Potomac Towers Could Triple — “Newly filed plans reveal that owner Caruthers Properties wants to add three new towers to the existing Arlington apartment complex, which sits on about seven acres between Interstate 66 and Langston Boulevard.” The 800 new units would be built in phases alongside the original 1961 building, which has 406 units. [WBJ]
DCA Grounded for Fourth — Reagan National Airport will halt flights for much of July 3 and 4 to accommodate celebrations in D.C., with no departures or arrivals scheduled after noon Saturday. The FAA has set roughly 15 hours of airspace closures across the two days, and terminal services will run at reduced capacity until flights resume July 5. [ARLnow]
Where to Watch Fireworks — With the record-setting Independence Day fireworks now expected to begin around 10:30 p.m. Saturday, ARLnow has rounded up the county’s best viewing spots, from the Marine Corps War Memorial to Marymount University. The 850,000-shell display will launch from 10 sites along the National Mall and the Potomac. [ARLnow]
Declaration Reading Moves Indoors — Due to expected heat advisories, the Arlington Historical Society’s Saturday, July 4 community reading of the Declaration of Independence has been moved from the Ball-Sellers House (which has no air conditioning) to the Arlington Historical Museum. It will begin at 2 p.m. Attendees can also tour the museum and make Revolutionary-themed protest signs. [Arlington Historical Society]
Marlinspike Closes $127M Fund — “Marlinspike Partners, an Arlington venture capital firm backing defense tech startups, has closed a $127 million fund as investors crave new technologies being developed for the Defense Department.” The close on its second fund was well above the firm’s original $70 million target and will fuel larger checks for 20 to 24 companies. [WBJ]
English Manor Hits Market — A six-bedroom, nine-bathroom English manor-style home in the Country Club Hills neighborhood has hit the market for $7,150,000. Built in 2009 at 4614 36th Street N., the 9,850-square-foot house features five fireplaces, a wine cellar, a home theater and a 40-by-20-foot pool. [N. Va. Magazine]
Wakefield’s Javelin Standout — It is not a Virginia High School League-sanctioned event, but that hasn’t stopped rising Wakefield High School senior Olivia Barr from making a name for herself in javelin. A recent success for the multi-sport athlete was a sixth-place finish at the Penn Relays. [RunWashington]
Hidden Art Spreads Joy — After losing her job last year, Rachael Wood began hiding colorful handmade artwork around Arlington for strangers to find, an effort she calls the Joyful Art Project. “My purpose is to spread joy, and I don’t know if I grasped how I was going to do that,” Wood said. “I think I found it.” [WUSA9]
East Potomac Golf Overhaul — “If built as shown, the redesign would reduce East Potomac from its current three-course, 36-hole layout to a single 18-hole championship course. It would also expand golf into roughly 50 acres of parkland now used for picnicking, fishing, cycling and other recreation.” A court hearing on a lawsuit challenging the project is set for this week. [Washington Post]
D.C. a No-Drone Zone — From the FBI Washington Field Office: “Washington, D.C., is a #NoDroneZone, so if you plan to celebrate #America250 in the district, don’t crash the party; leave your drone at home.” Unauthorized drone activity can be reported at 1-800-CALL-FBI. [FBI Washington Field/X]
ICE Mask Ban Blocked — A federal judge blocked Virginia’s new law barring ICE officers from wearing masks less than 12 hours before it was set to take effect, finding the Justice Department likely to succeed in arguing the state cannot regulate the conduct of federal officers. Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones (D) said his office “strongly disagrees” with the ruling and will keep defending the law. [Courthouse News]
Spanberger Signs Energy Package — Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) signed a package of energy bills Tuesday aimed at lowering costs, meeting rising demand and keeping data centers from driving up bills for families, along with legislation directing Virginia to rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. “We’re investing in energy that is cleaner, more affordable, more reliable, and homegrown,” Spanberger said. [Press Release]
Data Center Battle Lines — N. Va. is home to more than 300 data centers, but public sentiment has soured: a recent Washington Post-Schar School poll found just 35% of Virginia voters would be comfortable with a new one in their community. “The battle line has been drawn around that question in Virginia,” said Brennan Gilmore of the advocacy group Clean Virginia. “And folks are lining up on either side of it.” [NOTUS]
It’s Thursday — Expect sunny skies with a high near 103 and heat index values as high as 110. Winds will be light out of the northwest around 5 mph. Skies stay clear overnight with a low around 80. [NWS]
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