Around Town

What a day for a parade it was in Old Town on Saturday, Dec. 6.

The wailing of bagpipes sailed through Alexandria’s historic streets as thousands of community members gathered to watch the 54th annual Scottish Christmas Walk Parade.


News

The Planning Commission has approved three development projects that would construct 640 housing units and ground floor retail across vacant land parcels in southern Potomac Yard.

The commission voted last night (Tuesday) to grant development special use permits (DSUP) for the following plans, located adjacent the Potomac Yard Metro station along Potomac Avenue, Main Line Blvd and E. Glebe Road.


News

A bill to provide elementary and secondary school students across Virginia with free breakfasts is heading back to the Virginia General Assembly.

The proposed bill by Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5) was killed in the House Appropriation’s Elementary & Secondary Education subcommittee in January due largely to its $29.2 million price tag.


News

New digital modernizations and a refreshed website are coming soon to Alex311, Alexandria’s customer service program.

Alex311 staff gave a presentation on the forthcoming redesign during last night’s City Council legislative meeting (Tuesday). The updates call for investment in tools like chatbots and virtual agents with multilingual capabilities.


News

Facing a decline in job growth, a struggling commercial real estate market and a climbing population, today (Friday) Alexandria released the draft of its first economic development strategy in nearly two decades.

The 63-page ALX Forward draft plan makes a number of recommends to reverse negative trends, including leveraging economic opportunities in Old Town North, Eisenhower East, the West End, and Potomac Yard; retaining local businesses and attracting high-growth industries like artificial intelligence firms; and strengthening support for the city’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.


News

Mayor Alyia Gaskins and the City Council are calling on the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office to stop transferring inmates to immigration enforcement unless required by law.

Following months of pressure from activists critical of Immigration and Customs Enforcement — including a protest during an Oct. 18 public hearing — Gaskins and the Council publicly asked Sheriff Sean Casey to stop transferring Alexandria inmates to ICE custody via the agency’s detainers and administrative warrants.


News

Alexandria won its nearly two-year battle in Circuit Court today (Wednesday) against residents fighting the city’s massive Zoning for Housing/Housing for All overhaul.

Judge H. Thomas Padrick, Jr. granted the city’s motion for summary judgement and dismissed the case against the plaintiffs, a group of Old Town residents who had been fighting to reverse the zoning changes since they were approved by City Council in Dec. 2023.


News

City Council will consider fare increases to its disability transit program and changes to food truck parking enforcement at a meeting tonight (Wednesday).

Up for vote is a resolution that would increase some paratransit fares by $1 and create a new $2 “peak-hour” surcharge for some trips. The Council will also complete a first read of an ordinance that would shift how the city enforces parking for food trucks.


News

The Alexandria City Council will host a town hall meeting on Nov. 5 (Wednesday) at the Nannie J. Lee Memorial Recreation Center (1108 Jefferson Street) in Old Town.

“Members of the Alexandria City Council will be present to speak about the issues impacting you and your family. You can also get the latest news on upcoming projects and initiatives in Alexandria,” the city said in a release.


News

Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood was packed with art lovers for the 30th annual Art on the Avenue festival in Del Ray on Saturday (Oct. 4).

Hundreds of juried artists sold their work, live music was performed on four stages and the event and its founder Pat Miller were recognized by Alexandria Congressman Don Beyer (D-8th), Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5th) and Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley.


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