For her years-long effort leading precinct operations, Carol Fontein on has been inducted into the Arlington County Democratic Committee’s “Distinguished Democrat” ranks.
“All these lovely people are here because of you,” former party chair Kip Malinosky told Fontein during the celebration, held at the home of Treasurer Carla de la Pava.
American Airlines intends to fight a recently filed lawsuit over the mid-air crash that killed 67 people near Reagan National Airport earlier this year.
The airline denies allegations that a failure to address known safety issues makes it partly responsible for the incident on Jan. 29. The company told ARLnow that it “has been supporting the families and loved ones” of crash victims and underscored its commitment to traveler safety.
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.
The government likes to release unpopular items on Friday afternoons, and, when the government has something really unpopular to say, the Friday afternoon before a holiday weekend is considered ideal. Last Friday, before the Memorial Day weekend, USCIS published a truly incredible policy reversal – PM 602-0199 (the “May 21 Memo”), which purports to upend the ability of most foreigners to apply for green cards from within the United States. DHS and USCIS’s respective public messaging on the memorandum is clear but wrong. The memorandum was more nuanced, but still, in our view, deeply misleading. The purpose of this advertorial is to explain what happened, why it matters, and offer some predictions about how this unforced error is going to be resolved.
First, here’s what DHS and USCIS said about their own memo.
What do these press releases mean? They mean to highlight the following distinction: some people apply for a green card from inside the United States, at USCIS field offices; others apply for a green card from outside the United States, at U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad. Per both press releases, nearly everyone who applies from inside the U.S. is ineligible to become a lawful permanent resident. Almost everyone who applies for a green card should do so via U.S. Embassies and consulates abroad.
That might seem reasonable, and, ex ante, it could be, if our laws and institutions were set up properly. There are, unfortunately, a few problems with this new policy position, both practical and legal. (more…)
Starbucks is closing two cafes in Ballston this week as part of a $1 billion nationwide restructuring plan to address dropping sales.
Coffeehouses at 4000 Wilson Blvd and in the Ballston Metro station at 901 N. Stuart Street are on the chopping block.
Exciting Full-Court 3×3 Basketball League is BACK!!
DMV 3×3 announces that its 3×3 Youth Basketball Full Court League is returning for a sophomore season!
Metro stations in Rosslyn and Arlington National Cemetery will be closed this weekend, and the Blue Line won’t be operating in much of National Landing.
Free shuttle services will be available during the disruptions on Saturday and Sunday. Blue Line closures will be in effect for Crystal City, Pentagon City and the Pentagon, according to a transit alert.
A collaborative Summer Solstice gathering hosted by Inner Seasons and Spiritual Enhancements.
The Summer Solstice marks the peak of the sun’s power, the moment in the Wheel of the Year when light is at its fullest expression. In many traditions, this is the season of radiance, visibility, and creative fire. It is the time when nature stands unapologetically in her fullness, inviting us to do the same.
A longtime family-owned auto shop in Clarendon will close next month to make way for a redevelopment project.
After 85 years at 3211 10th Street N., Joyce Motors is closing for good on Friday, Oct. 10. The historic auto shop will host a farewell gathering at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11, before shutting down to allow for a new mixed-use apartment building.
In search of a trustworthy, reliable mortgage service to help finance your home? Arlington has plenty of lenders to choose from.
Here are the nominees for “Best Mortgage Lender in Arlington” as part of our ARLnow Readers’ Choice awards.
Did we miss your favorite lender or organization? Write them in!
Voting will close in two weeks.
Voting for the Best Japanese Restaurant in Arlington 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 Hardware Store in Arlington. The results are now official:
Police are looking for a suspect in a serious assault in Crystal City.
It happened around 8 p.m. Wednesday along 23rd Street S., just east of Route 1. Police say the suspect approached the victim, demanded his backpack, and struck him with a glass bottle when he refused. The suspect fled and the victim was hospitalized with serious injuries.
Falls Church officials may take another shot at bringing shared-mobility devices — known to many as e-scooters — into the community next year.
The city’s Environmental Sustainability Council has been briefed on staff plans to bring the proposal to City Council members.
New County Health Director — “Dr. Deidra D. Parrish has been named Arlington County’s Public Health Director in the Department of Human Services (DHS). In this role, Dr. Parrish will provide overall leadership and direction for public health programs and serve as the official health advisor for Arlington County.” [Arlington County]
Cox in Court — “Richard Cox, a registered sex offender accused of exposing himself at an Arlington school, went before a judge Tuesday. During the preliminary hearing, a witness testified about what she saw in a woman’s locker room at Washington Liberty High School.” [WJLA, Nick Minock/X]
AG Files Brief Against APS — “Attorney General Jason Miyares today filed two amicus briefs in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, opposing attempts by Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) and Arlington Public Schools (APS) to block the U.S. Department of Education from enforcing federal protections for women in school bathrooms, locker rooms, and changing areas.” [OAG]
Motorcycle Crash on I-395 — “A motorcyclist… appeared to be trying to get to I-395N Exit 10C from two lanes over. The biker was up and walking around with some of our military stopping to help with the bike.” [Dave Statter/Bluesky]
Fire in Parking Garage — “ACFD is on scene of a fire in a parking garage at 2310 14th Street N., a condo complex in Courthouse. The flames were out upon arrival but firefighters are now working to ventilate smoke from the structure, per scanner.” [ARLnow/Bluesky]
Rosslyn Building on Market — “The 10-story 1530 Wilson Blvd., acquired by Dallas-based private equity real estate manager Velocis in 2020 for $71.4 million, is being marketed by Cushman & Wakefield… the office is 78% leased and… anchored by tech firm SAS, which has its signage on the exterior, with additional tenants including Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin.” [WBJ]
Candidate Grades on LGBTQ+ Issues — “Equality Arlington sent the five candidates running for County Board in the November 2025 General Election a questionnaire with five questions about issues impacting the LGBTQ+ community in Arlington, Virginia. We received responses from all candidates.” [Equality Arlington]
Reminder: Beer and Wine Fest — “The Virginia Beer and Wine Festival is coming to Water Park from 1-5 p.m. on Saturday, September 27. The event will feature live music, lawn games and refreshments from several Virginia-based vendors.” [ARLnow]
FBI Agent Remembered — “The FBI remembers Supervisory Special Agent Steven A. Carr, who died on September 25, 2015, from leukemia connected to his work at the Pentagon’s Navy Annex following the 9/11 attacks.” [FBI WFO/X]
Falls Church Crime Stats — “More serious “Type A” incidents (robberies, assaults, rapes, etc.) under the NIBRS rubric decreased from 551 in 2023 to 513 in 2024, while arrests for Type B incidents (loitering, disorderly conduct, DUI, etc.) remained roughly the same…. While serious property crimes decreased, there was a significant increase in arrests for possession of pornography and obscene materials.” [Falls Church Pulse]
Kaine, Warner Statement on Budget — “Instead of threatening government employees and the American public with even more mass layoffs and federal dysfunction, President Trump should come to the table and negotiate a funding bill that prevents health care premiums from skyrocketing for families and keeps the government operational.” [Press Release]
Pentagon Calls Unusual Meeting — “Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered hundreds of the U.S. military’s generals and admirals to gather on short notice — and without a stated reason — at a Marine Corps base in Virginia next week, sowing confusion and alarm.” [Washington Post]
Soggy End to Clarendon Day? — “We could salvage a dry Saturday morning, or just the chance of a few isolated showers. But once we get past about noon, scattered showers are likely to develop from south to north, and there could be a few thunderstorms. The late afternoon and evening timeframe looks particularly wet.” [CWG]
It’s Friday — Patchy fog will clear up in the morning, followed by mostly sunny skies and a high of around 81 degrees, with northwest wind around 6 mph. On Friday night, expect mostly cloudy conditions and a low temperature near 65 degrees. [NWS]
