Alexandria City Council Member Alyia Gaskins defeated her two Democrat rivals on Tuesday, effectively becoming mayor-elect as she faces no opposition in November.
The win makes Gaskins the first Black woman to be mayor of the city.
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Old Town gift and apparel shop The Happy Place is getting a little bigger.
Stella Koukides, one of the owners of The Happy Place, said the store at 105 S. Union Street has opened up into neighboring 107 S. Union Street, formerly The Gentlemen’s Quarters, which closed in March.
Koukides said the new expanded area of the shop is currently open and features a new curated collection with a focus on vacation-wear.
“Our expanded haven curates a collection that captures the carefree essence of vacation ready,” Koukides wrote. “From beach cover ups to leisure wear you will be in vacation mode. Get ready to brighten up your day with our curated selection of fun and vibrant jewelry, apparel, gifts, and self-care products!”
The shop offers a wide variety of goods, from sweet treats and self-care items to clothing and party goods.
At a recent City Council meeting, Council member John Chapman pushed back against critics of the city’s new rainbow crosswalks in Old Town celebrating the LGBTQ community.
The crosswalks, a project City Council member Kirk McPike helped spearhead, debuted this year in time for Pride Month. The crosswalks at the intersection of King and Royal streets are a permanent new addition to the city’s streetscape.
Turnout is low so far in Alexandria’s Democrat primary for Mayor and City Council.
As of noon, about 11% of the city’s registered voters cast ballots. Of the 11,249 votes, about 6,844 were absentee ballots, which is about 60%, according to the Alexandria Office of Registrations and Voter Elections.
Say hello to Morton, a 2-year-old up for adoption through the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.
A very interesting looking dog, Morton is looking for a forever home!
More electric vehicle infrastructure could be coming to the city, particularly at public parks and libraries.
Alexandria is applying for a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) grant to deploy more electric vehicle charging stations and alternative fuel infrastructure.
A gathering at Market Square (300 King Street) — once a center of the slave trade — will be filled with music and stories about emancipation and the fight for equality tomorrow.
The Juneteenth celebration is scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday) at 1:30 p.m. in Market Square.
Good Tuesday morning, Alexandria!
☀️ Today’s weather: Expect mostly sunny conditions and a high near 93 with a south wind between 7 and 9 mph. Tuesday night will be partly cloudy with a low around 68 and a south wind ranging from 6 to 10 mph. Juneteenth will be mostly sunny as well, with a high near 92 and a southeast wind between 6 and 8 mph.
Nine new townhomes and four semi-detached dwellings are being proposed for a half-acre property used for an office building and warehouse in the Old Town Historic District.
The Alexandria Planning Commission will be presented with the proposal to build on the two parcels at 107 and 125 N. West Street. The location is about a half-block from King Street, and is near Jefferson Houston Elementary School and the King St. Metro station.
There’s pawsitive news for dog owners: Alexandrians can officially adopt more than three dogs.
At a City Council meeting this weekend, the city amended its ordinance to increase the limit on the number of dogs per dwelling unit from three to five.
Sarah Bagley says that Alexandria residents have invested time and energy into making her an effective member of the Alexandria City Council, and she says she’s running for reelection to honor that investment.
A lot has changed in the city since Bagley was first elected and then virtually sworn in in January 2022. Alexandria was on the tail end of the COVID-19 pandemic and has since gone through a crime surge, the introduction and the failure of the Potomac Yard arena deal, a number of key changes in departmental leadership (namely the police and fire chiefs) as well as the controversial upending of the city’s residential zoning policies.