Even if self-driving vehicles become legally possible in Virginia, they’d have to get through several more rounds of discussion and possible regulation before they could hit the road.
Sen. Saddam Salim (D-37), the chief patron of legislation in Richmond supporting autonomous trucking and ride-hailing services in Virginia, told ARLnow that his bill would establish a path forward for businesses like Waymo, but it would by no means be the final word.
An Arlington-based nonprofit that intervened in Virginia’s federal court case over in-state tuition for undocumented students is now awaiting a judge’s decision.
The Dream Project is watching the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia after a joint agreement challenging Virginia’s law was invalidated last Friday, Zuraya Tapia-Hadley, the nonprofit’s CEO and an Arlington School Board member, told ARLnow.
An overhaul of the sports fields near Kenmore Middle School is expected to begin construction later this year.
Construction could start in the fall and take about a year. In place of the existing, aging fields would rise a complex providing two baseball/softball diamonds plus rectangular fields for soccer, field hockey and lacrosse.
Beyer: Americans Stranded Abroad — “Today I have heard from constituents who are in Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, the U.A.E., and Qatar or have family there and are frantically trying to get to safety,” Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) said, adding that the Trump administration’s “incompetence is stranding Americans abroad.” [Rep. Don Beyer/X]
Stock Slide for Local Firm — Crystal City drone maker AeroVironment saw its shares spike as high as $303 Monday morning on the Iran strikes before plunging to $196.22 after the U.S. Space Force moved to reopen a roughly $1.4 billion satellite communications contract held by an AV subsidiary. The contract, originally awarded to BlueHalo before AV’s $4.1 billion acquisition last year, makes up roughly half of AV’s total contract backlog. [WBJ]
N. Va. Slowdown Weighs on State — “Virginia is more exposed to… the federal workforce reduction given the high share of local residents that work for the federal government,” said João Ferreira of UVA’s Center for Economic and Policy Studies. The state is projected to lose 10,300 jobs this year, with the unemployment rate expected to rise before easing in 2027. [WTOP]
Work After the Sewage Spill — “It’s up to Peterson, his crew of roughly 30 workers and a slew of contractors to do the tough, dirty — and expensive — job of fixing the Potomac Interceptor, which carries 60 million gallons of wastewater daily from Maryland and Virginia to a treatment plant in Washington. The emergency work and environmental cleanup could cost about $20 million.” [Washington Post]
It’s Wednesday — Expect patchy fog and scattered showers, with otherwise cloudy skies and a high near 52. There’s a 60% chance of precipitation with less than a tenth of an inch possible. On Wednesday night, rain remains likely, with a cloudy low around 49 and a 70% chance of precipitation, again with less than a tenth of an inch possible. [NWS]
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A long-delayed redevelopment of two office buildings in Pentagon City appears to have pivoted to an office-to-apartment conversion project.
A site plan application, filed last week at the vacant Transportation Security Administration office buildings at 601 and 701 12th Street S., would abandon plans to demolish the existing structures and rebuild.
A multi-year renovation project is about to begin at Arlington’s Water Pollution Control Plant.
The $32.2 million first phase will be part of an almost $200 million undertaking “to make the facility cleaner, greener and ready for the future,” county officials said in announcing the upcoming start of the initiative.
A Maryland man has been arrested and charged after apparently live-streaming himself discreetly touching a woman’s hair on a Metro train in Arlington.
Bryan Betancur, 28, was taken into custody yesterday (Monday) following an incident that took place around 10:09 p.m. on Sunday on a Silver Line train servicing the Clarendon Metro station, Metro Transit Police said.
Those seeking to obtain historic-district status for properties in Arlington may soon have to pay for the privilege.
County Board members on Feb. 24 advertised a March 26 public hearing on a staff proposal to impose fees of between $250 and $1,000 on submissions related to new local historic districts.
As Arlington gears up to potentially explore governance-change options, the fate of two constitutional offices may hang in the balance.
Not yet publicly discussed much by governance-change advocates: whether to go the Fairfax County route, folding operations of Arlington’s treasurer and commissioner of revenue into the county government’s general operations.
Boeing Wants HQ Lights — “Many skyscrapers, none more famous than the Empire State Building, have the ability to change their tower lights to recognize special occasions. The Boeing Co. is looking to join that trend in Crystal City, just on a much shorter scale. The Arlington-based aerospace and defense giant is proposing new architectural lighting on the rooftop of its six-story global headquarters at 929 Long Bridge Drive.” [WBJ]
Development Near Crystal City — “Mill Creek Residential Trust filed a plan Wednesday to build an eight-story apartment building next to Lidl’s U.S. headquarters in the Arlington section of Potomac Yard. The privately held Florida developer pitched the 398-unit building on what is now a parking lot fronting Crystal Drive and known as Land Bay C-West. The building would have 286 parking spots.” [WBJ]
Some Snowcrete Still Solid — “My last piece of Arlington snowcrete is hanging on for dear life.” [Chuck Todd/X]
Ballston-Based AES Acquired — A consortium led by BlackRock’s Global Infrastructure Partners and investment group EQT agreed to acquire Arlington-based AES Corp. for $10.7 billion in cash, or $15 a share, as the AI data center buildout fuels surging demand for power generation. The deal has an enterprise value of approximately $33.4 billion. [WSJ]
Pink in the Park Returns — “The National Landing Business Improvement District, Amazon, and the National Cherry Blossom Festival are bringing back Pink in the Park to National Landing. This free spring event series will feature cultural programming, including art, live music, family-friendly activities, and local food and beverages.” [Patch]
Monday Crash in F.C. — “Power Outage at Intersection Due to Crash. Due to a single vehicle crash resulting in minor injuries, there are no left turns at the intersection of N. Washington Street at Park Avenue and Park Place.” [Falls Church/X]
PFAS Biosolids Deal Reached — “After multiple debates and meetings between stakeholders, a compromise has been reached on how Virginia can begin to monitor the presence of ‘forever chemicals’ in biosolids that are used as fertilizer on farms across the commonwealth.” The bill, patroned by Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington), phases in testing and restricts spreading when PFAS levels exceed certain thresholds. [Virginia Mercury]
Reservoir Expansion Eyed — “We’ve moved forward with the Dalecarlia expansion, as our most probable recommendation,” said Trevor Cyran of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “The Corps is laser focused on delivering something right here, right now that can actually help with the issue, while still exploring some of those long term solutions.” The expansion would provide approximately 70 million gallons per day, doubling the capacity at Dalecarlia. [WTOP]
Bishop Calls for Peace — “As U.S.-Israeli strikes against the Iranian regime unfold, I invite all the faithful and people of goodwill to pray for a swift conclusion to hostilities,” Arlington Diocese Bishop Michael F. Burbidge said. [Arlington Diocese]
Va. ANG In Iran Op — “The Virginia Air National Guard is supporting Operation Epic Fury, however the Guard didn’t provide specifics.” [Tyler Englander/X]
Restaurants Under Fed Scrutiny — “Similar scenes were playing out at other restaurants in Washington, where at least six other establishments also received “notice of suspect documents” letters from HSI in mid-February. The Post confirmed that at least 131 employees at five restaurants have left their jobs or been terminated because of the letters, according to owners or their attorneys.” [Washington Post]
It’s Tuesday — Expect rain in the morning and possibly after 5pm, with cloudy skies and a high near 48. Calm winds will shift to the south around 6 mph in the afternoon, with a 70% chance of precipitation and up to a quarter-inch of rainfall. Tuesday night, rain is likely after 7pm, with a low around 45, south winds of 6-8 mph, and an 80% chance of precipitation, accumulating another tenth to a quarter-inch of rain. [NWS]
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The day might be coming when self-driving lifts will roam the streets of Arlington — but a couple legislative decisions would have to happen first.
Waymo, Google’s self-driving taxi arm that has been expanding in several other metro areas, has had its eye on the D.C. area for a while.
A year-round ban on gas-powered leaf blowers, with a three-year phase-out period, is likely to be considered by County Board members later this year.
A county staff recommendation to that effect received no significant pushback from any Board members during a Feb. 24 meeting.
