Sports

After 26 years as Arlington Public Schools’ supervisor for health, physical/driver education and athletics, Debbie DeFranco has retired.

DeFranco — whose last day was Tuesday, following 34 years at APS — is being succeeded by former Wakefield High School principal Chris Willmore.


News

The median rental cost for an Arlington apartment is down 0.9% year-over-year, according to new data, paralleling a slight nationwide decrease.

The county’s apartments remain among the most expensive in major urban areas outside California.


News
Arlington Cinema Drafthouse sign along Columbia Pike (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Flyover Planned This Morning — From AlertDC: “The United States Military will conduct a flyover in the National Capitol Region at Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday, October 2, 2025, at 11:05 AM.”

Data Center Power Usage — “Data centers and AI are gobbling up electricity, but the share differs significantly by state. Between 2010 and 2025, data centers went from less than 5% to roughly 40% of Virginia’s electricity consumption.” [Derek Thompson/X]

Shutdown Shakes Up Va. Races — “The federal government shutdown — and the escalating battle over which party bears the most blame — has injected a major new question mark into the governor’s race in Virginia, home to hundreds of thousands of federal workers… The state is home to more than 300,000 federal workers — more than any other state but Maryland. That reality means anxiety over government shutdowns and their economic fallout runs especially deep in northern Virginia’s densely populated suburbs.” [CNN]

Top of Ticket Spending Down — “Republican nominee and current Lt. Gov Winsome Earle-Sears and Democratic nominee Abigail Spanberger are making their final pushes to voters before they fill out their ballots. Even with the historic implications, total fundraising for this gubernatorial race is substantially down from other recent elections, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.” [Virginia Mercury]

Gov. Touts Efficiency Gains — “We are CUTTING RED-TAPE and REDUCING COSTS for Virginia families and businesses! Our best-in-class regulatory reform efforts have set a gold standard for the Nation. Over $1.275 million in saving each year for Virginians. Less government bureaucracy, saving you time and money!” [Gov. Glenn Youngkin/X]

‘Suspicious Person’ Arrest — “The male suspect allegedly jumped over the fences of residences in the 400 block of S. Edgewood Street. A lookout was broadcast, and responding officers observed the suspect exiting a residence in the 300 block of S. Fillmore Street where they detained him following a brief struggle. During a search incident to arrest, brass knuckles were recovered.” [ACPD]

Local Woman’s Sake Shop — “Arlington resident Reiko Hirai started her online shop, DC Sake cō, with a grand plan to introduce the DMV to the wide world of sake. “I have a personal mission to bring sake to everyone,” she says. “My dream would be for everyone to one day say, ‘Honey, are we having beer, wine or sake tonight?’” The Kyoto native sells all sorts of hard-to-find sake and Japanese beverages.” [Arlington Magazine]

Coming to Potomac Yard — “The longest-standing vacancy at Potomac Yard Center has been filled. Ulta Beauty Inc. will replace Dressbarn, which closed its location at 3501 Richmond Highway in 2019 along with all 650 of the retailer’s locations. The 9,700-square-foot storefront is listed “at lease” on Willard Retail’s Potomac Yard Center brochure, but Ulta confirms it is opening there, with a planned debut in spring 2026.” [WBJ]

New Legal Notice — Establishment seeks restaurant/caterer alcohol license. Objections are due within 30 days. [Public Notices]

It’s Thursday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 70 degrees, accompanied by an east wind around 8 mph. Thursday night will see partly cloudy conditions with a low around 52 degrees. [NWS]


Announcement

Wine & Food Tasting Event at Arrowine, Saturday, August 15, 1- 4 p.m.

Summer adventures are calling — whether you’re packing up for the Beach, escaping to the Shenandoah Mountains, planning a picnic, or heading out for a romantic night of music at Wolf Trap. And if you want those moments to be stress‑free, delicious, and perfectly paired, we’ve got just the tasting for you.


Around Town

Good Wednesday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Oct 1, 2025.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Thursday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

☀️ Thursday’s forecast

Expect sunny skies and a high near 70 degrees accompanied by an east wind around 8 mph. Thursday night will see partly cloudy conditions with a low around 52 degrees. The east wind at around 5 mph will become calm in the evening. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“There is nothing permanent except change.”
– Heraclitus

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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.


News

As Arlington County staff research a possible ban on gas-powered leaf blowers, they may take some lessons from a nearby jurisdiction’s struggles with a similar prohibition.

A ban on gas-powered leaf blowers in Montgomery County went into effect July 1, threatening $500 citations if someone is photographed using the noisy and environmentally unfriendly devices. Recently, however, that county’s leaders have been rethinking ways to enforce the ban while respecting people’s privacy.


Around Town

The first Arlington location of the French-inspired cafe chain Maman is expected to open in Courthouse within the next few weeks.

The New York City-based franchise is preparing to open on the ground floor of The Commodore apartments at 2055 15th Street N., in the corner retail bay next to YogaSix. It hopes to serve its first customers by the end of the month, co-owner Elisa Marshall told ARLnow.


News

Update on 10/14/25: The suspect was found dead in the river, according to Virginia State Police.

Earlier: An early morning car chase today ended with the suspect jumping from the 14th Street Bridge, landing on a catwalk and making an escape, police say.


Events

With October finally here, a restaurant in Crystal City is transforming its outdoor patio and park space into an Oktoberfest-themed beer garden this weekend.

Festivities at Surreal will include long, communal picnic tables, refreshment kiosks and a central entertainment stage where DJs and live music will play throughout the day. Doors open at 2 p.m. for the celebration, which promises an “authentic beer selection,” live music, games and festival food.


News

Arlington’s Housing Commission is seeking more local leeway in addressing affordable housing and new formulas for determining the number of affordable units in new projects.

Commission Chair Kellen MacBeth included these recommendations in a letter to the County Board following a review of policies by the Affordable Housing Ordinance working group established earlier this year. County leaders are currently developing legislative priorities for the 2026 General Assembly session.