A proposed redevelopment project at 3130 Langston Blvd (via Arlington County)
The Arlington Planning Commission has given its nod to a proposed 300-unit residential building on Langston Blvd despite concerns about the safety of a nearby intersection.
Planning commissioners voted 9-0, with one recusal, in support of developer Rooney Properties’ proposal at 3130 Langston Blvd, the site of a shuttered Walgreens near the I-66 off-ramp in the Lyon Village area. However, they also recommended that the County Board move up a study on reconfiguring the surrounding streetscape to match the Langston Boulevard Area Plan’s goals.
Emergency vehicles on scene of bank robbery at Wells Fargo near Columbia Pike (via traffic camera)
A man who attempted to rob a bank along Columbia Pike last year will spend nearly four years behind bars.
Steve Jamal Smith, 31, was sentenced Thursday to 46 months in federal prison over the Feb. 25, 2025, incident, in which he stole $711 from the Wells Fargo at 951 S. George Mason Drive.
W. Broad Street roadwork in 2025 (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)
Falls Church City Council members are questioning a proposal to reduce the city’s budget for road paving.
City staff currently propose spending $700,000 on paving operations for the fiscal year beginning July 1. That’s down from $1.4 million in the current fiscal year, when Council members pumped additional funding into the paving budget to catch up as road conditions deteriorated.
The Long Bridge Park Aquatics and Fitness Center (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Operational costs at Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center are projected to grow by about $2 million over the next few years as a financial partnership comes to an end.
The county government’s net operational cost, funded by taxpayers, is expected to grow from $1.13 million in fiscal 2027 to a projected $3.14 million by fiscal 2030 as its agreement with Boeing ends.
The Potomac and the Rosslyn skyline in early spring (Flickr pool photo by Jason Gooljar)
Arlington’s AI Job Risk — Arlington has the third-highest share of jobs exposed to generative AI in the U.S., according to Treasury data cited in a Virginia Chamber Foundation report. Up to 39% of N. Va. jobs face AI exposure, though the region also leads the state in AI job postings. [Axios]
Rock Creek Crash Verdict — A driver who crashed into a Lyft at 100 mph on Rock Creek Parkway in 2023, killing three men including two heading home to Arlington, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter but acquitted of second-degree murder. [NBC 4]
Metro Gun Arrest — A D.C. man, 22, was arrested at the Pentagon City Metro station after police stopped him for fare evasion and allegedly recovered a firearm during a search. [ACPD, ACPD/X]
Cemetery’s Living Memorials — Arlington National Cemetery’s urban forester Greg Huse oversees about 9,800 trees across 300 species, many designated as living memorials to fallen service members. Arboretum tours are scheduled for April 24, May 1 and May 8. [WTOP]
Tysons Senator Eyes Congress — State Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim (D) announced plans to seek the proposed 7th Congressional District seat, joining a crowded primary field. The district would only take effect if voters approve a constitutional amendment on April 21. [FFXnow]
Alexandria Tick Campaign — The Alexandria Health Department is placing 30 educational signs across parks and trails as part of a spring tick prevention campaign, citing rising rates of Lyme disease and Alpha-gal syndrome in Virginia. [ALXnow]
Spanberger’s Support Slipping — Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s (D) approval rating stands at 47% two months into her term, with 46% disapproving, according to a Washington Post-Schar School poll. The mark is 13 percentage points lower than the average for Virginia governors in Post polling since the 1990s. [Washington Post]
ICE Arrests Surge in Region — ICE agents made nearly 20,000 arrests in D.C., Maryland and Virginia from the start of Trump’s second term through early March, with about 60% of those arrested having no prior criminal record, a Washington Post analysis found. [Washington Post]
CRE Recovery Signs — Greater Washington’s commercial real estate market is showing signs of a turnaround, with rents, investor activity and demand for space rising for the third consecutive month, according to CBRE’s REVIVE Regional Vibrancy Index. [WBJ]
Trees Fight Urban Heat — State and local groups are working to plant trees to cool neighborhoods that can be up to 15 degrees hotter than those with tree cover. A bill awaiting action from Gov. Spanberger would give localities authority to require tree planting as part of development plans. [Virginia Mercury]
Big Warm-Up Ahead — Highs could reach the upper 80s early next week, with 90 in play — record territory for April, Capital Weather Gang says. The NWS 6- to 10-day outlook shows very high chances for above-normal temperatures. [CWG/X]
It’s Tuesday — Expect sunny skies today with a high near 54 and northwest winds of 8–13 mph, gusting up to 25 mph. Clear tonight with a low around 33. [NWS]
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"The Commodore" apartments in Courthouse (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Arlington is still the priciest place to rent in the D.C. metro area, even as local rents continue to trend downward from their 2022 peak.
The median one-bedroom apartment in Arlington costs $2,420 a month, topping all other metro-area cities in Zumper’s monthly Washington D.C. Metro Report, released today (Monday). Washington, D.C. was second at $2,250, followed by Alexandria at $2,230.
ARLnow Cup at a recent community event in Green Valley (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)
A community tradition of nearly 90 years continues later this month when the Arlington County Civic Federation presents the 2026 “ARLnow Cup” for outstanding leadership.
The recipient’s name will be unveiled at the organization’s April 24 awards banquet. He or she will be enshrined in a pantheon of civic involvement that dates back to 1938.
Arlington voter casts a ballot in the 2024 general election (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Backers of ranked-choice voting (RCV) believe this fall’s congressional races may bolster their case for changing the format of statewide elections.
If Virginia voters approve the congressional redistricting constitutional amendment on April 21, crowded ballots in many parts of the state could lead to future representatives being selected by an unusually small sliver of the overall electorate.
Bird's-eye view of VHC behavioral-health facility as submitted to county officials (via Earl Swensson Associates and Arlington County)
A proposal for a new behavioral health center on S. Carlin Springs Road is facing pushback on environmental impacts and effects on the surrounding neighborhood.
Misgivings about the 146-bed, 131,000-square-foot development proposal from VHC Health and Lifepoint Health made their way into discussions at the March 26 meeting of the county’s Forestry & Natural Resources Commission.
Cherry Blossom 5K Closures — ACPD will close portions of S. Joyce Street and Army Navy Drive on Saturday, April 11 for the Cherry Blossom 5K starting and finishing at Virginia Highlands Park. Closures begin as early as 4 a.m. and run until 1 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to use Metro’s Pentagon City station. [Arlington County]
O’Connell Star in Capital Classic — Bishop O’Connell senior point guard Darius Bivins was selected to play in the 53rd annual Capital Classic at Capital One Arena this past weekend, the longest-running high school basketball all-star game in the nation. Bivins has offers from Texas Tech, Cincinnati, Miami, Rutgers and VCU. [WTOP]
Car Fire on I-395 — “The left two lanes of I-395N between Glebe and Washington Blvd. are blocked due to this car fire. The fire is now out courtesy of @ArlingtonVaFD.” [Dave Statter/X]
Redistricting Poll Tight — A slim majority of Va. voters (52%) favors the redistricting referendum ahead of the April 21 vote, but opponents are more motivated to turn out, according to a Washington Post-Schar School poll. Among voters who participated in the last three general elections, 53% oppose the measure. [Washington Post]
ACA Enrollment Drops — About 33,000 Virginians have dropped their ACA health insurance since federal subsidies expired, the largest first-quarter decline on record, according to State Health Exchange Director Keven Patchett. An estimated 100,000 Virginians who relied on the subsidies are expected to be affected. [Virginia Mercury]
It’s Monday — Expect sunny skies today with a high near 63 degrees and northwest winds at 6–10 mph, gusting to 22 mph. Clear tonight with a low around 42. [NWS]
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News coverage day after 1946 election, with County Board results in center column (Arlington Daily via Virginia Chronicle)
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By the time of his death in late 1995 at age 96, Edmund Campbell had been lionized as a civic leader and statesman whose legacy extended well beyond Arlington into state and national affairs.
