Around Town

A fast-casual spot in Crystal City has permanently shut its doors after a decade in business.

Signage appeared last week on the door of the Sweetgreen at 2022 Crystal Drive, announcing the closure. The salad purveyor had occupied the location since February 2016.


Weather

The potential for an inch of accumulating snow during the workday has prompted a Special Weather Statement from the National Weather Service.

The snow could complicate the evening commute, though it’s unclear how much would actually accumulate on roadways.


Sponsored

When a loved one passes away, families often face difficult decisions about funeral arrangements, finances, and the distribution of property. One common question is whether having a will automatically means the estate must go through probate.

Not necessarily. Whether probate is required in Virginia depends largely on how the deceased person’s assets were owned and whether those assets have another method of transferring to heirs or beneficiaries.

Understanding when probate is required—and when it can be avoided—can help families navigate estate administration with greater confidence.

What Is Probate in Virginia?

Probate is the legal process used to administer certain assets belonging to a deceased person, or decedent. In Virginia, probate generally takes place through the circuit court in the city or county where the decedent lived.

When probate is necessary, the court recognizes the will, if there is one, and appoints a personal representative to handle the estate. The personal representative is responsible for identifying and collecting assets, addressing valid debts and taxes, and distributing the remaining property according to the will or Virginia’s intestacy laws.

Importantly, having a will does not automatically mean every asset must pass through probate. A will generally controls probate assets, while certain property passes directly to another person through ownership arrangements or beneficiary designations.

When Is Probate Required?

Probate is generally necessary when someone dies owning assets in their individual name that do not have another method of transferring ownership.

Examples can include:

  • Real estate owned solely by the decedent
  • Bank accounts without joint ownership or beneficiary designations
  • Vehicles, jewelry, collections, or other personal property owned individually

In these situations, probate may be necessary to give the personal representative authority to transfer or distribute the property.

When Is Probate Not Required?

Some assets can transfer automatically after death and therefore may not need to pass through probate.

Jointly owned property: Assets held jointly with rights of survivorship generally pass to the surviving owner.

Beneficiary-designated accounts: Life insurance policies, retirement accounts, and certain bank accounts can pass directly to the beneficiaries named on the account.

Revocable living trusts: Assets properly transferred into a revocable living trust generally avoid probate because the trust owns the property rather than the deceased individual.

Virginia also provides a simplified option for certain small estates. Under Va. Code § 64.2-601, qualifying personal property valued at $75,000 or less may be transferred using a small estate affidavit rather than a full probate proceeding, provided the statutory requirements are satisfied.

This simplified procedure applies to qualifying personal property, not real estate, and can be particularly useful when an estate consists of modest assets such as a bank account or vehicle.

What Happens When Probate Is Required?

When probate is necessary, the personal representative must complete several steps before the estate can be closed. These typically include identifying and valuing estate assets, filing the required inventory, addressing creditor claims and taxes, and distributing assets to beneficiaries.

Virginia also imposes deadlines for certain estate filings. The inventory generally must be filed within four months after qualification, while the first accounting is generally due within 16 months.

(more…)


News

An Arlington County Board candidate is threatening legal action if the county government places new limits on people’s ability to put campaign signs in public medians.

“I guarantee you that if they try to pass legislation to ban median signs, I will file a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the law as a violation of my First Amendment rights,” James DeVita told ARLnow. “I will also seek an injunction to prevent any such law from going into effect.”


Around Town

Yorktown High School graduate Quentin Powers is appearing on “Jeopardy!” tomorrow (Tuesday) following his return from U.S. Peace Corps service abroad.

Powers, 25, will be one of three contestants on the episode airing at 7:30 p.m. on WJLA-TV. The 2018 Yorktown graduate said he auditioned for the game show while serving in the Peace Corps in East Timor, an island nation located in southeast Asia.


Event

National Chamber Ensemble's 20th Anniversary Season opens with an evening of Romantic masterworks by Schubert, Mendelssohn and Brahms. Acclaimed soprano Karin Paludan joins National Chamber Ensemble musicians for a program celebrating the beauty, passion, and elegance of the Romantic era.

Featuring chamber music and vocal selections by three of classical music's most beloved composers. The concert features "Shepherd on a Rock", Schubert's spellbinding opera-like song, Mendelssohn's glorious Piano Trio in D minor and Brahms dramatic Piano Quartet in G minor. Join us for an inspiring evening of exceptional artistry as we begin our milestone 20th season.


Around Town

Signature Theatre earned more Helen Hayes Award nominations than any other theater company in the Washington region this year.

The Shirlington-based theater received 28 nominations across five productions, leading all 38 theaters recognized by Theatre Washington for the 42nd annual Helen Hayes Awards, announced last Monday (Feb. 23). Its most-nominated production was “The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical” with eight nominations, followed by “Play On!” with seven and “Fiddler on the Roof” with six.


News
An icy halo around the moon early Monday morning (staff photo)

Another Wardian Wow — “Fresh off setting a seven-continent 50K record, 51-year-old Michael Wardian has reportedly run the fastest known time for the double Arlington trail loop.” [ARLnow/X]

Potomac Bacteria Levels Dropping — “D.C.’s Health Director Ayanna Bennett said regular bacteria testing shows levels are dropping and in the District section of the river restrictions will be relaxed so boaters, rowers and others can go back onto the water. “In the D.C. waters we consider it safe for you to have contact with the Potomac and that advisory will be announced as lifted on March 2,” she told the audience.” [WTOP, WJLA]

Acquisition for Legal Startup — “Arlington startup BriefCatch has completed its first acquisition, securing patents for writing and editing tools tailored to the legal field. BriefCatch founder and CEO Ross Guberman declined to share the price the company paid for the Seattle area’s WordRake LLC. He indicated the deal could be a precursor to other acquisitions as part of the company’s strategy to build “a one-stop legal writing platform” for its law firm customers.” [WBJ]

Crash on Camera — “A red-light running, hit and run just before midnight on S. George Mason at S. Columbus. The pickup appears to have hit a pole after the intersection collision. It was found abandoned a few minutes later at a nearby apartment complex by @ArlingtonVaPD.” [Dave Statter/X]

Budget Sessions Start Tomorrow — “The public is invited to attend any of the Budget work sessions, either in person or via the county’s livestream. The public will also have the opportunity to provide testimony at the Budget (3/24) and Tax Rate (3/26) Public Hearings. ” [Arlington County]

Blood Drive Today — “An emergency community blood drive is scheduled for Monday, March 2, in Arlington. The drive aims to address a sharp reduction in the blood supply caused by widespread winter storm cancellations across the Washington region… Fire Works American Pizzeria & Bar, located at 2350 Clarendon Blvd. near the Courthouse Metro station, will host the event. The blood drive will run from 12 to 4 p.m.” [Patch]

Rehab Services at Culpepper Garden — “Culpepper Garden, the largest low-income retirement community in the National Capital Region… announced that it has selected Goodwin Rehabilitation to establish a therapy and exercise program on-site at its Arlington, VA, retirement community.” [Goodwin Living]

Coldest Winter in Awhile — “The data is in. Washington, D.C. just had its coldest meteorological winter in 23 years. However, with only 9.6” of snow, it was not a snowy one. Impressive temperatures for a massive urban heat island!” [Chris Martz/X]

Winter Weather Update — “Some freezing rain is looking increasingly likely early Tuesday morning across areas along & west of the I-95 Corridor. Any ice accumulation looks to be minimal. However it could lead to slick spots on elevated surface like bridges and overpasses.” [WWG/X, CWG/X]

New Legal Notice — Restaurant seeks ABC license for on/off-premises wine, beer, mixed beverages. [Public Notices]

It’s Monday — Snow may fall starting from 1pm with a high near 36, and 50% chance of precipitation. A cloudy day is expected with northeast winds of 6 mph, shifting southeast in the afternoon. Monday night, snow could turn into rain or freezing rain between 1am and 4am, and continue past 4am with a low around 30 and 80% chance of precipitation. Accumulations of ice and snow are expected to be minimal. [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.


News

A 25-year-old Arlington woman has been arrested and charged with felony hit and run in connection with an early-morning crash on Route 50 that left a pedestrian critically injured.

Valeria Galdo Camacho turned herself in to police at the Magistrate’s Office at approximately 11 a.m. today (Sunday), the Arlington County Police Department said in a press release.


News

Update on 3/1/26 — The striking driver has been arrested, Arlington County police announced Sunday evening. The victim remains in critical condition.

Earlier: The westbound lanes of Route 50 are closed after a reported hit and run.


News

Arlington’s congressman and both of Virginia’s U.S. senators condemned today’s military strikes on Iran, calling the attack unconstitutional and demanding that Congress reconvene.

The U.S. and Israel launched a major attack on Iran overnight, with strikes hitting areas across the country including around the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran. President Donald Trump, in a video announcing “major combat operations,” called on Iranians to “seize control of your destiny” by rising up against their government.