Rabbi David Spinrad of Alexandria’s Beth El Hebrew Congregation is having trouble preparing inspiring sermons for the high holidays, which start next month. He’s been struggling to find the right words that will help people during challenging times.
“I’m not okay, you’re not okay, nobody is okay,” Spinrad said in a recent Facebook Live chat for Act for Alexandria. “The pastoral need has been extraordinary, beyond anything I’ve ever experienced in my life.”
A new convenience shop called Old Town Mini Mart is working through the city’s approval process to open in the heart of Old Town.
According to documents filed with the city, Old Town Mini Mart is planned to open at 822 King Street, once home to Old Town Pack & Ship. That store is still open, staff there said, it just moved around the corner. One of the co-owners of the new Old Town Mini Mart is Rodrigo Restrepo, who is listed as the owner of Old Town Shoe & Luggage Repair next door to the proposed market.
A 28-year-old Fairfax County man was arrested yesterday and released on bond for allegedly altering checks he received for construction work at the office and home of an Alexandria dentist.
The suspect was arrested on Monday and subsequently released on bail after being charged with forgery and uttering.
Alexandria Tech Firm Raises $1.1 Million in Seed Funding — “Clowder has quickly become the leader in modern member communication. Our apps are able to take organizations who’ve long relied on web and email-based engagement strategies and place them in the 21st century with an on-hand tool that provides instant access.”[Clowder.com]
Metro Expands Train Service Hours — “The pandemic has posed challenges never before faced by Metro, and I want to extend my thanks to our customers – especially essential workers – for their understanding as we took unprecedented action to protect our essential frontline workforce and the public health.” [Zebra]
After a brief uptick in the unemployment figures a few weeks ago, the city’s figures have been trending down both in both initial and continued claims, according to data from the Virginia Unemployment Commission.
The city has 5,042 continued unemployment claims as of the week of Aug. 8. That’s the lowest number of continued claims since April 25 when there were 4,881 claims.
Alexandria is hosting an online open house this Wednesday to try to connect local families with an affordable range of child care options.
A virtual open house is scheduled for August 19 from 7-8:30 p.m. on Zoom. Participants can register online to receive a link to the Zoom call.
Alexandria Police are investigating a report of gunfire in the West End.
Police tweeted on Monday that they were investigating an incident in the area of West Braddock Road and North Van Dorn Street.
After months of limited curbside service, Alexandria’s libraries have reopened today with some safety modifications.
The protective measures are standard for what many other locations have been doing to open indoor operations safely as the city still struggles with coronavirus.
A man walked into a Del Ray gas station on Saturday and robbed the location, according to police.
The incident occurred at a Shell Station on the 1600 block of Mount Vernon Avenue on Saturday afternoon, police said.
There have been 61 deaths due to the coronavirus in Alexandria, and there are now or have been 3,130 cases, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
The city surpassed the 3,000 case mark with last week, and the most recent fatality was reported on Friday, but occurred months ago, according to the city. The victim was a man in his 50s.
Beyer Says House Democrats Working to Protect Postal Service — “So many of you are writing, calling, and urging us to act to protect the US Postal Service. We share your anger and frustration about what Trump is doing and your alarm about what it could mean for the election. And we ARE working to stop him.” [Twitter]
Noah and Josephus Lyles Win First and Second in 200 Meter Race in Monaco — “Lyles raised a black, fingerless-gloved right fist before getting into the blocks to win a 200m in his first international race of the season, conjuring memories of the famous 1968 Olympic podium gesture. He clocked 19.76 seconds, leading a one-two with younger brother Josephus.” [NBC Sports]
