Driver Charged in Beltway Hit-and-Run — “A hit-and-run pursuit led to a crash and driver’s subsequent arrest in the Alexandria section of the Capital Beltway this morning (Thursday), Virginia State Police say. The crash shut down all southbound I-495 lanes near Van Dorn Street,” leading to rush-hour backups that reportedly extended as far as 12 miles. [ALXnow]

‘No Kings’ Protests Return Tomorrow — “The third national ‘No Kings’ protest is being held this Saturday starting at 10 AM. Among the more than 3,000 rallies and protests planned in all 50 states, a number will be held locally, including” one to the Washington Monument. Fairfax locations include Reston, Vienna, Fair Lakes, Fairfax City, Annandale, Burke, Franconia, Springfield and Fort Hunt. [Washingtonian]

Equal Pay Bill on Governor’s Desk — “For years, Sen. Jennifer Boysko has returned to the same piece of legislation, Virginia’s proposed Equal Pay Act, pushing it session after session through a divided state government, only to see it stall or fall to a veto.” Passed by the General Assembly last month along party lines, Senate Bill 215 would ban employers from asking for job applicants’ pay history and require them to advertise salary ranges in job postings, among other steps. [Virginia Mercury]

D.C. Region’s Population Growing — Despite slowing international migration, the D.C. region’s population grew by more than 50,000 people last year to an estimated 6.46 million, as of July 1, 2025, new U.S. Census Bureau data shows. The population has increased four years in a row now, with Fairfax County seeing a 0.7% uptick to 1,167,873 and Fairfax City growing by 2.82% to 26,772 people, the biggest gain in the region. [Washington Business Journal]

Nat Geo Museum Coming to D.C. — “D.C.’s most-anticipated new museum finally has an opening date: the National Geographic Museum of Exploration debuts June 26. The $300 million transformation of Nat Geo’s 140-year-old campus near downtown has been years in the making — and it’s not your typical museum.” [Axios DC]

Westfield Leads All-State Basketball Honors — “Westfield senior guard Jemon Price is the Virginia High School League’s Class 6 Boys Player of the Year, and Westfield head coach Kevin Harris is the Class 6 Coach of the Year.” With the Bulldogs since 2023, Harris led the team “to a 30-1 record and the school’s second state championship with a 48-44 win over Landstown in the finals” this winter. [Inside NoVA]

Cherry Blossoms Added to Springfield Lego Display — “From the Tidal Basin to Northern Virginia, cherry trees are showing off their pretty pink blossoms all around the region. And through April 30, you can see them in miniature at the Lego Discovery Center in Springfield.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

New Options Coming to Reston Food Hall — “Pop Salad and El Diez Mexican Bowls [are] coming to Reston’s Wonder location at 11690 Plaza America Drive on April 15.” As suggested by their names, the former serves full-sized salads, while the latter takes a similar fast-casual approach to Mexican rice bowls. [Patch]

It’s Friday — Expect rain throughout the day with temperatures dropping to 49°F by 5 pm and north winds up to 23 mph. An 80% chance of rain will dip to 60% in the evening, mainly before 7 pm, with skies turning partly cloudy overnight and a low of 33°F. [NWS]