News

The Falls Church city registrar is advising against using the Postal Service to send mail-in ballots in Virginia’s statewide redistricting referendum.

Especially when it gets close to the April 21 vote, city registrar David Bjerke warned that mailing ballots back to the city’s election office too close to the deadline could result in their invalidation.


Opinion

Whether you’re planning a kitchen remodel, adding a new bathroom, or tackling a whole-house renovation, finding a reliable and skilled contractor is crucial to bringing your vision to life.

Here are the nominees for “Best Home Renovation Firm in Arlington” as part of our ARLnow Readers’ Choice awards.

Did we miss your favorite firm? Write it in!

Voting will close in two weeks.

Voting for Best Race for Runners is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday at 8:30 a.m.

Two weeks ago, we voted on the Best Orthopaedist in Arlington. The results are now official:

  1. Anderson Orthopaedic Clinic
  2. OrthoVirginia
  3. Nirschl Orthopaedic Center

News

Police are looking for a man who robbed a store in Rosslyn and stole an employee’s car.

The robbery happened shortly before 5:30 a.m. on the 1600 block of Wilson Blvd, where there’s a 7-Eleven store next to the H-B Woodlawn Secondary School.


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News

Add military conflict in the Middle East to the list of issues impacting real estate in Arlington.

A new analysis of February sales data warns that “buyers and sellers are moving with extreme caution,” dampening activity in localities including Arlington. The county’s home sales for the month totaled 142, down slightly from 146 in February 2025, according to figures reported by MarketStats by ShowingTime.


News

Legislation to ban the sale of assault-style weapons is among a raft of gun control bills heading to Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) as the Virginia General Assembly session ends tomorrow (Saturday).

Many of the firearm-related bills advanced by the Democrat-controlled General Assembly aren’t new, but faced vetoes from former Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R). They’re expected to fare differently under Spanberger, who has indicated support for legislation such as ghost gun bans, more restrictions on gun access for people convicted of domestic violence crimes, and strengthened red flag laws.


News

Low compliance rates at local parking meters have the Arlington County Civic Federation considering a push for more enforcement.

The proposal to increase enforcement is one of 36 transportation-related recommendations that could be sent to county leaders. The package was introduced at the March 10 federation meeting, with a vote possible as early as next month.


News
Snow falling on a food truck at the corner of Wilson Blvd and N. Randolph Street in Ballston (staff photo)

Record Temperature Plunge — Temperatures plunged more than 50 degrees in 24 hours across the D.C. region, with National Airport dropping from a record high of 86 on Wednesday to 33 with snow by Thursday afternoon. The swing ties the largest 24-hour temperature drop in D.C. history, and the 0.1 inches of snow that fell made it the most improbable snowfall on record at DCA. [CWG/X, Mike Thomas/X, Andrew Markowitz/X]

Area 2 Farms Goes Franchise — Arlington indoor farming startup Area 2 Farms is pursuing franchise deals for a national rollout, with startup costs between $308,000 and $471,000. CEO Oren Falkowitz said demand from real estate firms offering vacant urban space and individuals seeking alternatives to corporate life accelerated the plan. [WBJ]

Bike Lane Blocked Again — “Fear not, even in the snow, the Quincy ‘protected’ bike lane is blocked. Never forget that Arlington DES chose this, and they could choose safety any day.” [Bike Gillian/Bluesky]

Unplug This Weekend — The Arlington Diocese’s Diocesan Days of Unplugging start today and run through Sunday. Bishop Michael F. Burbidge expanded the initiative to three days this year, encouraging Catholics to fast from screens and reconnect with prayer and community. [Catholic Herald]

Passover Dining Options — Arlington Magazine rounded up local spots offering Passover meals and dishes for the holiday, which runs April 1–9. Options include Celebrity Delly in Falls Church, Call Your Mother in McLean and Balducci’s. [Arlington Magazine]

Eaves Fairfax Towers Infill — Arlington-based AvalonBay Communities filed a rezoning application to add 478 multifamily units and 115–140 townhomes around the existing 415-unit tower at 2251 Pimmit Drive in Falls Church. The 17-acre redevelopment would replace surface parking lots and preserve 100 or more affordable units. [WBJ]

‘Don’t Want to Be Rosslyn’ — D.C. mayoral candidate Kenyan McDuffie said he supports relaxing the Height Act “in certain parts of the city” but added, “we certainly don’t want to be Rosslyn.” [Axios]

Senate Passes Housing Bill — “Everywhere I go in Virginia, I hear from working families struggling with the high cost of living,” Sen. Mark Warner (D) said after the Senate passed the bipartisan ROAD to Housing Act. The bill includes more than 40 housing provisions, including Warner’s RESIDE Act to convert vacant buildings into affordable homes. [Press Release]

It’s Friday — Clouds will thicken throughout the day as temperatures reach a high near 54°F and breezy conditions move in. Expect winds to pick up from the south, ranging from 7 to 22 mph and gusting up to 38 mph. For Friday night, skies will clear, leaving a low temperature around 42°F. Southwest winds will blow between 10 and 17 mph, with gusts reaching up to 31 mph. [NWS]


Around Town

Good Thursday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Mar 12, 2026.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Friday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

🌥️ Friday’s forecast

Clouds will thicken throughout the day as temperatures reach a high near 54°F. Expect winds to pick up from the south, ranging from 7 to 22 mph and gusting up to 38 mph. For Friday night, skies will clear, leaving a low temperature around 42°F. Southwest winds will blow between 10 and 17 mph, with gusts reaching up to 31 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.”
– Mark Twain

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.

Thanks for reading! If you have something to say about an issue of local note not covered today, feel free to post it as a letter to the editor on our new forum.


News

To maintain services amid falling commercial real estate values, Arlington may end up reaching even deeper into homeowners’ pockets in the years to come.

At a March 11 forum sponsored by Advance Arlington, County Manager Mark Schwartz warned of even more pressure to raise taxes on homeowners due to a drop in the assessed valuation of commercial properties.