The Shirlington Transit Center (via Arlington County)
A new bus route will offer Shirlington residents a direct connection to D.C. during rush hour.
The new A29 route will run between Van Dorn Street Station and Metro Center via the I-395 express lanes, with stops at Beauregard Street, Mark Center and Southern Towers in Alexandria in addition to the Shirlington Transit Center.
The 'letters to Santa' mailbox at the Gulf Branch Nature Center (staff photo by Dan Egitto)
Two nature centers in Arlington are collecting letters to Santa Claus along with food donations this holiday season.
Both the Gulf Branch Nature Center (3608 Military Road) and the Long Branch Nature Center (625 S. Carlin Springs Road) are collecting Santa letters through Dec. 24.
Artist brings a mural to life. Photo by Cynthia Connolly.
A burst of bright, vivid color breathes life into the mural. Photo by Kylene King.
Dog sculpture comes to life as the artist builds. Photo by Adam Henry.
From form to life, artist brings sculpture into being. Photo by Adam Henry.
This summer, Arlington residents and visitors are invited to experience the creative energy of the 2700 Art Space through two community celebrations honoring newly completed public artworks by artists MasPaz and Adam Henry. These events showcase how art can transform public spaces into places of connection, discovery, and belonging.
Located along the Four Mile Run Valley corridor, the 2700 Art Space is a flexible outdoor arts and maker space designed to host public art, performances, workshops, markets, and cultural programming. Developed through community input, the site reflects Arlington’s commitment to investing in arts and culture as essential ingredients of vibrant neighborhoods and a thriving local economy.
The two celebrations mark the culmination of Arlington Arts’ inaugural AIR@2700 Artist-in-Residence program, a National Endowment for the Arts-supported initiative. Through murals, sculpture, concerts, workshops, and community engagement, the program demonstrates how artists can help strengthen community identity and create a greater sense of place.
On Saturday, June 27, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the public is invited to Meet MasPaz, a community celebration honoring the completion of a dynamic new mural at Arlington Arts. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet the artist, learn about his creative process, and participate in hands-on artmaking activities at 2700 S. Nelson Street.
MasPaz, also known as Federico Frum, is an Arlington-raised artist whose work blends contemporary street art with influences from his Colombian heritage. His murals often incorporate Indigenous-inspired patterns, environmental themes, and visual storytelling that reflect the diversity of the communities where they are created. Through his residency, MasPaz has transformed the Cultural Affairs facade l into a colorful landmark that invites reflection, conversation, and connection. (more…)
Wakefield middle linebacker Sean Perry (99) was selected first-team all-region (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)
A total of 17 players from Arlington’s three public high-school varsity football teams were chosen all-region for their performances during the 2025 season.
The two players chosen 6D North Region first-team on defense were seniors, who coincidentally wore uniform number 99. One was middle linebacker Sean Perry of the Wakefield Warriors and the other was lineman Bobby Shea of the Liberty District champion Yorktown Patriots.
The site of Wood & Iron in Virginia Square (staff photo by Jared Serre)
A long-awaited sports bar in Virginia Square plans to open its doors early next year.
Mid-February is the current target for Wood & Iron, a Richmond-based business selling classic bar favorites like jumbo pretzels, smoked jalapeño poppers, burgers and wings, co-owner Steve Rogge told ARLnow.
We’re ending Movie Nights on the Pike with a scream.
Join us at Penrose Square for a special outdoor screening of I Know What You Did Last Summer, the iconic summer slasher that became a defining horror film of the late 1990s.
Falls Church Mayor Letty Hardi and Vice Mayor Debora Schantz-Hiscott (screenshot via City of Falls Church)
Falls Church homeowners may or may not see a dip in real estate taxes next year as property assessments continue to rise.
At a Dec. 3 planning session of City Council members, there was general consensus around the desire to lower the current tax rate to offset expected higher home-assessment values. But doing so was left as a goal, rather than made a requirement, as city staff begins developing the fiscal year 2027 budget.
Arlington Democrats Chair candidates Paul Ruiz (left) and Tony Weaver (right) (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)
Candidates seeking to become Arlington’s next Democratic chair made their pitch to the party’s rank-and-file last week.
Tony Weaver and Paul Ruiz are vying to succeed Steve Baker, who has been at the Democratic helm for four years. Voting in early January will decide the race.
Arlington County Republican Committee chair Matthew Hurtt (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)
The chair of the Arlington County Republican Committee is not planning to seek the soon-to-be vacant chairmanship of the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV).
But Matthew Hurtt has strong ideas about the qualities required of the next party leader — including the need to devote 100% of their effort to the position.
Snow, holiday lights and the Clarendon Metro station on Friday night (courtesy George Brazier)
Big Crowd for Wreath Event — “Each year, before Wreaths Across America Day, family pass holders visit Arlington National Cemetery to honor their loved ones by placing a wreath at their grave or columbarium niche. This year, 2025, marked the most-attended Family Pass Holder Day since the event’s inception, and we would like to express our deepest apologies for the delayed entry into the cemetery and to those who were unable to participate today.” [ANC/X, ARLnow/X]
Looking for Hit-and-Run Driver — “This is video from a hit and run crash on N. 26th Street between N. Glebe and N. Wakefield around 6 p.m. Saturday. The white Toyota truck with a contractor rack struck and totaled a parked car. It continued east toward Military Road with significant right front damage.” [Dave Statter/X]
Regional Water Warning — “New research from the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin shows the region’s water supply could fail to meet the area’s needs by 2030, in the event of an extreme drought. Changing weather patterns and increased water would strain the Potomac River, which serves as the primary — and, in some cases, sole — water supply for water companies in D.C., Virginia and Maryland.” [WTOP]
Data Center Power Bill — “Virginia lawmakers are considering legislation that would give utility companies authority to delay service to the state’s largest power users, which could have ramifications for data center development in Northern Virginia. A draft bill… seeks to amend the state’s duty‑to‑serve statute by explicitly allowing utilities to postpone providing service to customers whose demand is expected to exceed 90 megawatts — enough power for about 27,000 homes.” [WBJ]
It’s Monday — Expect a slight chance of snow from 8am to 2pm, with mostly cloudy skies and a high near 32. The northeast wind will be 8 to 11 mph, gusting up to 20 mph, and a 20% chance of precipitation. Monday night, the clouds will gradually clear, and the temperature will drop to around 20. The north wind will be around 6 mph, becoming calm in the evening. [NWS]
Today’s Morning Notes are brought to you by Industrious. ARLnow has been in an Industrious office for years and we love the convenience — you get to focus on your work rather than worrying about brewing your own coffee or keeping the copy machine stocked. Industrious has several Metro-accessible coworking locations in Arlington.
Patchy fog is expected to clear by 11am, making way for a partly sunny day with a high of around 42. Winds will be light and variable. For Saturday night, the sky will be mostly clear, and temperatures will drop to around 29 accompanied by light and variable winds. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington! 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. 👋