Around Town

A Pride-themed block party, planned as the “signature event” in Arlington during Pride Month, has been canceled less than three weeks before it was scheduled to happen.

Logistical challenges proved insurmountable for the Arlington Pride Block Party, which was originally expected to draw hundreds of attendees to Crystal City’s Restaurant Row area on Saturday, June 6, organizers announced yesterday (Monday).


Schools

Arlington Public Schools leaders are planning further limits on some grade levels’ access to digital devices, promising more opportunities for public feedback.

Superintendent Francisco Durán updated School Board members on May 14 regarding the status of changes and what is coming next for the program that once provided every student with a MacBook or iPad.


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News

A student suffered a serious leg injury after being struck by the driver of a pickup truck near Washington-Liberty High School this morning.

The crash happened just after 8 a.m., near the intersection of N. Quincy Street and 14th Street. The circumstances of the crash are unclear but the student was quickly taken via ambulance to the trauma center at Virginia Hospital Center.


News

A local environmental advocacy organization hopes to breathe new life into its efforts.

Supporters of the Arlington Tree Action Group (ATAG) met online May 14 to consider specific initiatives and, potentially, a broader mission. The goal, leader Mary Glass said, was to take a fresh look at the local civic landscape and ATAG’s place within it.


Event

“This little composition…is, alas, the final mortal sin of my old age. A little technique, a little heart, that is all.”

Gioachino Rossini’s "Petite Messe Solennelle" is neither little nor entirely solemn. Yet beneath the wit and irony of its title lies one of Rossini’s most personal creations, which blends the theatrical brilliance and unforgettable melodies of his comic operas—including extraordinary and virtuosic arias—with an almost uncharacteristic tenderness and spiritual depth.


News
Contrails above Arlington on a sunny May day (courtesy photo)

‘Mob’ Attack Investigated — Four men in ski masks and armed with what appeared to be firearms attacked a group of eight people leaving a residence in the 300 block of N. Bryan Street late Saturday night, police said. Two victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The suspects fled in a black sedan. [ACPD]

Pentagon City ‘Circus’ — Arlington’s $11 million Army Navy Drive “Complete Street” project is unsafe almost every weekday because of car carrier deliveries to the Fashion Centre, says local public safety watcher Dave Statter, who shared video of four carriers arriving simultaneously. [Dave Statter/X]

Digital Equity Grants Return — Arlington County is offering up to $500,000 in grant funding for nonprofits and Virginia higher education institutions tackling the digital divide. Eligible projects target older adults, people with disabilities, English language learners and low-income households. Pre-applications are due June 5. [Arlington County]

DoubleTree’s Viral Stairwell — “The stairwell in the Doubletree in Arlington, VA goes straight for 13 floors instead of wrapping around,” music publicist Eric Alper said in a tweet that drew 1.2 million views and 28,000 likes. [Eric Alper/X]

Single-Stair Reform Advances — “The state’s Board of Housing and Community Development advanced a proposal to allow single stairways in four-story buildings, setting it up for potential adoption in the next state code requirements.” Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg (D-Henrico) is leading the effort to spur housing on smaller lots, though firefighters caution it raises safety risks. [Virginia Mercury]

Metro’s Gold Line Pitch — “Randy Clarke sees Metro’s future in the Gold Line: A zippy, dedicated bus route from Georgetown to the new Commanders stadium.” The transit agency’s general manager pitched the dedicated-bus project, which would initially connect Union Station and RFK, before eventually connecting to Rosslyn, in a podcast interview. [Axios]

Heat Wave Topples Records — “The D.C. region is sweltering under a heat wave which is already setting records, with a possibility of more record-breaking heat through Wednesday.” The Dulles record of 91 degrees for May 18, set in 1987, was broken by the 93 degree reading recorded Monday afternoon. [WTOP]

It’s Tuesday — Expect another sunny and hot day with a high near 97 and southwest winds of 5–12 mph, gusting to 20 mph. Dulles’ May 19 record high of 92 degrees, set in 1997, could fall. Overnight will be partly cloudy with a low around 75. [NWS]

Want more local news from around the region? Check out our newest sister site, WSHnow.


Around Town

Good Monday 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 18, 2026.

📅 Upcoming events

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

☀️ Tuesday’s forecast

Expect a sunny day with a high temperature of around 96°F and a southwest wind blowing at 6 to 10 mph. Tuesday night will be partly cloudy, with temperatures dropping to about 75°F. A south wind will persist at around 10 mph, with gusts reaching up to 20 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“The only thing standing between you and your goal is the story you keep telling yourself as to why you can’t achieve it.”
– Jordan Belfort

🌅 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.


Schools

Superintendent Francisco Durán has laid out a quarter-billion-dollar plan to renovate and expand two middle schools.

Downplaying concerns that the projects could crowd out needed improvements at other buildings, Durán on Thursday night described plans for Thomas Jefferson Middle School and Swanson Middle School. They include the following.


Obituary

James Almand, an Arlington native who served more than a quarter-century in the General Assembly and then nearly a decade on the circuit court, died May 14. He was 77.

“The totality of Jim Almand’s career as a legislator and judge is one of the greatest in Arlington’s history,” Clerk of the Circuit Court and former County Board member Paul Ferguson told ARLnow. “He was liked and respected by everyone who knew him.”


Around Town

Thousands of local youth and their supporters prepared for action in Pentagon City yesterday (Sunday) in one of two Girls on the Run 5Ks in Northern Virginia this weekend.

“Today is your day to shine,” said Caroline Woods, executive director of Girls on the Run Northern Virginia, as participants lined up near the starting line on S. Joyce Street, adjacent to RiverHouse.