Vernon Miles | ALXnow

Alexandria Allows Sidewalk and Parking Lot Vending for Restaurant and Retail

Published April 10, 2020 at 5:20PM

The same day that take out and delivery for mixed drinks opened up throughout Virginia, the City of Alexandria announced a suite of eased restrictions on businesses in Alexandria.

The biggest of these is opening up sidewalks and parking lots to vending for restaurant and retail establishments. In a press release, the City of Alexandria announced that retail and restaurants can set up shop on adjacent sidewalks or parking lots.

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Torpedo Factory Art Center a Ghost Town, Artists Haunted by Rent Payments

By Vernon Miles

Published April 10, 2020 at 3:15PM | Updated April 10, 2020 at 10:48PM

The Torpedo Factory Art Center in Old Town(staff photo by James Cullum)

Update 10:40 p.m. — City Spokesperson Craig Fifer noted that the city has offered deferred payment of certain businesses taxes until June 30 and offered 12-month payment plans after that, which is the same offer available to the artists. Fifer also said that rent is paid to the city because the city owns and manages the building, with management resumed in 2016.

Artists can still access their studios and derive value from having a place to work, make online sales, and store their supplies and art. Because some artists derive more income from walk-in sales than others, it would not make sense to apply a one-size-fits-all approach to studio rent. We notified each of our 119 leaseholders on March 31 that they could request rent relief with just a simple email, and only eight so far have done so.

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Arrests Made for Double Stabbing at Dora Kelley Nature Park

By Vernon Miles

Published April 10, 2020 at 2:30PM

Two Alexandria men are in custody after a stabbing incident at Dora Kelley Nature Park in the West End on March 15 that left two victims in the hospital with serious injuries.

Edgardo Roman Guevara, 20, was arrested on March 31, and 19-year-old Cesar Loza Castillo was arrested on March 27. Both have been charged with malicious wounding and assault by mob, and are being held without bail in the Alexandria Jail.

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Rent Strike Showdown at Southern Towers as City Leaders Push for Compromise

By Vernon Miles

Published April 10, 2020 at 11:30AM

The Sherwood apartment building at Southern Towers in Alexandria's West End. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

While residents at Southern Towers are preparing to strike, city leadership is caught in the middle of trying to negotiate a ceasefire before things escalate.

Residents at the West End apartment complex, many of whom have service industry jobs and were recently laid off due to the pandemic, have begun organizing for a strike wherein they refuse to pay their rent, WAMU first reported.

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Yoga Studio Franchise Plans to Open North Old Town Location

By Vernon Miles

Published April 9, 2020 at 5:30PM

Exterior of storefront (photo via CorePower Yoga LLC)

It looks like CorePower Yoga could be joining a handful of new developments coming to Gables Old Town North (525 Montgomery Street).

A Special Use Permit filed with the city yesterday (April 8) indicates the studio is planned for 921 N. St Asaph Street at the northwest corner of the site.

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Alexandrians Celebrate New Cocktail-To-Go Directive

By Vernon Miles

Published April 9, 2020 at 11:30AM

Starting at midnight, local restaurants will have the option to serve cocktails to go.

Gov. Ralph Northam directed the Virginia ABC on Wednesday to allow businesses with mixed beverage licenses — like restaurants and distilleries — to sell mixed drinks through take out or delivery.

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Budget Cuts Push Back T.C. Expansion and Waterfront Redevelopment

By Vernon Miles

Published April 8, 2020 at 10:30AM | Updated April 8, 2020 at 1:53PM

Alexandria City Hall (staff photo by James Cullum)

(Updated 1:10 p.m.) As expected, this year’s $753.3 million city government budget will be significantly cut down — with a $46.6 million reduction from the operating budget and $140.6 million in the capital budget put forward in April.

City Manager Mark Jinks called the new document “Budget 2.0,” representing the possibility that its contents are subject to change at next Tuesday’s (April 14) City Council meeting and throughout the budget process. Jinks said the total projected revenue loss for the 2020 and 2021 fiscal year is $92.2 million, and that the sharp reduction in the budget is due to a deferral of the 2 cent tax residential tax increase initially proposed and a steep drop off in commercial tax revenue.

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Where to Get Passover and Easter Meals Around Alexandria

By Vernon Miles

Published April 7, 2020 at 3:30PM

Though restaurants across Alexandria are closed for traditional Easter and Passover meals due to the coronavirus pandemic, many are offering select take-out options available for pick-up or delivery.

Visit Alexandria, which has been running a series called ALX at Home to keep locals engaged during the quarantine, has put together a long list of local restaurants with special Passover and Easter options. Many of them do require pre-ordering the meals in advance.

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Old Town Karate School Kicks Through Digital Barrier of Social Distancing

By Vernon Miles

Published April 7, 2020 at 2:15PM

On one video screen, local karate instructor Richard Romero initiates a kick, and in living rooms across Alexandria, dozens of children in his Seichou Karate school follow suit.

Since the coronavirus pandemic started, Romero has been forced to take his school at 807 N. Royal Street into online Zoom conference calls. But for Romero, parents, and students in the classes: the online karate school has been a measure of stability.

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More Trash from At-Home Workers Straining City’s Garbage Infrastructure

By Vernon Miles

Published April 6, 2020 at 4:30PM

Taking out the trash in Old Town (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The city is pleading for residents to minimize their trash after piles have steadily grown higher as people are staying at home during the pandemic.

Residential trash tonnage has increased by 40% over the last month, according to a press release.

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T.C. Williams Teachers Use Pandemic to Push New Education Methods

By Vernon Miles

Published April 6, 2020 at 2:15PM

While many teachers are grappling with reshaping their curriculums for the new digital era, some Alexandria teachers have been making the most of the new situation and pushing the schools to embrace new teaching methods.

Gabriel Elias, a history teacher at T.C. Williams High School, has made national headlines for his morning show broadcast to the T.C. community and was singled out for praise by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.