A number of New Year’s Eve parties are being voluntarily canceled in Alexandria, and some businesses scaling back their services. All of this, of course, is in response to a dramatic jump in COVID-19 infections over the last month.
According to the Del Ray Business Association, the following businesses have stopped in-person service:
Earlier this week, City Council member Redella “Del” Pepper finished up a historic run in city leadership that includes an unparalleled treasure trove of stories about the behind-the-scenes battles that made the city what it is today.
Pepper joined the City Council in 1985 and has remained in office for 12 terms before announcing last November that she wouldn’t run for reelection.
An overloaded electrical outlet is likely the cause behind last month’s three-alarm fire in a Del Ray duplex, the Alexandria Fire Department announced Wednesday.
Two adults and a child were displaced by the blaze, which occurred at around 6 p.m. on Friday, November 19. A cat is still missing, according to APD.
The Sushi Bar at 2312 Mount Vernon Avenue is closing for good tonight (Dec. 7), and will soon reopen as a Christmas-themed pop-up bar, owner Bill Blackburn informed ALXnow.
“Joy On The Avenue – A Christmas Pop-up Bar” will open in its place sometime next week, Blackburn said.
Hundreds of people turned out for the lighting of the menorah and Christmas tree at Pat Miller Square in Del Ray on Sunday night, December 5.
The evening was full of families and friends caroling with hot chocolate with marshmallows.
After seven years in Del Ray, Ascend Cycle (2417 Mount Vernon Avenue) is permanently closing by the end of the month.
Owner Kat Zajac made the announcement this week on social media, and said that the effects of the pandemic proved too much for her business.
The Del Ray Menorah and Christmas tree lightings are happening this Sunday (Dec. 5) night on Mount Vernon Avenue, but Santa Claus won’t be making an appearance due to COVID-19.
It’s the 11th straight year that Mike Anderson and Bill Blackburn of the Homegrown Restaurant Group selected and cut down the tree at the Naughty Pines Nursery in Maryland, and donated it to the Del Ray Business Association. Additionally, BMC Smoot donated a flatbed truck and a driver to haul the 30-foot-tall tree to Del Ray, and Mike Dameron of Windmill Hill donated his cherrypicker crane to put it in place on Tuesday (Nov. 30).
Alexandria Gazette chronicles the creation of city manager position — “It was the summer of 1918, and the old ways of organizing the city’s government were no longer working. Something needed to happen, and so the Alexandria Gazette began a series of articles that eventually led to the creation of a city-manager form of government.” [Alexandria Gazette]
Pandemic-induced shortages create supply chain woes — “The second holiday season impacted by the pandemic is upon us, and while persistent global supply chain issues are starting to show signs of easing, local business owners warn customers that not every shelf will be stocked in time for holiday shopping sprees.” [Alexandria Times]
Police barricade situation unresolved — “The barricade situation is still unresolved. No other updates at this time.” [Twitter]
Alexandria Film Festival movies available for streaming — “The 15th Alexandria Film Festival draws to a close on Thanksgiving Day, but if you haven’t been able to join it in person yet, fear not–you still have time to unlock and enjoy all 40+films.” [Zebra]
After COVID shut it down last year, the annual Alexandria Turkey Trot is gobbling up parts of Del Ray later this week.
The Turkey Trot is scheduled for Thanksgiving Morning (Thursday, Nov. 25) at 9 a.m. The event is put together by DC Road Runners and the Del Ray Business Association. The five-mile run/walk is scheduled to take trotters through Del Ray, starting and ending at George Washington Middle school. Dogs and strollers are allowed and will have their own starting area separate from the runners.
On Friday, a three-alarm fire ravaged a duplex in Del Ray and displaced two families. The next morning, neighbors started to mount an effort to help them recover.
Within two days, the Del Ray Citizens Association set up a GoFundMe that has raised $29,464 of a $30,000 total goal to help the families start putting their lives back together. The Del Ray Citizens Association said on the GoFundMe page that the families lost nearly everything they owned in the fire.
