Author: Vernon Miles

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.

News

Alexandria’s Campagna Center hosting back-to-school health fair for young children

By Vernon Miles
The Campagna Center (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

Alexandria childcare nonprofit The Campagna Center coming together with a few partners to host a back-to-school health fair to help families in need.

The fair aims to help preschool-age children from families at 100-200% of the federal poverty level. The health fair will run from Wednesday, Aug. 14 through Friday, Aug. 16 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Campagna Center headquarters (418 S. Washington Street).

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Opinion

Poll: Do you rent or own your home in Alexandria?

By Vernon Miles
For Sale sign (file photo)

A new report from housing nonprofit HAND last week found that roughly 57% of households in Alexandria were renters, which has us wondering: do more ALXnow readers rent or own homes in Alexandria?

That’s higher than the nationwide average, where only 36% — though that’s to be expected for a more urban area.

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News

National Night Out events and block parties scheduled around Alexandria tonight

By Vernon Miles

Tonight (Tuesday) is National Night Out, a collaborative event where local communities and Alexandria public safety agencies host block parties and events together.

The idea of the event, which has been ongoing since 1984, is giving a chance for locals to meet law enforcement and other agencies outside of an emergency situation.

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News

Rain expected in Alexandria the rest of this week as tropical storm Debby makes landfall

By Vernon Miles
Scenes from Old Town as a storm front bringing rain and high winds moves through the region in 2022 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

While today and possibly tomorrow are likely to be mostly sunny, the National Weather Service warned that starting Tuesday afternoon, Alexandrians can expect rain every day through Saturday.

The rain prediction comes as tropical storm Debby makes landfall in Florida.

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News

Port City hosting new ‘Port to Port Beer Festival’ next week

By Vernon Miles
Port City Optimal Wit and ALXnow rabbit affairs editor Hugo (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

Hometown brewery Port City Brewing Company will be hosting a brand new beer festival in Alexandria showcasing beers from other ports around the country.

The Port to Port Beer Festival is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 17, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Port City (3940 Wheeler Avenue). The festival will feature 14 breweries from other water-adjacent cities, including Mieza Blendery and Lost Boy Cider both in Alexandria.

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News

ACPS says all families of students at Alexandria City High School and other schools eligible for free breakfast and lunch this year

By Vernon Miles
The Alexandria City High School marquee (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) confirmed to ALXnow that families of any student at several schools will be provided breakfast and lunch for free.

Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is a ‘non-pricing meal service option’ for schools in low-income areas, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture website. The website said that all students enrolled at the school can receive breakfast and lunch at no cost without the need to apply. The schools are reimbursed based on the percentage of students eligible for free meals based on other programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

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News

Yates Auto donating some gas proceeds to local homeless shelter this month

By Vernon Miles
Gas pump at Yates Auto (photo via Carpenter's Shelter/Twitter)

If you’re looking for a place to get gas, pumping up at Yates Auto in the Braddock neighborhood will also benefit a local homeless shelter.

Yates Auto at 217 E. Braddock Road is donating two cents per gallon of all gas sold in August to Carpenter’s Shelter, a local nonprofit that helps shelter and find homes for Alexandrians experiencing homelessness.

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News

Medical examiner says man discovered dead in Four Mile Run in April accidentally drowned

By Vernon Miles
Police conducting death investigation near Four Mile Run Park (staff photo by James Cullum)

Four months after 32-year-old Keben Isaias Perez was found dead in Four Mile Run, the Office of the Medical Examiner has ruled the cause of death to be accidental drowning.

According to a release from the Alexandria Police Department:

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News

New report shows most Alexandrians are renters and many have unaffordable housing costs

By Vernon Miles
A protest against rent hikes outside the Potomac West Apartments in Arlandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria is gaining new residents at almost twice the rate it’s gaining new housing units.

A new report from housing nonprofit HAND — linked to in the latest Mayor Justin Wilson newsletter — outlined housing trends in the City of Alexandria and offered a breakdown of what kind of housing is being built.

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