Around Town

A new restaurant may soon open at the former spot of Rooftop Bar & Grill in Courthouse.

The unnamed bar and restaurant concept comes from Gary Ouellette, the owner of Union Jack’s British Pub in Columbia, Md., and formerly in Ballston. The new business has its eyes on an early 2025 opening at 2424 Wilson Blvd, general manager Brian Ouellette told ARLnow.


News

An Arlington program diverting people out of the criminal justice system and strengthening their social safety nets has received a $1 million federal grant.

The U.S. Department of Justice awarded the funds to support the expansion of the Offender Aid and Restoration program at the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office for Arlington and Falls Church.


Sponsored

The wait is almost over! This weekend, the heart of Clarendon transforms into an open-air gallery for the 12th Annual Arlington Festival of the Arts and Craft Marketplace.

Whether you’re hunting for the perfect piece to complete your living room, looking for unique handmade jewelry, or just wanting to enjoy a beautiful spring weekend surrounded by creativity, this is the place to be.

Stroll through booths featuring stunning, handmade-in-the-USA artwork—all rigorously vetted by HAE to ensure top-tier quality. Their artists have traveled from near and far to showcase a breathtaking variety of mediums, including:

  • Bespoke Jewelry & Wearable Art
  • Stunning Paintings & Mixed-Media
  • Intricate Pottery & Sculptures
  • Breathtaking Photography… and so much more!

(more…)


News

It could be an uphill battle at best, but an Arlington government advisory body wants the state and local governments to loosen restrictions on religious congregations seeking to turn their parcels into affordable housing.

Members of the Housing Commission in September voted to include the proposal on a list of priorities for consideration by the County Board in advance of the 2025 General Assembly session.


Announcement

Is your summer camp calendar still open? Consider Art House 7 for your kids, a creative, well-loved space with a fabulous range of quality summer camps for ages 5-14. Your kids will love the imaginative themes and fun teachers. We’ll be making pottery, painting, drawing, printmaking, and sculpting. Among our camp themes: modern masters of art, “green” art, animals, fairytales, and folk stories. Our weekly camps are morning or afternoon, Monday-Friday.

Art House 7 is near the Lee Harrison Shopping Center in Arlington. We have a 2-story studio and free parking.


News

A teacher at Washington-Liberty High School received a threat the same day articles came out accusing a faculty member there of “drilling students on anti-Israel talking points.”

The Tuesday afternoon dispatch to the school did not say which teacher received the “strong” threats via email, prompting a police response. But it happened as articles were published on the conservative news site The Daily Wire and the New York Post about W-L English teacher Shayma Al-Hanooti.


News

Candidates for the Falls Church City Council seat on the Nov. 5 ballot are playing it cautiously when it comes to bringing accessory-dwelling units (ADUs) to residential neighborhoods in the city.

The devil, both contenders suggest, is in the details. And those details have yet to be fully fleshed out, they say.


News
“Taylor Swift Eras Halloween decorations in Spy Hill” (courtesy anonymous)

Spin Out on Spout Run — From Dave Statter: “A distant shot shows a car crossing the grass median of Spout Run Parkway and into the opposite lanes before going down an embankment. It happened just before 7 p.m. between the GW Parkway and Lorcom Lane. No serious injuries reported.” [Twitter]

Video: Odd Driving Behavior — Also from Statter: “A man stopped his car for about eight minutes in the middle of N. Pershing west of N. Fillmore. He opened all of the car doors and the video shows him walking around the car. 911 callers said they were threatened by him and some believed he had a gun. A number of drivers backed up and turned around. The man drove off toward N. Glebe Road just before police arrived. @ArlingtonVaPD are checking to see if a man who fled from them along the upper portion of Columbia Pike around 7:45 p.m. is the same person.” [Twitter]

Teen Struck on Langston Blvd — “A student was struck by a driver after school today, just after 4 p.m. on Langston Blvd near the Overlee pool. Per ACPD earlier: ‘The pedestrian, a juvenile female in her teens, was transported to an area hospital with minor injuries. The driver of the striking vehicle remained on scene. Police remain on scene investigating the circumstances of the crash.'”

Crash Near Crystal City — From ARLnow yesterday evening: “The intersection of S. Glebe Road and S. Eads Street near Crystal City is partially shut down due to a t-bone type crash with injuries and heavy damage to both vehicles. ACPD and medics on scene.” [Twitter]

Local Breast Cancer Events — “Earlier this year, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force dropped the recommended age for women to start breast cancer screenings from 50 to 40. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Raise money, learn about risk factors and show your support for research, survivors and fighters at these local events.” [Arlington Magazine]

Gov. Wants Federal Action on Ports — From Gov. Glenn Youngkin: “The economic fallout from the work stoppage at The Port of Virginia extends well beyond the Commonwealth, as the Port manages approximately $66 billion in essential imports… As a cornerstone of Virginia’s economy, the Port supports 10 percent of the gross state product and supports employment for over half a million jobs in Virginia. The time for leadership is now, President Biden has the tools to remedy this situation.” [Press Release]

Loneliness High in Va. — “Virginia has the third-highest rate of loneliness in the country, according to the latest vibe check from the U.S. Census Bureau. Feelings of isolation and loneliness are a real public health threat — so much so that Surgeon General Vivek Murthy last year issued an advisory on the matter.” [Axios]

It’s Wednesday — Expect isolated showers in the afternoon under cloudy skies, accompanied by a light northeast wind and a high near 71 degrees. The chance of precipitation stands at 20%. For Wednesday night, anticipate mostly cloudy conditions with a low around 61 degrees and calm winds. [NWS]


Around Town

Good Tuesday 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 — Oct 1, 2024.

📅 Upcoming events

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

🌦️ Wednesday’s forecast

Expect isolated showers in the afternoon under cloudy skies, accompanied by a light northeast wind and a high near 71 degrees. The chance of precipitation stands at 20%. For Wednesday night, anticipate mostly cloudy conditions with a low around 61 degrees and calm winds. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.”
– Albert Einstein

🌅 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.


News

Last week’s court decision to overturn Missing Middle zoning changes freezes progress on dozens of projects around Arlington, county staff confirmed.

Following the ruling in Arlington Circuit Court, “the County must void all [Expanded Housing Option] permits and halt all review processes related to EHO development,” county spokesperson Ryan Hudson told ARLnow.


News

Six months after it was first submitted, a request to bestow historic-district status on an Arlington parcel slated for a major redevelopment continues to await action.

The request, formally submitted in April, came from local residents upset with plans by property owner Melwood to redevelop a 1.96-acre parcel on 23rd Street S. in Aurora Highlands as a mixed-use property and, likely, demolish the former Nelly Custis Elementary School on the site.


Announcement

The League of Women Voters of Arlington and Alexandria City, in partnership with Arlington County Public Library, invites you to an open discussion on managing local government in a changing environment.

Join Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz and Alexandria City Manager Jim Parajon for a conversation about how local governments are adapting to shifts in federal funding and changes at the state level. The discussion will explore how these evolving conditions may impact local priorities, services, and decision-making in our communities.