Falls Church officials appear split on whether it’s a good idea to impose a “second signature” requirement before vehicles are towed from private property.
But before the matter circles back to City Council members for a final decision, it will move through at least one advisory body and a public-review process.
It was a big morning for the Little City, with the grand opening of Whole Foods Market.
Over 100 shoppers flocked to 103 E. Broad Street this morning (Friday) to see the new 45,000-square-foot grocery store. The celebration featured free tote bags, coupons, treats and coffee for early birds, who crowded outside the shop just before 8 a.m.
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 new Asian fusion restaurant with Korean barbecue is preparing to open in Crystal City.
Pi BBQ and Bar hopes to open by early March at 420 23rd Street S., near Restaurant Row, co-owner Scott Goodson told ARLnow.
Arlington’s real estate market reflects the broader community — it’s diverse, dynamic, and never boring.
This weekend’s local open houses offer a snapshot of Arlington’s wide variety real estate offerings, from affordable condos to multi-million dollar homes. One highlight: a $3 million house built this year in Yorktown with an elevator connecting three levels and a screened-in stone porch.
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.
Looking for a great happy hour deal? Arlington is filled with local venues to help you unwind after work.
We’ve complied the top picks for “Best Happy Hour Spot in Arlington” as part of our ARLnow Readers’ Choice awards. These spots offer enticing drink and appetizer options. Have we missed a happy hour spot? Write it in!
Don’t wait to vote as polls will close in two weeks.
Voting for Best Arlington Date Idea 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 Best florist in Arlington. The results are now official:
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, an upcoming event in Ballston will celebrate the time-honored tradition of playing matchmaker.
Quincy Hall is hosting Pitch-A-Friend Washington D.C. for a Valentine’s edition of its wingman-inspired nights. For $5, participants give cheeky, lighthearted PowerPoint-style presentations to pitch their single friends to that night’s crowd.
A new monthly class in Ballston is combining lessons in cooking and child’s pose.
Cookology Culinary School is bringing back its “Flow & Feast” events, which include a yoga class and hands-on cooking lesson wrapped into one.
Arrivals Slowed at DCA — “The Federal Aviation Administration plans to announce it is reducing flight arrivals at Washington Reagan National Airport to address safety concerns, after a deadly collision between a helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet killed 67 people.” [Reuters]’
Vigil for Crash Victims — “A crowd gathered in Old Town for a candlelight vigil to commemorate the 67 victims of a midair crash near Reagan National Airport last week. Among the speakers at the event were elected leaders from the region including Sen. Tim Kaine, Rep. Don Beyer and Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins.” [ALXnow]
Impeachment Won’t Start with Beyer — Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) on Wednesday told Arlington Democrats he wouldn’t be the one to introduce articles of impeachment against President Trump. Such an action is “above my pay grade at the moment,” said Beyer, who added House Democrats would take their lead from Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader. –Scott McCaffrey
Resignation Plan for Feds Blocked — “A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s plan to push out federal workers by offering them financial incentives, the latest tumult for government employees already wrestling with upheaval from the new administration.” [Associated Press]
Beyer Warns Against Resigning — “The legality of these offers is dubious. They are written by people who clearly don’t know the law or understand how the government works. They promise pay through September even though funding has only been appropriated through March. As you know, that’s not how this works.” [Press Release]
More Locker Room Visits Reported — “Arlington and Fairfax County said Tier III registered child sex offender Richard Kenneth Cox, 58, visited two schools and two county-owned recreation and fitness centers in their regions late last year… Cox visited Oakmont Rec Center in Fairfax County twice, shortly after he visited Washington Liberty High School.” [WJLA]
Gore Renting Out Arlington Home — “Former Vice President Al Gore has put his longtime Arlington, Va., home up for rent for an eye-watering $9,000 a month… The five-bedroom, four-bathroom Tudor-style abode, which was built in 1937, has been in wife Mary ‘Tipper’ Gore’s family since it was completed by her grandfather.” [MarketWatch]
Less Doom at Rosslyn Intersection — “Score one for the Bike Lobby, after literal decades (and almost 15 years of my own use after moving back to the area) the Intersection Of Doom finally has an unambiguous permanent No Turn on Red sign.” [Kenneth Deuel/Bluesky]
Local Immigration Workshop — “On Saturday Catholic Charities is hosting a naturalization workshop for immigrants at St Charles Catholic Church. The clinic is for immigrants who have a green card to assist with their application for citizenship. The clinic is from 10-12.” [Catholic Charities]
Snow Chances Upcoming — “We have two more winter storm chances to track over the next several days. The first, on Saturday, doesn’t look to be too impactful. The second, which is most likely to come Tuesday into Tuesday night, has better potential for significant snow, but it’s too early to jump to conclusions.” [CWG]
It’s Friday — Expect mostly sunny skies and a high of 47 degrees, accompanied by northwest winds between 8 to 11 mph and gusts reaching up to 20 mph. On Friday night, the sky will turn mostly cloudy with temperatures dropping to around 31 degrees. The north wind will blow at 5 to 7 mph, eventually becoming calm overnight. [NWS]
Good Thursday 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 — Feb 6, 2025.
Here is what’s going on Friday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Expect mostly sunny skies and a high of 47 degrees, accompanied by northwest winds between 8 to 11 mph and gusts reaching up to 20 mph. On Friday night, the sky will turn mostly cloudy with temperatures dropping to around 31 degrees. The north wind will blow at 5 to 7 mph, eventually calming as the evening progresses. See more from Weather.gov.
“Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”
– John Lennon
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.
