Eden Center's entrance in April 2025 (staff photo by Katie Taranto)
Some of the city of Falls Church’s budget surplus could fund outreach to Vietnamese-American communities and celebrations of the United States’ 250th birthday.
An additional $35,000 would extend a current pilot outreach program by another six months, while $50,000 would fund patriotic events and activities next year and $12,600 would support pay raises for the city’s Planning Commission.
Autumn canopy in Clarendon (courtesy George Brazier)
Arlington Woman Wins MCM — “In the journey to the Olympic Trials, Tessa Barrett wins the women’s race in the Marine Corps Marathon. News4’s Tommy McFly talks to her about her Olympic goals.” [NBC 4/YouTube]
Marathon Recap — “Despite the government shutdown, more than 40,000 runners participated Sunday in the 50th Marine Corps Marathon. In the men’s division, Kyle King won with a time of 2:18:51. In the women’s division, Tessa Barrett won with a time of 2:34:11.” [Stars and Stripes]
Ukrainian Troops Run MCM — “A group of active-duty members of the Ukrainian armed forces crossed the finish line Sunday at the 50th Marine Corps Marathon. Another of their brothers in arms was supposed to be with them, but he recently died in combat.” [Stars and Stripes]
Arlington Stands Out in Chart — “CHART OF THE DAY: In 2020, 65.7% of Virginia voters overwhelmingly voted to codify nonpartisan redistricting in our Constitution. The popular amendment won a majority vote in every Virginia locality but one.” [Gov. Glenn Youngkin/X]
Bird Removal at DCA — “If you’ve ever reached out to us about birds in the Terminal, THIS IS FOR YOU! Travelers may notice equipment and personnel related to humane bird removal in Terminal 1 over the next two days. Once humanely captured, the birds will be released at a safe outdoor location.” [Reagan Airport/X]
Local Co. Benefits from Bill — “Geothermal heating and cooling systems are getting a fresh look from some homebuilders after Arlington-based Dandelion Energy rolled out a new program Wednesday aimed at making the long-term cost-saving technology more accessible. CEO Dan Yates said the new leasing program — enabled by provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4 — has already drawn several homebuilders in Maryland.” [WBJ]
New Whole Foods Store Open — “On Thursday, the Amazon-owned chain expanded its Whole Foods Market Daily Shop concept with the first location outside New York City. The store is located across the Potomac River from Washington, DC, in Arlington, Virginia — right around the corner from Amazon’s HQ2. At about 10,000 square feet, this Daily Shop location is about a quarter of the size of a normal Whole Foods store. And, as the name implies, Amazon’s goal isn’t really to offer the store’s patrons everything they might need for their weekly grocery haul.” [Business Insider]
It’s Monday — Expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 60 degrees and a northeast wind between 6 and 9 mph. Monday night will be partly cloudy, with temperatures dropping to around 43 degrees and a northeast wind at 6 to 8 mph. [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.
Welcome to Kami’s Korner where we’ll take a deep dive into Arlington’s condominium market by focusing on what’s coming next. From emerging developments to shifting trends, this space will spotlight the opportunities and insights shaping the future of condo living in Arlington.
Many of you have asked about best practices when it comes to buying a new condominium. Some of us only want new and are willing to pay a premium for the best in current design. There are several recommendations and insights here that will help you get what you want.
First decide what type of condominium you need… size, number of bedrooms, bathrooms, parking needs, or separate office, followed by a list of wants such as level of building service, amenities on-site, space for dining for six, balcony, open floor plan, and natural light. (Here she goes again.) Not to be sexist about it, but females generally are better shoppers and come with a preconceived set of non-negotiables.
Identify the areas you would consider living, such as Arlington or Old Town… but not wanting to go as far as Tysons, Reston, or DC. People don’t buy condominiums in places they aren’t familiar with or already spend time in, unless relocating entirely. Many upcoming communities put up signage and a website first which makes early interest hyperlocal. Register as a VIP on the website early and you will get regular communication, time to consider the offering, and learn when pre-sale will begin.
Once open, come early in pre-sale. You’ll get the pick of the litter. This is particularly important if you want something larger and are interested in the best views. Prospects are smart and pick the best floorplans first. If you have some idea of your ideal size and price point it makes good use of everyone’s time. Once you make a selection, expect to leave a 10% deposit as this is pretty standard in the industry. The developer generally has their own contract and it’s written much in their favor but not unreasonably so. Pricing this early is usually not negotiable… the price is the price. But you can purchase with some confidence since all buyers are getting the same terms and the developer has a shared interest in protecting values through delivery while sales are ongoing.
You do not need to be fully qualified for financing to come out and look but it’s wise to have some idea of what you can afford. Most builders give incentives for paying cash or using their title company and lenders. Often your contract might even offer a short financing contingency in exchange for considering them.
Once firmly under contract, a buyer might have 12- 18 months to prepare for the move. How blissful. This is one of the best parts of buying early in pre-sale. Moving is daunting, especially if you have been in your current homes for 30 years and the thought of moving seems excruciating. Decide what to take, sell/donate, and hire a proper interior designer to space plan and create a unique home that reflects your tastes. All with the time to do it properly.
Something to note. Finishes have gotten more high end, brands carry weight, and there is less customization offered these days. Gone are the days of going to a design center. If you know you are getting a Sub Zero refrigerator included you probably won’t ask if there are other options available. (more…)
People attend the Southwest Virginia Pride's annual festival Oct. 11, 2025, in Salem, Va. (AP Photo/Olivia Diaz)
SALEM, Va. (AP) — René Harvey and her wife arrived at a Roanoke Valley pride celebration in October carrying deep-seated worries about all that could go wrong.
The couple had been to the region’s annual pride festival before, but this year felt different. Harvey keeps up with the news, and the headlines describing political violence and LGBTQ+ hate linger with her. She’s been following Virginia’s statewide elections, including a race for governor that has heavily focused on trans youth.
Wakefield's Andrew Mason catches a long pass against Marshall (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)
The most recent defeat for the Wakefield Warriors during the squad’s ongoing four-game losing streak was probably the most disappointing for the high-school football team.
The 21-7 setback at home to the Marshall Statesmen came Friday night (Oct. 24) in a Liberty District home game. Marshall (4-4, 1-3) had the worst record of the four teams during the losing stretch, and entered the game tied for last in the league with Wakefield.
Join the Pentagon MMA Kick-a-thon Fundraiser and Fight for a Cause! 🥊
Get ready to kick with purpose! Pentagon MMA is proud to once again host our Kick-a-thon Fundraiser in support of the incredible work of the Arlington Free Clinic.
Expect increasing clouds and a high near 59 with a northwest wind around 6 mph. Saturday night will be mostly cloudy and have a low around 42, accompanied by calm wind. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans.” – John Lennon
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. 👋
Vendor and customer at Green Valley farmers market (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)
Organizers are considering future changes to the Green Valley farmers market after safety concerns brought an early end to the market’s first season.
Portia Clark, founder of the Community Association of Resources, Education, Enrichment & Economics (CARE), said that her nonprofit is considering alterations to the location, day of the week and time of the farmers market, which operated on Friday afternoons this year at John M. Robinson Jr. Town Square.
Read Early and Daily (R.E.A.D.) was represented at the health fair (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)
A free community health fair focused primarily on Arlington’s immigrant communities brought numerous families to Carlin Springs Elementary School last weekend.
Health screenings, bicycle giveaways and information on county-government and nonprofit services were all part of the event, jointly sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Arlington and VHC Health’s Professional Development Council.