News

COVID-19 Update: City says anyone who registered by April 10 for COVID-19 vaccine should have an appointment

By James Cullum

Alexandria residents 16 and older who registered for a COVID-19 vaccine by April 10 should have been contacted by the city’s Health Department to schedule their appointment, according to the city.

Residents eligible for Phases 1a, 1b, or 1c, who pre-registered before April 10, “should have received an invitation to schedule a vaccine appointment,” according to the city. “If you have not received an invitation to schedule, first check your spam folder. Please complete this form if you have not been contacted.”

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

T.C. Williams completes comeback to win school’s first volleyball state championship — “For a moment, T.C. Williams sophomore Milan Rex was scared. The Titans were trailing Kellam two sets to one in the Virginia Class 6 championship Friday in Alexandria, and the chance at a perfect season seemed to be fading. Coach A.J. DeSain reminded the Titans they belonged in this moment, enabling Rex to lock in. She then powered T.C. Williams to a 23-25, 25-19, 18-25, 25-19, 17-15 victory — the program’s first state title. [Washington Post]

Mayor Wilson defends donation from Planning Commission Chair — “Planning Commission Chair Nathan Macek gave Wilson a donation the day after Wilson voted with the majority of council to reappoint Macek to his post. Macek’s employer, the engineering firm WSP, has played a leading role in numerous large projects in Alexandria, including the under-construction Potomac Yard Metro.” [Alex Times]

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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

It was another week full of news in Alexandria. Here are the top headlines of the week.

Our top story was on the 34-year-old Arlington man charged with distributing methamphetamine after reporting to police that he was the victim of an armed robbery in his fifth floor room at the Embassy Suites in Old Town. The investigating officer asked if there was anything illegal in the man’s room, and he reportedly said, “There is some meth in the room, but it’s for personal use.”

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Chief says April 6 chase investigation ongoing, discusses 2020 crime wave

By Vernon Miles

At a community meeting earlier this week, police grappled with public concerns over last year’s spike in crime and addressed some of the causes behind it.

The elephant in the room was the shots fired call on April 6 that ended with a chase into D.C. and one of the suspects died after jumping off an overpass. On that topic, some seemed hopeful that Brown could shed more light on what happened.

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Update: Four arrested, suspect’s mother among wounded in West End shootout

By James Cullum
An Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Cullum)

More details have emerged regarding a West End shootout last fall. Four adult males have been arrested in connection with the incident, and ALXnow has discovered that a mother of one of the suspects was shot in the arm and didn’t report it to police.

As previously reported, at around 5 p.m. on September 13, Alexandria Police responded to reports of 10-15 gunshots fired in the 3100 block of S. 28th Street near Ft. Ward Park.

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ACPS looking for more space this fall, opening 4-day instruction for special needs students in early May

By James Cullum

Alexandria City Public Schools will open to four days of in-person instruction starting the first week of May, according to ACPS staff.

There are 1,700+ special needs students in ACPS, and only a fraction of those students who require services in specialized citywide programs will return four days a week, according to ACPS.

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Alexandria honors lynching victim 124 years after death in Old Town

By James Cullum
A wreath honoring Joseph McCoy in Old Town. (Photo via Justin Wilson/Twitter)

Joseph McCoy was lynched at the corner of Lee Street and Cameron Street in Old Town 124 years ago today. The incident was recognized in a small ceremony Friday morning with a group of residents and Mayor Justin Wilson.

This weekend, City Hall will be lit in purple in memory of the 19-year-old McCoy, who was arrested without a warrant and then murdered on April 23, 1897. A mob of white residents stormed the Police House (now City Hall), where McCoy was being held after being accused of sexually assaulting three women. He was shot, stabbed and hanged from a lamppost.

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Early voting begins for June 8 Democratic primary — “Early voting will begin on April 23 for the June 8 Democratic primary election in the City of Alexandria. The ballot includes contests for Virginia Governor;Lieutenant Governor; Attorney General; House of Delegates (45th District); Mayor and City Council.” [Zebra]

Alexandria to renovate baseball field near Mount Vernon Community School — “The project is scheduled to begin Monday, April 26  and work will occur Monday through Friday from approximately 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Work is planned for the restoration of approximately 39,600 square feet turf. This includes the installation of irrigation. The work area will be closed to the public during the installation period.” [Zebra]

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The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria lets animals hang out in their offices

By James Cullum

Chanel likes hanging out in an office more than her cage. Every day, she and about 10 other “office animals” are let out to play in offices at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.

“A shelter isn’t a natural environment for an animal,” AWLA spokesperson Gina Hardter told ALXnow. “We’ve got seven dogs and three cats in offices right now, and we do whatever we can make this experience better and more comfortable for them.”

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