(Updated 11/18) The Alexandria City Council met with state legislators this weekend to hammer out priorities for the upcoming year, complete with a few sparks as legislators and City Council representatives clashed.
A few times every year, Alexandria’s city leadership meets with state representatives to iron out what local government sees as priorities for the session. The meetings have grown substantially more hopeful in the year since the Democrats took control of the legislature.
Nonprofits Hearts of Enpowerment and The Oasis Alliance has helped to makeover the homes for some local survivors of trauma and for Alexandria-based recovery program Friends of Guest House — an Alexandria reentry program for women leaving prison.
“Hearts of Empowerment contributed its fundraising capacity to raise over $4,500, supply furniture and building materials, as well as provide discounts at local hardware stores,” the organization said in a press release. “The group promoted the program to shelters and community centers to help identify individuals and families that could benefit from the service.”
Scott Shaw equates the COVID-19 experience to a Greek tragedy with a beginning, middle and end. Right now, he says, we’re in the middle and looking forward to the third act — a period of eventual recovery.
Shaw, a partner with Alexandria Restaurant Partners, says that his company is similar to a lot of other restaurant companies looking at an uncertain winter on the horizon.
The city’s partnership with Neighborhood Health is continuing this month with a series of four free COVID-19 testing events in the city.
Testing covers everyone above the age of two, though anyone under 18 requires a parent or guardian present. Bringing ID and insurance cards is encouraged, but not required.
The Loop Opens in Old Town — “The Loop at 215 (located at 215 N. Payne St. in Old Town) is finally open now. The mission is to help companies and individuals ‘work better, be better, and do better.’ The co-working space has a mixture of serviced private offices and open flex workspaces.” [Alexandria Living Magazine]
Three ACPS Students are National Merit Scholar Finalists — “Earlier this month, the T.C. Williams High School seniors discovered they had all been named National Merit Scholarship semi finalists after outstanding results in the PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test last October.” [ACPS]
Yesterday, Killer E.S.P. (1012 King Street) manager Mary Gmaz decided she’d had enough.
Gmaz said a recent encounter with owner Rob Shelton left her rattled and she decided to walk out immediately. The rest of the staff left with her, leading to the second mass-quitting among the local coffee shop’s staff this year.
An upcoming “Cookie Crawl” will send Alexandrians chasing their sweet tooth across Old Town chasing a sugar rush at 25 local boutiques.
This year’s cookie crawl is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 21 and Sunday, Nov. 21. Online registration is $30. Participants will stop by each of the stores on the tour and received a pre-wrapped cookie at each site. The cookies are prepared courtesy local bakeries and restaurants. Participants will also receive a commemorative cookie tin.
Eight years after the GenOn power plant closed, a developer has purchased the property and is planning to redevelop the site.
Hilco Redevelopment Partners, based out of Illinois, announced the purchase of the 20-acre site today, the Washington Business Journal first reported.
Several people were threatened at gunpoint twice by the same group of armed robbers in the West End in late September.
New details in a police affidavit show that several men who had been threatened by a group of robbers had tried to take a circuitous route home to avoid showing where they lived, only to run into the robbers again with a repeated demand for cash.
There are or have been 4,698 cases of COVID-19 in Alexandria since the first case was reported in March, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
As case counts are growing throughout the region, Governor Ralph Northam’s newest restrictions also took effect Sunday night.
Via Volcán Coffee Roastery Opens in Old Town — “Although the global pandemic slowed them down, the McCauslands finally opened their store this month at 110 S. West St. (the former location of VIP Pet). They are excited to share their passion for coffee in a physical space.” [Alexandria Living Magazine]
How Will Small Businesses in Alexandria Survive? — “Amy Rutherford, the owner of Penny Press & Red Barn Mercantile, has been brainstorming since July for new ways to make the holidays simple and safe for her clients. This year, she is adding delivery, gift wrap, and gift boxes to her list of services.” [Local DMV]
