Emily Leayman | ARLnow

What a possible $25 D.C. minimum wage could mean for the region’s restaurant industry

Published March 11, 2026 at 3:45PM

The dining room of Locket in Rosslyn (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

A ballot measure to substantially increase D.C.’s minimum wage would undoubtedly have major effects on Arlington’s neighbor, but the region-wide impacts are murkier.

One Fair Wage’s proposal to raise the District’s minimum wage to $25 per hour by July 2029 has earned support from labor advocates seeking to make D.C. more affordable for the working class, but criticism from business owners worried about going out of business or having to lay off employees.

Around Town

Another APS graduate will appear on ‘Jeopardy!’ this week

By Emily Leayman

Published March 9, 2026 at 2:45PM

Arlington's Lydia Cawley with "Jeopardy!" host Ken Jennings (via Jeopardy Productions, Inc.)

For a second consecutive week, an Arlington Public Schools alum will be making an appearance on “Jeopardy!”

Lydia Cawley, a 2016 graduate of Washington-Lee High School (now Washington-Liberty High School), will be one of three contestants competing on the trivia show on Thursday night.

Around Town

Xtend Barre near Courthouse rebrands as Studio B under new owners

By Emily Leayman

Published March 6, 2026 at 10:00AM

Studio B, formerly Xtend Barre, in the 2001 Clarendon Blvd apartment building (Courtesy of Studio B)

A fitness studio near the Courthouse Metro has changed hands and brands.

The Xtend Barre at 2008 Wilson Blvd has rebranded to Studio B under new owners Dana Wilson and Elaine Broughan, both of whom have worked at the studio for several years.

News

Va. Senate defeats bill supporting by-right multifamily development in commercial zones

By Emily Leayman

Published March 5, 2026 at 10:00AM | Updated March 5, 2026 at 9:25PM

State Sen. Barbara Favola (D-40) introduced an amendment to HB 816 before it was defeated in the Senate (via Virginia General Assembly)

A bill seeking to permit by-right multifamily development in commercial zones was defeated in the Virginia Senate yesterday (Thursday) despite limitations proposed by Arlington’s state Sen. Barbara Favola (D-40).

The Senate voted 17-22 on HB 816 by Del. Dan Helmer (D-10). The House did not vote on the companion bill SB 454 by state Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg (D-16) but referred it back to the House Counties, Cities and Towns committee.

Around Town

Musicians play for pets in new volunteer program at Arlington animal shelter

By Emily Leayman

Published March 4, 2026 at 3:45PM

A musician plays for cats at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington (courtesy of Wild Tunes)

A new program at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington is treating shelter pets to performances by volunteer musicians.

The Paws in Music program, a partnership with the Houston-based nonprofit Wild Tunes, organizes volunteers to play music at the animal shelter in shifts. The performances began yesterday (Tuesday).

Around Town

DOJ lawyer turned polyamory writer to deliver talk at One More Page Books

By Emily Leayman

Published March 4, 2026 at 1:45PM

Natalie Davis, author of "Saying Yes: My Adventures in Polyamory" (courtesy of Natalie Davis)

A D.C.-area writer and advocate for polyamorous lifestyles will discuss her experiences outside of monogamy at a talk in East Falls Church tomorrow (Thursday).

One More Page Books (2200 N. Westmoreland Street) will host author Natalie Davis for a discussion on her new book, “Saying Yes: My Adventures in Polyamory,” from 7-8 p.m. The event will include a book reading, conversation with certified sex therapist Tamara Pincus, a Q&A session and a book signing.

News

Arlington’s ‘Dream Project’ awaits court outcome on undocumented students’ in-state tuition

By Emily Leayman

Published March 4, 2026 at 9:15AM

The Albert V. Bryan U.S. Courthouse in Alexandria (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

An Arlington-based nonprofit that intervened in Virginia’s federal court case over in-state tuition for undocumented students is now awaiting a judge’s decision.

The Dream Project is watching the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia after a joint agreement challenging Virginia’s law was invalidated last Friday, Zuraya Tapia-Hadley, the nonprofit’s CEO and an Arlington School Board member, told ARLnow.

Around Town

Yorktown High School graduate to appear on ‘Jeopardy!’ tomorrow

By Emily Leayman

Published March 2, 2026 at 9:15AM

Arlington's Quentin Powers with Jeopardy host Ken Jennings (via Jeopardy Productions, Inc.)

Yorktown High School graduate Quentin Powers is appearing on “Jeopardy!” tomorrow (Tuesday) following his return from U.S. Peace Corps service abroad.

Powers, 25, will be one of three contestants on the episode airing at 7:30 p.m. on WJLA-TV. The 2018 Yorktown graduate said he auditioned for the game show while serving in the Peace Corps in East Timor, an island nation located in southeast Asia.

News

Winter electric bill spikes spark scrutiny of Va. data centers’ power usage

By Emily Leayman

Published February 27, 2026 at 10:00AM | Updated February 27, 2026 at 2:53PM

CoreSite’s Reston data center campus (staff photo by James Jarvis)

High-than-usual electric bills in Virginia this winter have prompted discussion about the role data centers could play in driving up costs.

Dominion Energy, the commonwealth’s largest electric utility company, has said that new rates in 2026 and unusually cold weather could be responsible for many customers’ higher bills.

News

Mail delivery improving in North Arlington as USPS addresses backlog, pushes new hiring

By Emily Leayman

Published February 26, 2026 at 2:45PM

U.S. Postal Service location on N. George Mason Drive (staff photo by Emily Leayman)

North Arlington residents say their mail service is finally improving after months of spotty deliveries.

Following ARLnow’s reporting on the issue and advocacy from U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D), residents in the 22207 ZIP code say they’ve now gotten some, but not all, of their missing mail in batches.

Around Town

‘Liam’ and ‘Charlotte’ remained most popular Virginia baby names in 2025

By Emily Leayman

Published February 25, 2026 at 3:45PM

A newborn baby (Omar Lopez/Unsplash)

Expect to see a lot more kids named Charlotte and Liam running around Virginia in a couple of years.

Those are the most popular names for boys and girls among the 96,683 babies born in the commonwealth last year, according to data from the Virginia Department of Health. Both names have held the top spot for at least six years straight.

News

Gov. Spanberger swings at Trump on affordability in State of the Union response

By Emily Leayman and The Associated Press

Published February 25, 2026 at 10:00AM

FILE - Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivers her State of the Commonwealth address before a joint session of the Virginia General Assembly at the Capitol, Jan. 19, 2026, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivered a Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address yesterday (Tuesday), questioning whether the president was improving affordability and keeping Americans safe.

Spanberger took aim at Trump’s policies including tariffs, the One Big Beautiful Bill passed by Congress, federal immigration enforcement tied to the deaths of two Americans, federal workforce reductions through DOGE, withholding of the Epstein files, and the threat of a war with Iran.