children | ALXnow

Published August 12, 2022 at 11:15AM

In five years, Jason Ellis wants Momentum Collective, Inc. to be a charter school teaching kids the arts in Northern Virginia.

The nonprofit resumed programming in October, after a two-year Covid hiatus, and are one again teaching low and moderate income children how to sing, dance and act in summer camps and after school at the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s Ruby Tucker Center. About 90 elementary school-aged kids have participated since programming resumed, and the plan is to eventually bring back middle and high school kids.

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From tour guides to youth sport coaches, there are a bunch of opportunities to volunteer in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published August 10, 2022 at 1:00PM

Want to lend a helping hand? Alexandria is full of summer volunteer opportunities.

Volunteer Alexandria’s website lists plenty of ways for residents to give back.

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Parents create list of safety recommendations for Alexandria City Public Schools

By James Cullum

Published July 28, 2022 at 1:50PM | Updated July 28, 2022 at 2:10PM

The 2021-2022 school year was “crazy”, says René Islas, the parent of four Alexandria City Public Schools students.

Islas leads The Community Group, a new movement of locals with a list of safety recommendations for the city and school system. After a school year punctuated by violent events, Islas said ACPS needs to work on prevention, justice, and accountability.

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PHOTOS: Alexandria’s birthday celebration on the waterfront

By James Cullum

Published July 11, 2022 at 11:00AM | Updated July 12, 2022 at 11:31AM

Alexandria's birthday celebration at Oronoco Bay Park, July 10, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

With fireworks, cupcakes and music, Alexandria celebrated its 273rd birthday on Sunday, July 10.

Thousands were in attendance for the free party, which also celebrates America’s birthday and was supposed to be held on Saturday (July 9), but was held off due to rain. What resulted was a less crowded event than years past — with performances by Town Crier Ben Fiore-Walker, Poet Laureate Zeina Azzam, and the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra (ASO).

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Vaccine shots now available for kids under 5 years old in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published June 23, 2022 at 10:45AM

Kids wait anxiously for candy to be thrown by parade marchers at the 50th annual Scottish Christmas Walk Parade in Old Town, Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria health providers are now offering the COVID-19 vaccine to children under five years of age, according to the Alexandria Health Department.

According to AHD:

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Mayor Wilson says its time to step back to reassess safety in schools

By James Cullum

Published June 14, 2022 at 3:30PM

The joint Alexandria City Council/School Board meeting in the Board Room of ACPS Central Office on Monday, June 13, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Mayor Justin Wilson says its time to take a step back and reassess Alexandria’s approach to student safety.

In a joint City Council meeting with the School Board on Monday night (June 13), Wilson said that the community needs to be educated on how the city and school system plan to make schools safer.

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Three-year-old Alexandria child revived by Narcan after drinking from wrong cup

By James Cullum

Published June 9, 2022 at 2:30PM | Updated June 9, 2022 at 5:37PM

Updated at 5:30 p.m. On April 19, at 6:30 p.m., a social worker at Inova Fairfax Hospital contacted the Child Protective Services hotline.

The social worker reported that a three-year-old girl was overdosing and was brought to the hospital emergency room by her mother in a Lyft transport, according to a police search warrant affidavit.

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Slain Alexandria City High School senior given posthumous diploma

By James Cullum

Published June 4, 2022 at 2:15PM | Updated June 6, 2022 at 2:59PM

Guillermo Romero, the uncle of Luis Mejia Hernandez, who was killed on May 24, receives his diploma at the Alexandria City High School graduation at George Mason University's EagleBank Arena, June 4, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Updated at 3 p.m. on June 6: A family member of Luis Mejia Hernandez walked the stage and received a standing ovation from the students, staff and families in attendance at George Mason University’s EagleBank Arena.

Guillermo Romero took took the diploma for his nephew, kissed it and raised it to the sky.

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Police say they’re not at fault in response to fatal stabbing at Bradlee Shopping Center

By James Cullum

Published May 26, 2022 at 1:15PM | Updated May 26, 2022 at 2:08PM

Police at the Bradlee Shopping Center, two days after the fatal stabbing in the parking lot on May 24, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

It’s been quiet at the Bradlee Shopping Center McDonald’s since 18-year-old Luis Mejia Hernandez was fatally stabbed in a brawl in the parking lot on Tuesday (May 24). Two days after the incident, a lone police cruiser now sits near the spot where Hernandez was stabbed.

Video of the incident obtained by ALXnow revealed that police arrived at the scene before the stabbing occurred, no sirens were used and they struggled to break up the fight. There were about 30-50 Alexandria City High School students involved and no arrests have been made in connection to the incident.

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These Alexandrians just found a stash of baby formula and donated it to ALIVE!

By James Cullum

Published May 20, 2022 at 2:15PM

Alexandria’s Homegrown Restaurant Group just stumbled across a proverbial goldmine of infant baby formula, and on Friday morning (May 20) they donated 10 cases of Similac Advance to ALIVE!.

It could take months before Alexandria grocery store shelves are stocked with infant formula, as communities around the country are struggling through the shortage.

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Need baby formula? Here’s a checklist from the Alexandria Health Department

By James Cullum

Published May 18, 2022 at 3:30PM

Alexandria parents should consider breastfeeding and using cow’s milk for short periods during the nationwide baby formula shortage, according to the Alexandria Health Department (AHD).

Those were just a couple of the department’s recommendations since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recall of Similac, Alimentum and EleCare powdered infant formulas produced at the Abbott Nutrition factory in Sturgis, Michigan — the largest producer of infant formula in the country.