Author: ARLnow.com

Clarendon Hotel Plan Scrapped — Mill Creek Residential wants to swap the planned hotel at the former Silver Diner site (3200 Wilson Blvd) in Clarendon for an 11-story, 168-unit residential building. The developer says it pursued hotel partners but “just came up empty.” [WBJ]

Tobacco Shop Robbery Charge — A 30-year-old Alexandria man has been charged with robbery after grabbing a display of Kratom products and shoving an employee at a tobacco shop in the 3400 block of Washington Blvd, according to a search warrant affidavit. Alexandria police are investigating whether he’s linked to a separate shop theft in the city. [ALXnow]

Arlington Legal Funder Expands — Rocade Capital, an Arlington firm that lends to the legal industry, has acquired California’s Law Finance Group, a deal it says will expand its reach in the niche sector. The combined firms have deployed roughly $2.3 billion over the past decade-plus. A price wasn’t disclosed. [WBJ]

Car Carriers Run Amok — Car carriers keep blocking the bus lane on Army Navy Drive in Pentagon City and driving the wrong way. One also recently blocked the Fashion Centre’s driveway exit, forcing drivers “to leave through the entrance,” Dave Statter reported in the latest of a series of posts and videos on the issue. He saw no ticketing. [Dave Statter/X]

Del Ray House Fire — Firefighters responded to a house fire in the 2600 block of E. Randolph Avenue in Del Ray on Wednesday afternoon. The homeowner said she, her partner and son escaped safely. She believes an ember from a backyard fire pit started it. Smoke was visible from Arlington. [ALXnow]

Inside Trump’s Arch — “For years, some enthusiasts of classical architecture have argued that Washington needs a triumphal arch… President Donald Trump took the idea, enlarged it and is now pushing to begin construction on a 250-foot-tall arch as soon as possible… Many have focused on the arch’s exterior, but The Washington Post has created the first 3D visualization of its interior.” [Washington Post]

Fare Evasion Crackdown Update — Metro Transit Police have issued 807 citations and made 51 arrests since May 24 as part of a system-wide fare evasion crackdown, with 10 of those arrested having outstanding warrants. The agency, which launched a “Fares Pay for Service” campaign, estimates bus fare evasion alone could cost it roughly $50 million this fiscal year. [DC News Now]

River Water Quality Dashboard — A coalition of local water groups has launched a public dashboard with real-time water quality data for the Anacostia, Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, drawing on nine sensor sites. “The recent catastrophic sewage spill in the Potomac taught us many lessons,” said Potomac Riverkeeper Network president Betsy Nicholas, citing the need for timely monitoring. [Press Release]

Rain Chances Stay Slim — Wednesday marked the D.C. area’s sixth straight rain-free day, and the dry streak will likely reach nine before showers return Sunday, Capital Weather reports. Even then, models project only 0.01 to 0.1 inches — bad news as the region sits under a newly declared drought watch. [Capital Weather]

It’s Thursday — Expect sunny skies with a high near 89 and light northwest winds of 5 mph or less. Skies stay mostly clear overnight with a low around 65. [NWS]

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Flickr pool photo by ksrjghkegkdhgkk

Judge Tosses Sex-Offender Indictments — An Arlington County Circuit Court judge has dismissed indictments against registered sex offender Richard Cox, who was charged with loitering near schools and exposing himself in women’s locker rooms at two Arlington high schools and a county fitness center in 2024. The judge ruled the Virginia loitering statute unconstitutionally vague under the 14th Amendment. Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti has appealed, and the Court of Appeals has taken the case. [WJLA]

EMS Tribute Headed to Arlington — A cross-country procession honoring 37 EMS providers who died in the line of duty last year began Monday in Redding, Calif., and will travel more than 9,000 miles before reaching Arlington on July 19 for the National EMS Memorial Service. A specially wrapped ambulance carries the memorial’s Tree of Life. [Action News Now, Global Medical Response]

DCA Crash Memorial Dedicated — A memorial to the 67 people killed in the Jan. 29, 2025 mid-air collision near Reagan National Airport was dedicated Monday at Rivergate City Park in Alexandria’s Old Town North. The waterfront bench reads: “May the 67 lives lost over these waters on January 29, 2025 be forever remembered.” [ALXnow]

Beyer Rips DNI Pick — Rep. Don Beyer (D), who represents Arlington, criticized President Trump’s choice of Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence. “This is insane. Bill Pulte has no business being anywhere near intelligence or national security,” Beyer said on X. [Rep. Don Beyer/X]

Service Dog Mishap at DCA — “Fire, EMS, and hazmat were dispatched to a gate at Reagan National Airport… for an incoming commercial jet where the initial report is that a service dog had diarrhea on the flight.” [Dave Statter/X, NBC 4]

Del Ray Thai Mainstay Closing — Thai Peppers, a Del Ray fixture since 1998, will close June 15 after more than 27 years. The owners, who plan to retire and “hopefully relax on a beach in Phuket sipping Singhas and Mai Tais,” will keep their Bristow and Haymarket locations open. [ALXnow]

Va. Revenue Forecast Jumps — Virginia’s revenue outlook has improved by $1.5 billion over the next three fiscal years, Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) told legislative budget writers Monday, potentially giving lawmakers more room to break a budget impasse before the June 30 deadline. Spanberger said she remains “concerned by rising national economic instability, the ongoing conflict in Iran, and the continued impacts of federal workforce cuts.” [Virginia Mercury, Press Release]

Spanberger Signs Housing Bills — Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed a package of housing bills Monday at a manufactured-home plant in Rocky Mount, creating a two-year pilot program to spur development, boost manufactured-home supply and protect renters from hidden fees. “The answers and the solutions lie right before us,” she said. [WJLA]

Casino Fight Spawns Advocacy Group — Spurred by this year’s fight over a Tysons casino, some Fairfax County leaders have launched a nonprofit, Communities First VA, to counter what they characterize as state overreach on local development. The group says the 2026 session “showed a broader pattern: Richmond politicians repeatedly tried to substitute state mandates for local judgment on land use, housing and community character.” [FFXnow]

Virginia No. 1 for Income — A new WalletHub study ranks Virginia first in the nation for income, ahead of New York, New Jersey, Washington and Connecticut. Adjusted for cost of living, the state’s top 5% of earners average $545,097 a year and its median income is $95,339. Maryland ranked 16th. [MoCoShow]

It’s Wednesday — Another nice day with sunny skies, a high near 82 and a north wind around 5–8 mph. Skies stay clear overnight with a low around 60. [NWS]

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Hurricane Season Begins — The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 through Nov. 30, and Arlington County is urging residents to prepare. “Hurricane preparedness starts long before a storm is in the forecast,” said the county’s emergency management director. [Arlington County]

Input Sought on Legislation — The Arlington County Board is seeking resident input to help shape next year’s legislative package for the Virginia General Assembly. A feedback form is open through July 31. [Arlington County]

Swanson Response Questioned — A two-day police presence at Swanson Middle School in late April is renewing scrutiny over how the school discloses incidents to families. The principal described the April 29-30 calls as “separate non-emergency calls” and said everyone was safe, but has declined to explain what prompted the multi-day response. [EdNews Virginia]

Rabid Raccoon in Potomac Yard — “After a raccoon that later tested positive for rabies came into contact with a dog and its owner in Potomac Yard, the Alexandria Health Department is urging caution around wildlife.” The aggressive raccoon made contact near E. Glebe Road on May 23. [ALXnow]

Spanberger Vetoes Draw Fire — Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) has vetoed 31 bills passed by the Democratic-majority General Assembly, an unusually high number that has angered members of her own party. But Sen. Barbara Favola (D-Arlington) defended her: “A lot of the criticism is a bit unfair.” [Washington Post]

Pentagon Bars Press Office — The Defense Department has designated its press office a classified space and banned journalists from the room where they once met with public affairs officers. The Pentagon said the move followed speechwriters who “routinely handle classified material” relocating into the office. [Washington Post]

Marriage Amendment Campaign — The Virginians for Marriage Equality coalition launched its statewide campaign in Richmond on Monday, the start of Pride Month, backing a November referendum that would permanently protect same-sex marriage in the state constitution. The measure would repeal Virginia’s dormant 2006 constitutional ban. [Virginia Mercury]

A Cool, Dry May — D.C. finished May 1.4 degrees cooler than normal, despite a record-early high of 97 on May 19. It was the fourth drier-than-average month in a row for the region. [Capital Weather]

It’s Tuesday — Expect a sunny day with a high near 76 and a northeast wind of 5–8 mph. Skies stay mostly clear overnight with a low around 57. [NWS]

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