Dan Egitto | ARLnow

EXCLUSIVE: Arlington firefighters ’embarrassed’ by failure to send water rescue team to crash

Published February 6, 2025 at 3:55PM | Updated February 7, 2025 at 8:28AM

A Prince William County fire boat searches the Potomac River the morning after the mid-air collision and crash (staff photo by James Jarvis)

The Arlington County Fire Department’s water rescue team did not respond to last week’s fatal midair collision, against the wishes of local firefighters, ARLnow has learned.

While first responders from throughout the D.C. area descended on the site of the devastating collision that killed 67 people on Jan. 29, ACFD personnel trained to respond to water emergencies did not receive permission to act. That is according to internal materials that this news site obtained through an anonymous source.

News

NEW: AIM audit reveals ‘deeply concerning’ issues in handling of $2M from county

By Dan Egitto

Published February 6, 2025 at 1:30PM | Updated February 6, 2025 at 5:38PM

Arlington Independent Media logo (via AIM)

The results of an audit on Arlington Independent Media are out, revealing substantial gaps and errors in how the nonprofit handled some $2 million in county-provided funds.

The audit report appears to have been uploaded by Arlington County yesterday, the day after ARLnow reported on delays in its release. It suggests that AIM failed to provide adequate documentation for over $1 million in expenditures, including payments to dozens of third-party contractors.

News

AIM renews calls for county help as ‘hard deadline’ to reboot WERA 96.7 approaches

By Dan Egitto

Published February 4, 2025 at 3:50PM

Arlington Independent Media staff at work in earlier times (via Arlington County)

An impending deadline for Arlington Independent Media’s broadcasting license is reinvigorating the nonprofit’s requests for county help.

AIM — which has been attempting to reboot after laying off its entire staff last March amid significant debt and a pending county audit — has until March 21 to resume broadcasting at WERA 96.7.

News

JUST IN: Road near hospital blocked after driver smashes into wall, utility pole

By Dan Egitto

Published February 4, 2025 at 2:40PM | Updated February 4, 2025 at 3:55PM

A crash near 16th Road N. and N Abingdon Street (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

A road near Virginia Hospital Center was blocked Tuesday afternoon following an unusual crash.

The crash happened around noon on 16th Street N. near N. Abingdon Street, in the Waycroft-Woodlawn neighborhood.

News

Before fatal plane crash, Arlington advocates fought crowded airspace for years

By Dan Egitto and Scott McCaffrey

Published February 4, 2025 at 8:30AM

Police and fire boats search the Potomac River the morning after the mid-air collision and crash, with the crash site visible in the background (Staff photo by James Jarvis)

Last week’s fatal aircraft collision over the Potomac River reverberates with many Arlington leaders’ longstanding concerns about the county’s crowded airspace.

In the immediate aftermath of the collision near Reagan National Airport — which claimed the lives of 64 people on a regional jet and three soldiers on a military helicopter — U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) is calling for permanent changes.

Schools

Arrest of sex offender for indecent exposure in locker rooms sparks APS debate on gender

By Dan Egitto

Published February 3, 2025 at 3:30PM | Updated February 3, 2025 at 8:25PM

Mugshot of Richard Cox, via Arlington County Sheriff's Office, and the W-L High School campus

Debate over gendered spaces in Arlington Public Schools has erupted following the arrest of a sex offender accused of exposing themselves in multiple girls’ locker rooms.

The school system is tightening security measures at its pools in response to Richard Kenneth Cox reportedly loitering while naked around women and girls after hours on APS property.

News

New air restrictions go into effect around National Airport following deadly mid-air collision

By Dan Egitto

Published January 31, 2025 at 3:45PM | Updated January 31, 2025 at 5:23PM

An American Airlines flight passes over nearly two dozen crosses near Gravelly Point, a tribute to the 67 victims of the mid-air collision over the Potomac River (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Additional restrictions have gone into effect around Reagan National Airport following Wednesday night’s fatal mid-air crash over the Potomac.

The low-altitude helicopter corridor in use at the time of the fiery collision has been closed for the time being, U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) confirmed with ARLnow.

Schools

APS responds to fears of ICE with trainings and family resources

By Dan Egitto

Published January 31, 2025 at 11:15AM

The Arlington School Board at a meeting earlier this year (via APS)

Arlington Public Schools leaders are trying to ensure families continue to feel safe following immigration enforcement changes under President Donald Trump.

The school system has rolled out additional trainings for school administrators and staff and launched a new webpage with immigration resources for families, Superintendent Francisco Durán announced yesterday (Thursday).

News

Armed Forces Cycling Classic moves partly out of Arlington

By Dan Egitto

Published January 30, 2025 at 1:45PM

Racers cross the finish line at the 2023 Armed Forces Cycling Classic (image courtesy of Armed Forces Cycling Classic)

An internationally recognized Arlington cycling event now has a slightly different name — and has partly shifted outside of Arlington.

The Armed Forces Cycling Classic is now the Amazon Armed Forces Cycling Classic, organizer Arlington Sports announced yesterday (Wednesday).

Traffic

GW Parkway detour for southbound traffic scheduled this weekend

By Dan Egitto

Published January 30, 2025 at 10:00AM

Southbound traffic on GW Parkway will be detoured between Route 123 and Spout Run Parkway this weekend.

The detour begins at 10 p.m. tomorrow (Friday) and lasts through 5 p.m. on Sunday. One northbound lane will remain open as work on the North Parkway Rehabilitation Project continues.

News

New app seeks to help Arlington residents become more eco-friendly

By Dan Egitto

Published January 30, 2025 at 9:00AM

Screenshots of GetGreen Arlington app (via Arlington County)

Arlington residents seeking to reduce their carbon footprint now have a new app to help.

GetGreen Arlington, produced by the county and the nonprofit EcoAction Arlington, seeks “to inspire and empower residents and businesses to take climate action.”

News

Amid federal confusion, Arlington prosecutor seeks more state and county funds

By Dan Egitto

Published January 29, 2025 at 3:45PM

Commonwealth's Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti at an NAACP and Black Lives Matter rally and march in 2020 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington’s top prosecutor is seeking more state and county funds this year — while trying to keep pace with an ongoing rollercoaster of federal funding decisions.

Before a now-rescinded memo on a federal spending freeze sent agencies around the country scrambling for answers this week, Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti was already lobbying for a boost in local funding for her office.