James Jarvis, previously of InsideNoVa and FauquierNow, has joined as assistant editor, becoming the tenth full-time employee of Ballston-based Local News Now, the publisher of ARLnow.
Jarvis joins fellow assistant editor Jo DeVoe, staff photographer Jay Westcott, freelance reporter Matt Blitz and editor-in-chief Scott Brodbeck on ARLnow’s editorial team. The hire was made possible in part by the ongoing support of ARLnow Press Club members.
Born and raised in Northern Virginia, James completed his undergraduate degree at Franklin & Marshall College in 2018 before getting a master’s degree in journalism from Georgetown University in 2020.
He started his journalistic journey as a Fairfax County reporter for InsideNoVa in 2021 and took over coverage of Fauquier County for the FauquierNow.com website in January 2022 after InsideNoVa acquired it. His earlier career includes internships at The Hill newspaper and freelance work for both the Washington City Paper and Country ZEST & Style Magazine.
During his time at InsideNoVa and FauquierNow, James reported on a wide range of topics from local government and education to comprehensive investigative pieces.
Now part of the ARLnow team, James is enthusiastic about opening a new chapter in his career, striving to cover all facets of Arlington, and ensuring that local residents gain a more insightful understanding of their local community. He will also be contributing photos to stories and assisting with the relaunch of ARLnow’s podcast.
Patchy fog is expected before 9am, followed by increasing clouds and a high temperature near 88. There will be a mild north wind at 5 to 7 mph. Saturday night will see mostly cloudy skies that will gradually clear, with a low temperature around 68 and a light northeast wind at 3 to 6 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi
🌅 Tonight’s sunset
We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋
Leaf blowers in use in the Truist Bank parking lot in Ballston (courtesy anonymous)
Worker using leaf blowers in Truist Bank parking lot in Ballston (courtesy anonymous)
The Truist Bank parking lot in Ballston, where workers have been seen using leaf blowers (photo by Hallie LeTendre)
Sidewalk area surrounding Truist Bank during early morning construction work (photo by Hallie LeTendre)
The Jefferson, next to the parking lot where workers using leaf blowers have been seen (photo by Hallie LeTendre)
In Ballston, regardless of the season, workers have been spotted wielding leaf blowers.
Exactly who pays for this work, however, continues to be a mystery.
At least anecdotally, the continued popularity of remote work after Covid has had at least one downside for some residents: more exposure to the sound of leaf blowers. Former opinion columnist Jane Green noted the nuisance in a widely read piece two years ago, rallying 43% of respondents to the cause of banning gas-powered leaf blowers in Arlington, according to an ARLnow poll.
Then last month, a Ballston resident tipped us off to the noise, and in an ensuing unscientific poll a plurality — 41% — said the Ballston leaf blower issue was the most valid noise complaint among two others received by ARLnow.
In a follow-up interview, the anonymous resident, who lives near Welburn Square, says he has heard the leaf blowers ever since moving to his apartment three years ago. He has typically observed the activity around 8 a.m. near the parking lot for Truist Bank (920 N. Taylor Street).
“I frequently hear two leaf blowers running at the same time. I will look out my window and can see the workers wandering around the block spraying with the machines,” he said. “This occurs when there are no leaves and year-round.”
ARLnow scoped out the parking lot and a bank employee confirmed hearing the leaf blowers sometimes.
The bank branch manager stepped in and told ARLnow that the bank does not employ landscapers who use leaf blowers. He said he has never heard noise from leaf blowers nor, to his knowledge, have customers complained about them.
Next door, at the The Jefferson senior living facility, a concierge and two other employees said they have never heard residents or coworkers complain about noises from leaf blowers.
The concierge told ARLnow that he has only occasionally seen landscape workers blowing leaves and debris in The Jefferson courtyard area.
“They are just doing their job. The ones I have seen have only been within our property and do their work pretty quickly,” he said. “It’s also never early in the morning, I could see if this was happening early on in the day, but when I’ve seen them it has been in the afternoon.”
The Ballston Business Improvement District did not respond to questions about whether it had any insights into the mystery of the leafless leaf blowing.
While the hiring organization and the reason behind year-round leaf blowing in Ballston remains unknown, others, like Green, may sympathize. The former columnist wrote in 2021 that she heard leaf blowers daily while working from her apartment.
“Leaf blowers are a drain on quality of life. Their piercing noise shatters concentration or the enjoyment of the outdoors. They spew noxious gas into the air. They can destroy insect habitats,” Green said in her piece, which became the site’s second most-read article in 2021.
She encouraged residents to sign a petition to help put an end to the excessive noise. The petition is shy of its 2,000 signatures and short of its goal of 2,500 signatures. It was created by Quiet Clean NOVA, which advocates for regulations on gas-powered yard equipment.
For now, the mystery remains.
“It seems like a waste of money that generates noise and air pollution for no reason. It seems to make no sense to me,” the Ballston resident said. “I understand if this was happening in the fall when there are leaves everywhere, but this happens year-round. It’ll be the middle of the winter with snow on the ground.”
The reporter, Hallie LeTendre, is a summer intern. Today is her last day at ARLnow.
There is a 20% chance of showers and possible thunderstorms after 5pm today, with mostly cloudy skies and a high of 77°F accompanied by south winds at 8 mph. Tonight, expect a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm, followed by showers until 2am. The night will be mostly cloudy with a low of 68°F and south winds between 5-8 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams
🌅 Tonight’s sunset
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
“Reclining Liberty” lowered by crane onto the front lawn of Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
“Reclining Liberty” lowered by crane onto the front lawn of Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
“Reclining Liberty” lowered by crane onto the front lawn of Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
“Reclining Liberty” on a flatbed truck (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Bright and early this morning, Lady Liberty in repose rolled into Arlington on a flatbed truck.
Then, the turquoise lady was lifted by a crane onto the front lawn of the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington (MoCA), the county’s recently rebranded art museum at 3550 Wilson Blvd.
“Reclining Liberty,” by New York City artist Zaq Landsberg, is inspired by traditional Asian art depicting the reclining Buddha on his path to enlightenment, appearing serene at the knowledge of his imminent death.
The artwork is intended to invite passers-by to contemplate the ideals of liberty and freedom embodied by the Statue of Liberty — put in conversation with Buddhist enlightenment ideals, Arlington’s military architecture and nearby national monuments.
“Recontextualizing ‘Reclining Liberty’ in Arlington makes sense for our current moment. Placing it within a few miles of Arlington National Cemetery, the Pentagon, the National Mall, etc, adds a new layer onto the work,” Landsberg said in a statement earlier this summer.
There will be a public event on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to celebrate the sculpture’s arrival with an artist talk, food, art and other family-friendly activities.
The museum is also planning a series of accompanying talks and conversations, in partnership with Arlington Public Art, which will address issues related to the work: the role of monuments and memorials in public life, immigration and democracy. A schedule is forthcoming.
“Reclining Liberty” will lie in repose there until July 28 of next year. Prior to her immigration to Arlington, she had year-long stints in Harlem and Liberty State Park in New Jersey.
There is a slight chance of showers after 2 pm, but the day will be mostly sunny with temperatures reaching around 87°F. Expect south winds of 9-11 mph, with possible gusts up to 20 mph. For Thursday night, there’s potential for showers and thunderstorms mainly after 2 am, with mostly cloudy skies and temperatures around 70°F, along with a 10 mph south wind. The chance of precipitation is 20% during the day and increases to 30% at night. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.” – William G.T. Shedd
🌅 Tonight’s sunset
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
Daniel Meyer at the United States Geography Championships in April (courtesy of Brendan Meyer)
Arlington Forest teen Daniel Meyer is jetting off to Indonesia this weekend to represent the U.S. in an international geography tournament.
The rising senior at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is one of four students in Team USA competing in iGeo, or the International Geography Olympiad, next week.
Starting next Tuesday, the team will face off the best geography students from around the globe during this competition, which will be held in Bandung, Indonesia.
“It’s a very communal environment, because there’s teams from all over the world,” Meyer told ARLnow. “So it’s going to be nice to meet and talk about geography with people who have perspectives coming from all over the world.”
Meyer, who earned his spot after placing fourth at the U.S. Geography Championships in April, has a long history with geography.
As a fifth grader, he won the geography bee at Arlington Traditional School, and went on to qualify for the Virginia State Bee in eighth grade.
“I’ve been interested in geography pretty much my entire life. But even when I was three or four, I was using maps, making my own maps,” he said.
The three-day championship includes multimedia and written examinations, a fieldwork test and a poster presentation with questions ranging from climate change to economic systems to urban planning.
For their fieldwork test, students will be taken to a site and asked to apply their geographic knowledge in a less structured environment, according to iGeo’s website.
“One way I’ve been preparing is actually making my own tests,” Meyer said. “Just exploring all the different areas online, and putting them down, like in a physical format — it helps it get locked in my mind.”
Flying to Southeast Asia and exploring its geography will be a new experience for the geography buff.
“I’ve never really been outside of the country before, so to go to the other side of the world, it’s just a new, interesting thing,” Meyer said.
Meet Roy Lee, a beautiful black cat who is the newest Adoptable Pet of the Week!
This is what his foster parents had to say about him:
Roy Lee is a sweet, handsome, brave guy who has come so far! After a sad and rough start to his life, he has now blossomed in his foster home and is enjoying becoming a real cat.
Roy is VERY motivated by pets and love — he is always eager for neck and bum scratches, and will rub on your legs or jump up next to you in pursuit of more pets. After getting a good dose of love, his inner kitten comes out and he’s off playing with jingly balls and other small toys he can bat around.
He’s recently discovered that cat scratchers and catnip are awesome. He now knows that cuddling up next to you on the couch is the best thing ever. He’s had to learn all the cat basics!
Roy is a great eater and uses the litter box like a champ. Patience and consistency is key to opening up his adorable, loving, and playful personality. He may be shy and hide in a new home at first, but once he knows he’s safe and in trusted hands, he will just blossom and trot out for pets when he hears you!
He’s been great with the little kids in his foster home. Roy will make a delightful companion!
Is Roy Lee the companion you’ve been searching for? Check out his entire profile to learn more and how to schedule a meet and greet!
Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with 2-3 paragraphs about your pet and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos.
Natalia Vyberg, owner of The Beauty (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Natalia’s daughter Anna in The Beauty Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
The Beauty Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Natalia Vyberg, owner of The Beauty (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
The outside of The Beauty Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
The Beauty Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
A mother-daughter duo, originally from Ukraine, are offering Eastern European beauty services in Clarendon.
Natalia Vyberg and her daughter Anna moved to the U.S. four years ago. Upon their arrival, the duo opened two salons in Northern Virginia: Beauty Bar Lashes and Beauty Bar Nails.
Energized by the success of their original locations, they combined them into one salon, now in Clarendon: The Beauty at 3110 Washington Blvd. It offers eyelash services, facials, manicures and pedicures.
Through a translator, Natalia told ARLnow her Ukrainian techniques draw U.S. customers to The Beauty and keep them coming back.
“In Ukraine, beauty services are held to a high standard. Our clients get those high standards of a Ukrainian service that is focused on perfection at The Beauty. It takes a special technique and materials to do this,” she said.
To meet those standards, Natalia, who owns The Beauty, also orders most of her tools and products from Ukraine.
The Vybergs are originally from Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital city and one of Russia’s main targets since invading Ukraine last year 2022. Natalia, a 20-year veteran of the beauty industry, opened five salons in Kyiv before opening salons states-side.
Her daughter Anna followed in her footsteps, opening a salon in New York City after The Beauty in Clarendon took off.
Now, she travels almost weekly from Arlington to New York to help run and work at both salons, noted an employee at The Beauty. The employee said this is partly because some clients only want Anna to handle their beauty regimens.
Her mother requires all her employees go through Ukrainian beauty training courses. Natalia said she mostly hires Ukrainian immigrants to work at The Beauty, though she made an exception for two from Russia.
“They are American citizens and have lived here for many years now,” she said. “We are not involved in politics or interested in political questions. We welcome anyone to work at the salon who can provide good services.”
Now, the mother-daughter duo are looking to hire new employees to handle their Clarendon customer base.
Here is what’s going on Wednesday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.
☀️ Wednesday’s forecast
The weather forecast for Wednesday is mainly sunny, with temperatures reaching a high of around 84°F. The wind will be light and variable, shifting to a southeastern direction at approximately 6 mph in the morning. Expect a partly cloudy night with a low temperature of around 65°F and a southerly wind at about 7 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“Always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” – Christopher Robin
🌅 Tonight’s sunset
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
