The slow-motion clash continues in the Westover community, where builders are tearing down aging apartments to erect $800,000 townhomes. Residents await a drawn-out county decision on protecting World War II-era garden apartments via a proposed historic district, which would bring strict regulations on improvements. And the county is proceeding with […]

Perhaps you noticed that the winner of October’s Arlington-based Marine Corps Marathon was from Ethiopia. You may not have noticed that 32-year-old Desta Beriso Morkama, who placed first at 2:25:14, is an Arlingtonian with an intricate local support network (the proverbial village). His talent and exhaustive work is backed by […]

There’s a delicate situation for some of Arlington’s senior citizens, as I was recently told by county Treasurer Carla de la Pava. Homeowners in a certain age and income range are eligible for property tax deferral or outright relief. But because of forgetfulness, pride or poor record-keeping (exactly by whom […]

My goal was to escape the megalopolis and glimpse some autumn leaves without journeying outside the Beltway. My destination: Roaches Run, the Arlington wildlife refuge that millions pass on the George Washington Memorial Parkway on their way to Reagan National Airport. I ended up making a surprise discovery. But first […]

Fear, loss of livelihood, hunger, separation from loved ones. That’s what the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown has brought to a slice of Arlington residents. Passionate testimony on their behalf was delivered Nov. 8 at the Arlington Public Schools Career Center after a dinner served by culinary arts students. The event […]

Our main library has a groaning shelf displaying books written by Arlington authors. The selection barely scratches the surface. Not only are there numerous newly published volumes by local scribes, I can think of five actually set in our hometown. In the fiction department, thriller writer Bill Schweigart recently added […]

Can jailtime change a person for the better? I recently toured the Arlington County Detention Facility, accompanied by a committed manager of inmate programs and a self-made inspirational instructor. College professor Sly Young told me his tale of how the few hours a week he spends in the jail educating […]

Twice recently I heard mention of one of our area’s grimmer historical tales, that of a serial murderer who by day was a jazz musician and salesman in Arlington. Melvin Rees (1933-95) went down in the annals of infamous killers, websites for which I was steered to by jazz buff […]

This Columbus Day I spent a fun hour in the heart of Italy, after a fashion. In the wood-paneled boardroom in the Westover Italian Store, proprietor Bobby Tramonte told me fresh tales of his Italian forebears. (Disclosure: he and I are school chums.) While scads of customers eyed the store’s […]

Electronic signs are announcing testing of rush-hour toll lanes on 10 miles of I-66, set to open in Arlington and points west in December. Solo drivers willing to shell out extra bucks can benefit — if they procure an E-Z pass — from the commuter highway at peak hours. The […]