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

New Uyghur restaurant aims to open in Falls Church next month

By Katie Taranto
Dry fried chicken from Dolan Uyghur (via Dolan Uyghur/Facebook)

D.C.-area restaurant Dolan Uyghur plans to expand further into Northern Virginia with a new Falls Church location.

The new eatery hopes to open by Friday, Oct. 18 at 400 S. Maple Avenue, in the space formerly held by Pizzeria Orso, owner Hamid Kerim told ARLnow. The business also still plans to open a new location in Crystal City, although it has pushed back the planned opening date from November to February or March 2025.

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Events

Fall in Arlington: Festivals, nature walks, ‘Howl-O-Ween’ and more

By Katie Taranto
The Fall Heritage Festival (courtesy of Arlington County)

As the temperature cools and leaves begin to change, a wide array of activities are planned in Arlington this harvest season.

Whether marveling at fall foliage, attending a seasonal festival or celebrating Halloween with one’s dog, fans of fall will have no shortage of events to attend in the coming weeks.

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News

Filming for new ACPD recruitment video means Friday road closure

By Katie Taranto
Police officers gather at the intersection of Wilson and Clarendon Blvd for ACPD's November 2023 Street Smart campaign (staff photo by James Jarvis)

The filming of an Arlington County Police Department recruitment video will bring a temporary road closure on Friday.

A section of Army Navy Drive between S. Nash Street and 28th Street S. will be closed from 5-10 p.m. to accommodate filming, ACPD said. The forthcoming video is meant to “showcase the work of our officers and enhance our recruitment efforts.”

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Around Town

Clarendon hair salon gets updated look after 14 years

By Katie Taranto
Urban Halo Salon (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

A longstanding hair salon in Clarendon has reopened after a major interior makeover.

After 14 years in business, Urban Halo Salon at 2900 Clarendon Blvd has swapped its former blue interior for white marble and gold and black tones. The changes aim to create a “timeless” aesthetic while adding fixtures to improve customer experience, co-owner Nash Noufal told ARLnow.

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News

Building accessory dwellings could become easier in Falls Church

By Katie Taranto
An accessory-dwelling unit by Backyard Homes in North Arlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Falls Church is eyeing possible changes to make it easier to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs).

The city, which has not granted an ADU permit since 2000, has released a draft framework for potential amendments to its zoning ordinance. Scheduled for a City Council vote in February, proposed changes would make it possible to build detached ADUs within city limits and would set dimensional standards for floor area, height and setbacks.

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Around Town

Shirlington’s Oktoberfest is canceled once again, but aims for 2025 return

By Katie Taranto
Shucktoberfest in Shirlington in 2022 (courtesy of Shucktoberfest)

A seasonal celebration of craft beer and oyster shucking in Shirlington has been canceled for the second year in a row.

For logistical reasons related to a change in ownership last December, Copperwood Tavern’s Shucktoberfest won’t be returning in October, General Manager Jody Hessler told ARLnow.

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News

‘Hero’ dog helps prevent house fire in Fairlington

By Katie Taranto
Archie the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (courtesy of Shravani Bobde)

A four-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel helped stop a fire in a Fairlington townhouse from spreading last week.

Shravani Bobde was awakened around 2 a.m. on Thursday to one of her dogs, Archie, incessantly licking her arm. Smelling smoke, she got up and began searching her bathroom, home office and other rooms for its source.

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Around Town

Compass Coffee opening ‘Ballston West’ location this weekend

By Katie Taranto
The new Compass Coffee at 4300 Wilson Blvd (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

Ballston’s second Compass Coffee will open to the public this weekend with some giveaways.

The new cafe at 4300 Wilson Blvd, which the company has dubbed “Ballston West,” will hold its grand opening this Saturday. The first 100 customers who show up after the coffee shop opens at 6:30 a.m. will receive $25 gift cards.

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Events

Samuel Beckett’s to host 10th annual Celtic Festival in Shirlington

By Katie Taranto
A previous year's Celtic Festival (via Samuel Beckett's/Facebook)

Late September marks the halfway point to St. Patrick’s Day, and in Shirlington, it also means the return of the neighborhood’s annual Celtic Festival.

The free festivities take place from noon to 7 p.m. this Saturday, Sept. 21, in and around Samuel Beckett’s Irish Gastro Pub at 2800 S. Randolph Street.

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Around Town

Young writer in Green Valley releases first book after successful lemonade stand

By Katie Taranto
A mock up of "The Four Princesses" by Nora Jacoby (courtesy of Maria Jacoby)

A fifth grader in Green Valley who ran a lemonade stand this summer to support the creation of her first book is now a self-published author.

Nora Jacoby, 10, celebrated the release of “The Four Princesses” earlier this week. It’s a tale of three princesses who use their powers to help a fourth princess who has lost everything.

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News

F.C. medical office to relocate, expanding services and doubling its staff

By Katie Taranto
107 Park Place in Falls Church, the new location for ProHealth Medical Center (courtesy of Divaris Real Estate)

A medical provider in Falls Church plans to relocate into a space with room to accept over 5,000 more patients and double its current staff.

ProHealth Medical Center is slated to relocate to an office nearly five times its size, Human Resources Manager Haley Bui told ARLnow. Currently located at 2946 Sleepy Hollow Road, the provider intends to move to a 7,200-square-foot office at 107 Park Place sometime between April and June of 2025.

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Events

Fall happenings in Falls Church: Farm Day, Halloween Carnival, movies and more

By Katie Taranto
Children pet animals at a past Farm Day in Falls Church (via Falls Church/Facebook)

After the Falls Church Festival this past weekend, the Little City has a not-so-little lineup of events this fall.

From outdoor movie nights to the annual Halloween Carnival, here’s an itinerary of upcoming events.

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