Around Town

ARLnow Daily Debrief for May 4, 2026

By ARLnow.com

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 4, 2026.

📅 Upcoming events

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

☀️ Tuesday’s forecast

Expect sunny conditions with a high near 84°F, accompanied by breezy southwest winds at 10 to 20 mph and gusts reaching up to 33 mph. Tuesday night will bring increasing clouds, a low around 64°F, and a 30% chance of showers after 2 a.m. South winds will blow at 13 to 15 mph, with gusts up to 20 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“The only way to achieve the impossible is to believe it is possible.”
– Charles Kingsleigh

🌅 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

Plan to have AI read names at W-L graduation draws criticism at School Board meeting

By Scott McCaffrey
June Prakash speaks to School Board members (screenshot via Arlington Public Schools)

A plan to use artificial intelligence to read off the names of graduates at Washington-Liberty High School received pushback at last week’s School Board meeting.

June Prakash used the Board’s public-comment period to decry a partnership with a company that uses AI to correctly pronounce students’ names and read them off at a consistent rhythm during graduation ceremonies.

Go to Plan to have AI read names at W-L graduation draws criticism at School Board meeting Read more
Sponsored

USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation honors local leaders at Tennis Creates Gala

By Sponsor
Image from USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation honors local leaders at Tennis Creates Gala
Malika Andrews, 2026 Tennis Creates Gala Host
Gabrielle Berg, Northern Virginia Tennis for Fun Chapter Founder, 2026 Youth Leader of the Year Awardee
Khoi Truong, Lake Braddock Boys Tennis Coach, 2026 Coach of the Year Awardee
Vice Admiral Sean S. Buck, U.S. Navy (ret.), 2026 Tennis Creates Impact Honoree
1/5

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

Bicyclist hurt in collision with sprinting deer on W&OD Trail

By Dan Egitto
The W&OD Trail at the N. Ohio Street overpass (via Google Maps)

A bicyclist took a tumble over the weekend after a white-tailed deer crashed into her at full speed on the W&OD Trail.

The unusual cyclist-deer collision took place around 11:30 a.m. Saturday near the N. Ohio Street overpass in the Madison Manor neighborhood, according to scanner chatter.

Go to Bicyclist hurt in collision with sprinting deer on W&OD Trail Read more
Around Town

The Board Room abruptly closes in Clarendon after eight years of business

By Katie Taranto
The Board Room sign (file photo)

A game bar and brewery in Clarendon closed its doors last week after eight years in business, citing high rent and labor costs.

The Board Room’s last day in business at 925 N. Garfield Street was Thursday, owner Mark Handwerger told ARLnow. A 35-year veteran of the D.C.-area bar space, he said that business never fully recovered from the pandemic and struggled with high overhead costs.

Go to The Board Room abruptly closes in Clarendon after eight years of business Read more
Event

Dialogue for Democracy

Poster for the Dialogue for Democracy event on Nov 3 at GMU Fairfax Campus; topics include education, art, peace, and entrepreneurship.

Event location

George Mason University, Buchanan Hall

4379 Mason Pond Drive

Fairfax, Virginia 22030

Add to Calendar

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.

Go to Dialogue for Democracy Read more
Sports

O’Connell track-and-field teams warm up for postseason at Draper Invitational

By Dave Facinoli
O'Connell's Cameron Bowser, right, won the boy 400-meter race (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

A number of local high-school teams recently warmed up for postseason track-and-field competition by participating in regional events.

Among them were the Bishop O’Connell Knights boys and girls units. Each had strong performances at the 43rd annual multi-team Draper Invitational at St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School in Alexandria on May 1-2.

Go to O’Connell track-and-field teams warm up for postseason at Draper Invitational Read more
Events

Cinco de Mayo brings Shirlington street festival and deals on food and drinks

By Katie Taranto
Guapo's in Shirlington (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

Cinco de Mayo is tomorrow (Tuesday), bringing an outdoor taco bar and dancing to Shirlington and specials at several Arlington restaurants.

Guapo’s Restaurant is hosting its yearly Cinco de Mayo party from 2-11 p.m. at 4028 Campbell Avenue, prompting a road closure on eastbound Campbell Avenue between S. Randolph Street and S. Quincy streets.

Go to Cinco de Mayo brings Shirlington street festival and deals on food and drinks Read more
News

JUST IN: House committee targets Arlington police, sheriff’s office and prosecutors over ‘sanctuary policies’

By Dan Egitto
Flags flying in the wind at Arlington County's justice center in Courthouse (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The House Judiciary Committee is targeting all three of Arlington’s main criminal justice agencies over local policies that restrict contact with immigration enforcement.

In separate letters to the Arlington County Police Department, Arlington County Sheriff’s Office and Arlington Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the committee took issue with the limits that these agencies have placed on their cooperation with immigration officers, arguing that such policies endanger the public.

Go to JUST IN: House committee targets Arlington police, sheriff’s office and prosecutors over ‘sanctuary policies’ Read more
Around Town

Mount Olivet holds rededication, celebrating end of renovations after 2022 fire

By Scott McCaffrey
Choir members at Mount Olivet rededication ceremony (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

A rededication ceremony at Mount Olivet United Methodist Church over the weekend marked the completion of restoration work following a fire more than three years ago.

“We at Mount Olivet have been tested,” the Rev. Sara Keeling said at the service of thanksgiving. “We have come back better and stronger and more beautiful.”

Go to Mount Olivet holds rededication, celebrating end of renovations after 2022 fire Read more
News

Arlington jobless rate decreases slightly, but so does the labor force

By Scott McCaffrey
Job seekers at a Crystal City career fair (file photo by Jay Westcott)

The number of Arlington residents counted as unemployed in February stood at the third lowest level over the past year, according to new state data.

That may be little consolation to the nearly 5,000 county residents seeking jobs, however — and it doesn’t count those who have left the labor force entirely over the last year.

Go to Arlington jobless rate decreases slightly, but so does the labor force Read more
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