Vernon Miles | ALXnow

Layoffs at The Alexandrian and Other Businesses Across the City

Published April 23, 2020 at 3:15PM

The Alexandrian (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

As the coronavirus pandemic keeps businesses closed for longer periods of time, several around Alexandria have filed closing and layoff notices to the state citing COVID-19.

The Alexandrian, a hotel at 480 King Street, was forced to lay off 115 staff, according to the Virginia Employment Commission.

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Alexandria Dedicates $671K in CARES Act Funds to Rent Assistance

By Vernon Miles

Published April 22, 2020 at 3:15PM

Andrew Adkins, an affordable housing neighborhood in Braddock (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

The City Council voted on Saturday to direct $671,570 in federal funding to provide rent assistance for low-income families in Alexandria.

The catch, however, is that this funding will be used for rental assistance only for those living in the city’s assisted housing developments, like those managed by Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority, and including non-profits and set-aside affordable units the city received through the development process.

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Poll: What Should Be Done With the Confederate Statue in Old Town?

By Vernon Miles

Published April 22, 2020 at 10:15AM

There were years of debate and lobbying, Alexandria finally has state authorization to move the Appomattox statue in the middle of the S. Washington Street and Prince Street.

The statue has defenders who say that the statue should not be moved at all. The placement in the center of the street represents the spot where Alexandrians gathered to leave the Union-occupied Alexandria and join the Confederacy. The statue also, pointedly, faces away from Washington D.C. and to the south. While many of the statues being removed across the south glamorize the southern cause, defenders of the statue note that the pose was more solemn.

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Local Shops Offer Custom Monogrammed and Gold Cheetah Print Face Masks

By Vernon Miles

Published April 21, 2020 at 5:15PM

As part of an ongoing series of programs aimed at helping Alexandrians stuck at home, Visit Alexandria has put together a guide to where to find facemasks in the city.

“With the CDC’s recommendations for everyone to wear a cloth face covering while out in public if they can’t maintain six feet of physical distance from others, and the likelihood that this will be the new temporary norm, we’ve compiled a list of Alexandria boutiques and businesses making non-medical-grade face coverings,” the local tourism center said.

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National Park Service Clears Alexandria Sewer Project Assessment

By Vernon Miles

Published April 21, 2020 at 2:00PM

Map of planned RiverRenew project (image via National Park Service)

A global pandemic is not stopping forward progress on RiverRenew, a project that aims to overhaul the city’s sewer infrastructure that is annually dumps 11 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River.

The project is the largest infrastructure project in the city’s history, with a price tag that increased last year to an estimated $464 million. The project recently cleared its environmental assessment by the National Park Service that was required because portions of the project run through Jones Point Park, George Washington Memorial Parkway and the bed of the Potomac River.

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Planned King Street Childcare Facility Lets You Cowork With Your Kids

By Vernon Miles

Published April 21, 2020 at 11:30AM

If you’ve gotten used to working from home with your kids during the pandemic, a new daycare and coworking facility coming to Old Town could let you work alongside your kids.

Two Birds is a coworking office in D.C. with a focus on also offering child care. The company offers the usual coworking amenities, like coffee bars, dedicated desks, and conference rooms, but also comes with amenities aimed at early childcare.

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Stomping Ground Owner Offers Intimate Look at Keeping the Del Ray Cafe Running During Pandemic

By Vernon Miles

Published April 20, 2020 at 3:45PM

Nicole Jones, owner of Stomping Ground and co-owner of Bagel Uprising, at work in the bagel shop

Fresh off a recent expansion into Tysons, Nicole Jones was ready to expand her Del Ray cafe Stomping Ground (2309 Mt Vernon Avenue) into a neighboring space with a new bagel shop next door called Bagel Uprising.

That was last fall, and as spring came around, the nationwide pandemic now has Jones and her staff scrambling to them afloat.

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Tenants and Supporters Protest for Rent Freeze at Southern Towers

By Vernon Miles

Published April 20, 2020 at 2:00PM | Updated April 20, 2020 at 4:41PM

Updated 4:40 p.m. — Adhering to proper social distancing protocol, tenants and other supporters rallied outside of Southern Towers in cars making slow circles through the parking lot with signs and chants of “No pay! No Rent!” and “No job! No Rent!”

“How are people going to be able to make a rent deferral plan work?” asked Sarah Jacobson, organizing director for UNITE HERE Local 23 DC, a food service workers union operating out of D.C. “Even if people went back to 100% employment tomorrow, that would be challenging. Uber drivers won’t be getting the kind of pay they had before.”

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Life in Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority Under Quarantine

By Vernon Miles

Published April 17, 2020 at 3:15PM | Updated April 17, 2020 at 5:54PM

ARHA properties in Old Town, Alexandria. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

Update 5:45 p.m. — ARHA CEO Keith Pettigrew said the organization has not evicted any residents, but has issued warnings aimed at preserving the vulnerable populations in ARHA communities.

“What we’re dealing with is a silent killer,” Pettigrew said. “We’re trying to keep people safe. It’s all about health and safety. The black community is the most vulnerable community. We’re not trying to be harsh, we’re trying to save lives.”

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Improvements Planned for Baseball Field and Skate Park Near Police Headquarters

By Vernon Miles

Published April 17, 2020 at 2:00PM | Updated April 17, 2020 at 2:35PM

Planned improvements for Schuyler Hamilton Skate Park and Luckett Field (via City of Alexandria)

A suite of new improvements could be coming to the Schuyler Hamilton Skate Park and Luckett Field just off Duke Street at 3540 Wheeler Avenue.

The Planning Commission is docketed to review the new safety improvements at the park at the June 2 meeting.

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COVID-19 Leaving City With $1 Million Affordable Housing Funding Loss in New Budget

By Vernon Miles

Published April 17, 2020 at 11:30AM

Tying affordable housing funding to meals tax seemed like a safe bet in 2018, but with restaurants facing a dramatic loss in revenue due to coronavirus, affordable housing is out $1 million in the new budget.

According to the budget: