Bookstore Eyed for Westpost — Federal Realty wants to replace the Walgreens at Westpost in Pentagon City with an unnamed bookstore, but a 1998 site plan condition requiring a full-service drug store makes that virtually impossible. The company is requesting the condition be eliminated, warning the storefront “will remain vacant” otherwise. [WBJ]
Stranded in Qatar — Arlington resident Anjali Sharma was on her way to a wedding in India with a layover in Qatar when Iran’s retaliatory strikes began and the airspace closed. “I hear explosions every day,” she said. Rep. Don Beyer (D) said his office has heard from about 100 families with loved ones stuck abroad. [NBC 4]
Brandishing at Pentagon City — Police responded Monday to the 1100 block of S. Hayes Street after a man inside a business displayed what appeared to be a firearm and made threatening statements before leaving the scene. No injuries were reported. [ACPD]
Flood Awareness Week — Arlington County is urging residents to prepare for the spring rainy season as Virginia Flood Awareness Week runs March 8–14. Just an inch of water entering a home can result in as much as $25,000 in damages, yet only 3% of Virginians have flood insurance. [Arlington County]
Amazon Cutting 49K Desks — Amazon’s real estate team plans to eliminate 49,000 desks globally this year to reduce its average office vacancy from about 31% to 22.9%. “If you can envision a sold-out Taylor Swift concert and give every single person their desk, that’s how many desks we need to get rid of,” a senior real estate manager said. In the D.C. area, Amazon had about 20,000 corporate employees as of October. [WBJ]
Bakeshop Heading to Vienna — Clarendon-founded Bakeshop expects to open at 421 Maple Avenue East in Vienna in early April. “The buildout has taken a bit longer than expected, but we are very happy with it,” general manager Monica Garcia told FFXnow. “We cannot wait to get in there and start baking.” [FFXnow]
VA250 at HistoryFest — The VA250 Mobile Museum, part of Virginia’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, will visit Arlington’s HistoryFest on May 9 at Kenmore Middle School. The immersive traveling exhibit features interactive displays and artifact reproductions. [Press Release]
Fairfax Casino Clears House — The Virginia House of Delegates passed a bill 64-32 yesterday that would make Fairfax County eligible to host a casino. The legislation from Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell now heads to conference before potentially reaching Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s desk. [FFXnow]
ICE Bills Advancing — Three bills from state Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim (D-Fairfax) that would restrict federal immigration enforcement activities in Virginia await final action in the House of Delegates. “We are confident… that we will deliver these bills to the Governor’s desk,” Salim told FFXnow. [FFXnow]
AG Pressed on Schools, ICE — Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones (D) withdrew his predecessor’s brief in a Fairfax County Schools Title IX case and said he is reviewing guidance on ICE cooperation with local law enforcement. On gender identity in schools, Jones said he is focused on “students having a high-quality education.” [Fox 5]
Hacktivists Eye Local Gov’t — Iran-aligned hacktivists may target state and local governments with denial-of-service attacks and website defacement as hostilities in the Middle East escalate, cybersecurity experts warned. The Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center said hacktivist groups are “mobilizing to try to start targeting domestic U.S.… networks.” [Route Fifty]
Cherry Blossoms Running Late — Capital Weather Gang predicts peak bloom of D.C.’s Yoshino cherry trees between April 3 and 7, which would be the latest since 2018, following the chilliest winter in more than two decades. Abnormally warm weather this week should jump-start bud development, but cooler conditions in mid-March may slow progress. [Washington Post]
New Legal Notice — ABC restaurant/caterer on/off-premise alcohol license; objections due 30 days. [Public Notices]
It’s Thursday — There are chances of rain before 10am and after 4pm, with patchy fog expected before noon. The cloudy skies will later turn mostly sunny, reaching a high of 63°F. Rain is likely Thursday night, with a 60% chance of precipitation. The night will be mostly cloudy, with temperatures dropping to around 51°F. [NWS]
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