As Arlington County staff research a possible ban on gas-powered leaf blowers, they may take some lessons from a nearby jurisdiction’s struggles with a similar prohibition.
A ban on gas-powered leaf blowers in Montgomery County went into effect July 1, threatening $500 citations if someone is photographed using the noisy and environmentally unfriendly devices. Recently, however, that county’s leaders have been rethinking ways to enforce the ban while respecting people’s privacy.
Update on 10/14/25: The suspect was found dead in the river, according to Virginia State Police.
Earlier: An early morning car chase today ended with the suspect jumping from the 14th Street Bridge, landing on a catwalk and making an escape, police say.
Arlington’s Housing Commission is seeking more local leeway in addressing affordable housing and new formulas for determining the number of affordable units in new projects.
Commission Chair Kellen MacBeth included these recommendations in a letter to the County Board following a review of policies by the Affordable Housing Ordinance working group established earlier this year. County leaders are currently developing legislative priorities for the 2026 General Assembly session.
Falls Church city leaders are working to update a government website that they acknowledge has fallen behind the times.
Poor functionality on mobile devices, broken links and outdated information and contacts currently plague the website, according to Joshua Surprenant, who joined the communications staff in April and has been tasked with dissecting the site’s strengths and weaknesses.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington is bracing for what could be a prolonged federal shutdown after lawmakers deadlocked and missed the deadline for funding the government.
Republicans supported a short-term measure to fund the government generally at current levels through Nov. 21, but Democrats blocked it, insisting the measure address their concerns on health care. They want to reverse the Medicaid cuts in President Donald Trump’s mega-bill passed this summer and extend tax credits that make health insurance premiums more affordable for millions of people who purchase through the marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act.
Shutdown Politics in Va. — “Even as the president and his party tried to blame Democrats for what could happen next, some Republicans saw it as almost inevitable that Virginia voters would punish them somewhat. ‘I do think that blame will be laid at Republicans’ feet, no matter what,’ said Matthew Hurtt, the chairman of the Arlington County GOP. ‘It feels like the layoffs are exclusively going to Democrats, who were going to be voting for Spanberger anyway.'” [Semafor, Arlington Democrats/X, Matthew Hurtt/X]
Bill to Help Feds During Shutdown — “‘Americans join the federal workforce because they want to help provide essential services to communities across the country,’ said Senator Kaine. ‘They shouldn’t be punished for that, especially in the event of a government shutdown. That’s why I’m glad to join with my colleagues in introducing this legislation to help make it easier for these patriotic workers to pay their bills.'” [Press Release]
Credit Unions Offer Support — “Several financial institutions, including Navy Federal Credit Union and PenFed Credit Union, are offering paycheck assistance, interest-free personal loans and lines of credit to federal workers who need them in the event of a shutdown. Some are also waiving penalties for early withdrawals from retirement accounts or allowing customers affected by a shutdown to skip a loan payment or two.” [WBJ]
New Poet Laureate — “Jennifer Kronovet has been selected as the fourth Poet Laureate of Arlington County. During her two-year appointment, the award-winning poet will serve as an advocate for poetry and the literary arts and will work to raise Arlingtonians’ consciousness and appreciation of poetry in its written and spoken forms.” [Arlington County]
Pre-Planning for Bridge Project — “Members of the Fireboat are pre-planning the construction site for the new Long railway bridge across the Potomac. This project is scheduled to go through year 2030 and has the potential for both water and technical rescues.” [DCFEMS/X]
Man Killed By Train Was Chased — “The man who was struck by a train at the Potomac Yard Metro station on Sept. 22 succumbed to his injuries that evening at George Washington University Hospital, according to the Alexandria Police Department. Metro Transit Police said at the time that the man trespassed onto the tracks, and an investigation has found that he was being chased by two alleged fare evaders, a 17-year-old female and an 18-year-old female, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.” [ALXnow]
It’s October — Expect partly sunny skies to transition to sunnier conditions, with temperatures reaching around 72°F and a 10 mph north wind. Wednesday night will be clear and cool with a low near 51°F, accompanied by a 6 mph northeast breeze. [NWS]
WASHINGTON (AP) — Plunged into a government shutdown, the U.S. is confronting a fresh cycle of uncertainty after President Donald Trump and Congress failed to strike an agreement to keep government programs and services running by Wednesday’s deadline.
Roughly 750,000 federal workers are expected to be furloughed, some potentially fired by the Trump administration. Many offices will be shuttered, perhaps permanently, as Trump vows to “do things that are irreversible, that are bad” as retribution. His deportation agenda is expected to run full speed ahead, while education, environmental and other services sputter. The economic fallout is expected to ripple nationwide.
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The League of Women Voters of Arlington was established by a coalition of 17 founding members in January 1944, and for more than 80 years has been a force in the county’s civic life.
Concept designs for improved bike routes running parallel to Columbia Pike are now available, aiming to make certain side streets safer and more inviting to bicyclists.
Arlington County is currently seeking feedback — due this Sunday, Oct. 5 — on the possible upgrades to the Columbia Pike Bike Boulevards. The proposal includes a variety of signage, intersection changes and streetscape adjustments on either side of the Pike.
The Arlington County Police Department is searching for two suspects accused of carjacking a man in Crystal City early this morning (Tuesday).
Police said the masked suspects were armed with knives when they approached the victim on the 2300 block of S. Eads Street around 2:30 a.m. and demanded the keys to his vehicle.
The federal government is nearing a partial shutdown, with a range of effects on public services and the broader U.S. economy.
Employee furloughs and potential layoffs would halt some government activities. Other functions — like NASA’s space missions, Trump’s immigration crackdown and certain public health work at FDA and the USDA — would continue.
Arlington Community Federal Credit Union plans to merge with another mid-Atlantic credit union and take on its name.
The 74-year-old credit union — which has nearly 25,000 members in Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church and Fairfax County — has announced plans to merge with Alexandria-based CommonWealth One Federal Credit Union.
