Vernon Miles | ALXnow

Spooky tours return to Old Town next month

Published September 21, 2023 at 11:00AM

Gadsby's Tavern (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

Alexandria is pretty indisputably the champion of Halloween in the region, and every year, the city’s museums get in on the action.

Two museums around Alexandria are offering special tours in October exploring poisons and death in the City of Alexandria.

News

Expect delays on Duke Street tonight due to paving work

By Vernon Miles

Published September 21, 2023 at 10:00AM

Area of Duke Street closures (image courtesy VDOT)

Anyone driving along Duke Street tonight should be warned that traffic might be heavier than usual.

Intermittent traffic stoppages are scheduled along westbound Duke Street between South Walker Street and the bridge over I-395, along with the westbound Duke Street off- and on-ramps.

News

Internet provider Ting says expansion west of Braddock Road coming ‘in the near future’

By Vernon Miles

Published September 20, 2023 at 3:50PM

Ting Internet team on-site in Alexandria, Virginia (image courtesy Ting Internet)

Ting Internet started providing some long-awaited competition to Comcast in parts of Alexandria earlier this year, now the company says it’s expanding to central Alexandria soon.

Catharine Rice, community engagement and public affairs manager, told ALXnow in an email that the company has finished microtrenching in work zone 1, the first area Ting Internet was implemented in Alexandria. Rice said Ting Internet is starting work in neighborhoods west of Braddock Road soon, but without any exact dates announced.

News

Alexandria likely to throw its weight behind Arlington transit project

By Vernon Miles

Published September 20, 2023 at 2:00PM

Current Shirlington Transit Center (image via Google Maps)

Arlington calls for aid, and Alexandria will answer.

Alexandria’s City Council is scheduled to vote at a meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 26, to support neighboring Arlington’s funding application for an expanded Shirlington Transit Center.

News

Construction work starting this month on Four Mile Park Trail bridge replacement

By Vernon Miles

Published September 20, 2023 at 10:50AM

Four Mile Run Park trail closure (image via City of Alexandria)

Ideally, the Four Mile Run Park Trail would connect the two sides of the Arlandria park. Since 2021 the bridge at the center of that trail has been shut down, but work is starting this month to change that.

An inspection in summer 2021 found a hole in the bridge and the city determined the bridge was not suitable for use. The bridge was closed in August 2021. A daytime detour runs just north of the bridge along the Four Mile Run Wetland Trail. The nighttime detour runs down to Reed Avenue

News

Alexandria leaders hosting town hall event in new ‘West End City Hall’

By Vernon Miles

Published September 19, 2023 at 9:45AM

4850 Mark Center Drive. (Courtesy photo)

City leaders hope to make good use of the new government hub in the West End with a multi-language town hall event this weekend.

The event is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 24, from 1-3 p.m. in the Del Peper Community Resource Center (4850 Mark Center Drive) — colloquially called West End City Hall during development.

News

Alexandria Library hosting musical and literary events for Hispanic Heritage Month

By Vernon Miles

Published September 18, 2023 at 2:45PM

From tango to storytime, the Alexandria Library is hosting an array of events this month to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.

The month of programming started on Sept. 15 and will run until Monday, Oct. 16.

News

Parker-Gray homeowner draws ire of BAR with new vinyl windows

By Vernon Miles

Published September 18, 2023 at 10:45AM

Vinyl windows, the topic of discussion at an upcoming BAR meeting (image via City of Alexandria)

The Alexandria Board of Architectural Review (BAR) has a storied history of seemingly petty battles with property owners, but the newest one might take the cake.

City staff is recommending denial of a Certificate of Appropriateness for vinyl windows, window trim and shutters at a Parker-Gray home — meaning the owner may have to restore the original windows or find historically suitable replacements.

News

Next Zoning for Housing discussion scheduled for next week

By Vernon Miles

Published September 18, 2023 at 9:55AM | Updated September 19, 2023 at 9:39AM

Old brick row houses in Old Town Alexandria

(Updated 9/19) The next public discussion for Alexandria’s Zoning for Housing/Housing for All is coming next week.

The second of three fall community meetings is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 28, from 6-8 p.m.

News

Capital Bikeshare hits record high use in Alexandria this year

By Vernon Miles

Published September 15, 2023 at 2:45PM

After a dip in 2020, Capital Bikeshare use in Alexandria has been on a rapid rebound and this year surpassed pre-Covid ridership.

The network overall hit ridership records this summer. Capital Bikeshare hit an all-time ridership record in Alexandria this July, with 10,652 total trips, according to a new report to the Traffic and Parking Board. There was an average of 343.6 trips per day in July.

News

Warning: School zone speed cameras go live on Monday

By Vernon Miles

Published September 15, 2023 at 1:30PM

Speed camera locations around Alexandria (image via City of Alexandria)

If you speed near an Alexandria school zone, you’ve been warned: starting next Monday, you could get a ticket from the speed cameras.

Speed cameras were installed earlier this year near Francis Hammond Middle School, John Adams Elementary School, Ferdiannty T. Day Elementary School and George Washington Middle School.