Relatively modest changes to Northern Virginia zoning requirements could be a key step to delivering on more housing stock, panelists suggested last week.
Members of a panel convened by George Mason University last Wednesday argued in favor of looser zoning policies and other changes to how localities approach the development process. The alterations don’t need to be draconian or revolutionary to have a positive effect, participants said.
Arlington’s unemployment rate dropped below 3% in April for the first time since last June, with the lowest number of residents counted as jobless in a year.
With 146,680 county residents employed in the civilian workforce and 4,424 looking for jobs, the county’s unemployment rate stood at 2.9% for the month, according to data reported June 3 by the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.
This sponsored column is by Law Office of James Montana PLLC. All questions about it should be directed to James Montana, Esq., Janice Chen, Esq., and Victoria Khaydar, Esq., practicing attorneys at The Law Office of James Montana PLLC, an immigration-focused law firm located in Falls Church, Virginia. The legal information given here is general in nature. If you want legal advice, contact us for an appointment.
USCIS administers immigration benefits. In the time-honored tradition of government agencies since the days of Ur and Uruk, USCIS uses forms to collect, store, and interpret information. Immigrants complete these forms in order to obtain benefits. Most U.S. citizens have no idea what reams of paperwork these forms require. An ordinary green card application is comprised of ninety-seven pages of bare forms, which typically are supported by several hundred pages of supporting documents.
In better times, forms are a necessary evil. In the times we actually live in, forms are just another weapon with which to thwack your political opponents.
In the second iteration of the Trump Administration, USCIS has discovered a new, extremely petty way to make immigrants’ lives more difficult – by releasing new form versions which make utterly minute changes, and then decrees that yesterday’s official version is obsolete as of today.
The Office of Management and Budget, by the way, requires that all government forms have an ‘edition date’ and an ‘expiration date.’ USCIS evades this neatly by making the expiration date purely notional – the form can be valid after the expiration date, and it can be decreed obsolete at any time before or after the expiration date. (The edition date is notional, too – in the first months of the Trump Administration, USCIS persistently released forms backdated to January 20, 2025, seemingly just for the inaugural vibes.) The forms altered in the last two weeks are highlighted below.
Arlington County police are investigating a fatal hit-and-run crash early Monday morning on Columbia Pike.
The crash happened around 1:20 a.m. in the westbound lanes of the Pike at S. Thomas Street, between Four Mile Run Drive and S. George Mason Drive.
There’s something a little bit magical about picking up a foil for the first time — or drawing back a bow and watching your arrow fly true. It’s why fencing and archery have such a hold on kids and adults alike: real focus, real skill, and a thrill you don’t get from the usual sports lineup.
This fall, Nova Fencing & Archery Club in Bailey’s Crossroads is opening registration for both, with beginner classes for every age starting the week of September 12th. Fencing welcomes ages 7 to 12 and teens and adults 13 and up. Explore Archery, coached by USA Archery certified instructors, welcomes ages 8 to 12 and meets Tuesdays or Saturdays. And for our youngest fencers, ages 4 to 6, ABC’s of Fencing meets on Saturdays. All classes run eight sessions for $195, equipment provided, no experience needed — yes, even for grown-ups who’ve never held a sword or a bow before.
Weigh In on the Arch — The National Park Service is taking public comment through June 15 on the effects of President Trump’s proposed 250-foot triumphal arch at Memorial Circle, near Arlington National Cemetery. Last week, the National Capital Planning Commission requested more details and questioned whether the structure violates the federal Height Act, as protesters rallied against the project. [WTOP, NBC Washington]
Flyover at Noon — From AlertDC: “The U.S. Military will conduct an Aircraft Flyover in the NCR over Arlington National Cemetery Monday, June 8 at approximately 12Noon.”
Acosta Weds in Arlington — PBS News Hour White House correspondent Liz Landers and independent journalist Jim Acosta married Saturday before 150 guests at the Army Navy Country Club. The two met at CNN, where Landers found Acosta “less serious and funnier in person than he was on TV.” [Washingtonian]
Local Pizzeria Cracks Top 50 — A Modo Mio (5555 Langston Blvd) landed at No. 37 on 50 Top Pizza’s 2026 list of the nation’s best pizzerias, the third time in four years it has made the ranking. The Neapolitan restaurant said it was honored to be the only Virginia or D.C. pizzeria named. [N. Va. Magazine]
Trump Pitches Potomac Promenade — President Trump announced plans for a pedestrian walkway connecting the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River, crossing two busy roadways. Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum cast it as fulfilling the early-1900s McMillan Plan, though architects and historians said he was misconstruing the memorial’s design. Trump said some want to call it the “Trump promenade.” [Washington Post]
Budget Talks Blow Up — Virginia budget negotiations have collapsed over data center tax breaks, raising the prospect of a skinny budget that funds only core services before state money runs out June 30. Talks broke down after a Friday meeting among Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D), Senate Appropriations Chair Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth) and House counterpart Luke Torian (D-Prince William). Lucas warned they were making a “MONUMENTAL MISTAKE.” [Virginia Scope]
Warner Backs Hot Chicken Bill — Sen. Mark Warner (D) is co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation to let SNAP recipients buy hot rotisserie chicken, which current rules bar even though a chilled bird qualifies. Warner called the Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act a “commonsense fix to an outdated rule” that would help families put an affordable meal on the table. Companion legislation has passed the House. [Press Release]
Metro Ridership Takes Off — Metro recorded its busiest 8-9 a.m. rush hour since 2020 on June 2, when more than 71,500 customers entered the rail system. Dulles Airport also set a record May 22 with more than 7,500 trips. “Ridership is taking off!” the transit agency posted. [DC News Now]
Iran War Cools Local Economy — The region’s economy slipped in April, with CBRE’s REVIVE Regional Vibrancy Index down 0.6% as inflation from the war in Iran took hold. Commercial property sales have fallen 22% since January. Still, CBRE researcher Ian Anderson said the local job market is “starting to turn a corner” after federal cuts. [WBJ]
It’s Monday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 83, with an east wind around 5–9 mph. It stays mostly clear overnight with a low around 58. [NWS]
New Legal Notice — Coffee purveyor seeks beer and wine license. [Public Notices]
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.
Join us for the Saint Ann Fall Festival on Saturday, September 26! Start the day with our Fun Run at 9:30 AM, followed by the Fall Festival beginning at 10:00 AM.
This family friendly celebration is open to the entire Arlington community and offers something for everyone! Enjoy rides and inflatables, live entertainment, family friendly Bingo, raffles, a Beer Garden, delicious food, and plenty of opportunities to gather with the community.
The festival is also a celebration of Saint Ann’s diverse Catholic community, featuring food and entertainment representing our Filipino, Latino, and Peruvian communities, along with some local favorites.
This year’s entertainment includes a live band in the Beer Garden, and exciting Bolivian and Peruvian dance performances. Admission is free, and tickets for food, rides, and activities can be purchased at the festival.
Come celebrate with us and experience the warm, welcoming spirit of Saint Ann! We look forward to welcoming the greater Arlington community for a fun-filled day together.
The Fall Festival will take place rain or shine! Come join the fun!
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 5, 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 mostly sunny weather with a high near 92 degrees, and a light west wind that will pick up to 5 to 9 mph in the morning. On Saturday night, there’s a slight 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms between 11 p.m. and midnight. The night will be partly cloudy with a low around 72 degrees, and a west wind at 5 to 8 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”
– Robert Frost
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. 👋
This reporting was supported by the ARLnow Press Club. Join to support in-depth local journalism — and get an exclusive early morning email with a preview of that day’s planned news coverage.
When plans were announced for Arlington’s bicentennial celebration in 2001, one question emerged among county residents: It was the bicentennial of what, exactly?
Old habits changed for the Yorktown Patriots when it came to winning a region soccer championship.
The last four times the Yorktown Patriots competed in the 6D North Regional girls soccer championship game, the squad came away with the title.
This July 4, Falls Church residents will have the chance to hear the Declaration of Independence read out from the same spot it was proclaimed nearly 250 years before.
Tradition holds that the document was read from the steps of The Falls Church sometime in September 1776, marking the first time many in the local area had heard the rallying cry for independence.
A new season of free events at George Mason University is coming to Virginia Square starting next week.
This year’s lineup of weekly programming — featuring trivia nights, K-pop dance sessions, ping pong, knitting and more — kicks off Monday, June 8 and will last through Aug. 8.
Looking for a fall activity that gets you moving and builds real confidence? EvolveAll Martial Arts and Training Studio is offer free classes for youth and adults during it’s upcoming Intro Week, September 14-19.
EvolveAll, Arlington’s martial arts and fitness community off Columbia Pike, is once again opening its doors for a full week of free trial classes — and youth classes are one of the highlights. Kids ages 5-15 will get to try hands-on martial arts instruction designed to build discipline, focus, and self-defense skills in a supportive, age-appropriate environment.
