National Mall Scare; Husband Killed, Wife Charged; Fatal Train Strike: News Nearby

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

• Truck Parked on National Mall, Driver Thought He Found Anthrax
• Wife Charged with Murder in Vienna Area
• Springfield Teen Struck, Killed by Train Monday Night

Pick-Your-Own Strawberries in Northern Virginia

With all this rain, it's sure to be helping whatever is in season at some of the farms within driving distance, where you can pick-your-own fruit. May is strawberry-picking season in Northern Virginia and many area farms are opening up to visitors. With sunnier weather surely on the horizon, start planning your options at these farms within a 60 to 90 minute drive. >>> Read more.

Bill Backer, Inspiration for 'Mad Men,' Dies in Warrenton

Bill Backer, the man who inspired the AMC hit series "Mad Men" and taught "the world to sing" in a famous 1971 Coca-Cola commercial, has died in Warrenton, Va. He was 89.

Backer's iconic Coke commercial appeared in the series finale of Mad Men as an homage to the man who inspired the period drama about the wild world of advertising in the 1960s. >>> Read more.

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• Body Found in Centreville Pond, Foul Play Not Suspected
• It’s Official: Scalia Is New Name of GMU Law School
• Florida Firm Buys Market Common in Clarendon for $406 Million
• Victim Shot During Attempted Robbery in Kingstowne: Police

• Congressional Candidate Posts Screenshot With Porn Tabs Open
• 2 Dead After 5 Shootings Rock the District
• Missing Teen, 14, Last Seen Monday Night: Police
• Alexandria Police Foundation Donates K-9 Vest to French Police
• Police: Woman Arrested for Stabbing Juvenile Male