The deadline to vote on the 12 choicest matchbooks in Del Ray is 11:59 p.m. tonight (April 15).
Alexandria artist Laurel Prucha Moran has painted watercolor matchbook designs of more than 30 Del Ray restaurants, including Los Tios Grill, Thai Peppers, The Dairy Godmother and Spice Kraft.
An Alexandria man and woman suspected of stealing clothes from Del Ray vintage shop La Brocante were chased and tracked down by locals before being arrested on Saturday evening.
The 59-year-old man and a 51-year-old woman were arrested and charged with petit larceny-shoplifting after getting their location from witnesses on what was otherwise a beautiful night along Mount Vernon Avenue.
The Del Ray Business Association has a bunch of efforts in the works to get business to local retailers and restaurants.
From now until April 15, visitors are encouraged to participate in DRBA’s “Cherry Blossom Challenge” scavenger hunt. There are 27 cherry blossoms hidden in storefronts along Mount Vernon Avenue with clues. Each numbered cherry blossom has a symbol near it, and participants need to mark down what those symbols are and then drop off their entries at the Pat Miller Neighborhood Square by April 15 for a chance to win a $50 gift card at a Del Ray restaurant or retailer.
It was another busy week in Alexandria.
Our top story was on the dog found dead and wrapped in blankets at N. Armistead Street and Beauregard Street. The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria is offering a reward for information that can lead to the identification of the owner.
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.
