Updated at 2 p.m. — A lawsuit challenging a city-run grant program benefiting entrepreneurs of color is delaying its launch.
The City of Alexandria announced the delay of the grant program benefiting Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) on social media, saying the launch has been postponed while the city reviews the lawsuit.
(Updated 3 p.m.) The 27-year-old suspect in a West End Shooting on Jan. 15 was “mistakenly released” from the Prince George’s County jail five days after the offense, according to Alexandria Police.
Police released the identity of the suspect, Brian Wordell Morris, who is wanted for allegedly shooting a 22-year-old man three times during a child custody transfer with the suspect’s child.
Good Tuesday morning, Alexandria!
⛅ Today’s weather: Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 47 and low of 35.
☔ Tomorrow: Rain throughout the day. High of 51 and low of 36. Sunrise at 7:21 am and sunset at 5:21 pm.
Alexandria City Public School teachers are saying that the proposed salary and step increases aren’t enough.
Last Thursday, 15 ACPS teachers appeared before the School Board at its public hearing for Interim Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt’s $359.9 million fiscal year 2024 combined funds budget proposal. Kay-Wyatt is proposing a 2.6% step increase and 2.5% market rate adjustment for eligible ACPS employees, and the 85% of the budget pays the salaries for 2,700 employees. She’s also proposing eliminating a step for employees on the pay scale.
A redevelopment vote (item 6) that was meant to be part of the consent calendar — items generally approved without controversy — ended up taking up a large swath of a City Council meeting this Saturday and became the center of a discussion about how hard the city should push for “voluntary” affordable housing contributions.
The topic at hand was the conversion of the non-residential upper floors of 1225 King Street into 12 residential units. There was little contentious in the presented redevelopment plans, but it sparked a discussion of how the city should be handling affordable housing in the increasingly popular residential conversions.
Bonaventure is pulling the plug on another of its properties in Del Ray. The Arlington-based real estate developer recently put its properties at 2903 Mount Vernon Avenue and 104 Hume Avenue for sale for a total of $3.3 million, according to a listing.
Bonaventure bought the two properties for $2.6 million in 2017. The two lots were proposed to be converted into an office building, but plans never materialized. The former Anthony’s Auto Center at 2901 Mount Vernon Avenue is 10,400 square feet, and was used as a spin studio, but closed down during the pandemic. It was assessed at $1.4 million in January 2022, and Bonaventure bought it for $1.6 million in 2017.
Good Monday morning, Alexandria!
☔ Today’s weather: Light rain in the morning. High of 46 and low of 31.
⛅ Tomorrow: Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 48 and low of 31. Sunrise at 7:22 am and sunset at 5:20 pm.
This week saw several longtime topics of discussion around Alexandria get new updates.
Designs emerged for the planned Inova hospital at the former Landmark Mall development. Demolition on the mall started last May and the project is expected to wrap up in 2028. Plans show development coming into place around the former Landmark site over a few phases.
No arrests were made after multiple gunshots were reported in the Braddock neighborhood early Friday morning.
Police received multiple emergency calls for at least 10 gunshots just after 1 a.m. near the intersection of N. West Street and Princess Street. Witnesses reported that a dark-colored SUV fled the scene.
BARtanical, a botanical and herbal inspired bar, will open as the newest pop-up at 2312 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray by the end of the month, its owners tell ALXnow.
The new bar is the fifth pop-up for the space, and owners Bill Blackburn and his partner “Mango” Mike Anderson of the Homegrown Restaurant Group have decided to keep going with the pop-up themes instead of opening a permanent restaurant.
Good Friday morning, Alexandria!
⛅ Today’s weather: Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 52 and low of 34.
🌤 Tomorrow: Clear throughout the day. High of 43 and low of 34. Sunrise at 7:24 am and sunset at 5:17 pm.
