Tai Hwa Goh had to make her own flowers and plants when she was a kid.
The artist, whose work is premiering tonight with a virtual reception at the Torpedo Factory Art Center’s Target Gallery, was raised in South Korea in an apartment complex without plants, and Goh’s latest work is meant to express the dynamic existing between humanity living within the natural world.
Alexandria Police are investigating a robbery from a person in the city’s West End early on Thursday night.
At around 6:30 p.m., a person was struck by a chair inside a business in the 200 block of S. Van Dorn Street and robbed of personal items. The victim received minor injuries.
Alexandria Police are investigating a number of gunshots fired in Old Town early Thursday evening.
Alexandria Police spokesman Lt. Courtney Ballantine told ALXnow that the incident occurred at 6:50 p.m., and that multiple shell casings were found in the 700 block of N. Columbus Street.
Updated at 3:45 p.m — The Alexandria City School Board unanimously voted 9-0 on Friday to consider changing the name of T.C. Williams by next spring.
Earlier: Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent agrees that the name of T.C. Williams High School needs to change, and asked the community to be patient with a proposed process that, if approved today by the school board, would result in a report to be acted upon next spring.
GoFundMe for Abysinnia Raises Money After Face Mask Incident— “From the two waves of giving, the campaign has raised more than $15,500 of a $20,000 goal.” [Alexandria Living]
Fitness Centers Reopen Cautiously — “Now that the state is in phase three of reopening, fitness studios are allowed to open at 75% capacity, although there must still be 10 feet of distance between each client, which limits smaller studios.” [Alex Times]
If it has air in the tires, Charles Bennett Moore — owner of the Alexandria location for Big Wheel Bikes — has been selling it.
While businesses across Alexandria have been struggling to pull out of the pandemic, the last few months have been an unusual windfall for Old Town waterfront business Big Wheel Bikes (2 Prince Street).
Dub is a little different from most cats.
The eight-year-old cat is up for adoption at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria. Gina Hardter, spokeswoman for the AWLA, says Dub has a certain unique trait among the shelter’s cats.
After weeks of laissez-faire parking enforcement during the pandemic, Alexandrians may want to start being more careful about where they park later this month.
“The City of Alexandria will resume enforcement of residential parking zones, weekend meters, and other parking regulations beginning Monday, July 20,” the city said in a news release. “Enforcement has been temporarily suspended since March in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The office building at 4850 Mark Center Drive may not be known to many Alexandrians, but on Tuesday it was approved as the eventual headquarters of the city’s Health Department and Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) — and potentially a temporary hub of city administration once repairs to City Hall move forward.
At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, the council approved purchasing the building for $58.7 million and to relocate the Health Department andn DCHS into the 10-story building.
In years past, the Torpedo Factory Art Center teemed with upward of a half-million visitors every year, but all that changed with the coronavirus. It’s one of Alexandria’s top tourist destinations, and despite the cancellation of all in-person scheduled programs and private facility rentals, the Torpedo Factory Artists’ Association will soon be looking for new artists to participate in its jury process.
The Torpedo Factory, which is owned by the city, is currently open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Wednesday through Sunday and closed Monday and Tuesday. Visitors are required to wear face masks and observe social distancing. The Target Gallery, for instance, now only allows 10 people at a time.
Beyer Doubles Down on Trump Stance on School Reopenings — “Trump has again overruled the nation’s leading public health officials for political reasons, this time on guidance for reopening schools. He is intentionally endangering American children because he believes it will help him get reelected.” [Twitter]
Planning Commission to Evaluate Increasing School Density — The Planning Commission’s September 2 docket has been posted to the city’s website, and it includes a discussion to allow for an increase in density for public school sites. Since last fall, the city and administrators have been coordinating on a plan to co-locate affordable housing on school grounds. [City of Alexandria]
