Opinion | ARLnow.com

The Right Note: Kicking Off the Year, Part 1

Published January 3, 2019 at 4:45PM

On Jan. 2, the County Board held its organizational meeting for 2019 with speeches from each County Board member outlining their priorities for the year. Today, I will focus on the remarks from our current Chairman Christian Dorsey as well as our outgoing Chair Katey Cristol.

Christian Dorsey was elected to take the center seat as chairman for 2019. Early in his remarks, Dorsey did what was expected, set the stage for why a tax rate increase would be necessary, primarily blaming a “depressed” tax base, primarily because of a low commercial vacancy rate.

Progressive Voice: The Arts are Good for the Soul and Good for Business

By Progressive Voice

Published January 3, 2019 at 4:30PM

By James Swindell

One dreary September afternoon, I took the elevator to the top of the recently opened Observation Deck at CEB Tower in Rosslyn. I was surprised to find a well curated experience that highlighted several fascinating stories of our region and showcased a brilliant view of Washington, D.C. As an arts management professional and arts advocate, the views of the Kennedy Center and other national monuments reminded me of the reason why I relocated to this area in the first place: the arts are alive in and around the nation’s capital.

Peter’s Take: Virginia Should Adopt No-Excuse Absentee Voting

By Peter Rousselot

Published January 3, 2019 at 4:15PM

Peter’s Take is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

The 2019 Virginia legislative session begins on Jan. 9.

ARLnow Holiday Weekend Discussion

By Alex Koma

Published December 28, 2018 at 3:45PM

It may be dreary and cold today, but the final weekend of 2018 should prove to be a pretty one.

The forecast is calling for a sunny Saturday and Sunday, with some slightly warmer temperatures than we’ve seen the last few weeks.

The Right Note: Getting Ready for the Speeches

By Mark Kelly

Published December 27, 2018 at 3:15PM

Next week, the County Board will meet for its annual organizational meeting, and it will do so with a new member for the first time since 2016. While the annual tradition of meeting on New Year’s Day seems to be relegated to the past, the tradition of speeches filled with a laundry list of “priorities” is here to stay.

Here are 10 questions the Board should try to answer as they craft their messages to Arlingtonians:

Progressive Voice: Getting a Broader View of the Needs of the Commonwealth

By Progressive Voice

Published December 27, 2018 at 2:45PM

State Senator Janet Howell is running unopposed in the Democratic primary

By State Sen. Janet Howell

Last summer my husband Hunt and I spent 11 days in Southside and Southwest Virginia. We had read The Extremes of Virginia by Augie Wallmeyer and realized we really didn’t know the people, cultures and challenges of those regions very well.

Peter’s Take: The Fiscal Impacts of Development in Arlington

By Peter Rousselot

Published December 27, 2018 at 2:15PM

In a Dec. 17 interview, County Manager Mark Schwartz, when asked about Arlington County government’s projected $20-$35 million FY 2020 budget deficit, stated:

“For the last [several] years, the commercial market has either been flat or going down. If revenue grows less than your expenses, you already have a gap. Now, add on top of that the obligations to Metro, expansion of Medicaid, public safety pay increases, steady funding for affordable housing and you get to $20-$35 million quickly.”

Morning Poll: Should We Cover the City of Falls Church?

By ARLnow.com

Published December 27, 2018 at 10:20AM | Updated December 27, 2018 at 10:45AM

(Updated at 10:45 a.m.) Since its founding in 2010, ARLnow has kept its focus solely on Arlington.

We often explain that should the Washington Monument topple over one night, our story about it — were we to cover it — would likely come with the headline “Arlington’s View of D.C. Changes.” The basic thinking is that we should cover what we do best and link to the rest — on the internet, there’s no need to spend time doing duplicative coverage of other places.

Morning Poll: Should We Publish Articles on Saturdays?

By ARLnow.com

Published December 26, 2018 at 9:30AM

Reporter's notepad (file photo)

This schedule means that readers can check out over the weekend and not have to worry about falling behind on the latest Arlington local news. And it means that our staff can take a couple of well-deserved days off at the end of the week.

That said, we’ve had more local news than ever to report over the past few months, and it has us considering expanding our publishing schedule — specifically, by publishing on Saturday.

ARLnow Holiday Weekend Discussion

By Alex Koma

Published December 21, 2018 at 3:45PM

The weather outside today may be frightful, but temperatures are set to turn positively delightful this weekend.

After a couple oppressively rainy days, the forecast calls for skies to clear and temperatures to rise as Christmas approaches.

The Right Note: 2018 Is Winding Down

By Mark Kelly

Published December 20, 2018 at 4:15PM

Tis the season of reflecting on the year that is almost behind us and looking forward to the year to come.

Here are a few things that caught my eye this week as we are rounding the corner into 2019.

Progressive Voice: Can Embracing Amazon Be Consistent With My Progressive Values?

By Progressive Voice

Published December 20, 2018 at 3:45PM

By Christian Dorsey

Amazon’s embrace of Arlington as one of two sites for its corporate headquarters expansion stands as one of the more significant events in the history of our county. Already, camps have emerged that are unabashedly for or against welcoming the world’s largest online retailer. Yet for many, there are significant questions when assessing whether Amazon in Arlington stands as a positive development.