Around Town

Fireworks will be going off on the National Mall this evening (Monday) in celebration of the United States’ 250th birthday.

The fireworks display will culminate six nights of projections on the Washington Monument that have sought to turn the historic structure into “the world’s tallest birthday candle.”


Around Town

With the new year just hours away, we’re closing out 2025 with a roundup of ARLnow’s top 10 stories this year.

Representing a mix of fast-moving breaking coverage and stories only made possible through our team’s deep sourcing in this community, these stories offer a snapshot of an eventful year for Arlington and for this newsroom.


News

Four D.C. teenagers were arrested after a series of overnight break-ins at businesses in Pentagon City yesterday (Tuesday).

They’re accused of hitting a total of at least five businesses, stealing cash and electronics before being arrested while trespassing inside an apartment building on S. Eads Street, according to a press release from the Arlington County Police Department.


Around Town

Tomorrow (Wednesday) is New Year’s Eve, and at ARLnow we’re continuing our countdown of this year’s most-read stories.

Stories #11-20 included a mix of heavy and lighthearted coverage, with a couple surprises thrown in.


Around Town

A restaurant serving up spicy fried chicken is closing its doors in Rosslyn after three and a half years.

Hot Lola’s, which opened at 1501 Wilson Blvd in the summer of 2022, announced the closure in a social media post earlier this month. The initial plan was to close on New Year’s Eve, but the restaurant’s signage has already been taken down as of today (Tuesday).


News

Waste collection will once again be pushed back in Arlington as various government offices close in honor of New Year’s Day this Thursday.

Thursday’s collection routes will be serviced on Friday, and Friday routes will be pushed back to Saturday this week. Parking meters also will not be enforced on New Year’s Day (Jan. 1).


News

During a year of shake-ups and flagging sales at the Kennedy Center, several performing arts groups in Arlington enjoyed significant success in 2025.

Leaders of local groups say that it’s difficult to tell whether they’ve directly benefited from this year’s upheaval across the Potomac, which most recently included a vote to rename D.C.’s premier performing arts center as the “Trump-Kennedy Center” last week.


News

Trash collection will be pushed back a day on Thursday while various Arlington County facilities shut down for Christmas.

No waste will be picked up on Christmas Day, so Thursday routes will be serviced on Friday, and Friday routes will move to Saturday.


News

At the close of a tumultuous economic year for Arlington, County Board Chair Takis Karantonis is seeking a return to stability and continued focus on infrastructure goals in 2026.

Karantonis, who is coming to the end of his one-year turn at the County Board chairmanship, used an interview with Fox 5 yesterday (Thursday) to emphasize the hardship that 2025 has brought to many of Arlington’s federal workers, immigrant communities and businesses large and small.


News

The incoming chair of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce is preparing a renewed focus on outreach while marking a historic first for the 101-year-old organization.

Bismah Ahmed, who will be the first woman of color to take on the chairmanship, has ambitions of bridging gaps between businesses and the broader community, supporting local employers amid economic uncertainty and building on the chamber’s engagement efforts among young people, in particular.


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