News

A sinkhole has been blocking a small stretch of road in Pentagon City for the last several days.

A portion of 13th Street S. between Costco and Metropolitan Park has been cordoned off since last week, with a traffic barrel sitting in the middle of the hole as of yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon.


News

New restroom facilities at Gunston Park are expected to cost around $1 million — a grand total arising from the price of materials, installation and associated costs.

County officials present the cost as a financial win for taxpayers, even if not everyone sees it that way.


Sponsored

Game, set, Gala! On Saturday, Nov. 14, the USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation’s annual Tennis Creates Gala, presented by QTS, comes to The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, celebrating the transformative power of tennis.

The evening raises critical funds to make the sport accessible to all across Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia and eastern/southern West Virginia.

Every dollar goes back into local communities through programs like Girls Rule the Court™, which has served more than 2,000 girls, along with Junior Player Scholarships and Tennis in Schools. Gala funds also help restore public courts. Over the last three years, the Foundation has invested $505,000 across 17 public facilities.

Emceeing the evening is Emmy Award-winning ESPN journalist Malika Andrews, host of NBA Today and NBA Countdown, who joined ESPN’s tennis coverage this year for the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.

Andrews has pointed to the electric moment American tennis is having, with stars like the DMV’s own Frances Tiafoe reaching the 2026 US Open men’s semifinals, and says she’s grateful for the chance to support the sport at the local level.

Joining the celebration is new USTA CEO Craig Tiley, who took the helm of the national governing body in July after over 20 years at Tennis Australia. As he leads the USTA toward its goal of 35 million players by 2035, the USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation drives the grassroots work to grow the sport right here in the region.

The Foundation will present its Tennis Creates Impact Award to Vice Admiral Sean S. Buck, U.S. Navy (ret.), 63rd Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy, recognizing his leadership in fostering character, community, and well-being through tennis.

The heart of the night is the 2026 Tennis Creates Awards, honoring local changemakers. Alexandria’s Leigh Ann Jackson receives the Adult Leader Award for coaching Girls Rule the Court at Groveton Elementary, where she has served 130 students over five seasons and championed the program’s expansion to Hybla Valley.

Arlington’s Gabrielle Berg earns the Youth Leader Award for founding a Northern Virginia chapter of Tennis For Fun, which runs free year-round clinics for people with special needs in partnership with the Arlington YMCA. Burke’s Khoi Truong, head coach at Lake Braddock Secondary School, is the 2026 Coach of the Year.

They’ll be joined by fellow honorees Dr. Ellen Markowitz (Community Champion), James Skinner (Provider Champion), and Janelle Nichols (Tennis in the Classroom Awardee).

Tickets and tables are now available. Can’t make it? Make a gift to USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation or bid in the silent auction to help put a racquet in the hands of the next generation of players.

The Tennis Creates Gala takes place Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, from 6:00 – 11:00 p.m. at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, 1700 Tysons Blvd., McLean, VA 22102.

For more information, visit TennisCreatesGala.com.


News

Police arrested a teen after he allegedly pepper-sprayed a bystander during a dispute at Yorktown High School last Thursday (May 21).

Officers were dispatched to the school at 5200 Yorktown Blvd shortly after 3:30 p.m. A teen boy and a girl became involved in a verbal dispute on school property, during which the boy discharged pepper spray and struck another girl, a bystander, according to Arlington County police.


Schools

Arlington parents are organizing to push for new limits on school-issued classroom devices, joining a growing national movement to scale back screen time at school.

A group of parents in Arlington gathered on a recent Saturday night to share their children’s struggles with screen addictions and other side effects of school-issued devices.


Event

High school students from across the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region are invited to participate in Dialogue for Democracy at George Mason University!

Hosted by the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, this event offers high school students an opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations about democracy, civic engagement, and the importance of understanding different perspectives.


News
A slightly damp brick sidewalk in Rosslyn (courtesy George Brazier)

Suspect Linked to 2nd Case — Arlington County Police Chief Andy Penn said the man charged in the May 7 attempted abduction in Pentagon City has now been charged in a second incident reported earlier in May. “We’ve actually charged him in both instances,” Penn told ABC 7. Detectives are asking additional victims or witnesses to contact police. [WJLA]

W-L Drops AI Grad Plan — Washington-Liberty High School has scrapped its recently announced plan to use AI to read graduates’ names at next month’s commencement, citing negative feedback from students. “So, this year’s commencement at Washington-Liberty High will look just like the 99 that have come before it, with faculty members reading the names of each of the roughly 700 graduates who cross the stage,” the Washington Post reported as part of a larger article on graduation tech. [Washington Post]

Strangers Honor Fallen Soldier — A viral X post from Sharrell Shaw, widow of Staff Sgt. Alan Shaw, drew strangers to her husband’s grave in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery over Memorial Day weekend after she couldn’t make the trip from Arkansas. “Watching Americans from every political spectrum coming together on Memorial Day weekend to honor just one soldier is one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen as an American in a long time,” she said. [Fox 5]

Fresh Market Near Fairlington Stays — “As another Fresh Market store in the Northern Virginia region prepares to close, the Alexandria location isn’t going anywhere. A Fresh Market spokesperson told ALXnow no changes are planned for the Alexandria store at Bradlee Shopping Center (3680 King Street).” The chain’s Vienna store closes May 31. [ALXnow]

Arch Protest Wraps — A multi-day demonstration against President Donald Trump’s planned 250-foot triumphal arch ran from Sunday through Tuesday near the Lincoln Memorial. “Democracies do not build memorials to living presidents,” said organizers with Third Act DMV. The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts approved the arch’s design last week. [NBC 4]

It’s Wednesday — Showers and thunderstorms are expected throughout the day, with a high near 80 and a 90% chance of precipitation. Rainfall amounts between a quarter and a half inch are possible. Showers and storms remain possible overnight, with a low around 64. [NWS]

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Around Town

Good Tuesday 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 — May 26, 2026.

📅 Upcoming events

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

⛈️ Wednesday’s forecast

Expect showers and thunderstorms throughout the day, with patchy fog before 11am and a high near 80°F. Winds will be light and become westerly in the afternoon. Rainfall may range from a tenth to a quarter of an inch, with higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Showers and thunderstorms are likely into the evening, tapering off around 11pm, with patchy fog developing until 1am. The night will be mostly cloudy with a low around 64°F and winds shifting northwest after midnight. There’s a 60% chance of rain, with potential for similar rain accumulation as during the day. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.”
– Henry David Thoreau

🌅 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

Madison Community Center will temporarily close beginning in June for a multimillion-dollar overhaul, expected to last for about a year.

The community center at 3829 N. Stafford Street will close on Monday, June 15. Planned upgrades including a new air conditioning system to replace window units, a new roof to address leaks and deterioration, a redesign of the lower level and new ceiling tiles and lighting, according to a county webpage.


News

An Arlington police officer who responded to the Sept. 11, 2001 attack on the Pentagon has died from cancer related to those recovery efforts.

The Arlington County Police Department honored Cpl. Barry Foust’s 35 years of service with the agency in a press release today (Tuesday). Foust, who was on patrol the day of the terrorist attack and helped launch Arlington County’s response, died Friday following a cancer diagnosis in June 2025.


Around Town

On weekends in the Arlington Forest neighborhood, locals may notice a pink bake stand loaded with fresh bagels, cookies and loaves of sourdough for pickup.

Isabella Fortunato started the stand, Crumb to Mama, about nine months ago from her home kitchen. A self-described “local sourdough dealer,” Fortunato runs the microbakery with Saturday morning pickups from her driveway.