Dr. Lauren Fisher, the co-owner of Del Ray Psych and Wellness, has been elected the new president of the Del Ray Business Association.
“I am honored to be representing an amazing group of resilient, supportive, and community-oriented business owners,” Fisher said in a statement. “I look forward to helping our local businesses and community members adapt, evolve, and strengthen over this next year. In the words of Helen Keller, ‘Alone we do so little, together we can do so much.'”
Alexandria boxer Troy Isley has just gone professional and is headed into a fight next Saturday with something to prove.
“I’m feeling good,” Isley said. “I’m ready. I’m eager and getting anxious.”
Mayor Asks Residents to Shovel Snow — “Grab your shovel and help us make it safe for pedestrians around our City. Sidewalks must be cleared by Thursday at 3 PM! @Volalex is back supporting our ‘Snow Buddy’ program for those who need assistance or can assist.” [Twitter]
Beyer Criticizes Trump’s Lawyers — “Trump’s lawyers misspell “United States” right at the beginning and somehow it only gets worse and more amateurish from there.” [Twitter]
Several days of snowy weather have been a mild headache for Alexandria’s emergency management team, but all things considered: staff says things are going pretty well.
“Things are going good” said Jeff Duval, deputy director of Transportation and Environmental Services. “We’ve had a few days of challenging weather. The storms has been persistent, they’ve come and gone with multiple bands.”
Alexandria Police are mourning one of their own today, after releasing news that longtime Parking Enforcement Officer Edward Bonds passed away from COVID-19 complications on Thursday, Jan. 28.
“APD extends our heartfelt condolences to Bonds’ family, friends, and his coworkers with the Parking Enforcement Office,” Alexandria Police said in a release. “Coworkers say Bonds loved old school R&B music and loved to sing. They say he also loved playing the lottery and apparently, was lucky and good at it.”
The Del Ray art marker for Pat Miller Neighborhood Square at 2311 Mount Vernon Ave. is expected to be erected this spring. The project, which was designed by Maryland artist Kirk Seese, has been in the works since 2018.
“It’s supposed to be an identifier for Del Ray,” Pat Miller told ALXnow. “There’s no place that says Del Ray in Del Ray. None. So, this is to be an identifier through an artistic piece for the community.”
It might take years for Alexandria’s economy to recover from the impact of the pandemic, but there are plenty of developments down the road.
Micro weddings, new businesses and tourism expectations this year were just a few of the topics covered by Visit Alexandria in its annual membership meeting last week. While offset by positive news of business developments along the waterfront, the meeting was full of sobering statistics on drastically reduced revenues in nearly all sectors of the local economy.
The annual showdown between the City Council and School Board over funding could be exacerbated this year by the lingering fiscal impact of coronavirus.
At the tail end of a joint work session between the two bodies last week, City Manager Mark Jinks outlined the dire fiscal situation as the city heads into its budget season.
A barge, new pier and cottages are still joining the Tall Ship Providence as part of the historical exhibit, but the pandemic has forced the ship operates to reduce the scope of their nautical ambitions.
The Tall Ship Providence Foundation is seeking city permission at a Planning Commission meeting on March 2 to amend earlier amendments to improve the planned design and layout of pier, cottages and barge. The Maritime Center section of the Tall Ship Providence was originally approved last March.
Del Ray Business Association Launches ‘I Love Del Ray’ Campaign — “Now through April, you’re going to see a lot of marketing and promotion out there about all of our wonderful small businesses — both in-home and brick-and-mortar — and how we can support them through these tough upcoming winter months.” [Zebra]
How Alexandria is Celebrating Black History Month — “Join the City in celebrating #BlackHistoryMonth with special virtual events and activities throughout February, honoring the history, culture, achievements and contributions of African Americans.” [Twitter]
ACPS has acknowledged that community feedback has generally opposed putting affordable housing at a new school development.
In a recent joint Alexandria City Public Schools and City Council meeting, ACPS Director of Capital Programs Erika Gulick said that feedback from Alexandria residents indicated that locals were not comfortable with housing, including affordable housing, being co-located at some school developments.
