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.
In light of the worsening pandemic, the traditional First Night Alexandria festivities have been adapted to a hybrid drive-in and virtual experience.
The program will include pre-recorded comedy and musical programs projected onto a big movie screen.
Big changes are coming to the Eisenhower corridor, with two new developments approved at the City Council meeting last Saturday that put some of the final puzzle pieces together.
One of the more visible changes will be the approved development of Block P in Carlyle — referred to by staff as the last block in Carlyle. The project was originally approved in 2007 as a pair of office towers, but the project was recently redesigned with the northern tower becoming a hotel while the southern tower would be residential.
Affordable housing complex The Bloom is now scheduled to open sometime in December 2020 or January 2021.
The Alexandria Housing Development Corporation said in a press release that the 97-unit building at 930 N. Henry Street will open in the winter to locals at 50% or 60% of the area median income.
City’s Guidance for Students Returning Home — “Students and staff should minimize their interactions with others as much as possible in the 14 days before leaving the IHE. Students and staff should also minimize the risk of exposure during travel home. Traveling alone in a private vehicle is the safest option. Students and staff who are unable to limit interactions with others at the IHE may consider quarantining themselves for 14 days after they arrive home.” [City of Alexandria]
Killer ESP Owner Denies Allegations by Quitting Staff — “Presented with some of the specific accusations against him regarding sexual harassment and the shop’s cleanliness, Shelton said, ‘This is outrageous. These lies are more absurd than the first go around.’ He said he would follow up with call, but later texted, ‘I’ve been advised by my attorneys to keep quiet.'” [Washingtonian]
This week, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is asking the public whether or not they’d want to see Virginia Tech added to the name of the new Potomac Yard Metro station.
The name would be associated with Virginia Tech’s Innovation Campus, which is promised to bring a massive redevelopment to the area.
The Birchmere’s rundown for the next few months is full of as many 2021 rescheduling as upcoming shows, but there’s still plenty on offer at Alexandria’s historic music venue.
One of the most high profile acts scheduled for the rest of 2020 is KT Tunstall, scheduled for Dec. 15 at 7:30 p.m. Tunstall’s “Suddenly I See” was a 2005 earworm that became a hit and featured in everything from The Devil Wears Prada to the 2008 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign.
In a joint work session on Tuesday with the Alexandria City Council, Alexandria City Public Schools laid out its side of upcoming cuts and compromises in light of what promises to be a strained upcoming fiscal year.
One of the large items was that the planned modernization for George Mason Elementary School and Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology will be delayed by one year.
Fairfax Police Injured in Chase on Woodrow Wilson Bridge — “Three Fairfax County police officers were injured during a car chase involving a homicide suspect that ended with the person’s capture on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge on Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.” [Washington Post]
Power Outage in Carlyle — “We have about 2K @DominionEnergy customers experiencing outages in the vicinity of Carlyle. If you are out please report the outage online or by phone at 866-366-4357.” [Twitter]
What should the future Metro station at Potomac Yard be called?
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is seeking public input on what local residents and Metro users want the station to be called. While “Potomac Yard Metro Station” seems to be the obvious answer, there have also been efforts to tack “Virginia Tech” on to the name as well.
Heading into a School Board vote on Nov. 23, Superintendent Gregory Hutchings had thrown his support in with those supporting changing the names of T.C. Williams High School and Matthew Maury Elementary School.
Hutchings explained his support for the name change in an opinion piece in Tes, an educator trade magazine.
After weeks of speculation, ACPS announced today that the school’s winter sports season would be cancelled.
The cancellation will include this year’s boys basketball, girls basketball, wrestling, indoor track, gymnastics, ice hockey and swim and dive competitions.
