Around Town

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Apr 23, 2026

By ARLnow.com

Good Thursday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Apr 23, 2026.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Friday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

⛅️ Friday’s forecast

Expect mostly sunny weather with a high near 81, although there is a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms developing after 2 p.m. Winds will be from the northeast at 3 to 5 mph. Friday night will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 55 and a continued 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, with southeast winds around 6 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Our greatest fear should not be of failure… but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.”
– Francis Chan

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.

Thanks for reading! If you have something to say about an issue of local note not covered today, feel free to post it as a letter to the editor on our new forum.

News

County Board scales down fee increase for gymnastics programs in last-minute change

By Scott McCaffrey
Members of Arlington Tigers competitive gymnastics team (via Arlington Tigers)

County Board members agreed to a significantly smaller fee increase for the local government’s competitive gymnastics programs in a last-minute budget change last night (Wednesday).

Instead of increasing by 44%, fees will rise by 25% in the coming year. It still appears that the full 44% increase — or more — could come into effect next year.

Go to County Board scales down fee increase for gymnastics programs in last-minute change Read more
Sponsored

Synetic Theater presents: Synetic Teen Company’s Cyrano de Bergerac

By Sponsor
Image from Synetic Theater presents: Synetic Teen Company's Cyrano de Bergerac

“The show frolics in jewel tones, with movement, dance, ingenious prop use and piquant stage business” –The Washington Post

“Fuses acrobatics, mime, design, and music to provide a rich and novel re-interpretation of a classic tale.” –DCTheaterArts

Synetic Theater invites Arlington audiences to experience an evening of bold, inventive storytelling with its Teen Company’s production of Cyrano de Bergerac, paired on select evenings with a pre-show performance of The Boy Who Cried Wolf by the Pre-Teen Ensemble. With just six performances, this limited run offers a rare chance to see the next generation of Synetic artists in action. (more…)

Buy Tickets Now
News

New turning restrictions on Arlington Blvd to be installed starting next week

By Dan Egitto
The intersection of Irving Street and Arlington Blvd (via VDOT)

Additional signs, markings and flex posts will be coming to six Arlington Blvd intersections beginning next week, seeking to promote safety at crossings without traffic signals.

Building on the success of similar installations at N. and S. Highland Street, the project will add left-turn and through restrictions at all unsignalized intersections on Arlington Blvd between Fillmore Street and Glebe Road, along with a left-turn restriction at N. and S. Irving Street.

Go to New turning restrictions on Arlington Blvd to be installed starting next week Read more
Around Town

Barnes & Noble to reopen next month in Clarendon, smaller than before

By Katie Taranto
Barnes & Noble in Clarendon (courtesy of Barnes & Noble)

Barnes & Noble is getting ready to reopen after a year of renovations in Clarendon, consolidating the previously two-level bookstore into just the second floor.

The bookstore chain plans to reopen at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 6, a spokesperson told ARLnow. D.C.-based author Sam Kean will cut the ribbon on the remodeled store and host a book signing at 2800 Clarendon Blvd to celebrate.

Go to Barnes & Noble to reopen next month in Clarendon, smaller than before Read more
Around Town

Spot of Tea offering discounts and giveaways at Crystal City grand opening

By Katie Taranto
Spot of Tea in Crystal City (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

A new bubble tea shop in Crystal City is celebrating its grand opening this weekend with discounts and an online sweepstakes.

Spot of Tea — which offers matcha and a variety of colorful fruit and milk teas at Water Park — will celebrate its new location starting tomorrow (Friday) with a 50% discount on all drinks and a limited-edition magnet giveaway.

Go to Spot of Tea offering discounts and giveaways at Crystal City grand opening Read more
Events

Earth Day celebration, Clarendon art festival bring weekend road closures

By Dan Egitto
Festivities at the Earth Day Every Day Festival (via Langston Boulevard Alliance/Facebook)

An annual arts festival in Clarendon and an Earth Day celebration near Langston Blvd will result in some road closures this weekend.

The 12th annual Arlington Festival of the Arts will kick off the weekend with over 125 exhibitors showcasing original pieces beginning on Saturday. The following roads will be closed from 3 a.m. Saturday through 8 p.m. Sunday.

Go to Earth Day celebration, Clarendon art festival bring weekend road closures Read more
News

Ballston Holiday Inn closes, preparing for 504-unit redevelopment project

By Katie Taranto and Dan Egitto
Fencing around the Ballston Holiday Inn hotel site (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

A Holiday Inn hotel in the Ballston area has closed and is now fenced off, apparently in preparation for a redevelopment project approved back in 2023.

Multiple tipsters contacted ARLnow this month after the hotel at 4610 Fairfax Drive closed its doors. The hotel has left IHG Hotels and Resorts’ system, a spokesperson said, although they did not say exactly when the location stopped admitting guests.

Go to Ballston Holiday Inn closes, preparing for 504-unit redevelopment project Read more
News

Split County Board approves 2-cent tax hike as part of $1.7B budget

By Scott McCaffrey
County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti (screenshot via Arlington County)

Arlington homeowners will pay an average 5.2% more in real-estate taxes this year, under the county government’s $1.69 billion fiscal year 2027 budget adopted yesterday (Wednesday).

The total budget amount is nearly identical to the fiscal year 2026 spending plan now in place, marking a rare year without some degree of overall increase. But because of ongoing declines in values of commercial properties, more of the tax burden is shifting to homeowners.

Go to Split County Board approves 2-cent tax hike as part of $1.7B budget Read more
News

Falls Church considers $175K consulting contract to help plan affordable housing

By Scott McCaffrey
One of the Virginia Village quadplex apartment buildings owned by Falls Church (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Falls Church leaders are considering a $175,000 contract with a consultant to help with an affordable housing project at Virginia Village.

That firm, whose name has not officially been announced, would develop a request for proposals sent out to housing providers that might be interested in partnering with the city on the project. The funding would also support evaluation of the proposals.

Go to Falls Church considers $175K consulting contract to help plan affordable housing Read more
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