A planned beer garden and Korean street food restaurant in Crystal City has received more time to address code and permitting issues as it continues working toward opening.
County Board members have extended the existing use permit for Scapegoat Beer Garden for six months before it returns to staff for further review.
A “full-scale emergency response exercise” will be taking place at Wakefield High School and Carlin Springs Elementary School tomorrow (Friday).
Emergency responders and vehicles will be present at Carlin Springs Elementary and nearby Kenmore Middle School from 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m. as personnel coordinate responses to a simulated act of violence.
Arlington has claimed the crown in a new ranking of the most educated “cities” in the United States.
A new report from Northern Kentucky University found that 41.8% of Arlington residents over age 25 have a graduate degree — the highest number in the nation, above 38.3% of D.C. residents and 32% of residents in the Bay Area city of Fremont.
Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-3) is proposing several pieces of legislation to place restrictions on federal immigration enforcement in Virginia, including at sensitive locations like schools and polling places.
One bill introduced by Lopez would prohibit federal immigration enforcement within 40 feet of polling places, as well as near local electoral board locations to certify or recount election results. Activities like loitering and handing political materials are already restricted within 40 feet of polling places, but immigration enforcement is not explicitly mentioned under current Virginia law.
Arlington is well-positioned to withstand any national upticks in measles cases, but it can’t become complacent, the county’s public health director says.
Arlington students have a 97.5% vaccination rate against the highly contagious disease, compared to 93.9% statewide and 92.5% nationally, according to data presented to County Board members on Tuesday.
New Snow Removal Phase — “Phase 4 clean-up continues, with crews working roads needing more attention and transferring snow from narrow areas. The storage space opened last night on 14th Street N behind the Bozman Center is now full. A Farmers Market on Saturday is unlikely.” [Arlington DES/X]
County Hauling Snow — “The commercial corridors are particularly challenging because there’s limited space available. To help make space, we have been conducting a once-in-a-generation snow hauling effort — so far, we’ve hauled over 1,000+ truck loads of snow to locations around the County.” [Arlington County/X, Arlington County/X]
Later Opening for Rec Centers — “Tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 29, Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and all other Parks and Recreation facilities will be open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.” [Arlington DPR/X]
‘Severe Service’ for ART — “Due to icy road conditions ART will continue to run Severe Service Thur. Jan. 29, 2026. Only ART 41, 45, 51, 55, 77, and 87 will run, expect possible delays. Once remainder of routes are in passable conditions, we will reassess service levels.” [ART Alert/X]
Consultant for DCA Noise? — “A citizens’ advisory panel is formally pressing for an outside consultant to be hired to analyze noise related to air traffic at Reagan National Airport. But the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) appears disinclined to acquiesce to that request.” [FFXnow]
Upcoming Special Election — “A Special Election will be held on Feb. 10 for State Senate District 39! Only voters who reside in this district are eligible to vote. This includes Pentagon/Crystal City, Aurora Highlands, & east Arlington Ridge.” [Arlington Elections/X]
Letter: Minnesota Matters — “People in Minnesota are grieving after federal immigration agents killed Renée Good and Alex Pretti. Their deaths have shaken communities far beyond Minneapolis. We mourn them and extend our sympathy to their families and loved ones. What happened there matters here in Arlington.” [Letter to the Editor]
Care Sought for Cold — “There has been a recent increase in visits to emergency departments and urgent care facilities related to hypothermia and cold exposure in Virginia. Call 2-1-1 to find a warming center near you.” [VDH/X]
Historic Cold Spell — “D.C. plunged to 13 degrees on Tuesday morning, while many locations in the region dipped into the single digits and below zero. The frigid morning was part of a punishing cold snap that ramped up Saturday and may not relax until around Groundhog Day on Feb. 2. By some measures, it could rank among the most severe cold spells since the late 1800s.” [CWG/X]
New Legal Notice — Restaurant seeks ABC license: wine and beer, on/off premises. [Public Notices]
It’s Thursday — Expect sunny conditions and a high of 23 degrees, but wind chills could reach as low as -5 due to a west wind blowing at 6 to 10 mph, and gusts reaching up to 20 mph. Thursday night will be mostly clear with a low of 6 degrees and wind chills as low as -2, accompanied by a northwest wind at around 6 mph. [NWS]
Amazon is slashing about 16,000 corporate jobs in the second round of mass layoffs for the ecommerce company in three months.
The tech giant has said it plans to use generative artificial intelligence to replace corporate workers. It has also been reducing a workforce that swelled during the pandemic.
Arlington’s snowplows moved into the final phase of their cleanup efforts today (Wednesday), but sidewalks and streets littered with blocks of snow persist in many places.
County crews are now in Phase 4 of storm response, clearing ice off roads, school grounds and county property, including designated trails. Waste collection will also return on a limited basis tomorrow, only for trash and recycling carts.
U.S. Rep Don Beyer (D-Va.), currently seeking a seventh term in Congress, says he has “mixed feelings” on Virginia legislators’ redistricting proposal that is being blocked by a state judge.
Beyer, who represents Arlington and several neighboring localities in the 8th Congressional District, told ARLnow the current maps approved through the 2021 redistricting process made Virginia “one of the least gerrymandered in the country.”
A proposal to redevelop a Walgreens on Langston Blvd as a 12-story residential building is moving toward consideration by the Planning Commission and County Board.
County Board members authorized the advertisement of future public hearings on plans for 3130 Langston Blvd at a meeting last night (Tuesday).
A photography style associated primarily with the Civil War is receiving a contemporary update from Arlington’s Mac Cosgrove-Davies.
For “Essential Arlington” — now on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington — Cosgrove-Davies uses the wet-plate collodion technique to create tintype images of those workers whose efforts keep the community running smoothly.
County Gov’t Reopens — “Due to inclement weather, Arlington County Government facilities will open & judicial court proceedings will begin at 10AM on Wed., Jan. 28, 2026, unless otherwise stated. Libraries will open at 12PM. County facilities will close at 6PM.” [Arlington County/X, Arlington County]
Cemetery Still Closed — “Due to extremely cold temperatures, Arlington National Cemetery will be closed to the public and family pass holders through Wednesday, Jan. 28. Funeral services will continue as scheduled.” [ANC/X]
Snow Crews Thinned By ICE — “As homeowners in Fairfax and Arlington counties try to clear neighborhood streets, a snow removal business reports that their crews are operating at lower capacity. The reason: the labor-intensive job of digging through the thick ice and the fear of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity.” [WUSA 9]
Remembering Crash Victims — “The figure skating community in Northern Virginia is remembering the skaters, coaches and family members killed a year ago in the midair collision over the Potomac River… The plane was heading back from Wichita, Kansas, where many of the passengers had just participated in a national skating competition and development camp. Seventeen of them had ties to the Ashburn Ice House and the MedStar Capitals Iceplex in Arlington.” [NBC 4]
Brandishing in Courthouse — “the male victim returned to a parking garage where he had parked his vehicle and determined it was missing. A short time later, the victim observed the vehicle being driven by the male suspect inside the parking garage and confronted him. The suspect then exited the vehicle, brandished what appeared to be a firearm and subsequently fled the scene on foot.” [ACPD]
Leadership Change at Local Startup — “Arlington cybersecurity startup Shift5 Inc. has tapped an executive from defense contracting giant L3Harris Technologies Inc. to serve as interim CEO and president. Toby Magsig succeeds CEO and co-founder Josh Lospinoso, who announced a transition out of day-to-day operations and will instead focus on long-term planning.” [WBJ]
Barcroft Apts. May Be Deemed Historic — Having been named to the Virginia Landmarks Register late last year, the Barcroft Apartments soon will be considered by the National Park Service for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places, county staff said at the Jan. 21 meeting of the Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board. A determination usually follows within 45 days, staff said. –Scott McCaffrey
Design Award Winners — “The Arlington County Board honored nine projects on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, for the 2025 DESIGNArlington awards. The biennial program recognizes excellence in architectural and landscape design and public art, showcasing the best of Arlington.” [Arlington County]
Amazon Fresh Stores Closing — “Amazon is throwing in the towel on Amazon Fresh, announcing today (Tuesday) that it will close all locations in favor of a renewed focus on Whole Foods Market and other concepts. The last day of operation for Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go stores is Feb. 1.” [FFXnow]
Gun Bills Advance — “Democratic lawmakers on Monday advanced a sweeping slate of gun safety proposals — many of them previously vetoed by former Gov. Glenn Youngkin — as they test whether Virginia’s new Democratic governor, Abigail Spanberger, will take a more favorable view of firearm restrictions.” [FFXnow]
Voting Rights Ruling — “A federal judge in Richmond ruled last week that Virginia violated a post-Civil War law by automatically stripping the right to vote from everyone convicted of a felony, a decision that could restore voting rights to thousands of Virginians.” [Washington Post]
Possible Weekend Storm Update — “The majority of computer models suggest the storm will form too far east to bring substantial snow to the D.C. region, still reeling from 6 to 9 inches of cement-like snow and ice on Sunday and historically low temperatures. However, the American model — while mostly an outlier — does simulate substantial snow in D.C., and this slight possibility needs to be watched.” [CWG]
It’s Wednesday — Expect increasing clouds and a high near 22, along with wind chill values dropping to -1, accompanied by a west wind blowing at 5 to 9 mph. Wednesday night will be partly cloudy with temperatures dropping to a low of 6 and wind chill values as low as -3. A calm wind will turn into a northwest breeze around 6 mph after midnight. [NWS]
