Solset, a new rooftop bar in Clarendon, has opened for business this week, joining the neighborhood’s bustling happy hour scene.
The bar, situated atop the new “supper club“-inspired restaurant, The Boulevard, offers cocktails and “modern American food with a little bit of Asian fusion,” co-owner Nico Karagounis told ARLnow. The restaurant and bar replaced Wilson Hardware, refreshing the 8,000-square-foot space at 2915 Wilson Blvd with a revamped interior and new menu.
Arlington’s third and final Democratic contender for County Board launched her campaign May 6 with criticism of county political leadership.
“I’m a serious person, and this is a serious job. I’m not just challenging an incumbent — I’m challenging a system,” Julie Farnam said during kickoff remarks Wednesday night (May 6) in front of the Arlington County Democratic Committee.
EcoAction Arlington, through the Tree Planting Program, offers Arlington residents the chance to receive free native trees to help grow our urban canopy. Tree Stewards are available to help you choose the best tree for your property.
If you live in a neighborhood other than the 13 listed under the Tree Canopy Equity Program and are a property owner, including those of single-family homes, townhouses, condos, and places of worship, you may apply for a free native tree to be planted on your property. Before applying, please review ‘Our Process’ on our website and take a look at the Tree Planting Program Species List for a list and description of available trees for the Fall 2026 Tree Planting Cycle.
Arlington Public Schools has rescinded a plan to have Washington-Liberty High School graduates’ names read by artificial intelligence during next month’s graduation ceremony.
Christina Arpante, the school system’s communications director, told ARLnow the decision was made after students “expressed a preference for having their names read by a familiar voice.”
Join the Capitol Hill Chorale for our final concert of the season, “Lamentations Into Joy” on Saturday, May 30th, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 31st, at 4 p.m. at Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church.
This concert contains matched pairs of pieces from seven composers, contrasting expressions of sadness and joy. It also features the premiere of a new piece by CHC Composer-in-Residence Kevin Siegfried.
A new court filing alleges that federal investigators may have violated a court order shielding records from the cellphone of an activist who distributed flyers about Stephen Miller in his Arlington neighborhood last year.
The filing was submitted Tuesday by Arlington Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti. At more than 80 pages, it formally closes her office’s investigation of activist Barbara Wien without charges.
We’re excited to announce the opening of our second location in Arlington, VA! ❤️
📍 Opening June 1st
Ballston Hotel Redo Funded — “The team behind a long-planned development at the Holiday Inn site in Ballston has assembled a $195 million financing stack and could get work underway as soon as this summer.” The shuttered hotel and adjacent office building will be replaced by a 420-unit residential development. [WBJ]
Housing Holds Despite DOGE — “The Northern Virginia housing market is not going to fall off the cliff… What we’re seeing right now is basically price stability, probably through this year,” GMU economist Keith Waters said. Arlington’s median single-family sale price was $1.3 million in 2025, up from $1.29 million the year prior. [Arlington Magazine]
Free Wash for Teachers, Nurses — Mr Wash is offering free exterior car washes to teachers and nurses with valid work IDs at all 11 of its locations through Friday, May 8. [Press Release]
Bike to Work Day Nears — “Bike to Work Day 2026 is coming up on Friday, May 15.” Arlington has five morning and two afternoon pit stops where registered riders can pick up a 2026 T-shirt, giveaways and refreshments. [BikeArlington]
Fairfax Prosecutor Under Federal Probe — “The Trump administration has launched an investigation into the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office over its handling of cases involving undocumented immigrants as defendants.” Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano serves on a multi-prosecutor task force with Arlington’s Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, who was subpoenaed by a House committee earlier this year. [FFXnow]
Defense CEO Paydays Climb — “Top executive pay at four of Greater Washington’s five largest defense contractors rose in 2025 during the first year of the second Trump administration.” Arlington-based Boeing and RTX both saw their CEO pay packages rise, to $23.5 million and $24.8 million respectively, as Pentagon spending grew 17% year-over-year to $1.01 trillion. [WBJ]
Memorial for Crash Victims — “Alexandria leaders will install a memorial bench next month at Rivergate City Park honoring the 67 people who died in last year’s mid-air collision over the Potomac River.” The memorial includes the bench, newly planted trees and a plaque with the victims’ names. [ALXnow]
F.C. Eyes Affordable Housing — “By a 5-1 vote late Monday night, the Falls Church City Council acted to retain a consultant to begin what will be the Little City’s next arduous voyage into the fretfully-choppy waters of potentially significant affordable housing.” The consultant will help redevelop the four-acre Virginia Village site on S. Maple Avenue. [FCNP]
FBI Raids Sen. Lucas’s Office — “The FBI on Wednesday raided the Portsmouth offices and a cannabis retail business co-owned by state Sen. L. Louise Lucas, the president pro tempore of the Virginia Senate and one of the most powerful Democrats in the state, as part of an ongoing corruption investigation.” Lucas was not arrested. [Washington Post, AP]
It’s Thursday — Expect mostly cloudy skies today with a chance of rain showers after 8 a.m. and a high near 66. Northwest winds will be around 7 mph. Skies clear overnight with a low around 48. [NWS]
There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.
Heather Bruen Mapes Hurlock died on April 12, 2026, in Virginia Hospital Center. She was born in Manhattan, New York City, on March 1, 1938. She was a tenth-generation New Yorker, a direct descendant of Thomas Mapes, one of the founders (about 1647) of Southold, Long Island, NY. She was the daughter of the late Col. Douglas Stewart Mapes of New York City and Cathleen Hourigan Mapes of Buffalo, New York.
Heather first came to Alexandria, VA, in 1946, when her father was stationed here at the Pentagon as a staff officer of the Military District of Washington. After her father’s untimely death in June 1947, her mother took her and her sister, Rosemary, to Europe for schooling. Heather attended high schools in Geneva, Beirut, and Munich. Her freshman year of college was at the University of Maryland (now Global Campus) in Munich.
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 — May 6, 2026.
Here is what’s going on Thursday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
There is a 30% chance of showers in the afternoon, with cloudy skies transitioning to mostly sunny and a high near 65°F. Expect a north wind at 5 to 8 mph. Thursday night will see mostly cloudy conditions clearing to a low around 48°F, with light and variable winds shifting northwest at 5 to 7 mph after midnight. See more from Weather.gov.
“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
– Michael Jordan
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.
This reporting was supported by the ARLnow Press Club. Join to support in-depth local journalism — and get an exclusive early morning email with a preview of that day’s planned news coverage.
Arlington is set to reach a historic milestone in September — the 180th anniversary of its return from the District of Columbia to Virginia sovereignty.
A major development project straddling the Arlington-Fairfax county line on Wilson Blvd took another procedural step forward this week.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday (May 5) gave the owner of a key Seven Corners residential parcel the ability to more than double units on the site while also adding retail space.
