Advance Your Career. Explore Graduate Programs Near D.C.
Are you looking to make a real impact in government or public service? Advanced education can be the key, and it’s closer than you think.
The Schar School offers master’s degrees and graduate certificates designed to help students build expertise, advance their careers, and make an impact in their communities and professions. Located just minutes from Washington, D.C., the Schar School combines rigorous academics with access to the institutions, organizations, and networks shaping policy and public service today.
Students benefit from:
• Renowned faculty with academic and real-world experience
• Hands-on learning through applied research and policy simulations
• Connections to government, nonprofit, and private-sector organizations
• Access to one of the nation’s most dynamic professional environments
Graduate programs are available in areas including:
• Public Policy
• International Affairs
• Public Administration
• National Security and Defense
• Government and Public Management
Explore programs, connect with admissions, and discover the graduate pathway that’s right for you.
James DeVita campaign sign touting an arts center (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)
When it comes to support of the arts in Arlington, one candidate is thinking big. To his competitors in next month’s Democratic primary, however, it is too big.
Democratic County Board contender James DeVita has been touting support for a major arts center during recent candidate forums and on campaign signage.
This regularly scheduled column is written by Eli Tucker, Arlington-based Realtor and Arlington resident. If you would like to work with Eli and his team in Northern Virginia and the greater D.C. Metro area, you can reach him directly at[email protected].
Question: Why would anybody waste thousands of dollars each year on condo fees?
Answer: Most people associate paying condo fees with throwing money down the drain, but most people do not look at condo fees the right way.
In this June 20 article, the Wall Street Journal reported a study by Angi (formerly Angie’s List) that home maintenance and emergency repairs have increased by 85% and 175%, respectively, from 2019 to 2025.
By comparison, condo fees in Arlington increased by an average of just 32% from 2019 to 2025, making them a steep bargain for condo owners compared to other homeowners.
What Do Condo Fees Pay For?
For those who haven’t spent time studying condo budgets, some of the main expenses in a condo budget include:
Maintenance, Emergency Repairs, and Utilities: general upkeep and operations of the building
Reserves: a building’s savings account for major repairs or replacement of things like the roof, elevators, carpet, etc
Property Management/Staff: contracts for a property manager, front desk, janitorial services, and engineer
Master Insurance: this policy usually protects everything except your personal items and improvements within each unit
An apartment building in Shirlington (staff photo by Dan Egitto)
Despite year-over-year declines, Arlington’s median apartment rent is now up 16% from the immediate pre-Covid era and almost 37% from its pandemic low, according to new data.
The median apartment rent in June was $2,601 — $2,449 for one-bedroom units, $2,959 for two bedrooms — according to data released June 30 by Apartment List.
Residents worried about our urban forest, their neighbor’s tree, or the declining oak in their own yard can apply now for a seven-week course to learn about trees and become a volunteer Tree Steward with Tree Stewards of Arlington and Alexandria.
Protesters demonstrating against President Trump’s proposed arch in Memorial Circle (courtesy Peter Roof)
Potomac Towers Could Triple — “Newly filed plans reveal that owner Caruthers Properties wants to add three new towers to the existing Arlington apartment complex, which sits on about seven acres between Interstate 66 and Langston Boulevard.” The 800 new units would be built in phases alongside the original 1961 building, which has 406 units. [WBJ]
DCA Grounded for Fourth — Reagan National Airport will halt flights for much of July 3 and 4 to accommodate celebrations in D.C., with no departures or arrivals scheduled after noon Saturday. The FAA has set roughly 15 hours of airspace closures across the two days, and terminal services will run at reduced capacity until flights resume July 5. [ARLnow]
Where to Watch Fireworks — With the record-setting Independence Day fireworks now expected to begin around 10:30 p.m. Saturday, ARLnow has rounded up the county’s best viewing spots, from the Marine Corps War Memorial to Marymount University. The 850,000-shell display will launch from 10 sites along the National Mall and the Potomac. [ARLnow]
Declaration Reading Moves Indoors — Due to expected heat advisories, the Arlington Historical Society’s Saturday, July 4 community reading of the Declaration of Independence has been moved from the Ball-Sellers House (which has no air conditioning) to the Arlington Historical Museum. It will begin at 2 p.m. Attendees can also tour the museum and make Revolutionary-themed protest signs. [Arlington Historical Society]
Marlinspike Closes $127M Fund — “Marlinspike Partners, an Arlington venture capital firm backing defense tech startups, has closed a $127 million fund as investors crave new technologies being developed for the Defense Department.” The close on its second fund was well above the firm’s original $70 million target and will fuel larger checks for 20 to 24 companies. [WBJ]
English Manor Hits Market — A six-bedroom, nine-bathroom English manor-style home in the Country Club Hills neighborhood has hit the market for $7,150,000. Built in 2009 at 4614 36th Street N., the 9,850-square-foot house features five fireplaces, a wine cellar, a home theater and a 40-by-20-foot pool. [N. Va. Magazine]
Wakefield’s Javelin Standout — It is not a Virginia High School League-sanctioned event, but that hasn’t stopped rising Wakefield High School senior Olivia Barr from making a name for herself in javelin. A recent success for the multi-sport athlete was a sixth-place finish at the Penn Relays. [RunWashington]
Hidden Art Spreads Joy — After losing her job last year, Rachael Wood began hiding colorful handmade artwork around Arlington for strangers to find, an effort she calls the Joyful Art Project. “My purpose is to spread joy, and I don’t know if I grasped how I was going to do that,” Wood said. “I think I found it.” [WUSA9]
East Potomac Golf Overhaul — “If built as shown, the redesign would reduce East Potomac from its current three-course, 36-hole layout to a single 18-hole championship course. It would also expand golf into roughly 50 acres of parkland now used for picnicking, fishing, cycling and other recreation.” A court hearing on a lawsuit challenging the project is set for this week. [Washington Post]
D.C. a No-Drone Zone — From the FBI Washington Field Office: “Washington, D.C., is a #NoDroneZone, so if you plan to celebrate #America250 in the district, don’t crash the party; leave your drone at home.” Unauthorized drone activity can be reported at 1-800-CALL-FBI. [FBI Washington Field/X]
ICE Mask Ban Blocked — A federal judge blocked Virginia’s new law barring ICE officers from wearing masks less than 12 hours before it was set to take effect, finding the Justice Department likely to succeed in arguing the state cannot regulate the conduct of federal officers. Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones (D) said his office “strongly disagrees” with the ruling and will keep defending the law. [Courthouse News]
Spanberger Signs Energy Package — Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) signed a package of energy bills Tuesday aimed at lowering costs, meeting rising demand and keeping data centers from driving up bills for families, along with legislation directing Virginia to rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. “We’re investing in energy that is cleaner, more affordable, more reliable, and homegrown,” Spanberger said. [Press Release]
Data Center Battle Lines — N. Va. is home to more than 300 data centers, but public sentiment has soured: a recent Washington Post-Schar School poll found just 35% of Virginia voters would be comfortable with a new one in their community. “The battle line has been drawn around that question in Virginia,” said Brennan Gilmore of the advocacy group Clean Virginia. “And folks are lining up on either side of it.” [NOTUS]
It’s Thursday — Expect sunny skies with a high near 103 and heat index values as high as 110. Winds will be light out of the northwest around 5 mph. Skies stay clear overnight with a low around 80. [NWS]
There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.
Expect sunny and hot conditions with temperatures reaching around 102 degrees and heat index values climbing to 109. A gentle west wind will blow at 3 to 5 mph. Thursday night will be clear with temperatures dropping to about 80 degrees, accompanied by a light southwest wind. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
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Jessica Hart with a photo of her daughter, Allie, killed at age 5 by a speeding driver (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey).
Traffic-safety proponents on Tuesday (June 30) hailed a new Virginia law they believe will provide another tool to address reckless “super-speeders” on Virginia roadways.
Legislation adopted by the General Assembly last year goes into effect July 1, permitting judges to enroll those charged or convicted of certain speeding offenses in a new program using technology to limit vehicle speeds.
Anchor areas of the National Innovation Quarter (via Arlington Economic Development)
A new state grant will help the fledgling National Innovation Quarter (“National IQ”) with recruitment of regional, national and possibly international companies while nurturing startups in fast-growing industries.
