Bluefish Bistro Sushi & Kitchen, a new sushi restaurant, has quietly opened at Centro Arlington on Columbia Pike.
Located at the corner of S. George Mason Drive and the Pike, the 1,450-square-foot sushi restaurant celebrated its grand opening last month, taking up residence on the ground floor of the mixed-use development next to the Harris Teeter and the Vietnamese eatery Pho Saigon Pearl.
Shots Fired Arrests — “The Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit is announcing two arrests in the shots fired incident that occurred on December 2, 2023, at S. Kenmore Street and 23rd Street S.” [ACPD]
Another Gun Seized at DCA — “A Maryland man was stopped by security at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Monday with a loaded handgun in his carry-on bag, according to the Transportation Security Administration. The gun was the 38th detected by TSA officers at Reagan National Airport in 2023, far surpassing the previous record of 30 guns confiscated at the airport in 2021.” [Patch]
Summer in Arlington means packed farmers markets, community events and plenty of dogs enjoying the outdoors alongside their owners. For Chippin, a pet food company scaling the use of sustainable proteins, these summer traditions have been more than just a part of local life. They have helped shape the company’s growth.
Headquartered in Arlington since 2021, Chippin attends dozens of events across the DMV each summer. The company is inspired by the unique ability pets have to bring people together and spark conversations that might not otherwise happen. A simple “Would your dog like a treat?” has opened the door to discussions about everything from digestive health and food allergies to stories about flying invasive fish and the environmental impact of traditional protein sourcing.
Founded on the belief that environmental challenges can become opportunities for innovation, Chippin built a consumer brand around alternative proteins, including cricket protein and invasive silver carp. Their work with invasive carp has been supported by conservation leaders, including the World Wildlife Fund, as an example of how market-based solutions can address environmental challenges. By creating economic value for an invasive species, the company helps align ecological restoration with commercial opportunity.
As the company has grown, so has the opportunity. What began as a pet food brand is now evolving into a broader ingredient platform. This year, Chippin launched IGNIZA, an ingredient platform designed to unlock nature-positive proteins for the pet food industry, starting with invasive silver carp.
The company is already expanding beyond carp. Through a USDA-funded initiative, IGNIZA is developing supply chains around invasive blue catfish, a species threatening the health of the Chesapeake Bay. By creating commercial demand for invasive species, the company is advancing market-based solutions that benefit ecosystems, local economies and domestic supply chains.
Arlington has been the ideal place to launch and scale this vision. The unique combination of a highly educated workforce, thriving startup and technology ecosystem, and proximity to Washington, D.C. has enabled Chippin to build partnerships with conservation organizations, government agencies and mission-driven businesses working to solve complex environmental challenges.
Just as importantly, Arlington’s dog-loving community has helped inspire the company’s evolution as it works to build the next generation of sustainable pet food ingredients.
This summer, as the team continues meeting dogs and their owners across the region, they are reminded that some of the best business ideas start with a simple conversation. Sometimes, that conversation begins with a dog treat.
Arlington Economic Development supports innovative companies like Chippin as they grow and scale in the region. Learn more about resources for startups and mission-driven businesses.
Good Wednesday 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 — Dec 20, 2023.
This reporting was supported by the ARLnow Press Club. Join today to support in-depth local journalism — and get an exclusive morning preview of each day’s planned coverage.
(Updated at 4:15 p.m.) In the half-decade leading up to 2017, ridership on Arlington Transit, or ART, had risen 34%, or nearly 1 million rides.
Commemorate the country’s 250th anniversary of the United States of America at Civic Jam! Celebrate the City of Falls Church’s diverse community, civic engagement, and classic summer fun. Jam out to live, local music, sip on local brews, enjoy tasty treats and eats, and a full evening of festivities for all ages on Friday, July 3, 2026, from 6 to 10 p.m.
Play, connect, and earn points throughout the evening in the Civic Cup Competition with activities ranging from sack races and relays to collaborative community art and trivia in the beer garden. No pre-registration required, assemble a team of four, pick up a Civic Cup scorecard, and compete for the Civic Cup Trophy!
A rare albino squirrel may be living near Yorktown High School.
A local teen sent ARLnow photos of the squirrel, above, taken in the Yorktown neighborhood. The critter has noticeably red eyes, a characteristic of albino squirrels.
Some county employees now have a labor contract with Arlington County.
This weekend, the Arlington County Board adopted a resolution funding the tentative collective bargaining agreement between the county and the local union representing service, labor and trade workers.
Arlington Public Schools is poised to tie planned S. Walter Reed Drive upgrades into its $180 million Arlington Career Center project.
This past Saturday, the Arlington County Board approved a memorandum of agreement permitting APS to appoint the same contractor for the Career Center’s construction to handle the road improvements — part of the county’s Neighborhood Complete Streets program — from 5th Street S. to Columbia Pike.
It won’t ever beat “All I Want for Christmas is You” on the charts but a new Arlington-specific Christmas song is out, recorded by the group that was on the opposition side of several land-use flashpoints this year.
Arlingtonians for Our Sustainable Future, a neighborhood group that has advocated against everything from Missing Middle to a new planning document for Langston Blvd, dropped an alternative “12 Days of Christmas” this week.
As we have been reporting, local public access station Arlington Independent Media is at a crossroads as it vies for funding from Arlington County and local cable providers.
Despite some internal strife, a bigger force is driving the existential questions around AIM: the ongoing loss of cable TV subscribers known as cord cutting.
