Morning Notes

South Lakes HS Wins State Basketball Title — South Lakes High School’s varsity boys team handily defeated Patriot High School 65-39 on Saturday (March 9) to win the Class 6 state boys basketball championship. The Seahawks won with a “stellar supporting cast” led by junior guard Jordan Scott, who scored a game-high 23 points. [Washington Post, Inside NoVA]

Virginia’s Prison Population Drops — “Virginia’s prison population shrank 10.5% between 2021 and 2022, per the latest Justice Department data…That’s the greatest decline of any state during a period when the U.S. was seeing its prison population increase for the first time in nearly a decade.” [Axios Richmond]

Justice HS Searches for New Principal — “Fairfax County Public Schools has begun the process of finding a new principal for Justice High School, following the announcement that Tiffany Narcisse is leaving. FCPS Region 2 Assistant Superintendent Megan Vroman will host a virtual meeting for staff and community members on Tuesday, March 12, at 6 p.m., to discuss the hiring process and answer questions.” [Annandale Today]

Elected Representatives Highlight Legislative Wins — “Several members of the U.S. Congress and Virginia General Assembly who represent local districts recently highlighted their legislative successes,” including funding for a “Mason Neck Trail — Northern Segment” project in Lorton and a bill signed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin that codifies the right of LGBTQ Virginians to marry. [On the MoVe]

Former Congressman Buys McLean Mansion — “A former Missouri congressman who made the successful leap to lobbyist life recently plunked down $2.95 million for a 10,000-square-foot McLean mansion. Alan Wheat, chairman of D.C.-based Wheat Shroyer Government Relations, acquired a seven-bedroom, 10-bath home on Alvermar Ridge Drive in late February.” [Washington Business Journal]

Area Restaurants Offer Special Meals for Ramadan — “Ramadan just began and several D.C. restaurants are serving special meals” through April 9, including Fava Pot in the Shops at West Falls Church. Ticketed dinners at Joon in Tysons and the Marriott in West Falls Church will, respectively, raise money to help Syrians in need and provide aid in Gaza. [Axios DC]

Reston Association Corrects Board Candidate Statements — “Reston Association Elections Committee Chair Ed Abbott today issued a statement regarding candidate profiles in the current 2024 Board of Directors Election.” A sentence in one profile “was inadvertently omitted in candidate information that was sent to RA voters in their ballot packets,” Abbott said. [RA]

Meet Dulles Airport Security Dogs — “Airport security dogs play a vital role in maintaining the safety and security of airports everywhere, including at Dulles International Airport in Virginia. They have a remarkable sense of smell, allowing them to sniff out even the faintest traces of explosives, narcotics or other prohibited substances.” [WTOP]

It’s Tuesday — Expect sunshine and a high around 68 degrees, accompanied by west winds ranging from 9 to 14 mph and gusts reaching 22 mph. Tuesday night will be partly cloudy with a low near 45 degrees, as west winds decrease to 3 to 6 mph. [Weather.gov]