Road closures, reduced county services and modified transit schedules will be in effect tomorrow (Friday) in observance of the Fourth of July.
Arlington will operate on a modified holiday schedule, closing county courthouses, community centers and all public libraries. Metered parking across the county will not be enforced.
A veggie-forward American restaurant with New York City roots expects to open its doors later this month in Clarendon.
Westville plans to serve brunch, lunch, dinner and drinks in a laid-back atmosphere at 2800 Clarendon Blvd, where Jos. A. Bank closed. It expects to open for dine-in service on Monday, July 14, with aspirations of becoming a trusted “neighborhood restaurant,” founder Jay Strauss told ARLnow.
Arlington’s small business community is strong and resilient. However, local businesses continue to face challenges from economic uncertainty, drops in consumer confidence, losses in access to capital, and disruptions from artificial intelligence. BizLaunch, a division of Arlington Economic Development, continues to rise to the challenge by supporting over 6,000 small businesses in Arlington with one-on-one counseling, innovative programming and robust marketing to encourage consumers to shop locally.
During a recent presentation to the Small Business Coordinating Council, BizLaunch Director Tara Palacios highlighted fiscal year 2026 results that underscore both the impact of Arlington’s business support programs and the pressures ahead.
BizLaunch provided technical assistance to entrepreneurs at a level 56% above its annual goal, reflecting sustained demand for one-on-one advising and business guidance. The division also served a diverse business community, including 52% women-owned businesses and 45% minority-owned enterprises. Nearly a quarter — 24% — of clients were in food and retail, industries that continue to face heightened economic pressure.
Major marketing and PR campaigns drove engagement across Arlington. Small Business Saturday, one of BizLaunch’s signature programs, prompted more than 4,141 transactions and $211,862 in consumer spending through the Open Rewards incentive, supported by a $10,625 investment of County funds. A coordinated marketing campaign with the BIDs and Partnerships further amplified the effort, generating more than 56,000 organic social media impressions, 44,000 video views and 1,619 engagements, along with nearly 2,000 paid ad clicks.
Support for business development through programming has also expanded. The BizLaunch Transformational Challenge and Pitchfest drew 40 participants for a five-week training program covering strategic planning, marketing, artificial intelligence and financial management. Participants developed pitch decks and presented to a panel of private lenders and business leaders. In all $25,000 was awarded to local businesses through the pitch event which came from private donations and contributions from the Industrial Development Authority. (more…)
A pair of seemingly dramatic police actions rattled locals in two Arlington neighborhoods yesterday.
The first happened around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday on N. Highland Street near Clarendon Blvd and the Trader Joe’s store in Clarendon. Tipsters described a sudden rush of unmarked and marked police units making an arrest with guns drawn.
The Arlington County Democratic Committee has abandoned a proposal to place major restrictions on who can vote for top leadership positions.
Just a month after the Democratic steering committee floated the idea, party leaders announced at a party meeting yesterday (Wednesday) that they were pulling it from consideration.
*Mamistad Groups meet IN PERSON-only the introductory Zoom call is virtual. :)
Pregnancy and new mom groups are a lifesaver when it comes to normalizing those feelings we just can’t be prepared for.
True Ground Housing Partners has filed plans to redevelop an affordable housing complex in Waverly Hills with even more affordable housing.
The nonprofit developer, formerly the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing, filed site plans last week for a 10-story building with 249 committed-affordable units at the current Leckey Gardens site at 2031 N. Woodrow Street.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia officials have agreed not to fully enforce a 2020 law banning conversion therapy for minors as part of an agreement with a faith-based conservative group that sued over the law, authorities said earlier this week.
The Virginia Department of Health Professions, represented by the state’s office of the attorney general, entered into a consent decree with the Founding Freedoms Law Center last month, saying officials will not discipline counselors who engage in talk conversion therapy.
Bondsman Arrested Immigrant — “An Arlington County family feared for their lives, they say, when a man in plain clothes knocked on their door late at night to make an immigration arrest. The man didn’t identify himself and pulled out a gun during the incident, the family says. Their relative has since been deported.” [NBC 4]
Fireworks Safety and Legality — “Planning to celebrate the Fourth with fireworks? In Arlington, only certain fireworks are legal—and they must be purchased from an ACFD-approved stand. Always check for the permit and follow safety directions.” [Arlington County Board/X, Arlington County, ACFD/X]
APS Employee Acquitted — “A jury found a former Arlington Public Schools (APS) employee not guilty of soliciting sex from a student on Tuesday. Police launched an investigation in November of 2024 after someone reported that an instructional assistant and football coach at Wakefield High School had solicited sex from an underage female student.” [DC News Now]
Court Rules for Local Resident — “In a 2-1 decision, Virginia judges denied the Trump administration’s appeal for Georgetown University researcher Badar Khan Suri to be placed in immigration detention again. The judges called the attempt to detain Khan Suri again a threat to the constitutional right of habeas corpus, which protects people from arrests without a fair legal process.” [NBC 4]
Feeding the Force at Fort Myer — “Step inside #AmericasKitchen, the Warrior Restaurant at @JBMHH! Watch below to learn how #DLA ensures everything is in place for our nation’s #heroes to receive high-quality meals.” [Defense Logistics/X]
Look at Local Swimming Leagues — “For a select few, these leagues can become the starting blocks for something much bigger. Local Olympic champions like Katie Ledecky first made their splash in DMV summer leagues. Stiles himself coached six-time Olympic medalist Torri Huske for more than a decade at the Arlington Aquatic Club.” [N. Va. Magazine]
More on Styrofoam Ban — “Starting Tuesday, a statewide ban on the use of expanded polystyrene (EPS), a form of plastic foam, for food containers takes effect… However, the ban won’t affect small businesses just yet. Large vendors with 20 or more locations in the state must stop using the containers by July 1, 2025, while all others must stop by the same date next year.” [The Richmonder]
Unemployment Up Across N. Va. — The number of Northern Virginia residents counted as unemployed in May totaled 59,485, up 5.5% from a month before and up 32% compared to a year ago. Preliminary figures were reported Wednesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Northern Virginia’s unemployment rate of 3.3% for May was up from 3.1% a month before and from 2.5% a year before, federal officials said. –Scott McCaffrey
It’s Thursday — Expect sunny conditions with a high around 89 and a northwest wind at 5-7 mph. Thursday night will be mostly clear with a low near 68 and a west wind at 3-5 mph. For Independence Day, the weather will remain sunny, reaching a high near 87 accompanied by a north wind at around 6 mph. [NWS]
Flickr pool photo by Jason Gooljar
Good Wednesday 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 — Jul 2, 2025.
Here is what’s going on Thursday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Expect sunny conditions with a high around 89 and a northwest wind at 5-7 mph. Thursday night will be mostly clear with a low near 68 and a west wind at 3-5 mph. For Independence Day, the weather will remain sunny, reaching a high near 87 accompanied by a north wind at around 6 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
“The biggest risk is not taking any risk… In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.”
– Mark Zuckerberg
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.
Some Northern Virginia newspaper publishers are taking creative chances to retain a viable print presence in an industry where online news is increasingly dominant.
As instability in readership and advertising has disrupted revenue streams, some specialized publications have still found success. Meanwhile, at least one local newspaper, the Falls Church News-Press, has embarked on an effort to form a partnership with local municipal leaders.
