'Best 4th of July' List Includes D.C., Massive IKEA Recall, Metro Repairs Latest: News Nearby

Patch has 32 sites in communities in Va. and D.C. Here are some of our top posts from the past 24 hours.

• Is DC the Best Place for the 4th of July? You Might Be Surprised
• Best Places to Retire: Alexandria Ranks #2 in the Nation
• IKEA Recalls 29 Million Dressers After Child Deaths

Next Metro SafeTrack Surges to Choke Blue, Yellow Lines

The Metro's SafeTrack Surge #3 begins Tuesday, July 5 and will impact the commutes of Blue and Yellow line riders. SafeTrack accelerates three years of track repairs into less than a year by significantly expanding maintenance work.
During each surge, trains and platforms are expected to be extremely crowded during peak periods and customers may experience extended delays. Alternate travel options are encouraged. >>> Read more.

Easy Money: Armed Robber Grabs Unattended Cash Register

Investigators have released images of an armed robbery suspect who must have had a four-leaf clover in his pocket or a lucky rabbit's foot.
The man was able to walk off with a large cash register in what was supposed to be an overnight hold-up, except the cashier had stepped away to use the restroom. >>> Read more.

• Shooter Drives Victim to Hospital for Treatment: Police
• Teenager Bursts Into Arlington Home, Beats Homeowner Unconscious: Police
• Firefighters Scramble to Battle Shirlington Warehouse Fire
• Witnesses Sought in Hit-and-Run Crash that Injured Leesburg Bicyclist: Police

• Former DC Councilman Walter Fauntroy Released from Loudoun Jail
• Free Taxi Rides Offered to Stop Drunk Driving on July 4
• Man Disrobes at Springfield Store After Stealing Items: Police
• Police, Local Businesses Give Car to Leesburg Family

Photo: National Park Service