Morning Notes

IRS to Roll Out Free Tax Filing Website — “The IRS’s new Direct File website, a free site for filing a tax return, will open to the public in the coming days, the IRS announced Wednesday. But anyone who hopes to be among the first to use it will have to get lucky and check the website during limited and unannounced windows at the outset.” [Washington Post]

Tysons-Based Hilton Named in Hotel Price-Fixing Lawsuit — “A lawsuit alleging a group of hotel operators artificially increased the price of luxury hotel rooms with the help of a shared database has named industry titans Hilton Worldwide Holdings and Hyatt Hotels Corp. among a list of defendants.” [Bisnow]

Piglets Born at Frying Pan Farm — While still in mourning for its longtime draft horse Charlie, Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon recently welcomed some new animals. “Baby Pigs! Looks like the Groundhog was right because it feels like spring here at Frying Pan Farm Park. The barn has new #piglets! Bring the family for a stroll around the farm and say hi to the cuties!” [Fairfax County Park Authority/Twitter]

Virginia Governor Joins Anti-Abortion Rally — “Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, both Republicans, joined thousands of Virginia activists Wednesday for an annual anti-abortion demonstration, where attendees denounced Democratic lawmakers who have blocked proposed restrictions since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.” [Associated Press/WTOP]

Longtime McLean Resident Turns 104 — “Friends, family, Kenyan drummers, neighborhood Fairfax County firefighters and staff at Lewinsville Adult Day Health Care in McLean gathered there recently to wish Serah Wankijiku Mbugua a very special happy 104th birthday. Born in rural Kenya on Jan. 1, 1920, Mbugua — whom everyone at Lewinsville calls ‘Mama Serah’ — has been a Lewinsville participant for 10 years.” [Neighborhood and Community Services]

Reston Hospital Announces New CEO — “Nathan Vooys, who served for the last three years as the chief executive officer of StoneSprings Hospital Center in Dulles, was named the new CEO at Reston Hospital Center. He will begin serving in that role on March 4.” [Patch]

McLean Polo Players Compete for National Trophy — Two athletes from McLean were among 10 players from Capital Water Polo, a team based at The St. James in Springfield, “selected by the USA Water Polo Olympic Development Program (ODP) to play…at the national-championship tournament in Chicago in mid-March. This is the highest number of players Capital Water Polo has ever sent to nationals.” [Gazette Leader]

Flying Squirrel Spotted Near Fairfax City — “A flying squirrel was recorded early Wednesday morning by the Ring camera, as it visited the home of a Patch reporter who lives just north of Fairfax City…This was the first time in 2024 that the family’s Ring camera captured an image of a flying squirrel, which is a nocturnal animal. The squirrel was spotted twice in previous years, including a short stop on the family’s windowsill.” [Patch]

It’s Thursday — Expect a mostly cloudy day with a high near 54, accompanied by a south wind blowing at 6-11 mph and gusts reaching up to 18 mph. Rain is likely at night, mostly after 1 am, as temperatures drop to a low around 47. The chance of precipitation is 60%, with potential for less than a tenth of an inch of new rainfall. [Weather.gov]