Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced new administration and board appointments on Friday, which include two Alexandria residents.
Brandy Schantz of Alexandria, CEO of Schantz Business Consulting, was appointed to the State Rehabilitation Advisory Council. Robert Luther III of Old Town, founder of Constitutional Solutions PLLC, was named to the Board of Visitors to Mount Vernon.
Alexandria residents will have the opportunity to directly engage with their elected officials at a City Council town hall scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 4, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Patrick Henry Recreation Center.
The upcoming session will be the city’s third town hall of the year, following gatherings in March and June that drew dozens of residents and addressed topics ranging from ward redistricting to Old Town train tracks.
Take a step back in time on Oct. 4, as the Lee-Fendall House Museum and Garden (614 Oronoco Street) hosts a Roaring Twenties speakeasy night.
The annual event commemorating the centennial of state-level prohibition against alcohol will take place in the museum’s historic garden, with music from the Conservatory Classic Jazz Band. Since 2016, the fundraiser has raised over $50,000 to support the museum. Tickets for the event cost $97.88.
Alexandria has once again received the highest possible bond ratings from major credit agencies, marking the 33rd consecutive year the city has earned top marks for its financial management – news that City Manager Jim Parajon appeared to preview at a tourism industry event Thursday night.
S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s Ratings reaffirmed Alexandria’s ‘AAA’ and ‘Aaa’ ratings, respectively, allowing the city to continue securing low interest rates when issuing bonds for significant capital projects.
ALX Community is hosting its second ALX Pink Gala in Old Town next month, with proceeds benefiting the National Breast Center Foundation.
The gala will be held at ALX Community’s Atrium location (277 S. Washington Street) on Friday, Oct. 17, from 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets range in price from $100 for general admission to $150 for VIPs, the latter of which grants access to an exclusive rooftop experience, according to event organizers.
An Alexandria man received a sentence of just one day behind bars for his role in a $4 million scheme that defrauded a federal COVID-19 relief program, according to a press release received from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Virginia, on Friday.
Carl Pierre, 37, received the sentence in May for helping orchestrate a scam that exploited the Paycheck Protection Program through a fitness center that never opened to the public. His co-conspirators received longer sentences when they faced U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles on Thursday.
Our top story this week is on a new report that Alexandria is among the hardest-hit localities affected by the Trump administration’s layoffs of federal workers. According to a new Brookings Institution report, Alexandria and its neighboring jurisdictions saw sharp unemployment increases. More than 13,000 federal workers live in Alexandria, and more than 76,000 federal employees live in Virginia’s 8th Congressional District, which includes Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church and parts of Fairfax County, according to U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-8).
“I do worry that might be a sign of the sort of federal government cuts causing people to feel they need to leave the city,” Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley said in a City Council meeting on Sept. 9.
Visit Alexandria announced a comprehensive neighborhoods initiative designed to distribute tourism’s economic benefits across all areas of the city while encouraging visitors to explore beyond the traditional Old Town corridor.
The initiative centers on a new Neighborhoods Hub on the organization’s website, featuring an interactive map, enhanced content, embedded videos, and expanded storytelling about Alexandria’s diverse communities, Claire Mouledoux, senior vice president of marketing and communications for Visit Alexandria, said during the organization’s annual meeting Sept. 25.
Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology just got a little upgrade, courtesy of nonprofit Rebuilding Together DC – Alexandria and Home Depot.
On Thursday, the elementary school at 3600 Commonwealth Avenue got help with painting, minor construction projects, rebuilding the school’s library, and assembling furniture, according to ACPS.
The Virginia Department of Transportation is seeking public feedback on a study examining potential safety and traffic improvements along South Van Dorn Street in Fairfax County, including the section that connects directly to Alexandria’s city limits.
The STARS (Strategically Targeted Affordable Roadway Solutions) study encompasses a 2.5-mile section of South Van Dorn Street, from Telegraph Road to the Alexandria boundary, and three-quarters of a mile of Franconia Road, between Grovedale Drive and South Van Dorn Street.
The Civil War Artillery Day at Fort Ward Museum and Historic Site, scheduled for Saturday, has been canceled due to a rainy weather forecast.
“Historic Alexandria regrets that it has to cancel this weather-dependent event,” the Office of Historic Alexandria said in an email. There is a 60% chance of rain on Saturday.
