News

New plans submitted to Alexandria’s Planning Commission indicate that a gravel lot and trailer at 3120 Colvin Street could get turned into a two-story commercial building and motorcycle repair shop.

The new Colvin Street Garage building would replace the current A&B Auto lot and trailer. The new location is just up the street from the Halal slaughterhouse, which garnered some controversy back in 2020.


News

It’s about to get a little more expensive to live in Alexandria. The City Council on Saturday (April 23) will set the real estate tax rate and likely increase the stormwater utility fee for residents by 5%.

In real terms, that means residents could expect to pay between $445 and $477 per year more in real estate taxes, as City Manager Jim Parajon’s proposed budget maintains the current tax rate at $1.11 per $100 of assessed value.


Sponsored

Alexandria already feels like home. It’s the trails you walk, the restaurants you return to, and the easy reach of D.C. that make it all work. The question is whether your home feels as right as the city around it. For those who love Alexandria but want more space, more privacy, and more choice, Van Metre at Banner Heights offers a new opportunity to have it all, just minutes from I-495, I-95, and Old Town Alexandria.

Every Van Metre homesite at Banner Heights has a backyard that doesn’t face into another homesite, so the space behind your home is entirely yours, and a deck or covered terrace makes it the spot for a quiet morning or a long evening with friends. Four levels offer up to five bedrooms and an optional elevator. From there, 20+ personalization options let you decide the rest: add a bedroom on the lower or fourth levels, a great room fireplace with ceramic detailing, or a wet or dry bar, plus upgraded flooring and packages for electrical, tech, and comfort.

With more than 70 years of building across Northern Virginia, Van Metre designs homes around the way people live. At Banner Heights, that means the T-27 townhome plan with 3-5 bedrooms, 3-4 full and 1-2 half baths, 3,014+ square feet, a 2-car garage, and 20+ personalization options, starting from the $1.25Ms.*

Van Metre at Banner Heights is now open for Early Access, giving interested buyers the chance to purchase before our grand opening, when initial homesites deliver.

*Pricing, offers, and availability are subject to change without notice. Some images and renderings may represent a similar home or may have been created or edited using artificial intelligence (AI), and may depict design elements, furnishings, finishes, landscaping, views, or other features that are not included in the home or may not be available. Please see a Van Metre New Home Advisor for details.


Around Town

It’s spring and your organization’s potential customers have emerged from Covid hibernation. Are you reaching them where they’re spending their time?

Nearly 110,000 readers visited ALXnow over the past month, according to Quantcast. What’s more, a survey earlier this year revealed that these readers are largely receptive of messages from local businesses.


Announcement

Revolutionary Fitness, the strength and longevity training studio for people over 50 at 215 N. Payne St., is opening 5 spots in its members-only year-end challenge.

Every year, the stretch between Thanksgiving and New Year’s knocks people off track. Workouts get skipped, schedules fill up, and the plan becomes “I’ll start in January.”


News

A 28-year-old Alexandria man is being held without bond for allegedly using a butcher knife to rob a man in the city’s Arlandria neighborhood.

Terrance Farrington was arrested and charged with using force during a robbery not long after the incident occurred in the 600 block of Notabene Drive on (Tuesday) April 12. The victim told police the robbery occurred as he walked outside his apartment building to throw something away in a dumpster. The suspect allegedly walked up and grabbed gold necklaces from his neck and took his glasses.


News

All Alexandria City High School (ACHS) campuses have gone into a “secure the building” status while the Alexandria Police Department (APD) investigates a threat to the school.

According to a release from ACPS:


News

The City of Alexandria announced yesterday afternoon that acting Chief of Police Don Hayes has gotten the job on a permanent basis.

Hayes has been Acting Chief since Chief Michael Brown retired in June 2021. Unlike Brown, Hayes is an internal hire, having joined the Alexandria Police Department in 1981.


News

Masks now optional on DASH buses — “Effective immediately: masks are optional on all DASH buses.” [Twitter]

It’s Tuesday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 50 and low of 40. Sunrise at 6:27 am and sunset at 7:50 pm. [Weather.gov]


News

The average number of daily Covid cases continues to rise in Alexandria, and the number of deaths from the virus has risen by one to 186.

As of Monday (April 11), the number of reported Covid cases in Alexandria reached 30,932, and the seven-day average of cases is 52.3, up from 40.9 at this point last week, according to the Virginia Department of Health.


News

(Updated 8:30 p.m.) As part of an upcoming overview of the budget, Alexandria’s City Council will be considering an increase in the stormwater utility fee (item 16).

The fee is scheduled to increase from $280 to $294 for the stormwater utility fee bill due Nov. 15 this year.


Announcement

The NOVA Guide has launched, giving Alexandria residents a new source for local news, upcoming events, business stories, and ideas for their next outing.

The website covers news, businesses, and life across Northern Virginia, with a dedicated Alexandria page for readers who want to explore what is happening nearby. It brings together local stories, upcoming events, business features, and Top Picks lists, making it a useful starting point for both everyday plans and weekend adventures.