Changes to Silver line service and less frequent Blue and Yellow line trains are scheduled for this weekend due to planned track work.
Trains between Pentagon City and Reagan National Airport will run every 18 minutes on Saturday and Sunday. Additionally, the Silver line’s eastern terminus will be in New Carrollton instead of Largo.
Roosevelt Bridge Project Starting — “A key connection between D.C. and Arlington, Virginia, is about to go through a 3-and-a-half-year rehab, with traffic shifting as soon as next week. The Roosevelt Bridge over the Potomac River, which supports almost 100,000 vehicles a day, has been classified as in poor condition for some time, according to the D.C. Department of Transportation.” [NBC 4]
Beyer Bill to Benefit Fired Feds — “Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., who represents more than 72,000 federal workers, is introducing legislation to make it easier for government employees removed under the Trump administration to rejoin agencies and to deter a future president from undertaking a mass firing of the workforce.” [Government Executive, Press Release]
Arlington and N. Va. Lauded — “It could be better (nobody’s perfect) Northern Virginia is probably the country’s best-executed version of suburban growth and I feel like nobody talks about it.” [Matthew Yglesias/X]
Arlington PitchFest Recap — “On April 30, 2025, 17 small business owners from Arlington and across Northern Virginia took the stage at the BizLaunch PitchFest Finale, held at Amazon’s Visitor Landing at HQ2. The event marked the culmination of the BizLaunch Transformational Challenge, a months-long program designed to equip entrepreneurs with critical skills to strengthen and scale their businesses.” [Arlington County]
ACFD Heat and Recovery Study — “Arlington Fire and GW presented a research study yesterday at the GW University research symposium on new technology to help prevent heat injuries and improve recovery for firefighters while performing fireground activities.” [ACFD/X]
Marymount Fashion Show Tomorrow — “This is not Paris Fashion Week. It’s a scene from Marymount University’s annual Portfolio in Motion (PIM) spring fashion show, where everything similarly happens by design… For the first time, PIM will make its 2025 debut at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, on May 3.” [Arlington Magazine]
More on Arlington’s ‘Green’ App — “On Earth Day and all year long, Arlington County is urging its community to “get green” and help the planet and they’re doing that with the Get Green Arlington app. The app allows residents to find green initiatives and track their daily impact on their neighborhood and planet.” [DC News Now]
It’s Friday — Showers and thunderstorms are possible in the afternoon, with otherwise mostly sunny conditions and a high near 87. Expect southwest winds of 10 mph, gusting up to 18 mph, and a 40% chance of precipitation. Friday night, the storm threat continues until 2am, with a 40% chance of precipitation, followed by partly cloudy skies and a low of 66. [NWS]
Campaigns in Arlington’s Democratic primary and School Board caucus are kicking into gear, with three competitive races at the local level.
Candidates Monique “Moe” Bryant and June Prakash are competing for one open seat on the Arlington School Board.
A week after applying for a permit to replace the vacant Giant in Lyon Village, Sprouts Farmers Market has confirmed plans to open a new grocery store in Arlington.
“We are happy to share that we will be bringing fresh, better-for-you products to the Arlington, VA community in 2026,” a representative told ARLnow.
While election officials in Arlington and Falls Church are not expecting an early rush to vote in the Democratic primary, they’re ready for those who do come.
Arlington elections director Gretchen Reinemeyer told ARLnow she expects a relatively modest first-day turnout when early voting begins on Friday.
Restaurant Files for Bankruptcy — “An affiliate of Epic Smokehouse has filed for bankruptcy petition, more than a decade after Wayne Halleran and Joon Yang, former staffers at The Palm in Tysons, teamed up open the barbecue restaurant across from the Costco in Pentagon City.” [WBJ]
Busboys and Poets to DCA — “Busboys and Poets is planning a new outpost at Reagan National Airport as part of a first-ever licensing agreement… The roughly 90-seat restaurant, slated to open as soon as next spring, will be a scaled-down version of the restaurant and cultural hub.” [WBJ]
Chick-fil-A Renovating at DCA — “Big news, Chick-fil-A fans! Our location will be TEMPORARILY closed starting today, April 30, for a fresh new remodel. Don’t worry—we’ll be back soon and better than ever, ready to serve your favorites with an upgraded look!” [Reagan Airport/X]
Local Teacher Charged in Fairfax — “A now-retired Fairfax County Public Schools teacher is facing criminal charges for allegedly assaulting a student and a colleague. Detectives began investigating Mary Simons, 63, of Arlington after Child Protective Services received a tip on March 28 alleging that she had assaulted a student while teaching at Parklawn Elementary School.” [FFXnow]
Robbery in Ballston — ” At approximately 12:09 p.m. on April 29, police were dispatched to the report of a robbery by force. Upon arrival, it was determined the male victim was inside a stairwell of a parking garage when two male suspects entered the stairwell, assaulted him, stole clothing items and subsequently fled the scene on foot. The victim sustained minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital.” [ACPD]
ID Change for ANC Drivers — “Beginning May 7, 2025, all individuals over the age of 18 who are authorized to drive onto Arlington National Cemetery in a vehicle should be prepared to present a REAL ID at the security checkpoint… Visitors who arrive by vehicle and park in the Welcome Center parking garage, walk, take the Metro or use a ride share service to ANC will not be required to present a REAL ID” [Arlington National Cemetery]
Home Listings Up — “The number of newly listed homes for sale in Northern Virginia in March was up 25.7% compared to March of last year, indicating more existing homeowners are deciding it is time to sell, whether by choice or need.” [WTOP]
Gov. Visits DEA in Arlington — “At @DEAHQ, Suzanne and I stood before the Faces of Fentanyl: sons and daughters, friends and neighbors, lives cut short by a single pill. Operation FREE has seized nearly 800 lbs of fentanyl to date—enough to kill every Virginian 10x over. We’ll never stop fighting to save lives.” [Gov. Glenn Youngkin/X]
It’s Thursday — Expect a partly sunny day with a high around 80 and a southeast wind of 6 to 10 mph. There’s a chance of showers and storms starting in the afternoon. The night will be mostly cloudy with a low of 66 and a 40% chance of precipitation. [NWS]
Hundreds more Arlington County residents began seeking work in March as federal layoffs continue to drive a region-wide surge in unemployment, new data shows.
A total of 4,929 Arlington residents were counted as without jobs and seeking work in March, the Virginia Employment Commission reported yesterday (Tuesday). That’s up 16% from the 4,249 recorded in February, and up a hefty 60% from 3,116 in March 2024.
Arlington rents are still on the rise, even as regional economic concerns mount.
Apartment List and Zumper both released new data analyses yesterday (Tuesday). They differ somewhat, but both point in a single direction: upward.
Several schools were secured this morning after a report of shots fired in the Buckingham neighborhood near Ballston.
It happened just before 9:15 a.m. At least two 911 callers reported hearing gunfire and seeing a group of teens running from the area, according to scanner traffic.
A driver pinned after a crash caused their vehicle to flip has been extricated by firefighters.
The crash happened around 8:45 a.m. on Langston Blvd and N. Lexington Street, near Sloppy Mama’s BBQ. It’s unclear what caused the crash, which involved at least two vehicles, but it left one of the cars — a Subaru — on its roof and its driver reportedly pinned against the dashboard.
Falls Church leaders are seeking a compromise on a new ambulance fees agreement with Arlington County.
In addition to increasing the amount that the City of Falls Church pays for fire and ambulance services, the proposed agreement would cap the amount of revenue that the city can receive from ambulance transport fees at $295,000 annually.
Fmr. Assistant Fire Chief Dies — “It is with deep sorrow that the Arlington County Fire Department announces the passing of former Assistant Fire Chief, Benjamin M. Barksdale Jr., after a courageous battle against occupational cancer. Chief Barksdale served our community and this department with honor and devotion for twenty-four years, rising through the ranks from Firefighter to Assistant Fire Chief.” [ACFD/Facebook]
GOP Warns Against MAGA Event — “This is an event being run by a verified grifter. The event advertises “no refunds” and your money does not go to an organized political entity. If you have already purchased a ticket, it will not be refunded. Attendees beware.” [Arlington GOP/X]
Fentanyl Deaths Down in Va. — “Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced new data from the Virginia Department of Health Office of the Chief Medical Examiner show fentanyl-related overdose deaths in Virginia declined 44 percent year over year and are down over 46 percent from its peak in 2021.” [Press Release]
Another Assault at Metro Station — “At approximately 6:04 p.m. on April 28, an officer on patrol in the Pentagon City Metro Station stopped the juvenile female suspect for fare evasion. While in custody, the suspect began acting disorderly, ignored commands and assaulted three officers. The officers did not report any injuries.” [ACPD]
ACPD Camps Filling Up — “ACPD’s Safety Patrol Camp application is now CLOSED! The last few spots for ACPD’s 2025 Summer Camps are going fast! Applications for the below camps will be open until Sunday, May 4 at 11:59 p.m. OR until all spots are filled!” [ACPD]
Group Adding Asian Representation — “Just days before the start of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the Very Asian Foundation brought its powerful literacy initiative, The May Book Project, to Carlin Springs Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia. The project’s mission: to ensure students can see themselves and their classmates reflected in the books they read.” [WUSA 9]
Looking Back on ‘Little Saigon’ — “By car, on foot, by boat and several planes, they made their way to Northern Virginia, in the shadow of the Pentagon, where a tiny Vietnamese enclave had been growing since the 1960s — the manifestation of decades of U.S. intervention in Southeast Asia. Within a few years, that strip of shops anchored by the Nguyens’ store became known as ‘Little Saigon.'” [Washington Post]
Lt. Gov. Candidate Spat Continues — “A lawyer for John Reid, the GOP’s nominee for Virginia lieutenant governor, sent a cease-and-desist notice to Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s top political adviser Monday, escalating a political spectacle that began last week when the governor asked that Reid abandon his bid over racy social media posts that Reid says are not his.” [Washington Post]
It’s Wednesday — Expect mostly cloudy skies that eventually turn sunny, with temperatures reaching around 80°F and a 20% chance of precipitation. The night will be partly cloudy with lows near 60°F. [NWS]
Flickr pool photo by Jason Gooljar
