Hundreds of demonstrators rallied with Arlington officials in Courthouse yesterday (Sunday) in protest of immigration enforcement killing a U.S. citizen in Minneapolis.
“I have dedicated 24 years of my life protecting Arlington because I believe law enforcement is supposed to protect the community by building trusting relationships,” Arlington Sheriff Jose Quiroz told the crowd gathered in Courthouse Plaza. “ICE is doing the opposite. The way they are operating does not keep us safe.”
Aurora Hills Library will be the lone Arlington polling place for Democratic voters to choose a nominee for February’s special election tomorrow (Tuesday).
Polls in the firehouse primary to replace State Sen. Adam Ebbin, who announced last week that he is taking a position in the Spanberger administration, will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the library, located at 735 18th Street S.
Several Democratic policymakers have high hopes for a bill to crack down on assault weapons once Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger takes office.
Legislation to outlaw any sales or transfers of new “assault firearms” passed both chambers in each of the last two legislative sessions, but was vetoed upon reaching the desk of Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
Son of Crash Victims Going to Milan — “Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova died Jan. 29 when an American Airlines plane crashed into an Army helicopter above the Potomac River. On Sunday, the moment arrived: Maxim Naumov was selected as one of the three men’s singles skaters on the U.S. team for next month’s Milan-Cortina Olympics.” [Washington Post, NBC News]
More Rainy SB I-395 Crashes — “I had a feeling we weren’t done for the day. Here’s crash 2 on I-395S at Arlington Ridge. It’s always the left lane. This video, as have others, gives the impression there’s standing water in that lane. @VaDOTNOVA what do you believe is behind all of the crashes at this spot and can anything be done?” [Dave Statter/X]
F.C. Council Member Lauded — Falls Church City Council member David Snyder was honored Jan. 8 by his colleagues on the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC). Snyder, chaired the commission in 2025, is “an absolute stalwart defender of transit, advocate of transit,” said Matthew Letourneau, a Loudoun County supervisor and longtime colleague of Snyder’s on the NVTC board. “His dedication to NVTC and the region is inspirational,” said Alexandria Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley, who succeeded Snyder to chair the panel in 2026. –Scott McCaffrey
Alamo Drafthouse Changes — “The Texas-based cinema company is introducing a new mobile ordering service that will replace the traditional mode of pen-and-paper at the hands of servers. Starting in February, Alamo Drafthouse locations will utilize a digital system that will let the guests browse the menu, order prior to and during the film, and pay directly from their phones.” [Variety]
School Choice Tax Credit — “Governor Glenn Youngkin announced today that Virginia was the first state in the nation to opt in to the Education Freedom Tax Credit, also known as the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (FSTC), a new federal program that incentivizes individuals and companies to donate funds to provide scholarships for K–12 students to expand school choice. On January 1, 2026, Virginia formally elected to participate in the FSTC. ” [Governor of Virginia]
Measles Case in N. Va. — “The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is reporting the state’s second measles case of 2026. The patient is a preschool-age child (0-4 years) in the Northern Region who recently traveled internationally.” [VDH]
Photojournalist Killed in D.C. — “We are heartbroken over the loss of Marckell Williams — a talented photographer, storyteller, and beautiful soul who was once part of the Washington Informer family. His passion for capturing people, culture, and truth will never be forgotten.” [Washington Informer/IG, Washington Post]
It’s Monday — Expect a mostly sunny day with highs reaching around 46 degrees, accompanied by west winds at about 8 mph. The night will be partly cloudy, with temperatures dropping to about 31 degrees. [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.
About 1,100 homes and businesses in Arlington are without power on a rainy Saturday afternoon.
The main outage, encompassing Country Club Hills and other North Arlington neighborhoods near Marymount University, was reported around lunchtime Saturday.
Abigail Spanberger is set to be sworn in as Virginia’s first female governor next week at an inauguration bookended by other events and festivities in Richmond.
The Democrat is scheduled to take the oath of office at noon on Saturday, Jan. 17 at the Virginia State Capitol Building, in the centerpiece of an inauguration weekend with the theme “United for Virginia’s Future.”
The Arlington County Civic Federation opens the new year with a renewed emphasis on recruiting new organizations and better serving all member groups.
“In the new year, I’m planning to work with members to expand the recruitment strategy and to renew and update the strategy and actions for member support that were developed a few years ago,” the chair of the reconstituted membership committee, Jacqueline Snelling, said in the January edition of The Civic Voice, the organization’s monthly newsletter.
Plans for a $35 million visitor education center near the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial are expected to take a major step forward later this year.
“We are committed to a Sept. 10 groundbreaking, with overall construction moving forward shortly thereafter,” said Joseph Kornhoff, executive director of the Pentagon Memorial Fund, which is spearheading the initiative.
County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti formally announced his reelection campaign this week, and he has already picked up a challenger in the June primary.
Both de Ferranti and returning candidate James DeVita announced their bids for County Board at a Wednesday meeting of the Arlington County Democratic Committee.
Bennett-Parker Gets Key Endorsements — Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5) on Thursday picked up endorsements from Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-39) and Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger (D) in her quest for the seat being vacated by Ebbin in February. “Our commonwealth will be stronger with Elizabeth Bennett-Parker in the Virginia Senate,” said Ebbin, who is resigning to take a position in the incoming Spanberger Administration. Spanberger called Bennett-Parker “a dedicated and effective leader who listens and delivers.” [Bennett-Parker for Senate]
Wreaths Out This Weekend — “Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) and Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery (SAHNC) in Washington, D.C. will hold their annual removal of wreaths, known as Wreaths Out, on Saturday, Jan. 10, beginning at 8 a.m. Thousands of visitors are expected to help remove approximately 265,000 wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery… The high volume of visitors at ANC may create traffic congestion and delays on nearby streets and at the cemetery’s entrances.” [ANC]
Suspect Arrested After Foot Chase — “S. Frederick Street at Columbia Pike. At approximately 7:44 p.m. on December 30, officers observed a wanted suspect (associated with case number 2025-12190211) traveling in a vehicle and conducted a traffic stop at Columbia Pike and S. Frederick Street. The suspect ran from the vehicle and, following a foot pursuit, he was taken into custody. During a search of the vehicle, a firearm was recovered.” [ACPD]
ACPD on Capitol Plaque — “Senate… approves resolution to (finally) hang Jan 6th plaque honoring police,” including the Arlington County Police Department. “It’ll hang in US Senate (w/ approval of GOP Leader John Thune) until Architect of Capitol finds permanent location.” [Scott MacFarlane/X]
Childhood Vax Rates — “D.C.’s child vaccination rate doesn’t meet the herd immunity threshold, per new data analyzed by the Washington Post… D.C.’s vaccination rate for kindergarteners sits at 92.7%. The only other DMV jurisdiction to fall below the 95% herd immunity threshold is Alexandria City (88.3%).” [Axios, Washington Post]
Ruthie’s Second Location Opening Soon — “It doesn’t appear to be long before a local favorite will begin serving diners in Fairfax Corner. Ruthie’s All-Day, a restaurant brand offering Southern comfort food, is targeting March to open its newest location — its first in Fairfax County.” [FFXnow]
D.C. Traffic Camera Changes? — “The Transportation Department is seeking to scrap the use of automated traffic enforcement cameras in Washington, a move that would cost the city millions in lost revenue but would likely be cheered by many drivers in the nation’s capital. The proposal, authored by DOT and sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget… seeks to outlaw speed, red light and stop sign cameras throughout the city as part of the upcoming surface transportation bill.” [Politico, Washington Post]
Credit for Compass — “An affiliate of Robert Haft, the longtime D.C. businessman and father of Compass Coffee CEO Michael Haft, has agreed to loan his son’s company up to $450,000 to ensure it has enough cash to follow through with its restructuring.” [WBJ]
More on Golf Course Takeover — “The National Links Trust retained Williams & Connolly to help fend off a Trump takeover of Washington’s historic public golf courses, sources familiar with the matter (who were not authorized to speak on the record) tell Axios… the president wants golf course architect Tom Fazio to redesign East Potomac, with a potential new name: ‘Washington National Golf Course.'” [Axios]
It’s Friday — Rain is possible after 4pm with clouds increasing and a high near 56. South winds between 6-10 mph and gusts up to 20 mph. On Friday night, rain is more likely after 1am, with temperatures dropping to around 49. Southwest winds of 5-8 mph will shift northwest after midnight, and there’s a 70% chance of precipitation. New precipitation amounts could range between a tenth and a quarter of an inch. [NWS]
A reported single-vehicle crash took out a pole and a sidewalk bench in Clarendon this afternoon.
Police responded to the intersection of N. Highland Street and Clarendon Blvd around 3:10 p.m. after the driver of a blue Toyota sedan struck the light pole just outside of Four Sisters Grill.
A Fairlington-area bakery’s sign advertising a conservative political club has left a bad taste for some local residents.
The sign posted in the window of Great Harvest Bread Company at 1711 Centre Plaza has attracted hundreds of comments on the Reddit page for Northern Virginia and the private Fairlington Appreciation Society Facebook group this week.
