News | ALXnow - Part 977

Budget Cuts Push Back T.C. Expansion and Waterfront Redevelopment

Published April 8, 2020 at 10:30AM | Updated April 8, 2020 at 1:53PM

Alexandria City Hall (staff photo by James Cullum)

(Updated 1:10 p.m.) As expected, this year’s $753.3 million city government budget will be significantly cut down — with a $46.6 million reduction from the operating budget and $140.6 million in the capital budget put forward in April.

City Manager Mark Jinks called the new document “Budget 2.0,” representing the possibility that its contents are subject to change at next Tuesday’s (April 14) City Council meeting and throughout the budget process. Jinks said the total projected revenue loss for the 2020 and 2021 fiscal year is $92.2 million, and that the sharp reduction in the budget is due to a deferral of the 2 cent tax residential tax increase initially proposed and a steep drop off in commercial tax revenue.

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published April 8, 2020 at 9:00AM

Running along the Alexandria waterfront with the Tall Ship Providence in the background (staff photo by James Cullum)

Asthmatic Champion Sprinter Noah Lyles Cautious Amid Pandemic — “Professional athletes can seem superhuman, but some like US sprinter @LylesNoah are having to take extra precautions to protect themselves during the Covid-19 crisis.” [Twitter]

The Majestic Menu Available Only For Easter Sunday — “We’re so hoppy to be back 🐰 The Majestic is back for one day only and offering a chef curated, prix fixe Easter menu for four. To pre-order, call us today at 703.997.5300. All Easter meals must be picked up at Mia’s Italian Kitchen located just .5 miles from The Majestic.” [Facebook]

Alexandria Now Has 141 Cases of COVID-19

By James Cullum

Published April 7, 2020 at 8:40PM | Updated April 7, 2020 at 11:59PM

The emergency room at Inova Alexandria Hospital. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

There are now 141 cases of COVID-19 in Alexandria, an increase of 11 cases since yesterday.

The addition of 11 cases continues a streak of double-digit diagnoses every day since March 31, and there have been 97 cases in the first week of April alone.

These Alexandria Music Schools are Offering Online Courses

By James Cullum

Published April 7, 2020 at 5:15PM

A studio at Rock of Ages Music in Del Ray. (Photo via ROAM/Facebook)

Alexandria’s music schools have adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic and are offering their classes online.

“Going online seem to be working out pretty well,” Rock of Ages Music owner John Patrick told ALXnow. “Generally speaking, it seems as if people are happy to at least have something for their kids to do that’s fun and educational.”

These Alexandria Eateries are Also Selling Groceries

By James Cullum

Published April 7, 2020 at 4:30PM

There are a few Alexandria restaurants and cafes currently selling groceries as a way to boost sales and minimize outdoor trips.

Here is a list of establishments that are also providing groceries at this time:

Where to Get Passover and Easter Meals Around Alexandria

By Vernon Miles

Published April 7, 2020 at 3:30PM

Though restaurants across Alexandria are closed for traditional Easter and Passover meals due to the coronavirus pandemic, many are offering select take-out options available for pick-up or delivery.

Visit Alexandria, which has been running a series called ALX at Home to keep locals engaged during the quarantine, has put together a long list of local restaurants with special Passover and Easter options. Many of them do require pre-ordering the meals in advance.

Old Town Karate School Kicks Through Digital Barrier of Social Distancing

By Vernon Miles

Published April 7, 2020 at 2:15PM

On one video screen, local karate instructor Richard Romero initiates a kick, and in living rooms across Alexandria, dozens of children in his Seichou Karate school follow suit.

Since the coronavirus pandemic started, Romero has been forced to take his school at 807 N. Royal Street into online Zoom conference calls. But for Romero, parents, and students in the classes: the online karate school has been a measure of stability.

Meals on Wheels Needs Cloth Face Masks

By James Cullum

Published April 7, 2020 at 11:35AM | Updated April 7, 2020 at 12:22PM

Senior Services of Alexandria needs cloth face masks, as volunteers continue to deliver Meals on Wheels to senior residents seven days a week during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have hand sanitizer right now, we have gloves, but since the new directive came out we don’t want surgical masks because they’re reserved for medical professionals,” Mary Lee Anderson, director of Senior Services of Alexandria, told ALXnow. “I’ve tried sending out a couple of emails and thought I had had it down, but it fell through. I’m not a seamstress and can’t sew them myself.”

Alexandria Unemployment Claims Spike in March

By James Cullum

Published April 7, 2020 at 10:15AM

The number of unemployment claims in Alexandria climbed dramatically in the second half of March, as thousands of city residents lost their jobs over the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Alexandria Workforce Development Center is reporting that there were 33 unemployment claims on March 14. That number rose to 797 jobless claims a week later on March 21, and then more than doubled to 1,683 claims a week after that on March 28.

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published April 7, 2020 at 9:00AM

Security guard Destin Davis waves at City Hall at 301 King Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria Named Second Friendliest City in the U.S. — “Alexandria is ranked just behind Savannah, Georgia, and ranks above Boulder, Colorado; Charleston, South Carolina; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Asheville, North Carolina.” [Alexandria Living]

Safeway Hiring Assistant Store Director — “Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to: * Overall management responsibility for operation of retail grocery store, including store performance, control of cash, budget, inventory/security, customer services, and management of staff.” [Indeed]

BREAKING: First COVID-19 Fatality in Alexandria, Cases Jump to 130

By James Cullum

Published April 6, 2020 at 8:50PM | Updated April 6, 2020 at 9:57PM

The first death in Alexandria due to COVID-19 has been reported by the health department, and the number of cases jumped by 26 for a total of 130 cases in the city.

“My colleagues and I are saddened by the first confirmed death of an Alexandria resident due to COVID-19, and our thoughts are with their loved ones,” Dr. Stephen Haering, the city’s health director, said in a statement. “The best way to honor our neighbor is to recommit ourselves to the most effective ways to stop this virus: stay at home as much as possible, wash hands frequently, and maintain six feet of personal space whenever you can.”