Local Limo Driver Beaten — “Two people violently attacked a limo driver in Northwest D.C. early Saturday, hitting him with a brick and dragging him before taking his SUV. Michael Tsige, of Arlington, said he was for his assignment near 24th and L streets when a man asked for help jumpstarting his car.” [NBC 4]
Senate Deal for DCA Bill — “Leaders of a Senate committee reached a tentative deal Thursday to add four long-distance flights at Reagan National Airport, dealing a setback to D.C.-area lawmakers and the airport’s management, which have campaigned to leave current restrictions in place… It represents an important bipartisan endorsement by key senators as part of a broader aviation bill Congress needs to pass by the fall. The deal is also a modest victory for a coalition backed by Delta Air Lines that is seeking more access to the federally owned airport.” [Washington Post]
Board Opposes More DCA Flights — “They were a tad late getting to the party, but Arlington County Board members on June 13 added their voices to those opposed to an expansion of flight operations at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. ‘There is an argument, an economic one, that is speculative but not entirely unreasonably, that [expanding flight options] could lead to some lower ticket prices on some routes,’ County Board Chairman Christian Dorsey said. ‘That speculative benefit comes at a clear and significant cost.'” [Gazette Leader]
VHC Expansion Nears Completion — “VHC Health is about a month out from opening a new outpatient pavilion in Northern Virginia, the culmination of a multiyear project that stands to create more capacity in its hospital and increase access to care. The new seven-story building, set to open to patients July 17, brings 250,000 square feet to 1800 N. Edison St. on the health system’s Arlington campus. The $250 million project aims to centralize VHC’s outpatient offerings while also freeing up space at Virginia Hospital Center for more inpatient services including cancer, cardiac and stroke care.” [Washington Business Journal]
High Homebuyer Interest in Arlington — “On a locality-by-locality basis, the three innermost Virginia suburbs posted solid results, if not necessarily as high as a year before. In Arlington, the index ranking was a region-leading 142, while in Alexandria and Falls Church it was 133 and 132, respectively. All three are in the High category. In Fairfax County (98) and the District of Columbia (92), index scores were Steady.” [Gazette Leader]
New ART Facility Features — “Arlington (Va.) Transit’s new operations and maintenance facility will support a transition of their current bus fleet to Zero Emissions Buses (ZEBs). The facility will reflect a modern industrial design with operational layouts to embrace a functional aesthetic. Intuitive entry points and wayfinding will include biophilic accents. Large high-performance facades are designed with materials selected for longevity, resilience, and durability.” [Building Design + Construction]
Canadian Smoke Returns — From the National Weather Service: “Hazy sun will be noted across the region this afternoon-Friday as smoke filters south from the Canadian wildfires. The smoke will not be as bad as last week.” [Twitter, Twitter]
It’s Friday — Chances of showers and thunderstorms throughout the day and evening. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 82. Light and variable wind becoming southwest 5 to 9 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 60%. [Weather.gov]