Good Tuesday evening, Arlington. Today we published articles that were read a total of 14456 times… so far.
The following are the most-read articles for today — May 16, 2023.
Foxtrot in Rosslyn can now lawfully deliver you a magical charm crispy cake, thanks to County Board approval.
The Arlington County Board approved a use permit this past Saturday (May 13) to allow the upscale market, cafe, and convenience store to operate a delivery service from its 1771 N. Pierce Street location.
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Arlington’s small business community is strong and resilient. However, local businesses continue to face challenges from economic uncertainty, drops in consumer confidence, losses in access to capital, and disruptions from artificial intelligence. BizLaunch, a division of Arlington Economic Development, continues to rise to the challenge by supporting over 6,000 small businesses in Arlington with one-on-one counseling, innovative programming and robust marketing to encourage consumers to shop locally.
During a recent presentation to the Small Business Coordinating Council, BizLaunch Director Tara Palacios highlighted fiscal year 2026 results that underscore both the impact of Arlington’s business support programs and the pressures ahead.
BizLaunch provided technical assistance to entrepreneurs at a level 56% above its annual goal, reflecting sustained demand for one-on-one advising and business guidance. The division also served a diverse business community, including 52% women-owned businesses and 45% minority-owned enterprises. Nearly a quarter — 24% — of clients were in food and retail, industries that continue to face heightened economic pressure.
Major marketing and PR campaigns drove engagement across Arlington. Small Business Saturday, one of BizLaunch’s signature programs, prompted more than 4,141 transactions and $211,862 in consumer spending through the Open Rewards incentive, supported by a $10,625 investment of County funds. A coordinated marketing campaign with the BIDs and Partnerships further amplified the effort, generating more than 56,000 organic social media impressions, 44,000 video views and 1,619 engagements, along with nearly 2,000 paid ad clicks.
Support for business development through programming has also expanded. The BizLaunch Transformational Challenge and Pitchfest drew 40 participants for a five-week training program covering strategic planning, marketing, artificial intelligence and financial management. Participants developed pitch decks and presented to a panel of private lenders and business leaders. In all $25,000 was awarded to local businesses through the pitch event which came from private donations and contributions from the Industrial Development Authority. (more…)
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(Updated at 3:35 p.m.) A reported large teen party at a vacant house in Bluemont was broken up by police this past weekend.
Police were called to the 700 block of N. Abingdon Street, just west of Ballston, around 8:30 p.m. Friday. A caller reported a group of “50 to 100” teens running around outside, drinking, climbing on the roof of the house, blocking the street, and breaking things on an adjacent property.
Loyal fans of One More Page Books in East Falls Church are helping the store keep the lights on — literally.
The bookstore, a staple in the community for 12 years that often works with Arlington Public Library and local schools, recently held a fundraiser to help pay for needed maintenance and to help the shop stick with its current slate of publisher vendors.
*Mamistad Groups meet IN PERSON-only the introductory Zoom call is virtual. :)
Pregnancy and new mom groups are a lifesaver when it comes to normalizing those feelings we just can’t be prepared for.
Sports bar Thirsty Bernie is closing this weekend.
The 15-year-old local watering hole, at the corner of N. Glebe Road and Langston Blvd, will serve its last pints on Sunday (May 21), co-owner Gobind Ghai confirmed to ARLnow. Sales have slowed since the pandemic, which led ownership to decide not to renew its lease at the Glebe Lee Shopping Center.
Yes, it was part of a big chain, and yes, it might not top many “best of” lists, but the closing of Bruegger’s Bagels in Ballston last month took another Arlington establishment that made bagels fresh and in-house off the board.
One within walking distance of the ARLnow offices, at that.
Current Prosecutors Back Boss — “In the heated Democratic primary contest for commonwealth’s attorney for Arlington and Falls Church, former prosecutor Josh Katcher has accused incumbent Parisa Dehghani-Tafti of mismanaging the office, leading to the departure of many attorneys and creating an environment where the office is falling short of implementing her criminal justice reform agenda. But top prosecutors who work in Dehghani-Tafti’s office contend she has assembled a strong group of attorneys who are turning Arlington into a model for what reform prosecution should look like.” [Patch]
Pickleball Meeting Next Week — “Next stop in the contentious battle over pickleball facilities in Arlington? A community meeting set for May 23. The event, to start at 7 p.m., will be held at ground zero of the pickleball wars: Walter Reed Community Center (2909 16th St. South).” [Gazette Leader]
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Good Monday evening, Arlington. Today we published articles that were read a total of 15372 times… so far.
The following are the most-read articles for today — May 15, 2023.
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Two sisters, ages 16 and 13, are missing and police are asking for the public’s help in locating them.
The sisters were last seen near the intersection of 23rd Street S. and Route 1 in Crystal City, according to the Arlington County Police Department, which put their names and photos out on social media (below).