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.
Fans of large, food-centric gas stations: break out the sparkling wine.
Wawa is reportedly scouting out locations in Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax County and Loudoun County. That’s according to the Washington Business Journal, which says the company “is looking to substantially increase its footprint in Northern Virginia.”
People out at Gravelly Point on a warm early spring day (Flickr pool photo by Jason Gooljar)
Beyer Blasts Trump Tariffs — “Trump’s mass tariffs are stupid. The White House is predicting the largest tax increase in history. Trump likes tariffs because he’s a bully, because he’s an authoritarian, because he doesn’t care who gets hurt.” [Rep. Don Beyer/X]
Worries About Regional Economy — “The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond told Virginia lawmakers Wednesday that D.C., Maryland and Virginia could see significant economic challenges in the near future amid the mass federal layoffs. The Fed made a presentation to a special subcommittee that was created to address any economic fallout from federal layoffs and spending cuts.” [NBC 4]
Authorities Attend Immigrant Event — “In addition to an immigration lawyer, there are two police officers and a sheriff’s deputy taking questions, part of a community engagement team designed to build connections between residents and law enforcement. Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, the county’s top law enforcement officer, had one message for the group. ‘We want you to know that we are here to keep you safe, and no one’s going to get deported until they get a conviction.'” [WAMU]
New Local Billionaires — “The latest edition of the World’s Billionaires List published Tuesday anoints Mike Sabel and Bob Pender, founders of Venture Global Inc., as newly minted billionaires. The duo took their Arlington-based liquefied natural gas company public in January, giving them each, at the time, a net worth of $23.7 billion…. Sabel, a former investment banker, lives in D.C. and Pender, a longtime D.C. attorney, lives in Falls Church.” [WBJ]
ACSO Rebrands Visitation Program — “Hosted around major holidays such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and during the various seasons, Hugs of Hope events allow children to reconnect with their parents in a safe, nurturing environment that doesn’t feel like a jail. The initiative is rooted in the belief that incarceration should not sever the bonds of love and trust between parent and child.” [Arlington County Sheriff’s Office]
Longtime Firefighter Retires — “After more than 34 years of service, the senior firefighter in the department, FF/EMT [Charles Cake] is retiring effective April 1, 2025. We wish Chuck and his family health and happiness during his well-deserved retirement. Chuck, take care and thank you.” [ACFD/X]
It’s Thursday — There is a slight chance of showers before 8am and after 2pm, with patchy fog expected between 9am and 10am. Cloudy conditions persist with a high near 80 and southwest winds at 14-17 mph, gusting up to 28 mph. Precipitation chance is 40%. Thursday night, showers and thunderstorms are possible, with mostly cloudy skies and a low around 64. Southwest winds will be 7-10 mph and a 50% chance of precipitation. [NWS]
There is a slight chance of showers before 8am and after 2pm, with patchy fog expected between 9am and 10am. Cloudy conditions persist with a high near 80 and southwest winds at 14-17 mph, gusting up to 28 mph. Precipitation chance is 40%. Thursday night, showers and thunderstorms are possible, with mostly cloudy skies and a low around 64. Southwest winds will be 7-10 mph and a 50% chance of precipitation. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“The only way to achieve the impossible is to believe it is possible.” – Charles Kingsleigh
New Anti-Speeding Law — “Virginia will become the first state in the nation to allow judges to order anti-speeding devices to be installed in the cars of the worst speeders, a substantial victory for transportation advocates and one that they hope can be replicated elsewhere. The new rule, approved by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin late last month and expected to go into effect in July 2026, will enable judges to force drivers convicted of going over 100 miles per hour to install a “speed governor” in their vehicles.” [Streetsblog]
It’s Preparedness Month — “Arlington Preparedness Month, recognized each April, is an opportunity for everyone to assess their emergency plans, create or update emergency kits, and take the necessary steps to ensure you and your loved ones are ready for any situation.” [Arlington County]
Small Grants Available — “This spring, Arlington County is offering the Neighborhood Mini Grant (NMG) program, a competitive grant program to support projects that build community and engage residents. Applications are due by Monday, June 30, 2025. The program aims to provide Arlington neighborhoods and community-based organizations with funding opportunities to encourage civic and community building.” [Arlington County]
F.C. ADU Plan Nears Vote — “The City Council on March 24, 2025, held a final work session on accessory dwellings (ADs) prior to the April 14 scheduled passage of the code changes discussed for the past year. Council Members lined up 3-3 with contrasting positions on the one remaining issue to be discussed in April: the permissible side and rear setbacks for ADs from the property line.” [Falls Church Pulse]
It’s Wednesday — Expect partly sunny skies and highs near 61, along with southeast winds ranging from 8 to 15 mph and gusts up to 23 mph. Wednesday night will be cloudy, with lows around 53, accompanied by southeast winds at around 13 mph and gusts reaching 21 mph. [NWS]
Expect partly sunny skies and highs near 61, along with southeast winds ranging from 8 to 15 mph and gusts up to 23 mph. Wednesday night will be cloudy, with lows around 53, accompanied by southeast winds at around 13 mph and gusts reaching 21 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
Rosslyn Redevelopment on Hold — “Snell Properties is putting on hold its major redevelopment of the site of the former Ames Center office building in Rosslyn, waiting to see how Trump 2.0 affects construction costs and residential demand. The Arlington-based developer won county approval in 2021 to raze a 1960s-era office, church and gas station at 1820 and 1830 Fort Myer Drive to make way for two residential high-rises with up to 740 units. The office building has been demolished, but construction of the new towers is delayed.” [WBJ]
Fire in Arna Valley — “A car that caught on fire damaged two homes in Arlington on Monday evening. The Arlington County Fire and EMS Department said crews responded to the 2700 block of S Cleveland St. for reports of a fire… The fire was put out, but the heat damaged two buildings nearby.” [DC News Now]
Air Traffic Controller Arrested — “An air traffic controller has been charged with assault and battery in connection with a scuffle in the control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport last week, airport police have confirmed. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority said its officers responded to an incident on March 27 where controllers got into a fight at the control tower.” [Politico]
Board Member on Mall Incident — “Arlington County Board Member, JD Spain Sr., said more conversations will be had [about the weekend violence at the Pentagon City mall] in the coming days among the board, County Manager Mark Schwartz, law enforcement, and businesses. However, he said one solution could be partnering with non-profit organizations and finding safer outlets for teens.” [WUSA 9]
Wrong-Way Driver Nabbed — “Where’s a cop when you need one? In this case, right there as a driver made a left turn to head south in the northbound lanes of Route 110 near the Pentagon. That driver didn’t have to worry about making any other wrong turns for the rest of the morning thanks to the nice @ArlingtonVaPD officer who gave him a ride and stored his car for safekeeping.” [Dave Statter/X]
County Touts New Incubator — ” Arlington County… [is] proud to announce the opening of Starburst’s National Landing Launchpad. The initiative, supported by a $200,000 grant from VIPC’s Regional Innovation Fund (RIF), will further position Arlington as a premier hub for aerospace and defense startups, reinforcing the region’s leadership in national security innovation.” [Arlington County]
Scooter Safety Tips — “Scoot cute in Arlington with 4 key safety tips 1. Use a bike lane (when present) 2. Ride with one person per scooter 3. Park the scooter out of the way of sidewalks or ramps 4. Wear a helmet & avoid hanging items.” [Arlington County/X]
It’s Tuesday — Expect sunshine and a high temperature near 59 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind between 11 to 16 mph and gusts up to 25 mph. As the night progresses, there will be increasing clouds and the temperature will drop to around 43 degrees. [NWS]
Still frame from video showing carjacking attempt in Pentagon City (via Dave Statter/X)
Two teens were taken in custody after an unsuccessful armed carjacking attempt in Pentagon City over the weekend.
The incident, which happened early Saturday morning a few blocks from Amazon’s HQ2, was caught on camera. Local public safety watcher Dave Statter posted video of the suspects hiding in wait, then the would-be victims fleeing on foot.
Tree blossoms on a sunny day in Ballston (staff photo)
Another Near Miss at DCA — “A Delta Air Lines jet narrowly avoided a mid-air collision with a U.S. Air Force T-38 military aircraft on Friday near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport – just miles from the site of a deadly crash in January that killed 67 people. Delta Flight 2983, an Airbus A319 bound for Minneapolis-St. Paul, had just departed DCA around 3 p.m. when a cockpit warning system… issued a “resolution advisory,” directing pilots to take evasive action.” [USA Today, Washington Post]
Plane Strikes Kite at DCA — “A United plane made contact with a kite while attempting to land at Reagan National Airport Saturday afternoon, witnesses told WUSA9. The pilot of United Airlines Flight 654 from Houston can be heard over air traffic radio, giving details about the kite to an air traffic controller.” [WUSA 9, NBC News, Spencer Allan Brooks/X]
Driver Nabbed After Crash — “We have new details of the man apparently trying to hide from police behind a planter in Pentagon City this morning. As you’ll see in the video, he apparently came from a car that wrecked at high speed on I-395N… The video shows police catching up to him about 45 minutes after the crash.” [Dave Statter/X]
Update: Egg Prices Down — An ARLnow article about high egg prices appears to have been published just as those prices started dropping. From Axios: “Egg prices are suddenly plunging as the bird flu begins to wane and imports surge to fill the gap… It’s down 63% from a record $8.15 in the Feb. 21 report.” [Axios]
It’s Monday — Expect isolated showers to develop into afternoon thunderstorms with a high near 79°F and south winds gusting up to 26 mph. Rainfall amounts may reach up to a quarter of an inch. Tonight, thunderstorms continue before 8pm, followed by potential showers until 2am, with a low near 45°F. Southwest winds shift northwest after midnight, gusting up to 24 mph. Chance of precipitation remains high, with up to three-quarters of an inch of rainfall possible. [NWS]
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