News

Wedding at the Library — “On Valentine’s Day, Katie Lettie and Vincent Bauer won Arlington Public Library’s free wedding contest, and on Saturday, the Fairfax couple were married in front of their friends, family and people browsing for their latest book club pick. The multistoried library was packed with people of all ages watching the wedding, and blowing bubbles as the ceremony ended.” [WTOP]

Fence Down in Pentagon City — “The winds from the storm brought down the construction fence in front of the Whole Foods on S. 12th Street in Arlington. The sidewalk between Elm and Eads remains blocked.” [Dave Statter/X]

Unexpected Impact of New Va. Law — “As Virginia customers of Walmart shop on the company’s website, shoppers are receiving a message telling them they need to provide consent for data collection to search for items including pregnancy tests, birth control items and even a baby registry. State Sen. Barbara Favola, a Democrat representing Arlington, said the new message is coming in response to a law designed to protect people’s privacy when it comes to sexual health and reproductive information… She said she is surprised by the pop-up.” [WTOP]

Fmr. ACPD K-9 Dies — “The Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) said it is mourning the loss of one of its K-9s, Duke. The 12-year-old German Shepherd began serving on the force in 2014 as a patrol and narcotics detection K-9. He retired in 2022 and spent his time relaxing in the backyard and sending his human brother off to school at the bus stop.” [DC News Now]

Biz Burglary in Dominion Hills — “6000 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 9:44 a.m. on July 12, police were dispatched to the late report of a breaking and entering. Upon arrival, it was determined at approximately 3:53 a.m., the female suspect forced entry into the closed business by shattering a window, stole food items and subsequently fled the scene on foot.” [ACPD]

Uptick in Ticks — “This is tick season in the D.C. region, a time when those poppy-seed-size pests cling and clutch and bite — and an increased number of sightings, bites and emergency room visits have heightened concerns about them this year.” [Washington Post]

New Animal Hospital in Crystal City — Veterinary care chain GoodVets opened a new office last week on the ground floor of The Grace apartments at 1900 Crystal Drive. The new practice is currently offering free exams for first-time customers. –Katie Taranto

It’s Tuesday — Showers and storms are possible in the morning and afternoon. The weather will otherwise be mostly cloudy, reaching a high of approximately 87°F. Afternoon winds will come from the south at 5 mph, and there’s a 70% chance of precipitation. For Tuesday night, showers and thunderstorms are likely before 11pm, with a slight chance of showers through 2am. Temperatures will drop to around 74°F under mostly cloudy skies, with light south winds and a 60% chance of precipitation. [NWS]

Veteran Stops Rape Suspect — “Kevin Cochie barely got back to his apartment at Water Park Towers in Crystal City when he heard screams from down the hallway. Cochie opened his door expecting to tell someone to stop the noise but instead, he encountered a naked woman yelling for help.” [WUSA 9]

ICE Spotted in Courthouse — From Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti: “I’ve had confirmed that yesterday ICE was outside the courthouse at the magistrate’s office, where police take folks to charge them. So people who were walking out of the magistrate’s office after being CHARGED — not convicted, just charged, when the presumption of innocence is attached — were being greeted by ICE… No confirmation on who or how many people were abducted, but will try to find out.” [Facebook]

GMU Prez Under Fire — “When the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights notified George Mason University on July 1 that it was opening an antisemitism investigation based on a recent complaint, the university’s president, Gregory Washington, said he was “perplexed.” Compared with other campuses, where protesters had ransacked buildings and hunkered down in encampments, George Mason had been relatively quiet over the past year, he said.” [ProPublica]

Youngkin AI Order — “Governor Glenn Youngkin today issued an executive order launching a first-of-its-kind agentic artificial intelligence (AI) regulatory reduction pilot to ensure that the Commonwealth captures the benefits of the latest artificial intelligence technology in reducing regulatory burdens and keeping regulations and guidance documents streamlined and up to date.” [Press Release]

It’s Monday — Expect showers and thunderstorms after 2pm, with otherwise mostly cloudy skies and a high near 89. A calm wind will become south around 6 mph in the afternoon, with a 70% chance of precipitation. Monday night, showers and thunderstorms are predicted before 8pm, possibly continuing until 2am. The temperature will drop to a low of 73, with an 80% chance of precipitation. [NWS]

Today’s Morning Notes are brought to you by Industrious. ARLnow has been in an Industrious office for years and we love the convenience — you get to focus on your work rather than worrying about brewing your own coffee or keeping the copy machine stocked. Industrious has several Metro-accessible coworking locations in Arlington.

Crash Families Fault Army — “The Army has avoided accountability and shirked oversight months after the deadly midair collision between a passenger jet and a military helicopter in Washington, dozens of family members said in a letter to the Army’s top official, calling for action and greater transparency.” [Washington Post]

Va. Falls in CNBC Ranking — “Virginia, last year’s No. 1 state and a top three finisher in each of the last five years, slips to fourth place in 2025 — its worst showing since 2018 — and cedes the No. 1 spot to North Carolina. A major reason is a drop in the state’s Economy ranking, to No. 14 in 2025 from No. 11 last year.” [CNBC]

Dems Blast Falling Ranking — “Virginia used to be #1. But Trump’s attacks on the Federal government ravaged Virginia’s economy. Glenn Youngkin and Winsome Earle-Sears stood by cheering. These are the consequences.” [Arlington Democrats/X, Abigail Spanberger/X, Rep. Don Beyer/X]

Youngkin Blames CNBC — “Gov. Glenn Youngkin isn’t taking the demotion in stride. The Republican on Thursday blamed new methodology from CNBC this year that includes “a new subjective metric that mistakenly ascribes substantial risk to Virginia from the federal government’s presence in the Commonwealth,” Youngkin wrote on social media.” [WBJ, Gov. Glenn Youngkin/X]

Local GOP Club Leader Dies — “I write to you with a heavy heart to announce the untimely passing of Rebecca (Becky) Ault, Acting President of the Arlington Republican Women’s Club (ARWC), on the morning of Tuesday, July 1st.” [Arlington GOP]

New Metro Cars Coming — “Metro ordered 256 8000-Series railcars from @Hitachi Rail USA, with options for more to replace the 3000-Series. Pilot car delivery is now expected in June 2027. The design of the 8000-Series includes open gangways, digital displays, and more handholds! ADA compliance, improved seating, wider walkways, and multi-purpose areas are key.” [WMATA/X]

It’s Friday — Expect patchy fog until 9am, followed by mostly sunny skies and a high near 89 with light, variable winds. There is a 30% chance of precipitation. For Friday night, showers and thunderstorms are possible mainly before 7pm, transitioning to partly cloudy skies and a Low around 73 with calm winds. [NWS]