Deputies inside the Arlington County jail have started wearing body cameras, a move touted as “a significant step forward in enhancing safety, transparency, and accountability.”
The Arlington County Sheriff’s Office announced the rollout today (Tuesday), saying Axon-brand cameras have been issued to deputies across several operational areas of the jail. ACSO previously used body-worn cameras only in civil process work and inmate transportation.
Roughly 37% Arlington voters have cast ballots in the statewide redistricting referendum as of this afternoon.
About 14% of voters visited a polling place as of 1:30 p.m., while 23% of local voters cast ballots early, according to the latest numbers from Arlington’s elections office.
County leaders appear optimistic that plans for an Arlington boathouse on the Potomac River will stay on track to open by the end of the decade.
“I think we’re through the hardest parts,” County Board member Susan Cunningham said at the April 14 meeting of the Park and Recreation Commission, where the topic was discussed.
County Board members are closing in on a decision about whether parts of the Nelly Custis School should receive historic designations.
Board members are slated to take their first procedural step toward a future decision on the 1.7-acre property tomorrow (Wednesday). They are likely to adopt an initiating resolution for consideration of the historic district proposed by a local resident and recommended by the Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HALRB).
Polls Open Today — Virginia’s special election is today, with polls open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters must go to their assigned polling place. On the ballot: a proposed state constitutional amendment that would temporarily allow the General Assembly to redraw congressional districts. Arlington Public Schools is off today due to the election. [Arlington Elections/X, Arlington County]
Amazon Behind on HQ2 Jobs — Amazon’s HQ2 in Pentagon City is falling short of its promised job targets for a third straight year. By the end of 2025, the company should have added 11,643 jobs under its state incentive agreement; instead it has created 7,159, or 28.6% of its 25,000-job goal by 2038. [Washington Post]
Defense Powers Office Market — Defense contractors drove N. Va.’s office leasing market in the first quarter, accounting for 85.2% of the largest deals, per JLL. Trophy vacancy fell to 13.9% as Lockheed Martin renewed its 176,127-square-foot lease at 2121 Crystal Drive in Crystal City — the quarter’s biggest deal. [WBJ]
Beyer Vows Kennedy Center Fight — Rep. Don Beyer (D) vowed to fight changes at the Kennedy Center, calling them “a disturbing extension of this Administration’s pay-to-play corruption.” Beyer was responding to a new Atlantic article on the institution’s ongoing leadership drama. [Rep. Don Beyer/X]
Sen. Warner Mourns Daughter — Sen. Mark Warner (D) and his wife Lisa Collis announced yesterday that their daughter Madison Warner, 36, has died after decades of battling juvenile diabetes and other health issues. “She filled our lives with love and laughter,” the family said. [ALXnow]
Tick Season Returns — As temperatures rise, tick activity is picking up across Virginia. State health officials say ticks can spread Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Alpha-gal Syndrome, and are urging Virginians to use EPA-registered insect repellents and check themselves after spending time outdoors. [VDH]
It’s Tuesday — Expect widespread frost before 10 am, followed by sunny weather with a high near 62°F. Winds will be calm, shifting to the south at about 6 mph in the afternoon. On Tuesday night, there is a 30% chance of showers after 2 am, with partly cloudy skies and a low around 50°F. South winds will increase to 7 to 9 mph. [NWS]
Want more local news from around the region? Check out our newest sister site, WSHnow.
Flickr pool photo by Jason Gooljar
A 34-year-old Arlington man is behind bars and facing numerous charges after police say he injured half a dozen officers and a police dog.
Oleh Mashkin entered a condo building on Columbia Pike around 6 p.m. Friday, shoved someone out of an elevator, and then kicked down the door of an unoccupied apartment, according to Arlington County police.
There aren’t any candidates on the ballot in Virginia’s statewide special election on Tuesday (April 21), but the contest could still decide control of the closely divided U.S. House this fall.
Voters in the Commonwealth will consider a ballot measure that would amend Virginia’s constitution to give the Democratic-majority General Assembly temporary power to redraw the state’s congressional districts. It’s the latest move in an escalating redistricting arms race that began in July 2025, when Texas Republican lawmakers redrew their state’s congressional map to favor Republicans at President Donald Trump’s urging.
While County Board members have agreed to save gymnastics programming, advocates now fear that a proposed hike in participation fees may still make the programs inaccessible for many families.
At last week’s budget-markup session, Board members settled on a proposal that would increase participation fees for the Arlington Aerials and Arlington Tigers gymnastics programs 44% in the coming year.
County Board members on Saturday approved one major redevelopment project in the Langston Boulevard corridor, but deferred action on a second.
Board members voted 5-0 in support of plans by Rooney Properties to raze the Walgreens site at 3130 Langston Blvd, replacing it with a mixed-use property rising 12 stories and containing up to 300 apartment units plus 7,200 square feet of ground-floor retail.
The effort to redevelop an unusually sized parcel on W. Broad Street in Falls Church has hit headwinds.
Both city staff and the Falls Church Planning Commission have raised concerns about incomplete information in a plan to raze a dental office at 815 W. Broad, replacing it with a facility that would serve similar uses but would be more than five times larger.
Officers Hurt in Condo Arrest — A man was arrested Friday evening after injuring five Arlington police officers during his removal from an unoccupied condo in the 1800 block of Columbia Pike. “He assaulted several officers and was eventually put into custody after officers tased him and deployed a K9,” police said. One officer was hospitalized as a precaution and charges are pending. [WJLA]
Sunday Funday Chaos — Clarendon’s Don Tito required significant ACPD and ACFD response Saturday evening, as noted by public safety watcher Dave Statter. “It started with a fight just before 5:30, apparently leaving one of the staff injured. Other customers surrounded police as officers had a man handcuffed in front of an ACPD SUV. As that calmed down, police called EMS for someone who was drunk.” [Dave Statter/X]
Overnight Crash Cleanup — Arlington DES crews spent an overnight shift cleaning up after a crash at S. Glebe Road and S. Eads Street near Pentagon City. “Instant intersection modifications made at 2:15a,” Dave Statter posted, sharing video of the aftermath. [Dave Statter/X]
Weekend Road Closures Planned — ACPD will close a number of streets for two events next weekend: the Arlington Festival of the Arts in Clarendon (April 25–26) and the Earth Day Every Day Festival (April 26). Washington Blvd, N. Highland Street, Cherry Hill Road and parts of N. Woodrow Street will see closures. [Arlington County]
HALRB Approves Sign Honoring Campbells — Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board members on April 15 approved designs for new commemorative markers honoring Edmund and Elizabeth Campbell in Shirlington. The new signage will replace aging signs honoring the late couple’s contributions to civic life. —Scott McCaffrey
Cathedral Wins Design Award — “The recent renovation to the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington was recognized with a 2026 Commercial Palladio Award, a premier national award that spotlights architectural excellence,” the Arlington Catholic Herald reports. The award went to Arlington-based firm O’Brien and Keane Architecture. [Arlington Catholic Herald]
Beyer Wants Kash Out — “We’ve seen the failures of Kash Patel’s inept leadership play out again and again in some of our most high profile investigations since last January… Patel is unfit to lead and is putting our national security at risk,” Rep. Don Beyer (D) posted in response to an Atlantic article reporting concerns from Patel’s colleagues at the FBI. [Rep. Don Beyer/X]
It’s Monday — Expect scattered rain showers today with a high near 55 and gusty northwest winds of 9–15 mph, with gusts up to 25 mph. Overnight lows will dip to around 34 degrees under mostly clear skies. [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.
Update on 4/28/26 — The woman struck by the bus has died, according to police.
Earlier: A woman was seriously injured after colliding with a bus while riding a scooter in Rosslyn.
