The weekend is here and so is a new episode of the ARLnow podcast.
In the latest episode, Lene, Dan and Vernon discuss a few notable local news stories in Arlington from the past week, including:
An Arlington woman originally from Albania is raising money through GoFundMe to bring a stray dog from her home country to the United States.
Silvi Pomeroy, a resident physician at George Washington University Hospital, met “Buddy” on a trip to show her husband Albania and visit family. Her aunt had been feeding Buddy for a couple weeks leading up to their visit, and he followed the family around on walks.
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: Why would anybody waste thousands of dollars each year on condo fees?
Answer: Most people associate paying condo fees with throwing money down the drain, but most people do not look at condo fees the right way.
In this June 20 article, the Wall Street Journal reported a study by Angi (formerly Angie’s List) that home maintenance and emergency repairs have increased by 85% and 175%, respectively, from 2019 to 2025.
By comparison, condo fees in Arlington increased by an average of just 32% from 2019 to 2025, making them a steep bargain for condo owners compared to other homeowners.
What Do Condo Fees Pay For?
For those who haven’t spent time studying condo budgets, some of the main expenses in a condo budget include:
- Maintenance, Emergency Repairs, and Utilities: general upkeep and operations of the building
- Reserves: a building’s savings account for major repairs or replacement of things like the roof, elevators, carpet, etc
- Property Management/Staff: contracts for a property manager, front desk, janitorial services, and engineer
- Master Insurance: this policy usually protects everything except your personal items and improvements within each unit
A banh mi shop with fresh baguettes and vintage decor will celebrate its grand opening at the Eden Center next week.
Banh Mi Oi will cut the ribbon on its new Falls Church location at 6795 Wilson Blvd next Wednesday, July 16. The celebration, which will include free merchandise and menu samples, opens to the public at 10 a.m.
Arlington has plenty of great kid-friendly activities, from sightseeing in the great outdoors to crafting and attending story time at local libraries.
Here are the nominees for “Best Things to do with Kids in Arlington” as part of our ARLnow Readers’ Choice awards.
Did we miss your favorite activity? Write it in!
Voting will close in two weeks.
Voting for the Best Barbecue Restaurant in Arlington is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday at 9 a.m.
Two weeks ago, we voted on the Best Bar in Arlington. The results are now official:
- Bronson Bierhall
- Cowboy Cafe
- Galaxy Hut
Due to the extended period of extreme heat forecasted for the next several days in our area, the Civic Jam event originally scheduled for Friday, July 3, 2026, has been postponed to Friday, July 24, 2026.
Commemorate the country’s 250th anniversary of the United States of America at Civic Jam! Celebrate the City of Falls Church’s diverse community, civic engagement, and classic summer fun. Jam out to live, local music, sip on local brews, enjoy tasty treats and eats, and a full evening of festivities for all ages on Friday, July 3, 2026, from 6 to 10 p.m.
A fleet of robots has begun wandering the sidewalks between Ballston and Rosslyn, searching for any defects to report back to the county’s Department of Environmental Services.
The bots, which went live at the start of this month, use a combination of laser scanners, mobile mapping, AI and machine learning to look for defects like cracks, weeds or gaps of at least half an inch.
Arlington’s two Republican members of the Electoral Board appear at loggerheads over how long early-voting dropboxes should be available before Election Day.
Richard Samp, the senior Republican on the three-member panel and its vice chair, used the July 8 board meeting to press for a reduction from more than 40 days of use to just 10. Not everyone was in favor.
Crash Families Fault Army — “The Army has avoided accountability and shirked oversight months after the deadly midair collision between a passenger jet and a military helicopter in Washington, dozens of family members said in a letter to the Army’s top official, calling for action and greater transparency.” [Washington Post]
Va. Falls in CNBC Ranking — “Virginia, last year’s No. 1 state and a top three finisher in each of the last five years, slips to fourth place in 2025 — its worst showing since 2018 — and cedes the No. 1 spot to North Carolina. A major reason is a drop in the state’s Economy ranking, to No. 14 in 2025 from No. 11 last year.” [CNBC]
Dems Blast Falling Ranking — “Virginia used to be #1. But Trump’s attacks on the Federal government ravaged Virginia’s economy. Glenn Youngkin and Winsome Earle-Sears stood by cheering. These are the consequences.” [Arlington Democrats/X, Abigail Spanberger/X, Rep. Don Beyer/X]
Youngkin Blames CNBC — “Gov. Glenn Youngkin isn’t taking the demotion in stride. The Republican on Thursday blamed new methodology from CNBC this year that includes “a new subjective metric that mistakenly ascribes substantial risk to Virginia from the federal government’s presence in the Commonwealth,” Youngkin wrote on social media.” [WBJ, Gov. Glenn Youngkin/X]
Local GOP Club Leader Dies — “I write to you with a heavy heart to announce the untimely passing of Rebecca (Becky) Ault, Acting President of the Arlington Republican Women’s Club (ARWC), on the morning of Tuesday, July 1st.” [Arlington GOP]
New Metro Cars Coming — “Metro ordered 256 8000-Series railcars from @Hitachi Rail USA, with options for more to replace the 3000-Series. Pilot car delivery is now expected in June 2027. The design of the 8000-Series includes open gangways, digital displays, and more handholds! ADA compliance, improved seating, wider walkways, and multi-purpose areas are key.” [WMATA/X]
It’s Friday — Expect patchy fog until 9am, followed by mostly sunny skies and a high near 89 with light, variable winds. There is a 30% chance of precipitation. For Friday night, showers and thunderstorms are possible mainly before 7pm, transitioning to partly cloudy skies and a Low around 73 with calm winds. [NWS]
Good Thursday 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 — Jul 10, 2025.
- 7:30 am: Morning Notes for July 10, 2025 | 🗣️ Comments
- 8:30 am: Regional grant funding sought for two Falls Church transportation priorities | 🗣️ Comments
- 9:15 am: Local high schooler creates assistive app for people with motor disabilities | 🗣️ Comments
- 10:00 am: County plans $5M relocation of emergency response infrastructure in Courthouse | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:30 am: Man sentenced to 15 years in prison after Arlington cocaine bust | 🗣️ Comments
- 12:45 pm: Arlington’s latest home-sales data paint complex picture of market’s direction | 🗣️ Comments
- 1:45 pm: ‘Semicolon Cafe’ arrives in Falls Church with Korean shaved ice and sandwiches | 🗣️ Comments
- 2:45 pm: New 355-unit apartment building begins leasing in Crystal City | 🗣️ Comments
- 3:45 pm: Appeals court flip-flops on Missing Middle, striking down ordinance once again | 🗣️ Comments
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on Friday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
- 10:30 am: Storytime on the Plaza
- 12:00 pm: District Fringe
- 12:30 pm: MID-Day Flow with SPENGA
- 5:30 pm: Zumba Power Hour
- 6:45 pm: Tony for Arlington Democrats Chair – Campaign Launch Event
- 7:00 pm: Tony Baker Live!
- 7:30 pm: Ayreheart
- 👉 8:00 pm: Live Standup Comedy Show Starring Winston Hodges
- 8:30 pm: Columbia Pike Movie Nights – July 11 – The Wizard of Oz
⛈️ Friday’s forecast
Expect showers and thunderstorms primarily after 5pm and patchy fog until 9am, followed by mostly sunny skies and a high near 89 with light, variable winds. There is a 30% chance of precipitation. For Friday night, showers and thunderstorms are possible mainly before 7pm, transitioning to partly cloudy skies and a Low around 73 with calm winds. The chance of precipitation remains at 30%. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.”
– Lao Tzu
🌅 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.
The Virginia Court of Appeals has withdrawn a recent decision reinstating Arlington’s “Missing Middle” ordinance, once again striking it from the books as judges reconsider arguments.
In a ruling that adds yet another layer of complexity to the legal fight over the controversial zoning change, the appeals court agreed on Tuesday to reassess a judgment that the court handed down just last month.