News

Changes to the form used to seek historic-district status for Arlington properties may make the process more onerous for applicants.

That was the view of a number of Historical Affairs & Landmark Review Board (HALRB) members, who were informed of the change by staff on Feb. 19 — three months after the revisions went into place.


News

George Mason University’s law school has removed webpages related to diversity, equity and inclusion, sparking student criticism and casting doubt on the future of related programs.

Pages related to Antonin Scalia Law School’s DEI Task Force, DEI Advisory Board and overall approach to diversity have vanished following a Feb. 14 letter from the U.S. Department of Education taking aim at such programs.


News

County Board members have promised more follow-up with residents who lived with the contentious placement of Arlington Transit buses on a N. Quincy Street government parcel.

“We need to do an after-action evaluation,” Board Chair Takis Karantonis said on Saturday after the matter was brought up during the Board’s public comment period.


News

County Board members on Saturday (Feb. 22) approved zoning changes needed for Melwood and Wesley Housing to move forward with a controversial mixed-use project near Crystal City.

The 4-0 vote, with one abstention, allows for plans to build a five-story building with 105 committed-affordable units to move forward. It came after nearly five hours of public comment and Board discussion.


News

The civic association representing residents living adjacent to the planned Melwood development project near Crystal City is taking a last stab at slowing down the approval process.

“It is time to take a pause and do better for this neighborhood,” said Stacy Meyer, vice president of the Aurora Highlands Civic Association, in a letter to County Board members. “We need the County Board to listen to its residents who have been very clear about opposing this project.”


News

Falls Church city officials continue to do their best to evaluate the local impacts of federal downscaling and a barrage of other decisions coming out of the White House.

“It’s different every day,” said Cindy Mester, the city’s community relations and legislative affairs director.


News

Legislation to give Falls Church more tools to promote affordable-housing development is moving forward in Richmond.

Two companion bills, if approved by the legislature and signed by the governor, would add Falls Church to the list of Virginia localities allowed to craft a program related to affordable dwelling units through their zoning ordinances.


News

A children’s book about Palestine is under review at a Falls Church library following a complaint alleging antisemitic language.

P is for Palestine: A Palestine Alphabet Book” is the work in question. Library Director Megan Dotzler said at a Feb. 5 meeting that a complaint had been lodged, leading to the review.


Schools

A major policy shift by the Virginia High School League (VHSL) could impact how Arlington Public Schools approaches transgender athletes.

VHSL announced this week that it will follow an executive order from President Donald Trump that attempts to ban students born male from competing on girls teams, threatening financial sanctions if schools don’t comply.


News

Arlington leaders had their worries addressed, but concerns expressed by leaders in Fairfax County helped to kill, for 2025, a bill aimed at ensuring transparency in local-government decisionmaking.

The measure, patroned by Virginia Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-39), had sailed through the upper chamber unanimously on Jan. 31.


News

Falls Church officials appear split on whether it’s a good idea to impose a “second signature” requirement before vehicles are towed from private property.

But before the matter circles back to City Council members for a final decision, it will move through at least one advisory body and a public-review process.


Schools

Debate over gendered spaces in Arlington Public Schools has erupted following the arrest of a sex offender accused of exposing themselves in multiple girls’ locker rooms.

The school system is tightening security measures at its pools in response to Richard Kenneth Cox reportedly loitering while naked around women and girls after hours on APS property.


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