Vernon Miles | ALXnow

Sewer repairs in South Old Town to start later this month

Published August 17, 2021 at 3:30PM

Location of sewer repairs in South Old Town, via City of Alexandria

On the heels of rampant flooding across the city this weekend, the city is hosting a meeting later this week to discuss plans to fix a broken sewer pipeline in southern Old Town.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) the city is planning to host a meeting in the Lee Center (1108 Jefferson Street) from 7-9 p.m. to discuss the upcoming sewer pipe replacement. According to the city website, inspection of the sewer found that the pipe had been damaged and was causing residential sewer backups in the nearby area.

News

Woman behind DrainALX campaign shares frustrations and hopes from locals after Sunday flood

By Vernon Miles

Published August 17, 2021 at 3:00PM

Furniture drying out after flooding in Del Ray after a massive storm on August 14, 2021. (via DrainALX/Twitter)

For Katie Waynick, like many Del Ray residents, it’s been a pretty depressing week.

Waynick runs DrainALX, a social media campaign with a Twitter following that surged to over 600 followers this weekend, and was bombarded this weekend with pictures and videos from friends and neighbors with homes flooded and pipes overflowing.

News

DSUPs are the basis of most development discussions, so what the hell are they?

By Vernon Miles

Published August 16, 2021 at 2:30PM

Development Special Use Permit (DSUP), via City of Alexandria

One of the most brought up terms in Alexandria development discussions is Development Special Use Permit — or DSUP — but despite being one of the building blocks for city planning is also one of the more confusing aspects of development.

Karl Moritz, Director of Planning and Zoning for the City of Alexandria, said a DSUP is a type of permit that comes up whenever a development could be seen as having a substantial impact on the neighborhood around it.

News

City considering starting over on zoning ordinance guidelines

By Vernon Miles

Published August 13, 2021 at 1:30PM

Alexandria City Hall sign (staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

As the city’s zoning ordinance nears the 30th anniversary of its last major overhaul, a new process starting this year will look at whether it’s worth continuing to edit and adjust the 1992 document or if the whole thing should be put to pasture with the city starting over fresh.

The zoning ordinance is the guiding document for the city’s approach to all-things-development, from parking requirements to environmental management.

News

Institute for Defense Analyses announces Potomac Yard move-in later this year

By Vernon Miles

Published August 13, 2021 at 11:30AM

IDA Potomac Yard headquarters, courtesy IDA

The lunch hour around Potomac Yard restaurants could get a little busier this fall.

Two years after the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) first broke ground on its Potomac Yard headquarters, the national security nonprofit announced plans to move into the headquarters by the end of the year.

News

Alexandria historians compiling stories of 2020 protests and pandemic

By Vernon Miles

Published August 12, 2021 at 2:30PM

COVID US Honor Quilt project sponsored by Del Ray Artisans, courtesy Office of Historic Alexandria, donated by Amy Gareis

The Office of Historic Alexandria (OHA) is working through a new project that will help educate on a period of the city’s history rife with confusion and upheaval: last year.

In an office where items considered artifacts are usually arrowheads or ship timbers, City Historian Daniel Lee said his office has started a different kind of collection.

News

Alexandria poised to receive opioid settlement funding

By Vernon Miles

Published August 11, 2021 at 2:15PM

Photo courtesy Michael Longmire/Unsplash

Alexandria will likely be getting an influx of funding from a statewide opioids settlement, but how much and where exactly that funding will be going remains to be determined.

The City Council met last night for a special session — interrupting the brief summer break due to the need to have a decision the city should join the Virginia Opioid Abatement Fund and Settlement Allocation Memorandum.

Opinion

Poll: Have you gotten the infamous mite bite in Alexandria?

By Vernon Miles

Published August 11, 2021 at 11:00AM

Irritated oak mite bites, staff photo by Vernon Miles

After being first reported at ARLnow, oak mite itches have become a notorious regional phenomena.

The mites are particularly prevalent this year because of the Brood X cicada reemergence. The microscopic bugs feed on cicada eggs. They’re nearly invisible and often fall from trees where cicada nymphs have been hatching.

News

King Street underpass closed tonight and next week for maintenance

By Vernon Miles

Published August 10, 2021 at 2:15PM

King Street underpass, via Google Maps

A block of Alexandria that’s seen sudden repairs in recent years is undergoing something a little more-planned over the next week.

Maintenance on the rail bridge traveling over King Street near the eponymous Metro station will close the underpass tonight from 10 p.m.-5 a.m. tomorrow. It will also be closed the same times from Tuesday, Aug. 17, to Wednesday, Aug. 25. The underpass will be closed for both vehicle and pedestrian/cyclist traffic.

News

Virginia offers grants for small businesses bringing in new hires

By Vernon Miles

Published August 10, 2021 at 9:40AM | Updated August 10, 2021 at 3:19PM

(Updated 3:15 p.m.) As part of an ongoing mission to help boost the city’s economic recovery, a Virginia program being administered locally by the Alexandria/Arlington Regional Workforce Council offer to match signing bonuses for small, local businesses currently hiring new employees.

Liz Bolton, interim director of marketing and communications for the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, said the grants are available to any business with fewer than 100 employees in Arlington or Alexandria. The grant program provides matching grants of $500 to create a $1,000 bonus for the new W-2 employees who are paid $15 per hour or more.

News

Alexandria opens up on details for new guaranteed basic income program

By Vernon Miles

Published August 9, 2021 at 3:40PM

Alexandria City Hall (staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

One of the most high-profile uses of American Rescue Plan funding in Alexandria is the city’s foray into providing a guaranteed basic income for some of the city’s lowest-income residents. At a meeting today (Monday), leadership of the program shared new information about how the program will work.

Kate Garvey, director of the department of community and human service, outlined the basics of the program in a Zoom meeting today.