Dan Egitto | ARLnow

SWAT team training planned this weekend at abandoned Key Bridge Marriott

Published May 29, 2025 at 1:45PM

Demolition at the Key Bridge Marriott site at 1401 Langston Blvd in April (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

A police SWAT team training will be taking place this weekend at an abandoned hotel in Rosslyn.

Before crews finish demolishing the former Key Bridge Marriott at 1401 Langston Blvd, the Arlington County Police Department plans to conduct training there from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday.

News

Raised intersection planned to boost safety for Donaldson Run pedestrians

By Dan Egitto

Published May 29, 2025 at 9:15AM

A concept design for upgrades to the intersection of Lorcom Lane and Vacation Lane (via Arlington County)

A raised intersection may be coming to a Donaldson Run intersection in response to resident concerns about speeding vehicles that don’t yield to pedestrians.

Arlington County is currently collecting feedback on a concept design for upgrades to the intersection of Vacation Lane and Lorcom Lane.

News

ACFD medic unit goes out of service as staffing issues persist

By Dan Egitto

Published May 28, 2025 at 3:45PM

An emblem at Fire Station 102 in the Ballston area (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

A Ballston-area medic unit temporarily went out of service last Friday due to ongoing staffing problems at the Arlington County Fire Department.

The unit at Station 2 ceased operations during the day shift to avoid holding firefighters on mandatory, unscheduled overtime, ACFD spokesperson Capt. Jamie Jill told ARLnow.

News

NEW: Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center closes after possible burst pipe

By Dan Egitto

Published May 28, 2025 at 1:15PM | Updated May 28, 2025 at 5:40PM

Water coming from ceiling of Long Bridge aquatic center (courtesy Jackie Balser)

Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center is closed until further notice following an incident that caused the sprinkler and fire alarm system to go off.

A pipe in the ceiling of the county facility near Crystal City may have burst around 11:30 a.m. today (Wednesday), according to scanner traffic. A tipster told ARLnow that the facility was evacuated following a “sudden water gush and falling ceiling tiles in [the] diving board area.”

News

Tenants and officials spent months fighting for improvements at Amazon-funded apartments

By Dan Egitto

Published May 27, 2025 at 3:45PM

Crystal House Apartments (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Recent management changes at an affordable housing complex bought with Amazon’s money followed months of advocacy and frustration from both tenants and county officials.

Last month, complaints led Washington Housing Conservancy, the property owner, to install a new management company to support ongoing changes at the Crystal House 1 and 2 buildings at 1900 and 2000 S. Eads Street. The shift didn’t come easily, however.

News

Metallica co-hosts blood drive in Pentagon City next week

By Dan Egitto

Published May 23, 2025 at 2:45PM

A Red Cross blood drive in D.C. (courtesy of the American Red Cross)

Metallica is partnering with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive in Pentagon City next week.

The legendary heavy metal band’s foundation, All Within My Hands, is collaborating on the event on Tuesday at the DoubleTree at 300 Army Navy Drive — one day before a Metallica concert in Landover, Md.

News

Arlington photographer wins third Pulitzer for photos of attempted Trump assassination

By Dan Egitto

Published May 22, 2025 at 3:45PM

Doug Mills (photo by Anna Moneymaker, courtesy of Doug Mills)

An Arlington-based photographer has won a Pulitzer Prize for his photos of last summer’s assassination attempt on President Donald Trump.

Doug Mills, a lifelong Arlington resident who discovered his love of photography at the Arlington Career Center, took home the honor this month for photos including a “one-in-a-million” shot of a bullet in midair — an instant before it hits Trump’s ear.

News

Rare ‘Missing Middle’ duplex listed for $1.8M in North Highlands

By Dan Egitto

Published May 22, 2025 at 11:45AM | Updated May 22, 2025 at 4:07PM

A Missing Middle-style duplex on N. Troy Street in May 2025 (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

A rare real estate find is expected to hit the market in Arlington later this month: a “Missing Middle” home.

A duplex at 2129 N. Troy Street in North Highlands will begin hosting showings on May 30, according to a Redfin posting. The four-bedroom, three-and-a-half bath home comes with 2,470 square feet and a listed price tag of $1,795,000.

News

Arlington parks fall to No. 7 spot in national ranking

By Dan Egitto

Published May 21, 2025 at 8:30AM | Updated May 21, 2025 at 9:58AM

Azaleas at Bon Air Park in April (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

Arlington’s parks are still among the best in the country — but they don’t rank quite as high as they used to.

For the first time since 2017, Arlington County’s parks failed to rank among the top five in the nationwide “ParkScore” rankings. They fell from No. 5 last year to No. 7, in between San Francisco and Seattle.

News

ACPD plans to disband Gang Unit amid shift in county policy

By Dan Egitto

Published May 20, 2025 at 3:45PM

Arlington County police car (staff photo)

The Arlington County Police Department is disbanding its Gang Unit amid a shift in tools available to officers investigating gang-related crime.

Personnel within the Gang Unit, which investigates gangs and provides street-level gang enforcement, will be reassigned elsewhere in the Criminal Investigations Division, ACPD spokesperson Alli Shorb told ARLnow.

Around Town

New signs by local trickster spoof Advanced Towing, County Board candidates

By Dan Egitto

Published May 20, 2025 at 1:50PM | Updated May 20, 2025 at 2:22PM

New satirical posters at N. Quincy Street and Fairfax Drive (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

Arlington’s rash of satirical posters has continued to expand its orbit, taking on another political candidate and a local towing company.

With more cropped images and whimsical captions, new signs have appeared at the intersection of Fairfax Drive and N. Quincy Street in the Ballston area. They poke fun at Advanced Towing, independent County Board candidate Audrey Clement, and Democratic County Board challenger James DeVita (and his unique signs).

News

Spring E-CARE recycling and disposal event rescheduled for next month

By Dan Egitto

Published May 12, 2025 at 10:00AM

2023 E-CARE Event at Wakefield High School (via Dept. of Environmental Services/Flickr)

Arlington County has announced a new date for its popular collection event for electronics and hazardous household materials.

Spring E-CARE, which was postponed in March due to a double booking with an Arlington Public Schools job fair, will actually take place on the second day of summer, June 21. It will be happening near Washington-Liberty High School at 1425 N. Quincy Street.