Alexandria’s farmers’ markets are adapting to the new coronavirus restrictions with a new Market To-Go program.
Under the new system, visitors will browse vendors online and place orders, then pick them up at the market with minimal social interaction.
Over the last several weeks, the Alexandria Health Department has worked closely with hundreds of businesses that have been impacted by COVID-19.
Rachel Stradling leads the department’s interaction with approximately 860 permitted food establishments in the city, and that’s meant advising them on new rules from Richmond. Her small staff of 10 is also advising Alexandria City Public Schools on their emergency food distribution and helping grocery stores during hours allotted for senior citizen shopping.
City Finalizes Freedom House Purchase — “What happened at 1315 Duke St. had a terrible and lasting impact on America. Freedom House encourages us to speak truth to power and delve deeper to confront the hard, honest truths about race, class and equity in this country.” [City of Alexandria]
The Birchmere Starts GoFundMe Fundraiser For Staff — “As you know, we have had to cancel or postpone all of our shows for the foreseeable future, at least into May. With no shows this means that all of our hourly and tipped workers (kitchen, wait & bar staff) are not getting paid. We have been asked by many fans of The Birchmere if there was a way they can help so we have setup this GoFundMe page for them.” [GoFundMe]
The Alexandria Health Department is advising that customers who visited Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub on King Street on March 10, 14 and 15 may have been exposed to COVID-19 and to self-quarantine.
According to the city, “On the evening of March 25, 2020, the Alexandria Health Department (AHD) was notified that a non-resident of Alexandria later confirmed to have the COVID-19 coronavirus spent time at Murphy’s Irish Pub (713 King St.).”
Alexandria City Public Schools have added three “grab and go” breakfast and lunch distribution locations for children over the age of two.
Food distribution at all the ACPS locations has also been limited to Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to encourage social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic that has shuttered the school system for the remainder of the academic year.
A letter-writing campaign in Alexandria is underway to help break the isolation at some local senior care facilities.
The campaign is aimed at getting letters to three facilities: Sunrise of Alexandria (3520 Duke Street), Woodbine Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center (2729 King Street) and Brandywine Living at Alexandria (5550 Cardinal Place).
ACT for Alexandria is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic by moving the Spring2ACTion fundraiser from April 29 to April 15.
Spring2ACTion is the largest annual fundraiser in Alexandria.
In addition to a series bus line closures due to coronavirus, Metro is suspending service of Metroway-Potomac Yard — a bus line running between Pentagon City and Braddock Road.
The Metroway runs between Arlington and Alexandria through Crystal City and the Potomac Yard Shopping Center. The move comes after a day after Metro shut down several stations, including the Eisenhower Avenue and Van Dorn stations in Alexandria.
It was just before midnight on Tuesday night when Two Nineteen Restaurant was forced to temporarily close down.
Really it was more like three businesses closing at once since the building at 219 King Street is home to The Bayou Room, an upstairs cigar lounge and the New Orleans-style French Creole restaurant. Old Town was quiet by the time the doors shut at 11:59 p.m. and there were hardly any cars or people outside.
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Alexandria yesterday jumped from nine to 13 as the city struggles to manage a pandemic that may just be getting started.
“Ordinarily would be talking about Potomac Yard and housing crisis — we’re pushing that aside,” said Mayor Justin Wilson at an emergency tele-City Council meeting last night. “It’s been a heartbreaking week, with the promise of more heartbreak ahead.”
Metro Closing Eisenhower and Van Dorn Stations — “Metro’s Pandemic Task Force today announced the strategic closing of 17 additional stations, effective Thursday, March 26, 2020, in an effort to conserve critical resources and protect the health and safety of Metro employees and the public. This follows drastic measures already taken to reduce travel on Metro to essential trips only, leading to a Metrorail ridership decline of 90 percent.” [WMATA]
Inova Blood Services Needs Donors — “COVID-19 has heightened awareness of the necessity to be continuously diligent in protecting our donors both in our donor centers and while we are out in the community. Inova Blood Donor Services is fully committed to the health and safety of our blood donors and the patients who benefit from the generous blood, plasma, and platelet donations.” [Inova]
