• Arlington armed robberies: Police are investigating a series of armed robberies targeting local businesses — plural, recent, and still active. If you own or manage a shop in Arlington, this is worth a close read. ARLnow has the details

• Sewage spill watchdog gets his due: The advocate who first raised the alarm on a Potomac sewage spill has a long track record of river stewardship — a good reminder that local watchdogs often do the work before anyone else notices. ARLnow profiles him here

• Arlington floats a tax bump: The County Board has advertised a 2-cent increase to the real estate tax rate. It's not final — advertising the rate just opens the door — but it signals where the budget conversation is headed. ARLnow breaks it down

• Fairfax chases federal dollars: The county secured federal funds for a Springfield road safety initiative, a crisis facility, and more — notable given how competitive (and uncertain) federal grant pipelines have become lately. FFXnow has the rundown

• Fairfax thinks smaller on transportation: County staff are recalibrating their strategy for winning Virginia transportation dollars — pitching more modest, targeted projects rather than big-ticket asks. Sometimes the smarter play is the quieter one. FFXnow reports

• Loudoun's Oak Hill moment: The Virginia House budget includes Oak Hill as a state park — and asks Loudoun to chip in an additional $5M. The county's open-space advocates will cheer; the budget hawks will have questions. Loudoun Now has the story

• Loudoun Sheriff pitches school SROs: At a town hall, the Sheriff laid out plans to place School Resource Officers in elementary schools. Expect this one to generate community debate well beyond the meeting room. Loudoun Now covers the pitch

• Purcellville recall trial delayed: The recall trial for Purcellville's Vice Mayor has been pushed back. No resolution yet on a saga that's been simmering in western Loudoun for a while. Loudoun Now has the update

• FCPS weighs bus service for boundary-displaced students: As new school attendance boundaries take effect, Fairfax County Public Schools is considering limited bus service for students who end up outside their old zones. A practical wrinkle in a complicated redistricting picture. FFXnow reports

• Fort Belvoir training exercise today: If you're near the base and hear what sounds like gunfire — don't panic. Fort Belvoir scheduled a training exercise with simulated gunfire for today. Good heads-up to have before the weekend. FFXnow flagged it

• Car flips near East Falls Church Metro: A driver was trapped after a vehicle flipped in a crash near the East Falls Church Metro station Thursday. A jarring end to the commute for everyone nearby. ARLnow covered the incident

• Arlington's mail woes (slowly) improving: USPS says delivery is getting better in North Arlington as it works through a backlog and ramps up hiring. "Getting better" is doing a lot of work in that sentence — but it's movement. ARLnow has the update

• Arlington rents: down year-over-year, up month-over-month: The dual-headline rent situation continues. Whether you read it as good news or a warning sign probably depends on which side of a lease you're on. ARLnow's rent report

• The Sun vs. ARLnow: A local outlet called The Sun quietly revised an article that ARLnow says closely mirrored its own reporting. The changes came after ARLnow flagged the issue. Local journalism ethics, in real time. ARLnow's account

• McLean mixed-use moves forward: A proposal for a new mixed-use development in the center of McLean is advancing. McLean's commercial core has been a slow-burn redevelopment story — this is another chapter. FFXnow has the details

• Merrifield office park going residential: Over 100 townhomes are proposed for the first phase of redeveloping a Merrifield office park. The office-to-residential conversion trend continues to reshape inner Fairfax. FFXnow reports

• Farmers market coming near Reston Town Center Metro: A large-scale farmers market is set to open near the Reston Town Center Metro station. Transit-adjacent fresh produce — not a bad combination. FFXnow has the story

• VHC Health scores a $3M training facility: A couple's $3 million donation is funding a new training facility at VHC Health in Arlington. A significant philanthropic investment in local healthcare infrastructure. ARLnow reports

• Code Ninjas is coming to Lee Harrison: A kids' programming "dojo" is planned for the Lee Harrison Shopping Center in Arlington. ARLnow
• Housing Expo heads to Fairfax: The 16th Northern Virginia Housing Expo comes to Fairfax for the first time on March 7. FFXnow
• Loudoun behavioral health training: The county is offering free behavioral health training sessions in March. Loudoun County announcement
• Arlington parties gear up for 2026: Both political parties in Arlington are organizing for what looks like a busy election year. ARLnow

NoVA is heading into the weekend with a lot of moving pieces — budget pressures, development decisions, and a few public safety concerns that haven't fully resolved. The vibe is less "Friday relief" and more "a lot to watch next week."

Thanks for reading The NoVA Signal. Have a good weekend — you've earned it.

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