News

On This Day: Alexandria Had 48 Factories, 328 Retail Businesses — On this day in 1914, the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce reported the City had 48 manufactories, 39 wholesale houses, and 328 retail businesses, with combined business revenues of $30 million. [Historic Alexandria]

Alexandria Health District Navigates Federal Funding Crisis — When the Virginia Department of Health lost $219 million in federal COVID-era grants this March, Alexandria’s health district laid off 11 staff members who provided community immunization clinics, IT support, and multilingual outreach to diverse immigrant populations. District Director Dr. David Rose rescued nine positions by tapping into American Rescue Plan Act funds and securing emergency funding from Alexandria’s city council, though the relief is temporary as the district braces for increased demand from residents who may lose Medicaid coverage under recent federal changes. The funding cuts compound existing VDH problems including a $33 million deficit and embezzlement scandals, though Commissioner Karen Shelton says the department is working through 30 recommended reforms to rebuild accountability across Virginia’s 35 health districts. [ALXnow via Virginia Mercury]

This article, Part One of the Mercury’s Pulse Check series, was produced as a project for the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism’s 2025 Impact Fund for Reporting on Health Equity and Health Systems.

In late March of this year the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) was notified that three COVID-19-era grants were being prematurely cancelled. This resulted in a loss of $219 million dollars the state had used to support public health initiatives, the layoff of hundreds of employees around Virginia and the compounding of existing challenges, including a $33 million deficit and burned-out staff.