The county government’s Adult Protective Services office is attempting to keep up with a surge in reports of abuse, neglect and exploitation.
“We’re in uncharted territory here in terms of volume,” said Rachel Coates, an official with the Department of Human Services, at the Dec. 15 meeting of the Commission on Aging.
One Last Light Display — “Scott Long, who has an aggressive cancer, was determined to make his house shine one more time for his [South Arlington] neighborhood.” [Washington Post]
House Fire in Hall’s Hill — “Just before 4:00 p.m. today, units responded to a house fire in the 2200 block of N. Emerson Street. The first-arriving unit found smoke and fire coming from a rear deck that had extended into the home. Firefighters made an aggressive attack and were able to quickly bring the fire under control. There were no injuries to occupants or firefighters. Fire Marshals will be investigating the cause.” [ACFD/X]
Car Fire on I-395 — “The moment when your car clearly tells you it’s time to abandon ship. Earlier this afternoon on I-395S, south of the Arlington Ridge Rd. overpass.” [Dave Statter/X]
Pawn Shop ‘Day in the Life’ — “As a longtime fan of shows like the History Channel’s Pawn Stars and (no judgement, please) truTV’s Hardcore Pawn, I was dying to get behind the scenes. I finally scratched that itch last spring by working a shift at Royal Pawn on 23rd Street in Crystal City.” [Arlington Magazine]
N. Va. Train History — “The Alexandria and Washington Railroad was chartered in 1854 to connect Alexandria to the southern end of Long Bridge and from the B&O Station at New Jersey Avenue and C Street NW to the northern edge of Long Bridge. However, when it was completed in 1857, the Virginia Legislature refused to allow tracks to be laid across the bridge due to concerns about the bridge’s strength.” [GGW]
It’s Tuesday — Expect rain primarily before 9am, followed by cloudy skies that will gradually clear up to become mostly sunny. The high will be around 53 degrees, with southwest winds ranging from 7 to 10 mph and gusts reaching up to 20 mph. The chance of precipitation stands at 30%. As for Tuesday night, it will be mostly clear with a low temperature of approximately 39 degrees and a west wind blowing at 6 to 9 mph. [NWS]
Flickr pool photo by Jason Gooljar
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.
Good Monday 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 — Dec 22, 2025.
Here is what’s going on Tuesday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Expect rain primarily before 9am, followed by cloudy skies that will gradually clear up to become mostly sunny. The high will be around 53 degrees, with southwest winds ranging from 7 to 10 mph and gusts reaching up to 20 mph. The chance of precipitation stands at 30%. As for Tuesday night, it will be mostly clear with a low temperature of approximately 39 degrees and a west wind blowing at 6 to 9 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.”
– Albert Einstein
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.
Explore exciting fall workshops at Art House 7! Coming up October 24–25, master artist Teresa Oaxaca returns for a special 2-day Painting a Child’s Portrait in Oils workshop for ages 16–adult. Looking for something shorter? Try the pottery wheel, create a ceramic leaf plate or keepsake ornaments, or explore drawing, printmaking, and Suminagashi. We also offer parent-child workshops and special art workshops for kids on Veterans Day and Election Day!
Art House 7 offers classes throughout the year, taught by a range of fantastic teachers. You can buy art supplies next door. We’re near the Lee Harrison Shopping Center.
During a year of shake-ups and flagging sales at the Kennedy Center, several performing arts groups in Arlington enjoyed significant success in 2025.
Leaders of local groups say that it’s difficult to tell whether they’ve directly benefited from this year’s upheaval across the Potomac, which most recently included a vote to rename D.C.’s premier performing arts center as the “Trump-Kennedy Center” last week.
“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.
The rivalry is decades old, but there was something brand new in this season’s first of two regular-season all-Arlington girls neighborhood basketball clashes between the Washington-Liberty Generals and Yorktown Patriots.
The head coaches of both high-school teams are brand new this season as they led the Dec. 19 showdown at Washington-Liberty.
A lottery ticket from a Falls Church wholesale store was worth $50,000 in a Powerball drawing over the weekend.
BJ’s Wholesale Club (6607 Wilson Blvd) sold the ticket, which was one of five $50,000 winners statewide. The winner beat roughly 1 in 900,000 odds to successfully match four numbers plus the Powerball.
A long-awaited confectionery shop in Clarendon has opened just in time for the Christmas season.
Kilwins, located on the ground floor of The Hartford Building at 3101 Wilson Blvd, opened for business on Friday. Joining other locations in D.C. and Alexandria, it offers an array of chocolates, ice cream and other classic treats.
Trash collection will be pushed back a day on Thursday while various Arlington County facilities shut down for Christmas.
No waste will be picked up on Christmas Day, so Thursday routes will be serviced on Friday, and Friday routes will move to Saturday.
September jobs data delayed by the federal government shutdown show a 34% year-over-year increase in Arlington residents reported as unemployed, with the rate increasing 54% in Falls Church.
A total of 148,251 county residents were reported employed in the civilian workforce in September, according to figures reported Dec. 18 by the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.
