• Five armed men robbed a Langston Blvd jewelry store in broad daylight. The Friday afternoon stickup hit Sonia Jewelers, a nearly 40-year-old South Asian gold specialist near the Arlington-Falls Church line. ACPD is still hunting the suspects, at least two of whom flashed guns. ACPD investigation
• GW Parkway's long-running construction headache is finally done. NPS wrapped years of rehab work on the busy stretch of the northern end of the parkway between the Capital Beltway and Spout Run, with fresh pavement, drainage fixes, and rebuilt walls. Commuters get their shoulders and patience back. WTOP on the project
• Copperheads are showing up early this year. Wildlife experts say the venomous snakes are turning up around DC-area yards weeks ahead of schedule, thanks to the warm spring. Check the mulch beds before you reach in. WTOP wildlife report

• Arlington's gas-powered leaf blower ban heads to a key vote Saturday. This Saturday, the County Board will set a public hearing for next month, but the phase-in timeline is still up in the air. Landscapers and quiet-yard advocates are both watching closely. ARLnow on the vote
• Congress just rewrote the student loan playbook. The federal overhaul caps how much students can borrow and scraps existing repayment plans, a big deal for the region's heavy grad-school population. Expect financial aid offices to spend the summer translating. WTOP breakdown

• BASH Boxing is shutting down all three NoVA studios on June 21. The Arlington-based chain told members by email it's closing Ballston, Rosslyn, and Mosaic District locations later this month. Memberships and class packs are about to need new homes. ARLnow on the closures
• Dogfish Head Alehouse targets October for its Reston Town Center debut. The Delaware beer brand is finalizing its build-out at the high-traffic mixed-use center. Reston's restaurant row keeps stacking national names. FFXnow on the opening
• Biryani Grill is heading to Leesburg. The growing Indian chain grabbed a 2,900-square-foot space at Village at Leesburg, replacing another Indian concept. Loudoun's South Asian dining scene keeps expanding fast. The Burn report

• Virginia Tech's advice for your dying lawn: do almost nothing. With drought conditions baking the region, an extension expert says mowing high, skipping fertilizer, and letting grass go dormant beats throwing water at it. Your HOA may disagree. WTOP on lawn care
• A new documentary revisits a 1944 NoVA civil rights protest few people know about. Howard University students challenged Virginia's Jim Crow bus law at what's now Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, and NOVA Parks just unveiled a plaque honoring them. The film premieres alongside renewed local interest in the site. FFXnow on the documentary

• Heather Williams of Wakefield High School, an Arlington high school nurse, was named Virginia's Nurse of the Year. WTOP
• Loudoun hosts a free electronics recycling event Saturday, June 13. Loudoun County
• Design public hearing for the Franklin Park to Purcellville Trail is set for June 25. Loudoun County
• Flore Café in Tysons launched a "Summer in Provence" high tea through the season. FFXnow
• A $12 million McLean estate with Potomac views just hit the market. Arlington Magazine
• Arlington's track-and-field squads racked up medals at the state meet. ARLnow

Heat, drought, and a creeping sense that summer arrived two weeks early. NoVA is bracing for a long, dry season with snakes in the yard and construction (mostly) behind us.

That's the signal. See you tomorrow.

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