Italian restaurant Carbonara is celebrating two years of business in Virginia Square, and its owner has some big plans for the next few months.
Chef Mike Cordero, the prolific restaurateur behind the acclaimed “old school” eatery at 3865 Wilson Blvd, told ARLnow he will soon roll out a new Italian cookbook, “Respect the Sauce,” while he prepares to expand with a second location in Prince William County this June.
At least one local high school will use artificial intelligence to provide clearer and faster name pronunciation during its graduation ceremony in June.
In an online letter to the school community, Washington-Liberty High School principal Alexander Duncan III said the school has partnered with Tassel to provide better announcements of graduates’ names as they cross the stage to collect diplomas.
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.
The “Yes in God’s Backyard” movement is celebrating after the Faith in Housing bill, supporting expedited church-based affordable housing development, has been signed into law.
Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) signed state Sen. Jeremy McPike (D-29)’s SB 388 and Del. Joshua Cole (D-65)’s HB 1279, which will eliminate the rezoning step for faith-based organizations and other tax-exempt nonprofits to develop affordable housing on their properties. The law will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027 and will sunset on Jan. 1, 2031 unless reenacted by a future General Assembly.
Please join us for an Open House at St. Charles Preschool on November 13th at 9:30 am to learn more about our Christ-centered, nurturing preschool community! Applications for the 2027-28 school year will be opening that day on our school website.
Our school offers:
Arlington’s median apartment rental rates remain modestly down year-over-year in one new national survey, while posting a slight uptick in another.
In each case, the county’s costs for renters are among the highest in the nation — fifth most expensive in one survey, seventh in the other.
“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.
Royals at Cemetery Today — “The Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery will be closed from 8 a.m. to approximately 10:30 a.m. due to preparations for a special event at ANC. Tram service will also be unavailable until 1 p.m.” King Charles III and Queen Camilla are visiting as part of a U.S. trip marking America’s 250th anniversary. [Arlington National Cemetery/X]
Tour de France Owner Joins Race — “Amaury Sports Organisation, the French company that operates the Tour de France, is joining the Amazon Armed Forces Cycling Classic with an eye on growing the profile of the D.C. region’s premier cycling event.” The race is run by the Arlington-based nonprofit Arlington Sports Inc., which has put on the event since 1998. The partnership may eventually lead to an ownership stake, organizers said. [WBJ]
ACPD Mourns Volunteer — “It is with deep sadness that the Arlington County Police Department announces the passing of Auxiliary Lieutenant Heather Hurlock. Lt. Hurlock began her service with our agency 30 years ago after retiring from a career as the U.S. House of Representatives Chief Clerk.” [ACPD/X]
Va. Low on Drug Use — Virginia ranks 46th out of 51 (sixth-lowest) for drug problems, according to a new WalletHub study. The personal finance site “compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 20 key metrics, ranging from arrest and overdose rates to opioid prescription use and employee drug testing laws.” New Mexico ranks first; Utah ranks last. [WalletHub]
It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny skies today with a high near 67. Northwest winds around 14 mph could gust as high as 24 mph. Skies should remain mostly clear overnight, with a low around 44. [NWS]
There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.
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 — Apr 29, 2026.
Here is what’s going on Thursday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
It will be mostly sunny with a high near 67°F and a northwest wind blowing at about 15 mph, with gusts reaching up to 25 mph. Thursday night will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to around 44°F and a lighter northwest wind at 7 to 10 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”
– Albert Schweitzer
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 Rhodes scholar and Paralympian who grew up in Arlington is preparing to graduate Stanford University as one of its top engineering students.
Sydney Barta, who was named a 2026 Rhodes scholar last November, was honored last weekend with the Frederick Emmons Terman Engineering Scholastic Award — an honorific that goes to Stanford’s top 30 undergraduate seniors studying engineering.
Frequent County Board candidate Audrey Clement has taken issue with the amount of time her assailant was sentenced to serve for attacking her and a bystander outside a library in March.
The man, 47-year-old Jonathan Rogers, pleaded guilty to striking Clement in the back of the head and hitting a bystander in the eye when he intervened in the apparently unprovoked attack. Rogers was released from jail on Sunday after spending just 50 days behind bars — an amount of time that Clement believes is unacceptable.
A new restaurant from the founder of a fast-casual Middle Eastern chain appears to be underway at a vacant Clarendon storefront.
A permit application filed this month requests interior alterations at 3137 Wilson Blvd for a business under the name “Clarendon Eats.” The application was filed on behalf of Ahmad Ashkar, the entrepreneur behind fast-casual chain Falafel Inc.
