New Residential Building Promises Daycare and Retail in Braddock Area — “Right now, that property is primarily garage and warehouse space for a variety of auto and other businesses.” [Alexandria Living]
Van Dorn, Eisenhower Metro Stations Reopening June 28 — “Several stations and stops were closed in March, in an effort to conserve cleaning supplies during the early stages of the pandemic.” [Zebra]
Samuel Tucker Elementary’s proud year-round school program is being cut back this year due to coronavirus, but School Board members offered reassurances to the community that the change is only temporary.
At a School Board meeting last Friday, school principal Rene Paschal said the questions about how coronavirus would impact the school’s calendar started in the parent community and conversations with school staff continued until the school administration was putting together a plan for what a temporary change away from the year-round program would look like.
With summer officially in full swing, Alexandria City Public Schools is working to reopen its playgrounds to the public.
On Monday, the playgrounds at Patrick Henry Elementary School, Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School and Jefferson Houston School reopened, according to an email that was sent to parents.
(Updated 5 p.m.) Alexandria is recovering from the unemployment spike at the start of the pandemic, but that steadily slowed over the last month.
Data released from the Virginia Employment Commission shows that there were 409 claims from the week of June 13. Since the April 4 high of 2,578 claims, claims have steadily trended down, but initial declines of several-hundred claims per week has dwindled to a less than 50 claim difference between weeks.
City Councilman John Taylor Chapman never learned Alexandria’s real African American history in school, and now he’s teaching everyone who will listen. After a coronavirus-related hiatus, his Manumission Tour Company is officially back on track with in-person tours of Alexandria’s Black historical sites.
“I did not feel that I knew some of the stories that I’m telling now when I was growing up,” Chapman told ALXnow.
There are now 2,236 cases of COVID-19, an increase of nine cases since yesterday, according to the Virginia Department of Health. The last fatality due to the virus was reported on Saturday and the death toll stands at 49.
The news comes as the city released Phase Three guidelines for reopening yesterday. Under the new rules, limits on social gathering will increase from 50 to 250 people; swimming pools will be allowed to open at 75% occupancy; gyms and fitness centers can open indoors at 75% capacity and recreation and entertainment venues can open at 50% capacity. Summer camps, however, will stay closed.
An Alexandria Living Legend and longtime advocate for public access to the waterfront died last Wednesday in his Old Town.
Engin Artemel served in the City of Alexandria Department of Planning for ten years and was Planning Director from 1997-1984. He was 81 years old.
Alexandria Realtors Predict Strong Summer — “The first few months of 2020 were very strong in the local real estate market. Contracts slowed significantly in the second half of March and in April, said Dave Hawkins, COO of McEnearney Associates, before the rebound started in May. June should be even stronger for local real estate activity.” [Alexandria Living]
St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School and Goodwin House Embark on Senior Companion Program — “They talk like old friends, but they have never met in person; three months ago, they didn’t even know about each other.” [Washington Post]
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(Updated 4:50 p.m.) There isn’t a lot of space inside Lena’s Wood-Fired Pizza & Tap (401 E Braddock Road) to both reopen the restaurant to the half-capacity required in the second phase of reopening and maintain the take-out service, so restaurant operator Dave Nicholas said the restaurant decided to transform
“We decided that our to-go business is really strong,” Nicholas said. “Want to still be able to service neighborhood to-go. We decided to do a pop-up tent and concept on top of the parking deck behind the restaurant.”
While new COVID-19 cases are on the decline, local organizations are still working to ensure that residents have access to resources as Alexandria slowly reopens. Here are the next free food distributions in the city today and through the weekend.
There will be a free food distribution at Casa Chirilagua (4109 Mount Vernon Avenue) today (Thursday) from 5 to 7 p.m. People are asked to wear face masks and to bring carts to take food home.
