News | ALXnow - Part 1053

Morning Notes

Published October 4, 2019 at 8:00AM

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

Suit Filed Over Chicken Slaughterhouse — “The drama over the halal poultry butcher shop coming to Alexandria did not end when city council approved the business’ special use permit on March 26… About a month after the SUP approval, 10 businesses and residents filed a lawsuit against the City of Alexandria and the Alexandria City Council over the decision.” [Alexandria Times]

FBI Releases 2018 Crime Stats — “In Alexandria, violent crime fell from 262 to 260. That includes four murders and nonnegligent manslaughters, down from six in the previous year. Alexandria had 2,482 property crimes total in 2018, the same number reported in 2017.” [Patch]

For $100, an Alexandria Man Will Show Up and Break the Bad News

By Vernon Miles

Published October 3, 2019 at 4:30PM

Want a divorce? Have to quit your job? Need to tell your family you crashed your car into the side of the Van Dorn Station Shopping Center?

Sometimes there’s no easy way to break bad news, so don’t. An Alexandrian is offering his services via Craigslist to break the bad news for you.

Police Investigating Cell Phone Robbery in Lincolnia

By ALXnow.com

Published October 3, 2019 at 3:15PM

Alexandria police cruiser (file photo by Jay Westcott)

Alexandria Police are investigating a reported robbery of a cell phone in the Lincolnia area.

The incident happened around 2 p.m. on the 400 block of N. Armistead Street.

New Vietnamese Restaurant Aims for November Opening in Old Town

By Vernon Miles

Published October 3, 2019 at 2:00PM

Pho Nam is leaving 606 King Street (staff photo by James Cullum)

A new Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Nam, could be opening at 606 King Street next month.

The restaurant owners are planning to open the doors at some point in November, according to staff at the restaurant’s Maryland location.

City Council Pushes for Dockless Scooters to Spread Outside of Old Town

By Vernon Miles

Published October 3, 2019 at 12:45PM

Over 200,000 trips have been made on e-scooters in Alexandria this year, but a sticking point with local officials is equitable access to scooters throughout the city.

Now the City Council is considering pushing scooter companies to ensure more scooters are available in parts of Alexandria outside of Old Town and Del Ray.

JUST IN: Van Runs Into Storefront at Van Dorn Station Shopping Center

By ALXnow.com

Published October 3, 2019 at 11:25AM | Updated October 3, 2019 at 12:45PM

Van vs. building crash at Van Dorn Station shopping center (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 11:35 a.m.) The driver of a minivan rammed a storefront at the Van Dorn Station Shopping Center this morning.

The crash happened shortly after 10:30 a.m. at the strip mall-style shopping center at 510 S. Van Dorn Street. Damage to the storefront — of the Weyone International Foods grocery store — was reported to be relatively minor, but enough to prompt a building inspector being dispatched to the scene.

Tour Alexandria’s Libraries by Bike This Weekend

By Airey

Published October 3, 2019 at 10:45AM

Alexandria cyclists will be able to enjoy a leisurely, 13-mile bike tour of the city’s libraries this weekend.

The city’s seventh annual bike tour of libraries returns this Saturday, October 5 with a two hour ride departing from and returning the Charles Beatley Central Library at 5005 Duke Street. Families are encouraged to attend, although children under the age of 13 must be attached to their parent’s bicycle (with seats or on a tandem.)

City Staff Mulls Public Funding for Landmark Mall Redevelopment

By Vernon Miles

Published October 3, 2019 at 9:35AM

Alexandria’s City Council approved an ambitious master plan for Landmark Mall in April, but it’s city staff that’s been doing the delicate behind-the-scenes work of making that a reality.

After a long decline, Landmark Mall in Alexandria’s West End finally shut its doors for good in 2017 — though its corpse was briefly gussied up to play a 1980s shopping mall for Wonder Woman 2 in 2018.

Morning Notes

By ALXnow.com

Published October 3, 2019 at 8:00AM

A different pedestrian bridge over Holmes Run (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

T.C. Grad Sets Sprinting Record — “T.C. Williams High School graduate and adidas professional athlete Noah Lyles is your new IAAF World Athletics champion at 200 meters. His winning time in Doha, Qatar, was 19.83 seconds, with a reaction time of 0.168 seconds.” [MileStat]

5G Antenna Applications Streaming In — “#AlexandriaVA received 50 applications for small cell wireless facilities this year. Green dots on this map show the 43 applications that were approved. Ten were in the historic district, and the Board of Architectural Review approved three applications.” [Michael Pope/Twitter]

New Apartment Complex Opening Soon in the West End

By Vernon Miles

Published October 2, 2019 at 4:30PM

The Array at West Alexandria (courtesy photo)

A new apartment complex is scheduled to open in the West End later this year, with a Harris Teeter and a Silver Diner location coming down the road.

Array at West Alex is a mixed-use development at 3445 Berkeley Street — the very northwest tip of the city at the intersection of N. Beauregard Street and King Street, near the Fairlington neighborhood.

Faulty Equipment Leads to Refunds for Speeding Tickets

By Vernon Miles

Published October 2, 2019 at 3:15PM

Alexandria police cruiser (file photo by Jay Westcott)

The City of Alexandria announced today (Wednesday) that several thousand drivers who received speeding tickets could be eligible for a refund.

Insufficiently tested equipment is being cited as the reason for the refunds, according to a press release. Eligible motorists were mailed notifications today, the release said, and can request refunds online through March 15, 2020.