News | ALXnow - Part 1033

Morning Notes

Published November 19, 2019 at 8:00AM

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

Carpenter’s Shelter Getting Amazon Donation — “A nonprofit that is building a $2 million facility for the homeless in Old Town Alexandria says it has reached its fundraising goal after receiving $300,000 from Amazon, Inc… The donation from Amazon is the latest example of how the retail giant is trying to be a good corporate citizen in Northern Virginia.” [Washington Post, Patch]

Digital Plaudits for City — “Alexandria has been ranked the fourth top digital city of its size in the United States, according to the 2019 Digital Cities Survey… This is the 15th consecutive year Alexandria has been ranked in the top 10, including two years in first place.” [City of Alexandria]

Coastal Flooding Expected Tonight in Old Town

By ALXnow.com

Published November 18, 2019 at 5:00PM

Expect some flooding near the waterfront in Old Town tonight.

The National Weather Service has issued a Coastal Flood Advisory, set to go into effect at 8 p.m. and run overnight. The Potomac River is expected to be up to 2 feet above its normal levels at high tide, around 12:30 a.m., approaching the curb at the intersection of King and Strand streets.

Police: Stopped Stolen Vehicle Near T.C. Williams Leads to Pursuit

By Vernon Miles

Published November 18, 2019 at 4:15PM

Alexandria police cruiser (file photo by Jay Westcott)

Police say the stop of a stolen vehicle led to a short pursuit on foot and three arrests.

Around 9 p.m. yesterday (Sunday), police stopped a vehicle on the 3000 block of King Street — a bit down the road from T.C. williams High School — according to Lt. Courtney Ballantine, a spokesman for the Alexandria Police Department.

Alexandria Man Sentenced for Steroid Distribution

By ALXnow.com

Published November 18, 2019 at 3:30PM

An Alexandria man accused of manufacturing and distributing anabolic steroids has been sentenced to prison time.

John Russell Kestel, 38, was sentenced to serve five years in federal prison for the illicit steroid business, which was run “in a clandestine laboratory in the basement of his home in Alexandria.”

Toppers Pizza in Del Ray Donates to Cora Kelly Parent Teacher Conferences

By Vernon Miles

Published November 18, 2019 at 2:00PM

Parent-teacher conferences can be a stressful situation for both parties, but a donation from a nearby pizza shop helped ease that stress last week at Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology.

A manager at Toppers Pizza (3827 Mount Vernon Avenue) in Del Ray said they received an order for 185 pizzas from someone in Alexandria City Public Schools, in preparation for parent-teacher conferences.

Four Mile Run Wetlands Bridge to Open This Weekend

By Vernon Miles

Published November 18, 2019 at 11:30AM

Closed access to the bridge connecting the two pieces of the Four Mile Run Trail (Staff photo by Vernon Miles)

At long last, the Four Mile Run Wetlands Bridge is just about ready to open.

The bridge is scheduled to open on Sunday, Nov. 24, at 2 p.m. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned on the east side of the bridge, closest to the parking lot at 3700 Commonwealth Avenue, with comments from city officials and partners, as well as an overview of park improvements by city staff.

Flood Mitigation on Tap for Alexandria Schools, Hammond Middle in Line for Upgrades

By Vernon Miles

Published November 18, 2019 at 10:35AM

Alexandria City Public Schools has some big projects on its plate, but at a School Board meeting last Thursday, many of the smaller projects discussed could have a big impact on the schools.

The meeting discussed the top priorities for non-capacity improvements next year. While several schools are slated for sweeping modernization projects over the next ten years, the Capital Improvement Program upgrades could provide some stop-gap improvements in the meantime.

Alexandria Police Investigating Fatal Pedestrian Crash on Duke Street

By ALXnow.com

Published November 18, 2019 at 9:30AM

A 77-year-old Fairfax County man was struck and killed by a driver on Duke Street near the Alexandria Commons shopping center over the weekend.

The crash happened around 7:30 a.m. Saturday on Duke Street at Sweeley Street.

Morning Notes

By ALXnow.com

Published November 18, 2019 at 7:30AM

Stolen Vehicle Prompts Police Helo — “The Alexandria Police Department stopped a stolen vehicle in the 3000 block of King Street. A helicopter has been requested to assist.” [Twitter/@AlexandriaVAPD]

Route 7 Bus Lanes Planned — “New plans for rapid bus stations and bus lanes along Route 7 in Northern Virginia show the changes that could come to the busy commuter route over the next decade. A new conceptual engineering report lays out 18 specific bus rapid station locations from Tysons to Alexandria.” [WTOP]

Jeni’s Ice Creams Starts Scooping in Old Town

By Vernon Miles

Published November 15, 2019 at 3:15PM

Jeni's Ice Cream is now open in Old Town (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Nighttime temperatures may be hitting the freezing mark, but that hasn’t stopped Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams from opening at 102 S. Patrick Street in Old Town.

The restaurant opened this past Wednesday (Nov. 13) in the former Misha’s Coffee space, while the coffee shop has moved down the block to 907 King Street.

City Council Could Open New Senior Housing Option in Alexandria

By Vernon Miles

Published November 15, 2019 at 2:00PM

Alexandria could open up new zoning options in the city for “continuum of care” facilities that would offer local seniors a new option to age in place.

While elder care homes, group homes for the elderly, nursing homes and hospice care are all included in sections in the zoning code, staff said in a report that there’s no definition for senior facilities that offer a “range of care options from independent living to assisted living, with or without memory care services, within one facility.”