Vernon Miles | ALXnow

Alexandria Soccer to Host Tournaments in March

Published January 27, 2021 at 2:30PM | Updated January 27, 2021 at 3:08PM

While sports are under consideration at ACPS, the Alexandria Soccer Association is gearing up for a youth soccer tournament this March.

“Alexandria Soccer returned to play in fall 2020 and is operating under guidance from the City of Alexandria and the local health department,” the organization said on its website. “While we are thrilled to offer our tournament series at this time we will continue to operate with the safety of participants as our number one priority.”

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Old Town Tourism Company Hopes to Convert Historic Building to Live Music Venue

By Vernon Miles

Published January 27, 2021 at 10:45AM

Garden portion of The Rectory set up as music venue during the pandemic in 2020. (via Classical Movements)

Last year was a particularly rough time to be a travel agency, but one local company is trying to reinvent themselves.

Classical Movements, a wing of travel management and tour company Blue Heart Travel at 711 Princess Street, is a local tourism agency that specializes in travel focused on international classical music venues from South Africa to Prague. But with the pandemic effectively killing their industry over the last year, Classical Movements has filed an application to adjust the Old Town business into a live music venue.

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New Flood Warning Signs Installed in Del Ray

By Vernon Miles

Published January 26, 2021 at 4:30PM

Road may flood sign (image via T&ES/Twitter)

Alexandria’s Department of Transportation and Environmental Services has installed new signs along Commonwealth Avenue, Ashby Street and Glebe Road warning that the road ahead could be flooded.

Nearly half of the Americans killed in floods die in their vehicles. Cars stuck in flooded waters can also result in significant damage to the vehicle, as many locals discovered in 2019’s severe floods.

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Holy Cow Del Ray Commemorates Closed Atlantis Pizzeria With New Burger

By Vernon Miles

Published January 26, 2021 at 2:30PM

Del Ray burger joint Holy Cow’s (2312 Mount Vernon Ave) “burgers of the moment” have spotlit local controversies or elected leaders, but this month’s burger is a melancholy memorial to the recent closure of Atlantis Restaurant and Pizzeria.

The Atlantis burger features Angus beef and feta cheese with pickled onion, lettuce, tomato, and tzatziki on a brioche bun. The sandwich is $8.95.

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New Daycare Proposed for Hoffman Town Center

By Vernon Miles

Published January 26, 2021 at 10:15AM | Updated January 26, 2021 at 10:43AM

After many daycares statewide closed during the pandemic, local parents might be relieved to hear a Nest Academy could open a large new daycare and preschool at the east end of Eisenhower Avenue.

According to an application filed with the City of Alexandria, Nest Academy is hoping to open a new 9418 square foot facility at 2476 Mandeville Lane on the northern side of the Hoffman Town Center. The facility will take care of children from six weeks to 12 years old.

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Local Boxer Tony Suggs Starts 2021 Swinging with New Exercise Class

By Vernon Miles

Published January 25, 2021 at 2:45PM | Updated January 26, 2021 at 10:17AM

The classes may be smaller and the boxers may be masked, but local boxer Tony Suggs keeps the hits coming through coronavirus with a new Boxercise class.

Suggs, a local boxing star, has launched a new boxing class to help locals stay fit and focused.

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Swamp Fox Road Gone, but City Council Leaves Door Open for Eventual Return

By Vernon Miles

Published January 25, 2021 at 11:30AM

Though barely more than five minutes on a in a nearly six hour meeting, on Saturday the City Council finally did away with one of Alexandria’s more bizarre street names.

Toward the end of the meeting, the City Council voted unanimously to replace Swamp Fox Road with Hoffman Street, celebrating local developer Hubert Hoffman Jr., founder of the The Hoffman Company that developed much of the nearby area and for whom much of Eisenhower East is named.

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Alexandria Mayor Formally Requests Dominion Energy Step Their Game Up

By Vernon Miles

Published January 22, 2021 at 1:15PM | Updated January 22, 2021 at 2:07PM

Dominion employees (image via Dominion Energy/Facebook)

(Updated 2:05 p.m.) Alexandrians have had to deal with a frustrating uptick in power outages this year, and Mayor Justin Wilson said locals are getting tired of it.

The city has faced several large-scale power outages in 2020 — including a particularly large one in October that hit 12,750 residents in Del Ray, North Ridge, Rosemont, Seminary Hill and Potomac Yard. Dominion representatives said the outage was a fluke, but city representatives pointed to the recent spate of outages as evidence to the contrary. In a letter sent yesterday, Wilson outlined local concerns and what Dominion can do to improve the situation.

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BREAKING: Body Found in the Water Near Cameron Station

By Vernon Miles

Published January 22, 2021 at 10:40AM | Updated January 22, 2021 at 12:32PM

Alexandria Police investigate the area of Holmes Run has been shut down after a body was found in the water on Friday, Jan. 22, 2021. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

Police are currently investigating a body discovered in the area of Homes Run Parkway near Cameron Station.

Alexandria Fire Department spokeswoman Raytevia Evans said that around 9:35 a.m. they received a call and dispatched an inland rescue unit for the report of a possible body in the water.

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Proposed Dealership Overhaul Headed to City Council This Weekend

By Vernon Miles

Published January 21, 2021 at 4:45PM

After a recommendation for approval by city staff and the Planning Commission, a proposed replacement of the Linday car dalership campus North Ridge is headed to the City Council this weekend.

The plan is to build a new 36,500 square foot Volvo automobile sales/service facility building, a 34,873 Lexus sales facility building and a 63,066 square foot Lexus service facility building with above grade and under-ground parking facilities throughout the site.

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Poll: Are You Concerned About Gunfire in Alexandria?

By Vernon Miles

Published January 21, 2021 at 11:30AM

Police confirmed last week that roughly one-third of the the shootings last year were connected.

In 2020, Alexandria experienced an increase in shots fired calls with a total of 55 confirmed cases as compared to 37 in 2019. One-third of those occurred last fall, between September and December.