The City of Alexandria is trying to get the word out about major changes coming to a stretch of Duke Street and the connecting streets.
The proposed overhaul will change traffic patterns along Duke Street near Telegraph Road, a major connection to I-395 and a source of significant backup onto nearby residential streets. The pilot phase for the program is planned to start Monday, Jan. 3. The pilot project is scheduled to end on March 30, followed by a period of traffic analysis.
Families and friends looking to celebrate are in for an annual holiday tradition. For the third year, Ice & Lights: The Winter Village At Cameron Run is open with light displays, Christmas trees and ice skating.
The winter village (4001 Eisenhower Avenue) opened in mid-November, and will shut down on Jan. 2. The ice skating, however, will remain open on weekends until Feb. 27. General admission to the park is $8 and ice skating is $12.
(Updated 3:20 p.m.) Ahead of the new City Council being installed in January, the current body is scheduled to take another look at the city’s ethics pledge.
The Mayor and City Council make a pledge when being sworn in to abide by a somewhat nebulous one-page code of conduct. The pledge was a point of contention when it was introduced by then-Mayor Allison Silberberg, who fought tooth-and-nail to get the pledge passed.
Tours have been getting going around Alexandria’s historic sites over the last year, and one of the most iconic — the Gadsby’s Tavern Museum — is looking for public help to handle new visitors.
“Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, part of the Office of Historic Alexandria, is recruiting volunteers to lead guided tours,” the Office of Historic Alexandria (OHA) said in an email. “Guides are trained to use the historic tavern spaces to share the stories of diverse people in early America who both shaped and were shaped by the young nation.”
Indoor dog park and bar opening in Alexandria’s West End — “Snouts & Stouts will offer a 6,000 sq. ft. indoor dog park, dog daycare, and drinks and snacks for humans.” [Alexandria Living Magazine]
Gingerbread house decorating event raises nearly $6K for Carpenters Shelter — “On Wednesday, Dec. 8, the 4th annual Gingerbread Decorating Event, sponsored by Visit Alexandria and Federal Conference, raised almost $6,000 for Carpenters Shelter, the local nonprofit that supports homeless and transitioning families and individuals.” [Alexandria Times]
The city is looking for feedback on a planned new trail at the east end of the Eisenhower corridor in the Carlyle neighborhood, though the construction of the trail is still years away.
The plan is to build a half-mile shared use path between Hooffs Run Drive and South Payne Street. Another quarter-mile section will connect it to redevelopment between Mill Road and Hooffs Run Drive.
(Updated 12/14) Remember the American Rescue Plan Act? Earlier this year, the city received $29.8 million in funding to allocate toward projects across the city.
Five months later, a new report to the City Council scheduled to be presented at a meeting tomorrow breaks down how that’s been going so far. Here is ALXnow’s simplified, condensed version:
Alexandria’s transmission rate remains “High” for the second week in a row, as the first case of the Omicron variant has been detected in Virginia, which just surpassed 1 million cases of COVID-19.
There have been 1,000,694 reported cases of COVID-19 in Virginia since the pandemic began in March 2020. There have also been 14,957 deaths statewide.
Understaffing within the Alexandria Fire Department put people and buildings at risk during a fire at Crystal City’s restaurant row on 23rd Street earlier this month, according to two unions representing more than 500 Alexandria and Arlington firefighters, medics and fire marshals.
In a sharply worded press release on Friday, Dec. 10, officials from the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 2141 and IAFF Local 2800 wrote that AFD’s inability to fully staff their department led to “multiple close calls” at a fire on Saturday, Dec. 4, in the 500 block of 23rd Street. No one was injured in the blaze, which caused $1.8 million in damages.
Police are investigating a shots fired call at the northern end of the Braddock neighborhood.
Police closed off First Street between Fayette Street and Route 1 this morning around 8 a.m., but reopened it not long after.
Arrest made in murder of Alexandria student — “A Virginia State University student turned himself in to law enforcement Friday night following a Dec. 5 shooting that killed Daniel Wharton, a fellow VSU student from Alexandria.” [WTOP]
11-year-old Alexandria ice skater has eyes set on Olympics — “A local ice skater who recently won a national championship has her eyes set on the Olympics.” [Fox 5]
