Beyer Blasts Trump on Iran — Rep. Don Beyer (D) called the president’s handling of the Iran conflict a “clown show,” posting that Trump “was awfully concerned about the ‘pallets of cash’ sent to Iran a decade ago, but is now going to give them nearly 10x that amount in the middle of a war.” In a separate post, Beyer called the president’s behavior “increasingly erratic” and “a clear and growing threat.” [Rep. Don Beyer/X, Rep. Don Beyer/X]
Redistricting Referendum Jitters — “It’s not a done deal by any means,” Rep. Beyer said of the upcoming Virginia redistricting referendum, adding that Democrats will need to persuade voters to “hold their nose on gerrymandering because this is a response to Trump’s gerrymandering.” [NBC 4]
AG Sues Over Tegna Merger — Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones (D) and seven other state AGs filed a lawsuit to block Nexstar Media Group’s $6.2 billion takeover of Tysons-based Tegna, arguing the merger would reduce competition in local news. The FCC had approved the deal earlier the same day. [FFXnow]
Courthouse Market Expanding — The Saturday morning Arlington Farmers Market in the Courthouse parking lot is expanding by 4,000 square feet and nearly 20 tents for the season, beginning April 4. The market, contracted out to FRESHFARM, doubles SNAP benefits and accepts SFMNP. [Arlington County]
Remembering ‘Rusty’ Lynn — E. Russell “Rusty” Lynn Jr., 83, of Arlington, died Feb. 22. A Presbyterian pastor turned licensed clinical social worker, he worked at the Whitman-Walker Clinic during the AIDS crisis and married his husband Ed at Clarendon Presbyterian Church in 2015. A memorial service will be held April 18. [Washington Post]
That Loud Boom, Explained — The NWS says the loud “boom” heard Friday evening was a powerful positive cloud-to-ground lightning strike in Frederick County, Md. A temperature inversion near the ground acted “like an echo chamber,” making the already powerful strike seem even louder. [NWS/X]
Cherry Blossom Picks — The National Cherry Blossom Festival runs through April 12, and Axios has a local’s guide to the best events, including the Blossom Kite Festival (March 28), the Oxon Run Pinknic (March 29) and the Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival (April 11–12). [Axios]
Guard Deployment Extended — The Pentagon is planning to keep National Guard members deployed in D.C. until 2029, the end of President Trump’s term. “It could be $1.6 million a day,” D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said. “I don’t get the point.” [WJLA]
It’s Monday — Rain showers this morning taper off around 10 a.m., giving way to partly sunny skies with a high near 60. North winds 8–16 mph with gusts up to 29 mph. Tonight clears out with a low around 33. [NWS]
Today’s Morning Notes are brought to you by Industrious. ARLnow has been in an Industrious office for years and we love the convenience — you get to focus on your work rather than worrying about brewing your own coffee or keeping the copy machine stocked. Industrious has several Metro-accessible coworking locations in Arlington.
Flickr pool photo by ksrjghkegkdhgkk
