Author: Ryan Cole

Ryan Cole is a reporting fellow at ARLnow and an Arlington native. He’s a 2022 Yorktown High School graduate and a 2026 graduate of Northwestern University, where he studied journalism and covered sports for campus publications.

Around Town

Five Guys in Courthouse closes for renovations, plans to reopen next month

By Ryan Cole
Exterior of a Five Guys restaurant with red canopies and large windows along a sidewalk.
The Five Guys at 2300 Wilson Blvd, currently undergoing a remodel (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

The Five Guys in Courthouse has temporarily closed for a revamp of its interior.

The burger spot at 2300 Wilson Blvd closed on July 6 and is expected to reopen in August, a company spokesperson told ARLnow. No further information was available on the specific renovations, but permit applications mention “interior alterations.”

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Events

Meet-and-greet with TikTok-famous toucan coming to Pentagon City ice cream shop

By Ryan Cole
Tropical bird with a bright yellow chest and large curved beak perched on a weathered wooden railing beside a clear plastic plate of sprinkled donuts outdoors.
Chester the toucan at Mimi's Handmade Ice Cream in Pentagon City (courtesy of Maria Stagliano)

A Pentagon City ice cream shop is hosting a meet-and-greet this weekend with a local, internet-famous toucan.

Chester, a 9-year-old toucan with nearly 850,000 followers on TikTok, will be posing for photos at Mimi’s Handmade Ice Cream (1201 S. Joyce Street) from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday.

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Around Town

New event venue opens at former rooftop restaurant space in Courthouse

By Ryan Cole
Rooftop patio with wooden tables and metal chairs under string lights, overlooking a city skyline on a sunny day.
Rooftop Terrace at The Willow in Courthouse (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

A private event venue with rooftop views is preparing to open at a longtime restaurant and bar space in Courthouse.

The Willow opened earlier this month at 2424 Wilson Blvd, in the former home of Rooftop Recess and, before that, Arlington Rooftop Bar & Grill. The space is pivoting to host all kinds of private events — from corporate events and weddings to wine and food tastings.

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Around Town

ACFD welcomes new dog deputy to help investigate fires

By Ryan Cole
Arlington County Fire Department canine, Joker (via Arlington Fire & EMS/X)

The Arlington County Fire Department is welcoming a new dog deputy, and he’s not joking around.

Joker, a male yellow Labrador retriever, is in training to help detect “fire accelerants” at the scene of a fire, ACFD spokesman Capt. Jamie Jill told ARLnow. The dog will be capable of smelling explosives as well as post-blast residue.

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News

Students question planned rollout of phone pouches across APS high schools this year

By Ryan Cole
An iPhone 11 XR (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Some students are questioning the logistics of Arlington Public Schools’ plan to roll out locked phone pouches in all of its high schools this school year.

When APS high schoolers go back to school, they’ll be required to lock their phones away in a magnetically sealed pouch for the entirety of the school day. The intended purpose is to combat negative impacts of phones on learning and social-emotional health.

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News

Arlington high school football teams prepare for battle in 2025 season

By Ryan Cole
Wakefield's football team practicing (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

It’s almost time for “Friday night lights” in Arlington as the county’s three public high school teams get ready for the upcoming season starting on Aug. 28.

Wakefield, Washington-Liberty and Yorktown are in different stages of development and expectations, but they all play in the Liberty District. That means they will all face one another this season.

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Around Town

AWLA announces winners of beer can contest for pets after raising $53K

By Ryan Cole
Popcorn, winner of the Rescue Brew Contest (courtesy of the AWLA)

The Animal Welfare League of Arlington is unveiling new limited-edition beer cans this week following the end of a charity contest featuring local pets.

The AWLA’s Rescue Brew Contest, which involved pet owners competing for a chance to feature their furry friend on 32-ounce aluminum cans, raised $53,000 after over 1,000 people voted to decide four winners.

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Around Town

Local Scout redesigns wig room for cancer patients at VHC Health

By Ryan Cole
New wig room in Reva and Sid Dewberry Cancer Resource Center at Virginia Hospital Center (courtesy of Alia Abbud)

A local Scout has redesigned the room where chemotherapy patients try on wigs at Virginia Hospital Center, seeking to create a more comfortable and welcoming space.

Seeking to honor one of her past teachers, who was diagnosed with breast cancer, 16-year-old Alia Abbud revamped the room in The Reva and Sid Dewberry Cancer Resource Center where patients go to try on wigs and head coverings.

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Around Town

Free banana splits, outdoor movies and more coming to Pentagon City this month

By Ryan Cole
Metropolitan Park near Amazon HQ2 in Pentagon City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A summer of events is winding down this month at Pentagon City’s Metropolitan Park.

Live music, outdoor movies, crafts and a celebration of National Banana Split Day are all coming to the park over the next few weeks, courtesy of partnerships between Amazon and local businesses.

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News

Upgraded water fountains coming to Mount Vernon Trail in Arlington

By Ryan Cole
A water fountain near the Roosevelt Island pedestrian bridge (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

New water fountains and refill stations are coming to the Mount Vernon Trail, the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial and other federally controlled parts of Arlington.

The National Park Service plans to install up to 14 new stations at “high-priority locations” in the vicinity of GW Parkway.

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Around Town

Fried chicken and burger chain ‘Nash and Smashed’ coming to Arlington

By Ryan Cole
Signage for new Nash and Smashed location in the Buckingham Center(staff photo by Ryan Cole)

A Nashville-style burger and fried chicken chain plans to open a new location in Ashton Heights in about a month.

D.C.-area fast food joint “Nash & Smashed” is preparing to open at 310 N. Glebe Road, where Boost Mobile closed in the Buckingham Center. The new restaurant serves up traditional fried chicken, chicken sandwiches and smash burgers.

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Around Town

Local entrepreneur starts hub for young innovaters at GMU’s Fuse building

By Ryan Cole
George Mason's Fuse building (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

An Arlington entrepreneur and a father-daughter duo have begun hosting events for young innovators at George Mason University’s new Fuse building.

“Oasis Hill” — a project by Shy Pahlevani, founder of the local startups LiveSafe and HUNGRY, alongside the real estate development pair Hossein and Ivana Goal — set up shop at 3401 Fairfax Drive earlier this year.

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