On his last day on the job, we sat down with outgoing ARLnow managing editor Alex Koma to talk about Arlington, Amazon, ARLnow, our new editor Airey, and a bunch of other topics that don’t start with the letter “A.”
Alex is now reporting on real estate development at the Rosslyn-based Washington Business Journal, but you can hear from him on this week’s 26 Square Miles podcast. For more about his new employer, check out last week’s episode with WBJ Editor-in-Chief Doug Fruehling.
(Updated at 5:15 p.m.) Arlington County’s costs for recycling is continuing to rise after a Chinese ban last year, officials say, but most of what residents place in the recycling bin is still getting recycled.
Costs for processing recyclables have risen from $15.73 per ton to $28.62 per ton in the last six months as the value of things like paper and plastics is plummeting, Arlington’s chief of solid waste Erik Grabowsky told ARLnow today.
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…)
(Updated: 3/26/19) As ARLnow reported earlier this month, County Manager Mark Schwartz has proposed significant cuts to Arlington’s subsidies for various arts programs:
“Schwartz plans to close the Costume Lab and Scenic Studio Program located at the Gunston Community Center (2700 S. Lang Street), which provide[s] scenery construction space and costume rentals for local arts groups. That will involve laying off two employees who staff the programs, a savings of about $180,000 each year.
(Updated at 2:10 p.m.) An SUV wound up in Four Mile Run creek in Bluemont Park this morning, prompting a hazmat response to contain a fuel spill.
The crash happened shortly before noon, near a parking lot adjacent to the intersection of N. Manchester Street and 4th Street N. It’s unclear how exactly the crash happened.
Bring the whole family to Arlington Mill for an evening of laughs, basketball, and underdog determination with Goat.
This animated family comedy follows a determined young goat chasing his dream of becoming a professional basketball star. Before the movie, kids can enjoy face painting and family-friendly activities, making this one of our most kid-focused events of the summer.
This week a year-and-half-old kitten named Puppy is the Arlington Pet of the Week.
Here’s owner Zach’s biography of this CatDog’s journey to his home:
For the third consecutive year, Arlington County was ranked the #1 Digital County in the United States.
But what does this really mean? What is a digital county and why should Arlington residents and businesses care about residing in one? Well, you may know that the internet (ARPANET), GPS, Siri and other high-profile technological advancements were pioneered right here in Arlington, thanks to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency calling the County home for decades (see that historical placard in Rosslyn re: the creation of the internet? DARPA now calls Ballston home).
An angular strip of land along S. Walter Reed Drive where restaurants frequently appear and disappear seems to be again preparing to host another eatery.
A construction permit application was filed last week for a planned restaurant at 1621 S. Walter Reed Drive. The permit calls for “interior alterations… including kitchen equipment, floor and wall coverings, partitions, plumbing and electrical fixtures.”
(Updated at 10:30 a.m.) It’s the eve of the big NCAA basketball tournament and the Ballston Business Improvement District is planning to mark the occasion with puppies.
The BID is hosting an event dubbed “Bark Madness” from 5-7 p.m. tonight (Wednesday), with pizza and drinks — and puppies looking for a home. The event is being held at the BID’s office at 4600 N. Fairfax Drive.
(Updated at 12:33 a.m.) A row of trees lining the railroad tracks near Long Bridge Park in Crystal City is no more after CSX crews began removing them last week, upsetting some residents who say they were an important part of the park’s aesthetic.
Dominique Williams lives nearby in Crystal City and says she comes to the park every day for an afternoon walk. After not visiting for the last week, she was shocked to see the trees gone when she went on a stroll earlier this week.
