Author: Emily Leayman

Emily Leayman is a senior reporter at ARLnow, ALXnow and FFXnow. She was previously a field editor covering parts of Northern Virginia for Patch for more than eight years. A native of the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania, she lives in Northern Virginia.

News

Virginia minimum wage on track to increase to $15 per hour by 2028

By Emily Leayman
Gov. Abigail Spanberger speaks at her inauguration at the Virginia State Capitol, Jan. 17, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Virginia’s minimum wage is on track to continue increasing over the next two years.

Two companion bills — SB1 and HB1 — have passed both chambers and are expected to go to Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D), who has indicated that she will sign them into law.

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News

Longtime local real estate company exits residential sales

By Emily Leayman
Buck & Associates office in Arlington (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

Buck & Associates, a 50-year-old real estate company based near Courthouse, is turning the page on residential sales.

The firm has announced that its residential real estate agents have moved to other brokerages in Northern Virginia. Buck & Associates founder Bill Buck is planning a renewed focus on commercial real estate.

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News

Church-based affordable housing bill passes both Va. chambers, approaching finish line

By Emily Leayman
Central United Methodist Church and Unity Homes building in Ballston as it prepared to open in 2024 (staff photo by Savannah Taffe)

The “Yes in God’s Backyard” movement scored a win this week as the Faith in Housing bill passed the Virginia Senate after gaining initial approval in the House of Delegates.

The Senate voted 21-18 on Wednesday to pass state Sen. Jeremy McPike (D-29)’s SB 388, which would eliminate the rezoning step for faith-based organizations and other tax-exempt nonprofits to develop affordable housing on their properties. The legislation might still need final approval in the House next year, however.

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News

Bill to support popular vote in presidential elections passes Virginia Senate

By Emily Leayman
A polling place at the Lubber Run Community Center, during the Democratic primary on June 17, 2025 (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

The Virginia Senate has approved a bill seeking to base presidential election results on the national popular vote rather than the electoral vote.

The Senate passed Sen. Adam Ebbin’s (D-39) national popular vote bill 21-19 on party lines Monday, and the House voted to engross a companion bill and will have a final vote today (Thursday).

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Around Town

North Arlington kids use ‘snowcrete’ blocks to build sturdy winter hideout

By Emily Leayman
Kaleb and Logan Sundsmo and Zara and Carys Murphy created a snowcrete fort in the Woodmont neighborhood (courtesy of Aaron Sundsmo)

A group of kids in Arlington’s Woodmont neighborhood seized an opportunity during the recent snow days to build a heavy-duty fort made from “snowcrete.”

During their days off from school the week of Jan. 25, brothers Kaleb and Logan Sundsmo, 14 and 12, and neighbor twin sisters Zara and Carys Murphy, 13, teamed up to build a structure from icy snow and Amazon boxes.

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Around Town

Popular Arlington-focused Facebook group comes back online after over a month

By Emily Leayman
A Google Maps photo of an exit sign on I-395 served as the cover photo for the "I Grew Up in Arlington" Facebook group (via Google Maps)

Weeks after Facebook suspended a longstanding group where Arlingtonians shared memories of growing up in the county, the group has been restored.

“I Grew Up in Arlington, VA” was back online as of yesterday (Monday) morning, co-moderators Eric Dobson and David Tyskowski told ARLnow.

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Around Town

Starbucks exits Pentagon City mall, closing two locations

By Emily Leayman
Starbucks' former space is vacant at the Pentagon City mall (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

Starbucks no longer has a presence at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City after shuttering two kiosks.

Starbucks spots in the mall’s Macy’s and food court have closed. The food court location is vacant, while the other has signage indicating that the cafe is gone and the area is “temporarily closed for construction.”

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Around Town

Walk for Peace brings rolling road closures to Arlington on Monday and Tuesday

By Emily Leayman
Walk for Peace route in Arlington County on Monday, Feb. 9 and Tuesday, Feb. 10 (via Arlington County Police Department)

The Walk for Peace route through Arlington has been revealed as police prepare for the Buddhist monks’ arrival near the end of their 2,300-mile journey.

The monks are expected to arrive in Arlington in the early afternoon on Monday, Feb. 9 and depart for their end destination in D.C. the following day.

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News

Proposed congressional maps in Virginia would split Arlington in two

By Scott McCaffrey and Emily Leayman
Voting at Arlington Central Library on Nov. 7, 2023 (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Newly proposed maps would split Arlington into two congressional districts as part of a statewide overhaul heavily favoring Virginia Democrats.

The proposal would keep a southern portion of Arlington in the 8th Congressional District, which currently encompasses all of the county and is represented by Rep. Don Beyer (D). This would extend as far south as York County in the Tidewater region.

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Around Town

Overlooked dog’s adoption story earns $100K for Falls Church animal rescue

By Emily Leayman
Adopter Anna Ridge with Yuki (courtesy of Petco Love)

A Falls Church animal rescue center has received a $100,000 grant thanks to the story of an overlooked mother dog who got adopted.

Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation was one of 10 national winners of the Petco Love Stories initiative, which provided grants of $10,000 to $100,000 to animal rescues and shelters. Petco Love surprised the foundation on Wednesday with a check to support its rescue work.

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News

Kaine again seeks to remove Robert E. Lee reference from Arlington House

By Emily Leayman
Arlington House in the snow (via Arlington House/Facebook)

Sen. Tim Kaine (D) has reintroduced legislation to remove the reference to Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee at Arlington House.

The legislation would rename Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery as the Arlington House National Historic Site. Rep. Don Beyer (D), who represents Arlington in Virginia’s 8th Congressional District, has introduced companion legislation in the House.

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Events

Lunar New Year celebrations begin this week in Arlington and Falls Church

By Emily Leayman
Lion dance at Rosslyn's Lunar New Year event (courtesy of Rosslyn BID)

An earlier version of this story indicated the Rosslyn Lunar New Year Celebration was happening on Feb. 19, but the event has been rescheduled to Feb. 25.

Festivals and other events in celebration of Lunar New Year are coming to Arlington and Falls Church starting this week, kicking off the Year of the Horse.

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