Construction is continuing at full tilt at Arlington Career Center’s new home, with a planned opening date at the start of the 2026-27 school year.
The forthcoming Grace Hopper Center, located adjacent to the existing Career Center building at 816 S. Walter Reed Drive, has been rapidly taking shape since the project broke ground in May 2024.
A local Scout has redesigned the room where chemotherapy patients try on wigs at Virginia Hospital Center, seeking to create a more comfortable and welcoming space.
Seeking to honor one of her past teachers, who was diagnosed with breast cancer, 16-year-old Alia Abbud revamped the room in The Reva and Sid Dewberry Cancer Resource Center where patients go to try on wigs and head coverings.
This regularly scheduled column is written by Eli Tucker, Arlington-based Realtor and Arlington resident. If you would like to work with Eli and his team in Northern Virginia and the greater D.C. Metro area, you can reach him directly at [email protected].
Question: How common is it for a home sale to fall through once it’s under contract?
Answer: According to a recent study, 70% of sellers fear that buyers will back out of the deal before it closes. How often do real estate transactions actually fall apart?
Arlington, Northern VA Buyers Are Committed
Since 2019, less than 10% of real estate contracts fell through in Arlington, compared to 26.3% in Prince George’s County.
Just 11.4% of Northern VA real estate contracts didn’t make it to closing, as opposed to 13.8% in Montgomery County MD and 15.2% in Washington DC.
Spring Buyers Are More Committed
Homes that go under contract during the spring market are more likely to close than those that sell later in the year.
In Northern VA, just 9.6% of homes that go under contract in April fall through, but December contracts fall through 12.8% of the time; 12% more than average.
This pattern of fall-through rates follows a similar pattern of best and worst times to go to market for sellers. February through May often produce the best results for sellers in speed and price metrics, it also gives sellers the best chance at getting to the closing table.
Seasonal fall-through rates across the entire DMV market follow a similar trend as Northern VA, but the average fall-through rate increases 4-5% when you include DC and Maryland suburbs. (more…)
Tesla Cybertruck Vandalized — “What began as a festive Fourth of July celebration on the water at the Columbia Island Marina ended in shock for Michael Sobhi. By the morning, his 2021 Tesla Cybertruck had been vandalized. When he went to the parking lot the next day, he noticed both side view mirrors had been ripped off his vehicle, and a note had been left behind that read: ‘How do you live with yourself and your small penis?'” [WTOP]
TV Broadcast in Pentagon City — “Your FOX 5 favorites will be at National Landing in Arlington, Virginia Friday morning! Join in on the fun at 1330 S Fair Street Arlington, VA 22202.” [Fox 5]
County Has New CTO — “Holly Hartell has been selected as Arlington County’s new Chief Information Officer and Director of the Department of Technology Services (DTS), County Manager Mark Schwartz announced this week. She will begin in the permanent role on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, after being appointed as acting director of DTS in January 2025.” [Arlington County]
Local Restaurant Struggles — “At a recent lunch hour, the long-time manager of a highly regarded, somewhat upscale restaurant in downtown Falls Church turned and looked to the barren tables and empty chairs in the well-appointed room. There was not a single other person there to eat. “Where is everybody?” she asked, exasperated. Sadly, this is an increasingly common scenario.” [FCNP]
Va. Sens. Blast Solar Cut — “As Virginians continue to struggle to pay their rising electricity bills, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) are pushing back against the Trump administration’s plans to terminate a program designed to lower energy costs and support the deployment of affordable solar power to communities hardest hit by skyrocketing costs.” [Press Release]
It’s Friday — Expect mostly sunny skies with temperatures reaching about 83°F, accompanied by a gentle northeast breeze at 6 to 8 mph. As night falls, the skies will remain mostly clear, with the temperature dropping to around 64°F. [NWS]
Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick
The Rosslyn Farmers Market brings fresh, locally grown food to the heart of the neighborhood on Wednesdays from 2-6 p.m. beginning on May 6. Located at Central Place Plaza (1800 N Lynn St) and operated in partnership with FRESHFARM, this thoughtfully curated mid-week market connects the community with regional farmers and food producers offering seasonal produce, baked goods, ready-to-eat items, and other local essentials.
Just steps from the Rosslyn Metro station, the market is a convenient destination for Arlington residents, commuters, and visitors searching for a farmers market near Washington, D.C. From farm-fresh vegetables to artisanal breads, the Rosslyn Farmers Market makes it easy to restock your pantry or fridge with dinner-ready staples right in the middle of the workweek.
Good Thursday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Aug 7, 2025.
Here is what’s going on Friday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Expect mostly sunny skies with temperatures reaching about 83°F, accompanied by a gentle northeast breeze at 6 to 8 mph. As night falls, the skies will remain mostly clear, with the temperature dropping to around 64°F and an east wind blowing at 3 to 7 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
“Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.”
– Albert Einstein
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
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Complaints of incomplete and missed trash collections have hounded Arlington’s new solid waste contractor in its first few days of service.
Bates Trucking and Trash Removal, which replaces longtime county contractor American Disposal Services, began collecting trash, recycling and organics from Arlington single-family homes this month.
By KONSTANTIN TOROPIN Associated Press
ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Restoring a memorial to the Confederacy that was removed from Arlington National Cemetery at the recommendation of Congress will cost roughly $10 million total, a U.S. Army official said Wednesday — the latest development in a Trump administration effort to combat what it calls “erasing American history.”
If there’s one thing Zach Cregger learned while writing and directing his upcoming horror movie “Weapons,” it’s that the best laughs won’t come from the jokes he writes.
The film follows Cregger’s 2022 solo directorial debut “Barbarians,” the widely celebrated genre-bending horror. This time, the young director bends even more, spinning a town into chaos when all children but one from the same classroom mysteriously vanish, leaving a trail of questions in their place.
At ARLnow, we believe that strong local journalism is essential to a thriving community. Our mission is simple but vital: keep you informed so you can live better and be more engaged in the place you call home.
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A coffeehouse franchise based in Japan plans to open its first East Coast location in Pentagon City.
Takagi Coffee has inked a deal at 721 15th Street S., in between Tend and Yunnan by Potomac Noodle House. The cafe applied for a commercial building permit last Friday.
If you’re a college student spending the summer in Arlington — whether you’re interning, working, or just home for a few months — EvolveAll is the place to stay fit, sharpen skills, and be in community.
For just $295, college students get full access to all of EvolveAll’s adult programs from May through August. That means Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, self-defense, yoga, Pilates, and more — a whole community of people who show up, put in the work, and look out for each other.
