No charges have been made against a driver who smashed a window at a CVS in De Ray late Thursday afternoon.
Police said the driver had wooden boards in the back of his truck, which struck the window of the store at 415 E. Monroe Avenue as he backed up from his parking space. No one was injured and the driver stayed at the scene.
Governor Ralph Northam’s guidance easing restrictions on public gatherings takes effect today, and groups in Alexandria are already planning a number of in-person events that traditionally bring in tens of thousands of people.
Northam recently announced that effective April 1, additional capacity and indoor and outdoor gathering limits will increase to 50 people for indoor settings and 100 people for outdoor settings. Additionally, entertainment venues must continue operating at 30% capacity with a maximum of 500 patrons; recreational sporting events can increase 30% capacity, or from 25 people to 100 people per field; and graduation events must have a cap of 5,000 people or 30% capacity for outdoor events.
Updated at 1:15 p.m. — Alexandria Police have arrested a 36-year-old man for allegedly grabbing the buttocks of a number of women, including a juvenile and a teacher at Mount Vernon Community School, on Wednesday.
Justin Leon Murray was charged with assault and battery and simple assault. He is not believed to be involved with a number of indecent exposures in the area.
What a week in Alexandria.
Our top story this week was on a plan to install hanging gardens in the Carlyle neighborhood.
After month’s of uncertainty following the previous owner’s death, a new special use permit (SUP) filed with the City of Alexandria indicates the restaurant will survive under new ownership.
The Del Ray cheesesteak business has been in operation for 65 years. Longtime fan of the restaurant Jim Breeding took over the restaurant when the original owner died in 2015, but Breeding died last August as a result of complications from diabetes.
Animal Welfare League gets 50 cats from Texas shelters — “Among the lingering effects of the winter outages is the strain on animal shelters. According to AWLA, the Texas shelters are seeing a surge in surrendered pets. The animals come from eight animal shelters in Texas. By transferring animals to Virginia, these shelters can better address the continued needs of homeless animals.” [Patch]
School Board public hearing on renaming of T.C. Williams High School and Matthew Maury Elementary School on March 18 — “There will be a School Board Public Hearing on March 18 at 5pm, where community members have their final opportunity to sign up to speak or submit comments about the renaming of schools.” [Twitter]
If you’re tired of being cooped up and want to take advantage of the spring weather, the Del Ray Vintage and Flea Market is returning on April 10.
The market will return for its third season in two open-air lots at the corner of Mount Vernon and Bellefonte Avenues in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria, according to a press release.
Indecent exposure, smash-and-grab robberies, and speeding on side streets were just a few of the topics fielded by Alexandria Police Chief Michael L. Brown on Thursday night in Del Ray.
Brown spoke to a handful of residents at Pat Miller Neighborhood Square on Mount Vernon Avenue, and said that police have identified a suspect in an incident that occurred last year. The suspect has been arrested in Fairfax County, and police are working to see if he is connected to the 10 indecent exposure incidents in Del Ray since last year.
The windows of Neighborhood Pharmacy of Del Ray (2204 Mount Vernon Avenue) are boarded up after someone broke in and stole drugs and cash almost exactly a year after a pair of similar burglaries.
Staff at the pharmacy said someone broke in around 1 a.m. on Saturday, when no one was at the store, but that the thieves didn’t take much from the pharmacy.
Beyer Enthusiastic After American Rescue Plan Passage — “THERE IT IS: the House just passed the American Rescue Plan, sending the bill to President Biden’s desk for signature! We did it!!!” [Twitter]
Metro Service Cuts Averted With Passage Of COVID Relief Bill — “While it will take more time to work out all the details, including Metro’s exact share of this funding, the $1.4 billion provided by the American Recovery Plan for our region’s transit agencies will allow us to avert the painful service reductions and layoffs that were on the table.” [Patch]
City Applies for Grant to Reimagine King Street — “The project runs from the six-way King Street-Braddock-Road-Quaker Lane intersection west past the Bradlee Shopping Center to Menonkin Drive, which is just before the I-395 interchange on King Street — about a 0.5 mile stretch of heavily-used roadway. The City Council granted permission for city staff to apply for the grant in March 2020, along with approval to apply for grants for the Duke Street Transitway and Landmark Transit Center. The King Street project would be funded in the 2026-27 fiscal year.” [Alexandria Living]
Pandemic Forces ‘Mom Made Foods’ to Close — “Mom Made Foods, an Alexandria-based company providing children’s frozen meals and snacks in stores and online, announced its closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.” [Patch]
