News

City Council budget approval funds ACPS, citywide pay increases and collective bargaining agreements

By James Cullum
Alexandria City Hall lit up (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Manager Jim Parajon’s $884.3 million fiscal year 2024 budget was unanimously approved by City Council Wednesday night (May 4), backing citywide pay increases, a fully funded school system and collective bargaining agreements with the police and fire departments.

While the real estate tax rate remains unchanged at $1.11 per $100 of assessed value, city residents will have to pay $308.70 annually for the stormwater utility fee — an increase from $294 last year. The budget, which goes into effect July 1, is an increase of 5.4% over last year’s $839.2 million budget. About 47% of it ($398 million) is dedicated to paying the salaries of 2,765 city employees.

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Alexandria considers extension of public comment period for controversial zoning for housing plan

By James Cullum
What two additional stories looks like on a 45-foot-tall structure. (Via City of Alexandria)

After a request from the Del Ray Citizens Association, Alexandria is leaning toward extending a public comment period by two months after it releases its controversial zoning for housing plan later this year.

The massive plan would upend a number of zoning ordinances. One of them is a bonus height amendment that would incentivize developers to add affordable housing to projects in exchange for two additional stories of construction in areas where height limits are 45 feet or more.

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AFD investigates suspected arson at vacant West End house

By James Cullum
There was a fire at 5173 Seminary Road at around 3 a.m. on April 19, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria Fire Department suspects arson after a fire at an unoccupied house used for police and fire department training in the West End, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.

The fire at 5173 Seminary Road was reported by a passerby at around 3:45 a.m. on Wednesday, April 19, according to AFD. Firefighters arrived to find the boards used to secure the front windows of the vacant house were on fire, and the blaze spread into the interior of the building, according to the search warrant affidavit.

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Fundraiser established for family of the ACHS student who died this week

By Vernon Miles
GoFundMe for ACHS student Yonathan Isaí Vasquez Méndez (image via GoFundMe)

(Updated 11:10 a.m.) After the death of Alexandria City High School student Yonathan Isaí Vasquez Méndez earlier this week, friends and family are raising funds to help cover funeral expenses and other costs.

While no cause of death has been officially announced, scanner traffic at the time indicated first responders were administering Narcan and later that day, the City of Alexandria issued a warning about fentanyl-laced drugs after “two recent suspected drug overdoses involving school-aged youth,” the Alexandria Times first reported.

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ACHS’ Theogony editors look back at a year of student journalism and activism

By Vernon Miles
2023 Theogony Editors. Front Row L to R: Zoe Sermons, James Libresco, Ermila Mazariegos, Casey Donahue. Back Row L to R: Chloe Yokitis and Yahney-Marie Sangare

With the 2022-2023 school year coming to a close next month, it’s been another banner year for Alexandria City High School (ACHS) student newspaper Theogony.

In recent years the student newspaper has been at the forefront of stories about ACHS, from breaking the story about former Superintendent Gregory Hutchins Jr. sending one of his children to a private school rather than ACHS to publishing a study about phosphorus levels in nearby Taylor Run.

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Mount Vernon Avenue closed near George Washington Middle School due to gas leak

By Vernon Miles
Police blocking off traffic at E. Braddock Road and Mount Vernon Avenue for a gas leak (staff photo by James Cullum)

A gas leak across from George Washington Middle School has shut down traffic along Mount Vernon Avenue.

Alexandria Fire Department spokesperson Raytevia Evans said there was a report of a gas leak on the 700 block of Mount Vernon Avenue. Scanner traffic indicated that the incident started around 1:30 p.m.

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Brothers want Tex-Mex restaurant ‘Dos Hermanos’ to open in Del Ray in June

By James Cullum
Wilmer and Elmer Cruz Villatoro in front of their restaurant Dos Hermanos at 1603 Commonwealth Avenue in Del Ray (staff photo by James Cullum)

The brothers behind the new Dos Hermanos Tex Mex restaurant in Del Ray want to open by this summer.

On April 1, Wilmer and Elmer Cruz Villatoro signed a 10-year lease for the 4,000-square-foot space at 1603 Commonwealth Avenue. The interior renovations are nearly finished, with bright red and yellow walls adorned by colorful sombreros and prints of Mexican paintings.

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Notes: Alexandria partners with Prince George’s County after casino robbery

By ALXnow.com
Looking east toward National Harbor from Waterfront Park in Old Town (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Good Wednesday morning, Alexandria!

🌥 Today’s weather: Overcast. Cool. High of 61 and low of 45.
🌥 Tomorrow: Overcast. Cool. High of 61 and low of 44. Sunrise at 6:07 am and sunset at 8:02 pm.

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