ACT for Alexandria raised $2.5 million for 172 local nonprofits in its 12th annual Spring2ACTion fundraiser on Wednesday (April 27). The fundraiser is the largest single day of giving in Alexandria, and came just short of matching the amount raised last year, ACT CEO Heather Peeler told ALXnow.

“I’m almost speechless in terms of thinking about how to describe just the care and love that people show for our community,” Peeler said shortly after midnight. “This is really about the entire community coming together. It’s about the nonprofits that are doing incredible work that people want to support, the donors who are feeling really generous and the local businesses who see giving back as core to their business. It’s really an all-hands-on-deck effort from across the city.”


As it turns out, the GenOn Power Plant site’s size may have been a little exaggerated on city records, and it’s creating a problem for potential redevelopment.

The former GenOn Power Plant site seemed like a gold mine for potential redevelopment as a large parcel of currently unused land, but a look into some of the constraints on the site there might not be as much usable land as initially thought.


White and brown American rabbit Coco is sweeter than chocolate, and is up for adoption with the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.

“American rabbits are known for being sweet, and Coco lives up to that designation,” AWLA spokesperson Gina Hardter told ALXnow. “That said, her foster caregiver says she can be a bit sassy at times and is comfortable letting her best friends know her real opinions.”


Alexandria students plant trees for Arbor Day — “Alexandria City Public Schools hosted a tree planting event Wednesday morning at Charles Barrett Elementary School to celebrate Arbor Day.” [Patch]

It’s Thursday — Clear throughout the day. High of 57 and low of 36. Sunrise at 6:15 am and sunset at 7:59 pm. [Weather.gov]


A recent Agenda Alexandria meeting with some of the city’s leading affordable housing advocates provided a deep dive into some of the unique challenges and opportunities in the field locally.

In particular, the panel looked at how addressing the affordable housing crisis in Alexandria has changed since the pandemic started.


Alexandria leaders are working on permanently reducing speed limits and adding speed cameras in school zones.

The news comes in the wake of the last month’s crash that injured a student walking home outside Jefferson Houston Elementary School.


A building in the heart of Old Town could be getting a new residential makeover if it can get a special use permit.

“The Applicant, American Real Estate Partners, requests approval of a use permit, pursuant to section 12-101 (D) of the Zoning Ordinance, to convert a portion of the existing building located at 1101 King Street (the “Property”) from office and parking to residential use,” the application said. “The attached concept plan shows the conversion of floors 2 through 7 into approximately 210 residential units (or the number of units that can be supported by the existing parking spaces).”


(Updated at 10:45 a.m.) Alexandria Police reported a sudden death Wednesday morning in the City’s Arlandria neighborhood.

The death was reported in the 3900 block of Mount Vernon Avenue at around 6:45 a.m., and the area from Executive Avenue to Russell Road was temporarily shut down, but the street was reopened as of 10 a.m.


The People’s Drug shifts towards more food options — “…a new food menu, inspired by the space’s nostalgic feel, is leading People’s Drug into a new era, even as it keeps its elevated, retro feel with classic white subway tiles, a tin roof and a neon sign behind the marble bar.” [Alexandria Living Magazine]

It’s Wednesday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 59 and low of 45. Sunrise at 6:16 am and sunset at 7:58 pm. [Weather.gov]


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