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ARLnow Daily Update: October 12, 2026 · ARLnow Daily Update

• 0:00
  It's Monday, October 12th. This is the ARL Now daily update. Arlington Public Schools has cut 23 and a half positions from its budget after enrollment came in lower than expected.
• 0:11
  Superintendent Francisco Duran told the school board that enrollment is more than 600 students below last spring's projection and down about 400 from last year, the lowest level since 2021.
• 0:24
  Elementary schools saw the biggest drop. Duran says APS will factor the numbers into next year's budget. Charging an electric vehicle at a county-owned station could soon cost 72% more.
• 0:39
  The county board is weighing a jump from roughly 17 and a half cents per kilowatt hour to 30 cents to cover higher energy costs. County staff say that's still below most commercial rates.
• 0:51
  The change would also drop the dwell fee overnight, so drivers could leave cars in charging spaces from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. It's on the agenda for Saturday's board meeting.
• 1:03
  The Arlington County Civic Federation may renew its push for state legislation letting the county change its form of government.
• 1:09
  A draft resolution to be introduced Tuesday seeks powers to resize the county board and school board, move to district representation, change the election schedule, and separately elect a board chair.
• 1:21
  That may run into opposition from the county board, whose chair has asked lawmakers to hold off while the county studies its options.
• 1:28
  Police and mall security cleared a crowd of teens out of Ballston Quarter Friday night, about 100 by the mall's estimate. Officers broke up a fight and detained three teens, later released to their parents.
• 1:43
  No one was arrested or seriously hurt, police say. In Crystal City, a woman was arrested for trespassing after a crowd refused to leave the Lucky Strike bowling alley.
• 1:56
  And in Clarendon, police say a woman shoved one officer and spat on another. This sponsored update is from Betsy Twigg, listing agent for 963 North Rochester Street in Madison Manor.
• 2:09
  The renovated four-bedroom, three-bath home has a new kitchen, a deck, and a fenced yard, three-quarters of a mile from Metro. It's listed at just under one and a half million dollars.
• 2:21
  Arlington Democrats are taking their get out the vote push to a third state. Volunteers spent Sunday writing postcards to Iowa voters for Democratic Senate candidate Josh Turek, adding to work in Texas and Ohio.
• 2:35
  Meanwhile, with possible rallies outside early voting sites this Saturday, election officials are reminding groups to stay at least 40 feet from polling place entrances.
• 2:45
  A new Afghan restaurant on Columbia Pike is off to such a strong start that its owner may skip the grand opening.
• 2:52
  Halal Habibi's Ziafat at 3400 Columbia Pike serves kebabs, dumplings, the rice dish Kabuli Pulao, and Afghan and Turkish breakfast platters with full table service.
• 3:04
  And the Gazette Leader's full news archive is back online. About 1300 articles from the former local paper are now on ARL Now and sister site FFX Now.
• 3:17
  Local News Now, which owns ARL Now, acquired the Gazette Leader in 2024. That's all for today. Thank you for listening.