An atypical, and unplanned, winning formula has evolved for the Yorktown Patriots in the team’s past two football games.
Yorktown (3-2, 2-0) has won despite being outgained in total yards, but has countered with a takeaway and bend-but-don’t-break defense that sets up points for an offense that is running error-free.
The Washington-Liberty Generals saw their 18-game regular-season football winning streak tripped up in a 34-28 road loss to the Centreville Wildcats Friday night (Sept. 26).
Despite gaining 515 yards to Centreville’s 390, W-L couldn’t overcome errors and failed to convert on a late-in-the-game touchdown drive in the high-school game.
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 Friday 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 — Sep 26, 2025.
Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.
Here is what’s going on Saturday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Here are the events planned for Sunday:
Showers possible before 11am, followed by potential showers and thunderstorms between 11am and 2pm, and likely showers with a possible thunderstorm after 2pm. Expect a cloudy day with a high around 75 and an east wind of 3 to 6 mph. There’s a 60% chance of precipitation, with new rainfall amounts under a tenth of an inch, barring higher amounts during thunderstorms. Saturday night may see showers, primarily before 2am, patchy fog, and cloudy conditions with a low of around 65 and a northeast wind of 3 to 5 mph. There’s a 60% chance of precipitation, and new rainfall amounts could measure between a half and three quarters of an inch. See more from Weather.gov.
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
– Mahatma Gandhi
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington! 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. 👋
The weekend is here and so is… the final episode of this season of the ARLnow podcast.
In our season finale, Vernon and Dan — and a special guest, ACFD firefighter Alexander Brahmstedt — discuss a few notable local news stories in Arlington from the past week, including:
Join Equality Arlington and the NAACP Arlington Branch for a Rally for Marriage Equality on Saturday, October 17 at 1 PM at Courthouse Plaza by the fountains (2250 Clarendon Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201)! All are welcome to rally for the marriage equality constitutional amendment as we get-out-the-vote on the first day of early Saturday voting in Arlington. Hear stories from Arlington couples on the importance of the marriage equality amendment and learn more about supporting the “YES on Constitutional Amendment Question 2” campaign!
Please RSVP to attend the rally at: https://forms.gle/KMYPsX1ggUBVH27x9
For her years-long effort leading precinct operations, Carol Fontein on has been inducted into the Arlington County Democratic Committee’s “Distinguished Democrat” ranks.
“All these lovely people are here because of you,” former party chair Kip Malinosky told Fontein during the celebration, held at the home of Treasurer Carla de la Pava.
American Airlines intends to fight a recently filed lawsuit over the mid-air crash that killed 67 people near Reagan National Airport earlier this year.
The airline denies allegations that a failure to address known safety issues makes it partly responsible for the incident on Jan. 29. The company told ARLnow that it “has been supporting the families and loved ones” of crash victims and underscored its commitment to traveler safety.
Starbucks is closing two cafes in Ballston this week as part of a $1 billion nationwide restructuring plan to address dropping sales.
Coffeehouses at 4000 Wilson Blvd and in the Ballston Metro station at 901 N. Stuart Street are on the chopping block.
Metro stations in Rosslyn and Arlington National Cemetery will be closed this weekend, and the Blue Line won’t be operating in much of National Landing.
Free shuttle services will be available during the disruptions on Saturday and Sunday. Blue Line closures will be in effect for Crystal City, Pentagon City and the Pentagon, according to a transit alert.
A longtime family-owned auto shop in Clarendon will close next month to make way for a redevelopment project.
After 85 years at 3211 10th Street N., Joyce Motors is closing for good on Friday, Oct. 10. The historic auto shop will host a farewell gathering at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11, before shutting down to allow for a new mixed-use apartment building.
