By OLIVIA DIAZ Associated Press/Report for America
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Virginia legislature ended its 45-day session Saturday with a slew of budget amendments ranging from tax cuts to child care, but some lawmakers said they would likely return to the Capitol later this year to address a mounting threat: massive federal government layoffs planned by the Trump administration.
County Board members on Saturday (Feb. 22) approved zoning changes needed for Melwood and Wesley Housing to move forward with a controversial mixed-use project near Crystal City.
The 4-0 vote, with one abstention, allows for plans to build a five-story building with 105 committed-affordable units to move forward. It came after nearly five hours of public comment and Board discussion.
It may come down to more school funding or homeowner tax relief as Falls Church city leaders start mulling over budget options for the coming year.
Although the formal presentation of draft city and school-system budgets is more than a month off, city officials now have a better idea of the fiscal condition of the 2.2-square-mile locality.
No tax-rate rise for property owners, but increases in the meals tax and charges for some county services, are part of the $1.69 billion draft fiscal 2026 budget unveiled Saturday (Feb. 22) by Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz.
The proposal represents an increase of 2.2% from the current spending package. Schwartz said it aims for a balance between meeting core needs, addressing concerns from homeowners about tax burdens, and contingency planning for uncertainty in federal spending and the economy.
Ranked-Choice Set for County Board Race — County Board members on Saturday voted 4-0 to use ranked-choice voting as the method of selecting a Board member in the November general election. Board member JD Spain, Sr., abstained after colleagues rebuffed his proposal to wait a month in order to put together a more comprehensive community-outreach plan. —Scott McCaffrey
Brandishing Incident in Arlington Mill — “The female victim was inside her vehicle parked in front of a residential building when the male suspect allegedly approached and engaged in a dispute over parking. The suspect then struck the vehicle’s windshield, causing property damage, and briefly walked away. The male victim then exited the residential building and confronted the suspect who subsequently made threatening statements and brandished a firearm.” [ACPD]
Crowded Trains and Busier Offices — “With employer mandates across the country taking effect, the number of people coming into an office is at its highest point since the pandemic, according to data released from property management company Kastle Systems…. At 51.5 percent [office] occupancy, D.C. had its highest week since March 2020.” [Washington Post]
Black History Month Ceremony — “Arlington County celebrated Black History Month with singing, guest speakers, and an official County Board proclamation. The event, hosted by the Black Employee Council, is the latest example of Arlington striving to be diverse and inclusive world-class community.” [YouTube]
Congressional Delegation Slams NPS Cuts — “Today, [U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine and U.S. [Rep. Don Beyer, among others] pushed the Trump administration to reverse staffing cuts at the National Park Service (NPS), outlining the effect directives to eliminate employees and rescind and delay job offers will have on safety at Virginia’s 22 national park units.” [Press Release]
It’s Monday — Expect sunny skies and a high of 54 degrees with calm winds transitioning to a southerly 6 to 11 mph breeze during the morning. Monday night will be partly cloudy, with lows around 39 degrees. [NWS]
Today’s Morning Notes are brought to you by Industrious. ARLnow has been in an Industrious office for years and we love the convenience — you get to focus on your work rather than worrying about brewing your own coffee or keeping the copy machine stocked. Industrious has several Metro-accessible coworking locations in Arlington.
A marker celebrating a former cluster of Vietnamese businesses known as “Little Saigon” could be coming soon to Clarendon.
The concept design for a tabletop marker saluting the collection of Vietnamese restaurants and stores that once flourished in the neighborhood received approval from Arlington’s Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HALRB) on Wednesday.
Firefighters from Arlington and Alexandria battled a blaze in the Arlington Ridge neighborhood this morning.
The fire, in the attic area of at least two adjacent townhomes, was reported around 11 a.m. Friday on the 2300 block of S. Queen Street.
The Arlington Housing Commission plans to spend the year exploring ways to include more diverse voices in conversations about housing policy.
But trying to get fuller representation of residents of color and those at the lower end of the economic scale will not necessarily be easy, the commission’s chair said.
Big Cuts Coming to Pentagon — “Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered senior leaders at the Pentagon and throughout the U.S. military to develop plans for cutting 8 percent from the defense budget in each of the next five years.” [Washington Post]
Top Brass May Be Fired — “Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth could soon move to fire more than half a dozen generals and flag officers, according to two sources familiar with the matter, part of an effort to purge the department of senior leaders perceived as either too political or too close to former Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.” [CNN]
Wrong-Way Crash in Rosslyn — “Wrong way driver causes 4 car crash: A driver coming off of I-66W in Rosslyn went the wrong way on N. Lynn Street. They hit a curb, sideswiped one car, hit a second car head-on, and that car was pushed into a third vehicle. It happened around 6:45 p.m.” [Dave Statter/X]
Street Racing Legislation — “Reckless drivers tearing up Virginia’s highways and public spaces may soon face tougher penalties, as legislation targeting exhibition driving heads to the governor’s desk. Lawmakers moved swiftly this week, approving legislation that aims to curb street racing, burnouts, and illegal road takeovers — dangerous stunts that have turned deadly in recent years.” [Virginia Mercury]
FCPD Video of Sex Offender — “Police body camera video first obtained by 7News, shows 58-year-old Richard Cox, who identifies as transgender, telling Fairfax County police that he should be allowed to use a women’s locker room in Oakton despite being a registered sex offender. Cox is facing more than 20 charges in Arlington, Va. after allegedly exposing himself in women’s locker rooms.” [WJLA]
Trump Floats D.C. Takeover — “President Donald Trump said Wednesday night that the federal government ‘should take over the governance of D.C.,’ claiming that leaders of the nation’s capital are not doing enough to reduce crime, clean up graffiti and remove homeless encampments.” [Washington Post, Axios]
Beyer Blasts IRS Cuts — From Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.): “Purging thousands of IRS workers in the middle of tax filing season is another act of plain corruption designed to benefit Musk, Trump, and their wealthy friends. These firings appear to particularly target tax enforcement on the wealthy, which will make it easier for tax cheats to avoid paying their fair share of taxes.” [Press Release]
It’s Friday — Expect sunny and breezy conditions with a high around 37 degrees and northwest winds at 17 to 20 mph, gusting up to 32 mph. Friday night will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to a low of around 22 degrees. Winds will decrease to 5 to 10 mph, still gusting up to 18 mph from the northwest. [NWS]
Flickr pool photo by Deckerme
The civic association representing residents living adjacent to the planned Melwood development project near Crystal City is taking a last stab at slowing down the approval process.
“It is time to take a pause and do better for this neighborhood,” said Stacy Meyer, vice president of the Aurora Highlands Civic Association, in a letter to County Board members. “We need the County Board to listen to its residents who have been very clear about opposing this project.”
An Arlington teen awaiting trial over his alleged role in a 2023 stabbing has been arrested on a robbery charge.
Police took Kamron Tartt, 19, into custody in Arlington’s Green Valley neighborhood on Feb. 6, shortly after he was identified as a person of interest in a robbery, an ACPD spokesperson told ARLnow.
Arlington County is currently seeking feedback on three development projects with a total of 1,255 proposed units.
Online engagement periods for all three proposals, located in Rosslyn, Ballston and Shirlington, are wrapping up soon. A list of the projects and their locations is below.
