Author: Dan Egitto

Dan Egitto is an editor and reporter at ARLnow. Originally from Central Florida, he graduated from Duke University and previously reported at the Palatka Daily News in Florida and the Vallejo Times-Herald in California. Dan joined ARLnow in January 2024.

News

Justice Department no longer calls Arlington a ‘sanctuary jurisdiction’

By Dan Egitto and The Associated Press
Anti-ICE protesters outside of county government headquarters in 2022 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The Department of Justice has a new list of “sanctuary jurisdictions” that it accuses of impeding federal immigration enforcement — and Arlington isn’t on it.

The Justice Department previously included Arlington on a much longer list of “sanctuary jurisdictions,” which included 19 Virginia counties and 13 cities in the commonwealth and hundreds of others nationwide.

Go to Justice Department no longer calls Arlington a ‘sanctuary jurisdiction’ Read more
News

Mounting costs of ‘stop fascism’ graffiti drive police to seek public’s help

By Dan Egitto
Graffiti on Arlington signs (courtesy anonymous)

The Arlington County Police Department is asking for the public’s help in investigating dozens of traffic signs vandalized with anti-fascist graffiti.

The wave of vandalism incidents, many of which involve the word “fascism” written under the word “stop,” has been going on for months — at a significant cost to taxpayers, according to local officials.

Go to Mounting costs of ‘stop fascism’ graffiti drive police to seek public’s help Read more
News

Palestine activists target North Arlington home with protests and graffiti

By Dan Egitto
Pro-Palestinian protest targeting a North Arlington home (courtesy of Palestine Youth Movement DMV)

Activists bearing Palestinian flags, pots and pans and flyers calling a resident a “war criminal” descended on a North Arlington home last week.

The Friday protest was the second time in recent days that activists have targeted the Williamsburg residence of Loik Henderson, a member of the board of directors at the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

Go to Palestine activists target North Arlington home with protests and graffiti Read more
News

AIM’s website and radio station go dark, though leaders aren’t sure why

By Dan Egitto
WERA control room in 2015 (Courtesy of Paul LeValley/AIM)

Arlington Independent Media’s website and flagship radio station are down, but the bedraggled nonprofit’s leadership has few answers about what happened.

Multiple tipsters informed ARLnow that WERA, AIM’s low-power FM radio station, stopped broadcasting its lo-fi beats earlier this month. Additionally, AIM’s website now directs to a page reading “bandwidth limit exceeded.”

Go to AIM’s website and radio station go dark, though leaders aren’t sure why Read more
News

LGBTQ+ advocates urge APS to defy federal challenges to transgender policies

By Dan Egitto
LBGTQ+ advocates at an Arlington County Board meeting on Jan. 27, 2025 (courtesy of Kellen MacBeth)

Two LGBTQ+ advocacy groups are calling for Arlington Public Schools to defy federal attempts to dismantle the school system’s anti-discrimination policy for transgender students.

Both Equality Arlington and the Arlington Gender Identity Alliance (AGIA) issued statements this week on the results of a U.S. Department of Education investigation into five Northern Virginia school districts.

Go to LGBTQ+ advocates urge APS to defy federal challenges to transgender policies Read more
News

Education Department pushes APS to strike transgender policy, alleging Title IX discrimination

By Dan Egitto
Arlington is nonbinary button (photo courtesy D. Taylor Reich)

The federal government is pushing Arlington Public Schools to stop allowing transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms corresponding with their gender identity.

The U.S. Education Department announced today that it has completed a five-month investigation into the anti-discrimination policies of five school districts in Northern Virginia, including APS.

Go to Education Department pushes APS to strike transgender policy, alleging Title IX discrimination Read more
News

Cardinal Elementary stormwater vault keeps its head above the water amid heavy rains

By Dan Egitto
The Cardinal Elementary ballfield, under which lies a massive stormwater vault (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

A new stormwater vault at Cardinal Elementary School has been holding up well despite this summer’s heavy rains, county staff say.

The vault under the elementary school’s ballfield in Highland Park-Overlee Knolls, which opened in fall 2023, reached its highest water level yet on June 13 but was never in danger of overflowing.

Go to Cardinal Elementary stormwater vault keeps its head above the water amid heavy rains Read more
News

Shirlington’s WETA faces multimillion-dollar cuts after Congress slashes public broadcasting

By Dan Egitto
WETA headquarters in Shirlington (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Tough times are ahead for WETA, the Shirlington-based producer of the “PBS News Hour” and other public programming, following millions of dollars in federal funding cuts.

Congress’s decision to withdraw $1.1 billion from public broadcasting nationwide will cost WETA $9 million in previously allocated funds during both of the next two fiscal years — a roughly 7% cut to the station’s budget.

Go to Shirlington’s WETA faces multimillion-dollar cuts after Congress slashes public broadcasting Read more
News

Arlington ranks as America’s fittest ‘city’ for eighth year in a row

By Dan Egitto
Pickleball at the Walter Reed Community Center (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington has ranked as the fittest “city” in the country for the eighth year straight, edging out D.C. at No. 2.

According to the new 2025 Fitness Index, Arlington has the highest percentage of residents “in excellent or very good health” (67.2%), the highest percentage sleeping 7+ hours per day (76.4%) and the lowest percentage of smokers (3.3%).

Go to Arlington ranks as America’s fittest ‘city’ for eighth year in a row Read more
News

Key Bridge Marriott redevelopment plan expires as demolition continues in Rosslyn

By Ryan Cole and Dan Egitto
The Key Bridge Marriott demolition site at 1401 Langston Blvd (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

The site plan to redevelop Rosslyn’s former Key Bridge Marriott has expired, raising even more questions for the future of the Langston Blvd property.

Plans for a renovated hotel and two 16-story residential buildings at 1401 Langston Blvd expired on July 1, county spokesperson Rachel LaPiana told ARLnow.

Go to Key Bridge Marriott redevelopment plan expires as demolition continues in Rosslyn Read more
News

Head of ICE targets Arlington sheriff’s office over detainer for twice-deported sex offender

By Dan Egitto
Arlington County courthouse on Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023 (staff photo by James Jarvis)

The head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement is taking aim at the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office following a recent immigration arrest in Courthouse.

David Cabrera, an undocumented immigrant who pleaded guilty to the attempted rape of Arlington teenager in 2014, was detained by ICE agents outside the Arlington County magistrate’s office earlier this month.

Go to Head of ICE targets Arlington sheriff’s office over detainer for twice-deported sex offender Read more
View More Stories