Two flashes of light and loud booms were seen and heard across Northern Virginia last night (Thursday), including in parts of Arlington.
Home surveillance video shared with ARLnow by a local resident captured the flashes and booms just before 9:30 p.m.
Good Friday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Sep 18, 2026.
Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.
Here is what’s going on Saturday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Here are the events planned for Sunday:
Expect partly sunny skies with a high near 79 and northeast winds at 7 to 9 mph. Saturday night will be mostly cloudy with a low around 68, accompanied by southeast winds at 6 to 8 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.”
– Henry David Thoreau
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington! If you have something to say about an issue of local note not covered today, feel free to discuss it on our new Disqus-powered community message board. 👋
A 31-year-old Arlington woman is behind bars after an unusual home break-in in the Cherrydale neighborhood last night.
Police received a 911 call just before 11 p.m. for a report of a woman wearing nothing but a bra and underwear shattering the back door of a house and going to its top floor. A man inside the home saw the woman expose herself, police said. Responding officers were told that he was sheltering inside with his wife and child.
With local housing inventory remaining tight and interest rates double what they were during the pandemic, many Arlington homeowners are coming to the same conclusion:
Turning the home you already own into your forever home is more practical than moving.
Remodeling for long-term versatility, also known as “future-proofing,” has quickly become one of the smartest investments Arlington homeowners can make. This Colonial addition in Madison Manor and this traditional home addition in Waycroft – Woodlawn are just two examples of this trend.
Rather than focusing purely on cosmetic upgrades, future-proofing encompasses structural adaptability, high-performance energy-efficient design, and long-term accessibility so your home evolves as your family’s needs change.
If you are considering a home remodel, here are four key ways to future-proof your investment:
Before you start tearing down walls, working with your remodeler in Arlington to develop a master plan is critical to ensure a renovation that will stand the test of time.
From whole-home lighting systems that adapt to your circadian rhythm to kitchen appliances you can control from your smartphone, smart-home technology is becoming the norm. Proper planning ensures your home can easily accommodate new technologies as they emerge.
A home built for the future should comfortably accommodate changing physical needs and dynamic family setups.
Update on 9/19/26 — The missing woman has been found, according to the Black and Missing Foundation.
Earlier: A young woman from Prince George’s County has been missing since Tuesday after last being seen at the Pentagon Metro station.
The League of Women Voters of Arlington and Alexandria City will host Candidating for the general election on Sunday, Oct. 4, from 1:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. at Walter Reed Recreation Center, 2909 16th St. S.
The event gives Arlington residents the opportunity to speak directly with the candidates seeking county office this November.
The third time was the charm for golfer Logan Reilly over the summer when it came to two of the biggest golf tournaments the world has to offer.
First, the 2025 Bishop O’Connell High School graduate and current sophomore player at Auburn University qualified for the U.S. Open, played in June at the famed Shinnecock Hills Golf Club course in Southampton, N.Y.
Event location
Harris Pavilion
9201 Center Street
Manassas, Virginia 20110
Manassas Latino Festival is the oldest Hispanic/Latino, family-centric festival in the area! Held during National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15), join in the celebrations with live music, dance performances, diverse foods, and fun for the whole family! Come enjoy this premier annual tradition filled with cultural heritage and contributions of the Latin American community.
Corso Italian has abandoned plans to reopen after closing its doors last month due to flooding.
The Italian restaurant, which closed indefinitely on Aug. 2 following water damage to its dining room and basement, announced in an email to customers yesterday (Thursday) that it will not be reopening.
The U.S. Navy recently honored the memory of Cpl. Barry Foust, an Arlington police officer who died from cancer related to his response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
The USS Arlington, a San Antonio-class amphibious assault ship named in honor of the county’s response to the attack on the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, flew a U.S. flag over the ship in honor of Foust.
As cooler weather approaches, Arlington’s ramen restaurants offer an ideal place to warm up or chill out with a comforting bowl of noodles.
Here are the nominees for “Best Ramen Spot in Arlington” as part of our ARLnow Readers’ Choice awards.
Did we miss your favorite spot? Write it in!
Voting will close on Wednesday, Sept. 30.
Voting for Best Park in Arlington is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Wednesday at 11:59 p.m.
Two weeks ago, we voted on the Best New Restaurant in Arlington. The results are now official:
Arch Harms ‘Cannot Be Avoided’ — “Federal officials acknowledge that President Donald Trump’s planned triumphal arch will unavoidably harm historic sites if built as planned, but they say the project must move forward.” The Park Service wants local preservationists to sign an agreement on the Memorial Circle project by Monday. [Washington Post]
Drone Halts DCA Flights — “Airline pilots reported seeing a drone flying over the runway and taxiway of Reagan National Airport, prompting delays for travelers.” A traveler posted about a ground stop just after 8 p.m. Wednesday. [ABC News, Justin Wolffing/X]
Yellow Line Down This Weekend — “Metro announced Yellow Line service will be shut down Saturday, Sept. 19 and Sunday, Sept. 20. That’s due to planned bridge and track rehabilitation, according to the transit agency.” No stations will close, and the shutdown repeats next weekend. [ALXnow]
Silver Status for EV Charging — Arlington received Silver designation from the national Charging Smart program for adopting policies that expand EV infrastructure. The county now has 51 Level 2 charging ports at nine locations. [Arlington County]
Judge Blocks Surprise Demolition — “A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Kennedy Center to provide 30 days’ notice before making any major physical changes to the building, including demolishing it as President Donald Trump has threatened.” The order followed photos of Trump examining a printout seemingly headed “Kennedy Center DEMOLISHED.” [Associated Press, Washington Post]
Anguish Over Kennedy Center — From arts critic Philip Kennicott: “Trump hasn’t just destroyed a building, or an arts center. He has dispersed a community… multiple communities who discovered each other every night, when the big modernist marble box came alive with lights, people, bustle and art.” [Washington Post]
Merger Sweetened for Virginia — Dominion Energy and NextEra, seeking approval to merge, have pledged 600 new jobs and a doubling of residential bill credits in Virginia. “Both companies share the mindset that data centers need to pay their own way,” NextEra CEO John Ketchum said. [FFXnow]
Top Democrat Blasts Data Centers — Virginia Senate President Pro Tem Louise Lucas (D) said she will push sweeping new regulations on data centers. “For God’s sake, this is unconscionable. I don’t know how we let it get this far out of hand,” Lucas said. [NBC 4]
Drought Watch Resumes — The Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin restarted daily drought monitoring this week after river flows at Point of Rocks, Md., fell as low as 1,506 cubic feet per second, the lowest reading in more than a month. [Capital Weather]
It’s Friday — Expect partly sunny skies today with a high near 85 and a north wind around 8 mph. Tonight will be mostly cloudy with a low around 64. [NWS]
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A blueprint for an expanded network of bus rapid transit (BRT) in Northern Virginia includes three lines passing through Falls Church.
The city was the last stop on a three-month tour for Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) CEO Monica Backmon, where she has been explaining the BRT master plan and how area governments can support it.
NAACP Arlington Branch is thrilled to invite you to a vibrant evening honoring the collective power, resilience, and unity of our people. On October 17th, we are coming together to celebrate community strength, shared progress, and unapologetic pride. This won’t just be an event—it will be an energetic celebration of what happens when we rise together.
In-Person
