News | ALXnow - Part 272

Alexandria Superintendent proposes budget with higher pay for school staff and more security

Published January 24, 2025 at 11:45AM | Updated January 24, 2025 at 5:43PM

ACPS Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt delivers her fiscal year 2026 Combined Funds Budget to the Alexandria School Board, Jan. 23, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Public Schools’ (ACPS) new proposed budget comes with a raise for school district employees and more security for the schools.

At a budget presentation last night, Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt proposed a budget that’s a 4% increase over the current fiscal year’s budget. That increase includes a full-step increase for all eligible staff at the beginning of the contract year and an additional step increase to increase maximum pay, though ACPS staff on a Facebook page for school faculty noted that this doesn’t come with a cost of living adjustment.

Notes: Del Ray restaurant and cocktail bar Zuki Moon to close today

By ALXnow.com

Published January 24, 2025 at 10:00AM

Del Ray cocktail bar Zuki Moon is closing (photo via Zuki Moon/Instagram)

Good Friday morning, Alexandria!

☀️ Today’s weather: Expect a mostly sunny day with a high of 33 degrees and northwest winds at 5 to 9 mph. The night will be mostly clear with lows around 15 degrees. The northwest wind of approximately 5 mph will become calm after midnight.

Jefferson-Houston community rails against middle school conversion plans at School Board meeting

By Vernon Miles

Published January 23, 2025 at 9:10PM

Jefferson-Houston community member Sujata Mitra at a School Board meeting on Jan. 23 (staff photo by James Cullum)

At a School Board meeting tonight (Thursday), parents and other community members from Jefferson-Houston voiced strong opposition to plans to convert Jefferson-Houston and Patrick Henry, both K-8 schools, into a middle school and elementary school respectively.

The goal of the plan is to relieve overcrowding at Alexandria’s middle schools, though the conversions aren’t expected to take place until 2030 and 2032.

This week nearly 150 years ago, Alexandria ‘cracked down’ on children flying kites and playing marbles

By Vernon Miles

Published January 23, 2025 at 3:55PM

Children playing with marbles (image via James McNeill Whistler/Library of Congress)

The Office of Historic Alexandria’s weekly newsletter includes fascinating glimpses into the city’s history, and this week the newsletter explored a battle between city leadership and local children.

The Office of Historic Alexandria noted that the ban on public kite flying and marbles in 1876 came from Mayor Kosciusko Kemper, a former Confederate officer, after complaints from local businesses.

Alexandria to consider banning gas-powered leaf blowers

By James Cullum

Published January 23, 2025 at 3:05PM

Using a leaf blower on the snow on King Street, Feb. 18, 2021 (staff photo by James Cullum)

In a bid to reduce noise and air pollution, the Alexandria City Council will consider a total ban of gas-powered leaf blowers in its meeting next Tuesday (Jan. 28).

City staff will present a number of options for Council to consider on the noisy machines, including a total ban, an ordinance change, and a multi-year phase-out period similar to the enforced bans in D.C. and Montgomery County. There is a $500 penalty for a violation in both localities.

Things To Do in Alexandria this Weekend: Jan. 24 – 26

By Ryan Belmore

Published January 23, 2025 at 1:45PM | Updated January 23, 2025 at 2:42PM

The Washington Commanders Read program visited Mount Vernon Community School, Sept. 26, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Looking for plans this weekend in Alexandria? There’s something for everyone, from family-friendly activities and creative workshops to live music and lively entertainment. Whether you’re a foodie, music lover, or just looking for a place to cheer on the Washington Commanders on Sunday, Alexandria has you covered.

Dive into the complete list of events below, and don’t forget to submit your own happenings to ALXnow! Reminder – If you go to an event or show you read about here, be sure to tell the venue you read about it on ALXnow!

New VPRA work in Alexandria could bring long-awaited bridge and tunnel replacements

By Vernon Miles

Published January 23, 2025 at 11:50AM | Updated January 23, 2025 at 2:40PM

Telegraph Tunnel location (image via City of Alexandria)

The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) has a series of capital projects in the region on the horizon could benefit rail service in the area but have some additional impacts for Alexandria specifically.

In a memo (page 9) from Hillary Orr to the Transportation Commission ahead of a meeting yesterday, Orr said the VPRA is working on installing a fourth track along the rail corridor between Witter Field in Alexandria and the Arlington Aquatic Center.

Notes: City of Alexandria launches new group addressing West End apartment living conditions

By ALXnow.com

Published January 23, 2025 at 10:00AM | Updated January 23, 2025 at 12:25PM

Mason at Van Dorn apartments at 140 S. Van Dorn Street (via Mason at Van Dorn/Facebook)

Good Thursday morning, Alexandria!

☀️ Today’s weather: Expect a mostly sunny day with a high temperature close to 33 degrees and a gentle southward wind around 5 mph. Thursday night will be mostly clear, maintaining a low temperature near 17 degrees, accompanied by a light and variable wind.

Old Town restaurant cracks top ten in Washingtonian’s ‘100 Very Best Restaurants’ ranking

By Vernon Miles

Published January 22, 2025 at 3:50PM

Dish at Nasime Japanese Restaurant (via Nasime Japanese Restaurant/Facebook)

Two Alexandria restaurants made Washingtonian’s 100 Very Best Restaurants 2025 list, with one Old Town spot landing at the number 8 spot.

The list ranks restaurants around DC, Maryland and Virginia.

NBC4 hosting early morning pep rally for Washington Commanders in Old Town on Friday

By James Cullum

Published January 22, 2025 at 3:15PM

The Washington Commanders Read program visited Mount Vernon Community School, Sept. 26, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

NBC4 is hosting a pep rally Friday morning for the Washington Commanders in the run-up to the NFC Championship against the Eagles in Philadelphia.

NBC4 journalist Molette Green will host the pep rally at Cooper Mill (10 Duke Street), a former Civil War mess hall that recently opened as a restaurant.

ACPS superintendent to present budget this week after city asks to keep increase modest

By James Cullum

Published January 22, 2025 at 11:30AM

ACPS Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt speaks at Mount Vernon Community School on Nov. 15, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt will unveil her fiscal year 2026 budget this week, and the city is asking the school division to keep the budget increase over last year’s budget modest.

In his budget presentation to the City Council in November, City Manager Jim Parajon outlined a 2%, or $5.5 million, combined funds budget increase for ACPS amounting to $278.5 million.