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County Board awards $419K to support immigrants, faces arguments from nonprofit left out

Published March 20, 2025 at 11:15AM | Updated March 20, 2025 at 1:37PM

Tsehaye Teferra (screenshot via Arlington County)

Over $400,000 in funding for immigration-related services is included in a package of grants that the Arlington County Board approved for local nonprofits this week.

However, one Arlington-based organization focused on immigrant communities — the Ethiopian Community Development Council — pushed back at a County Board meeting on Tuesday after a selection panel declined to recommend funding the nonprofit. Board members declined to bend the rules to help, but said they would help the group find additional streams of funding and other support.

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Fewer visitors at Arlington hotels could impact jobs, county budget projections

By Scott McCaffrey

Published March 20, 2025 at 9:00AM

Construction at the new Hilton hotel in Rosslyn in February (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

Add hotel-occupancy rates to the Arlington County government’s growing list of economic concerns.

Projections for the next 60 days suggest Arlington’s hotel-room usage will be down 15% from a year before and expected hotel revenue down 12%.

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Real-time unemployment data still elusive as federal cutbacks roll on

By Scott McCaffrey

Published March 18, 2025 at 2:30PM

The Washington Monument in the haze, as seen from a Pentagon City apartment building in 2023 (via WeatherBug)

Obtaining real-time data on the impacts of federal downsizing continues to pose a challenge for groups across the D.C. area.

The Northern Virginia Regional Commission has added a section tracking initial unemployment claims on its website. The most recent data as of March 16 show that statewide initial unemployment claims rose from 2,881 the week ending March 1 to 4,036 the week ending March 8.

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With chants and boos, activists press Arlington County Board to end cooperation with ICE

By Dan Egitto

Published March 17, 2025 at 3:45PM | Updated March 17, 2025 at 4:09PM

Members of the public at an Arlington County Board meeting on in March 2025 (via Arlington County/YouTube)

Forceful debate over Arlington County’s approach to a recent surge in immigration enforcement dominated a County Board meeting this weekend.

Following extensive public comments and shouted chants and boos from dozens of advocates, several Board members raised the possibility of once again revising county policy on when local police can contact federal law enforcement.

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More glass recycling, traffic calming on 1st Road S. discussed at County Board meeting

By Scott McCaffrey

Published March 17, 2025 at 9:45AM

The Arlington County Board at a meeting on Saturday, March 15 (via Arlington County/YouTube)

A relatively brief Arlington County Board meeting on Saturday involved discussion of local glass recycling and traffic calming on 1st Road S.

As officials are in the midst of determining the county’s budget and wrestling with various other thorny issues involving President Donald Trump’s administration, this week’s agenda was unusually light.

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Amid federal layoffs, Arlington sees surge in people looking for jobs

By Dan Egitto and Katie Taranto

Published March 13, 2025 at 3:45PM

A town hall for federal workers and contractors at Central Library in February (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

Amid mass federal layoffs, local businesses and resource centers are responding to a surge in Arlington residents seeking jobs.

While business owners say they’ve received a flood of inquiries from people now out of work, the Arlington Employment Center has seen a 45% year-over-year increase in people accessing services.

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Local leaders seek sharper approach to Trump’s impacts on D.C. area

By Scott McCaffrey

Published March 13, 2025 at 9:45AM

Fairfax Supervisor James Walkinshaw (screenshot via Fairfax County)

After weeks of playing defense, some D.C.-area leaders are now considering a more aggressive approach to the Trump administration.

“We know the president responds to pressure. It’s really important that we continue to fight,” said Fairfax Supervisor James Walkinshaw during a Wednesday (March 12) meeting of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG).

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Federal cuts, possible recession raise tough questions for county reserve funds

By Scott McCaffrey

Published March 13, 2025 at 8:15AM

County Manager Mark Schwartz (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Substantial economic uncertainty has left Arlington officials facing tough questions as they consider beefing up the county’s reserve fund this year.

The current Fiscal Year 2026 budget draft includes a proposed $11.5 million increase to the county’s Economic Stability Reserve — increasing it from $21.5 million to $33 million.

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State Department building in Rosslyn eyed for federal cuts

By Dan Egitto

Published March 5, 2025 at 3:45PM

The State Department building at 1801 N. Lynn Street in Rosslyn (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

A U.S. State Department building in Rosslyn might be going up for sale amid ongoing federal spending cuts.

The office building at 1801 N. Lynn Street, home to the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, was among 443 federal properties identified as “not core to government operations” in a federal list posted yesterday.

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Economic, job uncertainty may be starting to impact Arlington homes market

By Scott McCaffrey

Published March 5, 2025 at 9:00AM

Home for sale sign and Arlington real estate (illustration by ARLnow)

A recent spike upward in the number of price cuts in the Arlington housing market could be connected to local and regional economic anxiety.

A key expert in the field tells ARLnow the data will be worth watching, but it is still too early to tell whether it is a one-time blip or the start of a more significant trend.

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EXCLUSIVE: Amid immigration raids, a quiet resistance movement builds in Arlington

By Dan Egitto and Katie Taranto

Published March 4, 2025 at 3:45PM | Updated March 4, 2025 at 4:04PM

Private property signage at AFAC's headquarters in Shirlington (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

As fears of immigration arrests flare, a network of Arlington organizations has been quietly but rapidly mobilizing to help undocumented residents and hinder immigration enforcement.

Local communities were already on the alert when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement carried out multiple raids in Northern Virginia yesterday and today (Tuesday).

News

APS further restricts state, federal law-enforcement access to schools

By Scott McCaffrey

Published March 3, 2025 at 9:45AM

School Board member Bethany Zecher Sutton (screenshot via Arlington Public Schools)

A new policy limiting state and federal law enforcement’s access to Arlington Public Schools facilities is going into effect.

The Arlington School Board has approved a policy revision that restricts access for law enforcement agencies other than the Arlington County Police Department.