News | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published February 4, 2020 at 6:00AM | Updated March 11, 2020 at 11:13PM

No Coronavirus in N. Va. So Far — “UPDATE: Tests came back negative on a second Northern Virginia resident suspected of having the novel coronavirus.” [Twitter]

HQ2 Search Was Intended to Extract Handouts — “When Elon Musk secured $1.3 billion from Nevada in 2014 to open a gigantic battery plant, Jeff Bezos noticed. In meetings, the Amazon.com Inc. chief expressed envy for how Musk had pitted five Western states against one another in a bidding war for thousands of manufacturing jobs; he wondered why Amazon was okay with accepting comparatively trifling incentives.” [Bloomberg]

Kabob Palace Threatens Legal Action Against ARLnow for Measles Report

By ARLnow.com

Published February 3, 2020 at 5:15PM | Updated March 11, 2020 at 11:13PM

Kabob Palace in Crystal City (photo via Google Maps)

Kabob Palace restaurant in Crystal City has sent a cease and desist letter to ARLnow, threatening legal action over an article that reported on a possible measles exposure there.

The article was published Friday evening, after Arlington County and the Virginia Dept. of Health issued press releases warning that a person with measles had traveled to a number of places in Northern Virginia, including the restaurant on the 2300 block of S. Eads Street.

One Arrested After Assault and Robbery in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com

Published February 3, 2020 at 3:50PM

A Pentagon City resident was attacked and robbed while walking back to his apartment early Saturday morning.

The incident happened around 3 a.m. Saturday, on the 400 block of 12th Street S. — which is home to a pair of high rise residential buildings and is a block away from Amazon’s future, under-construction HQ2.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published February 3, 2020 at 7:00AM | Updated February 3, 2020 at 9:57AM

Cristol Reacts to Lawmaker’s Arlington Suggestion — After another Republican state Senator suggested, jokingly, that Arlington and Alexandria go back to being part of D.C., Arlington’s state lawmakers and County Board member Katie Cristol were not amused. Cristol tweeted: “Hmmm, is it possible their grievance is that my diverse, progressive constituents are EXACTLY what it means to be a ‘Real Virginian’ in 2020?” [Twitter, Blue Virginia]

More on Planned Pentagon City Study — “County staff have been overwhelmed by a flood of new development applications in the area since Amazon announced its intentions to set up its second headquarters. And the sizes of some of those projects have been so large that staff have begun urging developers to be patient and wait for a revision of the area’s planning documents before pursuing them.” [Washington Business Journal]

JUST IN: Authorities Warn of Possible Measles Exposure in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Published January 31, 2020 at 6:30PM | Updated September 23, 2020 at 11:23AM

Kabob Palace in Crystal City (photo via Google Maps)

A person with measles might have exposed people to the disease at a local restaurant last weekend.

Arlington County and the Virginia Department of Health disclosed today that the measles patient visited Kabob Palace in Crystal City, at 2333 S. Eads Street, from about 9 p.m. Sunday to 1 a.m. Monday. The patient also spent time Dulles International Airport and sites in Fairfax County, including a hotel and Inova Fairfax Hospital.

JUST IN: Police Investigating Another Carjacking at Pentagon City Mall

By ARLnow.com

Published January 31, 2020 at 12:00PM

File photo

A spate of armed robberies at the Pentagon City mall parking garage is continuing.

Arlington County Police say a woman was carjacked by a man with a gun last night around 10:15 p.m. The approximate address given was that of the mall’s parking garage on Army Navy Drive.

Arlington’s Health Department Is Preparing for a Coronavirus Outbreak, Just in Case

By Vernon Miles

Published January 31, 2020 at 10:15AM | Updated September 23, 2020 at 11:23AM

Coronavirus (photo via CDC/Unsplash)

With the Virginia Health Department investigating a second possible case of coronavirus in Northern Virginia, Arlington County is preparing for the worst-case scenario: a local outbreak.

Kurt Larrick, assistant director of the Arlington County Department of Human Services, said in an email that the Arlington County Public Health Department is taking several steps to monitor the disease.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published January 31, 2020 at 7:30AM

Small Apartment Fire in Waverly Hills — “At approx 2 p.m. units were called to the 2000 blk of N. Woodrow St. Firefighters quickly extinguished fire in kitchen with minimal fire spread. Occupants escaped unharmed, not expected to be displaced. No firefighter injuries. Cause of the fire is under investigation.” [Twitter]

Parents Anxiously Waiting for APS Schedule — “Some Arlington parents are frustrated school leaders have not confirmed when school will start this fall. ‘We all like to plan ahead,’ said Arlington parent Meghan Thomas who is trying to plan her family’s summer travel and her kids sports schedule. ‘It is very frustrating not knowing right now what the August schedule is going to be.'” [WJLA]

County: Replacement of Bridges Lost in Last Year’s Flooding is Budget Dependent

By Vernon Miles

Published January 30, 2020 at 4:55PM

The return of several bridges lost in last summer’s flooding will depend on the upcoming Arlington County budget, officials tell ARLnow.

Arlington homes, businesses, parks and some infrastructure suffered significant damage last year during the July 8 flash flooding. Among the casualties of the storm were seven bridges in parks throughout Arlington.

VIDA Fitness Eyes March Opening in Ballston, 2021 Opening in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com

Published January 30, 2020 at 3:50PM

VIDA Fitness space under construction at 4040 Wilson Blvd

High-end D.C.-based fitness chain VIDA Fitness says its expansion into Arlington is just a couple of months away from coming to fruition.

VIDA announced today that it expects its new 29,000 square foot health club in Ballston to open in “mid to late March”

Police Investigating Armed Robbery of Cherrydale Business

By ARLnow.com

Published January 30, 2020 at 1:40PM | Updated January 30, 2020 at 2:54PM

Police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)

Arlington County Police are investigating an armed robbery that happened last night in Cherrydale.

The robbery happened around 9 p.m., on the 3500 block of Lee Highway, which is home to a Dunkin Donuts store. Police say a man armed with a gun forced an employee to open a register and stole cash.

ACFD Hosting Members of Saudi Fire Department

By ARLnow.com

Published January 30, 2020 at 10:40AM

A trio of representatives from a Saudi Arabian fire department will spend six weeks with Arlington County firefighters, learning how ACFD fights fires, manages personnel and investigates incidents.

The “cultural exchange” is being arranged by the International Association of Fire Chiefs, according to department spokesman Capt. Justin Tirelli. ACFD is one of a number of U.S. fire departments hosting firefighters from Saudi Aramco, the largely government-owned national oil company of Saudi Arabia.