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New manhole cover (image via City of Alexandria)

New manhole inserts aren’t normally notable or a cause for celebration, but they are in several Alexandria neighborhoods where they could help prevent flooding.

The City of Alexandria announced today that it will be installing 870 stainless steel manhole covers in the Four Mile Run, Commonwealth and Taylor Run sewer sheds.

“These inserts will help prevent stormwater runoff from entering sanitary sewer manholes during wet weather,” the city said in a release.

The release said the inserts sit on top of the manhole, directly underneath the cover, and have holes that slowly drain accumulated stormwater into the sewer after the storm ends.

“Manhole inserts are one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce inflow into the sanitary sewer system,” the release said. “Inflow into sanitary sewers can overwhelm the capacity of the sewer system, which can lead to sewer backups in basements.”

The installations started in February and will continue through the end of June.

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The final touches are being made to Alexandria City High School’s expansion of its Minnie Howard Campus.

The five-story, $174 million high school project is on-budget and on-track for “substantial completion this spring,” according to an Alexandria City Public School staff report that will be presented to the School Board on Thursday.

“Construction of the new Minnie Howard building has been ongoing since the spring of 2022 and is on track to be substantially completed this spring for occupancy in August 2024,” staff wrote.

The 1,600-student school, which nearly doubled in its capacity, will feature an aquatics facility and expanded career and technical education (CTE) lab spaces for “potential new offerings in game design/development, robotics, emergency medical sciences, cyber security, (and) firefighting,” according to ACPS.

Staff also reported that construction the gymnasium and auxiliary gym are complete, that furniture is being moved in and that interior finishing touches are being made.

Next steps for the project include inspection by the Health Department and getting a final occupancy permit.

Construction update on Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard Campus, March 2024 (via ACPS)
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Alexandria City Hall (staff photo by James Cullum)

As Alexandria’s City Council works through a tight budget year, one of the big items infrastructure pieces looming over the city is the $110.2 million renovation of City Hall.

The renovation was brought up as an item that could be delayed at a recent budget meeting, but over time repeated deferrals — and an expansion in scope — have made the much-needed renovation more and more expensive.

“The renovation of City Hall has been deferred five times,” Giovonny Bland, from the city’s Office of Communications, told ALXnow, “moving the main renovation/construction period from FY 2015 to FY 2025.”

A decade ago, the city balked at a $50 million renovation of City Hall, and there was a minor controversy over a comment from then-Mayor Bill Euille over the possibility of financing the renovations by leasing out space in the building. Euille’s opponents in the mayoral election attacked Euille for considering ‘selling city hall’ and Euille eventually walked back the comments, saying he was considering every option.

Since then, City Hall has continued to deteriorate, getting F ratings on a new facility report in 2022, described in the Joint Facilities Master Plan Roadmap as “functionally obsolete.”

“The cost has increased over time, however, the scope of the project has also changed from an HVAC-only replacement to a full renovation of the facility,” Bland said. “The full renovation scope started in the Approved FY 2015–FY 2024 CIP and the budgeted cost at that time was $47.5 million. It has since increased to $110.2 million.”

Last year, the city added the replacement of the Market Square parking garage and the redesign of Market Square to the project.

There is $93.4 million set aside for the renovation of City Hall and the Market Square Garage in the City Manager’s proposed FY 2026 Capital Budget.

According to the City Budget (page 193):

This project was initiated with the purpose of replacing the outdated and past their life cycle heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems (HVAC), life safety systems and perform any necessary structural repairs. This work requires the demolition of the ceilings and lighting, and disruption of the HVAC and life safety systems in the work areas, therefore requiring the temporary relocation of the employees to a swing space for the duration of the work. Since the HVAC, life safety and structural work will have a significant impact in disrupting the workspace and building operations, and requiring the expense of temporary swing spaces, it is reasonable to be performed at the same time with the newly proposed space planning and space reconfiguration.

The budget item says the goal of the project is to create a modern and energy-efficient building with environmentally friendly systems.

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What do I do if school doesn’t fit my kid?

That’s the question that so many of the parents and families ask when they’re looking at small independent schools like The Howard Gardner School. There are any number of reasons that their current school might not fit.  

  • “My son is surviving, but they definitely aren’t thriving” 
  • “My daughter stopped doing gymnastics, and doesn’t ride horses anymore. She just does schoolwork.”
  • “I don’t think the school ever really ‘got’ my kid… they’re just different”

These are quotes pulled from parents looking at HGS this year. Our families are a diverse group from all different backgrounds. Our students are just as varied with all kinds of reasons for being at The Howard Gardner School. The common thread is that school wasn’t working.

When school — as we think of it now — was invented, in the 1800s, it was in answer to the industrial revolution. Desks in rows and columns, classrooms with the same number of students as factories had workers in each shift. Even a curriculum contained by four walls and a textbook, set to a standardized approach for a standardized set of goals.  

A few things have changed in the last two hundred years  

Public school in the United States was and is a ground-breaking, crucial program with an audacious mandate: Educate every single citizen of the most diverse nation in the history of the world. Public educators are dedicated professionals seeking to do just that — but the mandate is virtually impossible. What works for one student might be antithetical to the needs of another. What makes one kid excited might make another kid anxious. As a result, typical schools seek to do the most that they can for as many students as they can. It’s a laudable and practical approach to a truly difficult circumstance.

But what if your kid doesn’t fit?

The parents, families, and kids who are exploring The Howard Gardner School are obviously considering a new school setting. It’s a wonderful truth that this region has an incredible array of top tier public and private schools. In particular, this area’s set of intentionally small schools is truly impressive. The Washington Small Schools Association and the Virginia Small Schools Association can provide interested families with information and ideas about how to find a school that fits. 

In fact, the admissions staff at these small schools will take the time and effort to help each individual student find and access the best possible fit for them. Because each small school can be a different place — with programs, teachers, even campuses that fit different kinds of kids.  

At The Howard Gardner School, we work with a very small number of students, in very small classes, designed around experiential programming. For instance, we take thirty-six field trips per year. Our students have multiple overnight travel opportunities each school year. And because of the needs of the teenage brain, we start the school day at 10 a.m. If sitting at a desk for eight hours a day, or slogging through another two hours of homework at night isn’t the right fit for your kid, HGS could help you find a better one.

Our mission here at The Howard Gardner School is to help bright, creative, non-traditional students use their unique strengths to thrive academically, intellectually, and emotionally. 

Please check out our website at www.TheHowardGardnerSchool.org, and call or email to learn more about how to find the best fit for your kid.

There is a place where each young person can find their fit and thrive. The process is a bit like being in a dark room — the hard part isn’t turning on the light, it’s finding the switch.

The Howard Gardner School
Serving bright, creative, non-traditional learners in grades 6-12
Alexandria, VA & Sterling, VA
703-822-9300

ShawnMikael[s] and Friends

For their first show at the hallowed Galatic Panther in Old Town Alexandria, ShawnMikael[s] is inviting a bevy of brilliantly funny and field-tested stand-up and improv talent, including some veteran improv performers who were part of this year’s winning team

Line 104 (image via City of Alexandria)

Rosemont, Parkfairfax, and North Ridge residents could get the short end of the stick as DASH looks to scale back bus service in those neighborhoods.

A memo from Martin Barna, director of Planning and Scheduling for DASH, said the city’s bus system could reduce service on Line 104. Barna wrote that the change is based on the City Manager’s Draft FY 2025 budget.

Line 104 runs from the Braddock Road Metro station to the Pentagon Metro station.

Service would be reduced on Line 104 from every 30 minutes to once every hour. Barna said the change is likely to significantly decrease ridership.

According to the memo:

This reduction would reduce annual operating costs by $180,000, but would have an adverse impact on commuters in Parkfairfax, North Ridge and Rosemont. It also runs counter to the goals and recommendations of the 2022 Alexandria Transit Vision (ATV) Plan and Alexandria Mobility Plan (AMP). In general, fixed-route bus service that only runs once every 60 minutes is not considered to be useful or reliable, and ridership is likely to decrease by a large margin as riders seek other alternatives.

At the same time, there are other potential service improvements included in the memo, though they’re considered unfunded improvements:

  • Line 32 – DASH is proposing to improve midday, evening and weekend headways from every 60 minutes to every 30 minutes.
  • Line 34 – DASH is proposing to improve Sunday headways from every 60 minutes to every 30 minutes.
  • Line 31 – DASH is proposing to improve midday, evening and weekend headways between King Street Metro and Braddock Road from every 30 minutes to every 15 minutes by extending all Line 31 short trips that currently operate between NVCC-Alexandria and the King Street Metro.

The changes are scheduled for review at the Transportation Commission meeting on Wednesday, March 20.

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Hula hoop fusion classes through the Department of Recreation outside Old Town Pool at 1609 Cameron Street. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Any Alexandrian looking to register for spring classes and programs through the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities should mark Wednesday, March 20, down in their calendar.

“Registration for spring classes and programs, beginning April 1 through mid-June, will open on Wednesday, March 20, at 9 a.m. for City residents and Friday, March 22, for non-residents,” the city said in a release.

Programs range from sports to aquatics and camps, with options for both adults and children.

People interested in participating can register either online or in person at the Lee Center Registration & Reservation Office (1108 Jefferson Street).

Registration for summer programs is also right around the corner.

“Registration for summer classes and programs, beginning mid-June through mid-August, will open on Wednesday, May 15, for residents and Friday, May 17, for non-residents,” the release said.

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Good Monday morning, Alexandria!

☀️ Today’s weather: Expect mainly sunny skies with a high around 51 degrees and west winds blowing at 9 to 14 mph, gusting up to 23 mph. Tonight, mostly cloudy skies will gradually clear, as temperatures dip to around 34 degrees. The northwest winds will persist, blowing at 11 to 13 mph and gusting as high as 21 mph.

🚨 You need to know

Rendering of aerial view of Monumental Arena development (image courtesy of JBG SMITH)

A new analysis of the proposal to move the Washington Capitals and Wizards to Alexandria said that pitch came with some “aggressive assumptions” about unprecedented prices, the Washington Post reported last week.

The report by Maryland-based public financing consulting firm MuniCap Inc. has not been released to the public but was obtained by The Washington Post.

The report said the financing plan assumes unprecedented pricing: fans will pay $75 for parking and $731 per night at a new luxury hotel. The analysis said the financial projections also assume the new development will host 53 more events annually in Alexandria than was hosted at the D.C. arena.

The Washington Post reported that the analysts said while none of those assumptions are “inherently unreasonable” they can’t be characterized as “conservative.”

📈 Friday’s most read

The following are the most-read ALXnow articles for Mar 15, 2024.

  1. Windsor of Old Town closing this month after 43 years in Alexandria (1106 views)
  2. Notes: Conservative advocacy group targets ACPS tutoring site for ties to TikTok parent company (897 views)
  3. Milestone reached with 2.2-mile underground sewer tunnel completion in Old Town (556 views)

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on today in Alexandria, from our event calendar.

  • No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.
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Advocates for greater affordable housing support at a City Council budget hearing (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

Affordable housing has been top of mind for Alexandrians in recent weeks.

Along with fully funding Alexandria City Public Schools’ budget, affordable housing was one of the big discussion points at a budget meeting on Monday. Residents from Arlandria/Chirilagua and other neighborhoods spoke to the City Council about the human impacts of salaries not keeping pace with rising housing costs. Residents shared stories of being forced from their homes as gentrification creeps into the neighborhood.

This year marks the first time since 2010 that assessments on multi-family residential properties have declined, which city staff said could mean rent levels stabilizing, if not declining, thanks in part to widespread new apartment construction. While it’s bad news for the city’s budget, it could be good news for renters if that translates into rent prices remaining stable.

The most-read stories this week were:

  1. Affordable home ownership lottery for new Old Town development opens this week (9096 views)
  2. Sex offender held without bond after alleged sodomy/abduction in Old Town (3884 views)
  3. Notes: New Parisian-themed wine and beer garden opens in Del Ray (3879 views)
  4. No bond for suspect after allegedly breaking clerk’s nose at West End 7-Eleven (3392 views)
  5. Neighborhood poll reveals widespread opposition to Potomac Yard arena (3168 views)
  6. Alexandria City Council rejects controversial Del Ray ADU proposal (2923 views)
  7. Southern Living ranks Alexandria in Top 25 ‘Best Cities in the South’ (2324 views)
  8. Affordable housing and school funding are top priorities at crowded Alexandria budget meeting (1790 views)
  9. Alexandria City Council advertises maximum 4-cent ceiling for tax rate increase (1777 views)
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The Alexandria School Board discusses collective bargaining in their work session on Thursday, March 14, 2024 (via ACPS)

The Alexandria School Board made significant changes to its proposed collective bargaining agreement resolution with staff on Thursday night.

In a work session that ran until nearly midnight, the Board amended the 17-page draft resolution, which sets the rules for negotiations on a three-year agreement. The draft resolution reveals a slow rollout for the Alexandria City Public Schools bargaining process that will only reach full fruition in future negotiations, with the school system currently focusing on reaching an eventual collective bargaining agreement on six yet-to-be-determined topics with a portion of employees.

The document was heavily criticized last month by the Education Association of Alexandria (EAA) union. EAA was adamantly opposed to the draft recommendation that 30% of licensed staff and support personnel vote to create two separate employee unions, or bargaining units, to represent them.

“We got some things and others we did not,” EAA President Dawn Lucas said. “We are not in agreement with any voter thresholds and don’t want limitations on bargaining topics.”

Last October, EAA sent the Board an employee certification on behalf of licensed teachers. That submission gave the Board 120 days to adopt a framework for the collective bargaining resolution, with a full board action expected on Thursday, March 21. ACPS wants to come to a collective bargaining agreement with staff by the end of the year, School Board Chair Michelle Rief said earlier this year.

School Board Member Abdel Elnoubi got majority support from his colleagues to remove the 30% voting threshold for employees to establish unions for bargaining.

“I don’t think anyone in this town was elected with 30% of the vote, not the mayor and City Council, and not us,” Elnoubi said. “I think it’s a burden that’s unnecessary.”

Board Member Chris Harris said he felt challenged by removing the 30% threshold.

“I’m challenged by this,” he said. “I’m just not sure what the engagement looks like. There could be two people. That could be a handful of people make a decision for an entire business unit. I’m not okay with that.”

The draft document now stipulates that employee unions can be established by a simple majority of staff within their respective employee groups.

The Board added Member Ashley Simpson Baird’s recommendation to increase the number of bargaining topics from four to six, and adding a sunset clause removing all restrictions on the number of topics that can be bargained after the first agreement expires.

Also approved was Vice Chair Kelly Carmichael Booz’s proposal to expand collective bargaining to administrative staff after the first agreement expires.

School Board Member Tim Beaty, a former leader with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, won a recent special election by campaigning on the importance of collective bargaining. He added language that will make the school system pay for the union elections.

“To me, the election is an obligation of the government that’s holding the election,” Beaty said. “We’re not trying to state what the rules are for the election, but we will pay for the election.”

ACPS middle school teacher David Paladin Fernandez is running against Lucas for EAA president. That election is expected to be conducted in May and the results released before July 1.

Fernandez sat through the nearly four hour meeting and walked away hopeful. Changes he’d like to see are management providing mailing lists of staffers to the EAA on a quarterly basis, and adding a “just cause” clause forcing the school system to tell employees why they are being disciplined or fired.

“EAA needs this to pass,” he said. “I like the level of discourse. It’s not something we see often out of the School Board. I’m largely happy.”

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