Demolition has begun at the site of an eight-story former office building off of Columbia Pike, making way for a 16-home townhouse redevelopment.
Crews got to work last week tearing down a garage structure at 2300 9th Street S., preparing to demolish the 1970s-era office building beginning next week. That teardown is expected to take four to six weeks, according to a notice shared with nearby residents.
County Defends Rescue Merger — Arlington County pushed back on what it called “incorrect information circulating” about the proposed FY27 budget, clarifying that Fire Stations 2 and 9 will remain open. The proposal consolidates ACFD’s two heavy rescue companies into a single unit at Fire Station 1 (500 S. Glebe Road), boosting per-shift staffing from four to six. The County Board work session on the fire department budget is set for March 19. [Arlington County/X, Arlington County]
Pepper Spray Road Rage — A man, 46, of Arlington was charged with attempted malicious wounding by caustic substance after he allegedly rear-ended another vehicle near Arlington Blvd and S. George Mason Drive, then attempted to pepper spray the other driver before fleeing. He was later located on Columbia Pike, according to police. [ACPD]
Three Seasons in One Day — After record highs of 85–86 degrees Wednesday, evening thunderstorms and tornado warnings, the D.C. area faces a 45–50 degree temperature plunge today as a strong cold front barrels through. Rain showers will change to a brief rain-snow mix this afternoon before ending, though accumulation should be minimal given the warm ground. [CWG/X, WWG/X]
Metro Grout Pad Work — Metro crews replaced grout pads — which elevate the tracks and hold them in place — between Pentagon City and Braddock Road on the Yellow and Blue lines this past weekend. [WMATA/X]
Arlington Restaurant Churn — An AI-assisted analysis of closure data found the county has about 700 restaurants, with roughly 25 closing over the past year — a rate of about 4%, below the national average. The median closed restaurant was about 5 years old, and an estimated 25–30% of current restaurants are 10+ years old. [ARLnow/X]
McAuliffe Eyes Congress — Former Va. first lady Dorothy McAuliffe announced she will run for the proposed 7th Congressional District, which would stretch from Arlington to western Augusta County. She joins Del. Dan Helmer and former federal prosecutor J.P. Cooney, who served as a deputy to special counsel Jack Smith, in a crowded Democratic primary. [FFXnow]
N. Va. Leads Job Losses — The D.C. metro area lost more jobs on a percentage basis than any other U.S. metro with 1 million+ residents last year, shedding around 56,000 positions — 96% from federal layoffs, according to the Brookings Institution. The UVA Weldon Cooper Center now forecasts Virginia employment will shrink by 0.2% in 2026. [Cardinal News]
It’s Thursday — Rain showers will transition to a mix of rain and snow by 2pm, with temperatures dropping to around 40°F. Expect breezy conditions with northwest winds at 14-21 mph and gusts up to 38 mph. Precipitation chances are at 90%, but snow accumulation should be minimal. Thursday night will be mostly clear with a low of 33°F, northwest winds at 5-9 mph becoming calm after midnight, and gusts up to 18 mph. [NWS]
There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.
A ballot measure to substantially increase D.C.’s minimum wage would undoubtedly have major effects on Arlington’s neighbor, but the region-wide impacts are murkier.
One Fair Wage’s proposal to raise the District’s minimum wage to $25 per hour by July 2029 has earned support from labor advocates seeking to make D.C. more affordable for the working class, but criticism from business owners worried about going out of business or having to lay off employees.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Nearly two decades ago, Virginia gave tech companies a tax break on equipment and software, and they began to build. The state became a data center hub, and they kept building. Residents bemoaned the noise while they built some more. Artificial intelligence boomed, and the power grid strained — still, more building.
Now, amid a growing national pushback on data centers, Virginia senators have voted to end a projected $1.6 billion annual tax break, requiring the industry to resume paying a minimum 5.3% sales tax. The proposal has left some opponents warning that it would bring construction of data centers in Virginia to a screeching halt.
A community launch event for VHC Health’s proposed behavioral health facility in Glencarlyn is taking place next week.
The meeting, the first in a series of community engagement efforts for the proposed 146-bed rehabilitation and mental health center at 601 S. Carlin Springs Road, will take place from 7-8:30 p.m. next Monday at the Kenmore Middle School auditorium (200 S. Carlin Springs Road).
As increasing numbers of Virginians download the Mobile ID app, options for using digital identification around Arlington remain somewhat limited.
The app that launched in November has already surpassed 100,000 users, the Virginia DMV announced last Friday. In Arlington, it’s useful at a handful of locations.
Falls Church has formally opened its doors to e-scooters. Now it just needs to find some takers.
City Council members voted 7-0 on Monday night for a one-year pilot program, hoping to entice companies to deploy up to 100 e-scooters and e-bicycles within the community’s 2.2 square miles.
County leaders know there is a parking problem for users of Central Library. What they don’t have yet is a plan to address it.
“We get lots of feedback from users about the inadequacy of parking,” library director Diane Kresh said during a March 5 work session focused on library operations.
Beyer Hosting Resource Fair — Rep. Don Beyer (D) is hosting a resource fair for federal workers, contractors and economically impacted individuals on March 21 at Wakefield High School. “Come meet with local partners who can connect you with housing assistance, food banks, resources for small businesses, and more,” Beyer said. [Rep. Don Beyer/X]
Rowers Return to Potomac — “Rowers have returned to the Potomac River after the lifting of restrictions that were put in place due to a sewage spill in Maryland two months ago.” The Virginia Department of Health lifted its recreational water advisory last week, though it continues to advise against contact with a 4.7-mile stretch between the American Legion Bridge and Chain Bridge. [Andrew Leyden/X]
School Choice Celebration — More than 100 people gathered at the Leadership Institute in Clarendon on Saturday for EdReform Virginia’s 4th Annual School Choice Celebration. Former Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears headlined the event, offering “a robust defense of educational freedom.” [EdNews Virginia]
SER Makes Eater List — SER Restaurant (1110 N. Glebe Road), which has served tapas in Ballston for 10 years, was included on DC Eater’s 38 Best Restaurants Around D.C. list. “It’s hard to go wrong with any of the 12-plus tapas on the list, but the tomato bread, croquetas, and deep-fried eggplant are not to miss,” according to Eater. [Patch]
Boater Sues Over Sewage Spill — A Great Falls resident has filed a class action lawsuit against DC Water over the January sewer collapse that dumped more than 200 million gallons of wastewater into the Potomac River. The plaintiff’s boat is moored at Columbia Island Marina on the Pentagon Lagoon, where waters were “directly contaminated” by the spill. Meanwhile, the Potomac Riverkeeper Network says sewage may still be leaking into the river. [FFXnow]
Five Guys BOGO Take Two — “We screwed the first one up so bad, we’re trying to redo it,” Five Guys CEO Jerry Murrell told WTOP. The Alexandria-based burger chain is rolling out another buy-one, get-one free offer this week after its initial 40th anniversary BOGO led to long lines and stores running out of stock. The chain is also giving $1.5 million in bonuses to employees who bore the brunt. [WTOP]
FCPD Encrypting Radios — The Fairfax County Police Department is moving forward with plans to encrypt its main dispatch radio channels. Once in effect, FCPD will join numerous regional agencies — including ACPD, Prince William County Police, Virginia State Police and D.C.’s Metropolitan Police — that have partially or fully encrypted their transmissions. [FFXnow]
Assault Weapons Ban Advances — A bill that would ban the import, sale, manufacture, purchase or transfer of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines (more than 15 rounds) in Virginia is heading to Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D). The bill does not make it illegal to possess assault weapons or magazines already owned. If signed, it takes effect July 1. [Tyler Englander/X, DC News Now]
Lucas Grades Spanberger B– — Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth) gave Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) a B– for her work with the Senate. Lucas is pushing to eliminate an estimated $1.6 billion-a-year tax break for data centers, an idea opposed by business groups. Spanberger and House Speaker Don Scott (D-Portsmouth) have been tepid on changing the tax provision. [Radio IQ, Virginia Scope, WBJ]
Lawmakers Slam Deceptive Mailers —Members of Virginia’s congressional delegation, including Rep. Don Beyer (D), are condemning mailers from a PAC that invoke Jim Crow imagery to oppose the April 21 redistricting referendum. The PAC is linked to a former Hampton GOP delegate, according to the Virginian-Pilot. [Press Release, Virginian-Pilot]
W&OD Rail Line Eyed — Transit advocates have revived a 60-year-old proposal to add rail service along the W&OD Trail right-of-way from Purcellville to the East Falls Church Metro station. The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission has received more than 60 requests to study the concept. [FFXnow]
March Warmth — “Temperatures climbed into the mid-80s in the D.C. area Tuesday afternoon, the warmest weather for March 10 since 2016. WTOP Meteorologist Mike Stinneford reported high temperatures climbed to 84 degrees at all three airports in the D.C. region by 3 p.m.” [WTOP]
It’s Wednesday — Partly sunny skies tomorrow with a high near 82 and a chance of rain after 9 a.m. Strong storms are possible in the afternoon and evening as a cold front clashes with unseasonably warm air — the Storm Prediction Center has the region at a Level 2 (of 5) severe risk, with potential for downpours, gusty winds and hail. Overnight lows drop to around 51 with rain likely. [NWS, CWG/X]
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Making ranked-choice voting permanent and potentially banning campaign signage on local rights-of-way top the agenda for County Board members’ meeting this weekend.
Other items scheduled for discussion at the Saturday meeting include an $8 million contract for Wilson Blvd street improvements, a $5 million contract for a culvert replacement on N. Dumbarton Street and a hearing on relocating the Madison Community Center’s early voting site during renovations there.
Local leaders may consider imposing a small fee on out-of-county residents who want an Arlington library card.
County Board member Maureen Coffey brought up the idea at a budget work session with library officials on March 5. She said that a “very low fee model” would provide some cash for “greater investment in the collection.”
The Arlington Housing Commission has gotten its first look at a redevelopment proposal expected to bring nearly 400 apartment units to a site across the street from Courthouse Plaza.
Trammell Crow Residential will seek County Board approval later this spring for “Alexan at Courthouse,” a 15-story residential building proposed to replace a 40-year-office building at 2000 15th Street N. As currently planned, the project calls for 394 units totaling about 412,000 square feet of interior space.
