The Arlington County Board has unanimously voted to appeal a judge’s ruling on Missing Middle zoning changes.
The county’s lawyers had previously said they planned to contest the circuit court decision, which prevents the county from issuing any more permits under the much-debated Expanded Housing Option. However, the Arlington County Board had not held a public vote on an appeal until yesterday (Tuesday).
Arlington County Board members on Saturday (Nov. 16) approved changes aimed at a speedier bureaucratic and administrative process for those converting office buildings for residential use.
“The name of the game is maintaining agility,” Board member Maureen Coffey said in advance of the 5-0 vote.
Arlington Startup Acquisition — “AeroVironment Inc. said Tuesday it has reached an agreement to buy fellow Arlington company BlueHalo LLC in an all-stock deal with an enterprise value of roughly $4.1 billion. The deal will allow AeroVironment, which is a top supplier of small drones to the U.S. military, to expand its offerings with BlueHalo’s expertise in space technologies, electronic warfare, AI and other areas.” [WBJ, BusinessWire]
Ballston 7-Eleven Robbed — “At approximately 2:39 p.m. on November 18, police were dispatched to the report of a robbery… the male suspect entered the business and concealed merchandise during which an employee confronted him. The suspect then attempted to exit without payment when the employee confronted him a second time. The suspect then made threatening statements towards the employee before fleeing the scene on foot.” [ACPD]
Stabbing at Bailey’s Xroads McD’s — “A man was rushed to Inova Fairfax Hospital with critical injuries Tuesday afternoon after being stabbed at the McDonald’s in Bailey’s Crossroads. Fairfax County police were dispatched to the fast food restaurant at 5603 Leesburg Pike around 2:19 p.m.” [FFXnow]
Residential Real Estate Deal — “Corcoran Group® LLC today announced its newest affiliate by welcoming Corcoran McEnearney… Formerly known as a collective of McEnearney Associates and Middleburg Real Estate/Atoka Properties, Corcoran McEnearney will offer comprehensive real estate services across the region’s urban, suburban, and rural areas.” [Corcoran]
F.C. Gift and Craft Show Returns — “Support local businesses, artisans, and merchants by shopping at the Holiday Gift and Craft Show with Children’s Holiday Shoppe at the Community Center (223 Little Falls St.) on Saturday, December 7, and Sunday, December 8. Admission to both craft show days and the Children’s Shoppe is free.” [City of Falls Church]
It’s Wednesday — Expect showers after 4pm with mostly cloudy skies and a high of 65°F. Winds will pick up from the southeast in the afternoon. Wednesday night brings a 90% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 4am with a low around 43°F. Southeast winds will shift to northwest in the evening, possibly gusting up to 31 mph. Rainfall amounts may range between a quarter and half of an inch. [NWS]
Washington-Liberty Generals’ senior Emmett Engelhardt recorded the best finish by an Arlington cross-country runner at the Nov. 16 Class 6 state meet in Leesburg.
Engelhardt was a top seed and placed eighth in the Virginia High School League boys meet in 16:18 on the 5,000-meter Oatlands Plantation course. He was running in the state meet for the first time.
A recently released analysis may provide the fuel to rekindle ongoing debate about the state of Arlington’s treescape.
“We don’t know if we trust your data. We trust our eyes,” said Elizabeth Grossman of the Arlington Tree Action Group (ATAG), who used the County Board’s Nov. 16 public-comment period to encourage county leaders not to take a victory lap over the new figures.
Go-along-to-get-along will not be the strategy of Arlington’s top prosecutor as the nation heads into the second Donald Trump era.
Instead, she is asking those on her side of the political aisle to embrace new ways of fighting back.
Advocates of a more streamlined way to get affordable housing built on religious-owned land on Saturday (Nov. 16) made one more appeal to Arlington County Board members.
But they may be facing an uphill battle convincing Arlington, and other Northern Virginia localities, to come on board with the proposal during the 2025 General Assembly session.
A 7-Eleven has closed for good in Clarendon.
A sign indicating the convenience store’s closure was on display at 3137 Wilson Blvd last Friday, an observer noted on Bluesky. The sign directs would-be patrons to another 7-Eleven a few blocks away.
Arlington ‘Safest Place in America’ — “The safest place in America, subject to some qualifiers that I’ll get to, lies just across the Potomac River from the high-crime District of Columbia. It’s not an exclusive suburb but an entire county of 234,162 residents, more than half of whom live in apartments. While never very dangerous, Arlington County, Virginia, was not always such a safety standout. That came only after the transformation of parts of the county into dense, walkable urban neighborhoods.” [Bloomberg]
Crew Member Brings Gun to DCA — “Transportation Security Administration officers discovered a loaded handgun in the carry-on items of a flight crew member at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Friday, according to authorities. TSA officers found a 9mm handgun loaded with nine bullets, including one in the chamber, among the carry-on items of a female member of a flight crew.” [Patch]
New Lounge Opening at DCA — “Capital One Landing, a new airport lounge at Reagan National Airport whose food and beverage is curated by José Andrés, is set to open Tuesday. The Landing, which is located in Terminal 2 at the intersection of National Hall and Concourse D, is Andrés’ first foray into airports for his growing culinary empire. It features a 3,400-square-foot dining and bar area with room for 90 travelers as well as a 700-square-foot quick-service area where prepared food and drink can be grabbed on the fly.” [WBJ]
Walking Pneumonia On the Rise — “Cases of the mild form of pneumonia have been surging among young children in the Washington region since August, according to pediatricians and public health officials. Spread of the bacteria Mycoplasma pneumoniae is fueling the increase in ‘walking pneumonia,’ a term health-care providers use to refer to an illness that is less severe than full-blown pneumonia, which may cause high fever and require patients to be hospitalized.” [Washington Post]
F.C. ‘Toy Library’ Profiled — “As a joy for kids, parents and caregivers, few businesses in the City of Falls Church can match The Toy Nest – a membership-based ‘toy library, pre-loved toy store, indoor play space, and private event venue’ – at 125 N. Washington Street. With all the community-minded service the company of nine part-time employees and one full-time owner carries out – as well as the staff’s truly giving spirit – however, it’s hard to imagine it’s a for-profit enterprise.” [Falls Church Independent]
It’s Tuesday — Expect partly sunny skies with a high of around 63 and light winds shifting to the southeast at 6 mph in the afternoon. Tuesday night brings a slight chance of showers, mostly cloudy conditions, and a low of about 51 with light southeast winds; there’s a 20% chance of precipitation. [NWS]
A man was carjacked Friday night in the Barcroft neighborhood.
The suspects include at least one person the victim knows, according to Arlington County police. The car was later found abandoned in the Rosslyn area.
By OLIVIA DIAZ Associated Press/Report for America
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican who has embraced prosecutions against election fraud and other conservative causes, said Monday that he will seek reelection next year, dispelling speculation of a potential gubernatorial bid.
Arlington leaders have taken the last procedural step required to begin the culling of deer on public land across the county.
County Board members on Saturday (Nov. 16) voted 5-0 for zoning-ordinance changes that will permit sharpshooters to begin dealing with what Arlington officials say is an overpopulation of deer.
