News

Mayor Alyia Gaskins will give the keynote address at this Saturday’s Alexandria Diversity in Business Expo.

The free event is designed to foster connections and exchange ideas between local entrepreneurs and will take place from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at My Father’s House Christian Church, located at 4746 Eisenhower Avenue. City Council Member John Taylor Chapman, a small business owner, will discuss how local policies can impact the bottom line.


News

Four months after signing a lease with the landlord, a new Japanese restaurant has filed paperwork to open on Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray.

The owners of Pak Soii Izakaya and Bar signed a lease at 1909 Mount Vernon Avenue in April, the former home of Zuki Moon. Today (Aug. 14), an application for a change of ownership to the business was submitted to the city. No major interior renovations are planned, and the only additions to the space will be a new water heater, interior painting, and decorations.


News

ALIVE! is giving away free food to needy residents at multiple locations this month, and volunteers are needed to help.

The nonprofit issued a call for volunteers this week on social media, and the free food distributions are specifically for city residents. Attendees are asked to bring reusable grocery bags and proof of city residency. The locations and hours of the distributions are below.


News

It’s four years away from opening, but a senior living community in Alexandria’s West End is opening its sales center later this month.

The City Council unanimously approved the $340 million Goodwin House Seminary Road project in June. Construction of the two-towered, 14- to 16-story apartment building with 257 units is anticipated to be completed in 2029. The property will feature “217 independent living apartments, 16 assisted living apartments, a dedicated memory care area and a Medicare/Medicaid-certified health care center offering skilled nursing, short-term rehabilitation, long-term care and a state-of-the-art rehab center,” according to Goodwin Living.


News

Tenants from several Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority apartments will stage a protest next week at ARHA headquarters (401 Wythe Street) in Old Town.

The tenants are protesting “ongoing issues,” alleging delayed rental payments from ARHA to landlords, paperwork backlogs, caseworker abandonment, and more. The protest will take place at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 20.


News

Want to find out what’s happening with crime in Alexandria? A new app created by a lifelong city resident does just that.

Last year, freelance app developer Trevor Weir launched AVAware on the iOS App Store. After a free week-long trial, a $3.99 monthly fee kicks in, giving users an ad-free opportunity to explore publicly available information on all manner of Part 1 crime events occurring in the city.


News

With pedestrian-only blocks near the Potomac River to local businesses along picturesque red brick sidewalks, King Street in Old Town was just listed as one of the top 100 main streets to walk in the United States.

The King Street mile from the waterfront to the King St. Metro station was listed as 53rd in the new list, “Top 100 Best Main Streets in U.S. to Walk”, compiled by Assisted Living Magazine, behind W. Washington Street in Marquette, Michigan. Main Street in Lake Placid, New York, topped the list. The ranking, first reported by Secret DC, is the result of a survey taken by more than 3,000 Americans, according to the magazine.


News

Alexandria Fire Department extinguished a car fire in the West End on Wednesday, Aug. 13.

The fire was reported at a car parked in the 200 block of S. Reynolds Street at around 5:30 a.m. The 911 caller reported that a black Honda Accord was on fire.


News

After a wedding, graduation, or significant event, wouldn’t it be nice if folks could upload their phone pictures and videos to a single gallery?

Alexandria-based entrepreneur Elizabeth Kukla did just that. In the spring of 2021, Kukla’s cousin was getting married. As a gift to the happy couple, Kukla designed a card based on the wedding invitations and printed out cards with QR codes to be placed on the guest tables for the reception. Guests who scanned the code uploaded their favorite pictures to one place, and a week later, the bride’s younger sister reached out and asked for the same services at her own nuptials that summer. With that, SnapSpaces was born.


News

Alexandria is seeking feedback on its 15-year plan to address affordable housing issues. Once approved, the Housing 2040 Master Plan will provide City Council and staff with clear goals, strategies, and direction on the city’s housing plans. The city is hosting an open house this Monday (Sept. 8) to get feedback on Housing 2040 draft recommendations for landlord-tenant rights and resources, and homeownership programs in the city. The event will be held at the Minnie Howard Campus of Alexandria City High School (3775 W. Braddock Road) from 6 to 7 p.m., and registration is encouraged.

The current master plan is set to expire in 2025. The new plan will require a 2024 housing needs assessment from the city, and input from residents to “establish new housing affordability goals and examine housing policies, programs, and tools to support all Alexandria residents and workers,” according to the city.


News

A 35-year-old Dumfries man faces multiple charges related to a shooting last month at Ben Brenman Park (4800 Brenman Park Drive) in Alexandria’s West End.

The July 10 shooting was the result of an argument in a TikTok livestream between Aria and the male victim, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit. Samir Ahmad Aria was charged with reckless handling of a firearm, shooting in a public place without injury, and pointing/brandishing a firearm — all Class 1 misdemeanors punishable by up to a year in jail and/or a $2,500 fine.


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