Three years after Alexandria battled with Virginia American Water over a significant rate hike, both sides are rearing up for round two.
Back in 2021, the City of Alexandria pushed back against a rate increase proposed by utility company Virginia American Water. The city was able to secure a $420,000 refund, but the rate still increased.
Alexandria resident Carrington Hammond, found guilty of multiple fentanyl and gun trafficking charges, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison, according to the Department of Justice.
Hammond was found guilty of selling fentanyl-laced pills that looked like oxycodone and selling firearms with the serial numbers filed off — aka a “ghost” gun.
Good Wednesday morning, Alexandria!
☀️ Today’s weather: Expect sunny skies and a high near 44 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind blowing at 8 to 16 mph and gusts reaching up to 25 mph. As the evening approaches, skies will remain mostly clear with the temperature dipping to 27 degrees. The wind will decrease to around 6 mph, eventually calming down after midnight.
The annual George Washington Birthday Parade is returning to Alexandria on President’s Day (Monday, Feb. 19). Here’s what you need to know.
The theme of the 101st annual parade is “George Washington: Alexandria’s Living Legend,” and this year’s parade marshals are the recipients of the prestigious Living Legends of Alexandria award.
Alexandria’s been hit with a series of swatting calls recently and the city is eyeing new legislation that could make perpetrators literally pay for it.
A proposed section of the city code, which Mayor Justin Wilson said takes advantage of authority granted by the state, would allow the City Manager or a designee to bill a flat fee after “determining the reasonable expense of an appropriate emergency response.”
(Updated at 9 p.m.) Virginia’s House of Delegates voted to pass the arena bill 59-40, sending the proposal to an uncertain future in the Senate.
Earlier this week, the Democrat-controlled Virginia Senate voted not to table the bill on the arena’s stadium authority for a hearing.
It seems like construction cranes have been flocking to Alexandria streets recently. Just after a street closure due to crane activity in the Braddock neighborhood, crane activity is closing a block of King Street this Friday.
From 9 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15, to 3 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 16, the 1500 block of King Street (between Peyton Street and Harvard Street) will be closed to pedestrian and vehicle traffic.
Good Tuesday morning, Alexandria!
🌧️ Today’s weather: Expect rain and snow before 11am, transitioning to a chance of rain from 11am to 1pm. The day will gradually turn mostly sunny with a high near 45 degrees and breezy conditions, featuring a northwest wind of 15 to 23 mph with gusts up to 37 mph. A 70% chance of precipitation and less than half an inch of new snow accumulation is anticipated. Tuesday night will be mostly clear, with a low around 32 degrees and gusts as high as 22 mph.
New pizza restaurant Benny Diforza’s (1504B Mount Vernon Avenue) has been popular since opening last week. The restaurant was well attended this weekend, and according to an application with the City of Alexandria, there could be more space for diners soon.
Benny Diforza’s is part of a Benny’s Pizza chain with locations across Virginia, the Carolinas, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wyoming.
Alexandria was spared Metro construction work this summer, but could see closures and delays on the Blue Line next year.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) said in a release that Blue Line construction is expected sometime in summer 2025 from the Franconia-Springfield Metro station to the King Street Metro station.
Washingtonian recently included three Alexandria restaurants in their food critic’s list of 19 favorite pizzas right now.
Washingtonian’s Executive Food Editor Ann Limpert included in her list “Stracci Bianca” at Stracci Pizza (106 Hume Avenue), the vodka pizza at Emmy Squared (124 King Street) and the white clam Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana (3231 Duke Street).
