coronavirus | ALXnow

Morning Notes

Published July 22, 2020 at 9:00AM | Updated July 22, 2020 at 9:37AM

City Official Dies in Car Crash — “The City of Alexandria is devastated by the loss of Robert Bloom, Public Safety Systems Administrator in the Department of Emergency and Customer Communications (DECC), in a vehicle crash on the morning of July 20, 2020.” [City of Alexandria]

Alexandria Man Dies in D.C. Shooting — “Homicide detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department are investigating the fatal shooting of an Alexandria man that occurred Sunday night in the Shipley area of the city, according to a police release… MPD identified the decedent as Rayfone Gassaway, 37, of Alexandria, Virginia.” [Patch]

News

Percent Positivity for Coronavirus Trending Down Once Again

By Vernon Miles

Published July 21, 2020 at 5:30PM

The City of Alexandria is back on the right track for the percentage of positive coronavirus testing, at least for now.

Percent positive — or the number people with a positive test result out of all those tested — is one of the more reliable ways of assessing the spread of the virus and the reach of testing, according to John Hopkins University. As the state began to consider reopening, a prolonged decrease in new cases was cited as one of the requirements for reopening.

News

Senior Services of Alexandria Begins Virtual Auction and Car Trade-In Program

By James Cullum

Published July 21, 2020 at 10:40AM

Meals on Wheels volunteer Susanne Young (via Senior Services of Alexandria/Facebook)

Senior Services of Alexandria has been seriously impacted by the pandemic, and two new initiatives will help the nonprofit in its mission to help deliver meals and services to the city’s older residents.

The annual Senior Services gala was canceled, leaving a $135,000 hole. Consequently, the SSA virtual auction started on July 19 and runs until July 25, and items include gift cards, an Apple Watch Series 5 and a vacation in the Outer Banks.

News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published July 21, 2020 at 9:00AM

Beyer Says Acting Homeland Security Chief Should Resign — “Ordering the occupation of US cities, seeking the escalation of violence, and intentionally risking American lives over peaceful protests and graffiti is unfathomable and unacceptable. Acting Secretary Wolf must resign immediately or be fired.” [Twitter]

Del Ray Used Book Store to Open in August — “Piles and boxes of thousands of donated books crowd Donald Alexander’s house as he prepares to turn his vision for a used bookstore in Del Ray into reality.” [Alexandria Living]

News

City Releases Guidance on Reopening Churches During COVID-19

By Vernon Miles

Published July 20, 2020 at 3:45PM | Updated July 20, 2020 at 4:04PM

Virginia Theological Seminary (staff photo by James Cullum)

Houses of worship are seen as one of the highest-risk places to congregate during the pandemic, but as locations start to reopen under Phase 3 the city has put together a guide for helping local churches and religious institutions to reopen safely.

For religious organizations and nonprofits, the city website said content for emails to faith-based groups are being prepared with information — including a digestible synthesis of CDC and Virginia Department of Health data.

News

COVID-19 Cases Surpass 2,500 in Alexandria, No New Deaths in July

By James Cullum

Published July 20, 2020 at 12:00PM

There are or have been 2,559 cases of COVID-19 in Alexandria and the number of fatalities remains at 56. There have been no new deaths this month from the virus, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

The number of coronavirus fatalities is a reduction of one from last week. There have been no new deaths this month and the last fatality was reported on June 29.

News

Families and Teachers Keep Active With Alexandria Summer School

By James Cullum

Published July 17, 2020 at 3:15PM

Like thousands of Alexandria City Public School Students, Robasson, who wants to be a doctor or lawyer when she grows up, has had to adapt. She’s learning in a house with her parents and Maxwell, her six-year-old brother. And although the school year officially ended in June, she is participating in summer school.

“Summer school is going well,” Robasson said. “We are relearning in summer school the things that we already have, and that’s because we don’t really have time to waste, and we need to have that fresh in our minds so that when we do get back to school we can get back to the things we need to.”

News

Virtual or Hybrid? School Board Getting ACPS Reopening Survey Results

By James Cullum

Published July 17, 2020 at 11:45AM | Updated July 22, 2020 at 10:19AM

Updated at 5:30 p.m. — A previous version of the story said that families and staff made up the 60% who preferred a hybrid model. Staff were reportedly not asked the question

The survey results are in and 60% of Alexandria City Public School families prefer a hybrid model for reopening schools this fall. Only two options were presented to the community in the survey, meaning that when school reopens it will either remain completely virtual or there will be a hybrid of in-person and virtual learning.

News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published July 17, 2020 at 9:00AM

Alexandria Businesses Get Millions in Federal Loans — “The vast majority of the loans in Alexandria were less than $150,000, helping small businesses keep their employees instead of laying them off. About 600 of the loans in Alexandria were worth more than $150,000, and about 100 of those were for more than $1 million. Top-dollar loans went to patent lawyers, information-technology professionals and commercial contractors. Only three of loans in Alexandria were in the coveted top bracket, which range from $5 million to $10 million.” [Gazette]

Beyer Tweets Potential Unemployment Losses of Every State — “At least 200,000 workers in Virginia will lose nearly two thirds of their weekly income at the beginning of August unless Mitch McConnell allows the Senate to pass an unemployment extension in the next few days.” [Twitter]

News

Beyer Says Office Phone Besieged by Angry Constituents

By James Cullum

Published July 16, 2020 at 11:45AM | Updated July 16, 2020 at 4:37PM

Alexandria’s Congressman Don Beyer is still working from home, and he’s not happy. He says is office is constantly inundated with calls from constituents angry about a host of issues.

“Did you watch that farce of a speech in the Rose Garden?” Beyer asked ALXnow over the phone. “It was pretty outrageous. You know, it depends on the day, but generally the phone rings off the hook from constituents. Ninety percent of our calls are from people upset with what’s happening with the White House, and since there is a new outrage every day – it’s literally day by day.”

News

The Birchmere is Back With New Show Lineup

By Vernon Miles

Published July 15, 2020 at 5:15PM

Taking advantage of Phase 3 of reopening’s opening of entertainment locations, Arlandria music venue The Birchmere (3701 Mt Vernon Avenue) is back with new shows planned every Friday and Saturday.

The Birchmere website notes that some changes are in effect for the location. Masks are required when visitors are not seated — such as in the bathroom or when entering or exiting the building. Tickets now also have an additional $5 fee. Tickets for all shows are $15 and available online or at the box office on the day of the show.