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Good Tuesday morning, Alexandria!

🌤️ Today’s weather: Expect a mostly sunny day with a high around 87 and light variable winds turning east at 5 to 7 mph in the morning. On Tuesday night, there’s a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2am and a low of around 67. The southeast wind will be 5 to 8 mph, with a 20% chance of precipitation.


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For as much controversy as there can be around short-term rentals — businesses like Airbnb  that rent out homes to visiting guests — a city report said there have been relatively few complaints about them in Alexandria.

In a report to the City Council last week, Land Use Services Division Chief Tony LaColla noted that there are 460 short-term rentals registered in Alexandria and 265 estimated unregistered units.


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Many people who look into estate planning ask, “What is the difference between wills and trusts?” While both wills and trusts deal with estate planning, they serve different purposes. In this post, the legal team of PJI Law, PLC, estate planning lawyers from Fairfax, VA, outline the key principles of wills, trusts, and their role in asset protection.

Wills and Trusts in a Nutshell

Here are the basic features of wills and trusts:

A Will

  • Only comes into effect once the will maker is deceased
  • States who will receive the decedent’s assets
  • Appoints an executor to carry out the decedent’s wishes
  • Is potentially contestable and must go through probate, a legal examination by the court

A Trust

  • Can take effect immediately after its creation
  • Allows a person or an institution (a “trustee”) to hold assets for beneficiaries
  • Can distribute property before or after the trustor’s passing
  • Can be irrevocable or revocable/changeable
  • Assets in trust generally avoid probate

While we recommend that everyone have at least a will (whether or not you also have a trust), trusts aren’t strictly necessary for all individuals. Trusts are particularly helpful for individuals who have assets that are potentially going through probate, own property across several states, or have minor children.

Wills: the Basics of Estate Planning

A will, also known as a last will and testament, is a legal document specifying how the will maker wishes to handle asset distribution and other affairs after their death. A will typically includes all of the principal’s assets, such as real estate, vehicles, and other property, and usually a list of debts. A will may also provide directions for a funeral or memorial service.

Usually, every will must go through a probate court before execution. In some states, it may be possible to avoid probate under specific conditions. Certain assets, such as insurance policies and retirement accounts, may, if planned properly, pass directly to named beneficiaries without probate. (more…)


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After extensive modernizations the last seven years, Bishop Ireton High School (201 Cambridge Road) now wants to add a new bell tower and new roof to its chapel renovation project.

There’s no word in the proposal as to whether the bell tower (on top of which would sit a three-foot-tall crucifix) will include a bell, if it will ring, how loudly and when.


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Alexandria Police say that no one was arrested after a man was shot in the hand in Arlandria on Friday night, May 31.

APD responded to multiple calls for shots fired at around 9 p.m. and found shell casings on the ground, according to police dispatches. Callers reported to police hearing between six-to-seven gunshots.


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After years of continued student enrollment growth, new projections say the student population in Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) will likely decline over the next ten years after a peak in 2025.

The report to the Joint City Council-School Board Subcommittee from April shows student enrollment projections declining through FY 2033, a hard-turn from population projections pre-covid.


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Major stretches of two arterial roads in Alexandria will see repaving work this week.

The Department of Transportation and Environmental Services (T&ES) said in a release that North Quaker Lane and King Street will both be seeing repaving work this week, from today, June 3, through Friday, June 7.


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Good Monday morning, Alexandria!

⛈️ Today’s weather: Expect a slight chance of morning showers, followed by possible showers and thunderstorms after 2pm, with mostly sunny skies and a high near 85. Light northwest winds will accompany the 30% chance of precipitation. For Monday night, there is a chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm, turning partly cloudy afterwards and reaching a low around 66. A gentle south wind will persist, and the chance of precipitation remains at 30%.


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More than 800 Alexandria City High School students walked the stage at today’s graduation at George Mason University’s EagleBank Arena.

ACHS executive principal Alexander Duncan III said that the day marked a defining moment in the lives of the 841 graduates.


News

Bit of a slow week in Alexandria with Memorial Day at the start of the week, but one that still touched on some of the city’s favorite topics: drinking and dogs.

The top story was about a new Virginia ABC store opening on S. Washington Street.