News

After a number of its Old Town properties were hit by bullets Tuesday night, the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority announced it is installing security cameras.

“We are installing cameras at our properties to send the signal that if you commit a crime at an ARHA site there’s a good chance a camera will capture it,” ARHA CEO Keith Pettigrew said in a statement. “During our regular virtual townhalls, residents raised their concerns. That’s when we decided to do two things, install more cameras and identify several residents at each property to join a committee to start sharing information with each other to improve their neighborhoods by getting more involved.”


News

(Updated at 4:55 p.m.) One suspect is dead after Tuesday night’s shots fired incident in Old Town and three others are in custody after a police chase that ended in a crash on Interstate 295 in D.C.

The suspect who died has not yet been publicly identified, and neither have the other three suspects arrested. Police said that the driver crashed his vehicle on I-295 in Southeast, D.C., and then jumped over the jersey barrier and fell to Malcolm X Ave. SE.


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The Del Ray Business Association has a bunch of efforts in the works to get business to local retailers and restaurants.

From now until April 15, visitors are encouraged to participate in DRBA’s “Cherry Blossom Challenge” scavenger hunt. There are 27 cherry blossoms hidden in storefronts along Mount Vernon Avenue with clues. Each numbered cherry blossom has a symbol near it, and participants need to mark down what those symbols are and then drop off their entries at the Pat Miller Neighborhood Square by April 15 for a chance to win a $50 gift card at a Del Ray restaurant or retailer.


News

(Updated at 1:45 p.m.) Alexandria City Public Schools and Fairfax County Public Schools are investigating allegations that members of the Robinson Rams junior varsity football team spit at and made a racial slur against T.C. Williams High School football players in a game on Monday, April 5.

“Yes, I am aware of these reports,” Mayor Justin Wilson told ALXnow. “It is horrifying that our students were the victims of this abuse and assault. I have been in contact with the School Board Chair, Vice Chair and Superintendent about this incident. I have also connected with my counterpart in Fairfax County, Jeff McKay. I believe it is being investigated by both school systems and I hope it will be addressed promptly.”


News

A 35-year-old Washington, D.C. man was sentenced to 21 years behind bars on Tuesday for a Northern Virginia crime spree at a number Alexandria banks and area businesses in 2018 and 2019.

Freddie Lee McRae robbed a Wells Fargo bank branch on Nov. 13, 2018, and reportedly told the teller in a note that he had a gun and would “kill all the bankers” in the bank unless they paid up. He pointed a gun at the teller and then fled the scene with $8,750.


News

Coronavirus vaccine eligibility expandedEvery Virginian 16 and older will be eligible for the #COVID19 vaccine by April 18–but several health districts have already expanded vaccinations to all adults or will be doing so in the coming days.” [Twitter]

Alexandria expanding vaccine phase 1C — “AHD follows the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) guidance that considers a frontline essential workers’ vaccine eligibility based upon their workplace location. This means that there are Alexandria residents working in essential frontline roles outside of the city limits of Alexandria who have yet to be vaccinated as a result of their employer jurisdiction’s supply availability. Therefore, before moving to Phase 2, AHD will offer vaccine appointments to all Alexandria residents who work in Phase 1 industries, regardless of their workplace location. If you are an essential frontline worker in Phase 1a, 1b, or 1c living in Alexandria and have not yet received a vaccine appointment, pre-register online or update your pre-registration record to ensure that the job category in your profile is correct.” [City of Alexandria]


News

(Updated at 12:35 a.m.) Alexandria Police shut down northbound Route 1 around Madison Street on Wednesday night after multiple buildings were struck by bullets.

The shooting occurred at around 8:40 p.m. and ended in a car chase in D.C.


News

President Joe Biden visited the Neighborhood Health vaccine site at Virginia Theological Seminary today (Tuesday) just before he was scheduled to announce that states should open COVID-19 vaccination appointments to all adults by April 19.

“We passed 150 million (vaccine doses distributed) yesterday,” Biden said. “When you go home, get all your friends and tell them, ‘Get a shot when they can.’ We’re going to be able to do this, everyone’s going to be able to before the month is out.”


News

Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson, three incumbent members of City Council and three newcomers won the seventh annual Alexandria Democratic Committee Straw Poll on Monday night.

The unofficial and unscientific contest is held before every Council primary and is one of the first indicators of how voters are leaning. The 2021 Democratic primary for the six-seat Council is packed with 13 candidates and two mayoral candidates.


News

ALIVE! free food giveaway this Saturday — “On Sat, Apr 10, 8:30-10:30am, @ALIVE4AlexVA will distribute food in Cora Kelly Elem School parking lot and parking lot B-1 of NOVA-Alexandria Campus (map at alive-inc.org, if college closes due to weather, distribution cancelled).” [Twitter]

Sexual assault survivors making community quilt — “(T)he Sexual Assault Center is hosting the second of two art events to decorate denim squares for a community quilt to support survivors of sexual assault: April 6, 4-7 pm. The events will comply with state COVID-19 guidelines.” [Twitter]


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