Carl’s Corner

What’s up everybody. 77% of you said you really enjoyed my short write-up last week, so my boss let me do another one today.

(my condolences to the other 23%)

Let’s get to it.

— Carl 🥤| Intern @ Just Outside D.C.

THE BIG IDEA

Breaking down Virginia’s new budget deal.

After months of back-and-forth, there’s finally been some middle ground regarding the new budget deal.

Here’s what went down:

• The proposed digital sales tax on streaming and downloads is done for. It might come back up in the future, but for now lawmakers are gonna miss out on the $1 billion dollars in revenue this tax would have generated over the next two years.

• Governor Youngkin vetoed more than 150 bills — including the legalization of retail sales for recreational marijuana and a fifteen dollar minimum wage by 2026.

And that’s just the stuff that actually went through. There’s still a ton of proposals on the docket which haven’t seen any action yet. You can read more about it here.

That’s all I got for ya today.

If you liked this one, let my boss know by using the poll at the bottom of post (I still really need this job).

Who knows, maybe if enough people like this one, I can see all your beautiful faces again next week.

Bulletin Board 📌 

Reader Restaurant Recommendation: One of our readers, Emmett, recommends you guys check out Andy’s Pizza — a staple of the DMV area.

Fun fact: Andy’s cheese pizza won the first-place gold at the International Pizza Expo back in 2021.

If you want us to give you and your favorite NoVA restaurant a shout out in the newsletter, just fill out this form :) 

QUICK HITS 

• It’s officially strawberry season. Check out these strawberry festivals happening this weekend in Bluemont as well as in Hamilton 🍓 

• $24,000 of Victoria’s Secret lingerie was stolen in Prince William County. The suspects were caught by police at Tysons Corner Center.

• George Mason University is increasing tuition costs by 3 percent for next year.

• Dulles Airport is seeing record levels of international traffic since the pandemic.

• A new pickleball facility is coming to Manassas sometime next month.

• Taste of NoVA kicks off on Sunday.

LIVE EVENT LOWDOWN

• Cirque du Soleil is at EagleBank Arena until the 25th.

• Old Town Festival of Speed & Style | Alexandria’s free high-octane event is back for it’s ninth year of celebrating the speed and performance of exotic cars.

• Big Screen on the Green | enjoy a family-friendly outdoor screening of Back to the Future! Food trucks and free kids activities will be there as well.

• McLean Day 2024 | the annual festival is back with a weekend full of music, magic, carnival rides and more. More than 10,000 people are expected to come.

• Tephra Arts Festival | over 200 artists and artisans from across the country will be at Reston Town Center this weekend.

• Friday Night Live continues the DC area’s best free outdoor concert series tomorrow.

• BrewWorks Festival | the Workhouse in Lorton is hosting an afternoon of craft beers, food trucks, music, and lawn games on Saturday.

• Asian Festival on Main | this is a one-day, outdoor, family event back for the fourth year this weekend in Old Town Fairfax City.

• Lucketts Spring Market | the wildly popular NOVA event celebrates its 24th year of live music, beer gardens, and over 200 vintage hip vendors all throughout this weekend.

• Frühlingsfest is back for year three. Come enjoy a Saturday full of fresh springtime brews.

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