News

New interpretive panels have been installed honoring the Rouse estate, a historic home torn down in 2021 to the dismay of many preservationists.

The new signs, a collaborative effort between the Dominion Hills Civic Association, Toll Brothers and county government, highlight the Dominion Hills community and the building also known as the Febrey-Lothrop House. Funding came through the county’s Historic Preservation Fund.


News

The man who robbed a Wells Fargo bank in Clarendon nearly two years ago has entered a guilty plea, leaving him to face a maximum of three years behind bars.

Oscar Gonzalez Alvarenga will only be prosecuted over his abduction of the bank’s manager, who he forced to open a vault while pretending to possess a gun prior to a lengthy standoff with police, according to court documents.


Sponsored

This column is sponsored by Arlington Arts/Arlington Cultural Affairs, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

Arlington’s Four Mile Run corridor is home to an inspiring new happening. The new art market called SPARK! launches on Sunday, May 3, 2026, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. and continues every first Sunday of the month through November.

A fun inclusive outdoor market with handpicked art and food vendors and programming including poetry, music and art making, it’s the kickoff activity for the new outdoor venue 2700 Art Space, located at 2700 S. Nelson St., Arlington, Virginia 22206. Meet your neighbors, build community and be inspired.

At the first event, “Spark” your creativity with a smooth jolt of coffee from Rossana Coffee. Browse the stacks at the mobile bookstore Wandering Shelf. Get a massage from the licensed therapists from Zen27 Healing and Body Works. Peruse artwork by artists David Amoroso, Kate Rosendale or the printmakers and ceramicists from The Studios at Arlington Arts. Have a poem composed especially for you at The Poet is IN booth. Stop by Tigerflight and put the squeeze on a plush animal made from repurposed wool sweaters. Enjoy a Thai-inspired dessert from Mango Mama while listening to tropical sounds from the DJ’s of Leon City Sounds! Every month will offer something new and unusual. Visit the website for the full list!

Artist Roxana Alger Geffen will be the interactive artist at the first SPARK! bringing her popular Arlington Art Truck project “Patch or Swap: A Textile Rescue Lab” to the market! Fans of the Art Truck, which brought artists-in-residence to every corner of the County from 2018 through 2025, will be glad to know that SPARK! is curated with a similar vision by Arlington Arts’ programming team including Special Projects Curator, Cynthia Connolly.

Located adjacent to Jennie Dean Park, busy auto repair shops, a food assistance outlet and one of the region’s most popular “destination” dog parks, it is only a four-minute walk across Four Mile Run to the Tony Award-winning Signature Theater. The area is bustling all day.

Anchored by SPARK!, the venue now known as 2700 Art Space is at the nexus of several communities. It’s directly opposite Arlington Arts’ headquarters featuring Theatre On the Run, an 90-seat black box theater, rehearsal rooms, dance studios, and new printmaking and ceramics studios for the resident artists of The Studios at Arlington Arts (formerly LAC Arts Center on Langston Boulevard), which will hold its Spring Show and Sale on Saturday, May 2.

Music and merch aren’t the only types of art that will surround you at SPARK! As shown in this reel, even the tables and benches are fun! Film nights and other activities are in the making for the fall, and two works of temporary public art are currently being installed. Artist Adam Henry is creating a 10-foot tall sculpture of a golden retriever replete with a QR-code dog collar inviting you to upload selfies and stories about your pets. Directly adjacent to the outdoor space (on three sides of the Arlington Arts headquarters at 3700 S. Four Mile Run Dr.) will be a sweeping new mural by nationally acclaimed artist MasPaz. Both works grew out of a special Artist In Residence (AIR) Grant from Arlington Arts, made possible by a top-tier award from the National Endowment for the Arts, American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

Visit our website for more information about SPARK!


News

The amount that the City of Falls Church pays Arlington County for fire and ambulance services could be about to surge.

Under a proposed new agreement, the projected cost of these services would increase by 20% — from an anticipated $3.24 million to $3.89 million.


Announcement

The League of Women Voters of Arlington and Alexandria City, in partnership with Arlington County Public Library, invites you to an open discussion on managing local government in a changing environment.

Join Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz and Alexandria City Manager Jim Parajon for a conversation about how local governments are adapting to shifts in federal funding and changes at the state level. The discussion will explore how these evolving conditions may impact local priorities, services, and decision-making in our communities.


News
Tulips at the Netherlands Carillon in April 2025 (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

Robbery in Pentagon City — “At approximately 2:47 p.m. on April 21, police were dispatched to the report of a robbery by force. Upon arrival, it was determined a witness observed Suspects One and Two approach the male victim, steal his backpack and push him to the ground. Suspect Three then approached and assaulted the victim before the three suspects fled the scene in a white sedan. No injuries were reported.” [ACPD]

Local Tree Preservation Efforts — “In Arlington, new construction projects—particularly those of 2,500 square feet or more—require landscape plans that include tree planting and protection measures. That’s where a volunteer army of tree lovers comes in.” [Arlington Magazine]

Diocese Official Remembers Pope — “Monsignor Paul deLadurantaye, the Chancellor of the Diocese of Arlington, served as an interpreter at the English section of the Vatican Secretariat of State for the late Pope Francis when he would meet with English-speaking pilgrims and guests. From late 2018 to 2024, deLadurantaye had a window into Francis’ life, whom he recalls was ‘very warm, he was very gracious.'” [WTOP]

Warner Calls for Hegseth Resignation — “U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) is calling for the resignation or removal of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth following reports that Hegseth shared classified military information with family members on his personal phone.” [ALXnow]

More on SecDef Turmoil — “Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is locked in open warfare with his own Pentagon, a hotbed of distrust and dysfunction that commands the most powerful military on the face of the Earth… inside the Pentagon, the knives are out — testing Trump’s tolerance for chaos when it’s not his own.” [Axios]

Va. Student Loan Stats — “The Department of Education plans to begin collection next month on federal student loans that are in default, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of borrowers in Virginia… Federal student loan debt in Virginia totals $43.4 billion or about $40,137 per student, according to Education Department data. About 12.4 percent of Virginia residents have student loans.” [Patch]

It’s Wednesday — Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures reaching around 76 degrees, accompanied by a northeast wind of 5 to 7 mph. The night will be mostly clear, with lows down to 55 degrees. [NWS]


Legal Notice

AT&T Mobility, LLC is proposing to modify the existing 73-foot-tall (88-foot overall height) building telecommunications facility located at 815 South 18th Street Arlington, Arlington County, VA 22202 (N38° 51′ 26.4″ and W77° 03’ 36.1”). AT&T Mobility, LLC invites comments from any interested party on the impact the proposed undertaking may have on any districts, sites, buildings, structures, or objects significant in American history, archaeology, engineering, or culture that are listed or determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under National Historic Preservation Act Section 106. Parties interested in commenting on this Federal undertaking or with questions on the proposed facility should contact Eocene at 8951 Windsor Parkway, Johnston, IA 50131 or call 515-473-6256 and reference project #E 203/JC. Comments must be received within 30 days of the date of this notice.


Around Town

Good Tuesday 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 — Apr 22, 2025.

📅 Upcoming events

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

☀️ Wednesday’s forecast

Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures reaching around 76 degrees, accompanied by a northeast wind of 5 to 7 mph, shifting to the east in the afternoon. The night will be mostly clear, with lows near 55 degrees and a southeast wind of about 5 mph, calming down later in the evening. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.”
– Thomas Jefferson

🌅 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! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.


News

Over a dozen officers are leaving the Arlington County Police Department under a new program incentivizing county employees to retire.

The Voluntary Retirement Incentive program, included in the newly adopted Fiscal Year 2026 budget, encourages retirement for late-career county employees. So far, 32 employees have opted into the program, which is billed as a money-saving strategy.


Around Town

A new cafe in a historic Falls Church building is expected to open in two weeks.

Little Falls Cafe, a project by the founders of Pupatella, has set an early May opening date in a renovated building at 106 Little Falls Street, co-owner Anastasiya Algarme told ARLnow. It plans to offer European fare with a colorful, vintage interior full of thrifted decorations.


Events

Free books, puzzles and prizes are coming to One More Page Books this weekend in celebration of Independent Bookstore Day.

The woman-owned shop in East Falls Church has planned a day of giveaways from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. this Saturday at 2200 N. Westmoreland Street.


Announcement

The Rosslyn Farmers Market brings fresh, locally grown food to the heart of the neighborhood on Wednesdays from 2-6 p.m. beginning on May 6. Located at Central Place Plaza (1800 N Lynn St) and operated in partnership with FRESHFARM, this thoughtfully curated mid-week market connects the community with regional farmers and food producers offering seasonal produce, baked goods, ready-to-eat items, and other local essentials.

Just steps from the Rosslyn Metro station, the market is a convenient destination for Arlington residents, commuters, and visitors searching for a farmers market near Washington, D.C. From farm-fresh vegetables to artisanal breads, the Rosslyn Farmers Market makes it easy to restock your pantry or fridge with dinner-ready staples right in the middle of the workweek.