Author: Katie Taranto

Katie Taranto is a reporter at Local News Now, primarily covering business, public safety and the city of Falls Church. She graduated from the University of Missouri in 2024, where she previously covered K-12 education at The Columbia Missourian. She is originally from Macungie, Pennsylvania.

Around Town

Grammy-nominated country artist plans performance at Arlington homeless shelter

By Katie Taranto
Country artist Steven Cade (courtesy of Steven Cade)

A Grammy-nominated country artist will be performing at an Arlington homeless shelter as part of a nationwide fundraising tour.

Singer-songwriter Steven Cade’s “Giving Guitars Tour” will be coming to Bridges to Independence on Monday, featuring a performance and a Q&A as well as the donation of a signed guitar.

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Around Town

Family-owned banh mi shop to host grand opening next week at Eden Center

By Katie Taranto
Outside Banh Mi Oi at Eden Center (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

A banh mi shop with fresh baguettes and vintage decor will celebrate its grand opening at the Eden Center next week.

Banh Mi Oi will cut the ribbon on its new Falls Church location at 6795 Wilson Blvd next Wednesday, July 16. The celebration, which will include free merchandise and menu samples, opens to the public at 10 a.m.

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Around Town

‘Semicolon Cafe’ arrives in Falls Church with Korean shaved ice and sandwiches

By Katie Taranto
Mango bingsoo and sandwich from Semicolon Cafe (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

A new cafe with Korean shaved ice and brioche sandwiches has opened at the Founders Row development in Falls Church.

Semicolon Cafe, a small New York City-based chain that also offers classic cafe beverages and pastries, opened late last month at 103 Founders Avenue.

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News

County plans $5M relocation of emergency response infrastructure in Courthouse

By Katie Taranto
Bozman Government Center in Courthouse (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

A $5 million project to relocate and consolidate Arlington County’s infrastructure for responding to emergencies is expected to begin later this year.

The county’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and Department of Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management, along with a new Situational Awareness Intelligence Unit (SAIU), are all moving into the Bozman Government Center.

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Events

Summer movie nights on Columbia Pike start this Friday

By Katie Taranto
Outdoor movie on Columbia Pike in 2024 (via Columbia Pike Partnership/Facebook)

A series of free outdoor movie nights on Columbia Pike begins this Friday with “The Wizard of Oz.”

Columbia Pike Movie Nights are coming to two outdoor plazas on Fridays and Saturdays this summer. Hosted by the Columbia Pike Partnership, the series will provide weekly movie screenings at the Arlington Mill Community Center and Penrose Square Apartments until late August.

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News

Cuts to Medicaid and food assistance raise alarm bells for Arlington’s safety net

By Vernon Miles, Scott McCaffrey and Katie Taranto
An Arlington Free Clinic nurse administers a COVID-19 vaccine (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Federal cuts to Medicaid and food-assistance programs are expected to place greater strain on Arlington’s most vulnerable residents and the social services that support them.

Arlington County officials, health-care workers and nonprofits are still scrambling to determine the local impacts of the new federal spending bill approved last week.

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Around Town

French-inspired bistro ‘Bar Colline’ opens this Friday in Crystal City

By Katie Taranto
Outside Bar Colline at 269 19th Court S. (courtesy of Mykl Wu)

Just in time for Bastille Day, a new bistro with Parisian-inspired offerings is set to open this Friday in Crystal City.

Bar Colline plans to offer French-American cuisine at 269 19th Court S. A sister to Cafe Colline on Langston Blvd, the bistro will join a growing mix of retail and dining at The Grace and Reva apartments.

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News

Fourth of July will bring Arlington road closures and free Metro rides

By Katie Taranto
Fireworks over the National Mall, viewed near the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial in Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Road closures, reduced county services and modified transit schedules will be in effect tomorrow (Friday) in observance of the Fourth of July.

Arlington will operate on a modified holiday schedule, closing county courthouses, community centers and all public libraries. Metered parking across the county will not be enforced.

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Around Town

Casual American restaurant ‘Westville’ opens in Clarendon this month

By Katie Taranto
Westville in Clarendon (photo by Joy Asico-Smith, courtesy of Asico Photo)

A veggie-forward American restaurant with New York City roots expects to open its doors later this month in Clarendon.

Westville plans to serve brunch, lunch, dinner and drinks in a laid-back atmosphere at 2800 Clarendon Blvd, where Jos. A. Bank closed. It expects to open for dine-in service on Monday, July 14, with aspirations of becoming a trusted “neighborhood restaurant,” founder Jay Strauss told ARLnow.

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Around Town

Free Lyft rides available in Arlington for the Fourth of July

By Katie Taranto
Fireworks over the National Mall, viewed near the US Marine Corps War Memorial in Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Free Lyft rides will be available this Friday for the Fourth of July, courtesy of a D.C.-area nonprofit.

The SoberRide initiative plans to offer free rides from 4 p.m. Friday until 4 a.m. Saturday. Participants age 21 and over will be able to use a promo code once to receive a ride worth up to $15.

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Around Town

New ‘Wonder’ food hall plans grand opening in Rosslyn this month

By Katie Taranto
The forthcoming 'Wonder' food hall at 1771 N. Pierce Street (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

Rosslyn’s new celebrity chef-partnered food hall has set a grand opening date.

Wonder announced plans today (Tuesday) to open for business later this month at 1771 N. Pierce Street. The New York-based hall promises dine-in, delivery and takeout from celebrity chef concepts and “the country’s best restaurants.”

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Around Town

Ellie Bird previews new ‘Side Chick’ carryout shop this Friday

By Katie Taranto
Side Chick chicken and sides (courtesy of Nina Palazzolo)

An award-winning Falls Church restaurant is previewing a new spinoff eatery in time for the Fourth of July.

Side Chick is a new a fried chicken carryout and delivery by Ellie Bird. The concept, based out of the restaurant’s kitchen at 125 Founders Avenue, blends Southern comfort foods, Asian American-inspired flavors and tongue-in-cheek attitude.

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