Mass layoffs at The Washington Post yesterday (Wednesday) dealt a punishing blow to the newspaper’s storied history of local journalism after decades of declining emphasis on Arlington and Northern Virginia.
Reminiscent of the demises of the Washington Star in the early 1980s, Journal Newspapers in the early 2000s and Sun Gazettes in 2023, the job cuts entail a dramatic downscaling of reporting on the D.C. area.
Firefighters are on scene of a fire at a garden style apartment complex in the Buckingham neighborhood, near Ballston.
The fire was reported shortly after 3 p.m. on the 4300 block of N. Henderson Road. Initial reports suggest the fire broke out in the kitchen of an apartment and at least one building occupant is being evaluated for injuries.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D) has reintroduced legislation to remove the reference to Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee at Arlington House.
The legislation would rename Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery as the Arlington House National Historic Site. Rep. Don Beyer (D), who represents Arlington in Virginia’s 8th Congressional District, has introduced companion legislation in the House.
A hardware store off of Langston Blvd has been burglarized for the second time in the space of two weeks.
Police officers were dispatched to Bill’s Ace Hardware (2213 N. Buchanan Street) just after 7 a.m. yesterday (Wednesday) after an employee found that the glass on the front door was broken, according to scanner traffic.
A convicted sex offender accused of indecent exposure in multiple girls’ locker rooms in Arlington has been found guilty of possessing child pornography.
Richard Kenneth Cox — who is still awaiting trial for other instances of allegedly claiming to be transgender in order to access girls’ locker rooms at Arlington Public Schools pools and remain there while naked — was found guilty of two counts of possession of child pornography yesterday (Wednesday).
Banging drums and shouting into megaphones to the blares of a trumpet, protesters broke the stillness of a sleepy morning in a North Arlington neighborhood today (Thursday).
The crowd of about 50 anti-ICE activists arrived at the home of Hilton President and CEO Christopher Nassetta around 7 a.m. They were protesting the hotel chain allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to stay at its properties in Minneapolis and elsewhere in the country.
Falls Church officials are awaiting developments in Richmond to determine whether the city’s Planning Commission will get back powers that the General Assembly stripped last year.
However, legislation to restore the old arrangement could face an uphill battle.
Courthouse Market Returns — “Hey, Market-goers! The Arlington Farmers Market is back this weekend with some slight adjustments.” [Arlington DPR/X]
Startup Raises Millions — “GenLogs, an Arlington-based developer of intelligence technology for the trucking and logistics industries, announced that it has closed on a $60 million Series B round.” [Potomac Tech Wire]
Historical Society Puts Articles Online — The Arlington Historical Society has placed articles from its 2024 Arlington Historical Magazine online. The magazine, edited by Jessica Kaplan, traces its history to 1957, with articles typically available in digital format a year after the print edition is published. –Scott McCaffrey
Clearing Fire Hydrants — “Snow and ice accumulation can create serious fire safety hazards, including obstructed fire hydrants. By helping keep hydrants clear, you play a direct role in protecting your neighborhood and supporting your firefighters during emergencies… Remove snow and debris from the hydrant and maintain a 3‑foot clearance on all sides. This space allows firefighters to connect hoses, operate the hydrant efficiently, and minimize kinks that can reduce water flow.” [Arlington County]
Kennedy Center Show to GMU — “A New York dance company that recently nixed scheduled appearances at the Kennedy Center is coming to George Mason University’s Center for the Arts instead. Doug Varone and Dancers will visit the Fairfax performing arts venue (4373 Mason Pond Drive) on Saturday, April 25 for a free show in the concert hall, the Center for the Arts announced today.” [FFXnow]
Fairfax Schools Still on Delay — “Fairfax County Public Schools will start classes two hours late for the rest of this week, as lingering “snowcrete” continues to hinder travel.” Arlington Public Schools are opening on time today. [FFXnow]
Spanberger Ends ICE Agreement — “Gov. Abigail Spanberger has formally ended an agreement with the U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement that had allowed Virginia State Police troopers and Virginia Department of Corrections officers to assist ICE.” [Virginia Mercury, Fox News]
Chance of Snow Ahead of Wind Threat — “A powerful cold front, set to arrive Friday afternoon and evening, will bring the possibility of snow showers before frigid air returns to the region. And very strong winds, possibly intense enough to trigger power outages, will surge into the area in its wake.” [CWG/X, CWG]
It’s Thursday — Expect sunny skies and a high temperature of about 31 degrees, accompanied by a north wind blowing at 7 to 9 mph. As night falls, clouds will increase, leading to a low temperature around 16 degrees. [NWS]
Mass layoffs at The Washington Post today (Wednesday) have prompted grief and outrage among D.C.-area reporters and a pointed rebuke of the newspaper’s owner from U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.).
The publication eliminated about one-third of its staff today, cutting the jobs of numerous respected journalists on its Metro desk while eliminating its sports section, several foreign bureaus and its books coverage in a widespread purge that represented a brutal blow to journalism and one of its most legendary brands.
Nearly seven years after a failed first attempt, Falls Church officials are trying again to entice e-scooter and e-bike operators to the city.
Council members are considering a proposal to allow a maximum of 100 total operating certificates for “shared mobility devices”: motorized skateboards, scooters, bicycles and electrically assisted bicycles.
Arlington County Board member JD Spain Sr. is throwing his support behind a state bill to accelerate affordable housing development on church properties.
Spain joined the Rev. Alice Tewell of Clarendon Presbyterian Church — which put its affordable housing proposal in Lyon Village on pause last year amid rising costs coupled with a lengthy approval process — in testifying on behalf of State Sen. Jeremy McPike’s (D-29) Faith in Housing Act.
Arlington officials say they’ve exhausted all options to settle up to half a million dollars in debts from Arlington Independent Media (AIM) after the organization’s operational collapse.
Local leaders have “spent a lot of time and energy” to make sure there is no replication of the situation with other grantees, County Manager Mark Schwartz said at a Jan. 22 meeting of the county’s Audit Committee.
