Details remain to be worked out, but County Board members have informally decided not to eliminate gymnastics programming or close Cherrydale Library in the coming year.
Details on both decisions are likely to come into clearer view this afternoon, when Board members hold their budget markup session starting at 2:30 p.m. Final budget adoption is slated for next Wednesday, April 22.
Columbia Pike leaders hosted a formal ribbon cutting yesterday (Wednesday) on street and sidewalk improvements that had snarled the busy corridor for years.
Local business leaders, numerous staff from the Department of Environmental Services (DES) and all five members of the Arlington County Board attended the event, which marked “substantial completion” of a project intended to improve the experience of bus riders, pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists alike.
Lebanese Taverna Founder Dies — Tanios “Tony” Abi-Najm, who opened the original Lebanese Taverna in a former Greek diner in Arlington in 1979, died April 8 at age 94 in Byblos, Lebanon. “What he built went far beyond a business,” his son Dany said in a eulogy. “He introduced Lebanese food — and Lebanese culture — to so many.” [Washington Post]
House Passes ALERT Act — The House of Representatives approved aviation safety legislation 396–10 Tuesday, implementing all 50 NTSB recommendations from the Jan. 29, 2025 midair collision at Reagan National that killed 67 people. Rep. Don Beyer (D), whose district includes DCA, called the bill “an incredible step forward” but urged the Senate to strengthen it. [FCNP, WTOP]
Anti-Drone Lasers Near DCA? — The FAA and Pentagon reached an agreement in early April to use anti-drone laser systems at the southern border, raising questions about whether similar technology could be deployed in D.C.-area airspace. During post-crash congressional hearings, Sen. Ted Cruz revealed the Secret Service and Navy had tested counter-drone systems near Reagan National just weeks after the deadly midair collision. [WJLA]
Pilots Meow at DCA — Delta and American Airlines pilots at Reagan National went viral after an air traffic control clip caught them making animal noises over the radio. “You guys, you need to be professional,” a controller is heard saying. [CBS News/X]
Woman Struck by Driver — A woman suffered serious, non-life threatening injuries early Wednesday morning near Route 1 and 23rd Street S. after a verbal dispute escalated to a physical altercation, according to police. The suspects allegedly struck the victim with their vehicle as they fled the scene around 1:40 a.m. [ACPD]
Rosslyn Fire Station Blocked — “Delivery drivers parking wherever they want is a big enough problem but parking in front of a fire station takes it to a new level,” a resident posted. “Both vehicles were unattended with flashers on.” [Brian Gannon/X]
New Alarm Vendor — Arlington County has begun using a third-party vendor, Alarm Program Systems, to administer its security alarm registration and false alarm enforcement program. All residential and commercial alarm systems must be registered with ACPD, with annual permits costing $25. There are also fee for an excessive number of false alarms. [Arlington County]
Girl Scouts Thank Snow Crew — Girl Scouts of Troop 60116 stopped by to thank Arlington County’s winter storm response team, their newest official “Hometown Heroes.” “Cookies yes, snowcrete no!” the Department of Environmental Services posted. [Arlington DES/X]
Virginians Turn on Data Centers — Only 35% of Virginia voters would be comfortable with a new data center in their community, down from 69% in 2023, a Washington Post-Schar School poll found. Prince William County, meanwhile, has abandoned the legal defense of its prior approval of a 1,700-acre data center campus near Manassas National Battlefield Park. [Washington Post]
Spanberger’s Charts Moderate Course — Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) signed laws raising the minimum wage to $15 by 2028 and banning ghost guns while vetoing gambling measures and bills she said would weaken public safety. She has vetoed eight bills and proposed changes to at least 180 — more than her most recent Democratic predecessor. [Axios]
Va. Joins Popular Vote Compact — Gov. Spanberger signed a bill adding Virginia to the National Popular Vote Compact, an agreement among states to award electoral votes to the nationwide popular vote winner. The compact now has 222 electoral votes committed, 48 short of the 270 needed to take effect. [NPR]
It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 92 degrees and southwest winds of 3–10 mph, gusting to 20 mph. Rain showers are possible after 8 p.m., with an overnight low around 69. [NWS]
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Flickr pool photo by Jason Gooljar
As this week’s out-of-season heatwave sends temperatures soaring, some Arlington tenants have been left sweating over when their landlord will turn on the air conditioning.
“Consider your fellow community [members] who are elderly, have temperature sensitive pets, or other chronic health conditions,” read a tenant petition posted at Crystal Plaza apartments, where the AC was still off earlier this week. “Many of us have already lost sleep or experienced health incidents due to the heat.”
A fraudulent email impersonating Arlington County Treasurer Carla de la Pava is targeting local businesses and nonprofits, according to the Treasurer’s Office.
The emails use de la Pava’s name but come from an unrelated Gmail address. They carry the subject line “Arlington County Virginia/Vendor Payment” and ask recipients to help pay a vendor invoice, according to a press release from the office.
Firefighters battled a large brush fire today on the 1800 block of Army Navy Drive, in the Arlington Ridge neighborhood near Pentagon City.
Smoke from the fire, which broke out around 2 p.m. Wednesday, could be seen on traffic cameras along I-395. Initial reports suggest that a sizable, quickly spreading brush fire burned a shed, several power poles and a number of trees, while threatening some homes.
A portion of N. Glebe Road is closed in both directions after a construction crew struck a gas line.
The busy arterial road is closed between Old Dominion Drive and Rock Spring Road after a 3-inch gas line was reportedly struck by a construction crew using an excavator near Marymount University and Washington Golf and Country Club.
A bill from Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-3) seeking to limit law enforcement collaboration with federal immigration enforcement has received minor adjustments from Gov. Abigail Spanberger.
Lopez’s HB 1441, and companion bill SB 783, ban state and local law enforcement agreements with federal immigration enforcement and limit when state and local law enforcement can cooperate.
The Culpepper Garden housing complex for low-income seniors is on track to fully phase out assisted-living services by June 30.
“We are looking forward to having all our residents settled [in other housing arrangements] by that day, which is what we promised,” Culpepper Garden CEO Marta Hill Gray told ARLnow.
DCA Workers Demand Action — TSA workers at Reagan National are urging passengers to pressure Congress to end the DHS shutdown, now in its 59th day. Nationally, more than 500 TSA employees have quit since the shutdown began, and remaining workers say their next paycheck is uncertain despite a March executive order covering past pay periods. [DC News Now]
Rosslyn Offices Eyed for Sale — Beacon Capital Partners is emptying a pair of Rosslyn offices at 1501 and 1515 Wilson Blvd to prepare them for sale. The County Board on Saturday is set to vote on terminating its lease at 1501 Wilson, where Arlington Transportation Partners occupies the 11th floor, because the landlord is planning to redevelop the property. [WBJ]
TRACON Safety Alarm — Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) led a group of DMV lawmakers in pressing the FAA for answers on equipment failures at the Potomac TRACON facility in March that caused evacuations, hospitalizations and ground stops at DCA, Dulles and BWI. Rep. Don Beyer (D) was among those signing the letter. [Press Release]
ACPD Detective Retires — The Arlington County Police Department is celebrating the career of Detective S. Lafley, who retired last week after serving the Arlington community with distinction for more than 27 years. [ACPD/X]
Earth Month by the Numbers — Arlington is highlighting its environmental progress this April, including 1.3 million electric miles logged by county vehicles, 1,020 trees planted, more than 300 residential solar installations and a 49.5% recycling rate. [Arlington County]
Inova Hospital Tops Out — The final structural beam was placed atop Inova Alexandria Hospital at Landmark on Monday, a milestone for the 1.1 million-square-foot project at the former Landmark Mall site. The four-building campus is targeting completion in 2028. [ALXnow]
Ruthie’s Heads to Fairfax — Ruthie’s All-Day, the Arlington Heights Southern comfort restaurant, opens its second location at Fairfax Corner today with dinner service starting at 5 p.m. Lunch hours are expected to expand next week. [FFXnow]
Spanberger Amends Key Bills — Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) amended bills on paid family leave, recreational cannabis and housing ahead of a Monday midnight deadline. She is proposing to delay cannabis sales to July 2027 and signed a bill requiring all localities to allow accessory dwelling units. [WBJ]
Suicide Decriminalized — Gov. Spanberger signed a bill Monday night abolishing the centuries-old common law crime of suicide in Virginia. The bill takes effect in July 2027 and requires the Bureau of Insurance to review the implications for insurance in the commonwealth. [WTOP]
‘Toothless’ ICE Amendments — Fairfax state Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim (D-37) is criticizing Gov. Spanberger’s amendments to bills restricting ICE enforcement near courthouses, hospitals and schools, calling the changes “toothless, a right without a remedy.” [FFXnow]
Potomac ‘Most Endangered’ — The Potomac River has been named the most endangered river in the country for 2026 by American Rivers, citing this year’s massive sewage spill and the rapid expansion of data centers across the region. [WJLA]
D.C. Golf Courses in Limbo — The future of D.C.’s historic public golf courses remains uncertain after the Interior Department terminated a nonprofit’s lease to manage them. Arlington resident Alex Dickson is among those suing the Trump administration over the changes and dirt being dumped from White House renovations on East Potomac Park’s course. [WAMU]
Record Heat on Tap — Today and Thursday could bring record highs as temperatures surge to the low to mid-90s, roughly 25 degrees above the mid-April average. The current April 15 record in D.C. is 89 degrees. [Washington Post]
It’s Wednesday — Expect a sunny and unusually hot day with a high near 93 degrees and light southwest winds at 2–8 mph. Overnight lows drop only to about 71 under partly cloudy skies. [NWS]
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Flickr pool photo by Brian Gannon
Even before Virginia voters decide on a new congressional map, Democrats are piling in to run for districts proposed under a redistricting plan that is designed to give their party a near sweep of the state’s U.S. House seats.
The latest entrant is Olivia Troye, who was an aide to former Republican Vice President Mike Pence and has become a vocal critic of President Donald Trump. She announced today (Tuesda)y that she’ll run in Virginia’s newly created 7th Congressional District, which would include much of Arlington, joining an already crowded field.
Action on two major development proposals in the Langston Boulevard corridor will highlight this weekend’s County Board meeting.
One of the projects is a 300-unit residential building at 3130 Langston Blvd, while the other is a 47-unit townhouse project at 2134 N. Taylor Street. Both have received the Planning Commission’s support, although county staff have recommended against the townhouses.
