News
A yard full of holiday-themed, inflatable dinosaurs on 5th Street S. (courtesy John Antonelli)

H-B Teacher is a Grammy Finalist — “It’s the same feeling Podolski said he hopes to create for his choir students at H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program in Arlington, Virginia. He won’t accept it when someone tells him they can’t sing, and he strives to help everyone find their voice. A parent nominated Podolski for the 2026 Grammy Music Educator Award for those efforts, and he learned last week he’s a finalist for the prestigious recognition.” [WTOP]

Stepped Up DUI Patrols — “The annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign aims to drastically reduce drunk driving on our nation’s roadways through a two-pronged approach of education and enforcement. From December 12, 2025 – January 1, 2026, motorists nationwide can expect to see increased messaging about the dangers of driving under the influence, coupled with increased saturation patrols to identify and apprehend impaired drivers.” [ACPD]

Robbery Along Columbia Pike — “1100 block of S. George Mason Drive. At approximately 10:31 a.m. on December 8, police were dispatched to the report of a robbery by force. Upon arrival, it was determined two suspects, one juvenile male, and one juvenile female, entered the business, concealed merchandise and exited the store without payment. When confronted by an employee outside of the store, the male suspect shoved the employee and fled the scene with the female suspect.” [ACPD]

Winter Salt Discussion — “On January 21 and 23 2026, join representatives from the D.C. Metro Region for two mini-webinar events to learn how you can take action around your community to stay safe and reduce salt impacts to the Potomac and other DC area water sources. From January 26-30, 2026, Winter Salt Week will hold numerous national webinar events as well as local events in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region.” [Arlington County]

Beyer Bill on Data Center Power — “Rapid data center construction to meet power demands from AI platforms is driving electricity prices up sharply, while Republicans’ big bill slows the construction of energy projects. Our bill would generate policy changes to lower costs for the American people.” [Rep. Don Beyer/X]

Spectacular Sun Pillar — “What the what? The sunset over Arlington looked like it was straight out of a sci-fi movie.” [CWG/X]

It’s Wednesday — There’s a chance of rain between 8am and 2pm, with cloudy skies and a high near 45. Expect south winds of 11-14 mph, gusting up to 25 mph, and a 40% chance of precipitation. The night will be mostly cloudy, with lows around 32 and west winds of 10-13 mph, gusting up to 20 mph. [NWS]


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 — Dec 9, 2025.

📅 Upcoming events

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

🌦️ Wednesday’s forecast

Expect rain between 8am and 2pm, with cloudy skies and a high near 45. There will be south winds of 11-14 mph, gusting up to 25 mph, and a 40% chance of precipitation. The night will be mostly cloudy, with lows around 32 and west winds of 10-13 mph, gusting up to 20 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.”
– Alexander Graham Bell

🌅 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.


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Image from Just Reduced Properties in Arlington: May 20, 2026
4715 38TH Street N

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News

A new program using sharpshooters to control Arlington’s deer population is firing up in the new year.

The hunting operation, which will take place in the Four Mile Run area and in some wooded parks north of Langston Blvd, may cause some parks to close an hour or two early some evenings this February as professional sharpshooters armed with sound-suppressed rifles take their place in tree stands.


Announcement

Mental health shapes how we lead, love, work, parent, communicate, and show up in the world—yet too often, these conversations stay hidden.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, join local nonprofit Rock Recovery for Strength Not Stigma—an unforgettable evening of honest conversation, community, and impact.


Around Town

A holiday toy drive born out of pandemic-era restrictions returned last weekend to the Yorktown neighborhood.

Knights of Columbus Arlington Council 2473 once again hosted a drop-off collection site for Toys for Tots, continuing a tradition of spreading cheer to local children.


Around Town

After just over a year in business, a Pentagon City cafe selling baked goods and lunch items has shuttered — apparently making way for another cafe.

The windows of Mae’s Market and Cafe are papered over at 1450 S. Eads Street with signs advertising another tenant: Maman, a New York City-based chain that opened its first Arlington location in Courthouse this fall.


News

A man has been sentenced for setting fires at three restaurants in Crystal City earlier this year and reportedly trying to frame a past employer.

Timothy Clark Pollock last Friday received the maximum 10-year sentence for arson of an unoccupied building, but all but two and a half years is suspended, according to court records. The remaining years of Pollock’s sentence would apply if he violates the terms of his probation after his release.


News

A hearing on whether to study changes to the form of Arlington’s local government is scheduled to take place next week.

County Board members have set aside an entire evening — Wednesday, Dec. 17 beginning at 6 p.m. — to hear from the public and then decide whether to set up a task force looking at the hotly debated issue. Registration is open now.


News

A new 234-unit affordable housing building near Rosslyn was honored with a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday (Monday).

The 12-story building at 1300 N. Pierce Street, in the Radnor-Fort Myer Heights neighborhood, comes with 110 below-ground parking spaces and a mix of apartment sizes: 84 one-bedroom units, 100 two-bedroom units and 50 three-bedroom units, according to a press release.


Schools

Arlington Democrats have approved rules for the party’s 2026 School Board caucus, though whether it will be held remains to be seen.

Arlington County Democratic Committee on Wednesday nearly unanimously set in place rules for a springtime caucus that will only be required if more than one candidate files for the lone position on the ballot next year.