News

Inova Alexandria Hospital at Landmark’s sprawling new complex reached a milestone on Monday, as the final structural beam was put into place.

Current and former city leaders joined Inova’s top executives for the topping-out ceremony, which was an hour after the topping out of the Inova Franconia-Springfield Healthplex (6361 Walker Lane) in the Franconia area of Fairfax County.


News

Alexandria leaders are mourning the death of Susan Bulkley Kellom, a longtime city resident, veteran, volunteer and former chair of the Alexandria Democratic Committee. Kellom died on Saturday, April 11 at age 78. Her cause of death has not been disclosed.

Kellom moved to Old Town in 1983 with her husband, Ben, who died in 2021 at the age of 90. She was ADC chair from 1999 to 2010, chair of the Alexandria Electoral Board from 2012 to 2014, former chair of the city’s Human Rights Commission and member of the Youth Policy Commission. Kellom also served as a military police officer and was in the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1980.


News

A man was struck by a vehicle that swerved to get out of the way of an Alexandria Fire Department engine on Saturday (April 11), according to radio dispatches.

The fire was first reported before 7:15 p.m. as an odor of smoke in the 200 block of Gretna Green Court in the Landmark area. AFD called for backup after finding smoke coming from the attic of a three-level townhouse.


Around Town

Crooked Beat Records will officially close its Del Ray location Sunday, May 3, following the adverse effects of flooding earlier this year.

Owner Bill Daly said in a social media post he has tried to stay in Alexandria and has placed bids on several rental properties in and around the city, though there is a chance the business could move outside Alexandria.


News

Two Alexandria City High School seniors got a surprise today (Friday) when they were awarded $40,000 Amazon Future Engineers scholarships.

Seniors Zhi McMillan and Mohammad Elyas Noorzai received the scholarships as well as internship opportunities with the multinational technology company. The awards were presented by 2022 scholarship recipient Sai Naraharisetti, who will start work as an Amazon software engineer in Seattle after graduating next year.


Around Town

A Del Ray eatery’s Instagram post promising free milkshakes has collected more than 4 million views.

In the March 17 post from Holy Cow Del Ray (2312 Mount Vernon Avenue), customers were told they could get free milkshakes by dancing. What followed is a compilation of adults and children dancing their ways through the burger joint’s front door to the counter. The post also got 388,000 likes, and the restaurant’s Instagram followers have since climbed from just over 4,000 to more than 10,000.


Around Town

Chef Santiago Lopez has officially taken over The Majestic in Old Town, bringing a flair for French and Mediterranean flavors.

Lopez recently bought the restaurant at 911 King Street from its previous owner, Alexandria Restaurant Partners. After a brief shutdown, the restaurant reopened today (Friday) at 11:30 a.m. and closes at 11 p.m.


Around Town

The McDonald’s at 505 S. Van Dorn Street in the Landmark/Van Dorn corridor closed this week to build a second drive-thru lane.

The second drive-thru lane was approved unanimously by the Planning Commission and City Council last year and will replace an existing loading area, which will be moved to the front of the building, according to a presentation from McDonald’s.


News

Alexandria City Manager Jim Parajon is asking City Council to approve paid parking on Sundays and an increase in parking meter rates.

The initiatives are included in Parajon’s proposed $977.3 million Fiscal Year 2027 budget and have gotten mixed reviews. If approved by City Council, the measure would make Alexandria the only locality in the region with parking meter enforcement on Sundays. Additionally, Parajon is proposing to increase parking violation fines from $40 to $50.


News

Virginia’s top education officials were in Alexandria on Wednesday as part of a statewide listening tour on public education needs.

Secretary of Education Jeffery O. Smith was joined by Virginia Department of Education Superintendent of Public Instruction Jenna Conway, Alexandria City School Board members and approximately 100 participants at Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard Campus. House of Delegates Majority Leader Del. Charniele Herring (D-4) attended an earlier roundtable with the officials.


Around Town

The Birchmere music hall, Alexandria’s most prominent musical venue, celebrated its 60th anniversary earlier this month.

The 500-seat music hall at 3701 Mount Vernon Avenue opened in 1966, and has featured notable musical artists and performers across various genres, including Ray Charles, Johnny Cash, Linda Ronstadt and Dave Matthews. Originally founded in Arlington’s Shirlington neighborhood, the venue moved to Alexandria’s Mount Vernon Avenue in 1981. It has been at the current 3701 Mount Vernon Avenue location since 1997.


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