city government | ALXnow

Morning Notes

Published September 28, 2020 at 9:00AM

Gov. Ralph Northam and First Lady Test Positive For COVID-19 — “Gov. Ralph Northam and his wife, Pamela, have both tested positive for COVID-19, according to a Sept. 25 news release from the governor’s office.” [Alex Times]

Beyer Says Trump is Taking Dramatic Steps Toward Abolishing Obamacare — “No Supreme Court nominee has ever been confirmed so close to the election. Why are Senate Republicans in such a hurry to break their 2016 promises? They want the Court to side with Trump, strike down the Affordable Care Act, and wreck your healthcare. The case hits in November.” [Twitter]

News

Alexandria Wants to Make Affordable Housing Contributions Mandatory for Developers

By James Cullum

Published September 25, 2020 at 3:55PM

Alexandria City Hall sign (staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Alexandria planning staff are crafting a proposal to make affordable housing contributions mandatory for developers, and they are reportedly not happy about it.

City staff are recommending that council adopt a commercial-to-residential conversion contribution policy (proposed at $1.53 per square foot) and senior housing contribution requirements.

News

City Looks to Speed Up Stormwater Management Improvements

By James Cullum

Published September 24, 2020 at 2:45PM | Updated September 25, 2020 at 4:42PM

Alexandria’s LaMonica Johnston says that the life of her infant son was put at risk when her home was flooded on July 8.

Johnston just put her son down in his Pack ‘N Play and was laying down on her couch when water rushed into her home, located near the Hooff’s Run Culvert, a large tunnel that has some of the worst stormwater management issues in the city and handles runoff from the Del Ray, Rosemont, Beverly Hills and Northridge neighborhoods.

News

Racial and Social Equity Training Plan for City Staff Taking Shape in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published September 23, 2020 at 4:00PM

The Alexandria City Council is expected to receive a city council resolution on race and social equity by the end of the year, and will receive recommendations on making the city’s diversity/inclusion statement more racially explicit.

“We’re thinking in working through how to draft a resolution as specific to race and social equity for Council’s adoption,” Jaqueline Tucker, the city’s racial and social equity officer, told Council on Tuesday night.

News

Mayor: Alexandria’s Tax Revenue Hard Hit by Coronavirus

By James Cullum

Published September 22, 2020 at 1:15PM

Alexandria City Hall (staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Alexandria’s consumption-based tax revenue took a 34% hit from February to July, according to a city monthly financial report.

Mayor Justin Wilson revealed the revenue loss on Facebook by posting a report showing the cumulative impact on consumer spending in calendar years 2019 and 2020.

News

UPDATE: Alexandria City Council Extends State of Emergency to March 2021

By James Cullum

Published September 21, 2020 at 10:15AM | Updated September 23, 2020 at 11:55AM

The emergency room at Inova Alexandria Hospital. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

(Updated at 11:45 a.m. on September 23) The Alexandria City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved extending the declaration of a local emergency due to the pandemic from the end of this month t0 March 31, 2021.

If approved, the city will end up being under a state of emergency for a little more than a year. It would expire at midnight on March 31.

News

ALXnow’s Top Stories This Week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published September 18, 2020 at 5:10PM

A rendering of the proposed development of The Heritage apartment complex in Old Town. (Image via City of Alexandria)

What a week it’s been in Alexandria.

The pandemic seemed inescapable this week, and much of our coverage was related to dealing with the coronavirus.

News

City Hall Will be Lit in Purple in October for Domestic Violence Awareness Month

By James Cullum

Published September 18, 2020 at 11:30AM

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and all next month, the Alexandria Department of Community and Human Services will light up City Hall (301 King Street) purple in honor of domestic violence victims.

“It’s really beautiful to see,” said City Hall engineer Matt Wise. “We lit up City Hall in purple at the end of August through September 1 to raise awareness of substance use disorders, and next month we’re going to honor and raise awareness for domestic violence victims.”

News

Did You Know: There’s An Old Bell in the Alexandria City Hall Clock Tower

By James Cullum

Published September 18, 2020 at 10:40AM | Updated September 18, 2020 at 3:54PM

The old bell in the city hall clock tower. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

Twice a year, an engineer checks the clock mechanism at the Alexandria City Hall clock tower to make sure everything is running on time. Above the machine sits is a relic of a bygone age — a cast iron bell that has been silent for decades.

The clock tower is accessible via a small door next to City Council Chambers.

News

Second Round of Back to Business Grants Available September 30

By James Cullum

Published September 17, 2020 at 3:45PM

The second round of the Alexandria Back to Business (ALX B2B) grant program opens at the end of September, and $2.4 million is available for qualifying small businesses and nonprofits to cope with financial losses related to the pandemic.

“The program criteria for Round Two has been expanded so additional types of businesses and nonprofit childcare providers will be eligible to apply for a grant,” according to the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, which is receiving the applications. “Grants will be awarded in amounts ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 depending on the number of employees working for the business.”

News

City Hall Exterior Renovation to Be Finished by Halloween

By James Cullum

Published September 15, 2020 at 2:35PM

Alexandria City Hall (staff photo by James Cullum)

The ongoing exterior renovations at Alexandria’s City Hall should be wrapped up by the end of October, and now staff are thinking about the future of the building’s interior.

For the last several weeks there has been scaffolding at City Hall, which has been all part of a $900,000 exterior renovation, which includes dozens of new double-glazed windows, painting and other small repairs.