City Council | ALXnow

Old Town pay-by-phone parking cost could increase in effort to push drivers to garages

Published June 10, 2022 at 2:45PM | Updated June 10, 2022 at 5:06PM

A parking meter in Old Town Alexandria on King Street

(Updated 5 p.m.) Next week, the City Council will review a set of new parking rates (Item 19) for Old Town that aim to push drivers off the street and into the city’s underutilized garages.

The new ordinance would expand the area of Old Town where drivers who don’t have residential or guest permits must pay by phone to park. The current rate in those zones is currently $1.75 per hour, but the new ordinance would allow the Director of Transportation and Environmental Services to set a rate of up to $5 per hour.

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Pair of new affordable housing developments headed to city review

By Vernon Miles

Published June 9, 2022 at 3:45PM | Updated December 16, 2022 at 9:46AM

Elbert Avenue Apartments (via Google Maps)

(Updated 6/14) A pair of new affordable housing projects are headed to the City Council for financing.

Both of the new developments will have just under 100 units; all locked in at various levels of affordability.

News

Potomac Yard neighborhood backs parking restrictions ahead of Metro opening

By Vernon Miles

Published June 8, 2022 at 3:45PM

Potomac Greens neighborhood (image via Google Maps)

The Potomac Greens neighborhood has voted overwhelmingly in favor of new parking restrictions aimed at keeping the residential streets from being overrun by commuters.

The proposed parking district, which would encompass the Potomac Greens neighborhood, is scheduled for review at a City Council meeting (item 17) on Tuesday, June 14.

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Amid Covid surge, Alexandria will allow emergency declaration to expire on June 30

By James Cullum

Published June 6, 2022 at 1:00PM

Alexandria City Hall lit up (staff photo by James Cullum)

As COVID numbers continue to rise, the Alexandria City Council will allow the city’s state of emergency to expire on June 30.

The declaration was made by Council in March 2020, and has been extended five times.

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Photos: Nearly 800 students graduate from Alexandria City High School

By James Cullum

Published June 6, 2022 at 10:45AM | Updated June 6, 2022 at 2:54PM

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. There was sadness, relief, and also great happiness at Alexandria City High School’s graduation on Saturday (June 4)

Nearly 800 ACHS seniors walked the stage to receive their diplomas for the first in-person, indoor graduation in three years. The event was held at George Mason University’s EagleBank Arena.

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JUST IN: Short-staffed Alexandria Police Department to reduce service to public

By James Cullum

Published June 2, 2022 at 4:05PM | Updated June 3, 2022 at 3:20AM

Updated at 7:45 p.m. — A short-staffed Alexandria Police Department is reducing its services to the community, the department announced on Wednesday (June 2).

Police will no longer respond to calls for service that fall under another agency’s responsibility or respond to old crime scenes that show no danger to the public.

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ALIVE! opens West End Food Hub on S. Van Dorn Street

By James Cullum

Published May 26, 2022 at 11:00AM

City leaders cut the ribbon for the new ALIVE! West End Food Hub at 510 S. Van Dorn Street, May 26, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

West End residents now have a new hub to to take care of food insecurity and other basic living needs.

On Thursday morning (May 26), nonprofit and city leaders cut the ribbon for the ALIVE! West End Food Hub at 510 S. Van Dorn Street in the Van Dorn Station Shopping Center. The brick and mortar location was made possible by funding from the American Rescue Plan.

News

Police were at the Bradlee Shopping Center before teenager was fatally stabbed

By James Cullum

Published May 25, 2022 at 4:50PM | Updated May 26, 2022 at 11:13AM

Police at the Bradlee Shopping Center where 18-year-old Luis Mejia Hernandez was fatally stabbed on May 24, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

(Updated at 5:45 p.m.) Alexandria Police were at the scene of Tuesday’s brawl prior to the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Luis Mejia Hernandez, according to video of the incident obtained by ALXnow.

Hernandez was stabbed during a brawl with 30-50 teenagers in the McDonald’s parking lot. A video of the incident obtained by ALXnow showed police cruisers at the scene and an officer attending to Hernandez immediately after he was stabbed.

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Arlandria and Rosemont hit by power outages after severe thunderstorm

By James Cullum

Published May 22, 2022 at 11:00PM | Updated May 23, 2022 at 12:12AM

Updated at 11:15 p.m. It took nearly five hours for the power to turn back on for thousands of Alexandria residents on a steamy Sunday night (May 22).

Alexandria got hit by a severe thunderstorm at around 6 p.m. At 8:36 p.m., Dominion Energy tweeted that there were more than 25,000 homes still without power in Northern Virginia.

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After argument over ‘Calvinball’ rules, City Council and developer move forward with Carlyle development

By Vernon Miles

Published May 17, 2022 at 3:55PM

2121 Eisenhower proposal, image via SK+I Architecture

A last-minute disagreement between city staff and developers of a new development in Carlyle raised concerns about fairness in the city’s development process.

There was little indication before the City Council meeting (item 12) on Saturday, May 15, that the development at 2111 and 2121 Eisenhower Avenue would take up two hours of discussion and argument.

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Alexandria City Council aims to provide boost to abortion access but faces state limits

By Vernon Miles

Published May 16, 2022 at 3:50PM | Updated May 17, 2022 at 9:25AM

Alexandria City Hall was lit up for the weekend of Juneteenth 2021. (photo via Carol Jean Stalun Photography for Visit Alexandria)

After a leaked majority opinion showed the Supreme Court potentially overturning Roe v. Wade, Alexandria leaders are taking a second look at how to protect abortion access and women’s healthcare at a local level.

Beyond just the national concerns about the impact of the ruling, last week City Council members reflected on an earlier decision to withdraw a proclamation honoring abortion providers.