The Falls Church Volunteer Fire Department is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
The Falls Church City Council passed a resolution supporting the volunteers on Monday. It came just a few days before the specific date — Feb. 27, 1925 — that the fire department was established.
Family Shares Integration Station Story — “After the switch [to the APS Integration Station program], the difference was significant, Villapando said. Leo wakes up excitedly on Saturdays and Sundays, asking whether it’s a school day. His child psychologist said he could reach the general education level by kindergarten if he continues to get the proper support in preschool. But that progress may be in jeopardy, she said.” [WTOP]
Upcoming Local Events — “Perhaps no month holds more promise in the DMV than March. With the start of spring comes milder weather and the return of outdoor fun (think concerts, ball games and cherry blossoms). Start planning your calendar with these upcoming options.” [Arlington Magazine]
Sexual Battery Investigation in F.C. — “The City of Falls Church Police Department is investigating a series of sexual batteries that occurred on the evening of Tuesday, February 25, 2025 and seeks possible additional victims or witnesses to the crimes.” [FCNP]
Feds Consider Agency Moves — “The Trump administration is giving federal agencies until mid-April to suggest relocations of bureaus and offices out of the D.C. region, a move that would have widespread impacts on the local economy.” [Washington Post]
Cherry Blossom Bloom Prediction — “D.C.’s cherry blossoms will hit peak bloom March 28-31 this year, the National Park Service (NPS) announced Thursday.” [Axios]
It’s Friday — Expect sunny skies and a high of around 54 degrees, as the northwest wind at 10 to 15 mph shifts southwest during the afternoon, with potential gusts up to 25 mph. Clouds will increase Friday night, bringing the temperature down to around 44 degrees, accompanied by southwest winds at 10 to 13 mph and gusts reaching 18 mph. [NWS]
Flickr pool photo by Jason Gooljar
Despite leaders’ hopes for a brighter future on Columbia Pike, both new and established businesses continue to face difficulties as roadwork drags on.
At this month’s “State of the Pike” forum, speakers highlighted a “light at the end of the tunnel” for establishments that have endured years of nearby utility work and road and sidewalk reconstruction.
A Clarendon bar shut down early and crowd control was needed last weekend following a reported fight — a relatively common occurrence at the establishment.
Police were once again dispatched to Bar Bao — the site of almost 1,000 police calls for service between 2022 and 2024 — following a report of a quarrel around 8:53 p.m. on Sunday.
Amid federal budget-slashing efforts, Falls Church officials are keeping a watchful eye on about $50 million in approved grant funds.
So far, “we have not heard any word of adverse actions on those grant projects,” City Manager Wyatt Shields told City Council members Monday night.
Changes to the form used to seek historic-district status for Arlington properties may make the process more onerous for applicants.
That was the view of a number of Historical Affairs & Landmark Review Board (HALRB) members, who were informed of the change by staff on Feb. 19 — three months after the revisions went into place.
Close Call at DCA — “There was a close call between two planes at Reagan National Airport on Tuesday morning — just a month after a midair collision between an Army helicopter and a commercial jet over the Potomac River killed all 67 people aboard… An incoming American Airlines flight from Boston was told to perform a ‘go-around’ maneuver by an air traffic controller to make sure there was enough space between the incoming flight and a departing flight that was using the same runway.” [WTOP, Dave Statter/Bluesky]
Teens Rob Ballston Biz — “Four juvenile male suspects in their teens entered the business, consumed food items and subsequently exited without payment. When confronted by an employee outside of the business, Suspect One brandished what appeared to be a firearm at the employee before all four suspects fled the scene on foot. No injuries were reported.” [ACPD]
New Funding for Arlington Startup –“Famed Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz has made another local defense tech investment, leading a $6.2 million funding round for Rune Technologies, an Arlington startup developing military logistics software… CEO David Tuttle and Chief Technology Officer Peter Goldsborough founded Rune in 2024 after previously working at Anduril Industries, a defense tech contractor headquartered near Los Angeles.” [WBJ]
Beyer Blasts Bezos — “As someone who values the essential role the Washington Post plays in our region, Jeff Bezos’ interference with the Post’s mission grieves me. It undercuts good reporters who work there, and jeopardizes the faith of his readers.” [Rep. Don Beyer/X]
Clare and Don’s Construction Woes — “As Broad and Washington fully opens, the owners of a neighboring restaurant reflect on what they learned after operating through the proposal and construction phases of the major mixed-use development project. Lessons learned include the need for strong support from City staff and government for small businesses.” [Falls Church Pulse]
It’s Thursday — There’s a chance of rain, primarily before 4pm. Otherwise, expect cloudy conditions with a high temperature near 65. Southwest winds of 9 to 13 mph will shift to the west, and wind gusts may reach 22 mph. The chance of precipitation is 30%. Thursday night, anticipate partly cloudy skies and a low temperature around 39. West winds will persist at around 11 mph, with potential gusts of up to 22 mph. [NWS]
Over 200 people packed a standing-room-only town hall yesterday (Tuesday) to discuss how federal workforce cuts are personally impacting Arlington residents.
The event for federal employees and contractors came as Arlington County is considering an $11.5 million increase to its budget stabilization reserve in response to ongoing federal shake-ups.
Arlington leaders say they haven’t forgotten they owe the Crystal City area a library.
“It’s on our to-do list,” County Manager Mark Schwartz said at the County Board’s Feb. 22 meeting.
Facing ongoing gentrification issues, Arlington’s historically Black communities are trying to preserve the social cohesiveness that helped residents triumph over past struggles.
“It used to be [that] when something happened, the community coalesced. It’s not what it used to be — some people don’t want to be bothered,” said Wilma Jones, who has written extensively about her Halls Hill/High View Park community.
County Board members on Tuesday night voted 4-1 to advertise a 1-cent increase to Arlington’s real-estate tax rate.
That compares to no increase proposed by County Manager Mark Schwartz, and would, if fully adopted, raise a typical homeowner’s tax bill 4.7% year-over-year.
An Arlington woman is facing several charges after a hit-and-run crash in the Virginia Square area.
The incident started around 9:15 a.m. this past Saturday. Archived traffic camera video (via SafetyVid) shows a car heading southbound on N. Quincy Street, past Arlington Central Library, before barrelling into an SUV stopped at the traffic light at Fairfax Drive.
