A couple weeks after a tongue-in-cheek installation called attention to safety concerns on S. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington County hosted an open house last night (Tuesday).

The theme of the event: safety along Carlin Springs.


Rainy day in Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Energy Startup Moves to Arlington — “Dandelion Energy Inc. has raised $40 million in fresh funding for the national rollout of its geothermal systems that heat and cool single-family homes and multifamily housing… It also comes following the relocation of Dandelion’s headquarters from Mount Kisco, New York, to Arlington earlier this month… By year’s end, [CEO Dan Yates, who co-founded Arlington utility management provider Opower Inc.] plans to staff about 15 people at new offices at 1515 N. Courthouse Road.” [WBJ]

Food Waste Collection Pilot — “Arlington residents have answered the call to feed the green machines deployed to collect food scraps and food-soiled paper to divert them from trash bins. To date, more than 11,000 pounds of food waste has been collected since the launch of the Solid Waste Bureau’s pilot program in early July, which seeks to expand the County’s ability to compost food scraps and prevent waste.” [Arlington County]

Open House for Long Bridge Trail — “Learn about Arlington’s Long Bridge Drive Multimodal Connection Project, which aims to improve transportation for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. Attend the Concept Design Open House on Thursday, September 26, from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM.” [Twitter]

Latino Festival Friday Evening — “The Arlington County government will host the 2024 Festival Latinoamericano on Friday, Sept. 27 from 5 to 9 p.m. at Arlington Mill Community Center. The free event will feature delicious food, captivating performances and a warm community atmosphere, organizers said.” [GazetteLeader]

Beyer Introduces AI Bill — ” U.S. Representatives Deborah Ross (NC-02) and Don Beyer (VA-08) introduced the bicameral Secure Artificial Intelligence Act, legislation to enhance the monitoring and management of security and safety incidents and risks related to artificial intelligence.” [Press Release]

GMU Admission Pilot Program — “Some Northern Virginia seniors will be admitted to George Mason University without having to fill out an application, as part of a pilot program that aims to address the falling number of underrepresented students applying to college… At a school board meeting last week, Arlington Public Schools Superintendent Francisco Durán said students at Wakefield and Washington-Liberty High Schools, as well as the Arlington Career Center, will have access to the program.” [WTOP]

Old Post Chapel Temporarily Closed — From Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall: “Old Post Chapel will be closed until Nov. 9 for pipe organ restoration and audio upgrades.” [Twitter]

New F.C. Library Director — “Megan Dotzler has been hired as the new Library Director for Mary Riley Styles Public Library (MRSPL) in the City of Falls Church… Dotzler joins MRSPL from the Arlington Public Library in Arlington, Virginia, where she was head of Central Library youth services and before that branch manager for Arlington’s Aurora Hills location.” [City of Falls Church]

Whooping Cough Cases Rising — “The United States is seeing a rise in the number of whooping cough cases. Nationally in 2024, cases are nearly five times higher than the previous year. In Virginia, there have been 424 cases so far in 2024, compared with 72 in 2023 — an increase of 488 percent.” [Patch]

It’s Wednesday — Expect showers and possible thunderstorms today. Patchy fog may occur before noon. The day will otherwise be cloudy with a high near 73 and a southeast wind around 9 mph. There’s a 60% chance of precipitation, with new rainfall amounts ranging from a tenth to a quarter of an inch, or higher in thunderstorms. Wednesday night, there’s a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, with cloudy conditions, a low around 68, and a south wind at 7 mph. [NWS]


Controversy is heating up around a proposed six-unit development near the East Falls Church Metro station.

The Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) is scheduled to vote tomorrow (Wednesday) on whether to uphold a decision to approve an Expanded Housing Option permit for the property, located at 2315 N. Tuckahoe Street.


The filming of an Arlington County Police Department recruitment video will bring a temporary road closure on Friday.

A section of Army Navy Drive between S. Nash Street and 28th Street S. will be closed from 5-10 p.m. to accommodate filming, ACPD said. The forthcoming video is meant to “showcase the work of our officers and enhance our recruitment efforts.”


Drivers on the George Washington Memorial Parkway may soon have clearer views of the Potomac, but they should also expect weekend lane closures during restoration work.

The National Park Service announced yesterday (Monday) that crews will “rehabilitate” 15 scenic vistas between the North Donaldson Overlook and Spout Run Parkway.


A less restrictive process for home improvement projects at older townhomes and apartment buildings could be coming to Arlington.

By default, townhomes and multifamily properties in Arlington currently can’t receive any “interior structural alterations” unless they are in full compliance with the Arlington County Zoning Ordinance (ACZO). If property owners want an exception to conduct partial renovations like remodeling a kitchen or finishing an attic, they often have to seek approval from the county’s Board of Zoning Appeals.


Falls Church is eyeing possible changes to make it easier to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs).

The city, which has not granted an ADU permit since 2000, has released a draft framework for potential amendments to its zoning ordinance. Scheduled for a City Council vote in February, proposed changes would make it possible to build detached ADUs within city limits and would set dimensional standards for floor area, height and setbacks.


Southbound I-395 near Pentagon City (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

APS Phone Pouch Pilot Update — “Though too early to draw any conclusions on the effort, School Board members did discuss it at a Sept. 5 meeting…The pouch pilot is slated to run all year. What happens after that, nobody can tell, but Kadera did opine that any discussion of whether to expand it countywide, or not, should occur when parents and students are engaged.” [GazetteLeader]

Flyover Scheduled Today — From AlertDC: “The U.S. Naval Air Force will conduct a military flyover in the National Capital Region over Arlington National Cemetery on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at 11:15AM.”

Arlington Org Helping GGW — “In January 2023, Greater Greater Washington tried to hold training sessions for newly elected Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners… We’ve partnered with the Arlington-based, libertarian-leaning Institute for Justice (IJ), who know the contours of free speech better than most, to make sure this sort of gagging of free speech doesn’t happen again.” [GGW, Twitter]

Inflation a Mixed Bag — “Some Americans do see prices as settling down. Tisha Deloney of Arlington, Virginia, said she was initially miffed when her company provided a smaller cost-of-living adjustment for this year of about 3%, down from the 8% she remembers when inflation was peaking. But when her rent rose two months ago, it ticked up by a much smaller amount than it had in previous years.” [Associated Press]

Local Renewable Energy Enthusiast — “When the power goes out in Arlington, Virginia, people often gather at Scott Sklar’s house… That’s because Sklar’s home and detached office never lose power. He generates clean energy using a mix of several technologies – solar panels, solar roof shingles, a wind turbine, and a hydrogen fuel cell. And he stores excess power in a bank of batteries.” [Yale Climate Connections]

Political ‘Speed Dating’ — “It’s the political equivalent of speed dating – called ‘candi-dating’ or ‘candidating’ (take your pick) – and the League of Women Voters of Arlington & Alexandria City is hosting a chance for Arlington residents to get to know candidates for local office without the long-term commitment of a full-blown candidate forum. The event will be held on Sunday, Oct. 6.” [GazetteLeader]

Healthy Eating on the Pike — “EvolveAll and Columbia Pike Partnership have teamed up to profile several local restaurants and ask our fitness team for recommendations on what to eat. We hope this will provide helpful guidance so that you can enjoy a night out with friends without compromising your healthy living goals.” First up: Sabores Tapas Bar. [EvolveAll]

Subscription Law Change — “In Virginia, the new law, which took effect in July, requires companies to notify consumers of their option to cancel within 30 days of the end of the trial period… About half a dozen other states have enacted similar laws this year.” [Virginia Mercury]

It’s Tuesday — Scattered showers and cloudy skies are expected with a high near 70 and an east wind of 6 to 9 mph. The chance of precipitation is 40%. Tuesday night will see scattered showers and potential thunderstorms after 2 am, a low around 65, with a 50% chance of precipitation. [NWS]


Generals led 46-0 at halftime of county rivalry game

The result wasn’t unexpected, but the blowout margin of victory was a surprise to many when the Washington-Liberty Generals hosted and defeated the Yorktown Patriots, 46-16, in this season’s annual all-Arlington clash between the neighborhood high-school rivals.


Less revenue coming directly from airline operations is being more than offset by tangential revenue – from parking, concessions and the like – at Northern Virginia’s two commercial airports.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority on Sept. 18 reported that year-to-date revenue from aviation operations totaled $582 million through August, up 2.9 percent from the year before and 7.1 percent higher than budgeted.


Sports facilities at Washington-Liberty High School were vandalized ahead of a big football game over the weekend.

The vandalism happened overnight Friday into Saturday, before W-L was set to face cross-county rival Yorktown. A tipster tells ARLnow that the school’s track was damaged.


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