No arrests were made after a fight resulted in a single shot being fired from a gun in the Lincolnia area of Alexandria on Saturday afternoon, according to the Alexandria Police Department.
APD was notified of the gunshot at around 3:30 p.m. in a parking lot of an apartment complex in the 6100 block of Lincolnia Road. Police were told that multiple males were fighting, and that the fight was broken up when the suspect fired the gun in the air.
A shell casing was found at the scene, according to an APD dispatch.
Minutes later, police pulled apart two men fighting a few blocks away in the area of Little River Turnpike and N. Beauregard Street. The men were briefly detained and then released.
Anyone with information on this incident can contact the APD non-emergency number at 703-746-4444. Callers can remain anonymous.
Officers are investigating the report of shots fired in the 6100 block of Lincolnia. No reported injuries and no suspects. pic.twitter.com/9t9m4k0Vuz
— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) April 13, 2024
Alexandria mayoral candidate Alyia Gaskins won the Alexandria Democratic Committee’s Straw Poll on Sunday night.
Gasksins defeated Vice Mayor Amy Jackson 117 votes to 23 votes, or 81% to Jackson’s 16%. A third mayoral candidate, Steven Peterson, did not show up for the event, and received 4 votes (3%).
City Council’s four incumbent members running for reelection also won, and so did two newcomers. The unofficial and unscientific contest is held before every Council primary at the Port City Brewing Company (3950 Wheeler Avenue).
“The results from the ADC straw poll show that a range of Democrats — some of who have been engaged in local politics for decades and others who are brand new — overwhelmingly agree that I’m the best candidate for mayor,” Gaskins said. “I’m excited to build on this momentum as I continue to spread my vision for a safer, more affordable, more accessible Alexandria.”
There are 11 Council candidates in the running in the June 18 primary for the six-seat Council, as well as three mayoral candidates.
Council Members John Taylor Chapman and Kirk McPike tied for the top spot among the City Council candidates. In the general election in November, the top vote-getter becomes the city’s vice mayor.
The Democrat and Republican primary is on June 18 and the general election is on Nov. 5.
The Results
- John Taylor Chapman — 98 votes (68%)
- Kirk McPike — 98 votes (68%)
- Sarah Bagley — 93 votes (65%)
- Canek Aguirre — 81 votes (56%)
- James Lewis — 78 votes (54%)
- Jesse O’Connell — 77 votes (53%)
- Jacinta Greene — 75 votes (52%)
- Kevin Harris — 50 votes (35%)
- Abdel Elnoubi — 47 votes (33%)
- Jonathan Huskey — 18 votes (13%)
- Charlotte Scherer — 15 votes (10%)
The ADC Straw Poll got it right in 2021 by correctly predicting the mayoral and council members elected that November. But the poll is not always accurate. In 2018, former City Councilor Willie Bailey received the most votes but lost reelection. Former City Councilwoman Del Pepper, Jackson and former Council Member Mo Seifeldein didn’t make the unofficial cut either, still winning in the June primary and the November general election.
Three years ago the @AlexVADems Straw Poll correctly predicted both the Mayoral and City Council Democratic nominees.
We’re back at @PortCityBrew to see what happens this time! pic.twitter.com/u3r5C6tmu3
— Justin Wilson (@justindotnet) April 14, 2024
.@Alyia4ALX wins the @AlexVADems' straw poll for mayor https://t.co/IwEnS8rW6N pic.twitter.com/FX3mnQGugn
— Blue Virginia (@bluevirginia) April 14, 2024
You might want to get your prescriptions transferred, because CVS store and pharmacy at 3120 Duke Street in the city’s Taylor Run neighborhood is closing.
A note posted by management states that the store will be closing on Thursday, May 23. The CVS is across the street from the Alexandria Commons Shopping Center.
There are two other CVS stores on Duke Street — at 1680 Duke Street in Old Town and at 5101 Duke Street in the West End.
Happy Monday morning, Alexandria!
Today’s weather: Expect scattered showers and thunderstorms, partly sunny skies, and a high around 83. There’s a 43% chance of precipitation. Monday night will see scattered showers and thunderstorms before 8 p.m., with a low temperature of around 55. There’s a 30% chance of precipitation.
You need to know
The family of the 23-year-old motorcyclist who was killed last week after crashing into a DASH bus has raised $6,500 for his funeral expenses.
The family of Kaden Olsen says that the former Marine died doing what he loved, and that the funds will be used to transport him to his final resting place.
The bus driver was not charged.
It’s going to be windy today in and around Alexandria.
The National Weather Service says that conditions will be clear, with wind gusts this afternoon up to 50 miles per hour. The wind advisory is in effect until 6 p.m.
“Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects,” NWS said in its advisory. “Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.”
The high temperature will be 66 degrees and the low will be about 47 degrees, according to NWS.
NWS says that Sunday will be calmer, with wind gust near 28 miles per hour, and a high temperature of 78 degrees.
(Updated at 8 p.m.) More than 2,200 West End residents are without power after a transformer fire in the area of Seminary Road and N. Beauregard Street, according to Dominion Energy.
The Alexandria Police and Fire Departments responded to the transformer fire at around 4 p.m., and to direct traffic since the lights are down in the area, according to dispatches.
Dominion Energy says in their outage map that a crew has been dispatched to the area, and that crews are working to restore power by 10 p.m.
There are a little over 2K @DominionEnergy customers in the West End of the City currently experiencing an outage.
If you are out, please call 866.366.4357 or report online at:https://t.co/P7thQdZmld pic.twitter.com/5gAaonywkU
— Justin Wilson (@justindotnet) April 12, 2024
No arrests were made or injuries reported after a hail of gunfire was reported in the Braddock neighborhood of Alexandria on Wednesday night, according to the Alexandria Police Department.
Multiple 911 calls were made at around 8:40 p.m. with witnesses describing a man firing a gun approximately 25 times in the area of N. Fayette and Wythe Streets. The suspect was then seen getting into a gray four-door sedan with another suspect, the driver, which then sped south down N. Fayette Street and the east on Pendleton Street, according to dispatch reports.
Police found a blood trail, indicating that a person was injured in the incident, but no victims came forward or checked themselves into area hospitals, according to APD.
The Braddock area has experienced a rash of shootings over the years, prompting the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority and APD to erect surveillance cameras.
APD said that the incident remains under investigation.
Anyone with information on this incident can contact the APD non-emergency number at 703-746-4444.
There is a significant police presence at N. Fayette and Wythe Streets as officers investigate a shooting. There are no identified victims nor suspects at this time. Road closures around Andrew Adkins community.
— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) April 11, 2024
Units will be on the scene of the earlier shooting in the 700 block of N. Fayette for the next several hours. pic.twitter.com/ZMMDQeCATb
— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) April 11, 2024
Alexandria City Hall at 301 King Street was investigated this afternoon after a bomb threat was sent, according to the Alexandria Police Department.
The Arlington Police Department sent a K9 unit to investigate just before 12 p.m., and a sweep was conducted of the building, but it was not evacuated.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we are sweeping the building and investigating a potential threat,” APD Communications Director Tracy Walker said. “But we have not evacuated the building.”
APD wrapped up its investigation of the building at 12:45 p.m.
After a three-month renovation, Royal Restauraunt reopened to the public on Wednesday with an expanded menu and hours.
The favorite brunch spot was bought by Alexandria Restaurant Partners and Sloan Hospitality last fall, and after being up and running for three months closed in January. ARP refurbished the 123-year-old restaurant, added a 56-seat patio with a retractable awning, reupholstered the booths, built an inside bar and expanded its menu to include dinner.
“It’s a definitely a awesome growing area,” said partner Matt Sloan. “There’s been a lot of excitement people walking by, you know, there’s, there’s a good amount of foot traffic here.”
In Alexandria, ARP also owns Mia’s Italian Kitchen, Vola’s Dockside Grill, Riverside Taco Company, Joe Theismann’s Restaurant, The Majestic, Ada’s on the River and Barca Pier and Wine Bar. The company also owns a Mia’s Italian Kitchen and Café Tu Tu Tango in Orlando, Florida.
For Sloan, the move is the latest in a long collaboration with ARP. He was previously the general manager at ARP’s restaurant Ada’s on the River, and later left to open his own restaurant — Matt & Tony’s at 1501 Mount Vernon Avenue. He also leased Matt & Tony’s from ARP.
D.C.-based architect David Anthony Chenault designed the interior, paying homage to the diner’s history with some modern elements.
“The walnut-colored bar, featuring a sleek stainless-steel top, handmade Soho tiles, and lightly antiqued glass mirrors, is complemented by oversized canvas art,” ARP said in a release.
The restaurant previously closed after brunch, and it’s new hours are 7 a.m to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, and from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Royal Restaurant will hold a ribbon cutting on Monday, April 15, at 12:30 p.m.
According to ARP:
Royal’s menu retains its beloved 1904 classics such as The Royal Breakfast, Classic Belgian Waffle with whipped butter and maple syrup, and the traditional Greek Omelet served with home fries and toast, ensuring longtime fans can still enjoy their favorite dishes. An array of new creations across all-day brunch, lunch, and, for the first time, dinner menus complement these staples.
Noteworthy additions to the all-day brunch selections include Crispy Fried Chicken Thighs with chorizo gravy and Steak & Eggs, marinated in guajillo for a spicy kick. Lunch and dinner “mains” include Country Fried Steak served with crispy potatoes and mole-spiced carrots, Prime Brisket Meatloaf with mashed potatoes, sweet and sour charred corn relish, burnt onion gravy and crispy onions, as well as a selection of savory starters, refreshing salads, and sandwiches like the “Club Sandwich” Torta on ciabatta, and the Green Chili Cheeseburger featuring roasted green chili, escabeche onions, bacon, sharp cheddar, and deli mustard piled heartily on a house ground chuck meat patty served on a warm brioche bun.
The new dessert menu invites guests to indulge in Roasted Apple Chimichangas and Ancho Chili Chocolate Mousse.
Alexandria School Board Member Tim Beaty just won his special election in January, and now he tells us that he’s running for reelection in November.
Beaty won a special election on Jan. 9 to fill the District A seat vacated by former School Board Member Willie Bailey. He was sworn in days later, and said he would spend the next several months learning the intricacies of Alexandria City Public Schools before deciding on whether to run for reelection on Nov. 5.
“I was just at the Alexandria Democratic Committee meeting asking people to sign my petitions, and more than one person said, ‘Didn’t I just sign this for you?'” Beaty said.
Beaty ran on a platform of helping ACPS navigate the new and complex collective bargaining process with licensed teachers and staff. The school system is currently experiencing a staffing crisis, and Beaty says that a strong collective bargaining agreement will improve retention.
Last month, the School Board unanimously approved a collective bargaining resolution, laying the groundwork for a future agreement. Beaty believes he was an important contributor to the process, and said that now the hard work begins.
“Over the last few months, I have enjoyed my interaction with my colleagues on the School Board and with the senior staff in the division,” Beaty said. “I feel like I made a useful contribution, particularly during the debate about the resolution that enables union recognition and collective bargaining.”
Beaty continued, “I believe that this is a process that is going to benefit us, that’s going to be a process in which our employees feel more engaged, more respected, more listened to, and in the end through this process and leading to a collective bargaining agreement, I think we’re going to have a much better labor management relationship going forward. We need that. We need our employees to feel like they’re being listened to, that they have a voice.”
Beaty retired two years as the global strategies director for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. He and his wife moved to the city 10 years ago, and until he was elected was a substitute teacher at two ACPS elementary schools.
He also voted with the School Board to ask the City Council for a tax increase to restore steps and fund teacher raises.
“Our staff is working very hard, and they need a raise,” Beaty said. “We live in an area that is expensive to live in — housing and other things. For them to be able to live a good life and be able to focus on doing a good job every day, we need to compensate them well. So, I was happy to move for funds above the superintendent’s proposed budget.”
District A includes Old Town, Del Ray, Potomac Yard and Arlandria. Incidentally, the filing deadline for School Board candidates is June 18, which is the same day as the Democrat and Republican primaries. So far, only one School Board candidate has filed paperwork to run — Alexander Scioscia in District B.
