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.

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Lyft driver indicted for July rape and sexual battery in Alexandria

By Vernon Miles
Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Alexandria resident Ahmad Reshad Nasseri, 33, was indicted yesterday by a grand jury with two counts of felony rape and one count of felony aggravated sexual battery.

Nasseri, a Lyft driver, allegedly picked up an intoxicated woman at a D.C. restaurant on Friday, July 18, then took her to his apartment on the 5000 block of Seminary Road. Nasseri allegedly assaulted her in the apartment before driving her to the Van Dorn Metro station.

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Paris Baguette hosting grand opening at Seminary Plaza this weekend

By Vernon Miles
Food and coffee at Paris Baguette (photo via Paris Baguette/Facebook)

Bakery chain Paris Baguette announced that its new Seminary Hill location (4616 Kenmore Avenue) is having a grand opening this weekend.

The location is set to open its doors on Sunday, Dec. 15, at 10 a.m. and the first 50 guests will receive a free pastry.

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Stolen vehicle pursuit ends with crash and arrest in Old Town

By Vernon Miles
Virginia State Police (photo via Virginia State Police/Facebook)

The driver of a vehicle involved in a wrong-way pursuit into Old Town this morning has been arrested, though two other suspects remain at large.

Around 3 a.m. this morning (Monday), Virginia State Police (VSP) attempted to stop a stolen vehicle at the intersection of Route 1 and Quander Road in Fairfax County.

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Old Town bookstore Hooray for Books! closing at year’s end

By Vernon Miles
Horray for Books (staff photo by James Cullum)

Old Town bookstore Hooray for Books!, a beloved local spot for children’s books and author signings, announced that it will close for good at the end of this year.

In a message on the bookstore’s website, staff said the shop is fully stocked for the holidays but the store will remain closed in 2025 because the landlord is not extending the bookstore’s lease.

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Christmas market planned this Sunday in Arlandria with crafts and glühwein

By Vernon Miles
St. Nicholas Market in 2023 (photo via Saint Rita Catholic Church/Facebook)

Saint Rita Catholic Church in Arlandria is hosting its 4th Annual St. Nicholas Market this Sunday with a mix of local artists and craftsmen along with traditional seasonal food and drink like German mulled wine: glühwein.

The event is scheduled to run from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8, at Saint Rita Catholic Church (3815 Russell Road).

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Planning Commission backs new TD Bank despite staff concerns about King Street bank creep

By Vernon Miles
515 King Street, image via Google Maps

A recent Planning Commission debate over a bank (docket item 9) typified the governing body’s fascinating tug-of-war between high-minded rhetoric vs the nuts and bolts of bureaucracy.

The Planning Commission said arguments around whether or not Old Town has too many banks distracted from the real question of whether King Street’s retail space is better served by having a weird seven foot gap in the front of the building where the bank wasn’t allowed by-right.

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Azerbaijani cafe Baku Delicious files permit to open in Parker-Gray neighborhood next year

By Vernon Miles
Pastries at Baku Delicious (Photo via Baku Delicious/Facebook)

Baku Delicious, a Fairfax cafe and bakery specializing in Azerbaijani cuisine, is opening a new location at 711 Pendleton Street next year.

Owner Sevda Tahirli filed a permit with the City of Alexandria to open an “art cafe, serving freshly baked pastries, coffee and teas.”

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Planning Commission endorses contentious expansion of memory care facility on King Street

By Vernon Miles
Alexandria Silverado Memory Care (image via City of Alexandria)

Despite concerns raised by families of residents at Silverado Memory Care (2807 King Street), Alexandria’s Planning Commission recommended approval of a change that will let facility substantially increase (item 7) its number of residents without expanding the facility.

The plan is to increase beds on the site from 66 to 90 without any building expansion by shifting to an increased number of “companion rooms” — rooms with two residents. Loren Shook , co-founder of Silverado Memory Care, said that 80% of rooms in most facilities are companion rooms.

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Road closures announced for parades this weekend in Old Town

By Vernon Miles
Scottish Christmas Walk Parade in Old Town, Alexandria, on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

This weekend is the Scottish Christmas Walk Parade and Holiday Boat Parade of Lights in Alexandria. The two events are always a hoot, but it comes with a series of road closures to be mindful of.

The City of Alexandria said the Scottish Christmas Walk Parade will kick off at S. St. Asaph and Wolfe Streets at 11 a.m. and will conclude at Market Square around 1 p.m.

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