ALIVE! has distributed most its regular food reserves, and now needs cash donations and volunteers to contend with COVID-19.
The Alexandria nonprofit provides food for 13 pantries around the city, and the coronavirus has many wondering how infected residents who are food insecure will get fed. ALIVE! is currently working with the city and buying food to support the city should deliveries need to be made to people under quarantine without food reserves at home.
Businesses, nonprofits and hotels around the city are feeling the initial effects of COVID-19.
Many businesses are offering contact-less service, delivering goods from door-to-door, and providing workouts and other services online for customers who would otherwise have to venture from home.
The Alexandria City Council on Tuesday sent staff the proposed King Street Place pedestrian pilot program back to the drawing board.
The original plan would have turned a section of King Street near the waterfront into a pedestrian-only zone between Lee Street and Union Street on weekends, but more recent plans have included a single lane of traffic through the area that was going to be car-free.
(Updated at 7 p.m.) Alexandria City Public Schools will be closing Monday until April 14 — after spring break — due to the coronavirus outbreak, Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr. announced in an email at noon on Friday.
ACPS has a plan to feed students on free and reduced lunch. Starting Monday, the school system will provide free emergency meals for “any child under 18 and any family who needs it.”
Update at 12:15 p.m. — ACPS reversed its decision and announced that schools are closing starting Monday.
Earlier: Alexandria City Public Schools will remain open as school and health officials continue to monitor the coronavirus outbreak, as neighboring school systems are closing their doors.
Governor Declares State of Emergency — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said he is watching how other states are handling COVID-19 testing and that drive-thru testing may be an option. [NBC 4]
ALIVE! Might Shutter Programs, Needs Donations — “We continue to operate as normal, but anticipate that at some point we may advise volunteers to stay home and close programs. We are doing our best to ensure food supplies are adequate and are increasing deliveries to our regular drop off sites while we are able. Donations to support our food reserves are critically important at this time, as we are sending out everything to our regular clients to help them prepare while we are still able to do so.” [ALIVE!]
A crash has closed a section of Van Dorn Street near Landmark Mall, according to police.
The crash damaged a power pole and prompted the closure of Van Dorn Street between Duke Street and Holmes Run Parkway.
After selling the parking lot on King Street next to Bloomers, the City of Alexandria is preparing to review plans to build a new mixed-use development in its place.
Galena Capital Partners LLC plans to replace the parking lot with a four-story building. The development will have retail facing King Street on the first floor and residential uses on the floors above, with open space on the roof.
Some students and staff at five Alexandria City Public Schools have been advised to stay home and self-monitor for signs of COVID-19, and the school system is working out the logistics of shutting down completely.
Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr. discussed the school system’s response to the coronavirus outbreak in a web conference on Wednesday.
(Updated at 6:05 p.m.) After trying to kill herself in the Alexandria jail on Wednesday, Chelsea Manning was released from custody by a federal judge on Thursday.
Her Friday court date to plead for release has also been canceled.
Inova hospitals, including the one in Alexandria, announced today that it is implementing new restrictions on visitation to try to combat the spread of the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.
According to a social media post, effective today (Thursday):
