Westville in Clarendon (photo by Joy Asico-Smith, courtesy of Asico Photo)
A rotating exhibit of art pieces from the Arlington Artists Alliance is coming to an American restaurant in Clarendon through a new partnership.
Westville will be hosting a reception for the new project from 4-6 p.m. on Friday, May 29 at 2800 Clarendon Blvd. The exhibit, which is expected to change on a quarterly basis, will feature works available for purchase that are aligned with the restaurant’s earthy aesthetic and veggie-forward menu.
A look inside PLNTR's Crystal City store in June 2025 (staff photo by Katie Taranto)
A locally owned plant shop in Crystal City is celebrating its one-year anniversary this month with giveaways, a market and other activities.
PLNTR, the D.C.-based boutique and nursery known for making an appearance on Season 7 of “Love is Blind,” will host a celebration on Sunday, May 31 at 269 19th Court S. Attractions will include a pop-up market with art and vinyl records and a “flash” tattoo session with Hummingbird Tattoo.
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.
This complaint about the quality of copper ingots has been rejected, because it was submitted on the a tablet of improper diameter. On on after 1750 BC, complainants must use the new tablet… Image is free for public use. Attribution here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ea-n%C4%81%E1%B9%A3ir
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.
Form G-28. Four pages, stating that a lawyer represents you.
Form G-28. Four more pages, stating that the same lawyer represents your spouse.
Form I-130. A twelve-page biographical survey of you, the U.S. citizen.
Form I-130A. A six-page biographical survey of your spouse.
Form I-131. A fourteen-page request for permission to travel while the government thinks about whether to grant the green card application.
Form I-485. A twenty-four pager. This is the green card application itself. It repeats all of the biographical detail from Forms I-130 and I-130A.
Form I-693. A fourteen-page list of certifications concerning your health and fitness. (No, your family doctor can’t do it for you – you have to go to someone called a Designated Civil Surgeon.)
Form I-765. A seven-page request for a work permit while the government thinks about whether to grant your green card application.
Form I-864. A twelve-page contract in which you (the U.S. citizen) promise to repay the government for welfare benefits, if your spouse draws on them, and in which you further promise to keep your spouse above the poverty line.(more…)
County Manager Mark Schwartz unveils capital improvement package (screenshot via Arlington County)
County voters are likely to see nearly a quarter-billion dollars spread over five local bond referendums on the Nov. 3 ballot.
Revenues from future bond sales would support County Manager Mark Schwartz’s proposed new 10-year, $4.3 billion capital improvement plan, unveiled on Tuesday evening.
Pentagon MMA has brought a special honor home to Arlington from the birthplace of Muay Thai.
The Arlington Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu Academy is now officially a certified and registered Muay Thai Gym Partner through the Sports Authority of Thailand and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand, making Pentagon MMA the only Muay Thai academy on the East Coast to have earned this distinction.
All Virginia workers will be eligible for paid sick leave under new legislation backed by State Sen. Barbara Favola (D-40).
The new law, signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger yesterday (Wednesday), requires employers to provide both full-time and part-time employees with up to five sick days per year beginning in July 2027. Workers accrue one hour for every 30 hours worked, and will be able to take time off for either mental or physical illness.
Join us for the LLT 5K Run/Walk, a community-powered fundraiser supporting Empower Latina and our mission to uplift, empower, and create opportunities for Latina women and girls. Whether you run, walk, or cheer from the sidelines, your participation helps make a meaningful impact. Lace up, show up, and empower Latina!
The Washington-Liberty girls gather with the district championship banner and trophy (courtesy W-L track-and-field)
The team’s first-year head coach compared the second straight outdoor track-and-field girls championship of the Washington-Liberty Generals to a puzzle.
The Generals convincingly won the Liberty District high-school title with 136 points at Wakefield High School, well ahead of the runner-up Langley Saxons with 86.
Stormy clouds over N. Glebe Road in Ballston (courtesy George Brazier)
Parks Stay in Top 10 — “Arlington County’s nationally recognized park system has once again earned the number seven spot in the 2026 Trust for Public Land’s ParkScore, marking 11 consecutive years in the top 10.” Arlington earned 76.1 out of 100 points across 15 measures. [Arlington County]
Argentine Festival Returns — The Argentine Festival USA returns to Kenmore Middle School auditorium on Saturday, bringing a full day of live music, Argentine food and community celebration. The indoor event runs 3:30–10:30 p.m. and features more than 39 performers. [ARLnow]
Stop the Bleed Training — “Learn to stop major bleeding using tourniquets and direct pressure.” Ready Arlington is hosting a free, hands-on “Until Help Arrives” training on Monday, May 28 from 6:30–8:30 p.m. [Ready Arlington/X]
Composted Bodies at ANC? — Retired Air Force Col. Dave Buermeyer says he plans to lobby Arlington National Cemetery to allow composted remains, following the opening of a new “human composting” facility in Howard County, Md. “Environmentally, it’s head and shoulders over any other method that I’ve ever heard of,” Buermeyer said. [Axios]
Sewage Spill Hearing — “Key officials involved in the cleanup of a massive sewage spill in the Potomac River testified Wednesday at a congressional hearing that they quickly responded after a pipe burst and that public health was never at risk.” More than 240 million gallons of sewage spilled into the river in January. [WTOP]
Most Riders Skip Fare — “Metro says about 70% of riders are not paying their fare on the bus — about twice the national average and the highest rate of bus fare evasion in the country — and it’s costing the transit agency tens of millions of dollars.” Bus operators will begin quoting the fare to riders as a reminder to pay. [NBC 4]
Spanberger Splits on ICE — Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) signed legislation banning law enforcement officers from covering their faces while vetoing a separate bill that would have restricted federal immigration agents from making civil arrests in courthouses, schools and health care facilities. Both bills were sponsored by Fairfax state Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim (D). [FFXnow]
Spanberger on NAEP — Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) said her administration will look further into the expanded National Assessment of Educational Progress before committing to using the additional tests. “A test for a test’s sake is not what I think does any value for kids or for educators,” she said. [Virginia Mercury]
Revenues Up, Jobs Down — Virginia has lost 41,900 jobs since the start of fiscal year 2026, but General Fund revenues are roughly $851 million ahead of forecast. “It would not be unprecedented for us to use some of this money to get past this impasse, if we needed to,” Secretary of Finance Mark Sickles told lawmakers. [Virginia Mercury]
Va. Overdose Drop — Virginia recorded one of the steepest declines in overdose deaths nationwide over the past year, according to new CDC data. Expanded naloxone access and improved treatment programs have helped drive the drop. But state officials warn that potential Medicaid spending reductions could disrupt addiction and mental health treatment programs. [WAMU]
Sunshine Bill Returns — “House Republicans will try again to extend daylight saving time, seeking to end the nation’s semiannual clock changes — and deliver on a priority for President Donald Trump.” The House Energy and Commerce Committee is expected to propose adopting the Sunshine Protection Act this week. [Washington Post]
It’s Thursday — Expect showers and thunderstorms today with a high near 67 and northeast winds of 9–13 mph. The chance of precipitation is 90%, with new rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch possible. Overnight, showers and thunderstorms are likely before 11 p.m., with a low around 54. [NWS]
There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.
Expect showers and possibly a thunderstorm today, with a high of around 67°F. Northeast winds will be 9 to 13 mph, and there is a 90% chance of rain, with new rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch, potentially more in thunderstorms. Thursday night will be cloudy with showers likely before 11 p.m. and a slight chance after 5 a.m., with a low of around 54°F. Northeast winds will range from 7 to 10 mph, and there’s a 60% chance of rain with less than a tenth of an inch expected. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney
Thanks for reading! 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.
Power outage in North Arlington after tree fell (via Dominion)
Parts of Arlington’s northernmost neighborhoods are without power after a tree toppled along Military Road.
The arterial road is reportedly blocked by the large fallen tree, which took down poles, wires and transformers. Police, firefighters and Dominion Energy crews were on scene as of 5:15 p.m.
Volunteers and government personnel fanned out across the region in February for the 2026 Point-in-Time count (via Council of Governments)
Arlington’s level of homelessness was largely stable from 2025 to 2026, but the number of those considered chronically homeless showed a year-over-year increase.
A total of 29 single adults in Arlington were counted as chronically homeless in this year’s Point-in-Time Survey, a one-night regional tally of those experiencing homelessness across the region. That’s up from 23 a year before.