Author: ARLnow.com

Beyer Presses FAA on DCA — “In my meeting with the FAA yesterday we discussed disturbing reports of failed communications between helicopter and commercial airline traffic at DCA. I reiterated the need to fully implement the NTSB’s recommendations related to last year’s tragic midair collision,” Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) said. [Rep. Don Beyer/X]

Long Bridge Field Getting New Turf — “The turf at Long Bridge Park Field #4 has reached the end of its lifespan and is due for a replacement,” Arlington County said. Construction is expected to begin on or around Aug. 10 and wrap up in September. All other fields at the park will remain open. [Arlington County]

Indoor Farming Sprouts in Arlington — Area 2 Farms founder Oren Falkowitz, a former national security worker, grows leafy greens on vertical racks and sells weekly produce boxes by subscription. “A core of our logistics is to move the farm and not move the food,” he said. [NBC 4]

Chosin Soldier Laid to Rest — Sgt. DeLoren D. Dage, declared missing in action during the Korean War’s Battle of the Frozen Chosin in December 1950, was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery on July 14. “His long, lonely winter on distant soil is over,” a chaplain said. [Arlington National Cemetery]

Gov. Intervening in Dominion Merger — “As a Virginian, I am deeply skeptical about whether selling our primary, state-regulated utility to an out-of-state company is good for the commonwealth,” Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) wrote of NextEra Energy’s $67 billion bid for Dominion Energy. She will formally intervene in the State Corporation Commission case reviewing the merger. [Washington Post, Gov. Spanberger/X, NBC 4]

Kaine Bill Targets Drug Discounts — Sen. Tim Kaine (D) has introduced legislation to overhaul the 340B drug pricing program, adding annual reporting requirements for participating hospitals and giving federal regulators auditing authority. “We’ve done it in a way to preserve the core intent of what 340B is,” he said. [Virginia Mercury]

Local Drought Designation Lifted — “The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows encouraging progress: DC and much of the Interstate 95 corridor are no longer classified as being in drought.” The regional Drought Watch remains in effect, and Reagan National Airport is still 5.67 inches below normal precipitation for the year. [Capital Weather]

It’s Friday — Expect mostly sunny skies today with a high near 91 and heat index values as high as 102. There’s a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m., with storms more likely during the evening. Overnight low around 73. [NWS]

New Legal Notice — Clarendon cafe seeks ABC permits: mixed beverages on-premises; beer/wine on/off. [Public Notices]

Want to keep the discussion going? Try our new community forum.

Local Man Stops Sexual Assault — A man riding his electric unicycle home to Arlington after an early-morning viewing of the latest Spider-Man movie interrupted an apparent sexual assault at Georgetown Waterfront Park. “I heard a cry for help over and over, repeated,” he told News4. Park Police took a suspect into custody. [NBC 4]

Kayak Launch Floats Away — The $500,000 floating kayak launch at Four Mile Run Park broke from its moorings after weekend rainstorms and is now resting under the Route 1 bridge. “We will make sure it is stronger than it ever was before,” conservancy president Kurt Moser told ALXnow. [ALXnow]

Data Centers to Pay More — State regulators ordered Dominion Energy to develop a policy assigning transmission infrastructure costs directly to data centers and other large-load customers. “This order… makes sure that data centers are paying the full cost of the transmission infrastructure their developments require,” Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) said. [Virginia Mercury, Fox 5]

Beyer on Data Center Backlash — Rep. Don Beyer (D-Arlington) said data center growth is now a top voter concern heading into the midterms. “Most things in America, you’re trying to build a new road, it takes six or eight years. Data centers are going up in a matter of months, and that’s freaking people out.” [E&E News]

Self-Driving Rules Take Shape — A state work group is weighing permitting and liability rules for self-driving vehicles ahead of a Nov. 1 report to the General Assembly. “I don’t think that we want to go down the path of allowing localities to determine where, when, or how autonomous vehicles are going to be used,” Del. David Reid (D-Loudoun) said. [Virginia Mercury]

Reentry Program Expands — “Reentry programming should not stop at the doors of our maximum-security facilities,” Gov. Abigail Spanberger said of a new Intensive Reentry Program at Red Onion State Prison, the 15th such program in Virginia and among the first in the nation at a maximum-security facility. [Press Release]

It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny skies today with a high near 91 and a south wind of 6–10 mph gusting as high as 18 mph. There’s a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5 p.m. Overnight lows will be around 75. [NWS]

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

Ballston Office Conversion Scrapped — “Jemal Real Estate Strategies recently bought 4100 N. Fairfax Drive… Arlington officials approved an application to convert the office building into 269 residential units and ground-floor retail last fall. Jemal scrapped the approved project and instead plans to renovate the 26-year-old building to maintain it as an office.” [WBJ]

Barnes & Noble Replacing Walgreens — “Barnes & Noble will fill the retail vacancy at Pentagon City’s Westpost left by Walgreens, which shuttered in May… The store is expected to open in early 2027… This will be Barnes & Noble’s second Arlington location, joining a 14,000-square-foot outpost in Clarendon.” [WBJ]

Arlington Baseball a Century Ago — “There were several men’s baseball leagues, generally organized around Arlington neighborhoods (e.g., the Ballston Eagles, the Cherrydale Cherries)… Yes, there was a KKK team, and its nickname really was ‘the Klansmen.’ Obviously, those leagues were ‘whites only.’” [FCNP]

First Local Va. Dengue Case — Virginia health officials, working with the Fairfax and Loudoun county health departments, are investigating “a confirmed case of dengue virus infection in a resident who did not have known travel outside of Virginia… This is the first documented case of locally acquired dengue in Virginia.” [VDH]

Oppressive Humidity Arriving — “An unusually intense surge of tropical moisture… may linger for more than a week… Highs should average around 90, producing afternoon heat indexes near 100 on many days.” The city is also nearing its annual average of 40 days at or above 90. [Capital Weather]

It’s Wednesday — A Flood Watch is in effect until 11 a.m., with showers and thunderstorms likely this morning and rain heavy at times. Otherwise, expect patchy fog, mostly cloudy skies and a high near 87. The low tonight will be around 74. [NWS]

Want to keep the discussion going? Try our new community forum.