Breakfast links: It’s a drill! It’s a dollop of soft-serve ice-cream! It’s… an Amazon HQ2 building in Pentagon City
The Helix, Amazon’s planned office building in Pentagon City by Amazon used with permission.
Amazon’s HQ2 will feature a funky tree-covered double helix-shaped building
Amazon has released initial plans for the “PenPlace” site, including a tree-covered corkscrew-shaped building called the Helix, green space, bike lanes and a bus platform. (Jo DeVoe / ARLNow)
Say goodbye to DC’s infamous Wendy’s
Plans to redesign the crash-prone intersection along New York Avenue NE, often called “Dave Thomas Circle,” are moving forward after the District seized the Wendy’s in the middle of the intersection using eminent domain. (Dana Hedgpeth / Post)
Maryland legislation could guarantee lawyers to people facing eviction
If you’re accused of a crime you have the right to a lawyer. If you’re being evicted? Not so much. Proposed Maryland legislation could change that by guaranteeing a right to counsel for low-income tenants. (Ally Schweitzer / DCist)
Ward 8 councilmember wants to declare a state of emergency on gun violence
After three teenagers were killed in the first month of the year, Councilmember Trayon White is calling for DC to declare a state of emergency due to gun violence. (Margaret Barthel / DCist. Tip: Chester B.)
Lost your backpack on Metro? They won’t hold on to it
Metro will no longer try to find owners for most items lost on trains and buses, keeping wallets and electronics but donating or auctioning other items instead as a cost-saving measure. (Jordan Pascale / DCist)
DC’s partial school reopening plan raises equity questions
Schools in wealthier neighborhoods of DC have more students opting to return to schools than poorerr ones, especially east of the Anacostia river, highlighting the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on Black families. (Perry Stein / Post)
People in DC shelters are set to be vaccinated
DC’s low-barrier shelters plan to begin vaccinating people experiencing homelessness against COVID-19, though the rollout was delayed due to the snow. (Kaela Roeder / Street Sense Media)
The long-ago proposal to turn the Reflecting Pool into a skating rink
Long ago, people could ice skate on the Lincoln Memorial’s Reflecting Pool, and a 1964 proposal would have created a permanent ice rink each winter. Alas… these days, if it’s cold enough to skate, you’ll get chased away. (Martin Austermuhle / DCist)
Have a tip for the links? Submit it here.