Renovations are coming to the Association of the U.S. Army’s headquarters in Courthouse, bringing sidewalk closures starting this week.
Pedestrian traffic on a portion of sidewalk near 2425 Wilson Blvd will be closed as the 32-week project gets underway. To perform structural repairs and improve below-ground waterproofing, work crews will be temporarily removing the sidewalk, planters and the building’s accessibility ramp.
A new policy limiting state and federal law enforcement’s access to Arlington Public Schools facilities is going into effect.
The Arlington School Board has approved a policy revision that restricts access for law enforcement agencies other than the Arlington County Police Department.
Flyover Planned Today — From AlertDC: “The U.S. Military will conduct an aircraft flyover in the National Capital Region (NCR) over Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, March 3, 2025, at 1:15PM.”
Beyer Again Takes on Robert E. Lee — Rep. Don Beyer last week reintroduced legislation calling for the removal of Robert E. Lee’s name from the National Park Service’s Arlington House property. Beyer and Sen. Tim Kaine several times before patroned similar legislation, only to see it languish and die each time in committee. –Scott McCaffrey
Reagan National Sets Annual Record — Reagan National Airport’s 2024 passenger count of 26.29 million was up 3.3% from 2023 and set another record at the 83-year-old facility. Dulles Airport’s 2024 passenger total of 27.25 million passengers also a single-year best, topping a record that had stood since 2005. —Scott McCaffrey
Business License Tax Due Today — “Annually, businesses must file and pay their business license online via CAPP by 11:59 p.m. on March 1 (or the next business day).” [Arlington County]
Office Owner Planning for Future — “Beacon Capital Partners LLC is beginning to formulate plans for a seven-building Rosslyn office portfolio it now controls, with an eye toward maintaining and improving most of it as office… The new owner, in the process of selecting an architect, is noodling amenity and retail upgrades for most of the buildings, especially The Towers on Wilson Boulevard bearing the signs of Raytheon (now RTX) and Grant Thornton.” [WBJ]
Va. Delegation Worried About USPS — “From delivering prescription medications and household goods, to election ballots, paychecks, and critical bills, USPS continues to be an essential part of Americans’ everyday lives. However, press reports indicate you are planning to upend over 50 years of Congressionally-mandated independence at USPS with no clear strategy for continuing essential mail delivery services or achieving financial sustainability.” [Press Release]
Post Covers Locker Room Incidents — “The case, which is winding its way through court and has a hearing scheduled for Monday, has elicited outrage from Arlington County to Richmond, with families incensed over the lack of strong screening processes and the state’s top law enforcement officer publicly criticizing a local prosecutor for not pursuing an earlier allegation against Cox.” [Washington Post]
Call for More Lighting in F.C. — “The physical area may be small, but in terms of density, we can bet there were few places that offered more for entertainment-seekers anywhere in the region that night. On top of that, there was, and is, an abundance of very good food. We strongly urge City officials to put more outside lighting in and around that intersection to encourage the attendees at all these offerings to move around and make the most of their visits here.” [FCNP]
It’s Monday — Expect sunny skies and a high of around 45 today, with light and variable wind becoming northwest around 6 mph in the morning. Tonight, the skies will be mostly clear and the temperature will drop to a low of around 31, accompanied by a south wind of 3 to 6 mph. [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.
Arlington and much of the D.C. area is under a Red Flag Warning today (Saturday).
Strong, gusty winds will start to pick up later this morning. Low humidity levels increase the likelihood that brush fires could spread during the wind event.
An Arlington leader is showing interest in a pilot program to monitor noise levels from vehicles’ exhaust systems.
Legislation now on Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s desk would allow localities in Northern Virginia and the Fredericksburg area to begin using automated monitoring equipment to gauge the noise levels of passing vehicles.
Repairs are coming to a decades-old water main tunnel under I-66 near Virginia Square, bringing parking restrictions and closing some basketball courts.
The Hayes Park basketball courts will be closed for about three months and parking will be restricted on 15th Street N. and part of N. Lincoln Street starting the week of March 10.
New speeding cameras in Arlington have led to fines for over 7,000 drivers since September, new data shows.
As of January, Arlington County had collected $713,525 from motorists speeding in front of school zone cameras. A total of 13,627 alleged violations were prosecuted, but only 7,135 prosecutions have been successful so far, according to a Virginia State Police report.
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.
