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Morning Notes

Published March 15, 2019 at 7:30AM | Updated March 15, 2019 at 8:38AM

Baby Boy for Cristol — Arlington County Board member Katie Cristol gave birth to her first child, a baby boy, this past weekend. She plans to call in to Saturday’s County Board meeting and participate in the crucial Amazon incentive package vote. [Twitter]

Building Plans for Temporary Amazon Office — JBG Smith “submitted plans March 7 to make common area improvements throughout the 12-story, 221,000-square-foot [office building at] 1800 S. Bell St., to be leased in full by Amazon.” [Washington Business Journal]

Opinion

Letter to the Editor: Amazon is a Good Deal for Arlington, Chamber of Commerce Argues

By ARLnow.com

Published March 14, 2019 at 5:30PM | Updated March 14, 2019 at 10:21PM

The following Letter to the Editor was submitted by Arlington Chamber of Commerce President Kate Bates, who writes in support of passing the county’s incentive deals made to motivate Amazon to open its new headquarters in Crystal City and Pentagon City.

The Chamber is a non-profit which advocates for 750 county businesses and organizations, which includes Amazon as of December. The Chamber has written several letters to County Board members and the Virginia General Assembly over the last year in support of bringing Amazon to the region, and to urge officials to pass state and local tax incentives.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published March 14, 2019 at 7:30AM

Free Amazon Mugs at Northside Social — Amazon is partnering with Northside Social to give out free branded to-go tumblers this morning. [Instagram]

Kojo Explores the Amazon Effect — “We’ll look back on Seattle’s history with Amazon and discuss how our local governments can navigate their relationship with the company. Plus, we’ll hear from a policy researcher on how the DMV’s housing market will shift over the next two decades as Amazon gets settled in the region.” [Kojo Nnamdi Show]

Feature

Arlington Pet of the Week: Wingo

By ARLnow.com

Published March 13, 2019 at 12:45PM | Updated July 18, 2019 at 11:41AM

This week’s Arlington Pet of the Week is Wingo, a Chinese crested dog with a taste for paper products.

Here’s what his owner, Brook, had to say about him:

News

BREAKING: Man Electrocuted During Fall at Columbia Pike Apartment Building

By ARLnow.com

Published March 13, 2019 at 11:30AM | Updated March 13, 2019 at 12:31PM

(Updated at 12:30 p.m.) Police are on scene of an electrocution at the Dorchester Apartments on the 2000 block of Columbia Pike.

Police and medics were dispatched to the rear of the apartment community around 11:20 a.m. after multiple 911 callers reported that a man fell from a ladder or a rooftop and was electrocuted by nearby power lines.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published March 13, 2019 at 7:30AM

A construction crane in Courthouse (file photo)

More on Seven Corners Death Investigation — “Detectives from our Major Crimes Bureau are investigating after a body was found… in the 6100 block of Arlington Boulevard in Falls Church. Officers found a 49-year-old Hispanic man lying unresponsive in an alley near the intersection of Arlington Boulevard and Patrick Henry Drive.” [Fairfax County Police]

D.C. Area Adds Fewer Jobs Than Expected — “The Washington region added 35,300 jobs in 2018 based on data released yesterday from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 16,800 fewer jobs than indicated by the preliminary releases.” [George Mason University]

Around Town

Podcast: Washington Business Journal Editor-in-Chief Doug Fruehling

By ARLnow.com

Published March 12, 2019 at 9:10AM

As editor-in-chief, Fruehling has been overseeing WBJ’s coverage of Amazon’s forthcoming HQ2 in Arlington. On the latest 26 Square Miles podcast, Fruehling discussed the ramifications of Amazon coming to “National Landing” and how the subscription-based Business Journal has managed to expand its coverage in the face of news industry struggles.

Also discussed: WBJ’s hiring of current ARLnow editor Alex Koma.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published March 12, 2019 at 7:30AM | Updated March 12, 2019 at 10:25AM

Seven Corners Suspicious Death — Updated at 10:25 a.m. — Fairfax County Police are investigating a “suspicious death” on the 6100 block of Arlington Blvd in Seven Corners, near the Arlington border. That block is home to the Willston Centre shopping center, a McDonald’s, a hotel and a number of commercial offices. [Twitter, Twitter]

What’s Up With the ‘Psychedelic Tower?’ — “You’ve probably seen the tower if you’ve ever driven across the 14th Street Bridge… It’s a hexagonal, granite structure that sits about a third of the way down the bridge, closer to the Virginia side. By day, it doesn’t look like much. But by night, its windows light up like a gigantic kaleidoscope.” [WAMU]

Events

Help Us Toast Alex and Airey

By ARLnow.com

Published March 11, 2019 at 5:45PM

Alex’s goodbye party is being held Tuesday, March 12, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at Ireland’s Four Courts in Courthouse. It will double as a welcome party for ARLnow’s new managing editor, Airey.

Readers are invited to join us in the front bar area of Four Courts — look for the ARLnow sign — for this informal event. (You’re on your own for drinks and food.)

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published March 11, 2019 at 7:30AM

Residents Support HQ2 in Letters — “Many Arlingtonians want Amazon.com Inc. to set up HQ2 in Crystal City and Pentagon City — or at least that is what a slew of letters and emails to the [Arlington County Board] seems to indicate… ‘I would say the theme of the emails is: ‘Don’t blow it,” [Libby] Garvey said.” [Washington Business Journal]

Expect Fireworks at County Board Meeting — “Board Chair Christian Dorsey (D) said he has ‘no interest’ in postponing [this weekend’s Amazon] vote and has heard no suggestions to do so from other board members. He expects the measure to pass, but he also said anywhere from 100 to 400 speakers could show up for the public hearing before the vote.” [Washington Post]

News

Times are a Changin’ at ARLnow: Welcome Airey

By ARLnow.com

Published March 8, 2019 at 9:00AM

You might’ve noticed a new byline popping up here at ARLnow this week, and that’s because we have some big changes on the way.

Give a hearty Arlington welcome to Julia Airey, who is stepping in as the site’s lead reporter and editor. After roughly a year with ARLnow, Alex Koma is moving on to become a staff reporter with the Washington Business Journal.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published March 8, 2019 at 7:30AM | Updated March 8, 2019 at 9:36AM

Crash Closes Part of Parkway — A serious crash has closed the northbound lanes of the GW Parkway between the Daingerfield Island marina and I-395. A crash investigation is underway. [Twitter]

False Report Prompts Big Police Response — “At approximately 2:30 p.m. on March 6, police were dispatched to the report of a man brandishing a firearm in the lobby of” the Days Inn hotel on Arlington Blvd. “The investigation determined that no disturbance had occurred and that the reporting party allegedly had an ongoing dispute with the hotel over a refund. A warrant for Filing a False Police Report was obtained for the suspect.” [Arlington County]