Morning Notes

Turkey Earthquake Rescue Worker Shares Experience — “Dr. Murteza Shahkolahi has helped to pull survivors from the rubble several days after the quake first hit…Shahkolahi is with Virginia Task Force 1, the team from Fairfax County, Virginia, which gets deployed around the world to respond to natural disasters.” [WTOP]

Politicians Pitch Springfield for FBI HQ — “A bipartisan group of Virginia’s federal, state and local leaders met in Springfield Wednesday, calling on the General Services Administration to choose the 58 acres of federally-owned land at the GSA Franconia Warehouse Complex for the new FBI headquarters.” [Inside NoVA]

A Look Inside NOVA Wild, the New Reston Zoo — “The safari park reopened for the season last week. This Friday, visitors can enjoy a lights show called the Great Migration. There are other plans to revamp and upgrade parts of this place in the coming years.” [FOX5]

Tandoori Restaurant Arrives in Woodlawn — “The long-awaited Tandoori Kabob & Grill restaurant, located at Sacramento Center in the Woodlawn section of Alexandria, opened Feb. 3. The family-owned restaurant offers a variety of fresh, made-to-order meals, including Tandoor and grill specials, combination meat platters, curry, rice, vegetables, gyros, and bread, as well as appetizers, desserts and beverages.” [On the MoVe]

Franconia Park Gets Playground Upgrade — Manchester Lakes Park is getting a new playground, an approximately $150,000 project expected to finish construction by the end of March. With the existing playground at the end of its lifecycle, the Fairfax County Park Authority will install new equipment, do drainage work and update the park’s trails to meet accessibility standards. [FCPA]

Herndon Native Scores in Capitals Return — “A series of unexpected events led to Joe Snively skating on the Capitals’ third line for Tuesday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes and he responded by recording points on both their goals in a 3-2 loss. The 27-year-old…hadn’t appeared in an NHL game in nearly two months, but he proved to be a bright spot for a team tapping deep into its depth.” [WTOP]

Artwork Decorates Richmond Highway Shopping Centers — “In recent weeks, new artwork has been popping up along the Richmond Highway Corridor. At Mount Vernon Plaza in Hybla Valley, paintings of birds and plant life have begun adorning the facades of several buildings housing retail tenants.” [On the MoVe]

Hope for Marijuana Sales in Virginia Fizzles Again — “Partisan gridlock thwarted any movement on the issue last year, and 2023 looks unlikely to be any different. A Republican-led House panel defeated on Tuesday the Democrat-controlled Senate’s main surviving retail bill, which would have allowed sales to begin next year” [Associated Press]

Herndon Gym to Host Blood Drive — “Following last year’s nationwide drop in blood supplies, area blood banks are still working to replenish their supplies. Worldgate Athletic Club & Spa in Herndon wants to help…Worldgate is partnering with the INOVA Blood Donor Services to host a blood drive on Saturday, Feb. 25, from 12:30-4:30 p.m.” [Patch]

It’s Thursday — Light rain starting in the afternoon. High of 68 and low of 50. Sunrise at 7:00 am and sunset at 5:48 pm. [Weather.gov]