Opinion | ALXnow

Poll: Should Alexandria start reducing more speed limits?

Published March 17, 2022 at 10:15AM

Traffic near the George Washington Masonic Memorial during a storm (staff photo by James Cullum)

This weekend, Alexandria’s City Council unanimously approved an ordinance that allows the city manager to further reduce speed limits. But should he?

The ordinance allows the city manager to “reduce posted speed limits to less than 25 miles per hour, but not less than 15 miles per hour on any city street located in a business or residence district.” The measure was supported by speakers at the City Council meeting and endorsed whole-heartedly by the Council, but the reaction online has been more mixed.

Poll: What do you think of the new Waterfront Park art project?

By Vernon Miles

Published March 10, 2022 at 9:45AM

I Love You park design, via City of Alexandria

A new art project coming to Waterfront Park later this month is bringing a splash of pink to Old Town.

The project by Miami artists Roberto Behar and Rosario Marquardt was proposed last year and the city announced it will be officially unveiled on Friday, March 25.

Poll: Have you attended any Alexandria parades since the pandemic started?

By Vernon Miles

Published February 24, 2022 at 11:00AM

American Legion Alexandria Post 24 marches in the George Washington Birthday Parade in Old Town, Feb. 21, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

President’s Day in Alexandria was marked with the return of an annual parade celebrating George Washington’s birthday.

Parades are something of a fixture in Alexandria, from the (now delayed) St. Patrick’s Day parade to the Scottish Christmas Walk.

Poll: Are you happy with the City Manager’s proposed budget?

By Vernon Miles

Published February 16, 2022 at 10:45AM

Alexandria’s new City Manager James Parajon presented his proposed budget last night to the City Council. While real estate property assessments are still pushing local tax bills up, there’s no tax rate increase proposed in the budget.

The budget is $829.9 million, or a 7% increase from the previous year’s budget. The budget increase is largely funded by the increase in assessments revenue, which comes out to an average $445 increase for the average Alexandria homeowner.

Tell us how ALXnow can better serve you and the community

By ALXnow.com

Published February 14, 2022 at 9:45AM

ALXnow has grown significantly in the last year, but we want to do even more to serve the Alexandria community.

That’s why we’re again conducting out annual reader survey. Your feedback will set the stage for everything we do over the next 12 months, including adjustments to our news coverage mix and the addition of new site features.

Poll: Should Virginia’s grocery tax be eliminated?

By Vernon Miles

Published February 10, 2022 at 3:00PM

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin speaks at the Safeway at the Bradlee Shopping Center on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022. (Photo via Eli Wilson)

Putting aside some of the drama of his visit, Gov. Glenn Youngkin spoke in Alexandria last week about a topic that even some local Democrats have expressed support for: eliminating the grocery tax.

Virginia has a 2.5% grocery tax that helps to fund public schools and transportation. One percent of that goes to local governments, while the rest goes to the state. This has created a sort of three-faction divide on the tax that doesn’t break evenly along party lines.

Poll: What do you think of new name for Landmark Mall redevelopment?

By Vernon Miles

Published February 4, 2022 at 10:45AM

Canadian Geese outside Landmark Mall. (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Landmark redevelopment has a new name: West End Alexandria.

Developer Foulger-Pratt officially unveiled the new name earlier this week, though it was first reported in the Washington Business Journal in late January.

Poll: Should Alexandria ban gas-powered leafblowers?

By Vernon Miles

Published January 26, 2022 at 9:45AM

Leafblower (via Philip Myrtorp/Unsplash)

Should Alexandrians have the right to use gas-powered leafblowers to clear away their yards or are they a noisy nuisance that should be blown away?

Well, right now the city can’t ban them even if they wanted to, but the city’s legislative package includes a request for localities to get permission to prohibit the use of gas-powered leafblowers as both an environmental hazard and a nuisance for neighbors.

Poll: Should the City help finance the new Old Town hotel development

By Vernon Miles

Published January 21, 2022 at 11:00AM

Heron, a proposed hotel development at 699 Prince Street, image via Monarch Urban

Alexandria has been bleeding hotels and local economic and tourism experts said if Alexandria wants to fully capitalize on a post-COVID tourism boom, it needs to pitch in on a new hotel.

At a meeting last week, the City Council expressed cautious enthusiasm about a proposal that Alexandria put a little of its tax revenue from the hotel back into the developer’s coffers. The proposal involves offering incentives to help finance the development of a luxury hotel at 699 Prince Street.

Poll: Have you ever participated in Alexandria Restaurant Week?

By Vernon Miles

Published January 13, 2022 at 9:35AM

Chadwicks at 203 Strand Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

The twice-annual Alexandria Restaurant Week starts next Friday with some new options on the list of restaurants.

Restaurant week’s schtick is that each of the restaurants offers $35 per-person meals at various restaurants around the city, which is still a bit much for the $10-$20 restaurant-goers among us, but is discount at many of the restaurants in question.

Poll: Vibe check on this week’s snowstorm

By Vernon Miles

Published January 6, 2022 at 2:15PM

It was the best of times and the worst of times for many Alexandrians this week.

Monday’s snowstorm shut down many services around the area — delaying trash pickup, canceling bus service, and more — but also offered some winter fun around Alexandria.