News

A day after a carjacking was reported in the Buckingham neighborhood near Ballston, another was reported this morning in the Lyon Village area, north of Clarendon.

This time two — rather than three — suspects took a man’s car along Langston Blvd after he checked to see if the suspects, who were in an idling vehicle nearby, needed assistance. The carjacking happened around 5 a.m., around the same time of day as Wednesday’s carjacking.


Sponsored

Many people who look into estate planning ask, “What is the difference between wills and trusts?” While both wills and trusts deal with estate planning, they serve different purposes. In this post, the legal team of PJI Law, PLC, estate planning lawyers from Fairfax, VA, outlines the key principles of wills, trusts, and their role in asset protection.

Wills and Trusts in a Nutshell

Here are the basic features of wills and trusts:

A Will

  • Only comes into effect once the will-maker is deceased
  • States who will receive the decedent’s assets
  • Appoints an executor to carry out the decedent’s wishes
  • Is potentially contestable and must go through probate, a legal examination by the court

A Trust

  • Can take effect immediately after its creation
  • Allows a person or an institution (a “trustee”) to hold assets for beneficiaries
  • Can distribute property before or after the trustor’s passing
  • Can be irrevocable or revocable/changeable
  • Assets in trust generally avoid probate

While we recommend that everyone have at least a will (whether or not you also have a trust), trusts aren’t strictly necessary for all individuals. Trusts are particularly helpful for individuals who have assets that are potentially going through probate, own property across several states, or have minor children.

Wills: the Basics of Estate Planning

A will, also known as a last will and testament, is a legal document specifying how the will-maker wishes to handle asset distribution and other affairs after their death. A will typically includes all of the principal’s assets, such as real estate, vehicles, and other property, and usually a list of debts. A will may also provide directions for a funeral or memorial service.

Usually, every will must go through a probate court before execution. In some states, it may be possible to avoid probate under specific conditions. Certain assets, such as insurance policies and retirement accounts, may, if planned properly, pass directly to named beneficiaries without probate. (more…)


Around Town

The new Chipotle in Clarendon is planning on opening in about two weeks.

The Mexican fast casual chain is aiming to open its new location at 3017 Clarendon Blvd on Thursday, April 21, a Chipotle spokesperson confirmed to ARLnow. It will be open from 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. This is Chipotle’s sixth Arlington location, joining existing outposts in Ballston, Crystal City, Columbia Pike, Pentagon City, and at the Lee Heights Shops.


Announcement

✨You’re invited to one of the most exclusive evenings Washington D.C. has ever seen, a night where the Embassy of France transforms into the heart of Paris. Midnight in Paris blends French elegance, world-class gastronomy, and unforgettable energy without ever leaving D.C.

An experience designed for those who appreciate the finer things in life.


News

The Long Bridge Aquatics and Fitness Center closed early yesterday (Thursday) due to an electrical emergency.

“At approximately noon on Thursday, the incoming voltage to the building began spiking beyond what was safe for our equipment,” Arlington Department of Parks and Recreation spokeswoman Susan Kalish tells ARLnow.


Event

Join Jadin O’Brien, Olympic athlete, 3x NCAA pentathlon champion and 10x All-American (heptathlon) winner for this in-person and virtual 5K. This event is sponsored by The Alex Manfull Fund to raise awareness and advance research on debilitating infection-associated neuroimmune disorders (including PANS and PANDAS) that affect young people. The 5K is part of the organization’s 36 Hours for PANS and PANDAS Advocacy in Motion event. Runners will receive a Finisher’s Medal, Technical (Drifit) Event Shirt and A Chip Timed Event. The event commemorates the life of Alex Manfull, who died at age 26 due to PANDAS. Susan and William Manfull established the Fund in their daughter’s name with the vision that no life ever again be cut short—or interrupted—by these illnesses. Learn more at TheAlexManfullFund.org.


News

Two Local Spots on Best Bagel List — Arlington’s homegrown Brooklyn Bagel has ranked No. 4 on a list of the D.C. area’s best bagels, while Bethesda Bagel, which has an outpost in Rosslyn, ranked No. 1. [Washingtonian]

Dems Set School Board Caucus Rules — “The 2022 Arlington County Democratic Committee School Board caucus will be an in-person-only affair with the controversial party-loyalty oath retained, based on rules adopted by the party’s rank-and-file on April 6. Democrats will select their School Board endorsee during four days of voting in June, using the instant-runoff format that has been a familiar feature of Democratic caucuses in recent years.” [Sun Gazette]


News

George Mason University has ceremonially broke ground on the quarter of a billion dollar expansion of its Arlington campus.

At an event held yesterday (Wednesday), ceremonial shovels picked up ceremonial dirt to mark the beginning of construction of Fuse at Mason Square, a new $235 million building in Virginia Square that will house the university’s new School of Computing.


Around Town

A number of Arlington restaurants were served good news yesterday when the finalists for 2022 RAMMY Awards were announced.

Northside Social, Queen Mother’s, Bayou Bakery, and Ruthie’s All-Day were among the finalists for various awards celebrating the D.C. region’s restaurants over the last year. Stellina Pizzeria and the restaurateurs behind CHIKO, both with Shirlington outposts, as well as Mark Bucher of Medium Rare (which has a Virginia Square location) were also named award finalists.


News

A four-story apartment building proposed for Green Valley is wending its way through Arlington County review processes.

The project would redevelop a gravel and asphalt parking lot at 2608 Shirlington Road with 27 market-rate units and three affordable ones atop ground-floor retail and a 38-space parking garage built into the hillside. Tenants will have access to a rooftop deck and pool.