Vernon Miles | ALXnow

ACPS says long lines at high school are part of adjustments to new security measures

Published May 16, 2023 at 3:30PM

The Alexandria City High School marquee (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) said long lines to get into Alexandria City High School (ACHS) are part of the growing pains as the system adjusts to new security measures.

Earlier this year, ACPS approved new security measures including metal detectors and handheld wand devices. The security measures were in response to several security issues at the school in recent years. Earlier this year, a teacher at ACHS’ Minnie Howard Campus seized a handgun from a student.

News

JUST IN: One person injured in shooting near the Braddock Road Metro station

By Vernon Miles

Published May 16, 2023 at 2:10PM | Updated May 17, 2023 at 10:20AM

Police investigating a shooting in the Andrew Adkins development (staff photo by James Cullum)

(Updated 5/17) Police are investigating another shooting at the Andrew Adkins housing development, just a block from the Braddock Road Metro station.

Scanner traffic indicated one woman was shot and a dark grey vehicle — possibly a Dodge Journey — with tinted windows fled the scene. Police said the shooting occurred near the 1300 block of Wythe Street. Police later said the victim was a child.

News

Alexandria Delegate Elizabeth Bennett-Parker and husband welcome new daughter

By Vernon Miles

Published May 16, 2023 at 10:45AM | Updated May 17, 2023 at 8:47AM

Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker with husband Stephen and newborn daughter (image via Delegate Elizabeth Bennett-Parker 1,427 Tweets See new Tweets Delegate Elizabeth Bennett-Parker/Twitter)

Fresh off a busy legislative session, Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-45) and her husband Stephen welcomed a new constituent to their district last week: their new daughter.

Bennett-Parker announced on social media that their daughter was born on Monday, May 8.

News

City Council approves modifications to Old Town home with strange architectural history

By Vernon Miles

Published May 15, 2023 at 3:20PM

114 N. Payne Street (image via Google Maps)

In April 1979, the City of Alexandria listed 114 N. Payne Street in Old Town as a historic building due to its unique architectural roofline.

One month later, the city approved a permit to destroy that roofline.

Opinion

Poll: Should Alexandria do more to preserve historic buildings?

By Vernon Miles

Published May 15, 2023 at 2:00PM

As seen in Del Ray (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Last week, Richmond-based historic preservation non-profit Preservation Virginia called for the Town of Potomac — today part of the Del Ray neighborhood — to receive greater protection from demolition and redevelopment.

According to the group, redevelopment is bringing larger residential developments to the neighborhood and demolishing older homes:

News

ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By Vernon Miles

Published May 12, 2023 at 3:50PM

Just as Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) gained a new permanent superintendent last week, it was announced this week that the school district would be losing Alexandria City High School (ACHS) Principal Peter Balas.

Balas broke the news last night that he would be heading north to Arlington to become principal at Wakefield High School. It’s a major shakeup in ACPS: Balas had been principal at ACHS (formerly T.C. Williams High School) since 2017 and has been with ACPS for 22 years.

News

Hank’s Oyster Bar manager indicted for alleged embezzlement

By Vernon Miles

Published May 12, 2023 at 1:00PM | Updated May 13, 2023 at 1:55PM

Hank's Oyster Bar (image via Hank's Oyster Bar/Facebook)

(Updated 5/13) A 53-year-old Manassas resident has been hit with 17 counts of felony embezzlement after allegedly taking $600,000 from her job at Hank’s Oyster Bar in Old Town.

The woman was a general manager at the restaurant — currently at 818 N. St Asaph Street, formerly at 1024 King Street — and allegedly embezzled the money over eight and a half years, according to the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney.

News

JUST IN: Police responding to bank robbery at Wells Fargo in Arlandria

By Vernon Miles

Published May 12, 2023 at 10:45AM | Updated May 12, 2023 at 2:04PM

Bank robbery on May 12 at Wells Fargo (staff photo by James Cullum)

(Updated 2 p.m.) The Alexandria Police Department is responding to another bank robbery at the Wells Fargo Bank at 3506 Mount Vernon Avenue.

The same bank was hit with a robbery in March.

News

JUST IN: Alexandria City High School Principal Peter Balas announces move to Arlington

By Vernon Miles

Published May 11, 2023 at 7:55PM

Alexandria City High School Principal Peter Balas speaks at the commemoration of Noah and Josephus Lyles at Market Square in Old Town, October 10, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City High School (ACHS) Principal Peter Balas announced that, after graduation in June, he’s heading north to become the new principal at Arlington’s Wakefield High School.

Balas, who has been with Alexandria City Public Schools for 22 years, took over at then-T.C. Williams High School in 2017. Since then, Balas has navigated the school through Covid, the “One T.C.” decision, the school renaming and issues around violence in the school.

News

Alexandria man sentenced in fatal fentanyl trafficking conspiracy

By Vernon Miles

Published May 11, 2023 at 11:00AM

Alexandria Police lights (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria man Reza Hashemi, 34, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for selling fentanyl that lead to the death of an Alexandria woman.

Hashemi was convicted of distributing 400 grams of fentanyl in Northern Virginia. Hashemi was the suspect in one 2020 overdose of a 22-year-old man, identified as J.V., in Vienna.

News

Alexandria’s transient lodging industry slowly climbing out of the pits of 2020

By Vernon Miles

Published May 10, 2023 at 3:55PM

Alexandria’s transient lodging, from Airbnb to hotels, famously took a hit back in 2020, but there’s some good news.

At a meeting of the City Council last night celebrating some of the work of Visit Alexandria, Mayor Justin Wilson noted that transient lodging has continued to climb and overall consumption tax revenue now exceeds pre-pandemic levels.