Author: Katie Taranto

Katie Taranto is a reporter at ALXnow. She previously covered local businesses at ARLnow and K-12 education at The Columbia Missourian. She is originally from Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania.

Around Town

Adoptable Pet of the Week: Max, your ‘loving sidekick’

By Katie Taranto
Max (courtesy of the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria)

Meet Max, an adorable four-legged companion in foster care who spent much of the past year at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.

The three-year-old “gorgeous guy with his perfectly mismatched ears” weighs about 73 pounds, according to an AWLA volunteer. The pup is “playful and engages enthusiastically with chew toys and food puzzles.”

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News

JUST IN: Two-hour delay for Alexandria City Public Schools tomorrow

By Katie Taranto
A City of Alexandria marker in Arlandria, Jan. 6, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

All Alexandria City Public Schools and offices will open with a two-hour delay tomorrow (Friday) due to the snowy morning forecast.

ACPS announced the district’s first snow-related delay of the season this evening, joining schools in Arlington and Fairfax County. The announcement is available to view on the district’s website.

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News

UPDATED: Firefighters recover contractor stuck in sewer near AlexRenew wastewater plant

By Katie Taranto
Near the AlexRenew wastewater plant (staff photo by James Cullum)

Firefighters from Alexandria and Arlington recovered a contractor who was unable to exit a sewer while working in Eisenhower East yesterday afternoon (Thursday).

The Alexandria Fire Department’s Engine 205 and Battalion 201 responded to 1500 Eisenhower Avenue to rescue the 32-year-old man, who was reportedly trapped in the sewer, according to city dispatches around 4:15 p.m.

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Around Town

New Indian restaurant promises a taste of Mumbai in Eisenhower East next month

By Katie Taranto
The Bombay Canteen is coming to 2010 Eisenhower Avenue (staff photo by James Cullum)

A new restaurant in Eisenhower East hopes to share the cuisine of Mumbai with locals in the new year.

The Bombay Canteen plans to open in January at 2010 Eisenhower Avenue near Paisano’s, replacing a vacancy left by Hunan Cafe. The new eatery is the longtime dream of founder and chef Nishi Barua, who is from Bangladesh and learned to cook during her college years in India.

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News

Alexandria’s annual snowplow training takes place tomorrow

By Katie Taranto
A snow plow drives up Richmond Highway, Jan. 6, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Snowplows will be roving around Alexandria tomorrow morning (Friday) as part of an annual training exercise.

The “dry run” training is part of the Department of Transportation & Environmental Services’ yearly effort to prepare for winter weather. Residents should expect to see plows and other “winter response vehicles” on the streets, according to a city announcement.

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Around Town

WBJ: Longtime D.C. Italian restaurant is coming to Old Town

By Katie Taranto
The Atrium building at 277 S. Washington Street in Old Town (image via WC. and A.N. Miller Development Company)

A longtime Italian restaurant from across the Potomac has its sights set on Old Town, according to the Washington Business Journal.

Floriana has reportedly leased a ground-floor space in the Atrium Building at 277 S. Washington Street. It’s aiming to replace a 5,800-square-foot vacancy left by Virginia’s Darling and Mae’s Market as early as June.

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Around Town

Scottish Christmas Walk and Holiday Boat Parade prompt Saturday road closures

By Katie Taranto
The City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums performing at the Scottish Christmas Walk Parade in Old Town, Dec. 6, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Two of Alexandria’s iconic holiday season parades will lead to some road closures throughout Old Town this weekend.

The Scottish Christmas Walk Parade and the Holiday Boat Parade of Lights both take place this Saturday, prompting the closures as well as reserved parking and no-parking zone enforcement.

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News

Affordable housing redevelopment plan for Old Town apartments gets commission greenlight

By Katie Taranto
Rendering of the proposed 145-unit affordable apartment complex at 598 S. Alfred Street in Old Town, viewed from Wilkes Street and S. Alfred Street (via City of Alexandria)

The Planning Commission has given its approval to plans to redevelop an Old Town apartment building with more affordable housing.

The commission gave its blessing last night (Tuesday) to Alfred Street Baptist Church’s proposal to construct a four-story, 145-unit affordable housing complex on the grounds of the 1970s-era Old Towne West building. The current parcels at 901 Wolfe Street and 598 and 601 S. Alfred Street have 77 units, including 34 affordable units and two offices.

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Around Town

Volunteers remove 500-pound debris from Mount Vernon Trail during ‘Mega Trash Bash’

By Katie Taranto
Mega Trash Bash volunteers outside Marina Towers (courtesy of Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail)

With teamwork, grit and a reciprocating saw, a group of volunteers in Alexandria successfully removed a piece of debris from the Mount Vernon Trail that they estimate weighed at least 500 pounds.

The Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail discovered the debris, a large sling fender, sitting in the Potomac River’s low tide line near the Marina Towers building at 501 Slaters Lane during the Nov. 15 Mega Trash Bash cleanup.

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Around Town

Ice skating party, free hot chocolate coming to Ice & Lights at Cameron Run tomorrow

By Katie Taranto
Ice & Lights: The Winter Village At Cameron Run in 2021 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Ice skating has returned to Ice & Lights: The Winter Village at Cameron Run Regional Park, and the venue has plans to celebrate.

The outdoor skating rink at 4001 Eisenhower Avenue is hosting a Winter Ice Skating Party from 6-8 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday), with skating discounts, free hot chocolate and “Critter Corner” animal meet-and-greets, according to NOVA Parks.

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News

Potomac Yard residential buildout plans receive Planning Commission approval

By Katie Taranto
Planning Commission Dec. 2 meeting (via City of Alexandria)

The Planning Commission has approved three development projects that would construct 640 housing units and ground floor retail across vacant land parcels in southern Potomac Yard.

The commission voted last night (Tuesday) to grant development special use permits (DSUP) for the following plans, located adjacent the Potomac Yard Metro station along Potomac Avenue, Main Line Blvd and E. Glebe Road.

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