Vernon Miles | ALXnow

Friday Trivia! What Inspired the Mirror Mirror Art Display?

Published October 18, 2019 at 9:30AM | Updated October 18, 2019 at 3:04PM

Mirror Mirror art display at Waterfront park in Old Town Alexandria (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Update 3 p.m. — For the second week in a row, the correct answer is lighthouse related. The Mirror Mirror project is inspired by the Fresnel lens of Alexandria’s Jones Point Lighthouse, according to the City of Alexandria website.

We’re back with Friday trivia!

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Birding Store ‘One Good Tern’ Near Fairlington to Close Next Month

By Vernon Miles

Published October 17, 2019 at 3:30PM | Updated October 17, 2019 at 3:56PM

Charles Studholme, owner of One Good Tern (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

After 33 years, birding and nature store One Good Tern (1710 Fern Street) near Fairlington is closing as longtime owner Charles Studholme faces a grim kidney failure diagnosis.

“It’s doctor’s orders,” Studholme explained, then with a chuckle. “Well, the doctor’s orders were to stop three years ago.”

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Part of King Street Could Close to Vehicle Traffic as Early as April

By Vernon Miles

Published October 16, 2019 at 4:15PM

The City of Alexandria is once again preparing to shut cars out of the end of King Street and convert it into a pedestrian-only walkway.

A plan is currently in the works to close the 100 block of King Street to car traffic on weekends to turn the area near the waterfront into a pedestrian boulevard. At the Waterfront Commission meeting yesterday (Tuesday), city staff presented the timeline for when that closure could happen.

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City Reflects on Mirror Display and Other Waterfront Park Changes

By Vernon Miles

Published October 16, 2019 at 3:15PM

Mirror Mirror art display at Waterfront park in Old Town Alexandria (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Improvements and changes are coming to the Waterfront Park over the next few weeks.

Mirror Mirror, the circular art exhibit currently on display in the park, had originally been scheduled to remain on display through the end of next month, but at a Waterfront Commission Meeting on Tuesday staff said the installation will be removed the first week of November.

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Equity Audit for Schools Highlights Areas of Perceived Inequality

By Vernon Miles

Published October 16, 2019 at 2:00PM

It’s no secret that there is a lack of equity in Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) and school staff are working to identify where staff and students say disparities are the most prevalent.

While the school system recently celebrated all ACPS schools being fully accredited, the announcement noted that achievement gaps continue to exist “particularly in math and English among Hispanic students, black students, economically disadvantaged students and students with disabilities.” Test scores over recent years have shown a narrowing gap among different groups but with room to improve.

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Fibre Space in Old Town Celebrates Incoming Colder Weather with ‘Slow Fashion’ Party Tonight

By Vernon Miles

Published October 16, 2019 at 11:45AM

Fibre space at 1319 Prince Street

Danielle Romanetti, owner of Alexandria yarn store fibre space (1319 Prince Street), is ready for the colder weather.

Even as the store celebrated its ten year anniversary, it faced an unusually difficult summer, with Metro closures and unseasonable warmth leaving business hanging by a thread, so to speak. But now, she’s hopeful that the recent dip into sweater weather heralds the return to wool season.

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Affordable Housing Redevelopment in Braddock is Overbudget and Overdue

By Vernon Miles

Published October 16, 2019 at 10:45AM

The redevelopment of the Ramsey Homes public housing project in the Braddock area is underway, but the housing agency developing the project has extended the timeline and is requesting further funding from the city.

The Ramsey Homes project, at the corner of N. Patrick and Wythe streets, consists of 52 affordable units financed with low-income housing tax credits, city loans, and public housing funds. Of those units, 37 are planned to be affordable to households making up to 60% of the area median income, while 15 will be classified as deeply affordable — available to households at 30% of the area median income.

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What the City Is Doing About Abandoned Scooters

By Vernon Miles

Published October 16, 2019 at 9:45AM

Bird scooter abandoned in the Four Mile Run wetlands (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

When Alexandria officials said they hope to see birds return to the Four Mile Run wetlands, they weren’t referring to Bird scooters — but yet, there was at least one there, in the water.

Concerns about scooters on sidewalks have dominated the local debate about the personal mobility devices, but the issue of abandoned scooters is nonetheless something with which Alexandria policymakers will have to grapple.

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Climate Change Forces Civil War-Era Building to be Rebuilt a Few Feet Higher

By Vernon Miles

Published October 15, 2019 at 3:15PM

Rendering of The Mill restaurant (image via City of Alexandria)

Rising water levels are forcing one planned redevelopment of a historic property to move the building up a few feet.

The Mill, a building at the heart of Robinson Landing development along the waterfront, is being renovated and turned into a Southern-inspired restaurant. The city filing by local builder Murray Bonitt noted that the building was at one point used as a mess hall for Union soldiers during the Civil War. But the renovation will involve taking the building apart and putting it back together again a few feet above its current elevation.

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New Taqueria Opens in Arlandria

By Vernon Miles

Published October 15, 2019 at 2:00PM

Taqueria Senora Lola in Arlandria

The new Taqueria Senora Lola is now open at 3901 Mount Vernon Avenue in Arlandria.

Owner Oswaldo Salinas said the restaurant — adjacent to Salinas’ other eatery, Lilian’s Restaurant, opened two weeks ago and had a grand opening event this past Saturday.

News

‘Dogtoberfest’ This Weekend at Port City to Benefit Animal Welfare League

By Vernon Miles

Published October 15, 2019 at 11:30AM

If you’ve ever thought “I want to drink beer outdoors, with other people, but I also want to hang out with my dog,” Port City has the event for you.

Dogtoberfest, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 19, is a free event planned in the parking lot of Port City Brewing Company’s brewery at 3950 Wheeler Avenue.