Schools

Dozens of Arlington Public Schools students now hop aboard the system’s first electric school buses.

When students returned from winter break, the county and APS replaced two of its 190 diesel engine buses with emissions-free “and almost noise-free” battery-powered electric ones, the county has announced.


Around Town

Arlington’s first medical cannabis dispensary is set to open tomorrow in Clarendon.

Beyond/Hello is set to open the county’s inaugural cannabis dispensary on Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 2701 Wilson Blvd. The 6,820 square-foot shop with 37 parking spots is located across the street from Whole Foods and next to neighborhood staple Galaxy Hut.


Sponsored

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

(more…)


Opinion

After the pandemic disrupted the restaurant business, there was something of a lull in new restaurant openings in Arlington.

But 2023 looks to be a eventful year for restaurant openings in Arlington, as Amazon opens its HQ2 and a number of long-anticipated establishments open their doors. We’re currently tracking about 25 eateries that are hoping to open this year.


News

Another County Board Candidate — “Tony Weaver — a community leader, business owner and employer in Arlington County — has announced his candidacy for the Arlington County Board.” (He joins three other candidates, so far, who are seeking the Democratic nomination for two open seats.) [Press Release]

Doreen Gentzler on Arlington — “It’s changed so much. I was a kid living in North Arlington, and my grandparents were over in South Arlington. I could get on my bike and ride my bike over to my grandparents’ house in South Arlington. What’s now Skyline Towers, when I was a kid, was a small airport. There was a place to ride ponies right at the heart of Bailey’s Crossroads. It’s so, so, so much development. I think Arlington has done a great job in so many ways in managing development.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]


Event

Running the Army Ten Miler or the fall half marathon? We’re kicking off our fall training programs with a free training run, followed by an introduction to training, and a chance to ask some coaches questions about your own training. Run is free. We’ll chat after the run at post-run coffee. We will have two distances: 4 miles and 7 miles. We will have pacers running everything from a 7:30 mile to a 12:30 run-walk, so everyone will have someone to run with. No need to RSVP, just come out and run!


Obituary

William A. (Bill) Owczarski, who above all else, was a devoted husband, father, and son to his family, died Dec. 25, 2022. He was 88.

Bill’s true partner in life was his beloved Carolyn Agnes (Sadlow) Owczarski, better known as “Connie,” his wife of 65 years. Together, they raised their three sons–Paul, John, and Mark–starting in Loudonville, N.Y., then mostly in Cheshire, Conn., and the couple later lived in Arlington, Va., Gainesville, Va., and Raleigh, N.C. Bill was additionally blessed with three daughter-in-laws, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.


News

Sally Diaz-Wells, who coordinates the food pantry at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Arlington, just got the weekly egg bill.

It was $2,000, which makes up nearly 20% of the church’s weekly budget of $12,000 for purchasing food for distribution.


News

A man went on a vandalism spree along Columbia Pike last night, police say.

The incident happened around 10:45 p.m. amid the apartment buildings on Columbia Pike between George Mason Drive and Glebe Road.