News

Planning Commission endorses contentious expansion of memory care facility on King Street

By Vernon Miles
Alexandria Silverado Memory Care (image via City of Alexandria)

Despite concerns raised by families of residents at Silverado Memory Care (2807 King Street), Alexandria’s Planning Commission recommended approval of a change that will let facility substantially increase (item 7) its number of residents without expanding the facility.

The plan is to increase beds on the site from 66 to 90 without any building expansion by shifting to an increased number of “companion rooms” — rooms with two residents. Loren Shook , co-founder of Silverado Memory Care, said that 80% of rooms in most facilities are companion rooms.

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Road closures announced for parades this weekend in Old Town

By Vernon Miles
Scottish Christmas Walk Parade in Old Town, Alexandria, on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

This weekend is the Scottish Christmas Walk Parade and Holiday Boat Parade of Lights in Alexandria. The two events are always a hoot, but it comes with a series of road closures to be mindful of.

The City of Alexandria said the Scottish Christmas Walk Parade will kick off at S. St. Asaph and Wolfe Streets at 11 a.m. and will conclude at Market Square around 1 p.m.

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Middle school girls start new sports era in Alexandria

By James Cullum
Dallas Broussard of GWMS lays it up against the Jefferson-Houston Jaguars, Dec. 3, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

It’s a new era for middle school sports in Alexandria, and the girls started it.

On Tuesday (Dec. 3), the George Washington Middle School girls basketball team defeated Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School 22-14 in Alexandria’s first-ever middle school championship basketball game.

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Commercial advocacy group Old Town Business shuts down after failed BID effort

By Vernon Miles
Closed sign in Old Town. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

After yet another push to get an Old Town Business Improvement District (BID) off the ground in Old Town failed, business advocacy group Old Town Business is shutting down.

Old Town Business was launched 40 years ago and helps to oversee advocacy, events and marketing for shops around Old Town. The group was one of the driving forces behind the latest in a series of efforts to launch a more formal, taxpayer-funded effort to take over for marketing and representing Old Town Businesses.

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Notes: Del Ray’s Candy Cane Bar Crawl returns next weekend

By ALXnow.com
2018 Candy Cane Bar Crawl (via Del Ray Candy Cane Bar Crawl/Facebook)

Good Wednesday morning, Alexandria!

🌤️ Today’s weather: Expect sunshine and a high of 43 with light southwest winds shifting to the south at 10-15 mph, gusting up to 23 mph. Tonight, there’s a 50% chance of rain and snow showers after 1am, turning partly cloudy later with a low of 36. Winds will be southwest at around 16 mph, and gusts may reach 26 mph.

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With hotels selling out, Alexandria Airbnb prices skyrocket on Inauguration weekend

By James Cullum
Bnb Bedroom (photo via Clay Banks/Unsplash)

Need a room? Prices at Alexandria Airbnbs are skyrocketing during inauguration weekend.

The inauguration of Donald Trump as president will take place at the U.S. Capitol — just a few miles down the Potomac River from Alexandria.

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New menswear store with on-site shoemaker opening in Old Town next week

By Vernon Miles
Slip-on shoes from Old House Provisions (photo via Old House Provisions/Instagram)

In what is maybe the most Old Towny of business openings: a new cobbler is setting up shop in Old Town just behind City Hall.

Old House Provisions, a menswear store launched by 29-year-old “bespoke shoemaker” Drew Altizer, is opening next weekend at 315A Cameron Street. The store will also feature an on-site shoemaking workshop.

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Three years of rising ACPS enrollment projected to reverse course

By Vernon Miles
George Mason Elementary School Principal Christopher Finan with students on the first day of school, August 21, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

For the third year in a row enrollment has been climbing in Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS), but long-term projections say the city is getting close to a peak before it starts to decline again.

While on the surface student enrollment has increased over the last two decades by roughly 60%, ACPS enrollment projections say student population is expected to peak in FY 2028 before it starts to decline.

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Indoor baseball and softball training gym opens in Alexandria’s West End

By James Cullum
The Dugout at 315 Hooffs Run Drive (Courtesy photo)

There’s a new indoor gym in Alexandria’s West End dedicated to improving baseball and softball swings.

The Dugout, a 10,000-square-foot facility, recently opened for individual and group training at 315 Hooffs Run Road. It’s owned by Layla Burczak, Lacey Forster, Ben Kelley, Amanda Kelley, Ben Matthews and Katy Matthews — all principals in Alexandria Travel Sports LLC.

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Former attorney sentenced to seven years in prison after Arlington and Alexandria burglaries

By Vernon Miles
Arlington County police car (staff photo)

Former attorney Patrick Edwards, 44, was sentenced to seven years in prison after a series of burglaries in Arlington and Alexandria.

Edwards was arrested last March for a stealing credit cards from an Alexandria office building multiple times in 2022. He was convicted of felony statutory burglary and other charges and sentenced to six years of incarceration with all of that time suspended on conditions including supervised probation. However, the investigation was also connected to similar burglaries in Arlington in early 2023.

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Notes: Alexandria voted one of the friendliest cities in the country

By ALXnow.com
A squirrel eats from the hand of Exxon attendant Ghulan Rabani at the station at 4001 Mount Vernon Avenue in Arlandria, Sept. 23, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Good Tuesday morning, Alexandria!

☀️ Today’s weather: Expect sunny skies and a high near 41 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind ranging from 9 to 11 mph and gusts reaching up to 21 mph. As for Tuesday night, the conditions will be mostly clear with a low temperature around 24 degrees, and a mild west wind between 3 and 7 mph.

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