CoStar Taps New CFO — Arlington-based CoStar Group announced that CFO Christian Lown is leaving after two years, to be replaced July 31 by Robin Rossmann, a seven-year company veteran who leads its European operations. The change comes as CoStar’s stock has fallen 57% this year amid investor concerns over spending on its Homes.com platform. [WBJ]
Meet the Pentagon Police Chief — The Pentagon Force Protection Agency released a video interview with Steven Taylor, chief of the Pentagon Police, in which he discusses his vision for the department, his commitment to supporting officers and his leadership philosophy. [Pentagon Force Protection Agency]
D.C. Considers Robotaxis — A D.C. Council bill to allow commercial robotaxis drew hours of testimony Monday, with rideshare drivers warning of lost income and disability advocates citing newfound independence. District approval could be a prelude to autonomous rides in Arlington and N. Va., which ARLnow examined earlier this year. [WTOP]
License Plate Cameras Destroyed — A 21-year-old Alexandria man faces charges after allegedly using a baseball bat to destroy multiple Flock Safety license plate reader cameras across the city in mid-June, including some near Fairlington. Police identified him after a camera flagged his damaged Subaru Forester and later found a metal bat inside the vehicle. [ALXnow]
Emergency Landing Near Reservoir — A military helicopter based at Joint Base Andrews made a precautionary landing near the Georgetown Reservoir in Northwest D.C. on Monday night after the crew observed “vibrating mechanical sounds.” All four crew members were safe. The reservoir feeds the Washington Aqueduct, which supplies Arlington, and officials said water service was unaffected. [NBC 4]
Virginia Posts Budget Surplus — Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) announced that Virginia closed fiscal year 2026 with a $936.3 million general fund surplus, as revenues grew 6.7% — or $2.09 billion — over the prior year. The adopted two-year budget already banks $585.5 million of that surplus toward fiscal 2027. [Press Release]
School Standards Delay Rejected — The Virginia Department of Education said its rejected bid to postpone tougher reading and math benchmarks by two years grew out of legislative mandates and watchdog recommendations. The Board of Education blocked the delay in a 7-0-1 vote last month, keeping a four-year phase-in of higher cut scores that began this year. [Virginia Mercury]
Virginia Pushes Solar Discounts — Virginia is partnering with the nonprofit Switch Together to cut the cost of home solar arrays through a bulk-buying reverse auction, which Spanberger touted as a way to lower utility bills. The group says it trims about $6,300 off a typical system, and the offer runs in more than 100 localities through Oct. 15. [Virginia Mercury]
Wildfire Smoke Drifts In — Smoke from wildfires in Ontario and Minnesota is spreading toward the Mid-Atlantic and could thicken near the surface around D.C. and Maryland on Wednesday and Thursday, cutting visibility and air quality and possibly holding temperatures down a degree or two. Forecasters compare the potential haze to the region’s June 2023 smoke event. [Fox Weather, Tony Pann/X, NWS New York/X]
Space Jellyfish Dazzles Region — A predawn SpaceX Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral early Tuesday created a glowing, jellyfish-like plume visible across the D.C. region under clear skies. The effect happens when a rocket’s high-altitude exhaust catches sunlight while the ground below remains dark. [Capital Weather]
It’s Wednesday — Sunny and hot today with a high near 102 and a heat index as high as 104. West winds run 5–10 mph, and skies stay partly cloudy overnight with a low around 79. [NWS]
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