Author: ARLnow.com

MarginEdge Lands $80 Million — “Arlington-based restaurant software firm MarginEdge Co. has closed an $80 million Series D funding round to expand its AI product development and staff up.” The 11-year-old company has now raised $162 million since its founding. [WBJ]

Alexander Launches New Show — Local resident Peter Alexander, who left NBC News in March, now hosts “State of Play” on MS NOW. “The ability to have a high-pressure job in the District and a very normal life in Arlington — there are very few places… where you can have both,” he said. [Arlington Magazine]

Reminder: New Podcast — The ARLnow Daily Update podcast is now available via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible and other apps. Each episode runs 4-5 minutes, publishes shortly after 4 p.m. each weekday, and recaps the past day of our original reporting. [ARLnow]

Gold Long Before Huske — Shelley Mann, paralyzed in one leg by polio at age 6, took up swimming and went on to win gold in the 100-meter butterfly at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, setting a world record. She attended Washington-Lee High School. [Arlington Magazine]

ICE Agent Draws Gun — “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents confronted a driver and accused her of trying to run them over in a Bailey’s Crossroads parking lot… a claim contradicted by video recordings that the woman captured of the encounter.” The lot sits near the Arlington border. [FFXnow]

Symphony’s Future Weighed — “Kennedy Center budget planners sketched out three options for its two-year renovation, including ways to keep the National Symphony Orchestra performing during construction.” One scenario would move the orchestra to offsite venues. The board meets today. [Axios]

Stay Out of the Potomac — “Every year, people underestimate the power of the Potomac River at Great Falls. This summer alone, we’ve responded to multiple drowning incidents,” Montgomery County police said. Officials are urging visitors to stay on marked trails and out of the water. [MoCoShow]

Va. Vaccine Rules Unchanged — “After President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday to alter childhood vaccine guidance, Virginia’s Department of Health on Tuesday reaffirmed the state’s requirements and recommendations for all children to be vaccinated.” [Virginia Mercury]

Hazy Skies Into Next Week — “Computer model projections show light amounts of smoke lingering through the weekend before a cold front on Monday may push much of it to the south.” Air quality has slipped to code yellow, and the haze may shave a degree off high temperatures. [Capital Weather]

It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny skies today with a high near 91 and a northwest wind of 3–8 mph. Rain chances are slim. Tonight will be partly cloudy with a low around 73. [NWS]

There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.

Assault Reported on the Pike — A malicious wounding incident was reported four days after the alleged Aug. 5 attack, on the 4900 block of Columbia Pike. The suspect followed the man on foot, then assaulted him and fled, according to ACPD. The victim’s injuries were not life threatening and he later self-reported to a hospital. [ACPD]

Sweetgreen Drive-Thru in McLean — The chain is expected to open its first East Coast drive-thru, dubbed a “Sweetlane,” next week on Thursday, Aug. 20 at 6220 Old Dominion Drive in McLean. Customers order in the app, then pull through to pick up. [Axios]

Bus Drivers Buck Fare Order — Some Metro bus operators are ignoring a May policy requiring them to tell boarding riders, “Hello, the fare is $2.25,” saying it invites assaults. ATU Local 689 flyered garages yesterday urging noncompliance, saying most operator assaults stem from fare disputes. [Washington Post, Press Release]

Spanberger Talks Dominion Deal — Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) appeared on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” to explain why she’s intervening in NextEra’s $67 billion acquisition of Dominion Energy, making her the first Virginia governor to become a party to a State Corporation Commission case. She also discussed data centers’ effect on power bills. [CNBC]

Reproductive Rights on Ballot — VPM’s “Amending Virginia” video series takes up the proposed constitutional amendment that would establish a fundamental right to reproductive freedom. Amy McInerny of the Catholic Diocese of Arlington said the measure is “much more extreme than Roe v. Wade.” Virginians vote on it this fall. [VPM]

McMahon Presses Va. Colleges — Education Secretary Linda McMahon wrote to Virginia’s college presidents and governing boards asking them to publicly commit to reforms on free speech, admissions, affordability and academic rigor, saying public trust in higher education has “reached record lows.” Governing board leaders stressed institutional independence. [Virginia Mercury]

Jackpot Tops $1 Billion — No one won Monday’s $905 million Powerball prize, pushing tonight’s estimated jackpot to at least $1 billion — the eighth-largest in the game’s history and the biggest lottery prize of 2026. The estimated cash value is at least $433.1 million. [CBS News]

Wildfire Haze Returns — Smoke from new British Columbia fires is drifting east, with meteorologist Ben Noll forecasting “a steady stream of wildfire haze for the East Coast.” Most of it should stay high in the atmosphere, with minimal effect on air quality, though small amounts may reach the ground. [Ben Noll/X, Washington Post]

Busy Day for Skywatchers — A partial solar eclipse crosses the D.C. area between 1:18 and 2:27 p.m. today, though just 3.5% of the sun will be covered at maximum. The Perseid meteor shower peaks overnight, with up to 50 meteors per hour visible from dark locations. [Capital Weather]

It’s Wednesday — Partly sunny today with a high near 88 and northwest winds around 6 mph. Skies stay partly cloudy overnight with a low around 71 and a slight chance of showers between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. [NWS]

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