News | ALXnow - Part 212

Alexandria Police to be designated ‘school officials’ with access to student records under proposed MOU

Published May 22, 2025 at 12:15PM | Updated June 17, 2025 at 11:27AM

Police at Alexandria City High School investigating a bomb threat (staff photo by James Cullum)

According to a draft memorandum of understanding between the school system and police, the Alexandria Police Department officers are considered “school officials” with access to the records of Alexandria City Public Schools students.

The School Board is conducting a public hearing on the draft MOU on Tuesday night, May 27. The 40-page document is an update to the two-year agreement between police and ACPS. Once approved, the updated agreement will be in effect from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2027. APD provides school resource officers at Alexandria City High School and the city’s two middle schools.

Va. transportation board approves nearly $1 billion in funding for SMART SCALE projects

By Nathaniel Cline, Virginia Mercury

Published May 22, 2025 at 9:15AM

Duke Street and S. Reynolds Street (image via Google Maps)

Virginia awarded $983.6 million to 53 applicants in the sixth iteration of the competitive SMART SCALE process to help improve transportation across the commonwealth.

On Wednesday, the Commonwealth Transportation Board approved the transportation and infrastructure projects that were recommended for approval by staff, after weighing 270 applications and making significant changes to the program last year.

Notes: Alexandria secures $1.08 million for workforce housing near INOVA campus

By ALXnow.com

Published May 22, 2025 at 8:00AM

Seminary Road (via Housing Alexandria)

Good Thursday morning, Alexandria!

⛈️ Today’s weather: Showers and thunderstorms before 3 p.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4 p.m.. High near 70 degrees. Light and variable wind becoming west 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. The chance of precipitation is 80%—new rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts are possible in thunderstorms.

Alexandria Fire Department assists in extinguishing fire at Fairlington Villages management office

By James Cullum

Published May 21, 2025 at 3:44PM

Fire at the Fairlington Villages management office (staff photo by James Cullum)

No serious injuries were reported after the management office for the Fairlington Villages condo association caught fire Wednesday afternoon.

Alexandria Fire Department and Arlington firefighters responded around 2 p.m. to a report of a building on fire at 3001 S. Abingdon Street, near Abingdon Elementary School in the Fairlington neighborhood, according to ARLnow. Fairlington Village manages dozens of buildings and about 1,700 townhome and apartments on nearly 100 acres in Alexandria and Arlington. Two firefighters were treated for non-life threatening injuries at the scene.

Two new towers, 257 senior units planned for The View Alexandria in West End

By James Cullum

Published May 21, 2025 at 3:30PM

The View Alexandria by Goodwin Living is looking to expand with construction of two 14-to-16-story apartment towers (via City of Alexandria)

A senior living community in Alexandria’s West End is looking to expand by building a two-towered 14- to 16-story apartment building with 257 units.

The View Alexandria by Goodwin Living acquired the seven-acre property at 5000 Fairbanks Avenue and 5101 Fillmore Avenue from Hermitage Northern Virginia three years ago. It currently consists of a five-story medical building, surface parking and a six-story apartment building with 126 units for independent and assisted living care. Now Goodwin Living is asking the city for permission to approve a development special use permit for a 700,000-square-foot building by increasing its allowable height from 150 feet to 175 feet for the south tower, six feet on the North Tower (to 156 feet), a 30% bonus density and a reduction of off-street parking.

Developer wants extension to build seven-story apartment building across from the Braddock Road Metro station

By James Cullum

Published May 21, 2025 at 2:30PM

The developer behind a seven-story apartment building in the Braddock area is asking the city for an extension of its developmental special use permit (via City of Alexandria)

The developer of a seven-story, 180-unit apartment building across the street from the Braddock Road Metro station is asking the city for an extension of its development special use permit.

West Street Acquisitions says a number of important steps have been made on the one-acre project at 727 N. West Street, which was denied by the City Council in March 2021 and then approved two months later. After some delays, including a legal battle with a neighbor citing city regulations prohibiting the Council from reviewing a denied application for a year, work on the four-year-old project has been slow, and the development special use permit is about to expire.

Mayor Gaskins: Economic development is ‘critical path’ to potential tax relief in Alexandria

By Ryan Belmore

Published May 21, 2025 at 1:30PM

Mayor Alyia Gaskins in conversation with ALXnow on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (via YouTube)

Mayor Alyia Gaskins identified economic development as the critical path to potential future tax relief for Alexandria residents, emphasizing that significant commercial growth is necessary to balance the city’s predominantly residential tax base.

“If we are looking to one day get to a state where we’re able to reduce taxes, then that is directly tied to our big swings around economic development,” Gaskins said during a one-on-one Ask The Mayor conversation with ALXnow Publisher Ryan Belmore on Wednesday (May 21)

Weather Alert: Coastal Flood Advisory issued for Alexandria

By Ryan Belmore

Published May 21, 2025 at 12:30PM

Flooding in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

A Coastal Flood Advisory is in effect for Alexandria from 2 p.m. Wednesday (May 21) to 6 a.m. Thursday (May 22). Tides are expected to rise up to two and a half feet above normal levels.

The National Weather Service in Baltimore/Washington has issued the advisory, warning that low-lying areas could see water up to one foot above ground level.

Alexandria calls off Community Cookout at Ruby Tucker Center due to weather

By Ryan Belmore

Published May 21, 2025 at 11:30AM

City of Alexandria Community Cookout on April 29, 2025 (Staff Photo by Ryan Belmore)

Due to inclement weather, the City of Alexandria has canceled Wednesday’s (May 21) Community Cookout at the Ruby Tucker Center.

The event was part of the city’s 18th Annual Community Cookout Series and was supposed to happen in the 300 block of Tancil Court. The Department of Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Activities made the call to cancel, asking residents to stay safe.

Gerry Connolly, a Democratic congressman and fixture of Virginia politics, dies at 75

By Olivia Diaz | Associated Press/Report For America

Published May 21, 2025 at 9:10AM | Updated May 21, 2025 at 12:10PM

FILE - Rep. Gerald Connolly, D-Va. listens during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, April 10, 2014. Connolly, a Democratic congressman and fixture of Virginia politics, has died at age 75. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — U.S. Rep. Gerald “Gerry” Connolly, an outspoken Democrat who sought key reforms in the federal government while bringing transformational development to his populous Virginia district, died Wednesday. He was 75.

Connolly, who most recently held a prominent position as the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, served in Congress for more than 16 years.

Notes: Seminary Road Project to offer 31 affordable townhomes, with screening form now available for interested applicants

By ALXnow.com

Published May 21, 2025 at 8:30AM

Seminary Road (via Housing Alexandria)

Good Wednesday morning, Alexandria!

⛈️ Today’s weather: Showers, mainly before noon. High near 61 degrees. East wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. The chance of precipitation is 100%—new precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch are possible. Tonight – Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 1 a.m., then isolated showers between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. Patchy fog after 9 p.m. Low around 56 degrees. East wind 5 to 9 mph becoming calm after midnight. The chance of precipitation is 80%—new precipitation amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch, except higher amounts are possible in thunderstorms.