News
Runners participating in the Army Ten-Miler (courtesy photo)

The annual Army Ten-Miler race will trigger a series of road closures in Arlington this weekend.

More than 26,000 runners will start and end the race near the Pentagon, racing through parts of Rosslyn, D.C. and Pentagon City, according to Maida Johnson, deputy director of the Army Ten-Miler.

“The 39th annual Army Ten-Miler race will occur on Sunday, October 8, 2023,” the Arlington County Police Department said in a news release. “The race begins at 7:50 a.m. on Route 110, crosses the Key Bridge into the District of Columbia, returns to Virginia via the 14th Street Bridge in the northbound I-395 HOV, and ends in the Pentagon reservation.”

Starting at 5 a.m., several law enforcement agencies will close sections of I-395, I-66 and Richmond Hwy, as well as Army Navy Drive and S. Fern Street, per the release. This includes ACPD, Virginia State Police, U.S. Park Police, the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and the Pentagon Force Protection Agency.

Metro will open at 7 a.m. on Sunday, per an Army press release. Blue Line trains will bypass the Pentagon stop from 7-8 a.m. and riders can exit at the Pentagon City Metro station during these times.

Otherwise, Metrorail plans to operate a normal schedule on Sunday and several Metrobus lines will experience temporary detours between 5 a.m. and 2 p.m., a WMATA spokesperson told ARLnow.

The best spectator locations include the finish line, Key Bridge, Independence Avenue, Army Navy Drive and S. Eads Street, close to the finish line, the Army press release says. A free express shuttle for spectators will run between the Pentagon North and South lots.

Army Ten-Miler course map (via ACPD)

A full list of planned road closures, from the ACPD press release, is below.

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News
Soldiers from Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall work out underneath the Air Force Memorial (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Emergency Alert Test Today — From FEMA: “On Wednesday, Oct. 4th at 2:20 p.m. ET, there will be a nationwide emergency alert test on cell phones, wireless devices, radios, and TVs. This is a standard test that occurs at least once every three years. No action is needed.” [Twitter, CBS News]

Walk and Roll School Day — From ACPD: “[Today] is International Walk, Bike and Roll to School Day! Each and every day, help keep our students safe during their commute to and from school by slowing down, avoiding distractions and obeying posted traffic signals.” [Twitter]

Fare Evasion Down in Courthouse — “Upgrades to faregates are having their intended impact at Metro stations where they have been incorporated, including now at the Court House Metro station. The percentage of fare-evaders has dropped from 4 percent to 1 percent since the new gates were installed at the station on Sept. 1.” [Gazette Leader]

Arlingtonian Wins Photo Contest — “Jennie Hommel from Arlington Virginia was the 2024 Annual Pass Photo winner with her stunning photograph of this kingfisher taken on the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.” [Shore Daily News]

Va. Ped Crashes Killing More 30-Somethings — “An increasing number of pedestrians killed in traffic crashes are those in their 30s living in urban areas, and the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles is trying to raise awareness while urging both those on foot and behind the wheel to remain vigilant.” [Gazette Leader]

Va. Mulling Reduction in Ped Projects — “Planning officials… fear proposals to change Virginia’s transportation funding system could significantly reduce state funding for smaller transportation projects for cyclists and pedestrians. The Commonwealth Transportation Board has been reviewing the state’s transportation funding process, SMART SCALE, which has been in place for the past seven years.” [Virginia Mercury]

It’s Wednesday — Patchy fog clearing before 10am, followed by sunny skies with a high around 84 and calm winds shifting to southeast around 6 mph in the afternoon. Wednesday night, watch for patchy fog returning after 4am, while the rest of the evening remains mostly clear with a low around 58. [Weather.gov]


Sponsored

 

This article is sponsored by the Arlington Economic Development Business Investment Group.

This month, DC Startup & Tech Week (DCSTW) marks its 10th anniversary, celebrating a decade of entrepreneurship, collaboration and innovation across the D.C., Maryland and Virginia tech ecosystem. The annual event, running Oct. 20–24, 2025, will once again unite thousands of founders, investors and innovators for a week of sessions, workshops and networking opportunities.

This milestone year carries special significance for Arlington. On Thursday, Oct. 23, for the second time, DCSTW will host a full day of programming in Arlington. This year will take place at Amazon’s HQ2 in Arlington’s National Landing — a symbolic nod to the region’s rise as a global innovation hub.

The day is sponsored by Arlington Economic Development (AED), which worked with DCSTW to bring programming to Arlington. The partnership underscores Arlington’s growing role as a magnet for startups, investors and enterprises driving the future of technology, defense and artificial intelligence.

“Celebrating our 10th anniversary at Amazon HQ2 in Arlington is a defining moment that showcases the DMV’s transformation into a thriving epicenter of innovation globally — and this is only the beginning,” said Rachel Koretsky, co-founder and co-chair of DCSTW. “By bringing together the brightest entrepreneurs, boldest investors, and most passionate builders from across D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, we’re proving that when our region unites, we don’t just compete with other ecosystems — we redefine what’s possible.”

Thursday at Amazon HQ2: Panels that Define the DMV Advantage

Thursday’s sessions at HQ2 will spotlight why the DMV has become one of the nation’s most dynamic places to build and scale a company.

At 10:10 a.m., the first panel, held on the Merlin Large Main Stage, will explore why founders are choosing to build and grow in the DMV region. Moderated by Matt Gittleman of VC in DC, the discussion will feature Gerald Kierce of Trustible, Ivan Jackson of WriteHuman.ai, and Haley Bryant of Hustle Fund. Together, they’ll examine what sets the region apart for startups — from its deep talent pool and access to federal partners to a growing network of investors and accelerators.

At 1:45 p.m., don’t miss “The $100B Defense Tech Opportunity: Why AI & Autonomous Startups Are Winning in the DMV.” Moderated by AWS Defense, the discussion will feature Blake Souter of AeroVironment, Christian Seifert of Forterra and Dr. Jenny McArdle of Helsing, among others. The session will examine how the DMV’s defense and intelligence ecosystem is fueling breakthroughs in AI, autonomy and dual-use technologies.

Arlington’s Moment

For Arlington, hosting DCSTW’s 10th anniversary reflects its growing influence in the region’s innovation economy. We hope you’ll join us as Arlington takes center stage during D.C.’s biggest week for entrepreneurs.

Tickets for DC Startup & Tech Week are available at dcstw.com. Attendees can receive 20% off with the promo code AED20OFF.


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 — Oct 3, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

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

☀️ Wednesday’s forecast

Expect patchy fog to clear by 10am, followed by a sunny day with a high near 84°F and calm winds turning southeast at 6 mph in the afternoon. On Wednesday night, patchy fog returns after 4am, with mostly clear skies and a low around 58°F. The south wind of around 5 mph will become calm after midnight. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Chase the vision, not the money, the money will end up following you.”
– Tony Hsieh

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.


Announcement

The Return to Earn initiative was launched in June of this year in an effort to support small businesses find and retain the talent they need while also helping unemployed Virginian’s transition back into the workforce. $500 per new hire for a maximum of 25 employees is provided as an incentive by this program. That means that your business could receive up to $12,500 depending on hiring and staffing needs.

The SkillSource Group, Inc. and Virginia Career Works Northern is working hard to make this program available to the small business community and to make the application, enrollment, and reimbursement process as simple as possible. Stand apart from the competition, increase new employee morale, and take part in the Return to Earn Program. Please follow the URL link included in this post for more information and to access an online application.


News
Wakefield High School entrance in February 2023 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A 19-year-old man and a teen boy are facing charges after two girls overdosed at Wakefield High School last week.

Police and medics responded to the school just before 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 27 for a report of a critical overdose. A student in the school clinic was going in and out of consciousness and Narcan was administered ahead of the arrival of first responders, according to scanner traffic.

Arlington County police said today that the overdose patient was a teen girl, who was transported to a local hospital along with a second overdose patient, also a teen girl. Both “have since recovered,” ACPD said in a press release.

An investigation into the overdose led police to arrest Walter Zelaya Padilla, a 19-year-old Fairfax resident, and a teen boy who lives in Arlington. They’re facing a battery of charges, with police saying that Padilla supplied fentanyl to the teen, who then gave or sold it to the victims.

The drug distribution happened within a school zone, APCD said.

The arrests come as Arlington County tries to combat a crisis of teen opioid abuse. While overdoses in general are trending down this year in Arlington, incidents of teen overdoses have prompted calls to action by parents and local officials.

In January, 14-year-old Sergio Flores died after overdosing in a Wakefield High School bathroom. In March, several Washington-Liberty High School students overdosed in the Ballston mall parking garage. Last month, another Wakefield student was found dead at an apartment building in what one elected official and a local advocacy group described as an overdose, though an official cause of death has yet to be determined.

If the student’s death last month is confirmed as an overdose, it would be at least the 11th reported juvenile overdose in Arlington County — fatal and non-fatal — so far this year, factoring the two last week and official numbers provided to ARLnow by the county earlier in September.

More on the drug arrests, below, via an ACPD press release.

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Announcement

Looking to stay fit and active this winter while playing competitive basketball? Grab a few friends and sign up for Parks & Rec’s Eugene J. Green Memorial Winter Basketball League.

Adults 18+ can register teams of up to 12 people for the ten-game season. Cost is $765 per team. Games are Mondays and/or Wednesdays starting the week of January 5. Learn more and sign up here by December 20.