A male juvenile is in custody after allegedly firing a gun in Arlandria just after midnight on Saturday morning.
The suspect was arrested near the Four Mile Run Bridge after four shots were fired just outside the Park View apartment building at 511 Four Mile Road. ALXnow saw the suspect run from the scene after the shots were fired, and then his arrest.
After Flooding, Councilman Says City Stormwater Management Needs Work — “Councilmember Chapman tells 7 On Your Side Thursday’s flooding means city leaders need to quickly consider wholesale changes in terms of storm management.” [WJLA]
City Extends Deadline on Personal Property Tax Payments — “To provide relief for our residents and businesses during the ongoing pandemic, the City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday evening to extend the deadline for payment of the Personal Property Tax (Car Tax and Business). Payments are now due on December 15th.” [Twitter]
Alexandria Police are investigating smash-and-grab incidents at three ABC stores that occurred at night on August 25 and 26.
“We have had three instances of ABC stores burglarized,” APD spokesman Lt Courtney Ballantine told ALXnow. “All high end liquor. Fairfax (County) has had similar incidents.”
Arlandria Champion Kevin Beekman Passes Away — “It is with great sorrow that we announce that Kevin Beekman, an Arlandria hero and force behind the Four Mile Run Conservancy and Farmer’s Market, lost his battle with amyloidosis on August 24. Kevin was part of the fabric of Arlandria.” [Zebra]
Beyer Says Republican National Convention is Corrupt — “The White House is not the property of Donald Trump or the Republican Party, it belongs to the American people. These actions cheapen the office and degrade the nation. This convention, like the person at its core, is fundamentally corrupt.” [Twitter]
An Arlington nonprofit has partnered with a D.C. food truck to provide free pizza to affordable housing communities in Alexandria this month.
This is the fifth local campaign for Hearts of Empowerment, which has partnered with Timber Pizza Company to provide free wood-fired pizzas from its food truck on August 22 at Charles Houston Recreation Center (901 Wythe Street) in Old Town at 1 p.m. on Saturday, August 22, and at the same time at the Parkview of Alexandria apartments in Arlandria on Saturday, August 29.
These summer weeks are flying by, and another one is in the books in Alexandria.
This week, readers responded to a number of issues in the city, including the tragic story behind the city’s first murder, crime in Arlandria and another protest outside of the acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary’s home.
A 45-year-old Alexandria man is in jail for allegedly attempting to rape a woman behind the 7-Eleven at 3412 Mount Vernon Avenue at the border of Del Ray and Arlandria.
James Bowen was arrested on July 19 and is currently in the Alexandria jail.
Taking advantage of Phase 3 of reopening’s opening of entertainment locations, Arlandria music venue The Birchmere (3701 Mt Vernon Avenue) is back with new shows planned every Friday and Saturday.
The Birchmere website notes that some changes are in effect for the location. Masks are required when visitors are not seated — such as in the bathroom or when entering or exiting the building. Tickets now also have an additional $5 fee. Tickets for all shows are $15 and available online or at the box office on the day of the show.
Alexandria’s poorest neighborhoods have been hardest hit by COVID-19, and renters from Arlandria and the West End rallied in front of the city’s courthouse today (July 1) to ask Governor Ralph Northam to extend the moratorium on evictions, which expired on June 28.
Sami Bourma lives in the Southern Towers apartment complex in the West End, and has not paid rent since March. He has two children, his wife is four months pregnant, and he has been unable to work as an Uber driver. He’s also an organizer with UNITE HERE Local 23, which represents some residents in the buildings.
As Alexandria starts to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the city’s long term planning priorities are shifting to meet needs exposed by the health crisis.
In a presentation to the Planning Commission last week, city staff said some projects that were in the planning stage will be pushed back, including:
After extensive drive-thru and walk-up testing at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Alexandria is preparing to shift the focus toward taking testing to the city’s heavily impacted communities.
Mayor Justin Wilson said in the last of his weekly town hall meetings yesterday (Thursday) that he spoke to the Virginia Secretary of Health’s office about shifting the focus of testing.
