The City of Alexandria is working through a three-pronged approach to protect the city’s most vulnerable populations from the dire economic impact of COVID-19.
In a City Council meeting last night (Tuesday), the department heads who approached the city leadership at the April with an outline of their needs came back with plans on how to address housing challenges, food scarcity and keeping small businesses alive in the wake of the pandemic.
(Updated on May 15 at 10:45 a.m.) — Alexandria City Manager Mark Jinks and Police Chief Michael Brown have declined to comment on this developing story, according to city spokesman Craig Fifer.
City Manager Mark Jinks on Tuesday said that Alexandria Police ended their “significant” monthlong teleworking initiative and that police were isolated and made available to respond to a “much worse situation” should the peak of cases not flatten.
Northern Virginia Congressman Don Beyer believes that Governor Ralph Northam’s phased plan to start reopen Virginia is premature for Alexandria, and also heavily criticized the Trump administrations response to the coronavirus in a recent interview with ALXnow.
“The disgrace here is we’re so many months behind the curve on testing availability, on PPE availability,” Beyer said. “We weren’t ready as a country and still don’t have a coordinated national response.”
Governor Asked Northern Virginia Leaders for Letter on Stalling Reopening — “He asked for this formal communication to demonstrate unity across the diverse Northern Virginia region, which is critical to a continued successful mitigation strategy… He appreciates their willingness to work with him on this responsible, data-driven and health-based approach.” [Washington Post]
City Sets Up Frozen Meal Delivery System For Residents Aged 60+ — “Spouses of individuals over age 60 and disabled adults living with someone aged 60 and older also may be eligible. Meals are prepared by Jeffery’s Catering and delivered twice a week by Senior Services of Alexandria. A total of 14 meals are delivered each week. For more information call 703-746-5999.” [Facebook]
One attempted solution to a trash problem in Alexandria has allegedly created another, though the city said it’s working to manage the problem.
In response to the increased demand for recycling services at homes in Alexandria, the city has been encouraging residents to take their surplus recycling materials to a facility at 4251 Eisenhower Ave.
Last month, Alexandria residents and city leaders honored the legacy of Joseph McCoy by placing a wreath at the location of his lynching at the corner of Cameron and Lee Streets in Old Town. Within 36 hours, that wreath was stolen, and on Saturday a group of determined residents placed a new wreath at the site.
“Mr. McCoy was killed, murdered, by the act of hate,” MacArthur Myers told ALXnow. “We can’t bring him back, but we can be a voice for him from now on. God has given us two powerful words to express emotion — hate and love. Let the healing begin with love, which is so much more powerful.”
The City of Alexandria will go another few months before the members of its numerous boards and commissions will set eyes on each other.
At a City Council meeting on Tuesday, City Manager Mark Jinks laid out a calendar that partially pushes back in-person meetings to June or later. While the Council will continue to meet in May, Jinks encouraged most other boards and advisory committees to cancel their meetings.
The City Council is figuring out who in Alexandria needs the most assistance through the coronavirus pandemic — and how to get them aid.
City Manager Mark Jinks is expecting roughly $20 million in federal assistance, all of which must be allocated to new programs not in previous budgets and must be spent this year. In a Tuesday night meeting, Council discussed grants and funding needs with various department heads, starting with some of the most basic necessities.
Several Alexandria organizations collaborated virtually to memorialize the 1897 lynching of Joseph McCoy.
McCoy was murdered by a lynch mob today (April 23) in 1897 at the corner of Lee and Cameron Streets in Old Town. Today, Alexandrians placed a wreath at the site of the killing to honor McCoy.
There were years of debate and lobbying, Alexandria finally has state authorization to move the Appomattox statue in the middle of the S. Washington Street and Prince Street.
The statue has defenders who say that the statue should not be moved at all. The placement in the center of the street represents the spot where Alexandrians gathered to leave the Union-occupied Alexandria and join the Confederacy. The statue also, pointedly, faces away from Washington D.C. and to the south. While many of the statues being removed across the south glamorize the southern cause, defenders of the statue note that the pose was more solemn.
Tying affordable housing funding to meals tax seemed like a safe bet in 2018, but with restaurants facing a dramatic loss in revenue due to coronavirus, affordable housing is out $1 million in the new budget.
According to the budget:
