After a multi-year hiatus, ARLnow’s podcast is returning this fall. Our first test episode recording turned out pretty well, so we decided to let you listen to it.
It starts with a discussion of some local news of the week, then transitions to a discussion about local news reporting and journalism as a career. The episode features ARLnow founder Scott Brodbeck, reporter/editor Jo DeVoe, incoming reporter/editor James Jarvis, and Peter Berlizov, a local high school student who showed up for a tour of our office and got roped into interviewing ARLnow’s staff for the podcast.
‘Birds sing out of tune and rain clouds hide the moon.’
Douglas “Doug” Louis Rowan, passed away suddenly on July 15, 2023, while visiting family on the New Jersey shore. Doug was born in Washington, D.C on January 26, 1953, to Edward and Nancy Rowan who preceded him in death.
This regularly scheduled column is written by Eli Tucker, Arlington-based Realtor and Arlington resident. If you would like to work with Eli and his team in Northern Virginia and the greater D.C. Metro area, you can reach him directly at[email protected].
Question: Why would anybody waste thousands of dollars each year on condo fees?
Answer: Most people associate paying condo fees with throwing money down the drain, but most people do not look at condo fees the right way.
In this June 20 article, the Wall Street Journal reported a study by Angi (formerly Angie’s List) that home maintenance and emergency repairs have increased by 85% and 175%, respectively, from 2019 to 2025.
By comparison, condo fees in Arlington increased by an average of just 32% from 2019 to 2025, making them a steep bargain for condo owners compared to other homeowners.
What Do Condo Fees Pay For?
For those who haven’t spent time studying condo budgets, some of the main expenses in a condo budget include:
Maintenance, Emergency Repairs, and Utilities: general upkeep and operations of the building
Reserves: a building’s savings account for major repairs or replacement of things like the roof, elevators, carpet, etc
Property Management/Staff: contracts for a property manager, front desk, janitorial services, and engineer
Master Insurance: this policy usually protects everything except your personal items and improvements within each unit
FBI activity on Columbia Pike on April 27, 2022, related to the James Gordon Meek case (courtesy John Antonelli)
Arlington resident James Gordon Meek, formerly a prominent television news producer, has pleaded guilty to child pornography charges.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced the plea this afternoon. Meek, 53, faces a minimum sentence of 5 year in federal prison and a maximum sentence of several decades.
Due to the extended period of extreme heat forecasted for the next several days in our area, the Civic Jam event originally scheduled for Friday, July 3, 2026, has been postponed to Friday, July 24, 2026.
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.
Volunteers pose in front of project materials (courtesy Daphne Lathouras)
A small cohort of dedicated volunteers is stepping up to help support low-income homeowners, performing home improvements at no cost.
Since 1988, the nonprofit Rebuilding Together Arlington/Fairfax/Falls Church has worked to ensure low-income homeowners in Arlington and elsewhere in Northern Virginia have safe and accessible living spaces.
Toys ‘R’ Us and its long-necked mascot are on an RV tour of the East Coast, with an upcoming stop in Arlington.
The long-time children’s retailer declared bankruptcy in 2017 and, a year later, closed all of its U.S. stores. In recent years, however, it has been making a comeback, with stores located within Macy’s locations — including the Macy’s in Pentagon City.
A buzzy new Mediterranean restaurant in Clarendon has pushed back its opening again.
Kirby Club, which previously was set to be called Tawle, is now aiming for a March 2024 opening in the former IOTA Club space at 2832 Wilson Blvd, a restaurant spokesperson confirmed to ARLnow.
The Barcroft Apartments on Columbia Pike (via Arlington County)
Plans to renovate some of the buildings within the Barcroft Apartments complex on Columbia Pike cleared an important hurdle on Tuesday.
The Arlington County Board approved a use permit enabling renovation plans for 93 homes at the corner of S. George Mason Drive and S. Four Mile Run Drive on Tuesday. These will occur concurrently with long-term planning for how to redevelop select parcels within the sprawling acreage.
