Six years after it opened, Virginia Square’s Extreme Pizza has closed its doors.
The pizzeria, which boasts a unique twist on traditional pizza offerings, shuttered at 3444 Fairfax Drive on Saturday after battling the longstanding effects of the pandemic, franchisee Ernie Harris said.
Top cycling teams from around the country and abroad are coming to Arlington next week for the 26th Armed Forces Cycling Classic.
The races begin at 7 a.m. on Saturday, June 1 with the non-competitive Challenge Ride in Crystal City, open to hobbyists, serious competitors and Corporate Challenge teams alike. Following that is the women’s pro/amateur Crystal Cup race at 10:25 a.m. and the men’s Crystal Cup at noon.
In the months of November and December 2025, the Trump Administration took four related actions: (1) they froze all adjudication of applications for nationals subject to a related travel ban, (2) they announced that being from one of those countries would be a ‘significant negative factor’ in benefits adjudication, (3) they froze adjudication of all affirmative asylum claims, and (4) they announced a ‘re-review’ of all immigration benefits granted to people from a list of thirty-nine countries since the beginning of the Biden Administration. We told you, as these policies were introduced, that they were going to be controversial – we told you that litigation would put an end to them, because “[s]ome federal judge, somewhere, will say ‘enough.'”
Last week, a federal judge, John J. McConnell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, said “Enough!” in vigorous language, striking down all four policies in a strongly worded decision. The purpose of this advertorial is to explain: (1) why the federal district court took this action, (2) what real-world effects we expect this to have, and (3) what the Trump Administration’s prospects on appeal are.
First, what did Judge McConnell’s decision say?
In short, Judge McConnell flatly rejected the government’s claim that its decisions were non-discriminatory and rooted in a reasonable desire to ensure security and accurate adjudication. It’s worth lingering over the language that Judge McConnell employs in his introduction.
“But the rule of law has to apply to everyone equally and, as evident here, USCIS has neither “followed the law” nor “done things the right way.” Indeed, the agency has violated the very immigration laws that Congress has charged it with administering, as well as the administrative laws that govern the agency’s actions. In enacting its latest immigration policies, USCIS: claims statutory and regulatory authority that it does not possess; makes decisions without the reasoned explanations that it must provide; acts without regard for the reliance interests of applicants that it must consider; and justifies its actions with pretextual concerns of “national security” that mask anti-immigrant sentiments that it is forbidden from letting influence its decision-making. In legal terms, that means USCIS’s actions are contrary to law and arbitrary and capricious.”
What Judge McConnell means, more or less, is that the Trump Administration can’t use the administrative apparatus of USCIS to accomplish its policy goals without either passing a statute or promulgating a regulation. As a reminder, the Trump Administration didn’t even try to promulgate a regulation concerning any of the above memoranda, it simply announced them, one ukase after another.
Now, what will the Trump Administration do?
Our prediction is cynical: The Trump Administration will do nothing. They’ll slow-walk any compliance with Judge McConnell’s order while they file an appeal to the First Circuit Court of Appeals, seeking an emergency stay of Judge McConnell’s order. If they lose at the First Circuit, they’ll seek another form of emergency relief, via the Supreme Court’s so-called “shadow docket.” Only if the Administration loses twice on appeal will they even contemplate compliance with this order.
What should applicants for benefits affected by these newly unfrozen orders do? The right answer depends on the individual case. The great majority of applicants, we suspect, will choose to wait and see what the outcome of the government’s appeal will be. We’ll report on that, too, when the next round of litigation is concluded.
Starbucks is expanding at the Lee Heights Shops.
Construction is currently in progress to add the former storefront of Facets Fine Jewelry to the current footprint of the Starbucks at 4526 Cherry Hill Road.
Starting June 22nd, EvolveAll Martial Arts and Training Studio is opening its doors for Intro Week — one full week where every class is free to try, no experience or membership required.
Whether you want to try something active this summer or are looking for a fitness routine that actually sticks, next week is your chance to walk in and see what EvolveAll is all about.
Arlington’s parks have maintained their ranking as some of the best in the country for the seventh year in a row.
Arlington ranks fifth in the national “ParkScore” rankings released today — the same spot that it held last year, but behind its No. 3 ranking in 2022. The county’s parks have ranked among the top 5 in the nation since 2018.
This family-friendly event commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. Join us to honor and celebrate those who came before us who exhibited strength, resilience, and determination in the pursuit of liberation and freedom.
Enjoy live music, cultural performances, delicious food, and activities for all ages.
Southwest Wants DCA-to-Vegas Flight — “Southwest Airlines will officially apply to the U.S. Department of Transportation for nonstop flights from Reagan National Airport to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, seeking one of five new round-trip flights from Reagan National authorized through the recent passage of the FAA Reauthorization Act.” [WTOP]
Art at Rosslyn Metro Station — “Metro in partnership with the Rosslyn Business Improvement District (BID) will celebrate the creations of eight local artists as part of a new pop-up art exhibit at the Rosslyn Station, Wednesday, May 22, 2024. The new Rosslyn initiative, Art Elevated, aims to infuse the Metro experience in Rosslyn with creativity and inspiration, turning a functional construction site into a canvas for local artistic expression.” [WMATA]
Vehicle Thefts Decline Slightly — “Vehicle thefts across Arlington declined to an average of less than one per day in March, according to new police data. A total of 25 vehicle thefts were recorded for the month, Arlington police said. That’s a decline from 33 in March 2023 and from 30 in March 2022.” [Gazette Leader]
Pike Pedestrian Safety Project — From Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services: “Crews have begun installing centerline hardening devices on Columbia Pike to slow vehicles making left turns near crosswalks. Another Vision Zero safety project pilot, this one involving five locations across Arlington.” [Twitter]
Foxtrot May Return — “Foxtrot may bounce back into business and reopen marketplaces in the DMV. The upscale café/convenience store was uber-popular, and regulars have mourned Foxtrot’s loss after 10 D.C.-area locations abruptly shuttered last month. Foxtrot founder Mike LaVitola is reportedly involved in a new ownership group working to revive some of the bougie bodegas, according to TheRealDeal.” [Axios]
‘Coffee With a Cop’ This Morning — From Arlington County police: “Enjoy tomorrow’s beautiful sunny weather by starting your morning with ACPD! Join us at Rocky Run Park (1109 N. Barton St.) from 8-9:30 AM for our first Coffee with a Cop event of the year! We can’t wait to share some great coffee & conversation with members of our community!” [Twitter]
Fire at Shirlington Apartment Building — From the Arlington County Fire Department on Tuesday morning: “Units are on the scene of a structure fire in the 4400 BLK of 31st St. South. Avoid the area and seek an alternate route.” [Twitter]
Beyer Weights in on ScoJo AI Spat — “Rep. Don Beyer (D-8th) is doubling down on a push for new transparency standards after a controversy surrounding OpenAI and actress Scarlett Johansson.” [ALXnow, Press Release]
More Hardware for DJO Softball — “The Knights concluded their 2024 campaign by winning a 12th straight Division I private school state championship (28th overall) to finish 23-0 overall and extend their overall three-season victory string to 54. Plus, the team has now won 36 straight state-tourney contests.” [Gazette Leader]
Record Bikeshare Ridership — “Increasing spring temperatures have brought a surge in Capital Bikeshare (CaBi) trips across the region. The bikesharing network recorded 490,265 rides in April, an increase of 26.0% from April 2023. April’s CaBi ridership is the second busiest month on record, missing the milestone set in October 2023 by less than 1,000 rides.” [Greater Greater Washington]
It’s Wednesday — Expect a sunny day with temperatures reaching around 88 degrees, accompanied by a south wind blowing at 5 to 7 mph. As we move into Wednesday night, there will be a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11 pm. The sky will become partly cloudy, with lows around 69 degrees and a south wind at 3 to 6 mph. There is a 20% chance of precipitation during the evening. [NWS]
Good Tuesday 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 — May 21, 2024.
Here is what’s going on Wednesday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Expect a sunny day with temperatures reaching around 88 degrees, accompanied by a south wind blowing at 5 to 7 mph. As we move into Wednesday night, there will be a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11 pm. The sky will become partly cloudy, with lows around 69 degrees and a south wind at 3 to 6 mph. There is a 20% chance of precipitation during the evening. See more from Weather.gov.
“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.”
– William Shakespeare
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.
Team has won 12 straight Virginia titles and 28 in program history
It’s normal that many teams set goals for an upcoming season.
Arlington’s efforts to take a privately owned property on Columbia Pike are attracting mounting criticism.
An Arlington County Board candidate, the Arlington View Civic Association, an anti-Missing Middle group, and the property’s conservator have all taken aim at ongoing eminent domain proceedings at 1802 Columbia Pike.
Someone fired gunshots in the Glencarlyn neighborhood early this morning.
Arlington County police were dispatched to the area, near the entrance to Glencarlyn Park, shortly after 3 a.m., after people reported the sound of gunfire.
The Arlington Home Energy Hub is a new resource provided by Arlington County to help residents make their homes more energy efficient, healthier and powered by clean energy. Arlington residents can now explore a new webpage with information and resources to learn about, plan for and implement home energy upgrades.
The Home Energy Coach is a new resource that provides free, virtual technical support to help Arlington residents make energy upgrades. Home Energy Coaches are available to help with any type of energy upgrade, such as installing new heating and cooling equipment, improving insulation and adopting solar energy. Homeowners can meet with a Home Energy Coach individually and renters can join a group coaching session. To get started, Arlington residents can submit an interest form online and a Coach will follow up with more information.
