Vernon Miles | ALXnow

Year-Round School Temporarily Deferred at Samuel Tucker Elementary School

Published June 22, 2020 at 5:30PM

Samuel Tucker Elementary’s proud year-round school program is being cut back this year due to coronavirus, but School Board members offered reassurances to the community that the change is only temporary.

At a School Board meeting last Friday, school principal Rene Paschal said the questions about how coronavirus would impact the school’s calendar started in the parent community and conversations with school staff continued until the school administration was putting together a plan for what a temporary change away from the year-round program would look like.

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Alexandria Weekly Unemployment Claims Remain Over 400 As Recovery Slows

By Vernon Miles

Published June 22, 2020 at 3:15PM | Updated June 22, 2020 at 5:04PM

(Updated 5 p.m.) Alexandria is recovering from the unemployment spike at the start of the pandemic, but that steadily slowed over the last month.

Data released from the Virginia Employment Commission shows that there were 409 claims from the week of June 13. Since the April 4 high of 2,578 claims, claims have steadily trended down, but initial declines of several-hundred claims per week has dwindled to a less than 50 claim difference between weeks.

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Longtime Alexandria Planning Director Engin Artemel Dies

By Vernon Miles

Published June 22, 2020 at 10:20AM

An Alexandria Living Legend and longtime advocate for public access to the waterfront died last Wednesday in his Old Town.

Engin Artemel served in the City of Alexandria Department of Planning for ten years and was Planning Director from 1997-1984. He was 81 years old.

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Del Ray Pizza Restaurant Converts Parking Deck Into Tropical Oasis Themed Bar

By Vernon Miles

Published June 18, 2020 at 3:30PM | Updated June 18, 2020 at 4:51PM

(Updated 4:50 p.m.) There isn’t a lot of space inside Lena’s Wood-Fired Pizza & Tap (401 E Braddock Road) to both reopen the restaurant to the half-capacity required in the second phase of reopening and maintain the take-out service, so restaurant operator Dave Nicholas said the restaurant decided to transform

“We decided that our to-go business is really strong,” Nicholas said. “Want to still be able to service neighborhood to-go. We decided to do a pop-up tent and concept on top of the parking deck behind the restaurant.”

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Utility Rate Increase Cut Down as Alexandria Residents Reel from COVID-19

By Vernon Miles

Published June 18, 2020 at 11:45AM | Updated June 18, 2020 at 5:58PM

(Updated 4:25 p.m.) Local wastewater management service Alexandria Renew Enterprises (AlexRenew) is still going to need that $370 to $555 million for the massive upcoming infrastructure project, but due to COVID-19 the organization is cutting down the planned utility rate increase.

“Recognizing the impact COVID-19 has had on the Alexandria community, AlexRenew has updated its previously planned budget, which included an 11% rate increase that was approved last year to support RiverRenew, a state-mandated program to address Alexandria’s combined sewer pollution,” AlexRenew said in a press release. “While an increase is still necessary to support the project, AlexRenew has reduced its rate increase to 6.6%, which will go into effect July 1.”

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East Eisenhower Avenue Project Returns With A New Senior Living Component

By Vernon Miles

Published June 17, 2020 at 5:30PM | Updated June 17, 2020 at 5:47PM

Proposed design of 765 John Carlyle (photo via Carlyle Plaza, LLC)

Over 13 years since it was originally proposed, a plan to turn the quiet southeastern corner of the Eisenhower corridor into a pair of mixed-use towers is coming back with some new proposed uses.

A project called 765 John Carlyle proposes turning the empty grass lot near what is still Eisenhower Circle — for now — into “two mixed-use towers conjoined by the common podium” according to an application by Carlyle Plaza, LLC.

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Visit Alexandria Highlights Local Black-Owned Businesses

By Vernon Miles

Published June 17, 2020 at 2:15PM

Brandon Byrd, owner of Goodies Frozen Custard & Treats in Old Town. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

As part of a series spotlighting local businesses, city-sponsored organization Visit Alexandria has put together a guide for Alexandrians trying to show more support for black-owned businesses in the city.

Restaurants spotlighted on the list are:

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Killer E.S.P. Employee Fundraiser Raises Over Twice its Goal After Widespread Backlash

By Vernon Miles

Published June 17, 2020 at 11:30AM | Updated June 17, 2020 at 11:56AM

Employees of local coffee shop Killer E.S.P. (1012 King Street) who quit in protest of controversial tweets made on the company’s social media have raised $5,119 in a GoFundMe campaign, more than twice the campaign’s initial $2,000 goal.

“Due to the recent issues that have come to light on social media, the employees who stayed and worked through this pandemic have all officially quit (as of 6/10/20),” the campaign organizers said on the page. “We made this decision despite not having other jobs lined up because we felt it would be in our best interest for various reasons. We are currently looking for new work opportunities, but for the time being, will not be receiving any income. We created this page for any support that regulars, friends, and/or family may be able to donate to help us bridge the gap between employment during this stressful time.”

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Pines Of Florence Closes in Old Town as Building Redevelopment Looms

By Vernon Miles

Published June 16, 2020 at 4:30PM

Pines of Florence in Old Town (1300 King Street) has closed, though how permanent that close is remained unclear.

An employee of Pines of Florence said over the phone that the closure was due to redevelopment for the building approved last fall. The redevelopment is planned to turn the block into a four-story mixed-use development with 31 condominium units and 6,400 square feet of ground-floor retail

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ARHA Leadership Praised After COVID-19 Shutdown

By Vernon Miles

Published June 16, 2020 at 3:15PM | Updated June 16, 2020 at 3:33PM

Residents have reportedly been threatened with eviction if they or their children play at an Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority park that has been sectioned off (staff photo by James Cullum)

After some early concerns and criticisms, the Alexandria Redevelopment Housing Authority‘s resident community praised the organization’s leadership and swift action through the pandemic, and vice-versa.

Kevin Harris, the president of the Public Housing Resident Association in Alexandria, praised ARHA’s leadership and CEO Keith Pettigrew in particular. Harris and Jeremy McClayton, an associate organizer with Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement, said it was a stark contrast to earlier experiences with ARHA.

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Torpedo Factory in Old Town Reopens on Weekends

By Vernon Miles

Published June 16, 2020 at 11:45AM

The Torpedo Factory in Old Town (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The Torpedo Factory Artists Association (TFAA) announced that as part of the city’s phased reopening, the Torpedo Factory is now reopened to the public on weekends, with some precautions.

“The Torpedo Factory is now open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday,” the TFAA said on Facebook. “You can enter through the waterfront entrance and masks are required inside the building. Please come out and enjoy some art.”