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

Demolition begins at office building near Columbia Pike, making way for townhomes

By Dan Egitto
Demolition at 2300 9th Street S. (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

Demolition has begun at the site of an eight-story former office building off of Columbia Pike, making way for a 16-home townhouse redevelopment.

Crews got to work last week tearing down a garage structure at 2300 9th Street S., preparing to demolish the 1970s-era office building beginning next week. That teardown is expected to take four to six weeks, according to a notice shared with nearby residents.

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Around Town

Falls Church leads the pack in Virginia’s most ‘dog-loving’ cities

By Dan Egitto
English bulldog Turbo at a local park in April 2025 (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

Falls Church is top dog in Virginia when it comes to devotion to adopting canines and showering them with purchases, according to one metric.

The Little City was crowned the No. 1 most “dog-loving” city in the commonwealth and No. 5 in the nation in a new ranking from PetSmart.

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News

Launch event for VHC Health’s proposed South Arlington facility happening next week

By Dan Egitto
Renderings of the proposed VHC Health facility at 601 S. Carlin Springs Road (courtesy VHC Health)

A community launch event for VHC Health’s proposed behavioral health facility in Glencarlyn is taking place next week.

The meeting, the first in a series of community engagement efforts for the proposed 146-bed rehabilitation and mental health center at 601 S. Carlin Springs Road, will take place from 7-8:30 p.m. next Monday at the Kenmore Middle School auditorium (200 S. Carlin Springs Road).

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News

Arlingtonians can use digital IDs at the airport or the Ballston ABC, but not with ACPD

By Dan Egitto
A person using a cellphone (via Jonas Leupe/Unsplash)

As increasing numbers of Virginians download the Mobile ID app, options for using digital identification around Arlington remain somewhat limited.

The app that launched in November has already surpassed 100,000 users, the Virginia DMV announced last Friday. In Arlington, it’s useful at a handful of locations.

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News

Kids, civic associations join fight to stop Cherrydale Library from closing

By Scott McCaffrey and Dan Egitto
Cherrydale Library (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

They have done it before, and supporters of the Cherrydale branch library say they will again fend off efforts to close the branch.

The advocacy group Citizens for Cherrydale Library is once again mobilizing to save the facility, this time from County Manager Mark Schwartz’s proposal to shutter the branch in order to save about $450,000 in the coming fiscal year.

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Around Town

Arlington composer’s short film ‘Forevergreen’ is heading to the Oscars

By Dan Egitto
A shot from the Academy Award-nominated film "Forevergreen" (courtesy of Isaac Wardell)

Arlington will have some representation at the Oscars this weekend after a film scored by a local resident was nominated for “Best Animated Short.”

Composer Isaac Wardell, who lives in the Westover area, will be donning a tux and heading to the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday, March 15, for his work on the film “Forevergreen” — a 13-minute short about an orphaned bear cub and a fatherly evergreen tree.

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Around Town

Sprouts Farmers Market plans September opening along Langston Blvd

By Dan Egitto
A "coming soon" sign at the planned Sprouts Farmers Market at 3115 Langston Blvd (staff photo by Jared Serre)

A new grocery store off of Langston Blvd is expected to open later this year.

Sprouts Farmers Market is targeting a September opening at 3115 Langston Blvd, the former home of a Giant supermarket that closed two years ago, in March 2024.

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News

Watch for potholes and report them to county, staff urge after snowy winter

By Dan Egitto
A pothole on 10th Street N. near Courthouse in 2025 (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

A cold and snowy winter has produced large numbers of potholes in Arlington, though perhaps not as many as some might expect.

About 190 pothole fill requests have been filed in Arlington since Feb. 1, Peter Golkin, a spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Services, told ARLnow. About 50 were pending as of Wednesday.

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News

Proposed cuts to Arlington rescue units prompt backlash from firefighter union

By Dan Egitto
Firefighters respond to a house fire in August 2025 (courtesy of Pat Kehs)

Arlington County’s firefighter union is speaking out against a proposal to remove four vacant firefighter positions from the payroll.

The current county budget draft proposes to consolidate the Arlington County Fire Department’s two heavy rescue companies, relocating them under a single roof at Fire Station 1 (500 S. Glebe Road). This would reduce ACFD’s total authorized staffing by four full-time employees.

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Around Town

Pizzeria Paradiso coming to Water Park in Crystal City this spring

By Dan Egitto
The planned Pizzeria Paradiso Pronto (and former Crush Pizza) at 1611 Crystal Drive (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

It’s a changing of the guard for pizza restaurants in Crystal City.

The regional pizza chain Pizzeria Paradiso is expected to open a new fast-casual spot in National Landing Water Park this spring, replacing Crush Pizza and Wine at 1611 Crystal Drive.

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News

Shirlington is getting wider sidewalks and more outdoor dining

By Dan Egitto
Renderings of planned changes in Shirlington (courtesy of Federal Realty Investment Trust)

A set of pedestrian-oriented upgrades to sidewalks, lighting and seating is getting underway in the Village at Shirlington.

Construction work, which was proposed in May 2025 and is intended to “improve connectivity, enhance public spaces, and preserve the property’s historic character,” is expected to last through November.

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News

Bill could bring Virginia’s first self-driving cars and trucks by 2028

By Dan Egitto
Virginia State Capitol in Richmond (staff photo)

Even if self-driving vehicles become legally possible in Virginia, they’d have to get through several more rounds of discussion and possible regulation before they could hit the road.

Sen. Saddam Salim (D-37), the chief patron of legislation in Richmond supporting autonomous trucking and ride-hailing services in Virginia, told ARLnow that his bill would establish a path forward for businesses like Waymo, but it would by no means be the final word.

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