County leaders are urging local residents to connect with neighbors and help one another if February and March bring more snow.
“This is an opportunity for people to renew their relationships with their neighbors and say, ‘Let’s team up and help,'” County Manager Mark Schwartz said during a Tuesday (Jan. 28) County Board snow briefing.
Six months after all its members were unceremoniously removed from office, Arlington’s Human Rights Commission is back in operation.
County Board members on Tuesday (Jan. 28) made seven appointments to the body, with terms running through January 2028.
DCA Crash Update — “Authorities said Sunday they have recovered the remains of 55 of the 67 people killed in the deadliest U.S. air disaster since 2001… They spoke hours after families of the victims visited the crash site just outside Washington, D.C., walking along the banks of the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport to memorialize their loved ones.” [Associated Press, Adam Tuss/X]
Vigil at Ballston Iceplex — “MedStar Capitals Iceplex will be hosting a private candlelight skate for local skating clubs affiliated with Washington Figure Skating Club and The Skating Club of Northern Virginia in honor of those who perished in the tragedy. The vigil will feature a remembrance tribute and the placement of flowers at center ice in memoriam of the victims and the incredible presence they brought to the rink.” [Washington Capitals]
Priest Rushed to Comfort Loved Ones — “After he learned of the Jan. 29 midair collision of a passenger jet and an Army helicopter at Reagan National Airport, Father Frederick H. Edlefsen, pastor of nearby Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Arlington, rushed to the airport, accompanied by parishioner Joe Mazel.” [Arlington Catholic Herald, Catholic News Agency]
Bishop Discusses Immigration Actions — “As the United States government revises its immigration policies, and after prayerful discernment and consultation, I offer pastoral encouragement to President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, Congressional leaders, elected officials, and all Catholics and people of goodwill to consider the common good of our country with the light of faith. The Church teaches, as does our Constitution, that a political community exists to protect the family and human dignity.” [Diocese of Arlington]
County Wants Feedback on Resolution — “The County Board announced that it will consider adopting a Climate Action Resolution at its February 2025 County Board meeting. The Board welcomes feedback on the draft of this resolution via this feedback form. To ensure the Board has ample time to read and review comments, interested residents should submit feedback by February 14, end of day.” [Arlington County]
City Pressed to Support Paper — “Long-time City of Falls Church community activist Keith Thurston delivered an unexpected, passionate appeal to the Falls Church City Council this Monday to support the City’s long-standing community newspaper, the Falls Church News-Press. The newspaper announced earlier this month that due to financial pressures, it was forced to suspend its practice of carrier-delivering the paper to every household in Falls Church for the first time since its founding in 1991.” [FCNP]
Phil: Six More Weeks of Winter — “Early Sunday morning, before a cheering crowd in western Pennsylvania’s Gobbler’s Knob, the famed prognosticating groundhog emerged from his den and saw his shadow, his handlers proclaimed. That means Punxsutawney Phil has declared six more weeks of winter.” [CWG]
It’s Monday — Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures around 57°F and south winds blowing at 3-8 mph. By night, the skies will turn mostly cloudy with the temperature dropping to approximately 46°F, as southwest winds pick up to around 7-10 mph. [NWS]
Today’s Notes are brought to you by Industrious. ARLnow has called an Industrious office home 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.
Nearly 3,000 homes and businesses were reported to be without power this morning.
Power started flickering across several North Arlington neighborhoods around 9 a.m. A large fire department response was dispatched to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church along N. Glebe Road for a report of a fire, which turned out to be sparks from a tree falling on power lines near the church, according to scanner traffic.
Additional restrictions have gone into effect around Reagan National Airport following Wednesday night’s fatal mid-air crash over the Potomac.
The low-altitude helicopter corridor in use at the time of the fiery collision has been closed for the time being, U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) confirmed with ARLnow.
The former Key Bridge Marriott in Rosslyn might finally get torn down.
Arlington County, which declared the property a “public nuisance” in May 2024 and assumed responsibility to secure and demolish it, has returned the building to its owner for demolition.
After nearly three decades in elected office, former County Board member Libby Garvey plans to remain active in Arlington civic life.
Garvey, who ended more than a dozen years on the County Board on Dec. 31, plans to continue publishing her civic newsletters while working to become a clearinghouse for thought-provoking political conversation at the local and national level.
Skaters, Students Among the Dead — “Northern Virginia’s figure skating community is reeling after receiving the news that a coach and multiple young skaters from the area were killed when an American Airlines flight and a military helicopter collided and crashed into the Potomac River.” [NBC 4, Sky News/X, FFXnow]
Questions About Air Traffic — “The airspace along the Potomac River where an Army helicopter and an airliner crashed Wednesday night poses some of the most complex challenges in the country for pilots, requiring them to rely on layers of procedures and electronic safeguards to avoid a catastrophe.” [Washington Post, WSJ, WBJ]
DCA Tower Was Understaffed — “The air traffic control tower at Reagan National Airport was understaffed on Wednesday evening when a passenger plane and a military helicopter collided in midair… NATCA, the controllers’ labor union, has warned in recent years that a thinly stretched workforce poses a risk to safety.” [Washington Post]
Regional Response Lauded — “There is probably not a region in the country as well prepared as the national capital region for the large scale public safety response that we have seen on the Potomac River since last night.” [Dave Statter/X]
Witness Accounts of Crash — “Schulman said he saw sparks spreading along the plane, nose to tail, as the aircraft banked sharply to the right… Another witness, Courtney Cain, 28, said she was at home at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling when she heard a bang outside. She looked out her living room window, where she saw a flash.” [Washington Post]
Prayers for Victims — From Arlington Bishop Michael Burbidge: “We share a sense of shock at this sudden profound loss of so many lives here in our community, both civilians and military personnel training to keep us safe. We grieve alongside the many who have lost beloved family members, friends, colleagues, and fellow parishioners, including at least two from our own parishes.” [Diocese of Arlington, YouTube]
Beyer Offers Help to Families — “My heart goes out to all those who lost loved ones last night. I want those families to know that my office is here to help you in any way we can in this time of grief and loss.” [Rep. Don Beyer/X]
Local Police on GW Parkway? — “A proposal advancing through the Virginia Legislature would give state and local police the authority to conduct traffic enforcement along the George Washington Memorial Parkway. The 22-mile stretch of highway is patrolled by U.S. Park Police, but some lawmakers say federal traffic enforcement is lacking and safety is at risk.” [NBC 4]
Crash in Aurora Highlands — “There was a crash at the intersection of 23rd Street S. and 26th Street S. in Aurora Highlands, sending one car down into the yard of a home.” [ARLnow/X]
Gun Investigation at Yorktown HS — “On January 29, police were dispatched to the report of a weapons offense. The preliminary investigation indicates the reporting party allegedly saw a juvenile male with what appeared to be the handle of a firearm in his waistband. The juvenile male was no longer on school property at the time of police arrival but was subsequently located by officers. No weapon was located.” [ACPD]
It’s Friday — Expect rain with a high near 55, south wind at 9-11 mph, and gusts up to 30 mph. Precipitation is expected to range from half to three-quarters of an inch. Friday night may bring more rain until 1am, followed by clearing skies and a low of around 42. Southwest wind will be 7-10 mph, with gusts up to 20 mph. The nighttime precipitation chance is 50%. [NWS]
Arlington public opinion continues to be divided on the future of ranked-choice voting.
By one measure, that split is nearly right down the middle.
An internationally recognized Arlington cycling event now has a slightly different name — and has partly shifted outside of Arlington.
The Armed Forces Cycling Classic is now the Amazon Armed Forces Cycling Classic, organizer Arlington Sports announced yesterday (Wednesday).
Arlington residents seeking to reduce their carbon footprint now have a new app to help.
GetGreen Arlington, produced by the county and the nonprofit EcoAction Arlington, seeks “to inspire and empower residents and businesses to take climate action.”
Facing record demand and heightened uncertainty, the Arlington Food Assistance Center hopes to drum up additional support at an upcoming fundraiser.
The 13th annual “Empty Bowls” luncheon on Feb. 9 — dubbed “Soup’erbowl Sunday” for the big game taking place later in the day — has already sold out but is still accepting donations.
