Trump Worried About Stinky River — “White House press secretary said during a Thursday briefing that President Donald Trump is “worried” that the Potomac River could smell like poop come time of Washington’s “America 250” festivities. Leavitt said the sewage leaking into the Potomac River is a “problem we want to fix,” especially as the nation prepares to celebrate the country’s 250th birthday.” [WJLA]
District Declares Emergency — “D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has declared a local public emergency regarding the sewage spill in the Potomac River, according to the Mayor’s Office. The declaration allowed her to also make a Presidential Emergency Disaster Declaration request, which could bring in federal support to help respond to the disaster.” [NBC 4, Washington Post, Virginia Mercury]
Half Dozen Compass Bidders — “Caffè Nero is facing off this week against five other bidders to acquire Compass Coffee’s remaining assets as D.C.’s largest homegrown coffee chain restructures under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.” [WBJ]
Arlington Firms Expanding West — “A pair of Arlington-based technology companies are planning new offices in Fairfax County, collectively promising over 300 new jobs. First, the space tech manufacturer Umbra announced last Thursday (Feb. 12) that it will expand to Reston, opening a 20,000-square-foot office expected to host over 100 employees. Then, defense contractor Grvty revealed yesterday (Tuesday) that it will establish a new corporate headquarters in Tysons.” [FFXnow]
Pothole Patrol Underway — “Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) crews are already actively working to locate and repair potholes as we enter the time of year known for seeing more cracks and crumbles on the roads. Motorists can do their part in keeping the roads safe by reporting potholes and workers safe by moving over to give them room to work.” [Press Release]
Bishops Praise Suicide Bill’s Failure — “Two Virginia bishops are hailing the halt of legislation that would have legalized assisted suicide in that state. “Human life is sacred and no one should ever be abandoned or discarded,” said Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington and Bishop Barry C. Knestout of Richmond in a joint Feb. 18 statement.” [OSV News, Diocese of Arlington]
Another Hat in the 7th Ring — “Del. Dan Helmer, a Democrat who has represented southwestern Fairfax County in the House of Delegates since 2020, is once again running for Congress. The 44-year-old announced his candidacy today (Wednesday) to represent the newly-drawn 7th Congressional District — a sprawling “lobster-shaped” district that includes Helmer’s Fairfax home while stretching east to Arlington County, west to Augusta County and south to Goochland County.” [FFXnow]
Lunar New Year Celebration — “Hundreds of community members gathered Tuesday afternoon at the Eden Center in Falls Church, Virginia, to welcome the Lunar New Year and pay homage to Vietnam.” [WTOP]
Caesars Looks at N. Va. — “Caesars Entertainment Inc. is prepared to kick the tires on a Fairfax County casino if the gaming bill currently before the General Assembly secures final passage.” [WBJ]
Va. Marijuana Market? — “As soon as this fall, it could be a lot easier for you to get your hands on marijuana in Virginia… However, opponents are worried about mental health and public safety.” [WJLA]
Lower Air Quality — “Why has our air quality only been “moderate” lately? We’ve gotten a bunch of questions about this. The short answer: stagnant air. Winds have been very light, which means the atmosphere hasn’t been mixing much. When air just sits in place, fine particles from tailpipes and other sources build up near the ground instead of dispersing. That same stagnant setup is also why we’ve had fog the past few mornings.” [CWG/X]
Snow Likely, Big Snow Less So — “Both the European and American ensembles are at an above 90% chance of “flakes falling” in DC…while both are a little above a 50/50 shot at a “disruptive” snowfall (2″+)…which is up from the other day. What is down is the “big storm” odds. Hovering around a 10% shot at 8″ or more.” [Mike Thomas/X]
It’s Thursday — Expect fog to clear by 9am and rain to begin after 3pm, with a high near 48°F. An east wind of 5 to 10mph accompanies an 80% chance of precipitation, with potential rainfall between a tenth and a quarter of an inch. Thursday night continues with rain and patchy fog both before midnight and after 1am, with a low around 42°F, east wind 6 to 9mph, and a 100% chance of precipitation. [NWS]
