Author: Vernon Miles

Vernon Miles is the ALXnow cofounder and editor. He's covered Alexandria since 2014 and has been with Local News Now since 2018. When he's not reporting, he can usually be found playing video games or Dungeons and Dragons with friends.

News

UPDATED: Police activity shut down Mount Vernon Avenue Bridge earlier today

By Vernon Miles
Police activity on Mount Vernon Avenue Bridge (staff photo by James Cullum)

(Updated 1:15 p.m.) The Mount Vernon Avenue Bridge was closed to traffic due to police activity, though as of 1:15 p.m. is has reopened.

A foot pursuit across the Mount Vernon Avenue Bridge ended with one suspect in custody. An ambulance was also dispatched to the scene.

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News

ACPS: George Mason Elementary students and teachers could change schools mid-year

By Vernon Miles
Swing space at 1703 N. Beauregard Street, via Google Maps

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) is working through plans to utilize an office building as school swing space during modernization projects, but that could involve students and teachers changing locations mid-year.

At a meeting earlier this week, ACPS staff laid out the occasionally complicated plans to use the building at 1703 N. Beauregard Street as a temporary school while other schools are being demolished and rebuilt. Those plans involve new protocols on what adults are allowed into the building and how the building can be locked down in an emergency.

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News

Alexandria City Public Schools announce new precautions due to smoke

By Vernon Miles

The region has hit air quality level Code Maroon and Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) has announced some new precautions for today to minimize exposure to hazardous conditions.

In a release, ACPS said that schools will continue normal operations, but all physical education classes and recess will be held inside. All outdoor field trips have also been rescheduled.

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News

Popular Arlandria bar Hops N’ Shine faces scrutiny from Planning Commission

By Vernon Miles
Map of Hops N' Shine and associated outdoor space (image via City of Alexandria)

(Updated 9:55 p.m.) Alexandria’s Planning Commission voted to recommend eliminating outdoor music at Hops N’ Shine (3410 Mount Vernon Avenue) and the restaurant owners faced some withering rebukes from Planning Commissioners.

The bar failed to get a recommendation for the outdoor live entertainment or outdoor cooking conditions, two of the major components of the special use permit (SUP) application.

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Opinion

Poll: Have safety issues at the Bradlee Shopping Center affected whether or not you shop there?

By Vernon Miles
Police at the Bradlee Shopping Center where and 18-year-old was stabbed and killed on May 24 (staff photo by James Cullum)

A 17-year-old was found guilty today for the murder of 18-year-old Luis Mejia Hernandez in the parking lot of the Bradlee Shopping Center.

The tragic killing was, however, just part of a string of violent events that have occurred in the shopping center. There have been multiple shootings at the Bradlee Shopping Center in recent years as well as brawls.

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News

Storytelling and musical events planned around Alexandria to celebrate Juneteenth

By Vernon Miles
The Contrabands and Freedmens Cemetery Memorial at 1001 S. Washington Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Office of Historic Alexandria is going all out for Juneteenth this year with four events, a storytelling event, and more around the city.

Juneteenth, celebrated June 19, marks the end of slavery in the United States.

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News

New Mark Center development is first in the area to use new density-for-housing trade

By Vernon Miles
The Rutherford at Mark Center (image via DCS Design/City of Alexandria)

The 367-unit residential development The Rutherford is headed to Planning Commission review tomorrow and makes use of a relatively recent new policy that codified an older trade.

The project is a multifamily building set on a 4.5 acre site at 5000 Seminary Road, next to the Hilton Mark Center. Of those 367 units, 25 will be committed affordable units. The developer is also contributing $811,547 to the Housing Trust Fund.

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News

French restaurant Josephine to open this week in Old Town

By Vernon Miles
Cuisine at Josephine (image via Josephine Old Town/Instagram)

New French restaurant Josephine is opening at 109 St Asaph Street in Old Town this week and folks are already losing their heads over it.

According to the website, the new restaurant has classic French cuisine like trout amandine and beef bourguignon along with some original creations from Matt Cockrell, described by Washingtonian as a staple of the DC French restaurant scene .

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