News

The Virginia General Assembly passed every bill in Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s “Affordable Virginia Agenda” before adjourning its 2026 session over the weekend — though lawmakers left Richmond without a budget deal.

The 16-bill package, which Spanberger and Democratic legislative leaders announced in December, targets the cost of housing, healthcare and energy. Arlington Dels. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D) and Patrick Hope (D) each carried legislation in the package.


News

The Arlington County Board has voted to restrict, but not eliminate, the placement of campaign signs and other signage on county medians.

In a 4-1 vote, a majority of Board members said the compromise is a reasonable middle ground that will reduce clutter without severely impacting candidates’ ability to get their messages out.


News

Arlington Transit (ART) bus service is riding a post-Covid bump up in customer satisfaction.

A survey of 2,000 riders conducted on buses late last year found a 92% overall satisfaction rate, according to data presented March 10 to the county’s Transit Advisory Committee.


Announcement

There’s something a little bit magical about picking up a foil for the first time — or drawing back a bow and watching your arrow fly true. It’s why fencing and archery have such a hold on kids and adults alike: real focus, real skill, and a thrill you don’t get from the usual sports lineup.

This fall, Nova Fencing & Archery Club in Bailey’s Crossroads is opening registration for both, with beginner classes for every age starting the week of September 12th. Fencing welcomes ages 7 to 12 and teens and adults 13 and up. Explore Archery, coached by USA Archery certified instructors, welcomes ages 8 to 12 and meets Tuesdays or Saturdays. And for our youngest fencers, ages 4 to 6, ABC’s of Fencing meets on Saturdays. All classes run eight sessions for $195, equipment provided, no experience needed — yes, even for grown-ups who’ve never held a sword or a bow before.


News
Redistricting signs outside of the Bozman building in Courthouse (Flickr pool photo by Alan Kotok)

Another ABC Store Theft — Police are investigating another theft from the Virginia ABC store on N. Quincy Street, with a man stealing alcohol and heading toward the Ballston Metro station, according to The DMV Live. [The DMV Live/X]

Dandelion Inks Geothermal Deal — Arlington-based Dandelion Energy has partnered with Toronto’s Diverso Energy to finance geothermal systems for homebuilders, shifting the roughly $30,000 upfront installation cost to a monthly lease of $10 to $40. “The biggest home volume is in the Southeast, Southwest and Texas,” CEO Dan Yates said. “This gives us an opening to try in those regions.” [WBJ]

Potomac Pipe Back Online — The ruptured Potomac Interceptor sewer line is back in operation after emergency repairs, DC Water said Saturday. The pipe leaked 250 million gallons of raw sewage into the river after rupturing Jan. 19, and additional remediation work could take months. [Associated Press]

Southwest Ditching Dulles — Southwest Airlines will end service at Dulles International Airport on June 4 as part of an ongoing operational overhaul. The airline currently flies from Dulles to Phoenix and Denver and says it will continue “robust” service at BWI/Marshall Airport and Reagan National. [WBJ]

New Legal Notice — Administrative plan available; public hearing May 1, 2026, 6–7:30pm. [Public Notices]

New Legal Notice — Applicant seeks wine/beer on/off-premises license; objections due in 30 days. [Public Notices]

Severe Weather Threat — “DMV gang – here’s what you need to know for MONDAY’s severe weather threat: – ROUND 1 might include a couple supercells w/tornado threat from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. – ROUND 2 is a squall line with widespread straight-line winds (60-75 mph) and a maybe couple embedded spin-up tornadoes.” [Matthew Cappucci/X]

It’s Monday — Showers and strong thunderstorms are likely today, starking mid-morning, with a high near 73 and south winds of 13–18 mph gusting to 38 mph. Temperatures crash tonight, dropping to around 30 after storms end around 2 a.m. [NWS]

Today’s Morning Notes are brought to you by Industrious. ARLnow has been in an Industrious office for years and we love the convenience — you get to focus on your work rather than worrying about brewing your own coffee or keeping the copy machine stocked. Industrious has several Metro-accessible coworking locations in Arlington.

Flickr pool photo by Alan Kotok


Event

We’ve made the reservation. You’re invited.

Spend an evening discovering exceptional wines, live acoustic music, and community at Rosslyn’s newest event: Rosslyn Reserved. Enjoy a tasting experience with a sommelier from Screwtop Wine Bar, savory bites from local Charcuterie business, Graze Craze, and more!


Schools

Arlington Public Schools will dismiss two hours early Monday, due to the risk of severe weather.

The announcement was made just after 7:30 p.m. Sunday, after similar announcements from Fairfax County and Montgomery County schools. FCPS will dismiss even earlier: three hours early.


News

Four airports serving Washington, Baltimore and Richmond halted all flights tonight (Friday) for over an hour because of a strong chemical smell that was impeding air traffic controllers, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The ground stop affected Reagan National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Baltimore-Washington International Airport and Richmond International Airport, FAA Secretary Sean Duffy said. The declaration caused flight delays to soar to roughly two hours across some of the busiest airports in the country.


Around Town

Good Friday 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 13, 2026.

Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.

  1. UPDATED: Portion of National Airport evacuated due to suspicious package (26746 views)
  2. UPDATED: GW Parkway closed for hours after tree falls, killing driver (26447 views)
  3. JUST IN: Candidate attacked outside of library while gathering signatures for County Board run (23906 views)
  4. Five arrested over alleged baseball bat beating and prostitution in Pentagon City (16458 views)
  5. Sprouts Farmers Market plans September opening along Langston Blvd (11366 views)
  6. Staff defend eliminating gymnastics programs as County Board weighs options (6636 views)
  7. Barley Mac closes in Rosslyn after 10 years, citing ‘leasing difficulties’ (5898 views)
  8. Another APS graduate will appear on ‘Jeopardy!’ this week (5621 views)
  9. What a possible $25 D.C. minimum wage could mean for the region’s restaurant industry (4123 views)
  10. Chelsea Market & Deli eyes new spot at former Bob & Edith’s on Langston Blvd (3912 views)
  11. Demolition begins at office building near Columbia Pike, making way for townhomes (3725 views)
  12. Unauthorized vehicles and renovation work add to parking woes at Central Library (3677 views)

📅 Upcoming events

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

Here are the events planned for Sunday:

☀️ Saturday’s forecast

Expect mostly sunny skies with a high around 56 and west winds ranging from 10 to 16 mph, gusting up to 28 mph. Saturday night will be mostly cloudy, with lows near 40. The north wind will be around 5 mph before becoming light and variable. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Success is not just about making money. It’s about making a difference.”
– Kathy Ireland

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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

We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington! 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

Virginia flags will fly at half-staff tomorrow (Saturday) in honor of Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, the ROTC instructor killed in a shooting at Old Dominion University on Thursday that the FBI is investigating as an act of terrorism.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger ordered flags on all state and local buildings lowered from sunrise to sunset on Saturday, citing Shah’s “decades of devoted and selfless service to his community, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the United States of America.”


Announcement

Looking for a fall activity that gets you moving and builds real confidence? EvolveAll Martial Arts and Training Studio is offer free classes for youth and adults during it’s upcoming Intro Week, September 14-19.

EvolveAll, Arlington’s martial arts and fitness community off Columbia Pike, is once again opening its doors for a full week of free trial classes — and youth classes are one of the highlights. Kids ages 5-15 will get to try hands-on martial arts instruction designed to build discipline, focus, and self-defense skills in a supportive, age-appropriate environment.