Mass layoffs at The Washington Post yesterday (Wednesday) dealt a punishing blow to the newspaper’s storied history of local journalism after decades of declining emphasis on Arlington and Northern Virginia.
Reminiscent of the demises of the Washington Star in the early 1980s, Journal Newspapers in the early 2000s and Sun Gazettes in 2023, the job cuts entail a dramatic downscaling of reporting on the D.C. area.
Some Northern Virginia newspaper publishers are taking creative chances to retain a viable print presence in an industry where online news is increasingly dominant.
As instability in readership and advertising has disrupted revenue streams, some specialized publications have still found success. Meanwhile, at least one local newspaper, the Falls Church News-Press, has embarked on an effort to form a partnership with local municipal leaders.
The demise of the GazetteLeader news organization in late September left Arlington with just a single weekly print news publication.
Should the survivor, the Arlington Connection, someday follow the trend of print publications moving online or disappearing entirely, that could be the end of the community’s legacy of physical newspapers — one that spans more than two centuries.
Leadership of the Fairlington Citizens Association (FCA) has decided to cease monthly print publication of its All-Fairlington Bulletin newsletter in 2025.
The decision was based on rising costs, declining advertising revenue and changes in readership habits, the civic association’s leadership said.
Equinox Gym Coming to Clarendon — “Clarendon is getting an Equinox health club — just the third standalone location of the gym in the D.C. area. The high-end fitness facility will be part of the Market Common development in the Arlington neighborhood, according to two real estate broker sources familiar with the deal.” [Washington Business Journal]
Local Seniors Have Millennial Transit Traits — “Arlington seniors are fairly tech savvy. They are generally comfortable with transportation tasks such as searching options online to using apps on their smartphones. They generally have a young frame of mind and are open to considering new ways of doing things (including trying various modes of transportation) and the latest technology.” [Mobility Lab]
A long-time diner closed its doors today after 32 years in business.
Arlington Diner, at 2921 S. Glebe Road in the Arlington Ridge Shopping Center, will now no longer serve its all-day breakfast — nor lunch or dinner. On Thursday morning, workers were in the building removing various appliances and other fixtures and fittings.
Low House Rental Profits in Arlington — Of 448 U.S. counties with a population over 100,000, Arlington County has the lowest annual gross yield on rentals of single family homes. Those renting their homes can expect a low return on their investment: only 3.3 percent in Arlington. [RealtyTrac]
Women of Vision Nominations Begin — The Arlington County Commission on the Status of Women is accepting nominations for its 2016 Women of Vision Awards. The nomination deadline is April 15. [ARLnow]
Making a case for the large investment required to build a streetcar system, Hynes argued that the streetcar is part of Arlington’s “smart growth” philosophy.
“Traffic on many major Arlington streets is less than it was in 1970, even though our population has doubled in that time,” Hynes wrote. “The secret sauce is Arlington’s commitment to ‘smart growth’ planning — our commitment to transit-oriented development that keeps density along our transit corridors, while preserving neighborhoods. In fact, more than half of Arlington’s real property values are on just 11 percent of our land — our Metrorail corridors. It is a philosophy that is the backbone to Arlington’s success, the envy of many in the region and the nation.”
The two jurisdictions have been cooperating on a transit project that will bring bus rapid transit and, ultimately, a streetcar to the Route 1 corridor of Crystal City and Potomac Yard. But today Connection Newspapers reported that Alexandria officials were upset because Arlington supposedly withdrew from an agreement to pay $2.4 million of the $3.4 million cost of an environmental analysis.
In reality, says Arlington County spokeswoman Mary Curtius, the environmental analysis is currently underway and Arlington County is paying its $1.78 million share of the $3.56 million cost. The Arlington county manager and the Alexandria city manager signed an agreement to split the cost of the analysis in 2010, she said.
The weekly Arlington Connection newspaper is the light, feature-y yin to the yang of its more newsy competitor, the Arlington Sun Gazette newspaper. Normally a bit thin during other times of the year, the Arlington Connection — published by the local Connection Newspapers chain — beefed up its coverage this summer thanks to an influx of interns.
Noise Monitoring at DCA — A company has been hired to measure noise levels around Reagan National Airport. The information gathered will be used to figure out “ways to control or reduce noise pollution.” [NBC Washington]
Bus Stop Decorated — A local ART bus stop has been “yarn bombed.” [Facebook]
“I personally have never seen one,” said Urias, who launched Your Shirlington Connection six months ago. Alas, Urias says he eventually received a note back from Connection Newspapers, asserting the company’s legal right to exclusively use the “Connection” name in Virginia.
“I thought I did enough to find out it was okay,” Urias said. “When I registered our company name in [Virgina], the name wasn’t flagged as a potential issue.”
