New, temporary cellphone restrictions are in place at Arlington Public Schools, ahead of a potential permanent policy by year’s end.
That’s the basis for this month’s Mike Mount cartoon, which suggests that the ban might be effective during school hours but will otherwise struggle to change young people’s well-ingrained communications habits.
Home to numerous parks, it’s no wonder Arlington was named the fittest place in America.
Whether you’re looking to get active, relax, play or engage in the local community, Arlington’s parks offer something for everyone.
From the picturesque Lubber Run Park to the natural beauty of Bon Air Park, we’ve highlighted the top spots for “Best Park in Arlington” as part of our new ARLnow Readers’ Choice awards.
Voting will close in two weeks, so get ready to show love to your favorite green spaces!
Don’t forget voting for Best New Restaurant in Arlington is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote — or write in your own — before voting closes next Friday at 9 a.m.
The most important meal of the day is… all of them. Breakfast, lunch and dinner — Arlington’s food scene is bursting with tasty new spots.
From neighborhood burger joints to authentic international dining, these fresh establishments have added vibrant flavors and experiences to our community.
Below are top newcomers for “Best New Restaurant in Arlington” as part of our new ARLnow Readers’ Choice awards, selected from a list of openings over the past year by weighing a combination of article views and online reviews.
Consider taste, variety, service and overall atmosphere when choosing your favorite. Don’t see your favorite spot listed? Write it in.
Voting will close in two weeks and then we’ll officially announce the top three vote-getters. So don’t wait and select the spot you can’t stop thinking about.
Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump took the debate stage for the first time together last night in Philadelphia.
The debate quickly turned contentious. As reported by the Associated Press:
Sparring on politics and personality, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump showcased their starkly different visions for the country on abortion, immigration and American democracy as they met for the first time Tuesday for perhaps their only debate before November’s presidential election.
The Democratic vice president moved repeatedly to get under the skin of the former Republican president, provoking him with reminders about the 2020 election loss that he still denies and derisive asides at his other false claims.
Harris not only tried to make the case that Trump is unfit for office but tried to use her answers in a way that seemed designed to provoke him into launching into one of the personal attacks that his advisers and supporters have tried to steer him away from.
Arlington, as a place well within the Beltway, is likely to have a higher than average proportion of viewership for the debate. But just how high was it — and did the debate change any minds here that were not already made up?
That’s what we are asking in this morning’s poll.
If the cool mornings are any clue, cold and flu season is upon us — and that means many people are thinking about vaccinations.
Covid and flu vaccinations are currently available at many local pharmacies and medical offices.
“To ensure communities are protected this season, the CDC is recommending that everyone over age six (6) months get an annual flu shot AND an updated COVID-19 vaccine,” pharmacy chain CVS said in a late August press release, announcing the availability of vaccines.
“The ideal time to get vaccinated is in September or October, to restore and enhance protection against the most common viruses currently circulating before peak season starts,” the release continued. “Pharmacies are one of the most common places people choose to get vaccinated.”
According to CVS, 46% of people plan to get a flu shot and 60% of people planning to get the flu vaccine would like to get a Covid vaccine during the same visit.
We were wondering how that compares with vaccine plans in Arlington. Are you planning to (or did you already) get the jab?
Signs of fall abound around Arlington.
Oktoberfest beers and pumpkin spice lattes have been on offer at local stores and cafes for a little while now. Kids are back in school and fall sports are underway. The weather has turned cooler following long stretches of blast furnace heat. We’re now past Labor Day, considered the unofficial end of summer. Most summer vacations have ended and many commutes are getting longer. And, technically, it is now meteorological fall.
On the other hand, there are also signs that summer is hanging on.
The traditional Labor Day closure of many local pools has been pushed back by a week or two. Some folks are still on their Labor Day vacations. The NFL regular season has not started yet. Temperatures in the 80s are expected this week. Astronomical fall doesn’t start until Sept. 22. And, typically, ARLnow’s daily readership does not recover from its summer doldrums until the week after Labor Day (this is also true about rush hour traffic, which will get worse next week.)
Given these contrasting signals, we’re wondering whether our readers consider us now to be in the fall season — or if it comes later.
Aside from the week between Christmas and New Year’s, the Friday before Labor Day is one of the quietest days of the year in the D.C. area.
Many are on vacation, but even those still here and working might be, well, checked out for the weekend. On top of that, there’s no school today for Arlington Public Schools and, traditionally, it’s a very slow day for readership on ARLnow.
Do you remember The Arlies?
The Arlies were a community awards program that ARLnow paused after 2021 because — to use the parlance of our time — the vibes were off during the pandemic.
As ARLnow reported last week, some Halloween displays have already started popping up in Arlington stores.
It’s part of a trend that some call “Summerween,” with the spooky season seemingly starting earlier and earlier each year.
More from Axios:
There’s a race to move out holiday merchandise early, aiming to get shoppers ready well in advance and, ideally, pushing them to spend more money.
Halloween is big money for retailers and last year sales were projected to reach $12.2 billion, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual holiday survey.
There’s a lot to like about Halloween, pumpkin patches, Oktoberfest beers and 12-foot skeletons — but is this all just way too early? Or do you welcome the autumnal vibes in August, actually?
Television ratings for the 2024 Paris games are way up compared to the Tokyo Olympics.
The excitement of crowds that were absent during the Covid-delayed Tokyo games probably have something to do with that, as does the time change improvement that sees most major events happening live in the morning and afternoon in the U.S. instead of overnight.
Last week we rounded up the eight airlines applying for new long-haul flights at Reagan National Airport.
Tomorrow is the final day for public feedback to the U.S. Department of Transportation on which airline proposals should receive one of the five new congressionally authorized slots.
What are some of the iconic places, buildings, monuments or businesses that most exemplify “old school Arlington?”
That’s what we were asking ourselves recently as our staff contemplated new designs for the ARLnow Shop. While some things immediately came to mind — see: photos in the gallery — we wanted to open it up to readers to make sure we’re not forgetting something.
