News | ALXnow - Part 629

Morning Notes

Published March 25, 2022 at 5:00AM

Rhys St. Piere, 4, tosses pieces of bread to gulls and ducks at the Old Town waterfront (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Alexandria Man Claims Trucker Convoy Assaulted Him — “D.C. police are looking into claims that participants in the trucker convoy assaulted a motorcyclist in the District last week. The encounter reportedly happened as an Alexandria, Virginia, man was traveling on Interstate 395 on the Francis Case Memorial Bridge back on Wednesday, March 16 after 3 p.m.” [WTOP]

Local Women Business Owners Celebrated — “The pioneering spirit that helped give women the right to vote just over 100 years ago is alive and well today as women-owned businesses grow across the city.” [Connection Newspaper]

Inova campus concept plans at former Landmark site filed with city

By Brandi Bottalico

Published March 24, 2022 at 3:30PM

One of the first looks at the proposal for the Inova hospital campus at the old Landmark site was filed with the city last week (screenshot via City of Alexandria permit system)

Inova has filed concept plans for the 10-acre site that will relocate the Alexandria hospital to the former Landmark Mall property and is expected to start construction in 2024.

Phase I of the campus construction proposal includes a 565,525-square-foot level 2 trauma hospital with below-grade and structured parking, a 107,239-square-foot cancer center and a 88,085-square-foot specialty care building, according to the development concept plan filed with the city last week. The existing parking garage will remain, adding 550 parking spaces for the campus to the additional 950 spaces to be constructed.

Night for Ukraine to raise money, show Alexandrians how to help

By Brandi Bottalico

Published March 24, 2022 at 2:15PM | Updated March 24, 2022 at 5:34PM

Ukrainian refugees make it to Poland (courtesy of Mary Leonard)

(updated at 5:30 p.m.) A Night for Ukraine organizers hope to raise $10,000 to go toward relief efforts in Ukraine and raise awareness at the event, which Alexandria businesses have rallied behind to support.

LOVE in ALX‘s Mary Leonard and local business owner Dominique Fakir put together the Friday night fundraiser for U.S.-based nonprofit CORE, Community Organized Relief Efforts. The nonprofit’s volunteers are working in Poland to address the immediate needs of Ukrainian refugees.

School Board to ask City Council for one-year extension of school resource officer program

By James Cullum

Published March 24, 2022 at 1:00PM

Alexandria Police at Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard Campus. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Public Schools is requesting an extension of its controversial school resource officer (SRO) program through the end of the 2022-2023 school year.

School Board Chair Meagan Alderton says that the extension is part of the reimagining of the $800,000 program, as Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr. will work to develop a School Law Enforcement Partnership (SLEP) Advisory Group and formulate an SRO plan to present to City Council next year.

Adoption fees are covered for sweet cat ‘Biscotti’ in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published March 24, 2022 at 10:45AM

Biscotti is up for adoption with the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria. (Via AWLA)

Biscotti might be past her kittenish antics, but the 10-year-old black-and-white cat is super sweet and available for adoption via the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.

“You don’t need to worry about her needing a lot of toys or climbing up your curtains,” AWLA spokesperson Gina Hardter told ALXnow. “She’s far happier hanging out with her human friends and settling in for some chin rubs and ear scratches.”

Morning Poll: Have you returned to work in person?

By Brandi Bottalico

Published March 24, 2022 at 9:30AM

Work Studio (file photo)

As Covid transmission in Alexandria remains low and restrictions ease, many workers are returning to the office.

In March, talk of federal workers returning has been more prevalent. According to Axios, the Biden administration viewed the employees as a group who could lead by example with a return to in-person work.

Morning Notes

By ALXnow.com

Published March 24, 2022 at 5:00AM | Updated March 24, 2022 at 10:49AM

The 'I Love You' art installation with all bulbs lit at Waterfront Park in Old Town. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Leasing Starts for Apartments Over Wegmans — “Developer Stonebridge and its leasing partner Bozzuto, announced Wednesday the start of leasing for Easton, a boutique-style apartment building offering sophisticated design and amenities located in the Carlyle Crossing neighborhood. The 11-story building is slated to begin move-ins in mid-April just ahead of the anticipated May 11 opening of Wegmans Carlyle Crossing.” [Alexandria Living]

Ukraine Donation Drive Launched — Leaders launched an effort Wednesday to provide donations, such as gently used coats, new blankets, new pairs of sweat socks or heavy socks, and new pairs of gloves at locations around Northern Virginia. “No matter the scale – global to local – humanity is a community unto itself and we must always come to the assist of those in need,” Alexandria Vice Mayor Amy Jackson said at the event. [Facebook, Patch]

West End murder suspect’s case to go before grand jury next month

By James Cullum

Published March 23, 2022 at 3:50PM

An Alexandria police cruiser (Staff photo by James Cullum)

The case against a man suspected of killing his West End neighbor in December will go to a grand jury next month.

David Jasante Cunningham has been held without bond in the Alexandria jail since his January 11 arrest on a second-degree murder charge of 23-year-old Melia Jones. Police found Jones dead in her in her apartment in the unit block of South Van Dorn Street on Tuesday, Dec. 7, at around 2:40 p.m.

Carlyle health center development starts to seek tenants ahead of construction

By Brandi Bottalico

Published March 23, 2022 at 2:20PM

A rendering of the John Carlyle Center (courtesy of Cushman Wakefield)

With construction slated for later this year, the planned John Carlyle Center for Health and Wellness is looking for tenants.

The developer behind the 126,000-square-foot medical facility is starting to push out the word ahead of construction that space is available to lease. Cushman & Wakefield is handling the leasing of the medical offices and retail spaces.

Dominion Energy says it will invest millions in Alexandria to prevent future outages

By James Cullum

Published March 23, 2022 at 1:15PM

Five months after a 16-hour power outage disrupted Del Ray’s Art On The Avenue festival, Dominion Energy says it will invest $17 million over the next three years to improve reliability in the city.

That was the gist of an hour-long update from Dominion to City Council Tuesday night (March 22), where Bill Murray, Dominion’s senior vice president of corporate affairs and communications, informed City Council that the energy giant plans on spending $3.4 million this year, $8.5 million in 2023 and $5.2 million in 2023 on 20 “incremental reliability investments” in areas affected by outages in Alexandria, and will begin planning with city staff next month.

Two juveniles arrested after shots fired in Arlandria

By James Cullum

Published March 23, 2022 at 10:45AM

Alexandria Police at night (staff photo by James Cullum)

Two Alexandria juveniles were arrested earlier this month for shooting a gun in Arlandria.

The incident occurred at around 11 p.m. in the 3800 block of Executive Avenue. Police were alerted by a witness that two juveniles shot a handgun in an alleyway and fled on foot. The witness saw the 15 and 17-year-old suspects then run into a nearby apartment building and the lights turn on in an apartment, according to a search warrant.