New polling suggests broad support among Virginians for state-level legislation to support building more housing.
A survey of about 1,300 Virginia voters found that the vast majority of respondents — about 73% — believe that the state lacks enough homes that people can afford to rent or buy.
Arlington County is the most expensive place in the United States for child care, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal.
It costs about $147,000 to foot the bill for five years of day care in Arlington — more than triple the country’s median cost of $44,000, according to the WSJ. The report highlights an everyday economic struggle for many Arlington households, local leaders say.
This regularly scheduled sponsored column is written by Carolanne Korolowicz, Arlington-based Realtor and Arlington resident. If you would like to work with Carolanne in Northern Virginia and the greater D.C. Metro area, you can reach her directly at [email protected].
The Arlington County Fair has always been the unofficial ode to summer. Funnel cakes and flashing lights act as the bridge between the memories of summer and the anticipation of the school year ahead. From early-morning trips with my family as a child to staying until curfew as a teen, the “urban fair” has been a tradition for myself and most every Arlingtonian I know.
This year marks the fair’s golden jubilee. For five decades, the fair has been one of the East Coast’s largest free events. The mission of the fair has always been to bring premier entertainment for everyone and to highlight the diverse makeup of the county. Community involvement has always been the backbone of pulling off this one-of-a-kind fair.
In 1976, the local garden program wanted to show off the fruits of their labor at a “Harvest Day”. As the event planning started, the idea to expand to include more community members led to the county fair concept. The inaugural fair was immediately praised by Arlington residents and local press. An old-school, rural-style event situated amongst an urban area was intriguing. The Washington Post previewed the fair stating, “Where can an exceptional chrysanthemum raised on the tenth-floor balcony of the Crystal House apartment complex in Arlington receive its just due? Until this week, nowhere. However, if entered before 9 a.m. Friday it could be a blue-ribbon winner in the First Annual Arlington County Fair.”
On Friday, August 28, 1976, the ceremonial ribbon was cut and Arlingtonians were given the opportunity to showcase their crafts, hobbies and talents. Ranging from eggplants to bundt cakes, many of the competitive exhibits were similar to the ones residents still enter today. The event’s pioneers also brought in livestock from the Loudoun County 4-H Club, keeping with the traditional elements of a fair. By the early 1980s, the exhibit and vendor applications skyrocketed. Live entertainment, including a barbershop quartet, Hungarian folk musicians, and even a ventriloquist, was added to the docket. Eventually, livestock appearances started to fade, but the midway rides we know today were added.
In recent years, the volunteer-driven Arlington County Fair Board has continued to include entertainment, vendors and spaces for all residents (and all 150,000 visitors in attendance). Additions have included cuisine outside of the traditional candied apple and hot dog, featuring local businesses that reflect the area’s diverse food scene. A beer garden, featuring Solace Brewing Company’s libations, now makes for a great space to sit down and appreciate the performances. And as a toddler mom, I personally appreciate the recently established sensory-friendly hours during the opening hours on Saturday & Sunday.
The week leading up to it, Thomas Jefferson Community Center starts its transformation from soccer fields to fairground. Driving down 2nd St. South acts as a sneak peek at the fun ahead. Though the fair continues to expand outwards, there is still a comfort and nostalgia, year after year, walking the same route around the fair. Whether you beeline for the Zipper, or skip over to the ring toss, or make sure to sample the food trucks first — you know exactly where to find it.
A longtime makeup artist is being remembered for her friendship and caring nature after her shooting death in Virginia Square earlier this week.
Renee Baldwin, a popular makeup artist at several D.C.-area news studios, was fatally shot Sunday at an apartment building on Fairfax Drive, police said.
ConnectJew LIVE! is a social discovery night where 20+ local Jewish organizations, clubs, dinners, and communities come together so you can explore the DMV young adult Jewish scene in one evening. A mixer for Jewish life, friends, and community — meet people, discover social clubs, find Shabbat dinners, and plug in at whatever level feels right. Tickets required; exact address sent 24 hours before the event (Metro Center / Chinatown area).
A new season of free activities is coming to George Mason University’s campus in Virginia Square when the fall semester starts next week.
The lineup of weekly programming includes chess, yoga, dancing and more from Mondays through Saturdays. The events, which are open to the public, kick off on Monday and will run through Nov. 1.
Join us for a free, Virtual Home Buyer Seminar designed to help you feel informed, prepared, & confident as you consider buying a home in the months ahead. With more than half of 2026 behind us, now is a great time to take a closer look at where the housing market stands, what’s changed this year, and what buyers should know heading into the fall.
Whether you’re a first-time buyer, thinking about upsizing or downsizing, or simply looking for clarity on your options, this seminar will walk you through what’s happening in today’s market and how to position yourself for success.
A gun-wielding suspect robbed someone of cash in Upton Hill Regional Park on Tuesday afternoon.
Police responded to the 6000 block of Wilson Blvd around 1:15 p.m. for a report of an armed robbery. The victim told officers that he was walking in the park — near Arlington’s western border — when a man in a mask and all black clothing approached.
As students head back to school on Monday, new speed cameras and speed humps are intended to improve safety in Arlington school zones.
The Arlington County Police Department has installed 10 additional cameras over the summer, bringing its total number up to 28. Additionally, the county is in the process of installing new speed humps at seven locations near schools.
Rosslyn Gets Another HQ — “Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced Cailabs US Inc., a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of the French company Cailabs SAS specializing in the design and manufacturing of advanced laser-light products, will invest $300,000 to relocate their U.S. headquarters from Washington, D.C. to Arlington County.” [Press Release]
Pentagon City Profiled — “Ben D’Avanzo, chair of the Crystal and Pentagon Cities Board, has lived in Pentagon City since 2017 and watched it evolve from a mall-and-offices hub to a more modern, walkable community, including Amazon HQ2, which opened its first phase in summer 2023 and employs about 8,300 people. “What Amazon has done is accelerated the process that is underway of transforming a neighborhood that didn’t really reflect what people are looking for today,” D’Avanzo said.” [Washington Post]
Beyer Pushes for Body Cams — “After videos circulated online of federal police officers using excessive force to make arrests as part of President Trump’s unnecessary and inflammatory surge of law enforcement in D.C., Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) announced that they’ll reintroduce their bill to require all federal police officers, including those from Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Park Police, to wear body cameras and use dashboard cameras in marked vehicles.” [Press Release, Rep. Don Beyer/X]
AG Slams N. Va. School Systems — “Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares says Northern Virginia school divisions are ‘putting our little girls at risk’ after rejecting a federal order to reverse transgender restroom and locker room policies… ‘The idea that they’re literally wanting to risk federal funding because they think biological boys should be in women’s safe spaces, should be in women’s locker rooms, should be on women’s hotel rooms on overnight trips, and on sports teams, is exhibit A of being so open-minded your brain falls out.'” [Potomac Local]
It’s Thursday — There’s a slight chance of showers during the day, accompanied by a cloudy sky and a high near 76 degrees. Expect a northeast wind around 11 mph, gusting up to 21 mph, and a 20% chance of precipitation. Thursday night, clouds will gradually clear to become partly cloudy, and the temperature will dip to a low of around 64 degrees, accompanied by a north wind blowing at 6-9 mph. [NWS]
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 — Aug 20, 2025.
Here is what’s going on Thursday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
There’s a slight chance of showers both before noon and after 1pm, accompanied by a cloudy sky and a high near 76 degrees. Expect a northeast wind around 11 mph, gusting up to 21 mph, and a 20% chance of precipitation. As for Thursday night, clouds will gradually clear to become partly cloudy, and the temperature will dip to a low of around 64 degrees, accompanied by a north wind blowing at 6-9 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
“Change your life today. Don’t gamble on the future, act now, without delay.”
– Simone de Beauvoir
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
A person has died after falling from a Ballston apartment tower early Wednesday evening.
Police were dispatched to the Meridian apartment building at 900 N. Stuart Street around 6:20 p.m. for a report of a man that jumped from an upper story and landed on the pavement below, near the building’s driveway.
Exciting Full-Court 3×3 Basketball League is BACK!!
DMV 3×3 announces that its 3×3 Youth Basketball Full Court League is returning for a sophomore season this Fall!
