Traffic

Arlington County police had a busy morning of crashes and other vehicular issues today (Tuesday).

Around 8:30 a.m. police responded to a reported two-vehicle crash on N. Carlin Springs Road at N. Greenbrier Street, which left an SUV overturned on its roof and the northbound lanes of the roadway blocked during the morning commute.


Opinion

We’re a week away from the Nov. 5 election and the culmination of a historic presidential race.

While states like Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin get the most attention as campaign battlegrounds, Virginia has also traditionally been considered a battleground state. In recent years, though, it has mostly voted Democratic in presidential contests.

This time around, Vice President Kamala Harris (D) is leading former president Donald Trump (R) in polls. According to a RealClearPolitics poll average, Harris has a nearly 6 percentage point advantage over the former president in the Commonwealth.

But that’s not stopping a bit of hopeful rhetoric from the Arlington GOP, which has been saying on social media that Trump — who is currently polling ahead in most other battleground states — has a “damn good chance” to win Virginia.

Given the current polling, what you’re seeing on the ground, and other factors, who do you think will win here next week?


Sponsored

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.


News

Arlington’s two county-government-operated nature centers will see their operating days doubled in two weeks.

The county’s Department of Parks and Recreation has announced plans for Long Branch and Gulf Branch nature centers to be open six days a week for the winter season, starting on Tuesday, Nov. 12.


News
Squirrel in a tree outside of Arlington Central Library (staff photo)

Another Ballston Robbery — The next day after an alleged armed robbery at a 7-Eleven in Ballston that resulted in disruptions to Metro service: “At approximately 7:17 p.m. on October 26… the male suspect entered the business, concealed merchandise and attempted to exit the business without payment. When confronted by an employee, the suspect made threatening statements towards the employee before fleeing the scene on foot with the stolen merchandise… officers located the suspect in the Ballston Metro and took him into custody.” [ACPD]

New Mural at Mall — “There is a beautiful Pentagon City-inspired mural being painted at ⁦⁦@FashionCtrPC⁩, along the walkway from the food court to the parking garage.” [Twitter]

Coffee Stand’s Story — “It has not been a rags-to-riches trajectory for Skyler Kelley. True, her startup business, Brij Coffee, has been buzzing ever since its debut last year just down the street from Amazon’s gleaming HQ2… But Kelley’s mission isn’t simply to keep customers happily caffeinated. Her ultimate goal is to use the business to help end homelessness.” [Arlington Magazine]

Kaine Early Voting Event — Sen. Tim Kaine, who is seeking reelection, will visit Arlington today to encourage early voting ahead of the November 5 general election. Kaine is scheduled to appear at Walter Reed Recreation Center (2909 16th Street S.) at 1:30 p.m. before heading to another nearby early voting event at the Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library at 5 p.m.

Forward Party Election Night Party — The Forward Party, which is supporting Madison Granger for Arlington County Board and James “Vell” Rives IV for School Board, will host an election-night watch party next Tuesday (Nov. 5) after polls close at 7 p.m. at Ireland’s Four Courts, 2051 Wilson Blvd, in support of its candidates for office in Arlington and for the Alexandria City Council. –Scott McCaffrey

Pumpkin Pumpkin Everywhere — “It’s time for everyone’s favorite fall flavor. Pumpkin spice and all things nice are popping up on menus all over town. From breakfast and coffee to ice cream or cocktails, here’s the lowdown on where to find inventive concoctions featuring that distinctly autumnal spice combo.” [Arlington Magazine]

It’s Tuesday — Expect mostly sunny skies, a high temperature near 70°F, and a south wind of 3 to 8 mph during the day. At night, anticipate partly cloudy conditions and a low temperature around 53°F. [NWS]


Event

Join us for a 5k (~3 mile) fun run/walk around the neighborhood followed by an outdoor yoga session next to Reclining Liberty!

The artist behind Reclining Liberty made a shirt for this day only. It comes with every run and yoga ticket — or take one on its own for $25.


Around Town

Good Monday 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 28, 2024.

📅 Upcoming events

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

☀️ Tuesday’s forecast

Expect mostly sunny skies, a high temperature near 70°F, and a south wind of 3 to 8 mph during the day. In the evening, anticipate partly cloudy conditions, a low temperature around 53°F, and a south wind of approximately 6 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
– Maya Angelou

🌅 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.


Sports

It’s now four straight Liberty District field-hockey tournaments the Yorktown Patriots have won, pretty much all in dominating fashion.

The top-seed Patriots (13-3) won the 2024 high-school championship on their home field with a 3-0 victory over the third-seed Arlington rival Washington-Liberty Generals (12-6) on Friday (Oct. 25).


Sports

A state-champion Bishop O’Connell Knights football team from the past was recognized during halftime at the high-school homecoming game on Saturday (Oct. 26).

A number of members from the 1983 O’Connell squad were present. They gathered at midfield for a photo as the teammates stood behind a banner noting the squad’s Virginia State Catholic championship won during that 1983 campaign.


News

By MATTHEW BARAKAT and MARK SHERMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Virginia on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene to allow the state to remove roughly 1,600 voters from its rolls that it believes are noncitizens.