News
Admiring a Tesla Cybertruck parked in Ballston (staff photo)

Prepping for Hurricane Season — “The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season officially begins on June 1, and it is shaping up to be a busy one. This year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) predicts an above normal hurricane season, with more frequent and stronger storms predicted. With this heightened risk, being prepared is more critical than ever. Preparing for emergencies before they strike can significantly reduce stress and ensure your family’s safety.” [Arlington County]

Superintendent Wants Fewer Suspensions — “Would arbitrarily reducing the number of Arlington Public Schools students suspended in a given year be a net plus or net minus for those students and the broader school community? That’s a decision School Board members will have to grapple with over the coming month, although Superintendent Francisco Durán and his top staff already have made their preference known.” [Gazette Leader]

Arlington Pride Event This Weekend — “On Saturday, June 1st, all are welcome to stop by the Arlington Pride Block Party and celebrate the culture, history, diversity and LGBTQIA+ community that lives, works and plays in one of Arlington’s most colorful and vibrant community. The Arlington Pride kick-off Block Party will take place from 4:30 pm – 9:30 pm at Water Park.” [Event]

Marymount’s Increasing Sports Focus — “While summer often evokes relaxation and leisure, Marymount University tennis coach and visiting professor Tim Bainton will spend the season laying the groundwork for a thriving sports management program as he plans new classes and events for the upcoming year.” [Marymount University]

Strong Finishes for Wakefield Track — “With a combined five first-place finishes by individuals, the Wakefield Warriors girls and boys teams each finished second in the 6D North Region outdoor track and field championships. The boys had three winners and the girls two at the recent two-day high-school meet at South Lakes High School in Reston.” [Gazette Leader]

It’s Friday — Expect sunshine and a high around 75 degrees with a north wind of 8 to 13 mph. In the evening, clear skies will persist, and the temperature will drop to about 56 degrees, accompanied by a west wind of 3 to 5 mph. [NWS]


Around Town

Good Thursday 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 — May 30, 2024.

📅 Upcoming events

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

☀️ Friday’s forecast

Expect sunshine and a high around 75 degrees with a north wind of 8 to 13 mph. In the evening, clear skies will persist, and the temperature will drop to about 56 degrees, accompanied by a west wind of 3 to 5 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Stay hungry, stay foolish.”
– Steve Jobs

🌅 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.


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

A set of upgrades to an I-395 interchange and trails near Long Bridge Park are officially complete.

Officials from Arlington County, the Virginia Department of Transportation and the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority hosted a ribbon cutting today (Thursday) for the Boundary Channel Drive Interchange project.


Announcement

Local rising kindergartener, Phin, has advanced to the Top 5 in his group in the national Jr. Ranger Contest, a competition that celebrates children who are passionate about nature, wildlife, and exploration. After making it through earlier rounds with strong community support, Phin is now in 4th place and working toward the top spot needed to move on to the quarterfinals.

The contest encourages kids to engage with the outdoors and highlights their curiosity and love for learning about the natural world. For Phin and his family, this experience has been both exciting and meaningful, made even more special by the encouragement from friends, neighbors, and the broader community.


News

A pair of reported armed robberies added to a busy Wednesday for Arlington County police.

The first happened shortly before 2:30 p.m. at the McDonald’s near the Rosslyn Metro station. Initial reports suggest that a woman armed with a pink gun demanded a burger.


News

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating another near miss at Reagan National Airport.

The Wednesday morning incident, reported by NBC 4, follows the April 18 incident in which two airliners nearly collided on the ground.


News

Arlington has failed to collect more than $1 million in security alarm registration fees over the past four years, according to county data.

The Arlington County Board passed an ordinance in 2020 requiring all alarm owners to pay a $25 annual registration fee for every alarm system. Based on the estimated 13,492 systems in the county at the time, the county was expected to generate an additional $337,000 in revenue every year.


News

A proposed $4.5 billion investment plan for Arlington County includes more investment in clean energy, mental health services and emergency preparedness over the next decade.

The proposal, presented by County Manager Mark Schwartz on Tuesday, is nearly $600 million bigger than the previous 10-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) passed in 2022. It involves the county taking on more debt, including $174 million in bond referenda for voters to consider in November.


Opinion

Tomorrow is the last day to share feedback about a dozen ideas for the future of Arlington libraries.

Arlington Public Library is conducting the survey as it seeks ways to serve the broader community beyond books and a quiet space.


News
Rainbow seen Tuesday from a Ballston area condo building (photo courtesy Melissa P.)

NAACP Considering Legal Options — “Arlington’s NAACP branch is upping in the ante in its efforts to gather more information about inmate deaths at the Arlington County Detention Facility. Members of the civil-rights group voted May 20 to hire an attorney to provide advice and take court action, if necessary, to force the Sheriff’s Office and county government to provide more information about the deaths.” [Gazette Leader]

APS Mulls LGBTQ Policy — “The issue of LGBTQ students drew differing views during public feedback and discussion among a steering committee set up as part of the strategic-plan effort. Some argued that the group requires more protections and services, while others contend that the school system’s focus should be the well-being of all students. There also were concerns raised that the school system’s focus on emotional health could be to the detriment of overall academic rigor.” [Gazette Leader]

TSA Nabs More Guns at DCA — “TSA officers at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, [intercepted] two loaded guns within two days last week in passengers’ carry on bags. On Thursday, May 23, officers found a 40 caliber handgun with 14 rounds, including one in the chamber. The next day a .380 caliber handgun with seven rounds, including one in the chamber, was found in the bag of a Florida man.” [WTOP]

ART Ridership Rising — “For the first three months of 2024, ridership on the ART system totaled 593,291, up 19 percent from a year before and with all three months posting year-over-year increases. The 218,570 passengers in March (the latest month for which figures had been reported at the meeting) was the highest monthly figure since the onset of COVID in March 2020.” [Gazette Leader]

List of Longtime Local Eateries — “Sometimes we diners are so busy looking for the hot and new that we forget about the tried and true — restaurants that have been providing consistent, homey cooking out of the spotlight’s glare… Here are some treasured dining spots that have been serving hungry locals for 25 years or more.” [Arlington Magazine]

Solar Power Event Tonight — “Thursday, 6:30pm, Central Library: Raise your power game and explore the world of solar technology, its economics and financing options.” [Twitter, Solar United Neighbors]

It’s Thursday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 74 with a north wind around 10 mph. Thursday night will be mostly clear, with a low around 53 and a northwest wind at approximately 7 mph. [NWS]