News | ALXnow - Part 666

Recently approved ACPS Capital Improvement Plan budget lays out a complex decade ahead

Published December 20, 2021 at 2:30PM

A $12.5 million aquatics facility, three school replacements and swing space that will be turned into a new elementary school are all part of the nearly $500 million 10-year Capital Improvement Program budget that the Alexandria School Board approved last Thursday night.

After a series of work sessions and public meetings this fall, the Board approved the $497,804,800 proposal, with $204,685,100 to be used next year, without discussion. In a press release, Board Chair Meagan Alderton said she appreciated the work of Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr. and his team to develop the document, and said that it takes rising enrollment, infrastructure and critical capital planning needs into account.

Alexandria surges past 16,000 cases of COVID-19, with more than 800 new cases in a week

By James Cullum

Published December 20, 2021 at 1:00PM | Updated December 21, 2021 at 9:06PM

In the last two weeks, Alexandria went from just over 15,000 reported cases of COVID-19 to surpassing 16,000 cases.

As of today (Monday, Dec. 20) there have been 16,075 reported cases of the coronavirus in Alexandria, and more of 800 of new infections have listed since this time last week by the Virginia Department of Health. There have also been 156 deaths from the virus.

Alexandria’s guaranteed income pilot program delayed

By Vernon Miles

Published December 20, 2021 at 11:00AM

Money on a table (staff photo via Vernon Miles/ALXnow)

Earlier this year, the City of Alexandria dedicated some of its American Rescue Plan Act funding to a program that would guarantee a basic income, but now one of the non-profits working on the pilot said it’s hit some delays with no estimate of when the pilot will start.

The pilot program is now called, in a sort of transparent backronym, Alexandria’s Recurring Income for Success and Equity (ARISE). It will focus on 150 families who will receive a $500 monthly cash payment for 24 months, with no strings attached on its use. Eligibility has been set at 50% of the area median income or below.

Alexandria looking to expand co-living options

By Vernon Miles

Published December 20, 2021 at 9:45AM

Living room, photo via Patrick Perkins/Unsplash

At Planning Commission and City Council meetings next month, the city is looking to amend the zoning ordinance to allow for more co-living units to be built.

Co-living units are a type of shared living arrangement where individual bedrooms have shared amenities, like communal kitchens or bathrooms. These are usually rental units, for short or long-term stays. It’s the individual bedroom rented out, rather than the unit as a whole, in a co-living arrangement.

Morning Notes

By Vernon Miles

Published December 20, 2021 at 5:00AM

Fairfax County police find two possible victims of ‘shopping cart killer,’ suspect in custody — “A plastic container found in the Huntington area near Route 1 on Wednesday (Dec. 15) contained the remains of two people that Fairfax County police believe to be the victims of a serial killer.” [FFXnow]

Harmony Place Mobile Home residents in Alexandria South demand repairs be part of upcoming sale — “Today, residents of Harmony Place… held a press conference at the park to demand significant health and safety improvements be made as a condition of the upcoming sale of the property.” [Zebra]

ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By Vernon Miles

Published December 17, 2021 at 3:30PM

Ice & Lights: The Winter Village At Cameron Run in 2021 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Well, it hasn’t exactly been a good news-heavy week in Alexandria.

There’s a possible serial killer in the area of Fairfax just south of Alexandria and the much-debated School Resource Officers have been removed from their posts pending an investigation into alleged inappropriate sexual messages to a former student, according to the Washington Post. A local juvenile was also killed in a fatal shooting this past weekend, though police said there’s no threat to public safety and the death is being considered an isolated incident.

Alexandria sees ‘exponential’ increase of COVID-19 infections, ACPS asks students and staff to get tested before returning from winter break

By James Cullum

Published December 17, 2021 at 2:15PM | Updated December 18, 2021 at 1:15AM

Alexandria’s COVID-19 infections jumped after Thanksgiving, and the numbers continue to rise going into the winter holidays.

There were 116 new cases reported in the city today (Friday), which is the most single-day cases reported since January 2021. There have been 301 new cases reported in the City in the last three days alone, and this “exponential” jump in COVID-19 cases, as described by the Health Department Thursday night, has stretched to Alexandria City Public Schools, as it waves farewell to 15,000 students for the two week winter break starting Monday.

Alexandria man charged with strangling girlfriend in Arlandria

By James Cullum

Published December 17, 2021 at 1:05PM | Updated December 18, 2021 at 1:07AM

A 24-year-old Alexandria man is being held without bond after allegedly strangling his girlfriend.

Antar Christmas was arrested on December 8 and charged with domestic assault and battery and impeding blood circulation or respiration of a family/household member. He is being held without bond in the Alexandria jail.

Council member Del Pepper looks back on 36 years of public and private city leadership battles

By Vernon Miles

Published December 17, 2021 at 10:45AM

Earlier this week, City Council member Redella “Del” Pepper finished up a historic run in city leadership that includes an unparalleled treasure trove of stories about the behind-the-scenes battles that made the city what it is today.

Pepper joined the City Council in 1985 and has remained in office for 12 terms before announcing last November that she wouldn’t run for reelection.

Police: Person ‘grazed’ in Arlandria shooting last night

By Vernon Miles

Published December 17, 2021 at 9:45AM

Alexandria Police at night (staff photo by James Cullum)

Police are investigating a shots fired incident in the 800 block of West Glebe Road in the Arlandria neighborhood.

The Alexandria Police Department said in a press release that one person was reported to be ‘grazed’ and that police were on the scene around 7 p.m. last night investigating.

Morning Notes

By Vernon Miles

Published December 17, 2021 at 5:00AM | Updated December 17, 2021 at 10:13AM

SROs in hot water over alleged inappropriate sexual messages — “The investigation stems from a recent report by a former student about alleged sexually inappropriate conversations that occurred during her time at the school, according to two people familiar with the inquiry but not authorized to speak about it on the record.” [Washington Post]

Holiday theft down in the city — “According to data collected by the Alexandria Police Department, a total of 56 shoplifting and concealment incidents have been reported for November and December, with a few weeks still left in December. This marks a decrease from 2020, which had 93 cases over the same two months, and 2019, during which 111 cases occurred over the same two months.” [Alexandria Times]