House at Wayne Avenue and Cedar Street in Silver Spring, Maryland. by Elvert Barnes licensed under Creative Commons.

A group of homeowners push back against desperately needed housing development in Montgomery County

Montgomery County faces a severe housing shortage. At the same time, citizen activists have leveraged the engagement process to fight hundreds of apartments and townhomes, delaying new housing developments and driving up housing costs.   (Ally Schweitzer / DCist)  

Amazon moves forward with HQ2

The proposal for Phase 2 of Amazon’s headquarters in Pentagon City is headed to Arlington’s County Board for review after a year of community engagement. This portion of the project will yield 3.2 million square feet of office space and about 95,000 square feet of retail, according to planners. Three bike lanes are also planned on the site.  (Jo DeVoe / ARLnow)  

A bill could tackle synthetic turf waste in Montgomery County

A bill that would track the implementation and disposal of synthetic turf is making its way through the Maryland General Assembly. The legislation would require turf and infill producers to file a report for any new installment after January 2023. This public record would make it more difficult for them to illegally dump or improperly dispose of the synthetic waste.   (Rosanne Skirble / Maryland Matters)  

Former DC officer involved in police car racing crash fined $350

A former police officer involved in a police cruiser race and subsequent crash last spring paid a $350 fine after pleading guilty to a reckless driving charge. Humias Khan pleaded guilty as part of a plea deal with the DC District Attorney’s office that required he pay a $100 fine and donate $250 to DC’s fund for victims of violent crimes, according to a report from the Post.   (Jack Moore / WTOP. Tip: Chester B.)  

Two festivals - and road closures - expected over the weekend

The Sakura Matsuri Japanese street festival returns this weekend, and the Cherry Blossom Parade is slated for Saturday. That also means road closures, according to DC police. During the festival from 7 pm Friday to 11:59 pm Sunday, parts of Pennsylvania and Constitution avenues and 4th and 6th streets NW will be closed. Several streets will also be closed to traffic for the parade scheduled from approximately 9 am to 6 pm. Saturday.   (Justin Wm. Moyer / Post)  

The aftermath of a January snowstorm on I-95 continues

Months after a January 3 snowstorm left thousands of commuters stranded along Interstate 95 in Virginia, the state’s Department of Transportation says it’s still in clean-up mode. VDOT officials say work is expected to continue through June as crews remove debris and trees that were cleared off the interstate and onto medians and road shoulders.   (Michelle Basch / WTOP)  

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