The closure of a nearly 200-year-old book wholesaler will impact how soon new materials turn up on the shelves at Falls Church’s Mary Riley Styles Public Library.
Like many library systems nationally, the Falls Church library dealt with Baker & Taylor for many of its materials purchases. But the North Carolina-based company, founded in 1828, is wrapping up operations after announcing earlier in the year that its planned acquisition by another firm would not materialize.
Do Falls Church’s new trio of HAWK pedestrian signals have minds of their own?
The signals went live in late spring along Broad Street, and on rare but multiple occasions, ARLnow staff have observed them turn on without any pedestrians nearby seeking their activation.
Where to Party on NYE — “Ready to bid farewell to 2025 and welcome in a sparkly, fresh 2026? Raise a glass and dance your heart out into the wee hours at these kid-free blow-out parties.” [Arlington Magazine]
Where to Dine on NYE — “Ring in 2026 with one of Northern Virginia’s exceptional New Year’s Eve dining experiences. From seafood and steak to rich, celebratory dishes, there’s no shortage of unforgettable menus to make your night sparkle.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Monday — Showers are likely before 10am, followed by cloudy conditions that will gradually clear up. Temperatures will peak at 58°F around 11am, but will then drop to around 41°F. Expect windy conditions, with southwest winds of 17-22 mph becoming 24-29 mph from the west in the afternoon, and gusts of up to 47 mph. There is a 50% chance of precipitation. Tonight, partly cloudy skies and a low of 27°F can be anticipated, accompanied by a breezy west wind of 22-24 mph and gusts as high as 48 mph. [NWS]
Today’s Morning Notes are brought to you by Industrious. ARLnow has been ringing in productive years at an Industrious office 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 to help you start 2026 strong.
Flickr pool photo by Jason Gooljar
Arlington County police are investigating gunfire near Courthouse.
The shots rang out around 12:40 p.m. Saturday in the area of 13th Street N. and N. Taft Street, across from the Taft Towers condo complex in the Radnor/Fort Myer Heights neighborhood.
The following in-depth local history feature was supported by the ARLnow Press Club. Join to support local journalism and to get an exclusive version of our afternoon newsletter, plus an early look at what we’re covering each day.
Marymount University is in the midst of celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.
The Arlington County Democratic Committee’s outgoing chair gives himself mixed grades as he closes out four years at the helm.
Steve Baker noted some successes in his goals for the party, but also some areas where those efforts fell short, at the Dec. 16 luncheon of Arlington Senior Democrats.
It won’t be completed until about 2030, but a pedestrian/bicyclist bridge over the Potomac River could bring more people to the Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center in Crystal City.
“It’s going to be a huge boost,” predicted Hamilton Humes of the Arlington Sports Commission, speaking at the body’s Dec. 18 meeting.
‘Fire Station 8 Saved My House’ — “Before anyone could call 911, a firefighter, Lt. Murphy, at Fire Station 8 saw the flames at my house from the glass-enclosed stairwell of the station. He alerted the rest of the firefighters and they jumped in the truck and headed down Langston Boulevard to find the fire. Before they even received the call!” [Wilma Jones]
Bipartisan Report on DCA Crash — “A congressional panel examining January’s fatal midair collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet found fault with the military’s procedures for operating in the airspace around D.C., according to a report issued Monday.” [Washington Post]
Role of City Lights in Crash — “Though a cause has yet to be determined, and investigators expect to release their findings early next year, one factor could have been the bright skyline around the airport. The National Transportation Safety Board has examined whether those lights could have made it more difficult for the helicopter crew to keep tabs on the plane and whether night vision goggles it believes the crew was using could have made their difficult task even more challenging.” [Washington Post]
Funding for Legal AI Tool — “BriefCatch, an Arlington startup, is hoping to change that narrative with its legal writing assistant tool, and it just scored $6 million in new funding to ramp up hiring and product development centered on its flagship product. BriefCatch embeds directly into Microsoft Word or Outlook to offer real‑time editing suggestions tailored to legal prose. It also offers optional features designed to help lawyers sharpen arguments and improve clarity.” [WBJ]
Burglary in Arlington Heights — “At approximately 12:09 p.m. on December 22, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary. Upon arrival, it was determined the male suspect forced entry into the residence, causing property damage, stole jewelry and electronics and subsequently fled the scene. Responding officers conducted a canvass of the area for the suspect yielding negative results.” [ACPD]
ACPD Captain Gets FBI Training — “#FBIWFO congratulates @ArlingtonVaPD Capt. Matthew Puia on his recent graduation from the FBI National Academy.” [FBI WFO/X]
F.C. Affordable Housing — “To us, the greatest achievement of the City of Falls Church government in the last period has been its resolve around affordable housing such that units in new mixed use and residential projects designated as “affordable” in the proffering process not only now approach 10 percent or even higher of all the units in a project, but that, even more importantly, that they are maintained as “affordable” in perpetuity, and not just for 10 or 15 years.” [FCNP]
Decline in DUI Deaths — “Across Northern Virginia, alcohol/drug-related fatalities decreased from 40 in 2023 to 34 in 2024, according to the 22-page report. Among other major Northern Virginia jurisdictions: Alexandria saw no fatalities in that category in 2023 or 2024. Arlington’s rate declined from six to one.” [FFXnow]
It’s Friday — Rain is likely between noon and 4pm, followed by a chance of sleet after 4pm. The day will be mostly cloudy with a high near 35. Friday night, expect rain mixed with sleet before 10pm, turning to rain until 1am, with a slight chance of drizzle afterwards. The low will be around 35. [NWS]
Changes to a law restricting liquor sales at Virginia restaurants are still on the mind of at least one state legislator representing Arlington.
As Del. Patrick Hope (D-1) prepares for the General Assembly in 2026, he told ARLnow that he is “open to revisiting” a law that mandates that no more than 55% of a restaurant’s sales can come from liquor or mixed drinks.
Friends and family of a pedestrian badly injured in an apparent road rage incident in Ballston are seeking help covering steep medical bills.
As of this morning (Tuesday), a GoFundMe campaign had raised more than $15,000 to support Nick Battista. The personal trainer at the Onelife Fitness in Ballston Quarter was struck by a driver while he crossed the street near the intersection of N. Wakefield Street and N. Glebe Street last Thursday.
Members of the county’s Disability Advisory Commission are hoping to become better known in the broader community during 2026, while also having more impact on public policy.
Outreach efforts will aim to increase public visibility and collaborate with other arms of the county government. Concrete goals include a 25% increase in the number of public speakers at commission meetings, plus the recruitment of two additional commission members.
The Arlington Community Foundation “Holiday Wish Catalog” needs a final push to break last year’s giving total.
Just over $170,000 had been donated in support of safety-net providers through today (Tuesday). In 2024, the effort raised $176,000, “so there is a real chance to top that,” foundation officials said.
