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.
Firefighters at shed fire in Cherrydale (staff photo by Vernon Miles)
An outdoor fire just north of Washington-Liberty High School prompted a large emergency response and shut down some roads Wednesday afternoon.
The fire, in a backyard along the 1500 block of N. Stafford Street, was reported around 2:30 p.m. The blaze started in a shed and spread to nearby trees and brush, according to scanner traffic.
A middle school student is facing charges after police say he threatened another student with a knife.
Police were dispatched to Swanson Middle School in the Westover area around lunchtime Tuesday for a report of a 14-year-old student making threats. They subsequently seized two knives that had been brought into the school.
Arlington and much of the D.C. region is at high risk of outdoor fires today due to a combination of low humidity, drought conditions and gusty winds, the National Weather Service says.
A shopping bag blown in the wind, tangled in a flowering tree (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Layoffs Slowing Va. Home Sales? — Turmoil in the federal workforce may have impacted last month’s home sales across Virginia, which were down 9% year-over-year to 6,129. “February’s slowdown in sales could be an early signal that there is some hesitancy in some of our regional markets due to growing concerns around federal employment,” Virginia Realtors chief economist Ryan Price said. –Scott McCaffrey
Fire Weather Watch Today — “The combination of dry conditions, low humidity, and strong gusty winds may result in favorable conditions for the rapid spread of fires.” [ARLnow]
Plant Tours at Cemetery — “Arlington National Cemetery’s annual series of Spring Horticulture Tours kicks off this Friday!” [ANC/X, Arlington National Cemetery]
NAACP to Honor Late Leader — The Arlington NAACP will establish a scholarship fund to honor its first vice president, Rosa Dunkley, who died March 5 at the age of 81. Dunkley was “a fierce advocate for justice and a faithful friend to many, a pillar of strength and love” NAACP president Rev. DeLishia Davis said at the organization’s March 24 meeting. –Scott McCaffrey
‘Glamping’ Spots Nearby — “Looking for a getaway where you can touch grass and unplug, but still feel like you’re in the lap of luxury? Glamping—a combo of “glamour” and “camping”—may be the Goldilocks solution for you. We’re talking tents and cabins with climate control, comfy furnishings and private hot showers (or better yet, hot tubs), all within about a four-hour drive of Arlington.” [Arlington Magazine]
AG Warns About 23andMe Data — “Attorney General Jason Miyares today issued a consumer alert regarding 23andMe’s bankruptcy filing and the rights Virginians have concerning their genetic data.” [Press Release]
It’s Wednesday — Expect mostly sunny skies and a high temperature of around 56 degrees. The day will be breezy as a northwest wind of 6 to 11 mph increases to 16 to 21 mph in the afternoon, with gusts reaching up to 36 mph. The night will be mostly clear with a low of approximately 35 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind at 6 to 9 mph. [NWS]
Expect mostly sunny skies and a high temperature of around 56 degrees. The day will be breezy as a northwest wind of 6 to 11 mph increases to 16 to 21 mph in the afternoon, with gusts reaching up to 36 mph. The night will be mostly clear with a low of approximately 35 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind at 6 to 9 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” – Buddha
Brush fire along Four Mile Run Drive in 2017 (photo courtesy John Chandler)
It’s a good time to refrain from that roaring backyard campfire or careless toss of smoking material.
Winds are expected to pick up this afternoon (Tuesday) which, in combination with the current severe drought conditions in Arlington and Northern Virginia, have prompted warnings of an elevated fire threat.
Police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)
A man who tried to intervene in a dispute was chased by a drunk, knife-wielding suspect last week, according to Arlington County police.
The incident happened Friday evening in the area of the Queens Court Apartments in Rosslyn, along 18th Street N. No one was hurt but the suspect is now facing a couple of felony charges.
Clouds over Clarendon at dusk (courtesy George Brazier)
Local ‘Buycott’ Supports Costco — “On Saturday, March 15, over 100 Black women from across the country who are members of the Black Women’s Roundtable (BWR) staged a large-scale “buycott” at Costco in Arlington, Va., to deploy the power of their purses in support of corporations who value diversity, equity and inclusion.” [Afro]
Neighborhood College Apps Open — “Arlington County will offer its Neighborhood College program this spring for Arlingtonians who want to become more involved in their community. Applications for the spring session are due by Friday, April 4, 2025.” [Arlington County]
ICYMI: Build or Renovate Event — Arlington homeowners got unique local insights on the build-vs-renovate decision at a panel discussion hosted by ARLnow earlier this month. Now available online, the discussion features experts from MR Custom Homes, DeFalco Home Design, Alair Homes and US Bank, and was moderated by real estate columnist Eli Tucker. [Apple Podcasts, YouTube]
F.C. Resident Survey Results — “Falls Church residents are overwhelmingly happy with just about everything in their home town, including their local newspaper, a comprehensive survey conducted by a professional outfit shows. The results of 20 minute conversations with about 400 city residents were presented to the F.C. City Council.” [FCNP]
F.C. Development Clears Hurdle — “The Planning Commission voted unanimously (6-0) to approve the Quinn Site Plan application at their March 19, 2025, meeting. The Commissioners expressed appreciation for the responsiveness of the Quinn developers to their concerns. It was also agreed that the development will pump their sanitary sewage to the Arlington County treatment plant.” [Falls Church Pulse]
It’s Tuesday — Clouds will increase throughout the day, with a high of around 61 degrees and a southwest wind blowing at 7 to 11 mph. On Tuesday night, there is a 50% chance of rain before 2 am, followed by mostly cloudy conditions and a low temperature of around 41 degrees. [NWS]
Clouds will increase throughout the day, reaching a high of around 61 degrees, accompanied by a southwest wind blowing at 7 to 11 mph. On Tuesday night, there is a 50% chance of rain before 2 am, followed by mostly cloudy conditions and a low temperature of around 41 degrees. The west wind will be around 7 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” – Pablo Picasso
Aftermath of Virginia State Police chase that ended in Crystal City (via Dave Statter/X)
A teenager from D.C. is facing several charges in Arlington after an early morning car chase.
A black Dodge Charger “that had previously eluded state troopers on multiple occasions” was spotted speeding on I-395 around 1 a.m., according to Virginia State Police, leading to a wild chase that ended in a crash on 15th Street S. in Crystal City.
Arlington County government headquarters in Courthouse (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
A burst pipe has flooded and damaged Arlington County’s government headquarters in Courthouse.
The building at 2100 Clarendon Blvd is closed today and county government functions based there have been shifted to virtual operations, the county said.
Window washing at a Ballston office building in March 2025 (staff photo)
Fence Falls on Metro Tracks — “I-66E and Metro have been shut down for a while near the East Falls Church Metro Station. Apparently fencing came down from the Washington Blvd. overpass onto the roadway and the rails. Metro confirmed a short time ago power is down allowing the fence to be cut.” [Dave Statter/X, WMATA/X]
Bar Goes Bananas After Buzzer Beater — The University of Maryland’s thrilling buzzer beater to advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament electrified the crowd at Four Courts in Courthouse last night. [Ireland’s Four Courts/X]
Deluge of Delays at DCA — “Delays at Reagan National Airport tripled and cancellations spiked in the wake of January’s deadly collision between a passenger plane and a military helicopter. Last month, 34 percent of flight arrivals were delayed — compared with 11 percent in February 2024. And more than 7 percent of flights were canceled, compared with half a percent last year. Delays have dropped in recent weeks, but since the crash more than 1 in 4 flights were late.” [Washington Post]
Layoffs at Local USAID Contractor — “An Arlington nonprofit focused on ensuring free and fair democratic elections around the world is laying off dozens of employees in the wake of the Trump administration’s moves to shutter one of its main funders, the U.S. Agency for International Development. The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) eliminated 48 positions on March 2.” [WBJ]
Falls Church Tax Rate May Fall — Falls Church City Manager Wyatt Shields tonight is expected to propose a 2.5-cent drop in the real-estate tax rate for fiscal 2026, bringing it to $1.185 per $100 assessed valuation. The median tax bill for city homeowners would still rise about $400, or 3.4%, owing to increasing assessments. –Scott McCaffrey
Fmr. Federal Prosecutor Dies — “Former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Jessica Aber was found dead in Alexandria on Saturday morning, police said. She was 43… Police believe the death was the result of a longstanding medical issue, a friend of the family told NBC News.” [NBC News, Jared Serre/X]
Va. Jobs for Feds Questioned — “In public appearances, the governor has been touting 250,000 unfilled jobs in Virginia as a way forward in a state that is home to more federal employees than almost any other. But an analysis of the openings shows little overlap between available private-sector jobs and the high-paid federal ones being lost in terms of salary, health insurance and other benefits.” [Washington Post]
Region’s Unemployment Rate Up — The DC metropolitan area’s unemployment rate for January was 3.1%, according to new Bureau of Labor Statistics data, up from 2.8% in December and 2.9% in January 2024. The number of those counted as unemployed (111,226) across the metro area was up 9.6% from a year before. –Scott McCaffrey
It’s Monday — Expect showers mainly before 8am, followed by cloudy skies eventually clearing to become mostly sunny with a high near 66. Southwest winds will be between 9 and 11 mph, gusting up to 22 mph. There is a 60% chance of precipitation, with rainfall likely less than a tenth of an inch. For Monday night, anticipate increasing clouds and a low around 43, accompanied by west winds ranging from 8 to 10 mph. [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.
