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.

Events

Free ice cream outside HQ2 today in honor of National Banana Split Day

By Katie Taranto
Metropolitan Park near Amazon HQ2 in Pentagon City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Amazon and Toby’s Homemade Ice Cream have partnered to serve free banana splits outside HQ2 this afternoon (Friday).

From noon to 2 p.m. today at Metropolitan Park, 510 14th Street S., the community is invited to celebrate National Banana Split Day with a free scoop of chocolate, vanilla or strawberry ice cream and customized toppings. This is in addition to the free bananas passersby can ordinarily snag near HQ2.

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Schools

Two ‘buddy benches’ in loving memory of former student coming to MPSA

By Katie Taranto
Lola Adeyiga (courtesy of Cat and the Fiddle Photography)

In tender memory of a former student, Montessori Public School of Arlington is receiving two “buddy benches” meant to comfort kids and encourage friendships.

Lola Adeyiga, 6, was “the most full of life, outgoing, kind, friendly, smart” kid, her mother Lindsay Adeyiga shared with ARLnow.

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Around Town

It’s PSL time: Starbucks’ fall menu is back in Arlington

By Katie Taranto
A Starbucks employee in Ballston dons a pumpkin hat for the company's fall menu return (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

The autumnal equinox in late September marks the official beginning of fall — but if you can’t wait that long, Starbucks began serving its fall menu today (Thursday).

The coffee chain began serving its signature Pumpkin Spice Latte among other festive goodies this morning, and people in Arlington were spotted getting their fix.

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News

Business owner pushes back as F.C. seeks land acquisitions for W. Broad Street improvements

By Katie Taranto
The intersection of N. Oak Street and W. Broad Street in Falls Church (staff photo by Jared Serre)

Falls Church is attempting to move forward with a project to improve pedestrian and bicyclist access along W. Broad Street.

The multimodal improvement project calls for widening sidewalks, redesigning intersections and adding a new pedestrian crosswalk, with changes planned at the intersections of W. Broad Street and Virginia Avenue, Lee Street, Oak Street, Spring Street and West Street.

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Around Town

New food truck offers ‘portal’ into Guatemalan cuisine in Va. Square

By Katie Taranto
The Portal Maya food truck in Virginia Square (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

A food truck serving Guatemalan cuisine out of Virginia Square’s Oakland Park opened for business earlier this month.

Parked near the intersection of N. Oakland Street and Wilson Blvd, Portal Maya has hopes to be the community’s “entryway to the Mayan world,” owner and founder Bayron Cisneros told ARLnow.

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Around Town

Some Restaurant Week deals continue another week across Arlington and F.C.

By Katie Taranto
Columbia Pike and Sabores Tapas Bar at Penrose Square (Flickr pool photo by Jason Gooljar)

Though Summer Restaurant Week has now come to a close, some restaurants in Arlington and Falls Church are continuing the deals for a little longer.

Sabores Tapas on Columbia Pike, SER in Ballston and The Falls in Falls Church are among several businesses in the area to extend discounts on multi-course brunch, lunch and dinner menus past the official end of Restaurant Week last weekend.

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Around Town

Fat Fish Rolls & Twists opens at Water Park in Crystal City

By Katie Taranto
The Fat Fish Rolls and Twists kiosk at the Crystal City Water Park (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

An eatery offering fresh poké, bento boxes, sushi rolls and taiyaki waffles has opened its first Arlington location.

Fat Fish Rolls & Twists held a grand opening last week for its new kiosk at Water Park in Crystal City (1601 Crystal Drive). Executive Chef Robert Lucas Irwin told ARLnow it was a “really good weekend” for the restaurant that serves “a little bit of everything.”

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Around Town

Animal hospital to join new cast of businesses under two Crystal City apartment buildings

By Katie Taranto
The two towers, 'The Grace' and 'Reva' at 1900 Crystal Drive by JBG Smith (staff photo by James Jarvis)

A whole new cast of retail and service characters is developing under The Grace and Reva apartments in Crystal City.

Veterinary hospital GoodVets is the newest in a series of tenants at 1900 Crystal Drive — including a cafe, a nail salon and a bar — announced by property owner JBG Smith. These will all join the recently opened Tatte and Van Leeuwen.

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Schools

New cellphone rules approved for APS, with permanent policy expected by year’s end

By Katie Taranto
People on smartphones (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

New mobile phone policies are going into effect in Arlington Public Schools for the upcoming school year.

After a unanimous Arlington School Board vote yesterday (Thursday), high school students will be required to turn off their cellphones during class and elementary and middle school students will have to keep them off for the entire day.

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Events

Courthouse pizzeria to host blood drive benefitting D.C. area hospitals

By Katie Taranto
The Inova Bloodmobile (photo courtesy of Patrick Malone)

Fire Works Pizza in Courthouse is partnering with a D.C. area blood donor service to host a blood drive next week.

People who donate blood to Inova Blood Donor Services from 12:30-4:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 19, will receive $5 off any menu item at the pizzeria. Appointments will take place in Inova’s Bloodmobile, which will be parked outside the restaurant at 2350 Clarendon Blvd.

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Around Town

Tivoli bakery above Ballston Metro station reopens with new menu items

By Katie Taranto
The new interior of Tivoli's in Ballston (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

Tivoli Gourmet & Pastry in Ballston has reopened after about two months of renovations.

The bakery above the Ballston Metro station at 901 N. Stuart Street returns with a simple, revamped interior design and new menu items alongside its usual breakfast offerings, assorted pastries and decorated cakes.

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Around Town

Dumpling District and Kung Fu Tea open doors at Pentagon City mall

By Katie Taranto
Kung Fu Tea and Dumpling District in the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

After eight months in the making, Dumpling District opened its “flagship” location alongside a new Kung Fu Tea in Pentagon City last week.

The two businesses share a space in the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, next to Häagen-Dazs on the mall’s Metro level entrance. Though Dumpling District has four other spots across the D.C. area, this is its first ever dine-in location with sit-down service.

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