Around Town

A post office on Crystal Drive is relocating, but not very far.

The current United States Postal Service office inside the Crystal City Shops at 2180 Crystal Drive is closing, but a new post office is expected to open less than a quarter mile away at 320 23rd Street S.


News

Demolition is getting underway at the former Key Bridge Marriott, raising questions about what happens next at the Rosslyn property.

Current plans for 1401 Langston Blvd, approved back in March 2020, call for hundreds of new apartments and a renovated hotel. Property owner KBLH has until July 1 to either act on those plans or let them expire, county spokesperson Ryan Hudson told ARLnow.


News

Will the Arlington electorate deliver a record-setting vote for Democrats in November’s statewide elections?

Rep. Don Beyer (D-8) proposed this goal at the Feb. 5 Arlington County Democratic Committee meeting.


News
Sledding at Jamestown Park (staff photo)

Runways Reopened at DCA — “Two runways were reopened at Reagan National Airport and a section of the Potomac River was restored Tuesday following a deadly midair collision last month, according to officials… In addition to the reopening of Runways 4/22 and 15/33, the Federal Aviation Administration has increased the hourly arrival rate to 28 aircraft for DCA. The regular maximum hourly arrival rate for Reagan Airport is 32.” [WTOP]

Beyer Laments Calls Spurred by Groups — “Members of the Steering and Policy Committee — with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) in the room — on Monday complained activist groups like MoveOn and Indivisible have facilitated thousands of phone calls to members’ offices… Some Democrats see the callers as barking up the wrong tree given their limited power as the minority party in Congress: “It’s been a constant theme of us saying, ‘Please call the Republicans,'” said Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.).” [Axios]

Governance-Change Measure Passes Senate — The Virginia Senate on Wednesday by a 21-18 vote passed a bill patroned by Del. Patrick Hope providing for referendums to change Arlington’s governance structure. But the Senate also attached a provision requiring the bill to again be passed in Richmond next year to become effective. That amendment now goes to the House of Delegates for consideration. —Scott McCaffrey

Spanish Immersion Daycare Opens — Tierra Encantada opened Monday, Feb. 10 at 131 Haycock Road in Falls Church and is accepting enrollments for its bilingual daycare and preschool programs. The organization has other locations nearby, in Ashton Heights and Alexandria. –Katie Taranto

‘Bridgerton’ Author Speaking Tonight — The Arlington Public Library will host New York Times-bestselling author Julia Quinn for a romance-themed conversation and audience Q&A tonight (Thursday). The TV adaptation of her Bridgerton novel series “remains one of the most-watched English television series in Netflix history,” an event description notes. The first-come, first-serve event starts at 5:30 p.m. at Kenmore Middle School. [Event]

Reminder: Valentine’s Day Ideas — “From fancy date nights to couple’s painting, there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Arlington and Falls Church. Whether you plan to celebrate solo or over a candlelit dinner for two, here are some ways to enjoy the day of love with local food, drink and events.” [ARLnow]

Arlington, F.C. Tots Options — “Tater tots are a great happy hour snack, an inventive side at dinner, and can be dolled up with sauces and toppings for a nacho-style dish. Here are a few of the best must-try tater tots in Northern Virginia — some classic and some with a twist!” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

License Plate Reader Bill — “As lawmakers seek to regulate use of automated license plate readers in Virginia, debates continue about how best to do so. Legislation faced a brief defeat in a Senate committee on Monday before being revived for further deliberation.” [Virginia Mercury]

It’s Thursday — Expect rain to subside before 10am, followed by increasingly sunny skies and a high of 52. South wind shifting to northwest at 6-13 mph and gusts up to 23 mph. 60% chance of precipitation, with under a tenth of an inch possible. For Thursday night, mostly clear, lows around 26, and northwest winds of 11-14 mph along with gusts up to 23 mph. [NWS]


Legal Notice

Rhythm & Eats Bar Chinois NL LLC trading as Rhythm & Eats Bar Chinois NL LLC, 244 19th Ct S, Ste 105, Arlington VA 22202

The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) for a Retail Restaurant or Caterer Application – Restaurant, Wine, Beer, Mixed Beverages, Consumed On and Off Premises

Dean Mosones, Co-Owner of Rhythm & Eats Bar Chinois NL LLC

NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.


Around Town

Good Wednesday 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 — Feb 12, 2025.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Thursday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

☔️ Thursday’s forecast

Expect rain to subside before 10am, followed by increasingly sunny skies and a high of 52. South wind shifting to northwest at 6-13 mph and gusts up to 23 mph. 60% chance of precipitation, with under a tenth of an inch possible. For Thursday night, mostly clear, lows around 26, and northwest winds of 11-14 mph along with gusts up to 23 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
– Martin Luther King Jr.

🌅 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.


Schools

A major policy shift by the Virginia High School League (VHSL) could impact how Arlington Public Schools approaches transgender athletes.

VHSL announced this week that it will follow an executive order from President Donald Trump that attempts to ban students born male from competing on girls teams, threatening financial sanctions if schools don’t comply.


News

Arlington leaders had their worries addressed, but concerns expressed by leaders in Fairfax County helped to kill, for 2025, a bill aimed at ensuring transparency in local-government decisionmaking.

The measure, patroned by Virginia Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-39), had sailed through the upper chamber unanimously on Jan. 31.


Around Town

Wax sculptures celebrating Black History Month and other pieces of art are on display in two new exhibits at Pentagon City’s mall.

The limited-time installations at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City showcase notable Black figures from throughout U.S. history, as well as artwork from the Arlington Artists Alliance.