The Arlington Chamber of Commerce saluted those who respond in times of crisis at the annual Public Safety Awards last week.
Personnel from the Arlington County Police Department, Arlington County Fire Department, Arlington County Sheriff’s Office and Arlington Department of Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management were honored on Thursday for responses to critical incidents and overall excellence.
Which should come first for the Virginia Village redevelopment in Falls Church: Selecting a development partner, or considering zoning changes?
City leaders are facing a “chicken-and-egg”-type challenge as they tackle the major affordable housing initiative.
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Beyer Targets Trump Arch — Rep. Don Beyer (D) is cosponsoring a bill to block President Trump’s proposed 250-foot “Triumphal Arch” between Arlington National Cemetery and the Memorial Bridge. “Everyone I’ve talked to in Virginia and D.C. is horrified by it, partly because it is so tasteless,” Beyer said. “It begins with reverence for the people that are buried here.” [NBC 4]
APS Adds Bus Tracking — Arlington families will soon be able to track their kids’ school buses in real time. Arlington Public Schools is partnering with Transfinder, whose Stopfinder app uses GPS to follow buses and can alert parents when one is 10 or 15 minutes from a stop. The switch follows complaints that the district’s previous software, in place over a decade, was slow and inefficient. [WTOP]
A Hero’s Farewell — Family, officers and public safety personnel gathered Friday to honor Auxiliary Lt. Charlie Neal, who served ACPD for 40 years and died May 13 at age 80. “Whether riding with pride in the Motor Unit or greeting others with his ever-present smile, he had a remarkable gift for making people feel welcomed,” the department said. Neal was also a pioneering broadcaster in HBCU sports. [WUSA9, ACPD/X]
New False-Alarm Vendor — The Arlington County Fire Department will begin using a third-party vendor, Alarm Program Systems, to administer its false fire alarm program starting July 1, with a new website for billing and appeals. Businesses face fees for repeated false alarms caused by malfunctions or unintentional activations; single-family homes, duplexes and townhomes are exempt. [Arlington County]
Off-Ramp Mishap — Traffic-camera video shows a car turning off the I-395 ramp into Shirlington and onto the center median around 2:45 a.m. Saturday. “When your aim is just a little off,” local public safety watcher Dave Statter wrote in sharing the footage. [Dave Statter/X]
Hit the Trails — Arlington Magazine rounded up 10 scenic hikes within driving distance, from flat loops at Theodore Roosevelt Island and Scott’s Run in McLean to the overlooks at Great Falls and longer waterfall treks in Shenandoah. [Arlington Magazine]
Arlington Man Charged in Crash — An Arlington man, 23, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless driving in a fatal December crash on King Street in Alexandria. Police say surveillance footage showed his Toyota Camry was traveling at an excessive speed when it struck an Acura, killing the other driver, Craig Taylor, 78. He was arrested May 19 and is due in court June 18. [ALXnow]
House Dems Pitch Budget — House Democrats released a budget proposal Friday, with data center tax breaks the main sticking point in talks with Senate Democrats. The House plan would keep the breaks through 2035 and create a commission to study them; Senate Democrats want them ended. Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) backs the House plan. Lawmakers have until June 30 to reach a deal or risk a state government shutdown. [Virginia Scope]
Securing Backup Water — The region’s three water utilities — WSSC Water, the Washington Aqueduct and Fairfax Water — are launching a $25 million, two-year study to find a large-scale backup supply for a D.C. area of more than 5 million people that relies almost entirely on the Potomac River. “We rely primarily on a single source, and that’s the Potomac River,” said WSSC Water’s Priscilla To. Quarries and treated wastewater are among the options being weighed. [WTOP]
New State Internship Role — Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed bipartisan legislation creating Virginia’s first State Internship Coordinator, a new role focused on expanding internship opportunities across state agencies. “One of the most powerful tools we have is making sure talented students stay and grow right here in Virginia,” she said. [Press Release]
D.C. Hits 100 Degrees — Friday’s heat pushed D.C. to 100 degrees — its first 100-degree day since August 2024, according to Capital Weather. The reading topped the date’s record of 95, while BWI Marshall Airport set a record at 97. [Capital Weather/X]
It’s Monday — Expect sunny skies today with a high near 81 and breezy northwest winds around 16 mph, gusting to 23 mph. That’s a sharp drop from the weekend’s near-100-degree heat. Overnight lows fall to around 60. [NWS]
Today’s Morning Notes are brought to you by Industrious. ARLnow has been in an Industrious office for years and we love the convenience — you get to focus on your work rather than worrying about brewing your own coffee or keeping the copy machine stocked. Industrious has several Metro-accessible coworking locations in Arlington.
One person suffered life-threatening injuries after being rescued from a house fire in the East Falls Church area Sunday evening.
The fire broke out around 5 p.m. on the 6000 block of 25th Road N. Firefighters were told that the victim was trapped somewhere in the house, then reported heavy fire upon arrival on the scene.
Avant Bard Theatre’s Resistance Readings Project continues with a staged reading of Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, Tom Stoppard’s darkly comic and sharply political examination of authoritarianism, censorship, and dissent, directed by Avant Bard Artistic Associate, Kathleen Akerley.
Set inside a Soviet psychiatric hospital, the play follows a political prisoner whose resistance to the state becomes inseparable from questions of sanity, truth, and personal freedom. Blending absurdist humor with urgent political commentary, the play remains strikingly relevant in moments of cultural and political uncertainty.
Arlington, Falls Church and the entire D.C. area is under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch tonight (Sunday).
The watch is in effect from now until 11 p.m. Large hail, damaging wind gusts and frequent lightning are all possible with storms that will likely cross the region later today, following a sweltering afternoon.
Good Friday 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 — Jun 12, 2026.
Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.
Here is what’s going on Saturday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Here are the events planned for Sunday:
Expect sunny weather with a high of 88°F and a northwest wind at 6 mph. Saturday night will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to around 67°F and light, variable winds. See more from Weather.gov.
“Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.”
– George Addair
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington! If you have something to say about an issue of local note not covered today, feel free to post it as a letter to the editor on our new forum. 👋
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for Arlington, Falls Church, D.C. and surrounding areas.
A storm is approaching from the west with a history of damaging wind gusts near 70 mph. The warning is in effect until 7:45 p.m.
After two years of connecting with local businesses, exploring Arlington’s wide-ranging food scene and satisfying residents’ questions and curiosity, reporter Katie Taranto is leaving ARLnow.
Taranto, who is departing to cover federal climate policy at the trade publication Inside EPA, wrote prolifically about the arrival and departure of countless restaurants and retailers in Arlington, while still finding time to appreciate the quirks and unique character of the county’s diverse communities.
County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti used his annual “State of the County” remarks to argue that Arlington is taking the right steps to address major economic challenges.
He pointed to the recent reaffirmation of Arlington’s Triple-A bond ratings as proof that “the state of Arlington remains strong.”
