A controversial proposal to build 47 townhouses in the Waverly Hills neighborhood is returning for discussion at an upcoming County Board meeting.
Last month, Board members deferred a vote on the project, which staff opposes but neighborhood organizations and county advisory commissions largely support. It’s one of several items up for consideration at the Board meeting on Saturday.
A congressional candidate from Falls Church says he will leave the race if the Virginia Supreme Court’s decision on redistricting stands.
“If there is no new 7th District, then I will not be running for anything this year,” Joe Schiarizzi told ARLnow. “I will not run in the 8th or anywhere else.”
Every year, for just a few minutes, one of Arlington’s most iconic works of public art comes to life exactly as its artist intended.
On Saturday, Aug. 1, at approximately 9:32 a.m., visitors will gather in Rosslyn to witness the annual shadow alignment at Nancy Holt’s Dark Star Park (1979–84). At that precise moment, the shadows cast by the sculpture’s spheres and poles align with permanent shadow forms embedded in the ground—a phenomenon Holt designed to commemorate the anniversary of Rosslyn’s founding.
The alignment lasts only a few moments, but it has become a beloved Arlington tradition, drawing residents, visitors, artists and architecture enthusiasts alike to experience the intersection of art, astronomy, and history. If the weather cooperates, the park transforms into a striking demonstration of how light, time and place can become part of a work of art.
Created between 1979 and 1984, Dark Star Park was Arlington’s first County-commissioned public artwork and remains one of the nation’s earliest examples of integrated public art—where sculpture, landscape architecture and the surrounding environment function as a single work. Rather than placing an object within a park, Holt made the entire park the artwork, incorporating spheres, pools, steel poles, tunnels, earthworks and carefully positioned plantings into an immersive landscape.
Nancy Holt (1938–2014) was a pioneering artist whose work spanned poetry, film, photography, land art and large-scale public sculpture. Throughout her career, she explored perception, time and humanity’s relationship with the natural world. Dark Star Park remains her most significant urban installation and one of the few major works by the artist that can be experienced in an accessible city setting.
Whether you’ve attended for years or have never visited before, Dark Star Park Day offers a rare opportunity to experience a public artwork that changes with the movement of the sun—and reminds us that some of the most memorable moments in art happen not inside a museum, but out in the world around us.
Dark Star Park Day
When: Saturday, Aug. 1, beginning around 9 a.m.; shadow alignment at approximately 9:32 a.m.
Where: Dark Star Park, 1655 N. Fort Myer Drive, Rosslyn
An all-you-can-eat sushi spot is replacing the shuttered Takohachi Japanese Restaurant on Columbia Pike.
Signs for the new restaurant, MoMoGoGo, have appeared at a storefront at 2501 Columbia Pike in Penrose Square, where Takohachi closed earlier this year. MoMoGoGo — which plans to serve “fresh sushi & Japanese cuisine,” according to its website — has received work permits and is currently hiring.
The Scoop N Scootery has set a June grand opening date for its new late-night ice cream shop in Clarendon.
The ice cream franchise will hold a grand opening on Saturday, June 6 at 1138 N. Irving Street with merchandise and treat giveaways to celebrate. The shop plans to offer more than 70 loaded sundae variations for pickup and delivery until 2 a.m., five days per week.
Join DC Road Runners and Potomac Valley Track Club for our annual Family Night at the Track and Meet of Miles. The event is open to runners of all ages and paces as well as nonmembers.
This event hosts 400 meter and 800 meter races for kids ages 1-8, as well as multiple 1-mile heats for participants of all ages. There is also a 3K race that is open to participants of all ages.
Some Columbia Pike community members are planning a vigil tonight (Wednesday) for a man police fatally shot during a standoff last Friday.
The death of Shawn Valn, 33, remains under investigation by the Northern Virginia Critical Incident Response Team and no new information from the Arlington County Police Department is publicly available right now, police spokesperson Ashley Savage told ARLnow.
Construction is underway at the long-vacated Cosi restaurant in Rosslyn — but it’s not for a new dining tenant.
Instead, the Department of State is expanding its lobby, located next door, into the empty retail space at 1801 N. Lynn Street, an agency spokesperson told ARLnow. The expansion is intended to “accommodate security upgrades, visitor badging, and updated finishes” at the building, which is home to the Bureau of Diplomatic Security.
The writer and mathematician who played Winnie Cooper on “The Wonder Years” will be hosting a book reading for kids at a Pentagon City book fair this weekend.
Danica McKellar, who went on to become a New York Times bestselling author and internationally recognized mathematician following her role on the sitcom, will be reading from her math picture book, “Goodnight, Numbers,” at HQ2 from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
Trapped Driver Rescued — “Crews responded to a vehicle that ran off the roadway and down an embankment near the split of the SB GW Pkwy and SB I-395, just before the bridge. One occupant was trapped and extricated by firefighters. The patient was transported to VHC with non-life-threatening injuries.” [ACFD/X]
Unlawful Entry Arrest — A New York man, 38, was arrested May 8 after allegedly trying to enter a home through a secured door in the 2600 block of N. Upshur Street, ACPD said. He “attempted to run from the officers before being taken into custody” and was charged with unlawful entry and obstruction of justice. [ACPD]
Reentry Hearing Delayed — “A federal judge has rescheduled the court appearance for an Alexandria man indicted for illegal reentry into the United States following a felony hit-and-run arrest in Arlington.” The defendant’s arraignment, plea, and sentencing, originally set for May 13, are now scheduled for May 20. [Patch]
Nurse Sweeps Top Honors — Arlington Public Health’s Heather Williams, RN, has been named Virginia’s Nurse of the Year by the Virginia Department of Health, completing a sweep that also includes Northern Virginia Regional and Arlington Public Health Nurse of the Year honors in 2026. Williams works as the public health nurse at Wakefield High School. [Arlington County]
Andy’s Pizza Goes AI — “Behind the counter at Andy’s Pizza, AI now helps direct everything from when mozzarella gets ordered to the moment a pie needs to hit the oven.” Owner Andy Brown has spent the past year building “Andy’s OS,” an AI-powered operating system for the fast-growing D.C.-based chain, which has 14 DMV locations. [Axios]
Spanberger Signs Leave Bill — Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) signed a bill Monday making Virginia “the first Southern state to offer paid family and medical leave.” Up to 12 weeks will be available; paycheck contributions begin April 2028, with benefits available that December. The bill was sponsored by state Sen. Jennifer Boysko (D). [NBC Washington]
Dulles Overhaul Eyed — “Less than a year after adopting a new master plan for Dulles International Airport, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) is considering an update that would expand the facility’s main terminal, redesign its concourses and eliminate the polarizing mobile lounges.” The proposed $22 billion plan would begin construction this year and finish by 2034 . [FFXnow, WBJ]
It’s Wednesday — Expect mostly sunny skies today with a high near 76 and southwest winds of 13–16 mph, gusting to 28. A chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms gives way to a wetter night, with showers and storms likely before 3 a.m. and a low around 54. [NWS]
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Good Tuesday 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 — May 12, 2026.
Here is what’s going on Wednesday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Expect increasing clouds with a high near 75°F, a 30% chance of showers, and possible thunderstorms after 5 PM, accompanied by southwest winds at 14-16 mph, gusting up to 28 mph. Wednesday night will have showers and thunderstorms until 2 AM, with a slight chance of showers until 3 AM, and a low of around 53°F. Winds will shift from south to northwest, blowing at 5-9 mph, with a precipitation chance of 90% and potential rainfall between a tenth and a quarter of an inch, or more in thunderstorms. See more from Weather.gov.
“The trick is to enjoy life. Don’t wish away your days, waiting for better ones ahead.”
– Marjorie Pay Hinckley
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
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