News

Arlington Bishop on American Pope — From Bishop Michael F. Burbidge: “With profound gratitude to Almighty God, I join the universal Church in thanksgiving for Pope Leo XIV. As the Bishop of Rome and Successor of Saint Peter, our Holy Father is for the entire world the visible principle of Christian unity. I encourage everyone in our families, parishes and schools to offer prayers, sacrifices, and works of charity for Pope Leo XIV and his intentions.” [Diocese of Arlington]

Car Fire on I-395 — “Units have extinguished a fully involved car fire on 395 north by exit 8A. Expect delays on 395 NB. Fire Marshals will be investigating the cause.” [ACFD/X]

Car Fire at Gravelly Point — “Units are on scene of a fully involved vehicle fire at gravely point. Expect a large fire department response and possible delays on GW pkwy. FM’s office will be investigating the cause.” [ACFD/X, ARLnow/X]

Tariffs Hit Roses — “Mother’s Day bouquet orders keep coming at Company Flowers in Arlington for their busiest holiday of the year. “Before the tariffs, Ecuador, which is where we get most of our roses, had a 6.8% tariff on all the roses, and now you add that 10% tariff to it, so you’re talking about a 16.8% tariff on roses coming out of Ecuador,” said Nicholson. Nicholson worries she will have to pass the higher costs onto consumers.” [DC News Now]

Beyer Watching Tariff Impact — “This morning I was in a hearing with small business owners, including Northern Virginians I represent, who were talking about the existential threat Trump’s tariffs pose to their businesses. Higher prices. Layoffs. The threat of closure.” [Rep. Don Beyer/X]

Cheap Eats Around Arlington — “Food costs are rising and economic conditions are tenuous, leaving many of us in a budget-conscious state of mind. But there’s more to life than eating in. Our restaurant critic hit up 10 casual eateries for terrific meals that come in around $25 or less.” [Arlington Magazine]

AI Recommends Arlington Cocktails — “For gazing at the Arlington skyline at Rooftop Recess, try an Aperol Spritz—light, bubbly, and perfect for a warm May evening. A classic Margarita, on the rocks or frozen, would also suit the vibe.” [Grok/X]

Tesla Protest This Saturday — “As millions of families around the country prepare to celebrate Mother’s Day, Tesla Takedown will shine a spotlight on DOGE’s war on mothers and children. Since February, Elon Musk and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency have slashed billions in funding for pregnant and nursing mothers and their children.” [Action Network]

LGBT Priorities in Budget — “Equality Arlington, an LGBTQ+ advocacy nonprofit, applauds the Arlington County Board for reaffirming its commitment to LGBTQ+ residents through key investments in public health and fair housing protections in the FY 2026 budget.” [Press Release]

It’s Friday — Expect showers and possibly a thunderstorm through early evening. The day will otherwise be cool and mostly cloudy with a high near 64, accompanied by a northwest wind at 6-10 mph. There is a 70% chance of precipitation. Mostly clear skies are on tap for Friday night, with a low around 50, and northwest wind around 9 mph. [NWS]

Fundraiser for Firefighter — “On May 5, 2025, we lost Firefighter Lloyd Edwards a dear friend, brother and overall great person. To know Lloyd was to know a gentle and kind soul. He leaves behind to grieve, his family, fitness community, and fire service family… Now it’s our turn to show up for him.” [GoFundMe]

Small Earthquake Felt Locally — “A magnitude 3.0 earthquake rattled the Farmville area Tuesday afternoon, with people as far away as Leesburg, Culpeper and Arlington reporting they felt it, too, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake occurred at 1:08 p.m. in Buckingham County, about 12 miles from Farmville and about 40 miles from Charlottesville.” [InsideNoVa/WTOP]

Big New Office Tenant — “Jamestown, a design-focused real estate investment and management firm, today announced Gilbane Building, one of the largest privately owned construction companies in the world, signed a lease for a 27,000-square-foot office at Ballston Exchange, a mixed-use retail, dining, and office development in Arlington’s Ballston neighborhood.” [Press Release]

Fentanyl Supplier Sentenced — “A Maryland man was sentenced today to seven years in prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents, Mamud Sesay, 36, of Bowie, was a source of supply for fentanyl… On November 27, 2023, Sesay met Mosby and distributed the pills to him. Mosby redistributed the pills in Arlington County later that day.” [Press Release]

Candidate Criticizes Permit Delay — “Three years to receive a permit to build is frankly absurd. We need to streamline the permitting process so projects like this no longer fall through the cracks!” [Arjoon Srikanth for Delegate/X]

Pentagon City Crash on Camera — “Another one at Army Navy, S. Hayes and the I-395 ramp in Pentagon City, VA. There is a very lucky motorcyclist in the video who then stopped to help. Make note of the car making the left turn. It didn’t come from the only left turn lane on that ramp. The red car was in the left turn lane. That’s a common issue.” [Dave Statter/X]

Ruling in Khan Suri Case — “A federal judge has ruled that Dr. Badar Khan Suri’s habeas case will stay in Virginia. The case, which alleges violations of his constitutional rights, will be heard in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.” [ALXnow]

Today is VE Day — An local event is planned tonight: “The Arlington Sister City Association (ASCA) presents an engaging educational panel discussion on Victory Day in Europe. Panelists will highlight the role that our sister cities of Aachen, Germany; Reims, France; and, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine played at this significant moment in world history.” [Event Calendar]

New Marymount Provost — “Since stepping into the role of Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs in February, Dr. Pamela Slaven-Lee has wasted no time charting a strategic path forward… Under her leadership, Marymount has also launched new academic offerings such as its Master of Social Work degree, increased both research grant submissions and external grant funding by 10 percent and is trending toward an increase in first-year student retention.” [Marymount University]

It’s Thursday — Expect partly sunny skies and a high near 78 with calm winds turning southeast at 5 mph. Showers are possible after 2pm, with a 50% chance of precipitation. Thursday night brings likely showers and a potential thunderstorm, with otherwise mostly cloudy skies, a low around 58, and a northeast wind at 3-6 mph. Precipitation probability is 70%. [NWS]