News | ALXnow - Part 222

ACPS restarts collective bargaining process as Alexandria renews agreements with police, fire and technical staff

Published April 2, 2025 at 1:00PM

School buses preparing at Alexandria City High School (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Public Schools wants a formalized collective bargaining agreement sent to the city manager by the end of the year, but it comes as the city is renegotiating its agreements with police, fire, and administrative and technical staff.

It’s been a year since the school system failed to reach a collective bargaining agreement with the Education Association of Alexandria (EAA). Last year, the School Board held a public hearing and approved a draft collective bargaining resolution with the goal of presenting the package to City Manager Jim Parajon for inclusion in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget.

Tall Ship Pride of Baltimore II to visit Alexandria this weekend

By Ryan Belmore

Published April 2, 2025 at 9:00AM

Pride of Baltimore II near Annapolis (image via Pride of Baltimore II/Facebook)

Alexandria is preparing for a nautical spectacle as the iconic tall ship, Pride of Baltimore II, is set to arrive at the Old Town Alexandria waterfront early Thursday morning. According to a social media announcement from the City of Alexandria, the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge will be temporarily raised to accommodate the ship’s passage, causing brief traffic disruptions.

The City alerted residents that the bridge will open at approximately 12:00 a.m. (midnight) on Thursday, April 3, to allow the Pride of Baltimore II to sail up the Potomac River. The bridge will then reopen for the ship’s departure in the early hours of Monday, April 7, at 3:30 a.m. Each bridge opening is expected to last between 15 and 20 minutes.

Notes: Port City Brewing heads to Capitol Hill, warns Canadian tariffs will hurt small businesses

By ALXnow.com

Published April 2, 2025 at 8:00AM | Updated April 2, 2025 at 2:22PM

Bill Butcher, founder of Port City Brewing Company, on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (Photo via Bill Butcher on Bluesky)

Good Wednesday morning, Alexandria!

🌥️ Today’s weather: Partly sunny, with a high near 60 degrees. East wind 6 to 14 mph, becoming southeast in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 21 mph. There will be scattered showers tonight, mainly after 2 a.m. Cloudy, with a low around 52 degrees. Southeast wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. The chance of precipitation is 30%.

Political theater takes center stage as legislature returns for veto session

By Markus Schmidt, Virginia Mercury

Published April 2, 2025 at 5:52AM

The Virginia House of Delegates during its 2025 legislative session, Jan. 8, 2025. (Photo by Markus Schmidt/Virginia Mercury)

The Virginia General Assembly is set to reconvene Wednesday for what will likely be a long, one-day session that’s equal parts policymaking and political theater, as lawmakers face off over Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s sweeping amendments to 159 bills — including major changes to the state budget.

Youngkin finished acting on all 915 bills sent to him during the 2025 session by last week’s Monday midnight deadline. He signed 599, vetoed 157, and sent back 159 with recommended changes — including a staggering 205 proposed amendments to the budget bill, House Bill 1600, and eight item vetoes.

HRP Group prepares for next phase of Old Town North power plant redevelopment

By Ryan Belmore

Published April 1, 2025 at 8:30PM | Updated April 2, 2025 at 1:52PM

View of Power Plant from Potomac River on March 30, 2025. (photo by Ryan Belmore)

HRP Group (formerly known as Hilco Redevelopment Partners) is moving forward with plans to transform the former Potomac River Generating Station in Old Town North into a mixed-use development, with public engagement on the first phase set to begin next month (May 2025).

The 18-acre waterfront site, purchased by HRP Group in 2020, is slated to become a vibrant destination featuring residential buildings, commercial spaces, and over 10 acres of public open space.

Here’s why Alexandria City High School students are posting anti-tobacco stickers around the city

By James Cullum

Published April 1, 2025 at 6:30PM

Take Down Tobacco stickers at Alexandria City High School (staff photo by James Cullum)

Scores of Alexandria City High School students are descending on local businesses that sell tobacco today (April 1) with big red stickers.

BREAKING: Arson, burglary investigation underway after Duke Street fire; police seek leads

By James Cullum

Published April 1, 2025 at 5:10PM

Alexandrie firefighters battle fire on Duke Street (via Alexandria Firefighters, Inc. IAFF Local 2141)

The Alexandria Police Department is investigating last Sunday morning’s fire, which affected multiple businesses in the 5200 block of Duke Street, as a commercial robbery and arson.

As previously reported, multiple businesses were affected when the fire started at Diko Bar & Hookah Lounge (5243 Duke Street).

Alexandria man held without bond after alleged indecent exposures in Old Town bars

By James Cullum

Published April 1, 2025 at 2:45PM

Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)

A 44-year-old Alexandria man awaiting trial in Arlington for indecent exposure and simulated masturbation is now being held without bond for allegedly committing similar offenses in Alexandria.

On February 27, a customer at a bar in the 700 block of King Street in Old Town reportedly noticed that a man at the bar with a baseball cap and gray hoodie pulled his penis out of his pants and was masturbating. According to a recently released search warrant affidavit, the customer took a video of the incident and reported it to employees.

Shooter McGee’s reopens, some neighboring businesses remain closed following shopping center fire

By James Cullum

Published April 1, 2025 at 1:30PM | Updated April 1, 2025 at 5:15PM

Shooter McGee's (5249 Duke Street) reopens after neighboring fire, April 1, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

With the odor of Sunday’s fire fading from a neighboring business, Shooter McGee’s (5249 Duke Street) reopened today (Tuesday).

A number of neighboring businesses have been closed since the Sunday morning (March 30) blaze in the 5200 block of Duke Street. AFD posted notifications outside the Blessed Smiles dental office at 5241 Duke Street and Hair Loom (5247 Duke Street) stating that the businesses were unsafe to occupy due to smoke and water damage. According to a staffer, the dental office expects to be closed for the rest of this week.

CommonWealth One Federal Credit Union opening new branch this summer at the Shoppes of Foxchase

By James Cullum

Published April 1, 2025 at 11:30AM

CommonWealth One Federal Credit Union is coming to the Shoppes of Foxchase (staff photo by James Cullum)

CommonWealth One Federal Credit Union is planning to open its third location in Alexandria.

A bank sign reading, “Coming soon,” has been erected on the door of 4557 Duke Street in the Shoppes of Foxchase.

Eclairons Pastry and Coffee House preparing to open in former Firehook Bakery location

By Ryan Belmore

Published April 1, 2025 at 10:00AM

Eclairons Pastry and Coffee House (rendering via Eclairons Pastry and Coffee House Administrative Special Use Permit request)

Arlington-based French pastry shop Eclairons is moving ahead with its plans to move into the former Firehook Bakery in Old Town (430 S. Washington Street). The location has been a bakery since 1970—first as Shuman’s Bakery, then Firehook Bakery since 2004.

An Administrative Special Use Permit request has been submitted to the Director of Planning and Zoning for “outdoor dining on private property; zoned: CD/Commercial downtown zone.” The applicant is requesting twenty outdoor dining seats where customers can enjoy the full menu.