Around Town

National Airport finally has an American Express Centurion Lounge.

The lounge officially opened today (Wednesday) in Terminal 2 near the South Security Checkpoint. It has floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the airfield and the Potomac, art from local artists, a dining menu created by three separate acclaimed chefs, and a wine and cocktail menu customized for the D.C. area.


News
The sun and clouds on a hot July day with a heat advisory (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Flood Watch Today — A Flood Watch is set to take effect at 2 p.m. today as “thunderstorms this afternoon and evening could have intense rain rates exceeding 2 inches per hour. If locally repetitive or prolonged thunderstorms develop, flash flooding could occur in flood prone urban and suburban areas.” [National Weather Service]

New County Comms Honcho — “Erika Moore has been named Arlington County’s next Assistant County Manager for Communications and Public Engagement. In this role, she will provide vision and leadership for how the County continues to intentionally expand and diversify its outreach efforts and community input opportunities around all aspects of the County government operations.” [Arlington County]

Veep Weep for Youngkin — “The Arlington County Democratic Committee took to social media to mock Gov. Youngkin for not being selected as Donald Trump’s running mate… ‘Sorry, Glenn – you are stuck being in Virginia,’ the posting said.” [Gazette Leader]

New Restaurant Week Participant — From the Arlington Chamber of Commerce: “Exciting News! Crystal City Restaurant is participating in Arlington Restaurant Week October 14 – 21! Get ready to enjoy a week of great food at special prices.” [Twitter]

Arlington Ups Invasive Battle — “The Arlington County government on July 22 is expected to sign on as a member of a regional consortium to address invasive species. For a cost of $10,000 per year, the county will become a core member of the National Capital Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management.” [Gazette Leader]

New Local Heat Records — “In D.C., the high temperature climbed to 104°F on Tuesday, tying the longest streak of consecutive 101°F or hotter days, set during the Dust Bowl era of 1930. It also tied the daily record for the sizzling summer of 1988.” [Axios, Twitter]

It’s Wednesday — Expect scattered showers and thunderstorms between noon and 2pm, followed by more showers and potential thunderstorms, with a high near 97 and heat index values up to 107. Southwest winds at 5-9 mph, and an 80% chance of precipitation with new rainfall amounts between a quarter and half an inch. For Wednesday night, anticipate showers and thunderstorms. The low will be around 74, with southwest winds at 5-7 mph, an 80% chance of precipitation, and new rainfall amounts between a half and three-quarters of an inch. [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 — Jul 16, 2024.

📅 Upcoming events

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

⛈️ Wednesday’s forecast

Expect scattered showers and thunderstorms between noon and 2pm, followed by more showers and potential thunderstorms, with a high near 97 and heat index values up to 107. Southwest winds at 5-9 mph, and an 80% chance of precipitation with new rainfall amounts between a quarter and half an inch. For Wednesday night, anticipate showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, likely showers and possible thunderstorms between 11pm and 2am, with scattered showers after 2am. The low will be around 74, with southwest winds at 5-7 mph, an 80% chance of precipitation, and new rainfall amounts between a half and three-quarters of an inch. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”
– Mark Twain

🌅 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.


Announcement

Join us on August 1 between 10 AM to 2 PM for a drop‑in event for the whole family! Explore our Dojo—the high‑tech, STEAM‑driven space where you can dive into activities like MakeCode Arcade, Roblox, Minecraft, robotics, 3D printing, drones, VR, and more. While you’re here, take advantage of our amazing enrollment specials, or simply enjoy a fun day of coding, meeting new friends, high fives, and plenty of Hi‑Yahs!


Weather

Arlington, the District and other parts of the D.C. region are now under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch.

The watch is in effect until 10 p.m. Storms packing damaging wind gusts, hail, and lots of lighting are possible Tuesday evening.


Event

Join us for the Little Lambs Academy Open House! Families with children ages 3 months to 12 years are invited to tour our classrooms, meet our caring staff, and learn about our educational programs. Discover our STEAM curriculum, Christian learning environment, language enrichment, music education, and other unique opportunities we offer. Parents are encouraged to bring their children to explore the facility while enjoying complimentary snacks and refreshments. We look forward to meeting your family and answering any questions about enrollment!


News

After years of planning, the Reeves Farmhouse is poised to transfer out of county hands to become a home for adults with developmental disabilities.

The future of the historic property is scheduled for consideration at an Arlington County Board meeting on Monday. If approved, agreements would convey the property to Habitat for Humanity DC-NOVA and allocate up to $2.5 million to support renovation efforts.


Around Town

A new update to Microsoft Flight Simulator has included a much needed visual upgrade for Arlington, bringing new life to the county’s landmarks and neighborhoods.

The game, which allows armchair pilots to visit any location on the planet, previously had a very barebones version of the area, with little more than square blocks to denote local buildings.


News

County staff are seeking up to $85 million in state funding for improvements to busy Arlington roads.

A request to seek grants for three projects on Arlington Blvd, Glebe Road and an I-395 interchange is scheduled to go before the Arlington County Board on Monday.


Around Town

Change appears to be coming to the Clarendon building housing music venue B Live and rooftop bar Coco B’s.

The property at 2854 Wilson Blvd, built in 1951 and formerly home to longtime local bar Whitlow’s, has been listed for sale or lease online. A brochure says the first floor and rooftop space, totalling nearly 8,000 square feet, “can be leased separately or together.”


News

As Arlington leaders consider ending public access to a Rosslyn observation deck in exchange for $14 million, a civic association is seeking an additional benefit.

A proposal to eliminate public access to the “View of D.C.” is scheduled to go before the Arlington County Board on Monday. Funding from the proposed deal with CoStar Group, which announced earlier this year that it is relocating to 1201 Wilson Blvd, would fund a major overhaul of Rosslyn’s Gateway Park several years earlier than previously expected, county staff have said.