School leaders are about to formally ink a deal to relocate Arlington Community High School to Amazon’s HQ2 campus.
Eight months after celebrating the upcoming move, Arlington Public Schools leaders plan to sign a 30-year lease with Amazon for more than 30,000 square feet of space at 1450 S. Eads Street in the Metropolitan Park complex in Pentagon City.
Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) is taking legislative aim at President Trump’s proposed 250-foot “triumphal arch” near Arlington National Cemetery.
Beyer announced Wednesday that he will introduce the Arlington National Cemetery Viewshed Protection Act this week alongside Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.). The bill would explicitly prohibit a triumphal arch from being built in the area, permanently bar federal funds from being used for one, and prohibit similar “non-Congressionally approved structures” on any National Park Service land in the National Capital Region, according to a press release from Beyer’s office.
A colorful new landmark is bringing fresh energy to Columbia Pike while celebrating the people, cultures and stories that define one of Arlington’s most vibrant neighborhoods.
On Saturday, October 24, Arlington Public Art, the Columbia Pike Partnership, and the community will celebrate the completion of the first County-sponsored mural on Columbia Pike, a striking new work by artist Rowan Bathurst located on the side of the Goodwill building at 4714 Columbia Pike.
The mural, commissioned through Arlington Public Art and Arlington Economic Development, is part of ongoing creative placemaking efforts designed to strengthen neighborhood identity, enhance public spaces and create welcoming experiences for residents, visitors and local businesses.
For Bathurst, an artist whose work explores the relationships among people, nature and cultural heritage, Columbia Pike offered a rich source of inspiration. The mural features portraits of women representing cultures reflected throughout the neighborhood, surrounded by imagery drawn from local history, global artistic traditions and the natural environment of Four Mile Run.
What makes the project especially meaningful is the community’s role in shaping it. Public input gathered at the Barcroft Resource Fair and Columbia Pike Farmers Market revealed a strong desire for artwork that reflected the neighborhood’s diversity, vibrant character and connection to nature. A community advisory panel helped guide the project from concept through completion, ensuring the final design reflected the voices and experiences of the community it serves.
The resulting artwork is both a visual landmark and a celebration of the people who make Columbia Pike unique. It highlights the corridor’s longstanding role as a welcoming and multicultural community while creating a vibrant new point of interest along one of Arlington’s most traveled commercial corridors.
The project was made possible through a partnership with Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners, which provided the highly visible wall for the mural. Located on the Goodwill building at 4714 Columbia Pike, the artwork transforms an everyday streetscape into a destination that invites residents and visitors to pause, reflect and connect with the neighborhood’s identity.
As Arlington continues investing in public art and placemaking initiatives, projects like this demonstrate how art can strengthen community pride, foster connection and contribute to vibrant public spaces. Public art not only enriches the visual landscape, but also helps tell the stories of Arlington’s neighborhoods and the people who call them home.
The community is invited to join the celebration on Saturday, October 24, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The free event will feature remarks from the artist and community representatives, music, refreshments and family-friendly activities. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience the mural up close and learn more about the community stories, cultural influences and local inspiration behind its creation.
For Columbia Pike, the mural represents more than a new work of art. It is a lasting reflection of the corridor’s creativity, diversity and community spirit, and a vibrant new symbol of the neighborhood’s past, present and future.
Art Focus is a regular series highlighting the artists, organizations, public art projects and creative initiatives that enrich Arlington’s cultural landscape.
A recent ceremony honored the 95th anniversary of the Clarendon War Memorial, as well as the 40th anniversary of the move to its current location.
The memorial provides “a sacred reminder” of the sacrifice of U.S. military personnel, County Board member Julius “JD” Spain, Sr., said at the annual Memorial Day commemoration, held at the memorial located above the Clarendon Metro station.
Waymo Eyes Arlington — Driverless car company Waymo is now mapping parts of N. Va. as it prepares for possible autonomous ride-hailing in the commonwealth. Policy adviser Rich Harrington said the company’s vehicles are already operating on Alexandria roads with safety drivers and will soon begin operating in Arlington as well. [Fox 5]
Cathedral Rector on Leave — “The Very Reverend Patrick L. Posey, a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Arlington, has been placed on administrative leave pending investigation of an allegation of sexual misconduct with minors. The alleged incidents occurred between 1992 and 1993 outside the Diocese of Arlington.” Posey, rector at the Cathedral of Saint Thomas More in Arlington, denies the accusation. [Arlington Diocese]
Shoplifter Strikes Officer — Police say a larceny call near Ballston on Tuesday afternoon ended with an Arlington man, 35, charged with assault on police, obstruction and robbery. The suspect allegedly grabbed merchandise from a business on the 4200 block of Fairfax Drive, made threatening statements to an employee and struck an officer near N. Stuart Street while resisting arrest. [ACPD]
Sweetgreen’s First Local Drive-Thru — The McLean Sweetgreen at 6220 Old Dominion Drive in the Chesterbrook Shopping Center will be the chain’s first D.C. area location to add a “sweetlane” pickup window, per permits filed this week. Customers order online and pick up curbside; the concept was first piloted in Illinois in 2022. [WBJ]
Tick Boom — “This year has started off with a bang. Wet and warm certainly makes ticks really happy. So they are up and active and ready to find some food,” Old Dominion University biological sciences professor Holly Gaff said. She added that booming deer, raccoon and rodent populations are also fueling the surge. [WJLA]
It’s Thursday — Sunny skies and a high near 78 are expected today, with a breezy north wind 6–13 mph and gusts up to 22 mph. Skies should remain mostly clear overnight with a cool low around 54. [NWS]
There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.
This event is for: First-time pregnant & new moms, Mamistad Providers and invited providers.
Are you expecting your first baby or navigating life with a newborn? Join our mixer connecting first-time pregnant moms, new moms, and perinatal providers. We'll help you understand what a new mom village should look like and how to start building yours.
Meet doulas, lactation and sleep consultants, nurses, pelvic floor specialists, perinatal mental health therapists, chiropractors, dietitians, coaches and more!
Good Wednesday 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 — May 27, 2026.
Here is what’s going on Thursday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Expect a sunny day with temperatures reaching up to 79°F. Winds will come from the north at 7 to 11 mph, with gusts up to 21 mph. The night will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to around 56°F and a north wind blowing at 6 to 8 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
“Don’t count the days, make the days count.”
– Muhammad Ali
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.
A proposed merger between Dominion Energy and NextEra Energy raises new possibilities and further questions in the race to match Virginia’s booming energy demand.
NextEra, which seeks to create the world’s largest regulated electric utility business through the $67 billion acquisition, has framed the plan as a path toward reducing energy costs in an era of rising need, driven in part by the construction of new data centers to power AI.
Rep. Don Beyer (D-8) has come close to achieving a clean sweep of re-election endorsements from Arlington’s local elected officials.
Among those formally supporting his bid for a seventh two-year term, according to a release from the Beyer campaign:
A suspect has been arrested over an alleged sexual attack in the stairwell of a Columbia Pike parking garage.
Police are seeking other possible victims as the suspect, a 25-year-old of “no fixed address,” faces charges of sexual battery and attempted object sexual penetration.
Cycling pros and enthusiasts will be hitting the streets of Arlington this weekend for the return of the Amazon Armed Forces Cycling Classic.
The event, now in its 28th year, will include two days of races on Saturday and Sunday, benefiting the nonprofit Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) — and bringing some road closures.
