Revised plans for a massive development project at Pentagon City’s RiverHouse site are slowly moving forward, but some neighbors still aren’t on board.
At a meeting last month, developer JBG Smith presented a new proposal to place 738 apartment and townhouse units on three parcels, while deferring final action on more than 2,000 other planned units.
The City of Falls Church spent 240% more than it budgeted for this fiscal year on outside legal services.
The city, which had budgeted $125,000 in Fiscal Year 2025 for outside legal support, actually ended up spending $425,000.
De Ferranti to Join Metro Board — County Board member Matt de Ferranti is expected to be appointed Thursday as an alternate Virginia director on the Metro system’s board of directors. The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, which de Ferranti chaired in 2024, will make the appointment. –Scott McCaffrey
Police Dept. Pride Event — “The Arlington County Police Department (ACPD), including members of the Community Engagement Division (CED) and the LGBTQ+ Liaison Team, are proud to host the 5th annual Pride with the Police event at Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant… Thursday, June 26, 2025 [from] 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.” [ACPD]
Stolen Car Blocked In — “Watch: @ArlingtonVaPD block in a stolen car and detain the driver. This happened around 5:15 p.m. [Monday] on Langston Blvd. at N. Highland St.” [Dave Statter/X]
Federal Turmoil Fading — “Hundreds of soft-term leases were terminated in Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency blitz to halve the federal real estate footprint. More than 100 federal buildings in or near D.C. were marked for disposition. The GSA said it would slash its own headcount, and the agency instituted a contracting freeze. Now, just as Musk departs from the White House, the bombast seems be subsiding, according to federal real estate experts.” [WBJ]
It’s Wednesday — Expect sunny skies and a high of around 87 degrees, accompanied by a south wind at 6 to 10 mph. Wednesday night will bring partly cloudy conditions and a low temperature near 67 degrees, with a south wind at 6 to 8 mph. [NWS]
Crime continued to increase in Arlington last year, according to police department stats, with notable upticks in reported assaults and shoplifting incidents.
The overall number of more serious “Group A” offenses increased 11% between 2023 and 2024, according to the Arlington County Police Department’s annual report released today (Tuesday).
Arlington’s slow process for approving and permitting new development came under fire from County Board candidates, including the incumbent, at a recent forum.
“It’s a problem, no question about it,” incumbent Board Chair Takis Karantonis said at the event hosted by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.
A 28-year-old reportedly trying to pass classified documents to a foreign government last week is the latest episode in a long history of espionage-related cases in Arlington.
Nathan Vilas Laatsch, an IT specialist for the Defense Intelligence Agency, was arrested on Thursday after allegedly arranging to hand sensitive records to an undercover FBI agent in an Arlington park.
A former substitute teacher at Washington-Liberty High School was indicted last week for allegedly engaging in a two-year sexual relationship with one of his students.
An Arlington grand jury indicted Timothy Thomas McGhee, 47, on a charge of taking indecent liberties with a minor.
Arlington’s unemployment figures remained high in April after a surge the previous month, new data shows.
Preliminary jobless figures for April, released last week, indicate a sizeable 64% year-over-year increase in Arlington’s jobless claims. A total of 4,862 residents were looking for work that month, compared to 2,972 in April 2024.
Stepped Up Patrols at Synagogues — From an Arlington County police spokesperson, in response to an ARLnow inquiry: “Our officers are on duty conducting proactive patrols throughout Arlington and have been conducting increased patrols near synagogues in the County since last month’s shooting at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC… There are currently no known threats in Arlington County.”
Fed Cuts Impact Local Nonprofit — “Aspire’s story provides a glimpse of the actual impact of such cuts. On Monday, April 28th, Aspire was notified that its funding was cut, and that it needed to cease its AmeriCorps program effective immediately (yes, immediately).This required the immediate termination of the 17 AmeriCorps members who served their students every day — students and their families who rely on Aspire for a safe place to be after school, with academic support.” [FCNP]
‘Shipwreck on the Potomac’ — “This “Shipwreck” has been next to Reagan Airport for months. Who is responsible for its removal and disposal?” [Reddit]
Stabbing in Pentagon City — “A stabbing [Friday] afternoon at the Pentagon City Metro Station. It was a leg wound that is not reported to be serious. Police described it as a fight between two people who may have known each other.” [Dave Statter/X]
Va. DMV Warns of Scam — “Did you get a text about an overdue traffic ticket charge? It’s likely a scam. The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles is alerting customers about a new text scam where fraudsters pose as Virginia DMV and falsely claim you owe money for unpaid fines.” [Press Release]
Rosslyn Office Swap — “A century-old trade association has signed for a full floor at Beacon Capital’s recently acquired The Towers in Rosslyn, paving the way to move from one tower to the other and a chance to custom design a new space. The Aerospace Industries Association, a tax-exempt industry advocacy group, inked a 15-year lease for the 26th floor, about 20,500 square feet, at 1100 Wilson Blvd., the western tower.” [WBJ]
It’s Tuesday — Expect mostly sunny skies today, with highs reaching near 83 degrees and winds turning west at around 5 mph in the afternoon. Tonight, the skies will remain mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to around 62 degrees and a gentle south wind blowing at about 6 mph. [NWS]
A slowdown in new restaurant openings could be on the horizon in Arlington.
While dozens of new eateries remain on track to open over the next few months, one data source suggests that some restaurateurs could be tapping the brakes on new projects.
Someone called in a bomb threat to an elementary school in Arlington today.
Police were dispatched to Jamestown Elementary School around 2:15 p.m. for a report of an anonymous threat received by phone. The person making the threat was described as a “younger male.”
A 42-year-old Arlington man is facing a number of charges, including DUI, after a crash that shut down a busy on-ramp Friday afternoon.
It started around 4:45 p.m., police say, when a driver veered off the road and struck another car at the Route 50 and Washington Blvd interchange. That driver then allegedly tried to climb a fence before returning to his car.
