city government | ALXnow

City says first responders’ desired pay increase could mean substantial tax rate increase

Published November 9, 2021 at 2:45PM | Updated November 9, 2021 at 4:48PM

(Updated 4:45 p.m.) At the start of a City Council retreat this weekend, acting Human Resources Director Jen Jenkins laid out some numbers behind the ongoing discussion over a pay increase for city employees.

City employees — first responders in particular — have criticized city leadership’s handling of employee pay and lamented that the city is, in some respects, lowest in regional pay. The city has laid out plans for a 1.5% pay increase, which unions representing first responders called an insulting lowball.

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Morning Notes

By Vernon Miles

Published November 5, 2021 at 5:00AM | Updated November 5, 2021 at 8:20AM

A rather large cobweb at a base for the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, seen from Jones Point Park (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

City’s Torpedo Factory plans concern artists — “A recent presentation from the Office of the Arts outlining several proposed options for how to renovate the Torpedo Factory has led to pushback from artists, who claim the city’s plans would radically and irrevocably change the historic art center.” [Alexandria Times]

Alexandria man convicted of armed fentanyl trafficking — “A federal jury convicted an Alexandria man yesterday on charges of conspiracy, possession, and distribution of fentanyl and Eutylone, and being a felon in possession of a firearm during drug trafficking.” [Department of Justice]

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Alexandria Mayor says city and Youngkin share at least one thing: being mad at Dominion Energy

By Vernon Miles

Published November 4, 2021 at 3:30PM

Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson on the dais in Council Chambers, July 6, 2021. (staff photo by James Cullum)

After two years of euphoria with a Democratic majority in the legislature and a Democrat governor, local Democratic leadership are bracing for the other shoe to drop after Republicans won the governor’s seat and secured a tie in the House of Delegates in the election on Tuesday.

Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson, a Democrat who just won re-election along with the full slate of Democratic candidates in the City Council race, said those last two years have been a boon for the city.

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Alexandria Health Department working to schedule COVID-19 vaccine appointments for kids ages 5-11, new director says

By James Cullum

Published November 3, 2021 at 3:45PM | Updated November 3, 2021 at 4:23PM

(Updated at 4:30 p.m.) The Alexandria Health Department is working community partners to begin scheduling coronavirus vaccine appointments for kids ages 5-11 by this week, according to its newly hired Director, Dr. David C. Rose.

“We’re in the process of making sure that we and our partners within the community — the pharmacies, the providers — everyone has what it is they need,” Rose told ALXnow in a recent interview. “We’re going to be making sure that appointments are available on a rolling basis when supply becomes available.”

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BREAKING: Wilson wins mayoral reelection, Amy Jackson poised to win vice mayor

By ALXnow.com

Published November 2, 2021 at 10:45PM | Updated November 4, 2021 at 3:42PM

Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson speaks at a vigil against police brutality at the Charles Houston Recreation Center in Old Town on June 4, 2020. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

(Updated 4:15 p.m. on Nov. 3) With 31 of 33 precincts reporting, Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson won a victory over Republican opponent Annetta Catchings on Tuesday.

The general election win came months after Wilson defeated his political rival, former Mayor Allison Silberberg, in the June primary.

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Alexandria election sees high numbers of early votes while in-person voters trickle in

By ALXnow.com

Published November 2, 2021 at 3:05PM

Voting at Alexandria City Hall on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Counting both in-person and absentee ballots, a little under half of those registered to vote in Alexandria have shown up to the polls as of noon today (Nov. 2).

This year, Alexandria voters are voting for a slew of competitive state and local races, including:

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Apology? Alexandria City Council wants restitution from Dominion Energy for ‘Art On The Avenue’ power outage

By James Cullum

Published October 27, 2021 at 2:30PM | Updated October 27, 2021 at 4:10PM

Alexandria City Hall (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria City Council wants more than answers from Dominion Energy for a recent power outage on the busiest day of the year in Del Ray — they want restitution.

After a 2020 hiatus, the weather was perfect for Art On The Avenue on October 2 along Mount Vernon Avenue. But a 16-hour power outage that morning ended up shuttering many businesses throughout the festival, which brought an estimated 50,000 visitors to Del Ray.

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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By Vernon Miles

Published October 22, 2021 at 3:30PM

Yates Pizza Palace has been under development at 3000 Duke Street for years. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Just as the school resource officer debate started to cool down, things have started heating up between the City Council local first responder unions and city leadership over pay issues.

At the same time, city officials are entering the final stretch before election day on Tuesday, Nov. 2., which among other statewide elections will see candidates competing for the City Council, mayoral and School Board seats in Alexandria.

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Alexandria lays out mid-year salary increase plans, but first responder unions say it’s not enough

By Vernon Miles

Published October 22, 2021 at 1:30PM

At an upcoming Alexandria City Council meeting on Tuesday (Oct. 26), City Manager Mark Jinks is scheduled to present a planned mid-year pay increase for city employees, though local unions that have been pushing for pay adjustment say it’s far from enough.

According to the docket, the proposal will be to restore a compensation initiative that had been eliminated last year because of COVID-19 revenue losses.

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Freedom House Museum opening pushed back to next spring

By Vernon Miles

Published October 22, 2021 at 9:45AM

Freedom House at 1315 Duke Street (photo via City of Alexandria)

The new opening of the Freedom House Museum (1315 Duke Street), a museum dedicated to telling the stories of the victims of slavery trafficked through Alexandria, has been pushed back to a full year after its original planned opening.

The city said the museum is now expected to open to the public in spring 2022.

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Alexandria mayoral candidates Wilson and Catchings clash on policing and guaranteed basic income

By Vernon Miles

Published October 21, 2021 at 3:45PM

Alexandria incumbent Mayor Justin Wilson (D) faced off against challenger Annetta Catchings (R) in a forum hosted by the Seminary Ridge Civic Association (SRCA) earlier this week.

Discussion of crime and policing took up much of the forum, marking one of the few instances where the candidates challenged each other directly. During a discussion of the opioid impact on Alexandria, Catchings put the blame for the issue on drugs on border control and drugs imported from China.