax County hotel rooms earlier this week. Arlington resident Eric Isler was taken into custody yesterday (Tuesday), hours after the second of two incidents, the Fairfax County Police Department says.” [FFXnow]
Police: Man Threatens Boy — “The juvenile male victim was in the stairwell of a residential building when the adult male suspect approached and began yelling at the victim. The victim attempted to leave the scene when the suspect grabbed his hand, displayed a knife and made jabbing movements. The victim’s family entered the stairwell upon hearing the commotion, confronted the suspect and he fled the scene on foot.” [ACPD]
Crash in Crystal City — “Trying to make the left turn from the right thru lane is rarely a good idea, but many people like to do it. This vehicle came off the ramp from the airport road where there is no legal access to make the left turn onto S. 23rd St. from Richmond Highway.” [Dave Statter/X]
Toastique Opening Update — Branded signage has appeared at 244 19th Court S., where the D.C.-born gourmet toast franchise hopes to open next month, a representative tells ARLnow. The expanding eatery is currently working to open 19 new locations nationwide, including one in Reston. The new restaurant will be Arlington’s second Toastique, joining a Clarendon location that opened last year. –Katie Taranto
Waterfront Wine Party This Weekend — Seasonal outdoor restaurant Catboat Pizza Bar plans to host its first-ever natural wine party from noon-4 p.m. this Saturday at Washington Sailing Marina. Tickets come with bottomless pizza and pours from local wine distributors at $75 per person. –Katie Taranto
Hotel Renovation Complete — “AC Hotel Arlington National Landing is officially open, unveiling a multi-million dollar transformation. The reimagined property joins Marriott International’s AC Hotels brand portfolio with distinction, as it’s the largest AC Hotel in North America with 355 European-inspired guest rooms.” [Press Release]
Grant for Local Rescue Group — “Lucky Dog Animal Rescue is pleased to have received $15,000 in funding through a PEDIGREE Foundation Program Development Grant. This generous grant will support a new initiative called Project Paws in Homes, which will provide those who adopt Lucky Dog’s long-stay – or challenging – dogs with the resources they need to make their adoption successful.” [Press Release]
Westover Profiled by Post — “In a rare configuration for Arlington, Westover has original 1940s-era single-family houses alongside duplexes, condominiums and apartments, all clustered around the commercial district along Washington Boulevard.” [Washington Post]
Senators Question FAA Cuts — “The tragic crash of American Airlines flight 5342 highlighted serious gaps in our aviation safety system and demonstrated the need for a robust and experienced analytical workforce at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Unfortunately, over the past six months, your agency has significantly reduced its workforce. We are deeply concerned.” [Press Release]
It’s Thursday — Expect sunny skies and a high temperature near 90 degrees, accompanied by a south wind of 3 to 8 mph. Thursday night will be mostly clear, with a low around 74 degrees. [NWS]
Expect sunny skies and a high temperature near 90 degrees, accompanied by a south wind of 3 to 8 mph. Thursday night will be mostly clear, with the temperature dropping to around 74 degrees, and the south wind continuing at 6 to 8 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“There is nothing impossible to him who will try.” – Alexander the Great
Lester Johnson plays guitar in Rosslyn while his wife watches (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Another Residential Conversion — “JBG Smith Properties has pitched two new office-to-residential conversions in National Landing, replacing an earlier plan to build new office. The Bethesda developer filed an adaptive reuse site plan application Monday with Arlington County, outlining a proposal to transform the 11- to 12-story office towers at 1800 and 1901 S. Bell St. into multifamily over retail buildings comprising a total of 315 units.” [WBJ]
Big Raise for Defense Firm — “Rune Technologies, an Arlington-based developer of AI predictive software used for military logistics, said on Monday it has raised $24 million in a round of funding, led by Human Capital.” [Potomac Tech Wire, WBJ]
More Tech Tenants for GMU — “Three more tenants have moved into George Mason University’s state-of-the-art Fuse building at Mason Square in the Rosslyn-Ballston Innovation Corridor of Arlington, Virginia. JSI, Corvex, and Oasis Hill strengthen Fuse as a center for collaboration between industry leaders, government, university researchers, and students.” [GMU]
First Pitch for Fudd — “UConn Huskies women’s basketball star Azzi Fudd is having herself an excellent couple of days. Last week, she announced her new podcast Fudd Around And Find Out, co-produced with Steph Curry’s Unanimous Media. And on Monday, the Arlington, Virginia, native threw out the first pitch at the Washington Nationals’ game vs. the Cincinnati Reds.” [Sports Illustrated]
Assault on Officer in P.C. — “An officer inside the Pentagon City Metro Station stopped the male suspect for fare evasion. The suspect began to act disorderly, ignore the officer’s commands and struck the officer. With the assistance of additional officers in the area, the suspect was taken into custody. No injuries were reported.” [ACPD]
VRE’s Vision for 2050 — The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission approved the VRE System Plan 2050, aiming for $1.4 billion in capital improvements, including potential expansions, though challenges remain. The plan is flexible and will adapt to economic and demographic shifts, with funding discussions set to follow. [FFXnow]
Bikeshare Costs Rising — Price increases to some Capital Bikeshare services, including a 26% hike on annual memberships, go into effect next Friday, Aug. 1. Thirty-day passes are increasing from $20 to $25 and low-income members’ free e-bike rides will now cost 10 cents per minute, among other changes. The hikes are intended to “ensure Capital Bikeshare remains an affordable transportation option” as the service experiences record-high ridership. –-Katie Taranto
It’s Wednesday — Expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 87 degrees, accompanied by a calm wind that will shift to the southeast at 5 to 7 mph in the morning. On Wednesday night, the skies will be mostly clear as the temperature drops to around 69 degrees, with a south wind of 5 to 8 mph. [NWS]
