Morning Notes

Developer Suggests Combining Casino and Arena — “With Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s plan to build a $2 billion arena in Alexandria for the Washington Capitals and Wizards in jeopardy, three political and business figures have been pitching an unlikely Hail Mary: an idea to pair the sports arena with a new casino in Fairfax County…The idea has been flatly rejected by Youngkin (R) and the teams’ owner, Monumental Sports & Entertainment.” [Washington Post]

No Injuries in Transformer Fire Near NRA HQ — “Just after 7am [Saturday] morning #FCFRD and City of Fairfax Fire Department responded to the 11200 Blk of Waples Mill Rd for a reported building fire. Firefighters arrived on the scene to find an outside transformer on fire. Crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire preventing any exposure to the building.” [FCFRD/Facebook]

Arrest Made in Online Scam of Vienna Resident — “On August 14, 2023, a citizen reported that he was defrauded out of almost $1 million during an online scam that unfolded over several years. A subsequent investigation by police revealed that a Maryland man was involved in the scheme, which aimed to deceive the victim into believing that they were assisting someone in distress.” The Hyattsville man was arrested on March 19. [Vienna Police]

Virginia Makes To-Go Cocktails Permanently Legal — “Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signed sixty bills on Wednesday, including one that permanently allows the sale of cocktails to-go in the Commonwealth. To-go cocktails were temporarily allowed during the COVID-19 pandemic but were set to expire as of July 1.” [WUSA9]

Vienna-Based Credit Union Seeks Dismissal of Lawsuit — Navy Federal Credit Union said last week that an “external review…found no race-based decision making in our mortgage underwriting,” attributing differences in approval rates to “legitimate, non-race factors.” The same day the review’s conclusion was announced, the firm that’s defending the credit union filed a motion to dismiss in a class-action lawsuit alleging racial discrimination. [CNN]

County Appoints New Environmental Office Leader — “John Morrill has been appointed director of the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination (OEEC), effective immediately. Morrill brings over 30 years of experience in energy and environmental issues and has served as acting director of the OEEC since March 2023.” [Fairfax County Government]

Park Authority Plans Solar Eclipse Events — The Fairfax County Park Authority “has prepared extraordinary eclipse viewing activities at locations throughout the county on Monday, April 8. Join us for a safe viewing experience that will include both pre- and post-eclipse activities, games and demonstrations.” [FCPA]

Reston Player to Compete in Pickleball Championships — Mani Vaghedi will soon “compete on a national stage after being selected as one of 3,000+ amateur and professional pickleball players who will gather in Naples, Fla., from April 13-20 to compete in the largest and most prestigious pickleball tournament in the world — the 2024 Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships.” [Fairfax County Times]

It’s Monday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 56 accompanied by a northeast wind at about 8 mph. As the night approaches, the skies will turn partly cloudy and the temperature will drop to around 38, with an east wind at 6 mph. [NWS]