weekend discussion

Another week is in the books, and it’s now 11 days and counting until Election Day.

The days are getting shorter and the weather turning cooler this weekend. Enjoy the late afternoon daylight and the warmth while you can!

Here are the most-read stories of the past week on ARLnow:

1. Large Police Presence North of Ballston Due to Drug Investigation
2. The Spirits of ’76 Is Closing in Clarendon
3. ‘Bachelorette’ Contestant from Arlington Gets Rose on First Night (Oct. 14)
4. Arlington County’s Website Is Still Down
5. APS Presents Return to School Plan Based on Student Need
6. Student Petition to Lighten Homework Load Grabs Attention of APS
7. ACPD Investigating Shooting in Arlington Mill Neighborhood
8. APS Distance Learning Closed Due to Network Problems
9. Vigilant Locals Help Nab Lost Dog
10. Postal Inspector Seen Checking Mailboxes Amid Ongoing Complaints About Local Post Office (Oct. 15)
11. TitleMax Closes on Lee Highway, Future of Building in Question
12. APS Likely to Add Four New Holidays Next School Year
13. Arlington Question Stumps Jeopardy Contestants
14. Condo Board Objects to Decorative Cemetery for ‘Hate’ and ‘Racism’

Feel free to discuss any of those articles, or anything else for that matter — within reason — in the comments. Have a nice weekend!

We are now 18 days from Election Day. Let that sink in.

If you’re sick of hearing about the presidential election, however, perhaps a heaping helping of local news will help. Here are the most-read Arlington stories of the past week:

1. Postal Inspector Seen Checking Mailboxes Amid Ongoing Complaints About Local Post Office
2. ‘Bachelorette’ Contestant from Arlington Gets Rose on First Night
3. Colony Grill, Connecticut Mainstay for Pizza, Now Open in Clarendon
4. Ask Eli: Housing Market Update, Condo Slide Continues
5. Joe’s Place Preparing to Reopen as ‘A Modo Mio’
6. Morning Notes (Oct. 12)
7. Large Outdoor Cafe Proposed in Clarendon
8. Two Arrested in Clarendon Amid Ongoing Spate of Vehicle-Related Crimes
9. Ballston Church Seeking Three-Year Extension for Affordable Housing Project
10. County Considering Making Office-to-Apartment Conversions Easier
11. Rate of New Coronavirus Cases in Arlington Highest Since August
12. Del. Lopez to Get Primary Challenger in 2021

Feel free to discuss any of those articles, or anything else of local interest, in the comment section. Have a nice weekend!

It’s perhaps the least-celebrated federal holiday at this point, but Columbus Day — also known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day — is still an off day for many.

After a long, pandemic summer, we’re giving our staff the day off, so ARLnow will be operating on a reduced publishing schedule on Monday. We trust that you’ll use the extra day for an even more substantive and civil discussion of local issues in the comments. 😉

Here are the most-read Arlington articles of the past week:

1. You Can Now “Sip and Stroll” in Parts of Shirlington
2. Amazon Donating $1 Million to Arlington and Alexandria Schools
3. Arlington Public Schools Proposes New Elementary School Boundaries
4. Hotel Near Rosslyn Has Closed, Ahead of Apartment Conversion
5. New Report Shows Route 1 in Crystal City as a Tree-Lined Urban Boulevard
6. Health Dept. Reports Spike in Local Coronavirus Cases
7. Commonwealth’s Attorney Creates Community Advisory Board
8. Arlington Dems Decry Campaign Sign Vandalism
9. Arlingtonians Rally to Support Old Dominion Cleaners, Raise $15K
10. Animal Welfare League Reports Fourth Recent Dog Abandonment Case
11. New APS Enrollment Figures Show More Than 1,000 Fewer Students Than Last Year
12. New Video Tackles Arlington’s History of Race and Housing

Have a great holiday weekend!

It was, to be honest, a relatively light news week in Arlington.

Most of the local news revolved around restaurants, at a time when much of the population is still not even considering dining out at a restaurant. The restaurant stories did well, readership-wise, but not as well as we would expect during normal times.

The lived experience of this week probably doesn’t feel like it was light on news, given what’s happening nationally. Given the presidential debate, reports about the president’s past tax returns, the president’s COVID-19 diagnosis, and — for those sport-inclined — a constant barrage of sports news and post-season action, the last few days have been exhausting for many.

Here are the ARLnow stories that had the highest readership this week:

1. Summers Restaurant Closing Permanently After 38 Years
2. Reduced School Bus Capacity Prompts APS to Expand Elementary ‘Walk Zones’
3. Democratic Precinct Captain Booted for Supporting Independent School Board Candidate
4. Arlington World of Beer Location to Open Next Week
5. New BBQ Restaurant Launches Fried Chicken Virtual Restaurant
6. Connecticut Pizza Restaurant Sets Mid-October Opening Date for New Clarendon Outpost
7. Man Arrested After Accidentally Firing Bullet into Apartment Below
8. AWLA Still Seeking More Information on Abandoned Dog
9. Making Room: Will Pentagon City Make Room for People or Cars?
10. Punch Bowl Social in Ballston Sets Reopening Date

Feel free to discuss those articles or anything else of local interest in the comments. Have a nice weekend!

Has September been a total blur or anyone else?

This week summer turned to fall and one was left to ask — wasn’t it August just, like, last week? Apparently not. We’re already less than a week away from October.

Speaking of things that went by too fast, the tenure of Steve Quartell as the writer of the Your Beermonger column has come to a much-too-early end. Farewell, Steve, and good luck in New York — but, at the same time, welcome Jace Gonnerman!

Now, here are the most-read ARLnow articles of the past week:

1. UPDATED: World War II Flyover Postponed
2. Police Called After Man Attempted to Lure Teen Girls to Car
3. Bed Bath & Beyond to Close at Pentagon Row
4. Cafe Pizzaiolo in Shirlington to Be Replaced by ‘Neo-Neapolitan’ Pizzeria
5. As Flu Season Approaches, New COVID-19 Cases Continue to Fluctuate
6. Local Organization Plans ‘Ride for Black Lives’ This Weekend
7. Affordable Apartment Complex in Green Valley Slated for Redevelopment
8. Renderings Released for New Public Plaza in Virginia Square
9. Progressive Voice: I’m Holding My Nose and Voting Yes on the Stormwater Bond, But Arlington Must Do Better

Feel free to discuss those or any other local topics in the comments. Have a great weekend!

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For much the this week, the sun was obscured behind a haze of smoke wafting in from the West Coast wildfires.

As the week has gone on, the haze has dissipated. Despite the calamities the world has faced this year, it is good to know that, with due time, the sun will always come back out eventually.

Here are the most-read articles this week on ARLnow:

1. County Board Votes to Discontinue Sidewalk Crowding Ordinance
2. French Pastry Shop Now Open in Rosslyn
3. Purple Lounge Back in Business After Liquor License Restored
4. New Rosslyn Development Marks Construction Milestone
5. County Board Expresses Support for Changing County Logo
6. Board Approves Gun Ban in County Buildings and Parks
7. Neighborhood Spotlight: The Best Tacos in Arlington
8. First Day of Early Voting Attracts Long Line in Arlington
9. County Board OKs New $14 Million, Amazon-Funded Park in Pentagon City

For those celebrating tonight, Shanah tovah.

To all who are celebrating Rosh Hashanah – May you and your family have a happy and healthy New Year filled with peace, hope, and love!!

L'Shanah Tovah to all pic.twitter.com/mP72yVPoJL

— Alfonso Lopez (@Lopez4VA) September 18, 2020

Also: RIP summer of 2020. Hello, fall.

https://twitter.com/capitalweather/status/1307036448399515651

Feel free to discuss any of the above, or anything else of local interest, in the comments. Have a nice weekend!

Today’s 9/11 anniversary was a somber conclusion to an active week, news-wise.

It’s hard to believe, but next year will be the 20th anniversary of that fateful day. We’ll have more coverage then, but in the meantime the recollections of a local journalist and an Arlington firefighter are worth a read.

Here are the most-read local stories on ARLnow since Sunday:

1. Arrest Made in Aggressive Cyclist Case
2. Large Police Response on Columbia Pike
3. APS Experiencing Technical Issues on First Day of School
4. Joe’s Place on Lee Highway Closed For Big Changes
5. State Suspends Liquor License of Lounge That Has Been the Scene of Multiple Shootings (Sept. 2)
6. Wanted Man Arrested in Va. Square After Foot Chase
7. Two Arrested After Weekend Robbery on Columbia Pike
8. Route 110 Closed Due to Flooding
9. Former Wendy’s Site in Courthouse to Remain Vacant into 2021
10. Arlington Teen Named One Of Top 300 Middle School Scientists in U.S.

Feel free to discuss those stories, or anything else of local interest, in the comments. Have a nice weekend!

After a stormy stretch, a spectacular Labor Day weekend is upon us. Enjoy the sun and the cooler weather!

To avoid belaboring this post, let’s jump right into the week’s most-read stories:

1. Man Arrested After Early Morning Shooting on Columbia Pike
2. Columbia Pike Donut Shop Has Closed Permanently
3. Making Room: Single-Family Zoning Won’t Save Starter Homes in Arlington
4. State Suspends Liquor License of Lounge That Has Been the Scene of Multiple Shootings
5. Car Overturns in CVS Parking Lot Near Penrose Square
6. Arlington Ranked No. 7 for Worker Burnout
7. Coronavirus Hospitalizations in Arlington Reach Nearly Three Month High
8. More Crashes at Rock Spring Intersection, Despite New Signs
9. Tornado Watch Issued for Arlington, Region
10. Beyer and Garvey to Trump Campaign: Wear Masks in Arlington, Please

Feel free to discuss the latest Arlington news or whatever’s on your mind (within reason) in the comments. See you Tuesday!

Photo courtesy Tom Mockler

The weekend is here and the first day of September is within sight.

If the idea of the calendar flipping to the most self-assured month of the year conjures up fears of summer ending imminently, don’t worry — you have another 3+ weeks to go. According to our admittedly unscientific poll from earlier this week, a slim plurality of ARLnow readers believe the Autumnal Equinox on Sept. 22 to be the true start of fall.

Now, here are the most-read Arlington articles of the week:

1. Late September Opening Eyed for Ballston’s Mosaic Park
2. ACPD Investigating Midday Carjacking in Crystal City
3. Police Investigating Robbery by Knife-Wielding Suspects in Virginia Square
4. Bob and Edith’s Opening Monday on Lee Highway
5. Before Working in the White House, Kellyanne Conway Did Some Work for Arlington Public Schools
6. Police to Start Enforcing Sidewalk Crowding Ordinance
7. Crystal City Legal Sea Foods in Questionable Waters
8. School Board Adopts First Ever APS Equity Policy
9. Arlington to Open Five Early Voting Centers ‘In Anticipation of Unprecedented Demand’

Feel free to discuss those or anything else of local interest, or to just argue about politics as usual, in the comments.

The weekend is here. That is a phrase that used to mean something, but these days the weekend isn’t as different from the rest of the week.

There’s not as much to do, for one. But more so, it just doesn’t feel as different for those who are working from home. That’s doubly true if you have kids, and the weekend is only a slightly less stressful version of the work week — blending together in a 2020 stew of nonstop activity and frequent anxiety.

Anyhow, here are the most-read articles of the week:

1. Wakefield Graduate And Former Varsity Quarterback Dies At 20
2. Arlington Records New Summer Peak in COVID-19 Cases
3. Arlington’s Charlie Clark Takes County Back to 1959 With Restored 8mm Footage
4. Police Investigating Armed Robbery at Ballston Gas Station
5. Police: Drunk, Naked Man Tased Twice on Lee Highway
6. Arlington Restaurants Participating in ‘Restaurant Week’ Starting Today
7. Arlington Man Accused of Grabbing Girl
8. Just Reduced Properties in Arlington
9. Majority Of Arlington Private Schools Will Make In-Person Return
10. Sloppy Mama’s BBQ Starts Serving Breakfast
11. Ballston &pizza Open Again, But More Closures Coming for ‘Operational Changes’
12. Neighborhood Spotlight: 5 Great Spots for Brunch, Drinks and More

Feel free to discuss those stories or anything else of local interest in the comments. Have a nice weekend!

Photo courtesy Peter Roof/Alt Gobo MediaWorks

The countdown to the end of summer is well underway.

Sure, technically fall doesn’t start until Sept. 22, but Labor Day weekend is only three weeks away and the signs heralding fall’s imminent arrival are already here.

Not even a pandemic can stop the pumpkin spice take over. On August 5th. pic.twitter.com/T4ogUVZWYA

— Matt Blitz (@WhyBlitz) August 6, 2020

Oktoberfest and pumpkin beers are hitting the shelves, and pumpkin spice lattes at Dunkin Donuts are only five days away (you’ll reportedly have to wait until Aug. 25 for the Starbucks version).

Bottom line: enjoy summer while you still can!

Here are the most-read articles from the past week:

1. Target Now Open in Ballston
2. Arlington Has Quietly Used Two Local Hotels for Coronavirus Quarantines
3. Arlington Coronavirus Cases Reach New Summer Peak, Hospitalizations Remain Low
4. The Pinemoor is Now Open
5. Sidewalk Crowding Poses Coronavirus Threat, Local Experts Say
6. APS Plans On Still Paying Staff Who Cannot Telework
7. Police Searching for Man Who Chased Woman Down the Street in Virginia Square
8. Taco Bamba is Planning to Open Next Week in Ballston
9. Clarendon Restaurant Buena Vida Folded Into Downstairs Taco Joint
10. Police Investigating Shooting in Clarendon

Feel free to discuss those stories or anything else of local interest in the comments. Have a nice weekend!

Flickr pool photo by Eric