News

A male suspect has been arrested for the Wednesday morning bank robbery at EagleBank in Old Town.

“Responding officers took a male suspect into custody minutes after the robbery,” Alexandria Police said in a release. “This is an active investigation.”


News

Simon Pearce Glassware store opens Friday in Old Town — “Vermont-based glassware-maker Simon Pearce will open its doors Friday at their new store in Old Town Alexandria at 721 King St., according to a spokeswoman for the company. The space was formerly home to Papyrus, the greeting cards and gift wrap store.” [Alexandria Living]

Family raises $70K+ in GoFundMe campaign for mother with cancer — “Our lives changed forever three weeks ago when our mom was unexpectedly diagnosed with an advanced cancer known as metastatic adenocarcinoma. The diagnosis took us completely by surprise. Three months ago, she was walking five miles a day, eating a pescetarian diet, going on her own day trips. She started reporting shortness of breath and fatigue in late March, but doctors were unable to diagnose these symptoms as cancer until early June.” [GoFundMe]


News

In the wake of the condominium collapse in Surfside, Florida, Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson says that Virginia needs to update its building safety regulations.

While calling the June 24 collapse of the 40-year-old building a rarity, Wilson tweeted that it has raised safety concerns since Alexandria has “most of the older high-rise residential buildings in Virginia.”


News

A 29-year-old man was sent to the hospital in serious condition after being shot multiple times in the West End on Saturday night, Alexandria Police reported.

The incident occurred at around 11:45 p.m. at the intersection of N. Beauregard Street and Sanger Avenue, which is near Holmes Run, apartment buildings and the William Ramsay Recreation Center.


News

Alexandria is looking for community feedback on the recognition and demarcation of Black cemetery areas and burial sites at Fort Ward Park.

The park at 4301 West Braddock Road, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, became an African American community after the Civil War. For more than a decade, the city has worked on identifying graves that were part of “The Fort” neighborhood, and made ground-penetrating Radar Surveys in 2009.


News

‘Ghost kitchen’ could be headed to Alexandria — “Commercial kitchens like the one proposed are also known as ghost kitchens and they allow restaurants and food entrepreneurs to prepare delivery orders. Ghost kitchens grew in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic when many traditional restaurants were forced to close and the demand for take-out increased.” [Alexandria Living]

Face masks required at public and private schools until July 25 — “To address potential gaps in critical prevention measures at schools this summer, the State Health Commissioner, Dr. Norm Oliver, issued a Public Health Emergency Order effective July 1, requiring children and adults aged 5 and older to wear masks in public and private K-12 schools through July 25. The requirement applies to individuals regardless of vaccination status. The mask order also applies on school buses. Individuals are not required to wear masks when outside on school property, however the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) recommends that unvaccinated individuals aged two and older wear a mask in crowded outdoor settings.” [City of Alexandria]


News

Alexandria high jumper Tynita Butts-Townsend has qualified for the U.S. Olympics.

Butts-Townsend, 31, joins Alexandria runner Noah Lyles and boxer Troy Isley on the team. The seven-time All-American has been ranked as ranked one of the top high-jumpers in the world, and had her best year competing in 2019 when she made it on Team USA for the World Games.


News

The story behind Alexandria’s hand-me-down graduation gown — “Five outstanding T.C. Williams High School students, five prestigious universities and colleges, two on-stage graduation performances – and one graduation gown. What began as an unplanned sharing of a typically once-worn garment has become has become an Alexandria tradition.” [Alex Times]

Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery Memorial recognized by African American Civil Rights Network — “Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery Memorial is the oldest and first site in Virginia to be added to the network.” [Zebra]


News

Alexandria’s unemployment rate has been cut roughly in half since this time last year, the Virginia Employment Commission revealed in a recent report.

As of May 2021, Alexandria’s unemployment rate was 3.9%, with 3,814 residents filing claims. The city’s unemployment rate in 2020 was 8.1%, with 7,950 residents getting unemployment payments.


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