City Council | ALXnow

‘We’re back,’ Mayor declares as Alexandria tourism rebounds

Published October 4, 2023 at 3:45PM

Mayor Justin Wilson speaks (staff photo by James Cullum)

With Alexandria’s consumption tax revenues hitting an all-time high in fiscal year 2023, Mayor Justin Wilson says that the city has emerged from the economic spiral created by the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.

The city’s consumption tax revenues (sales, meals and transient lodging) peaked at $81 million in fiscal year 2023, a 7% increase over the $76 million collected in FY 2022 and 23% more than the $66 million in FY 2019, according to figures presented at Visit Alexandria‘s annual meeting on Tuesday night.

News

The Alexandria School Board is considering these restructuring options

By James Cullum

Published October 2, 2023 at 3:30PM

ACPS headquarters and clock (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Is the Alexandria School Board too big? Should their elections be staggered and three-year terms increased?

The entire structure of the Alexandria School Board could soon be upended, as these and a number of other big questions are up for discussion Thursday night.

News

City Council members say ward system would be a bad idea for Alexandria

By Vernon Miles

Published September 29, 2023 at 2:45PM

Members of the Alexandria City Council celebrating centenarians at City Hall, Sept. 12, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

At a town hall meeting last Sunday, most City Council members said — in no uncertain terms — that they are opposed to a ward system in Alexandra.

Currently, all City Council leaders are elected in an at-large system. Each Council member represents the city as a whole. D.C., on the other hand, had a City Council that’s a mix of at-large members and ward members — representatives of specific areas of the city.

News

Alexandria police chief says long overdue overhaul of department ‘sectors’ is coming next year

By Vernon Miles

Published September 27, 2023 at 3:55PM

Police investigating a shooting in the Andrew Adkins development (staff photo by James Cullum)

At a meeting with the City Council yesterday, city leaders joked that the last time the Alexandria Police Department revisited the ‘sectors’ map that helps shape policing, the current Commonwealth Attorney and Sheriff were still in high school and the Potomac Yard neighborhood didn’t exist yet.

But behind that joke about the outdated map were real frustrations that the Alexandria Police Department (APD) follows a sector map that’s decades out of date.

News

This obscure New Deal-era program could keep a major arts nonprofit in Alexandria

By Vernon Miles

Published September 26, 2023 at 4:15PM

Sculpting at The Art League (image via The Art League/Facebook)

The redevelopment of the Montgomery Center has pushed some businesses out of Alexandria or out of business, but a clever re-use of an old funding authority may help The Art League survive.

The Art League is scheduled to get City Council authorization tonight (Tuesday) for a funding mechanism that should help the nonprofit set up a new headquarters at 800 Slaters Lane. The Slaters Lane location will be one of three Art League facilities, with another coming into the Muse development and the other being the Torpedo Factory.

News

Alexandria Police Department unveils suicide memorial

By James Cullum

Published September 26, 2023 at 2:30PM

APD officer Andrea O'Leary salutes her friends Jason Kline and Steven Pagach at the Alexandria Police Department Suicide Memorial, Sept. 26, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Hundreds solemnly gathered outside Police Headquarters this morning to dedicate the Alexandria Police Department Suicide Memorial.

The names of officers Jason Kline, who died in 2004, and his best friend, Steven Pagach IV, who died in 2011, are etched in the memorial.

News

City Council-BAR divided on whether Alexandria should stay a red brick town

By Vernon Miles

Published September 25, 2023 at 3:55PM | Updated September 25, 2023 at 4:38PM

Glynn Jones Salon (image via City of Alexandria)

(Updated 4:15 p.m.) A conversation around a hair salon’s paint job forced Alexandria leaders to confront the question: should Old Town stay a red brick town?

At a meeting on Saturday, the City Council voted to overturn an earlier Board of Architectural Review (BAR) decision and will allow Glynn Jones Salon (720 King Street) to keep its painted yellow exterior.

News

Alexandria City Council approves new special use permit guidelines, despite concerns

By Vernon Miles

Published September 25, 2023 at 11:00AM

Scenes from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever at the AMC Hoffman Center 22 on Thursday, Nov. 10 (staff photo by James Cullum)

An update to the city’s special events policy intended to make the process simpler wound up creating some confusion at the City Council this weekend.

At a meeting on Saturday, Diane Ruggiero, deputy director of the Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities, talked the City Council through some of the changes. Among the changes to the special events policy are allowing large events (500+ people) on consecutive weekends and a requirement to file a notice of intent with the City Special Events Committee at least 180 days prior to the event.

News

Old Town hair salon appealing after-the-fact exterior paint job to City Council

By James Cullum

Published September 19, 2023 at 3:30PM

Glynn Jones Salon at 720 King Street (via City of Alexandria)

Alexandria planning staff are recommending that City Council reverse a ruling by the Board of Architectural Review and allow a hair salon to keep an after-the-fact paint job on its exterior.

In May, the city was notified that the Glynn Jones Salon at 720 King Street painted a large portion of its exterior the color gray. On July 6, the Board of Architectural Review unanimously voted to deny the salon a certificate of appropriateness for the work.

News

Alexandria celebrates centenarians at City Hall

By James Cullum

Published September 13, 2023 at 1:30PM

Mayor Justin Wilson presents a certificate to an Alexandria centannarian, Sept. 12, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria’s Eve Capps says she’s more surprised than anyone that she’s lived this long. The 100-year-old was born in Sacramento, California, in 1923, and with an acute memory fondly recalls her childhood during the Great Depression.

“My father worked for the railroad, and we went from living in a big house to a shack,” Capps told ALXnow. “But I was just a little girl and I thought it was fun.”

News

Alexandria and Arlington cut ribbon on new and improved West Glebe Road Bridge

By James Cullum

Published September 12, 2023 at 3:55PM

Arlington and Alexandria officials cut the ribbon at the West Glebe Road Bridge, Sept. 12, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria and Arlington officials celebrated the ribbon cutting for the renovated West Glebe Road bridge today.

The nearly 70-year-old bridge suffered severe deterioration over the years and fully closed last summer, and partially reopened in March.