Demolition at the Key Bridge Marriott site at 1401 Langston Blvd in April (staff photo by Dan Egitto)
A police SWAT team training will be taking place this weekend at an abandoned hotel in Rosslyn.
Before crews finish demolishing the former Key Bridge Marriott at 1401 Langston Blvd, the Arlington County Police Department plans to conduct training there from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday.
Onyx (photo courtesy Animal Welfare League of Arlington)
Onyx is a loyal, loveable pup whose owner recently passed and she’s looking for a new home.
Onyx is a five-year-old mixed breed available for adoption at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington. She’s house-trained, affectionate, and in need of a new, loving home.
While summer is often a slower season for many businesses, BizLaunch has been hard at work supporting Arlington entrepreneurs and preparing an exciting lineup of fall programs. From business growth strategies to inspiring founder stories, there are plenty of opportunities ahead for small business owners looking to learn, connect and grow.
Arlington Growth Accelerator
Ready to take your business to the next level?
The Arlington Growth Accelerator is a selective, cohort-based leadership program designed for established businesses poised for growth. Offered in partnership with SCORE, the program features six hybrid half-day sessions that guide participants through the development of a practical four-year growth strategy focused on operations, financing and long-term success.
Participants will leave with:
A customized four-year growth plan
A detailed Year One execution roadmap
Access to experienced mentors
An opportunity to participate in a capital matching day
Whether you’re planning your next phase of expansion or looking to strengthen your business foundation, this program provides the tools and support to help you grow with confidence. Join us for an info session about the program on Aug. 5 at 12:00 p.m. Program kicks off Sept. 25.
Chefpreneur Chat: Unidos Somos Más (Together We Are More)
Join us Oct. 13 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. for a special Chefpreneur Chat celebrating this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month theme, Unidos Somos Más (Together We Are More).
Hosted by BizLaunch in partnership with Arlington Public Libraries, this interactive event will spotlight the entrepreneur behind Panamericana Bakery. Attendees will enjoy a live fish preparation demonstration while hearing firsthand how the business was built and grown in Arlington.
The conversation, moderated by Dov & Company, will explore entrepreneurship, culture, community and resilience. Guests will gain practical insights from a successful business owner while celebrating the contributions of Hispanic entrepreneurs who help shape Arlington’s vibrant business community.
To continue the celebration, BizLaunch will also launch a social media campaign highlighting stories of collaboration, partnership and the collective impact of Hispanic-owned businesses across Arlington. Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know when registration for this event opens.
Stay Connected
Fall is just getting started.
In addition to a full lineup of educational programs and networking opportunities, BizLaunch will soon open registration for its annual, 2027 BizLaunch Transformational and PitchFest program, a five-week cohort experience where participants compete for cash prizes while strengthening their businesses.
A table of food from Pop-Up District vendors (staff photo by Katie Taranto)
The Eden Center’s new food hall and nightlife venue is now open.
After a few months of delays, Pop-Up District has opened, bringing a futuristic theme and array of dining kiosks to 6763 Wilson Blvd. The food hall carries Vietnamese, Thai and Korean cuisine as well as coffee and dessert — and after dark, it turns into a late-night lounge.
As the summer is winding down, Art House 7 is gearing up for August Classes! Offerings include painting, drawing, cartooning, mixed media, and printmaking. Some highlights: Animals of the Serengeti, k-2nd; Digital Art, 4th-6th grades; Painting Metal with Watercolor, Adults. Classes are 3-4 weeks: a short commitment for a lot of creative output. Check out everything on our website.
A fire in a small apartment building near Columbia Pike might have been intentionally set.
The fire broke out around 5 a.m. on Thursday, May 15. Firefighters rescued several people using ladders as the fire burned in a stairwell of the garden apartment building.
A concept design for upgrades to the intersection of Lorcom Lane and Vacation Lane (via Arlington County)
A raised intersection may be coming to a Donaldson Run intersection in response to resident concerns about speeding vehicles that don’t yield to pedestrians.
Arlington County is currently collecting feedback on a concept design for upgrades to the intersection of Vacation Lane and Lorcom Lane.
LostAF founder Dave Doctor (left) with Casual Adventure Outfitters owner Eric Stern (via LostAF/YouTube)
A new product to help people track down lost belongings made its debut in Arlington this week.
Falls Church accountant Dave Doctor is the entrepreneur behind LostAF — a brand of lost-and-found stickers with unique QR codes to help people contact those who have lost things.
A tree-filled park in Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Car Into Water Along GW Parkway — “2003hrs: Single vehicle from… GW Parkway partially submerged into the river, under the TR Bridge. 1 occupant safely extracted, no injuries. @ARLnowDOTcom has documented this problematic stretch on GWPW which has seen numerous crashes especially when wet and at night.” [Matthew Young/X]
Beyer on Tariff Ruling — “This ruling is a major victory for the American people, who have spent months under threat of a stupid, self-imposed economic disaster thanks to Donald Trump’s trade war. Trump’s tariffs have already raised costs on Americans, strained our alliances, hurt our credibility, and threatened the global economy. They’ve driven uncertainty to a peak, hurt our small businesses, and greatly raised the danger of a recession.” [Press Release]
Arlington Among ‘Best Places to Live’ — “Three of the best places to live in the country can be found in Fairfax County, according to one recently released ranking. U.S. News and World Report included Burke, Reston and Centreville on its 2025-2026 list of the Top 250 Best Places to Live in the U.S., with the first two taking first and second place, respectively, among Virginia localities.” Arlington is No. 3 in Virginia and No. 129 nationally. [FFXnow, USNWR]
New Electric ART Bus — “ART’s new Battery Electric Bus had a special demo today! Vice Chair Matt de Ferranti and Member Maureen Coffey rode from Courthouse to the new AOMF and back, becoming the first non-ART employees to experience this clean ride.” [County Board/X]
Driver Strikes Pedestrian — “Pedestrian struck in Ballston, near the intersection of N. Glebe Road and 11th Street N. Initial reports suggests female pedestrian was struck and might have been briefly unconscious. PD and FD on scene.” [ARLnow/X]
Inner Ear Tribute — “During a visit on Tuesday, what used to be Inner Ear Studios and another building, with a street address of 2700 S. Nelson Street, all that remains is a few dozen white cinder blocks. “That’s the wall, where the drum riser was, to mark as a memorial Inner Ear, and how important this was in our community,” said Connolly. Josh Stoltzfus, deputy director of cultural affairs for the county, said music will return to this site.” [WTOP]
F.C. Ditching Brick — “Staff is updating the sidewalk and crosswalk design standards in the City Streetscape Design Standards for commercial streets. The current all-brick standards was found to be costly to maintain and tripping hazards over time. The new sidewalk standards will be concrete with brick bands. The new crosswalk standards will be high-visibility continental crosswalks (zebra crossing) and red stamped asphalt on less busy streets.” [Falls Church Pulse]
Pride in the Pool — Numerous LGBTQ+ swimming competitions will be coming to Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center starting this week. As part of WorldPride celebrations, a large portion of the 2025 World LGBTQIA+ Aquatics Championship will take place at the facility between this Saturday and Thursday, June 5. A recent infrastructure issue at the aquatics center’s competition pool will not affect the schedule, a county spokesperson told ARLnow. –Dan Egitto
New Eatery Near Potomac Yard — “The owner of a popular local home improvement business is getting into the restaurant game. Michael & Son owner Basim Mansour is asking the city for approval to replace a 1940s-era convenience store with a 1,700-square-foot “fast casual restaurant with Asian foods with a Spanish and American influence.” That’s according to Mansour’s development special use permit request for the 6,600-square-foot property at 3314 Richmond Highway — across the street from Potomac Yard.” [ALXnow]
It’s Thursday — Patchy fog will dissipate by 9am, giving way to mostly cloudy skies and a high near 78. Expect the northwest wind of 6 mph to shift southwest later in the day. For Thursday night, there’s a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8pm and 2am, followed by mostly cloudy skies, a low of 64, and some patchy fog after 4am. Winds will be light from the south. [NWS]
Patchy fog will dissipate by 9am, giving way to mostly cloudy skies and a high near 78. Expect the northwest wind of 6 mph to shift southwest later in the day. For Thursday night, there’s a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8pm and 2am, followed by mostly cloudy skies, a low of 64, and some patchy fog after 4am. Winds will be light from the south. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Nelson Mandela
An emblem at Fire Station 102 in the Ballston area (staff photo by Dan Egitto)
A Ballston-area medic unit temporarily went out of service last Friday due to ongoing staffing problems at the Arlington County Fire Department.
The unit at Station 2 ceased operations during the day shift to avoid holding firefighters on mandatory, unscheduled overtime, ACFD spokesperson Capt. Jamie Jill told ARLnow.