Author: James Jarvis

James Jarvis covers county government, schools local politics, business openings, and development for both FFXnow and ARLnow. Originally from Fauquier County, he earned his bachelor’s degree in government from Franklin & Marshall College and his master’s degree in journalism from Georgetown University. Previously, he reported on Fairfax, Prince William, and Fauquier counties for Rappahannock Media/InsideNoVa.

Schools

Wakefield High School robotics team secures spot at world championship

By James Jarvis
Wakefield High School’s Paragon robotics team at a VEX Robotics tournament in Bristol, Tennessee (courtesy of Wendy Maitland)

For the first time in program history, a Wakefield High School robotics team has qualified for the VEX Robotics World Championship.

The team, named “Paragon,” secured its spot at Worlds following a standout performance at an international robotics tournament last weekend in Bristol, Tenn.

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Around Town

Photos: Snow brings quiet streets and picturesque views to Arlington

By James Jarvis
Rosslyn’s skyline rises beyond a wintry landscape seen from the Arlington Memorial Bridge (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Arlington residents spent Monday shoveling sidewalks, clearing cars and cautiously navigating icy roads — at well as sledding and having fun — as snow blanketed the county.

People with shovels and a handful of vehicles creeping along snow-dusted roads were among the few signs of life in typically busy areas like Rosslyn and Crystal City. A few commuters could also be spotted bundled up against the cold, waiting for buses and trains to carry them through icy conditions.

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News

Wakefield alum spotlights programs for underserved students seeking tech careers

By James Jarvis
Deontae Murphy speaks to Wakefield High School juniors (staff photo by James Jarvis)

A Wakefield High School alum is raising awareness about free programs to help disadvantaged students launch careers in high-demand fields.

Deontae Murphy, a 2011 Wakefield graduate who now works for Amazon Web Services, spent three days last week speaking to more than 100 Arlington students in small group sessions. Mostly speaking to those in underrepresented groups, he shared details about free training programs, certifications and tuition assistance that can lower the cost of higher education and open doors to tech careers.

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News

Arlington ranked No. 1 most generous ‘medium city’ in the country

By James Jarvis
Food donation unloaded at the Arlington Food Assistance Center in 2019 (file photo)

Arlington was one of the most charitable locales in the country this year, by one measure.

According to data from Charity Navigator, Arlington residents donated $222,835 through the nonprofit’s Giving Basket. With $1.07 donated per capita, by Charity Navigator’s calculation, Arlington ranked first among “medium cities” that donated through the nonprofit.

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Around Town

New ‘community mural’ unveiled at The Cadence affordable housing complex

By James Jarvis
'Growing Together' mural inside The Cadence in Buckingham (staff photo)

A “community mural” that residents painted in collaboration with a local artist was unveiled Saturday inside a Buckingham affordable housing complex.

“Growing Together: The Forest of Us” depicts a scene in Lubber Run, nearby The Cadence at 4333 Arlington Blvd. Artist Lianna Zaragoza led six community workshops to create the mural as part of the 2024 IMPACT Art Residency Program.

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News

Arlington food pantries face uncertain future, despite boost in county support

By James Jarvis
Clients line up outside the Arlington Food Assistance Center in Green Valley, Nov. 2024 (staff photo by James Jarvis)

After years of working to expand access to food aid, Arlington County’s food assistance infrastructure is being stretched to its limits as rising living costs drive up demand.

Food insecurity is nothing new to Arlington, and neither are private and public initiatives to combat it. In recent years, the county has hired a food insecurity coordinator and ramped up efforts to connect residents with existing resources.

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Around Town

2910 Kitchen & Bar ‘temporarily closed’ for renovations, owner says

By James Jarvis
Front of 2910 Kitchen & Bar (Courtesy of 2910 Kitchen & Bar)

The newly opened 2910 Kitchen & Bar on Columbia Pike is temporarily closed for renovations, its owner says.

However, the owner of the elevated American eatery, Raheel “Ray” Khan, told ARLnow he expects the restaurant to reopen soon.

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Schools

Arlington high schools introduce ID checks after Yorktown trespassing incident

By James Jarvis
Yorktown High School (staff photo)

Three public high schools in Arlington are stepping up security measures after a trespassing incident at Yorktown last week.

Starting this week, students at Yorktown, Wakefield and Washington-Liberty high schools will need to show a pre-approved ID to staff members to enter school buildings. Accepted forms include school-issued photo IDs, StudentVue accounts and government-issued IDs such as a driver’s license.

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News

Democrats clinch County Board, School Board seats as Arlington stays blue amid national red shift

By Dan Egitto, James Jarvis and Scott McCaffrey
Arlington County Board member-elect JD Spain, Sr. celebrates his victory during a watch party in Crystal City (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Democrats in Arlington County Board and School Board races emerged victorious last night by wide margins.

Democratic nominee JD Spain, Sr. claimed 58% of the vote in the race for County Board, according to unofficial election results. This happened in the first round of tabulation, avoiding the need for further tallying under ranked-choice voting.

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Weather

Another mild winter of ice and rain predicted for Northern Virginia

By James Jarvis
Plows clearing snow on Cherry Hill Road (staff photo by James Jarvis)

After several winters light on snow, transportation and weather experts are anticipating yet another mild season in Northern Virginia.

The region should expect more ice and rain than snow this winter, according to the National Weather Service’s (NWS) D.C. and Baltimore office.

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Schools

Amazon and APS shift relocation plans for Arlington Community High School

By James Jarvis
Amazon headquarters in Pentagon City (courtesy of Amazon)

Amid ongoing construction delays, plans have changed for Arlington Community High School’s (ACHS) relocation in 2026.

The high school — currently located in an office building in Ballston — was originally set to relocate to PenPlace, the planned second phase of Amazon’s HQ2 campus in Pentagon City.

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