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Hi everyone, this is Katie Taranto, with more updates for ARLnow Press Club members on food and drink in Arlington and Falls Church.
As they gear up for a busy fall schedule, Falls Church city leaders are preparing to seek their share of a $6.5 billion national opioid settlement.
City Council members on Sept. 8 are slated to approve action notifying Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares that the city will participate in the state government’s proposed settlement with Purdue Pharma and its primary owner, the Sackler family.
Aspiring retail entrepreneurs and product-based small businesses will soon have an exciting new opportunity to grow through NEXT., a new retail incubator program launching in November through Arlington Economic Development’s BizLaunch program and in partnership with the Ballston Business Improvement District (BID) and the Ballston Quarter Mall.
Designed to help makers, artisans and product-based businesses build the skills and confidence needed to succeed in a brick-and-mortar environment, NEXT. combines classroom instruction, one-on-one business advising and hands-on retail experience in a real storefront setting.
Eligible businesses include those selling apparel, jewelry, handmade goods, home décor, beauty and skincare products, artwork, accessories and other specialty retail items. Food and beverage businesses are not eligible for the inaugural cohort.
Participants will complete a weeklong retail readiness curriculum covering:
Licensing and permitting
Retail leasing
Merchandising
Branding
Customer experience
Point-of-sale operations
The curriculum features instruction from industry professionals, property management representatives and local partners, along with hands-on merchandising support.
A key component of the program is a weekend retail activation. After completing the training, selected participants will operate a shared retail storefront in Ballston for one weekend, gaining firsthand experience serving customers, merchandising products, managing inventory and processing sales in a live retail environment.
Participants will also meet with a BizLaunch business advisor for individualized technical assistance. These one-on-one sessions are designed to help entrepreneurs strengthen operations, evaluate growth opportunities, and connect with resources related to marketing, financing, ecommerce, licensing and expansion planning.
Applications are open to businesses that:
Are registered and in good standing with the Commonwealth of Virginia
Hold the required business licenses and sales tax registration
Can commit to participating in the full program
Applicants will be evaluated based on business readiness, product quality, growth potential and their ability to benefit from the retail training experience.
Selected participants will pay a $100 fee to secure their place in the cohort.
For entrepreneurs interested in testing their products in a retail setting, gaining practical experience and connecting with a supportive business community, NEXT. offers a practical pathway to growth.
To learn more and apply, visit the Next application page. If you know of aspiring makers, innovators or retailers, please share this opportunity! Applications will be reviewed by the program team, and selected applicants will be invited to interview before the final cohort is selected.
Learn more about BizLaunch and NEXT. at www.bizlaunch.org.
Numerous affordable-housing advocates showed up at a recent local government meeting to push for county support in removing regulatory hurdles around construction.
The advocacy group Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement (VOICE) is pressing for state-level changes to streamline the construction of affordable housing on land owned by faith-based and nonprofit organizations.
The League of Women Voters of Arlington and Alexandria City will host Candidating for the general election on Sunday, Oct. 4, from 1:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. at Walter Reed Recreation Center, 2909 16th St. S.
The event gives Arlington residents the opportunity to speak directly with the candidates seeking county office this November.
Arlington’s largest free outdoor music festival is returning for its 33rd year this weekend at Rosslyn’s Gateway Park.
The 2025 Rosslyn Jazz Fest, run by the Rosslyn Business Improvement District (BID) and Arlington Arts, is scheduled for Saturday from 1-7 p.m. at 1300 Langston Blvd.
Whether autumn means sipping local ciders, decorating pumpkins with the kids, or enjoying live music, Fall Fest is packed with festive fun for all ages and the perfect way to spend a crisp October afternoon in Rosslyn!
A new report from Arlington Public Schools’ internal auditor is raising concerns about how the school system handles student and staff tech equipment.
Inventory control is “unsatisfactory and requires improvement,” the report, detailed to School Board members on Aug. 21, says.
It was by a slimmer margin than in 2024, but the Washington-Liberty Generals recently won the three-team Arlington County high-school golf championship for the second straight year.
The Generals finished first with a 9-hole score of 143 on the East Potomac Park Golf Links course in D.C. The Yorktown Patriots were second with 146 and the Wakefield Warriors third at 149.
A new yarn shop and haven for fiber arts enthusiasts opens in Falls Church this weekend.
Entangled will sell supplies and host events for knitters and crocheters at 103 Rowell Court. Kelly Schnapp, a Coast Guard veteran, federal employee and longtime knitter from Falls Church, hopes to help customers “escape from everyday stress” and connect to art.
A second left-turn on Langston Blvd could help ease a major rush-hour traffic choke point in East Falls Church, county staff believe.
Later this month, County Board members will be asked to request $1.5 million from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) for another turning lane from eastbound Langston Blvd onto westbound Washington Blvd adjacent to Interstate 66.
Summer is ending but lottery fever is heating up.
The Powerball jackpot is now well above the $1 billion mark, with another drawing set for tonight.
From the Associated Press:
An estimated $1.4 billion lottery jackpot will be up for grabs Wednesday night thanks to dozens of drawings without a big winner.
The massive Powerball prize is the sixth-largest U.S. lottery jackpot. It’s a result of 40 consecutive drawings stretching over the summer without anyone matching all of the game’s six numbers.
No one has won the grand prize since May 31, and the 41st drawing on Wednesday will be just one fewer than the record set last year.
All of that losing stems from Powerball’s abysmal odds of 1 in 292.2 million, though lottery officials note that the odds are far better for the game’s many smaller prizes. There are three drawings each week.
The $1.4 billion jackpot is for a winner who opts to receive 30 payments over 29 years through an annuity. Winners almost always choose the game’s cash option, which for this drawing would be an estimated $634.3 million.
Powerball tickets cost $2, and the game is offered in 45 states plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
ARLnow has conducted (unscientific) polls for previous billion-dollar plus jackpots, finding…
Today we’re simply wondering whether you’ve bought or are planning to buy a ticket for tonight’s big drawing.
Registration is now open for Rosslyn Fall Fest, returning to the NOW pop-up park (1401 Wilson Blvd) on Saturday, Oct. 3, from 1 to 6 p.m. Expanded this year onto Oak Street, the FREE event will transform Arlington’s most urban neighborhood into a seasonal destination featuring an inflatable corn maze, local makers market, seasonal beer garden, live music, and fall-themed experiences for all ages to enjoy.
Attendees can explore a curated market of local makers and artisans, enjoy ciders and seasonal brews in the beer garden, navigate an inflatable corn maze, test their skills at inflatable axe throwing, and take part in pumpkin-themed activities and other fall experiences. Food vendors, live music, and dog-friendly programming round out the afternoon.
