News

A 28-year-old reportedly trying to pass classified documents to a foreign government last week is the latest episode in a long history of espionage-related cases in Arlington.

Nathan Vilas Laatsch, an IT specialist for the Defense Intelligence Agency, was arrested on Thursday after allegedly arranging to hand sensitive records to an undercover FBI agent in an Arlington park.


News

A former substitute teacher at Washington-Liberty High School was indicted last week for allegedly engaging in a two-year sexual relationship with one of his students.

An Arlington grand jury indicted Timothy Thomas McGhee, 47, on a charge of taking indecent liberties with a minor.


Sponsored

This regularly scheduled sponsored column is written by Carolanne Korolowicz, Arlington-based Realtor and Arlington resident. If you would like to work with Carolanne in Northern Virginia and the greater D.C. Metro area, you can reach her directly at [email protected].

As Spring peaks, Northern Virginia features flowering azaleas, dogwood canopies, and pesky dandelions. Manicured lawns flaunt along neighborhood streets, and Mother Nature continues to outshine in parks, trails and the spaces in between.

Home to a plethora of flora and fauna, Virginia has a long history of impressive grounds. The “Mother of Presidents” could also tack on, “and Their Gardens.” Many of these impressive natural displays are publicly accessible, but many of these gardens rooted in history are found at private residences. The Garden Club of Virginia (GCV) devotes an entire year of planning and preparation for their signature event, Historic Garden Week, to give the public a peek behind the fence.

Photo Courtesy of The Garden Club of Virginia
Photo Courtesy of The Garden Club of Virginia

The annual event is divided by region and tours span over the week (April 18–25). Northern Virginia kicks off in Old Town Alexandria this Saturday from 10:00 AM–4:00 PM. Tickets include tours of five rowhomes’ grounds, admission to Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens, and complimentary refreshments. (more…)


News

Arlington’s unemployment figures remained high in April after a surge the previous month, new data shows.

Preliminary jobless figures for April, released last week, indicate a sizeable 64% year-over-year increase in Arlington’s jobless claims. A total of 4,862 residents were looking for work that month, compared to 2,972 in April 2024.


News
Sunrise down Walter Reed Drive (courtesy James Thorne)

Stepped Up Patrols at Synagogues — From an Arlington County police spokesperson, in response to an ARLnow inquiry: “Our officers are on duty conducting proactive patrols throughout Arlington and have been conducting increased patrols near synagogues in the County since last month’s shooting at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC… There are currently no known threats in Arlington County.”

Fed Cuts Impact Local Nonprofit — “Aspire’s story provides a glimpse of the actual impact of such cuts. On Monday, April 28th, Aspire was notified that its funding was cut, and that it needed to cease its AmeriCorps program effective immediately (yes, immediately).This required the immediate termination of the 17 AmeriCorps members who served their students every day — students and their families who rely on Aspire for a safe place to be after school, with academic support.” [FCNP]

‘Shipwreck on the Potomac’ — “This “Shipwreck” has been next to Reagan Airport for months. Who is responsible for its removal and disposal?” [Reddit]

Stabbing in Pentagon City — “A stabbing [Friday] afternoon at the Pentagon City Metro Station. It was a leg wound that is not reported to be serious. Police described it as a fight between two people who may have known each other.” [Dave Statter/X]

Va. DMV Warns of Scam — “Did you get a text about an overdue traffic ticket charge? It’s likely a scam. The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles is alerting customers about a new text scam where fraudsters pose as Virginia DMV and falsely claim you owe money for unpaid fines.” [Press Release]

Rosslyn Office Swap — “A century-old trade association has signed for a full floor at Beacon Capital’s recently acquired The Towers in Rosslyn, paving the way to move from one tower to the other and a chance to custom design a new space. The Aerospace Industries Association, a tax-exempt industry advocacy group, inked a 15-year lease for the 26th floor, about 20,500 square feet, at 1100 Wilson Blvd., the western tower.” [WBJ]

It’s Tuesday — Expect mostly sunny skies today, with highs reaching near 83 degrees and winds turning west at around 5 mph in the afternoon. Tonight, the skies will remain mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to around 62 degrees and a gentle south wind blowing at about 6 mph. [NWS]


Around Town

Good Monday 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 — Jun 2, 2025.

📅 Upcoming events

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

☀️ Tuesday’s forecast

Expect mostly sunny skies today, with highs reaching near 83 degrees and calm winds turning west at around 5 mph in the afternoon. Tonight, the skies will remain mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to around 62 degrees and a south wind blowing at about 6 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.”
– Franklin D. Roosevelt

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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.


News

A slowdown in new restaurant openings could be on the horizon in Arlington.

While dozens of new eateries remain on track to open over the next few months, one data source suggests that some restaurateurs could be tapping the brakes on new projects.


News

Someone called in a bomb threat to an elementary school in Arlington today.

Police were dispatched to Jamestown Elementary School around 2:15 p.m. for a report of an anonymous threat received by phone. The person making the threat was described as a “younger male.”


News

A 42-year-old Arlington man is facing a number of charges, including DUI, after a crash that shut down a busy on-ramp Friday afternoon.

It started around 4:45 p.m., police say, when a driver veered off the road and struck another car at the Route 50 and Washington Blvd interchange. That driver then allegedly tried to climb a fence before returning to his car.


News

Falls Church City Council members are considering a potentially hefty increase to their own salaries.

The Council voted 6-1 last week to set a public hearing on increasing members’ salaries from $11,000 per year to $16,000. The mayor’s salary would increase from $11,500 to $17,000.