A 41-year-old man who allegedly drove the wrong way in Clarendon early Thursday morning, amid Thanksgiving Eve road closures, is facing charges.
The Alexandria man threatened a traffic safety specialist who confronted him while driving through a cone pattern, then accelerated his car towards the worker, according to the Arlington County Police Department. He was later pulled over in the Lyon Village neighborhood, arrested, and charged with assault on a law enforcement officer.
Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday, an international day of donations that many nonprofits rely on for an end-of-year fundraising bump.
Arlington County is home to numerous nonprofits that depend on local residents’ donations, including over 200 community organizations listed on a county directory. Below is a selection of some noteworthy groups — selected based on a recent ARLnow Readers’ Choice poll and other sources — to consider contributing to this year.
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.
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.
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:
In these situations, probate may be necessary to give the personal representative authority to transfer or distribute the property.
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.
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.
Brine trucks are out on the roads in Arlington ahead of expected winter weather this evening.
The National Weather Service predicts snowfall throughout much of Northern Virginia as a cold front tracks through the region beginning this evening (Monday). As of this afternoon, a small amount of accumulation is expected immediately to the west of Arlington, including in Falls Church.
“The Friends of Arlington’s Planetarium is seeking to fill three vacancies on its 2027 Board of Directors. Interested candidates seeking information and an application can find details at the FOAP Elections web page. The deadline for submission is Nov. 15, 2026.”
A Ballston lunch spot and corner store has shuttered after five years.
D.C.-based Union Kitchen closed its lone Arlington location at 4104 Wilson Blvd last week. The business opened at 4104 Wilson Blvd, between Punch Bowl Social and Compass Coffee, in summer 2020.
Although vaccines stand as one of modern medicine’s greatest achievements, preventable illnesses are resurfacing as declining immunization rates intersect with political polarization and media misinformation. In the 2026 Dolan Lecture, distinguished infectious disease specialist and global health strategist Dr. Bruce Gellin examines the history, current trends, and complex policy dynamics surrounding US and global vaccine programs. While science provides the empirical foundation, public trust and political forces ultimately determine whether life-saving tools reach the population—proving that vaccines do not save lives until vaccination actually occurs. Designed specifically for medical professionals, this presentation offers essential insights into navigating today's fragmented media landscape, overcoming vaccine skepticism, and translating evidence into effective public health practice.
Reception immediate following in the hospital atrium. No charge for the public.
Several former elected officials in Arlington are expressing caution over moving too fast on potential changes to the county’s form of governance.
At issue at the moment is a proposal to form a working group to study possibilities. It has attracted skepticism from former County Board, School Board and General Assembly members advocating for restraint on embarking on change-of-government planning.
The Falls Church city government continues to chip away at its staff vacancies, but faces ongoing challenges with public safety recruitment.
The 8% vacancy rate recorded across all city departments in early November “is, I think, the lowest we’ve been since the pandemic,” City Manager Wyatt Shields told members of the City Council’s government-operations committee on Nov. 26.
Members of the Pedestrian Advisory Committee (PAC) are looking for ways to stay relevant despite new limitations on their responsibilities.
After County Manager Mark Schwartz directed the committee to focus less on individual capital projects, members are discussing working through commissions that report to the County Board to provide input on issues they deem important.
I-66 Crash on Camera — “Not sure how this happened. It’s on westbound I-66 underneath the ramp coming from Glebe Rd./Fairfax Dr. @VSPPIO and @ArlingtonVaFD still working to clear the scene.” [Dave Statter/X]
Art Sale This Weekend — “Looking for one-of-a-kind gifts this holiday season? The studio artists of The Studios at Arlington Arts (formerly LAC Studios) will hold their Annual Holiday Sale & Open House on Saturday (10:00am – 4:00pm) December 6, 2025. The Studios at Arlington Arts are located at 3700 South Four Mile Run Drive.” [Arlington County]
Delays at DCA — “Air passengers are slowly getting to their destinations following a weekend winter storm in the Midwest that created nightmares for those who traveled by air… As of Sunday night, Reagan National alone had over 450 delays, according to industry tracker Flightaware.” [DC News Now]
Bad Brains from Inner Ear — “The explosive power of D.C. punk rockers Bad Brains is legendary, and newly discovered live recordings from 45 years ago are adding to the legend. In a full-circle moment, the soon-to-be released double album has ties to Don Zientara’s Inner Ear Studio, in Arlington, Virginia, where Bad Brains did their first demo session.” [WTOP]
It’s Monday — Expect sunny skies and a high around 43 today, with winds from the northwest at 5-10 mph becoming lighter in the afternoon, and possible gusts up to 18 mph. Monday night could bring snow and sleet between 1am and 4am, transitioning to rain and sleet, with a 70% chance of precipitation, clouds increasing, and lows around 30. Southeast winds will be 3-5 mph, and there may be less than half an inch of snow and sleet accumulation. [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.
The month of December is the busiest time of the long campaign for girls and boys varsity basketball teams across Arlington and Northern Virginia.
During those 31 days, some squads will play as many as 10 to 12 games, including contests in a variety of tournaments.
