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Morning Notes

Published February 27, 2020 at 6:00AM | Updated March 11, 2020 at 11:13PM

Amazon Leases Former PBS Building — “Amazon.com Inc. is gobbling up more office space in Crystal City, signing a lease for another full building owned by frequent partner and current landlord JBG Smith Properties. The tech giant is now set to occupy another 272,000 square feet at 2100 Crystal Drive… The building is currently home to the Public Broadcasting Services’ headquarters, though the nonprofit announced plans last year to move to a different building within Crystal City.” [Washington Business Journal]

W-L vs. Wakefield in the Semis Tonight — “Having been blown out by the Yorktown Patriots a few days earlier, the Washington-Liberty Generals turned the tables on their Arlington rival, winning 66-61 Feb. 25 in a quarterfinal game of the 6D North Region boys high-school basketball tournament… Washington-Liberty will now face another big Arlington rival – the Wakefield Warriors (17-9) – in the Feb. 27 region semifinals at Wakefield at 7 p.m.” [InsideNova]

News

WETA Expansion, Studio Sale Expected to Move Forward This Spring

By ARLnow.com

Published February 26, 2020 at 3:55PM | Updated February 26, 2020 at 5:13PM

Rendering of planned expansion to WETA's building in Shirlington (via Arlington County)

Progress is being made on an expansion plan for public broadcaster WETA’s Shirlington offices.

The plan is to construct a four-story addition between the existing office building, at 3939 Campbell Avenue, and its above-ground parking garage. The 17,000 square foot addition would then house the WETA studios — and the approximately 130 employees, according to county documents — that produce the national PBS NewsHour broadcast.

Around Town

Video: Caps Star Nicklas Backstrom at Home in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Published February 26, 2020 at 3:05PM

Nicklas Backstrom is loving dad life in Arlington.

News

Redevelopment of Pike Shopping Center May Come as Early as Next Year

By ARLnow.com

Published February 26, 2020 at 11:50AM | Updated February 26, 2020 at 12:07PM

The Salsa Room on Columbia Pike (photo via Google Maps)

The Salsa Room is moving out next month, and other tenants are being put on short-term leases.

All signs point to the planned redevelopment of the Fillmore Gardens Shopping Center, on Columbia Pike just east of Walter Reed Drive and west of Penrose Square, starting soon.

Feature

Arlington Pet of the Week: Louie

By ARLnow.com

Published February 26, 2020 at 11:00AM

Arlington Pet of the Week Louie (photo courtesy of Margarita)

Arlington’s newest Pet of the Week is Louie, a 6 year old domestic short hair who always wears one of his many bow ties.

Here is what Louie’s owner had to say about his life here in Arlington:

News

Garvey Floats Potential of Tax Rate Cut

By ARLnow.com

Published February 26, 2020 at 9:00AM

The Arlington County Board voted yesterday to advertise a maximum tax rate that will, at most, keep the current rate steady.

The action comes amid rising property assessments that will buoy county coffers and help support County Manager Mark Schwartz’s proposed 2.9% increase in spending without a rate hike.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published February 26, 2020 at 7:30AM

Transit Union Gets Its Money Back from Dorsey — “Union verifies (to me, 5 minutes ago) that it has received [embattled County Board member Christian Dorsey’s] repayment of $10,000 campaign donation.” [Twitter]

Board Advances Reeves Farmhouse Plan — “The [Reeves] farmhouse will be preserved and protected as a historic site, the parkland around the house will stay as parkland, and the County will get much needed housing for people with developmental disabilities without our taxpayers footing the bill. It’s a win-win-win.” [Arlington County]

Schools

JUST IN: APS to Close for Super Tuesday Primary

By ARLnow.com

Published February 25, 2020 at 9:00PM | Updated February 27, 2020 at 2:06PM

Voting underway at Abingdon Elementary (staff file photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 9:15 p.m.) Arlington Public Schools will close next Tuesday, March 3, due to the primary elections.

The Super Tuesday primary in Virginia is expected to draw large crowds to the polls, as voters cast ballots for the Democratic presidential nomination. With 23 schools serving as polling places, and citing the “safety and security of APS students,” the school system said it has decided to cancel classes and instead make Tuesday a teacher work day.

News

County Wants to Link Three Major Crystal City Development Projects

By ARLnow.com

Published February 25, 2020 at 3:50PM

Rendering of the towers JBG Smith is proposing to build at 223 23rd Street S., as of 2019 (Image via Arlington County)

A trio of development projects in Crystal City may be linked together in an effort to maximize community benefits.

The Arlington County Board voted 4-0 over the weekend to advertise public hearings on a Phased Development Site Plan for three of JBG Smith’s raft of post-HQ2 proposed projects in the area.

News

ACPD Announces Convenience Store Robbery Arrest

By ARLnow.com

Published February 25, 2020 at 2:45PM

File photo

Arlington County Police say they’ve made an arrest following a convenience store robbery in the Shirlington area.

The 7-Eleven store on the 2800 block of S. Wakefield Street, just down the hill from the Fairlington neighborhood, was robbed around 6 a.m. on Saturday. Feb. 15. Police say a man paid for some merchandise, but then hopped the counter, assaulted the clerk and stole cash.

News

BREAKING: Man Accused of Trying to Blow Up Car in Pentagon Parking Lot

By ARLnow.com

Published February 25, 2020 at 9:55AM | Updated February 25, 2020 at 3:28PM

(Updated at 3:30 p.m.) A 19-year-old man from Arkansas has been charged with trying to blow up a car in the Pentagon parking lot Monday morning.

The charges, announced Tuesday afternoon, follow an extensive search yesterday involving numerous law enforcement agencies, including Arlington County Police, that resulted in the man being arrested in Arlington National Cemetery.

Traffic

TRAFFIC ALERT: WB Route 50 Blocked by Crash

By ARLnow.com

Published February 25, 2020 at 8:45AM

Route 50 blocked by crash

All lanes of westbound Route 50 are blocked at the crash-prone intersection with Park Drive in the Arlington Forest area.

The crash happened in rainy weather around 8:30 a.m. Traffic cameras show at least two vehicles that appear to be involved, including one in the middle of the westbound lanes — which firefighters are pushing off to the side.