Sports

Shane Morrison scored the first points for the Wakefield Warriors boys basketball team on a three-pointer, and then the last of the game on a winning backdoor layup.

In between those baskets, a lot happened in Wakefield’s 55-53 seesaw victory over the West Springfield Spartans in an opening-round boys high-school contest of the George Long Holiday Tournament.


Sports

In boys girls and boys meets, the Bishop O’Connell Knights are off to a strong start to the swimming and diving high-school season.

Each team has won a number of early-season matches, including victories over the Knights’ top rival in the St. Paul VI Catholic Panthers. The girls won 152-134 and the boys 164-118.


News

Two initiatives to meet the needs of at-risk Arlington seniors are facing troubled times.

An end to Covid-era funding is hitting operations of the nonprofit Meals on Wheels program hard, while there remains a backlogged waiting list for those wanting to be a part of the Arlington Department of Human Services’ Adult Day program.


Announcement

Looking to get the pollen all off your car? We bring premium mobile detailing straight to your home or office. Skip the wait and drive something that feels brand new again. We provide interior deep cleans, exterior washes, paint shine, stain removal, and attention to every detail. Reliable, convenient, and built around your schedule.

Book your detail today and let us do all the work!


Opinion

As 2024 draws to a close, let us celebrate the animal companions who have captured our hearts and made our community a bit more special with their adventures.

We’ve gone back and reviewed the adorable pets of Arlingtonians to compile the top picks for “Pet of the Year” as part of our ARLnow Readers’ Choice awards.

Read more about our top picks: Lilith, Leo, Miso, Dottie, Buddy, Louie, Fresa, Trifecta, Zuzu and Jasper.

Did we miss your favorite furry companion? Write them in! And don’t forget to vote — polls will close in two weeks.

Voting for Commenter of the Year 2024 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 Arlington’s best hill to go sledding on. The results are now official:

  1. Bluemont Park (Reeves Farmhouse)
  2. Hill in front the Netherlands Carillon (near Marine Corps War Memorial)
  3. Nottingham Elementary

Event

St. Agnes Catholic Church in Arlington is hosting its monthly run & walk social on June 18th (Thursday) at 6:30pm. The 3 or 4 mile run (or walk) will start in the back parking lot (off N. Stafford St.) and end at St. Agnes. Participants can enjoy complimentary pizza afterwards. Drinks are BYOB. Extra points if you wear Catholic school swag. Thank you Father Oetjen, who started off our May run from Court House to/from the Marine Corps War Memorial with a prayer (and ran a competitive pace). Also, thank you to the Notre Dame and Georgetown alumni who wore their schools’ colors!

Please RSVP at the link, so we know how much pizza to get. Thank you!


Around Town

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 2023 built home, priced at just over $3 million with an attached 3-car garage and a built-in elevator.


News

The organization most vigorously pressing for Arlington governance changes has affirmed its desire to see the General Assembly bestow blessings on the efforts.

The Arlington County Civic Federation earlier this month approved its 2025 legislative-priorities package, which includes requests to support measures related to changes in the county government’s governance structure.


News

Arlington County police are looking for suspects in a pair of robberies that happened just before the Christmas holiday.

The first happened in the Long Branch Creek neighborhood around 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 23, and involved two teens — one reportedly armed with a gun — who robbed another teen in the “shared common area of a residential building.”


News
Christmas nativity scene outside of Calvary United Methodist Church in Aurora Hills (Flickr pool photo by Jason Gooljar)

Ballston Building Sold — “4040 Wilson, located in Arlington’s Ballston submarket, was sold for $190.5 million ($95.25 million for Brandywine’s 50% share). The property has 405,000 square feet of office, retail, and residential space, as well as 494 parking spaces. 4040 Wilson was 96% leased (residential) and 94% leased (commercial) at the time of sale.” [Brandywine Realty Trust]

Menorah Lighting This Weekend — “Clarendon Menorah Lighting and Community Celebration. Experience the festival of lights!! *Lighting of a giant 9-foot Menorah *Enjoy delicious hot Potato Latkes *Hot Cocoa, Donuts, Chocolate Gelt and Dreidels for all *Lively Chanukah music **FREE ADMISSION – REGISTRATION REQUIRED.” [Event Calendar]

Free Lyft Rides for New Year’s — “The 2024 Holiday SoberRide® program – which has run nightly this month since December 13th — will be in operation beginning at 10:00 pm on New Year’s Eve (Tuesday, December 31, 2024) and operate until 4:00 am on New Year’s Day (Wednesday, January 1, 2025) as a way to keep local roads safe from impaired drivers.” [Press Release]

Local Game Studio Strikes Deal — “Loric Games, an Arlington video game studio, has obtained its first publishing deal to bring its inaugural title, Echoes of Elysium, to market next year, a significant milestone for the startup as it looks to establish itself in the highly competitive gaming landscape.” [WBJ]

Amazon Is a Top Local Employer — “Amazon employs more than 61,000 across Virginia, Maryland and D.C. The e-commerce and cloud computing giant… is Arlington County’s top private employer, having previously overtaken Deloitte and Accenture, according to Arlington’s recently released annual comprehensive financial report for fiscal year 2024, which ended June 30.” [WBJ]

Juice Shop Continues Expansion — “Greenheart Juice Shop is ramping up its growth plans roughly two years after restaurateur Reese Gardner acquired the once-struggling business from founder Alicia Swanstrom. The company just added its sixth location, in Reston… It had just a trio of shops when Gardner, whose Arlington-based Wooden Nickel Bar Co. also owns Copperwood Tavern and Quinn’s on the Corner, stepped into the picture.” [WBJ]

Rainy Weekend on Tap — From Washington Weather Geeks: “Some much-needed rain will arrive this weekend across the region (Most remain in a moderate to severe drought). The heaviest rain will fall on Sunday as a cold front works its way through and could also drag some storms with it. The flooding risk remains low, but we can’t rule some out in common trouble spots.” [Twitter]

It’s Friday — Expect partly sunny skies today, with temperatures reaching a high of around 43 degrees and calm winds shifting to southeast at 5 mph in the afternoon. Friday night sees increasing chances of rain, mainly after 1 am, accompanied by patchy fog and overcast conditions, with lows around 38 degrees. There’s a 70% chance of precipitation, with rainfall accumulating between a tenth and a quarter of an inch. [NWS]

Flickr pool photo by Jason Gooljar


Legal Notice

Good Guys Hospitality, LLC trading as Dudley’s Sport and Ale, 2766 S Arlington Mill Dr, Arlington VA 22206.

The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) for a Mixed Beverage license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.

Johnson Lewis, Member, Good Guys Hospitality, 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.