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

Arlington Community credit union plans a merger and a name change

By Dan Egitto
An Arlington Community Federal Credit Union location in Glebewood (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

Arlington Community Federal Credit Union plans to merge with another mid-Atlantic credit union and take on its name.

The 74-year-old credit union — which has nearly 25,000 members in Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church and Fairfax County — has announced plans to merge with Alexandria-based CommonWealth One Federal Credit Union.

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News

Even more spotted lanternflies expected in Arlington next year, but removing a specific plant can help

By Dan Egitto
Spotted lanternflies in Arlington (staff photo)

Arlington’s swarms of spotted lanternflies will finally go away over the winter, but residents should expect to see even more next year, experts say.

The invasive insects, which have appeared en masse in Arlington this year after sporadic sightings for the last few years, will die with the first frost, Alonso Abugattas, natural resources program manager for Arlington County, told ARLnow. This typically takes place around Oct. 25.

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Events

Road closures planned for AI event in Crystal City this week

By Dan Egitto
A bus advertises the "AI Unlocked" event in Crystal City (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

A free event on the future of artificial intelligence is taking place in Crystal City this weekend, resulting in a few road closures.

Programming for “AI Unlocked” begins at 10 a.m. on Friday at the Alamo Drafthouse (1660 Crystal Drive). That morning will feature a conversation on AI policy with U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.), followed by an afternoon discussion on “tech frontiers.”

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Traffic

Heads up: Metro disruptions for Rosslyn and the Blue Line this weekend

By Dan Egitto
The Rosslyn Metro station (file photo)

Metro stations in Rosslyn and Arlington National Cemetery will be closed this weekend, and the Blue Line won’t be operating in much of National Landing.

Free shuttle services will be available during the disruptions on Saturday and Sunday. Blue Line closures will be in effect for Crystal City, Pentagon City and the Pentagon, according to a transit alert.

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News

Rock Spring church to host ‘Spotlight on Gaza’ showing scenes of devastation in Palestine

By Dan Egitto
Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

An event seeking to immerse visitors in scenes of bloodshed, famine and terror in Gaza is taking place at a Rock Spring church this weekend.

“Spotlight on Gaza: A Wake-Up Call for Christians” will walk visitors through a series of rooms at Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ (5010 Little Falls Road) depicting aspects of the ongoing devastation in Palestine.

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News

Construction on long-promised roundabout on Military Road gets underway

By Dan Egitto
Construction on a new roundabout at the intersection of Military Road and Nelly Custis Drive (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

Work on a permanent roundabout at the intersection of Military Road and Nelly Custis Drive is moving forward, but it won’t be finished for a couple years.

The project, which follows temporary changes to the intersection in 2021, will involve widening sidewalks, upgrading utilities and installing a rain garden at the center of the roundabout.

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News

Chalk messages at Arlington home of top White House official strike a nerve with GOP heavyweights

By Dan Egitto
Messages around the home of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller (courtesy anonymous)

A sidewalk chalk protest at the North Arlington home of a top Trump administration official became a talking point for powerful Republican voices this week.

The Sunday demonstration around the home of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller involved a handful of activists writing in chalk on sidewalk slabs with messages like “hate has no home in Arlington,” “no white nationalism” and “Stephen Miller is destroying democracy.”

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News

New 432-unit affordable housing building breaks ground at Crystal House

By Dan Egitto
The groundbreaking ceremony at The Sweeney at 501 20th Street S. (courtesy of True Ground)

A new affordable housing building with 432 units broke ground at the Crystal House complex yesterday (Wednesday).

“The Sweeney” — named after two True Ground Housing Partners founders, Jean and Jack Sweeney — is among the largest affordable housing projects to break ground in National Landing in decades, according to True Ground.

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News

County Board considers ban on gas-powered leaf blowers in Arlington

By Dan Egitto
A leaf blower at the US Air Force Memorial in a past year (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Gas-powered leaf blowers could soon meet their downfall in Arlington.

The County Board is considering a possible ban on the controversial contraptions, which local environmental advocates have criticized for their loud noise levels and low fuel efficiency.

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News

ACPD training exercise happening in Crystal City later today

By Dan Egitto
1800 S. Bell Street (via Google Maps)

The Arlington County Police Department is holding a planned training in a building in Crystal City later today (Tuesday).

The closed training exercise will happen from around 6 p.m. to midnight on the 1800 block of S. Bell Street, according to an ACPD press release. An 11-story tower on this block is currently teed up for an office-to-apartment conversion project, with public hearings scheduled for later this fall.

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News

How the county’s Arlington Alert system works — and where it falls short

By Dan Egitto
A blocking S. Walter Reed Drive in May (courtesy Nate Whiting)

It’s an imperfect system, but Arlington Alert remains Arlington County’s go-to way of informing tens of thousands of residents about local emergencies.

The county’s emergency communication system, which counts over 35,000 members of the public as users, is designed to keep people informed about local traffic, hazardous weather and other major events.

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