• Virginia voters passed the redistricting amendment, but the fight moves to the courts. Democrats claimed victory Tuesday, but Republicans are pressing the Virginia Supreme Court to strike down the new congressional maps before they take effect. The legal battle starts now. WTOP on the court fight

• Fairfax County backed the amendment almost everywhere. Only four precincts voted against it. The rest of the county supported the constitutional change, giving Democrats a cleaner sweep locally than statewide. FFXnow on Fairfax precinct results

• The national stakes are real. Virginia's new maps factor into Democrats' broader effort to compete in the national redistricting war. Republicans are not conceding the outcome to a ballot box. WTOP on the national picture

• Prince William County schools get their full funding back. The Board of Supervisors voted to restore complete funding to the school system after an earlier budget dispute. Students and staff get the full allocation. WTOP on the Prince William vote

• Fairfax housing advocates push the county to treat funding as investment, not charity. Supporters of affordable housing programs told county leaders that long-term fiscal health depends on building more housing now. The argument: underfunding today costs more later. FFXnow on housing funding

• A man on a scooter sexually assaulted four women in Woodbridge. Prince William County police are investigating the attacks. The suspect approached victims while riding the scooter. Police are asking anyone with information to come forward. WTOP on the Woodbridge assaults

• A D.C. car theft ring stole more than 100 vehicles and shipped some to Africa. Officials announced arrests in the case. The ring operated across the region, and NoVA residents were among those targeted. Washington Post on the theft ring

• The old Saks Fifth Avenue at Tysons Galleria is eyeing a new life as a fitness center. Onelife Fitness is in talks to take over the closing store's space. A gym replacing a luxury department store is a very 2026 retail story. FFXnow on the Tysons Galleria space

• Huey Magoo's Chicken Tenders locks in its first Northern Virginia location in Herndon. The southern chain is coming to NoVA. No opening date yet, but the lease is signed. The Burn on Huey Magoo's

• Los Brothers Restaurant opens in Sterling with a Latin-American menu. The soft opening is underway at Parc City Center off Route 7. The concept bills itself as "unique American cuisine with a Latin flair." The Burn on Los Brothers

• A softball training facility is expanding into Springfield. SixFour3 Fairfax is undergoing renovations at its new West Springfield location. Youth and competitive softball players in the area get more dedicated training space. FFXnow on SixFour3

• Temperatures climb near 80 today and Friday. Enjoy it; rain chances return this weekend. Capital Weather Gang

• The DC region's air quality is improving overall, but ozone smog still hits unhealthy levels. The American Lung Association flagged the DC metro in its latest report. WTOP on air quality

• The third annual NoVA+ Bookstore Crawl kicks off Saturday. Several Fairfax County indie bookstores are participating, including Scrawl Books in Reston. FFXnow on the bookstore crawl

• Loudoun's Environmental Commission named its 2026 Environmental Excellence Award winners. Loudoun County announcement

• 33 new firefighter/EMTs graduated from Loudoun County Fire and Rescue's Recruit Academy. Loudoun Fire and Rescue

• Bruster's Ice Cream opened its latest Loudoun location this week. Timing is impeccable. The Burn on Bruster's

• An Arlington pub just earned the title of best soccer bar in the United States. World Cup year incoming. Secret DC on the Arlington bar

NoVA woke up Wednesday knowing it voted one way on redistricting and is now watching lawyers argue about whether that vote sticks. The weather is warm, the chicken tenders are coming, and the courts are busy. Cautiously optimistic with a side of legal uncertainty.

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