It’s that time of year again. This Sunday at 2 a.m., we’ll “fall back” as Daylight Saving Time comes to an end for 2025.
While gaining an extra hour of sleep sounds nice in theory, the reality of earlier sunsets and darker evenings can be a tough adjustment for many. By the end of next week, the sun will be setting before 5 p.m. in Arlington, leaving many commuters heading home in the dark.
It’s now officially fall, and Halloween decorations are just starting to proliferate across Arlington.
While the Halloween displays in stores may start in August, pumpkins and other decor typically don’t start appearing in yards, front entrances and balconies until well into September.
But there is wide variance in when those Halloween decorations go up. Some people might get started early in September, while others wait until just before the big day in late October.
What’s the most common time to put out the spooky decorations in Arlington? Let’s find out.
Maybe it seemed like a good idea at the time.
In 2023, amid debate about a bill adding 28 daily flights and easing restrictions on long distance flights at Reagan National Airport, ARLnow ran an unscientific poll asking readers what they thought.
For much of August and September so far, the weather has been great.
With the exception of a couple of rainy days, we’ve been enjoying dry weather with comfortable temperatures for nearly a month.
The biggest downside of this streak of nice weather is a worsening drought in the region.
After a very dry August & start to September, drought conditions have returned to much of the area. With little to no rain expected over the next 7-10 days expect further expansion of drought across the region. For more info visit: https://t.co/MP9jYThP7J. #MDwx #VAwx #WVwx #DCwx pic.twitter.com/Fn47fSkwin
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) September 11, 2025
Drought update: DC's western suburbs have been downgraded from "abnormally dry" to "moderate drought" in the federal government's latest U.S. Drought Monitor, issued today (Thursday). Rain prospects aren't great in the short term. More details: https://t.co/O5ePGELlht pic.twitter.com/0mkvVdWcGg
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) September 11, 2025
Another potential downside, at least in the eyes of some? Decreased productivity.
This late August/early September weather pattern is familiar to many who’ve lived in the area for awhile, and we often associate it with the lazy last days of pre-Labor Day summer.
But with the good times extending into mid-September, there may be some out there who have yet to shake off summer vacation mode and kick into the usual higher fall gear. And why not — maybe staying in summer mode helps some delay the full onset of seasonal affective disorder.
Admittedly, this is a highly vibes-based theory, and probably doesn’t apply to many. But there’s also some research behind why one might be less productive when rainy days are few and far between.
Does any of this describe you? Are you not getting as much done — at home, at work, or both — as usual, perhaps as a result of the temptation to be outside and active instead? Or are you unaffected by the sunny September bliss outside and staying as productive as usual? Let’s find out.
Summer is ending but lottery fever is heating up.
The Powerball jackpot is now well above the $1 billion mark, with another drawing set for tonight.
From the Associated Press:
An estimated $1.4 billion lottery jackpot will be up for grabs Wednesday night thanks to dozens of drawings without a big winner.
The massive Powerball prize is the sixth-largest U.S. lottery jackpot. It’s a result of 40 consecutive drawings stretching over the summer without anyone matching all of the game’s six numbers.
No one has won the grand prize since May 31, and the 41st drawing on Wednesday will be just one fewer than the record set last year.
All of that losing stems from Powerball’s abysmal odds of 1 in 292.2 million, though lottery officials note that the odds are far better for the game’s many smaller prizes. There are three drawings each week.
The $1.4 billion jackpot is for a winner who opts to receive 30 payments over 29 years through an annuity. Winners almost always choose the game’s cash option, which for this drawing would be an estimated $634.3 million.
Powerball tickets cost $2, and the game is offered in 45 states plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
ARLnow has conducted (unscientific) polls for previous billion-dollar plus jackpots, finding…
Today we’re simply wondering whether you’ve bought or are planning to buy a ticket for tonight’s big drawing.
With a week and a half to go before the start of school in Arlington, we’re decidedly in the waning days of summer.
Nights are cooler. Pre-season football is on TV. Fall plans are being made. And office parking lots have plenty of open spaces thanks to people getting their final beach vacations in.
In all, the mid-August vibes are strong and that leads to another thing: a general pre-Labor Day malaise.
As the dog days drag on, an August inertia sets in for some, making it ever more excruciating to wake up in the morning and put in a full day’s work. A lucky few may have the flexibility to unilaterally slash their working hours and output, while the rest of us just have to muddle through.
How prevalent is this late summer lethargy in Arlington? Let’s find out.
If ARLnow was human, it would be registering for its first driving lessons next month.
We’ve been around for awhile, but it seems that quite a few folks aren’t sure how you’re supposed to pronounce our name. Some pronounce it kind of like a pirate — Arrrrrl Now — while others go for the full “Arlington Now” or the sound-out-every-letter method of “A-R-L Now.”
So let’s find out — how do you personally pronounce ARLnow, either aloud or in your head? We’ll drop the “official” pronunciation into the comments, just so everyone knows.
There is increasing evidence to support worries about the local and national economy.
The 7.9% drop in the S&P 500 from Jan. 20-April 25 was the worst stock market performance to start the first 100 days of a presidential term since Richard Nixon, per reports earlier this week. Yesterday brought two additional data points: an estimated 0.3% drop in U.S. GDP during the first three months of the year, and a 60% year-over-year jump in Arlington’s unemployment rate.
Meanwhile, tariffs are causing a drop in shipping and port activity that some believe may lead to product shortages.
Arlington’s congressman says that all adds up to an “increasingly grim picture.”
“The economic warning lights are all flashing red,” Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) said in a press release sharply critical of the Trump administration.
Northern Virginia business leaders are also worried about the local economic outlook, despite optimism earlier this year, the Washington Business Journal reported Wednesday.
Even Remy Munasifi, of Arlington Rap fame, is getting in on the action, with a new music video satirizing President Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs.
Given everything going on with the economy, we’re wondering how that’s affecting local residents and — specifically — their spending decisions.
In March, 65% of poll respondents said they were “very worried” about the local economy given the impact of DOGE cuts to the federal government. Two months later, are those worries — and new tariff and economic concerns — translating to a tighter grip on one’s pursestrings? Let’s find out.
Photo by Alexander Mils on Unsplash
Arlington Public Schools and other local school systems are on spring break this week. Have you noticed?
Between schools being off and holidays like Easter and Passover, it’s a popular time for travel. Does it seem like there are fewer people on the roads, at local restaurants and stores, and elsewhere, as a result?
During spring break last year 70% of poll respondents said they were aware Arlington students were on break. This year, meanwhile, the parking lot at National Airport is currently near capacity. And things are slower digitally — ARLnow’s readership is about 60-65% of normal to start the week.
Does all that translate to real world observations around Arlington? Let’s find out.
As the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency continues to make cuts, we’re wondering how Arlingtonians are feeling about the implications for our area.
Despite lower approval ratings for President Donald Trump, a somewhat chaotic rollout that has complicated budget talks, and a number of backtracks on cuts, DOGE is continuing unabated. There are some early signs across the river that the cuts could inflict real economic pain locally — from rising unemployment in D.C. to grim warnings of budget shortfalls for the city.
On the other side of the Potomac, Virginia as a whole gets 3.4% of its employment from the federal government. More than 10% of Arlington’s workers, meanwhile, are employed as civilians in the federal government.
Given some of the early warning signs in D.C., and our reliance on the federal government for the local economy here in Arlington, how are you currently feeling about the implications of DOGE cuts?
Big news: the Shamrock Shake is back.
McDonald’s may try to tell you it’s returning on Monday, Feb. 10, but ARLnow obtained an early edition of the minty green milkshake from the set-for-replacement McD’s on Langston Blvd around lunchtime yesterday.
Apparently Uncle O’Grimacey is making up for lost time.
The Shamrock Shake is back on 2.10 at McDonald’s.
And so is the icon and legend : Uncle O’Grimacey. pic.twitter.com/24EJeJ2VWp— Guillaume Huin (@HuinGuillaume) February 4, 2025
The Shamrock Shake’s triumphant return, and the imminent return of Girl Scout cookie booths in Arlington, got us thinking about other sugary, seasonal treats that seem to herald the coming of spring.
Which is your favorite of the following four?
Valentine’s Day is nine days away. Have you made all of your plans for the big day yet?
Some people are V-Day go-getters who made restaurant reservations months ago. Others are Valentine’s Day procrastinators who will figure it out when they get a chance — maybe later this week?
Today we’re asking readers: which one are you?
Oh and in case you were wondering, previous Valentine’s Day-related ARLnow polls have determined that Arlingtonians prefer food to flowers as a present (70-30) and would much rather stay in than go out on Feb. 14 (85-15).
