Alicia Valencia Erb just consigned herself to a new business venture in Old Town.

After a career in marketing, the Alexandria resident opened Vida Style, a new consignment boutique at 210 N. Lee Street on August 1, and held a grand opening last Sunday (August 28). Erb gives consigners 50-to-60% of the profits and 60 to 90 days to sell items before they are returned.


The Alexandria Police Department has arrested a suspect in connection with a shooting in the Braddock neighborhood this weekend.

The shooting occurred on Saturday, Aug. 27, at approximately 8:21 p.m. in the 700 block of North Fayette Street, police said in a release.


A pair of city policy changes — the new parklet program and a return to stricter regulations on outdoor dining — are coming together at a Planning Commission meeting next month in an effort to make the two pieces fit together.

City staff said in a memo that the upcoming changes represent the start of an effort to make the process of securing outdoor dining at one of the King Street parklets less complicated and slightly less restrictive.


(Updated 1:20 p.m.) Alexandria’s Mayor Justin Wilson and School Board Chair Meagan Alderton are pushing back against a top ranking state official’s characterization of Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) as rife with violence.

Prompted by the murder of a student earlier this year and several instances of violence in ACPS, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares said in a letter to Wilson and to the Alexandria School Board that he urges Alexandria to work closely with law enforcement to strengthen the city’s School Resource Officer (SRO) program.


To help ease congestion, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) said it will suspend work on many highway projects and lift lane restrictions on interstates and other major roads.

VDOT said in a release that Labor Day is one of the busiest travel days of the year. Past traffic data suggested the congestion is heaviest from noon to 7 p.m. on Friday and intermittently throughout the holiday weekend, Monday included.


Man arrested after attempting to abduct child in Alexandria (Fairfax) — “A man in Fairfax County is in custody after attempting to abduct a child in Alexandria on Wednesday afternoon.” [Fox5]

It’s Monday — Humid and partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 88 and low of 73. Sunrise at 6:36 am and sunset at 7:45 pm. [Weather.gov]


The big news this week was some favorite local restaurants and bars going away.

Both Mackie’s Bar and Grill and Elizabeth’s Counter are set to close in the next couple weeks. Owner Rob Krupicka is planning to replace the latter with a new comfort food restaurant called Railbird Kitchen sometime later this year, but the spot’s famed handmade donuts won’t be returning.


Part of the Mount Vernon Trail through Alexandria has gotten overgrown with kudzu, and locals are needed to help clear it out.

Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail posted on social media asking for volunteers to help remove it this Saturday (Aug. 27).


Wanna be like Troy “The Transformer” Isley?

The former Lyles Crouch Traditional Academy troublemaker transformed himself into a champion, and on Thursday (August 25) he returned to his old school to talk about his boxing career and last year’s Tokyo Olympics.


The south-facing exit from I-395 onto Seminary Road has been for high occupancy vehicles (HOV) only since 2019, but solo drivers will have an option to take the exit ramp for a toll starting early next month.

The ramp off the express lanes currently has an HOV-3+ restriction, meaning the cars must have at least three occupants. Transurban, which operates the express lanes, said it is the only ramp along the corridor closed to toll-paying customers.


NOVA Parks Incurring Net Loss from Cameron Run — “How to optimize the use of Cameron Run Regional Park is an issue that has bedeviled Alexandria residents, city staff and elected leaders for years.” [Alexandria Times]

See a Sizzling Cabaret Show Every Month at Italian Restaurant — “LA TI DO is celebrating its ten years in show biz with the inauguration of their sizzling cabarets on the first Wednesday of every month at Michael’s Little Italy.” [Zebra]


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