The County Board appears to be listening to what locals had to say about the five finalists for the new Arlington County logo.
During the County Board’s recessed meeting yesterday (Tuesday), Board members directed County Manager Mark Schwartz to arrange more opportunities to submit logo ideas, while considering rejected designs.
Locals are going to have a new spot to cool off this summer.
A new 935-square-foot ice cream parlor is opening at Westpost, formerly known as Pentagon Row. It’s expected to open in a former restaurant space at 1201 S. Joyce Street “in late summer,” says a press release from Federal Realty Investment Trust, owner of the retail plaza.
This sponsored column is by Law Office of James Montana PLLC. All questions about it should be directed to James Montana, Esq., Janice Chen, Esq., and Victoria Khaydar, Esq., practicing attorneys at The Law Office of James Montana PLLC, an immigration-focused law firm located in Falls Church, Virginia. The legal information given here is general in nature. If you want legal advice, contact us for an appointment.
“Kremlin political intrigues are comparable to a bulldog fight under a rug. An outsider only hears the growling, and when he sees the bones fly out from beneath it is obvious who won.” – Winston Churchill.
The Trump Administration, in both its first and second iterations, has not lived up to that Churchill quotation, not least because its principals are so paranoid and unprofessional that they usually air their grievances in public. Sometimes, when facing unfriendly questioning before Congress, a leading Administration official bangs the table about how the Dow Jones Industrial Average has broken 50,000; sometimes, when a bottle of bourbon goes missing, a leading Administration official threatens to polygraph and prosecute FBI agents. This is not, as a general rule, a thin-lipped bunch of Silent Cals.
The Department of Homeland Security has been an honorable exception to that general rule; its personnel have been, at least by Trump Administration standards, fairly disciplined about airing their grievances in public. That’s where the Kremlinology comes in. The latest intel suggests that a real behind-the-curtain fight is happening between two factions at DHS – one, personified by policy majordomo Stephen Miller, and the other, by bureaucratic knife-fighter (and Cava enjoyer) Tom Homan. The Homanites appear to be winning. The purpose of this advertorial is tell you why we think that is true, and provide a bit of speculation about why.
First, why do we think it is true? Not every resignation means a change in policy; sometimes, when the chief of the Border Patrol resigns after widespread accusations that he flew to Thailand, Colombia, and Mexico to avail himself of the services of prostitutes, it’s just an HR thing. But some reshuffles are more significant, and we think the following four suggest a new policy direction.
(1) Kristi Noem is out, and Markwayne Mullin is in. Secretary Noem performed her duties in vapid, vigorous, indecent, indecorous style, and she consistently personified the most outré and bizarre actions by the immigration enforcement bureaucracy, from calling protesters ‘domestic terrorists’ to LARPing as a HSI agent during raids. Former Sen. Mullin has taken a different public tack. Secretary Mullin – echoing public comments from Tom Homan – has repeated in interviews that DHS is targeting “the worst of the worst” rather than engaging in broad sweeps, and has said that the Minnesota operation, which led to the deaths of several American citizens, will not occur again. ” Secretary Mullin recently remarked, “[m]y goal in six months is that we’re not in the lead story every single day.” We don’t think you’ll see him posing at CECOT in a Rolex. (more…)
A new steakhouse with an inspiring backstory is coming to Rosslyn.
Guerra Steakhouse is set to open this summer at 1725 Wilson Blvd, the former home to Ben’s Chili Bowl, which closed last year. The menu is still in the works, but is likely to include a variety of steak cuts, burgers and sides, in addition to seafood, soups, salads and vegetarian dishes.
Mental health shapes how we lead, love, work, parent, communicate, and show up in the world—yet too often, these conversations stay hidden.
This Mental Health Awareness Month, join local nonprofit Rock Recovery for Strength Not Stigma—an unforgettable evening of honest conversation, community, and impact.
A blank canvas awaits artists next to a busy Metro entrance.
The National Landing Business Improvement District is looking for designs for a Crystal City Metro station project: creating a mural on a blank retaining wall to greet travelers.
Join us in remembrance and celebrate our community at the City of Falls Church’s 44th Annual Memorial Day Parade and Festival on Monday, May 25, 2026. Honor our nation’s fallen heroes and our country’s rich history while marking the 250th anniversary of the United States of America!
Monday, May 25, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Redevelopment Proposal Near Rosslyn — “The Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) is moving forward with a proposal it previewed to redevelop part of the Marbella Apartments. APAH has filed a zoning application to replace 72 units across a pair of low-rise apartment buildings at 1300 and 1305 N. Pierce Street (map) with two 12-story buildings, delivering a total of 561 affordable units.” [UrbanTurf]
Vision Zero Plan Approved — “Arlington County Board approved a five-year Vision Zero action plan over the weekend, joining other jurisdictions throughout the region that are trying to curb traffic fatalities. The county’s goal is to reach zero traffic-related deaths and serious injuries by 2030. Currently, Arlington has about four traffic fatalities per year and about 55 severe crashes.” [GGWash, Sun Gazette]
Arlington Public Schools is apologizing for how it handled the news that it would have to restrict summer school eligibility.
At first, the school system expanded summer school eligibility to students with disabilities, English learners, and those struggling to achieve passing grades. That was until it turned out that there are not enough teachers to support them.
Last Monday, APS told parents and teachers that "despite having offered financial incentives to teachers to teach summer school, there are fewer applicants than the number of students who are eligible for summer instruction at the elementary level, making it impossible for APS to offer summer strengthening support to all eligible elementary students."
Teachers and parents decried the news, which dropped last Monday. Teachers said it sounded like they were being blamed for the reduction in eligible students. Arlington Parents for Education, a group that has pressed for a faster reopening, said APS "pulled the rug out" from under parents banking on summer school to help their kids recover from learning loss.
Bridget Loft, the assistant superintendent for teaching and learning, apologized for the first sentence of her communication during a town hall on summer school last night (Monday). The sentence was also removed from the original announcement.
"It was poorly worded and did not accurately represent the fact that our teachers have worked tirelessly to support our students throughout this school year," she said.
One teacher who spoke with ARLnow said a similar retraction was sent to teachers but noted that the apology was not shared with the larger community.
"In a time when every teacher is truly learning how to do something new daily, it was seen as if teachers were thrown under the bus," the teacher said.
APS offered a $1,000 bonus for certified teachers and a $500 bonus for support staff to attract more personnel to participate in the summer program. But after a challenging year, that incentive did not produce the response APS was hoping for.
"I did not hear from a single teacher who said that the $1,000 was enough to sway those who were uninterested in summer school off the sidelines," the teacher said. "For those who were going to do it anyway, it was a nice perk."
This is a phenomenon happening across the nation. Education Week reports that throughout the U.S., school districts face staffing shortages because teachers have worked nonstop during the pandemic and need a break.
"Summer school staffing always seems like challenge and the pandemic makes it much worse," the APS teacher said. "The best word to describe most teachers is 'done' for this year. Most want to start fresh in the fall."
Loft repeated those sentiments during the town hall.
"Most of our teachers have given their all," she said. "I would be loath to say it's burnout: They are human they need time to rest and recharge."
More than 5,000 elementary-level students were identified as potentially eligible for summer school this year, but APS only has enough staff to enroll some 1,900 students, Loft said. Now, the school system is drumming up supplemental materials and at-home lessons for about 3,000 previously identified students.
In a normal year, between 2,000 and 2,500 elementary-age students are identified for summer school.
APS has hired 175 summer school teachers for the elementary level and is still hashing out eligibility and staffing at the middle and high school levels, staff said.
So what will summer school actually look like?
The elementary students who are still eligible will be in-person or online five days a week, for four hours a day, during the month of July. They include rising kindergarteners in APS's Pre-K program, certain students with disabilities, English-language learning students, and those with the lowest levels of English proficiency.
The rest will have access to self-guided lessons taught by state-certified teachers and supplemental programs through their electronic devices, Loft said.
As for the middle and high school level, Director of Secondary Education Tyrone Byrd projects having enough staff.
"Right now, we're envisioning we'll be able to support students who sign up," he said.
Image via Arlington Public Schools
The Right Note is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.
The rotating writers of the Progressive Voice often make some interesting claims.
A fire station project in Arlington is getting an additional $2.88 million to add environmental-friendly upgrades and more.
The County Board approved the budget increase Saturday, bringing the total project cost — including contingencies — to $27.92 million. It covers the new Fire Station No. 8 at 4845 Lee Highway, in the Hall’s Hill area, and a temporary facility to allow firefighting operations to continue during construction.
(Updated on 10/21/21) Construction on the final phase of a long-awaited residential redevelopment in Clarendon could begin in the fall if the county approves new changes from the developer.
Five-and-a-half years ago, the Arlington County Board approved a three-building mixed-use development called Clarendon West from Arlington-based developer Shooshan Company. It will replace the old Red Top Cab headquarters and dispatch center, and two small commercial buildings.
This year’s Very Godly VBS, inspired by The Titan’s Curse, invites children into the world of Camp Half-Blood to explore faith, courage, belonging, and community through storytelling, music, crafts, games, science, and reflection in a fun and welcoming environment for all.
Location: The Falls Church
