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

After 56 years in business, a film and camera shop in Falls Church is closing

By Katie Taranto
Dominion Camera in Falls Church (via Dominion Camera/Facebook)

After over 50 years of helping the D.C. area document and preserve memories, Dominion Camera in Falls Church will close next week.

The little camera shop and photography lab in Falls Church has been in business since 1969. After a couple attempts to resell, the shop’s last day of business is Saturday, Sept. 7.

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Events

Hispanic Heritage Month events kick off in Arlington next week

By Katie Taranto
Dancers during Hispanic Heritage Month (via Arlington County/Facebook)

From dance lessons to storytelling, free activities and events in celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month will be held across Arlington starting next week.

The festivities kick off with the county’s third annual Hispanic Heritage Community Festival from 2-5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7 at Tyrol Hill Park at 5101 7th Road S. The family-friendly festival will include music, snacks and opportunities to connect with county staff and leaders.

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Around Town

New food trucks bring unique drinks and sandwiches to Va. Square’s Oakland Park

By Katie Taranto
The Rossana coffee truck in Oakland Park (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

A Virginia Square park is becoming something of a destination for local food trucks.

At least three portable establishments have set up shop at Oakland Park since 2023. Though it only takes up a single block, the green space at 3705 Wilson Blvd is becoming a destination for locals in need of a hot drink or a bite to eat.

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Events

Falls Church Festival, now in 48th year, returns next month

By Katie Taranto
The Beer Garden at a previous year's Falls Church Festival (courtesy City of Falls Church)

The annual Falls Church Festival is back next month, bringing the Little City a day of live entertainment, activities and food tasting with 90 vendors.

Now in its 48th year, the festival is scheduled to run from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14, outside City Hall at 300 Park Avenue. Admission is free and food, drink and ride tickets can be purchased on site.

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News

NEW: Donald Trump makes stops at Arlington National Cemetery and Eden Center

By Katie Taranto and Dan Egitto
Donald Trump speaks at Truong Tien Restaurant in Falls Church, August 2024 (via C-SPAN)

Former President Donald Trump attended a wreath laying at Arlington National Cemetery and made a campaign stop in Falls Church earlier today (Monday).

Trump visited the cemetery to mark the three-year anniversary of a suicide bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members. He then made an appearance at Truong Tien Restaurant at the Eden Center, alongside Vietnamese-American U.S. Senate candidate Hung Cao (R).

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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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