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.

Around Town

Photos: Crowds witness the solar eclipse in Arlington

By Dan Egitto
Solar eclipse viewing in Rosslyn (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

Crowds gathered at Rosslyn’s Gateway Park today (Monday) to witness the partial solar eclipse.

The sky became noticeably darker as peak eclipse approached around 3:20 p.m. Scattered applause broke out from visitors donning eclipse glasses to watch the rare celestial event. Beyond Rosslyn, another public viewing was held at the GMU campus in Virginia Square.

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News

Free after-school programs, support for children with behavioral issues among top demands at Arlington budget hearing

By Dan Egitto
VOICE volunteer Tony Striner at an Arlington County Board budget hearing (photo via Arlington County/YouTube)

Continued calls for a $2 million investment in Arlington after-school programs dominated a Tuesday meeting on the county budget.

Funding for children with behavioral issues, nature centers and a public library were among numerous other priorities that over 60 speakers expressed at the Arlington County Board meeting.

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News

State reps call on APS to provide stronger labor protections in construction of new Arlington Career Center

By Dan Egitto
Design of the Grace Hopper Center, now under construction (via Arlington County)

Arlington’s state legislators are calling on school officials to provide more labor protections for workers building the multimillion-dollar Arlington Career Center.

Sens. Adam Ebbin and Barbara Favola, along with Delegates Patrick Hope, Alfonso Lopez and Adele McClure, sent a letter to the Arlington School Board last month requesting a prevailing wage requirement. This would require workers to receive wages comparable to market rates when constructing the roughly $180 million project at 816 S. Walter Reed Drive.

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News

Why there are so many rough patches on this stretch of N. Randolph Street?

By Dan Egitto
A dip in the road along the 1100 block N. Randolph Street (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

On a recent afternoon along a stretch of N. Randolph Street in Ballston, a periodic thump-thump could be heard as drivers ran over a series of ruts in the road.

Some swerve or slow down substantially at an especially deep indentation midway down the 1100 block of N. Randolph Street. This is one of several dips between Washington Blvd and Fairfax Drive resulting from utility cuts during service line replacements.

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News

New bridge arrives at Lubber Run to replace two destroyed in 2019 flooding

By Dan Egitto
The arrival of the new Lubber Run bridge (photo courtesy of Brandon Jones)

Construction has begun on a replacement for two bridges destroyed in flash flooding back in 2019.

The main section of the new pedestrian bridge to span Lubber Run arrived yesterday (Tuesday) at 300 N. Park Drive. Work on the site, which began in February, is expected to wrap up sometime between July and September, county spokesperson Jerry Solomon said.

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Events

Solar eclipse in Arlington: where to watch, learn and get free glasses

By Dan Egitto

As Arlington prepares for next week’s solar eclipse, several local events are lined up for residents to learn about, watch and pick up glasses for the celestial event.

Although Arlington won’t be in the path of totality running from Texas to Maine, we’ll be getting 87% coverage around 3:20 p.m. on Monday, April 8. The National Weather Service currently predicts partly cloudy skies that day.

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News

Higher minimum wage and recreational marijuana vetoed despite Arlington senator’s efforts

By Dan Egitto
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin in Tysons (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Two key pieces of legislation backed by one of Arlington’s state senators got the ax in Richmond last week.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) on Thursday vetoed bills that would have legalized the sale of retail marijuana in Virginia and raised the state’s minimum wage. State Sen. Adam Ebbin (D), who represents part of Arlington and Fairfax County as well as Alexandria, co-sponsored both bills.

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Around Town

When and where to find Arlington farmers markets this spring

By Dan Egitto
An Arlington farmers market (courtesy of Ballston BID)

With springtime in the air in Arlington, many local farmers markets are coming back to life.

Vendors selling seasonal fruits and veggies and other local goods will return to several neighborhoods in the coming weeks following a yearly winter hiatus.

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Around Town

Japanese restaurant serving sushi and ramen expected to open in a few weeks in Ballston

By Dan Egitto
Kanji Izakaya (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

A new Japanese restaurant in Ballston may open later this month.

Preparations for Kanji Izakaya have been underway at 4301 Fairfax Drive since at least last June. That’s when a permit application indicated that a new eatery was coming to the sizable former home of Willow restaurant, which closed in 2015.

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Around Town

New food hall with focus on local restaurants and fresh tech seeks to ‘restart Rosslyn’

By Dan Egitto
Upside on Moore (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

A new Arlington food hall opened this week with the hope of breathing more life into Rosslyn.

Featuring fresh technology, murals by local artists and a full plate of nine D.C.-area food vendors, Upside on Moore has taken over the former site of Assembly at Rosslyn City Center (above the Metro station).

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News

Campaigns for Arlington County Board and School Board kick into gear

By Dan Egitto
Arlington Central Library November 2023 election (staff photo by James Jarvis)

While the presidential primaries are now a done deal, races for Arlington Democratic nods are just getting started.

A full slate of candidates are vying for seats on the Arlington School Board and Arlington County Board. Five Democratic contenders are jockeying for the place of outgoing County Board Chair Libby Garvey and another four are gunning for two School Board seats.

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News

AIM promises ‘relaunching’ with clear financial game plan at feisty virtual meeting

By Dan Egitto
AIM board members addressing the public at a virtual meeting in March 2024 (via Arlington Independent Media/Zoom)

Updated 3/27 After an intense several weeks involving a county audit, a board president’s resignation and a mass layoff of all staff members, Arlington Independent Media is attempting to turn a new leaf.

The beleaguered nonprofit’s board members, now the only operational staff of the longstanding public access television and radio broadcaster, sketched out a tentative path forward yesterday (Monday) while fielding questions — and occasional accusations — from members of the public.

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