Dan Egitto | ARLnow

Election Day begins smoothly in Arlington after strong early voting turnout

Published November 4, 2025 at 11:35AM

The polling place at The Jefferson in Ballston on Nov. 4, 2025 (staff photo by Jared Serre)

Election Day is off to a smooth start in Arlington, with about 8% voter turnout as of 9 a.m. following strong in-person early voting.

About 32,000 Arlington voters cast early in-person ballots this year, compared to 27,800 during the last gubernatorial election. However, mail-in ballots are down compared to 2021, a pandemic year: around 9,800 were cast this year compared to 14,800 in 2021.

News

Expansion and renovations starting soon at planned Reeves Farmhouse group home

By Dan Egitto

Published November 4, 2025 at 8:30AM

The Reeves Farmhouse at 400 N. Manchester Street (via HomeAid National Capital Region/Flickr)

The construction phase of a project bringing a new group home for adults with intellectual disabilities to the Reeves Farmhouse is expected to begin soon.

A year after the local Habitat for Humanity chapter and HomeAid National Capital Region broke ground on the historic structure at 400 N. Manchester Street in October last year, HomeAid and the construction company Toll Brothers announced that they’re ready to start work on the next stage.

News

APS offers free dinners for families during government shutdown

By Dan Egitto

Published November 3, 2025 at 10:00AM

Wakefield High School (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington Public Schools is offering free dinners at three high schools for families affected by the government shutdown.

Beginning Thursday, the school system will serve free hot meals every weekday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the cafeterias at Yorktown, Washington-Liberty and Wakefield high schools. Each location will provide 250 meals every day on a first-come, first-served basis.

News

Bracing for SNAP disruptions, Arlington allocates $350K for AFAC food aid

By Dan Egitto

Published October 30, 2025 at 2:45PM

Arlingtonians wait in line at Arlington Food Assistance Center (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington County is sending $350,000 to the county’s largest food pantry in response to possible disruptions in food aid for thousands of residents.

The funding transfer is intended to expand the Arlington Food Assistance Center’s capacity to help the roughly 10,000 local residents who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is expected to go on pause beginning Saturday because of the government shutdown.

Events

‘Taco Bell DC 50K’ will take runners to two Arlington Taco Bells next month

By Dan Egitto

Published October 30, 2025 at 11:45AM | Updated October 31, 2025 at 9:01AM

The Taco Bell Cantina near Courthouse on March 7, 2023 (staff photo)

Two of Arlington’s Taco Bell locations are expected to host hundreds of runners the last weekend of November during a 50K race fueled by Tex-Mex.

The Taco Bell DC 50K — an unlicensed event billed as both “the ultimate mix of endurance and spice” and “something completely stupid” — will take contestants on a roughly 32-mile loop, visiting eight Taco Bell locations in Northern Virginia and D.C. on Saturday, Nov. 29.

News

HQ2 left largely untouched as Amazon announces 14,000 corporate layoffs

By Dan Egitto

Published October 30, 2025 at 9:15AM

Amazon HQ2 (courtesy Amazon)

Amazon is slashing about 14,000 jobs, but the company’s HQ2 in Pentagon City will mostly be spared, ARLnow is told.

The company said in a Tuesday letter to employees that it is laying off thousands of corporate workers to reduce bureaucracy and “realize efficiency gains” in “this generation of AI.”

News

Officials celebrate $11M overhaul of bike and pedestrian infrastructure on Army Navy Drive

By Dan Egitto

Published October 29, 2025 at 3:45PM

Officials celebrate a ribbon cutting for infrastructure upgrades along Army Navy Drive (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

Three years of pedestrian- and bicyclist-friendly upgrades along Army Navy Drive culminated in a ribbon cutting in Pentagon City today (Wednesday).

Four members of the Arlington County Board, the chair of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and other transit advocates attended the ceremony at the intersection of Army Navy Drive and S. Hayes Street, along the 0.6-mile stretch of road that received improvements between S. Joyce Street and 12th Street S.

News

Stay cautious and support food pantries if you can, Arlington advocates urge amid uncertainty

By Dan Egitto

Published October 29, 2025 at 2:45PM | Updated October 29, 2025 at 3:44PM

Volunteers distribute food at Arlington Food Assistance Center in December 2020 (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Local food security organizations are seeking donations and urging caution as uncertainty continues to hang over food assistance in Virginia during the government shutdown.

While federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is expected to come to a halt on Saturday unless lawmakers strike a deal, Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) announced a plan yesterday for a stopgap measure to make sure people can still eat.

Around Town

When to expect trick-or-treaters and other tips for Halloween in Arlington

By Dan Egitto

Published October 28, 2025 at 3:45PM

Halloween skeleton decor at N. Jackson Street and N. Pershing Drive (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

Halloween is Friday, bringing trick-or-treaters, free Lyft rides and lots of thematic events to Arlington.

Here’s a look at what county newcomers can expect and where to go locally on the spookiest night of the year.

Events

Pentagon City ice rink reopens on Friday ahead of spooky ‘Thriller on Ice’ event

By Dan Egitto

Published October 28, 2025 at 11:45AM

The ice rink at Westpost at National Landing (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

As brisker weather returns, the outdoor ice rink in Pentagon City is reopening Friday in advance of a free Halloween-themed skating event.

The rink at Westpost at National Landing opens for the 2025-2026 winter season at 10 a.m. on Halloween, a spokesperson told ARLnow. The next day, an event called “Thriller on Ice” will feature a DJ “spinning all your favorite Halloween tracks” from 5-8 p.m. this Saturday.

News

New stoplight, pedestrian beacon planned for Wilson Blvd intersection in Dominion Hills area

By Dan Egitto

Published October 24, 2025 at 11:45AM

The intersection of Wilson Blvd and N. Livingston Street (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

A preliminary design for a safer intersection in the Dominion Hills area includes a traffic signal, more separation for bike lanes and a flashing beacon for pedestrians.

Respondents have until Monday, Oct. 27 to submit feedback on plans for the intersection of Wilson Blvd and N. Livingston Street. This is located near Powhatan Springs Park, about half a mile west of another Wilson Blvd intersection where a bicyclist was seriously injured in a crash earlier this month.

Events

‘Hallow-E-Waste’ electronics collection event happening in Falls Church tomorrow

By Dan Egitto

Published October 24, 2025 at 9:15AM

Big Chimneys Park in Falls Church (via City of Falls Church/YouTube)

A Falls Church sorority chapter is hosting a Halloween-themed collection event for old electronics tomorrow (Saturday).

The city’s Chi Beta Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha has planned the “Hallow-E-Waste” event, which will feature daytime trick-or-treating for kids in addition to waste collection.