News | ALXnow - Part 707

Alexandria’s Jones Point Lighthouse is in rough shape, and funding for repairs is scarce

Published January 11, 2022 at 1:15PM

The Jones Point Lighthouse (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

As a symbol, the Jones Point Lighthouse represents Alexandria’s legacy as a port city. But as a building, it’s in rough shape.

The wooden lighthouse is described by the National Park Service website as “one of the last riverine lighthouses in the country,” as well as a “focal point of Jones Point Park and a clue to the area’s history as a busy commercial center and naval base.” But the building itself is in rough shape. Grime coats the outside of the structure and there’s visible damage to parts of the building. The interior is unfinished, so visitors aren’t allowed inside due to safety concerns.

Alexandria City Council to likely make fifth extension of state of emergency

By James Cullum

Published January 11, 2022 at 10:45AM

The Alexandria City Council will likely extend the city’s state of emergency from the end of January to June 30, 2022. Tuesday night’s (Jan. 11) vote will be the fifth extension of the declaration since the pandemic began in March 2020.

The declaration, which was first approved by Council in March 2020, has been continually updated, and finds that “the emergency continues to exist and will exist into the future.”

The Institute for Defense Analysis to open new Potomac Yard headquarters later this month

By Vernon Miles

Published January 11, 2022 at 9:45AM | Updated January 12, 2022 at 2:56PM

IDA Potomac Yard, photo courtesy IDA

(Updated 1/12) The Institute for Defense Analysis (IDA) is officially opening its new Potomac Yard headquarters (730 East Glebe Road) later this month, marking one of the first new office arrivals brought by the promise of the nearby Metro station.

The IDA opening would have been around the same timeframe as the Potomac Yard Metro station’s originally scheduled opening just a block or two away, but that’s been pushed back to sometime this fall. The ribbon-cutting is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 25.

Morning Notes

By Vernon Miles

Published January 11, 2022 at 5:00AM

The Alexandria waterfront under the snow, Jan. 3, 2022. (Courtesy Mark Haney)

Police capture suspect after one killed, another injured in Hybla Valley shooting — “Police are still trying to determine what provoked a man to shoot and kill one man and injure another early Saturday evening in Hybla Valley.” [FFXnow]

‘Held Hostage by VDOT’ in Alexandria — “Locals among those stranded on I-95 during snowstorm.” [Alexandria Gazette]

Amid declining enrollment, ACPS proposes employee raises in new budget proposal

By James Cullum

Published January 10, 2022 at 3:30PM | Updated January 12, 2022 at 12:49PM

(Updated at noon, Jan. 12) In the midst of declining enrollment, Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr. wants to give all ACPS employees a raise.

That’s the gist of Hutchings’ $346 million fiscal year 2022 Combined Funds Budget, which he presented to the School Board last Thursday night (Jan. 6). The proposal is a nearly 4% increase over last year’s budget, and asks for approximately $248.7 million from the city. The City Council ultimately provides ACPS with 80% of its operating fund.

Alexandria Mayor asks city to ‘step up our masking game,’ but says mask mandate has to come from state

By Vernon Miles

Published January 10, 2022 at 2:30PM

Fresh from a bout with Covid that left Mayor Justin Wilson isolating in Spain, Wilson’s first virtual town hall of 2022 launched with a discussion of the current situation with COVID-19.

Alexandria has seen record-high levels of confirmed Covid cases thanks to the highly infections omicron variant. Wilson implored locals to swap out the simple cloth masks for more effective N95 or KN 95 masks.

JUST IN: Three arrested after bystander shot outside West End 7-Eleven

By James Cullum

Published January 10, 2022 at 1:15PM

An Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Cullum)

Three men are in custody after allegedly shooting handguns at a parked vehicle in the West End and wounding a bystander on Sunday afternoon (Jan. 9).

The incident occurred at around 3:20 p.m. in the parking lot of the 7-Eleven convenience store at 30 S. South Reynolds Street. The Alexandria Police Department reported that two of the suspect left the store, got into a parked car and then fired shots at another car in the parking lot.

With hotel market in freefall, Alexandria considers financing luxury hotel in Old Town

By Vernon Miles

Published January 10, 2022 at 10:55AM

Heron, a proposed hotel development at 699 Prince Street, image via Monarch Urban

This week, the City Council is docketed (items 27 and 28) to review a proposal for the city to, in a round-about way, be involved in the financing of a new luxury hotel in Old Town.

With hotel revenue going into freefall during the pandemic, the prospect of building or renovating hotels in Alexandria hasn’t been a particularly financially appealing option, but a report prepared by Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP) and city staff said that’s going to be a hit to tourism in the city as people travel again.

Alexandria Hospital staff working overtime, visitation policy reverts back to 2020 posture

By James Cullum

Published January 10, 2022 at 10:10AM

The number of COVID infections in Alexandria continues to rise at an alarming rate, as the number of reported infections has reached 23,325, an increase of nearly 2,500 cases in less than a week. In the meantime, staff at Inova Alexandria Hospital are seeing hospitalizations rise to 2020.

“The staff is working overtime,” Inova Alexandria Hospital President Dr. Rina Bansal told ALXnow. “We’re making sure that they’re not working overtime to the extent where it compromises their safety or patient safety.”

Morning Notes

By Vernon Miles

Published January 10, 2022 at 5:00AM

Be cautious on morning commute — “It will be below freezing from 3am to Noon. Expect morning rush to be icy.” [Russ Adams/Twitter]

Here are the ‘to go’ and ‘in person’ options for Alexandria Restaurant Week — “For 10 days and two weekends, more than 60 restaurants in Alexandria, Virginia will offer a $35 prix fixe dinner for one or two people.” [Zebra]

Woman shot during suspected shootout near South Reynolds Street 7-Eleven

By Alan Henney

Published January 9, 2022 at 9:15PM

Alexandria Police at night (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria police are investigating after a woman was shot Sunday afternoon in the area of the 7-Eleven on South Reynolds Street at Duke Street.

Police acknowledged the shooting incident but have not yet commented on specifics. Initial details from witness reports and radio traffic suggest that the female victim had been struck by stray gunfire when gunmen opened fire around 3:20 p.m.