A protest today (Jan. 4) outside the Holiday Inn Alexandria-Carlyle against supporters of President Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election was canceled for security concerns.
Protest organizers from Shut Down DC planned to hand out fliers and stickers and demonstrate against the Proud Boys and other Trump supporters who they call fascists and may be staying at the hotel at 2460 Eisenhower Ave. and are marching in D.C. on Wednesday.
The small event outside the hotel was canceled after a notification was posted on the pro-Trump site thedonald.win and a commenter said that if any Trump supporters arrived early that “it’s time to give them a show of force.” That comment was enough for the organizers to cancel the event.
Jonathan Krall of Grassroots Alexandria was among a handful of undeterred anti-Trump protestors who flashed signs and a banner reading, “Hey Holiday Inn — No Room For Fascists.”
“They only have to win once and our Democracy is finished,” Krall told ALXnow. “Of course they consider themselves patriots, but they are supporting Donald Trump and Donald Trump declared himself the winner of the election. And the only thing that’s keeping him from being a dictator is that the rest the government is not playing along.”
Protestor Glenn plans to march in a group against Trump in D.C. on Wednesday. The D.C. National Guard has been mobilized for the event.
“They’re stabbing and beating people up and not wearing masks,” Glenn said. “These are dangerous people.”
Photo with banner via Grassroots Alexandria/Facebook
Elderly resident rescues dog walker pinned under 500-pound headstone — “When Suzanne Dalton went out to walk her dog in Bethel Cemetery… one fall afternoon, the last thing she expected was to have a literal brush with death. After a headstone fell on her arm and pinned her to the ground, Charles Nelson, an 89-year-old Alexandria resident, came to her assistance and lifted the 500-pound stone up just enough for her to escape.” [Alex Times]
Beyer Says Trump is Being ‘Theatrical’ — “Refusing to initiate a peaceful transition of power in the middle of a deadly pandemic because he’s being theatrical.” [Twitter]
Alexandria Sheriff’s Office Reports New Phone Scam — “If you receive a call from someone saying they are from the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office (or any other Sheriff’s Office) and that you have to pay them money, hang up. Scammers will try a variety of approaches to intimidate and coerce people into giving them money. But actual sheriffs’ offices in Virginia will never call you and demand money.” [Zebra]
The Story Behind the ‘Official Sock of Alexandria’ — “Alexandria’s new official sock is being made in the USA by Living Royal and will be a high quality, soft unisex crew sock. A hundred pairs will be made initially, with the potential for more if the initial batch sells out.” [Alexandria Living]
Made In ALX Makers Market Opens — “While millions of people shop on national retail websites, it’s harder to stumble across local artists and craftspeople working right here in Alexandria. MadeinALX.com is a website and platform designed to support local artists, creators and makers and connect them to consumers.” [Alexandria Living]
Today’s Weather — “Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 63F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Clear skies (in the evening). Low around 40F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.” [Weather.com]
New Job: Fingerprint Operator — “This is an entry-level, part-time position and prior experience in the field or a related field is not required. You will receive training in taking and verifying personnel fingerprints, making comparisons of rolled inked and computer image fingerprints, use of fingerprint scanning equipment, completing fingerprinting forms and submitting reports at the end of the fingerprinting session.” [Indeed]
Alexandria Man Shot to Death in Georgetown — “Officers from the Second District responded around 2:56 a.m., to the 3300 block of Water St., N.W., for the sound of gunshots. They found Franklin Hernandez Arevalo, 19, of Alexandria, Virginia suffering from a gunshot wound. D.C. Fire and EMS determined Arevalo had died and transported him later to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.” [Patch]
Beyer Says Trump Trying to Steal Election — “This is simple: Donald Trump is openly trying to steal an election he lost. He will not succeed, but we will remember who went along with it. ‘I was just following orders’ will not be accepted as an excuse for attempting to overthrow the results of an American election.” [Twitter]
ALIVE! Free Food Distribution is this Saturday — “On Sat, Nov 14, 8:30-10:30 am, @ALIVE4AlexVAÂ will distribute food in Cora Kelly Elementary School parking lot (3600 Commonwealth Ave) and parking lot B-1 of NOVA-Alexandria Campus (3320 Bisdorf Drive; map at alive-inc.org).” [Twitter]
Free Flu Shots This Wednesday — “Now is the time to get a flu shot! The next Alexandria Inova Cares Clinic for Families FREE flu shot clinic for uninsured people is Wednesday, Nov. 11, 3-5 p.m.” [Twitter]
Virtual Alexandria Film Festival Kicks Off Nov. 12 — “There are about 50 films in this year’s festival.” [Alexandria Living]
Today’s Weather — “Intervals of clouds and sunshine (during the day). Areas of patchy fog. High around 75F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Partly cloudy skies during the evening will give way to cloudy skies overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 62F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.” [Weather.com]
New Job: Juvenile Detention Specialist — “The Detention Specialist work involves providing direct care to detainees in the custody of the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center. The primary responsibilities for the position are to provide security, safety and care for juveniles. The Detention Specialist shall receive direct supervision by the Assistant Shift Supervisor and Shift Supervisor.” [Indeed]
It was a historic week in Alexandria.
Alexandrians overwhelmingly helped reelect U.S. Senator Mark Warner and Congressman Don Beyer, and 80% of voters chose Democrat former Vice President Joe Biden for president over incumbent Republican President Donald Trump.
Out top story this week was election-related. It turns out that before election day several Alexandria households with Joe Biden signs were sent letters with a Northern Virginia postage mark stating that Biden is a pedophile. The Chair of the Alexandria Democratic Committee advised that anyone who receives such notes should call the police. The police, in turn, are sending along the information to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Additionally, 91 people participated in our weekly poll. This week we asked about election night plans, and 65% of respondents said they were staying home to watch the results, 24% had no eleciton night plans, 10% planned to protest that evening, and 1% were going to an election night event.
School News
Alexandria City Public Schools were back in action this week — sort of. While the ACPS opened in-person classes on Thursday, fewer than 10 students made it to class. There were about 60 students eligible to go back to school, since only kids with kindergarten through second graders with disabilities were allowed to attend Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School.
It was the first in-person public schooling in Alexandria since the pandemic shut down schools in March. ACPS plans to expand opening for all citywide special education students by December. Meanwhile, however, hundreds of parents want the school system to open and have started the #OpenACPS messaging campaign.
Also in school news, a two-year-long court battle was settled with the city and 15 Alexandria homeowners were settled regarding the addition of stadium lights to Parker-Gray Stadium at T.C. Williams High School.
The Week in Crime
The week started with news that there were two shootings in Alexandria over the weekend.
The was also the story of a 17-year-old on the run since last month after allegedly stealing a car in the West End. The juvenile, who later admitted stealing the car, was seen by the victim — a federal law enforcement officer — driving past his house, and the victim got into another of his cars and followed the suspect. The victim got the juvenile out of his car and held him at the scene until police arrived, and the juvenile left the area after being charged.
We also covered the story of the ‘Beltway Bank Bandit’. Freddie Lee McRae, 34, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty to three counts of brandishing a firearm during a series of bank and shoe store robberies in and around Alexandria in 2018 and 2019. He will be sentenced on February 23, 2021, and faces up to life in prison and a mandatory minimum of 21 years in prison.
Health and Business
As of Friday there were 76 deaths attributed to the coronavirus in Alexandria, and the case count stands at 4,444, according to the Virginia Department of Health. Latino residents continue to lead the case count.
We also reported that longtime Del Ray staple, Al’s Steak House, is for sale since the owner passed away.
This week also saw fewer continued and initial unemployment claims in Alexandria.
Here are ALXnow’s top stories of the week in Alexandria:
- Alexandrians with Joe Biden Yard Signs Get Anonymous Letters Saying Biden is a Pedophile
- Del Ray Staple Al’s Steak House for Sale After Owner’s Death
- Republican Jeff Jordan Running Uphill Battle Against Incumbent Rep. Don Beyer
- Braddock West Project Headed to Planning Commission Later This Year
- Identity Released of Old Town North Suspect Killed in Shootout
- Soft Opening for New Chicken Joint in North Old Town Today
- Alexandria Parents Start #OpenACPS Sign Campaign as School System Begins Partial Reopening
- Juvenile Allegedly Steals Car and is Tracked Down by Victim in the West End
- BREAKING: Massive Power Outage Reported in Alexandria
- The Alexandria Drive-In Just Kicked Off an Encore Series on Halloween
- Did You Know: The Tall Ship Providence Encountered a Ghost Ship in 1777
Have a safe weekend!
Beyer Says Trump Only Cares About Himself — “Trump doesn’t care about legal principles or the law. Trump doesn’t care about fair counts, and he doesn’t care about our democratic norms. Trump doesn’t care about his oath to protect the Constitution. The only thing Donald Trump cares about is Donald Trump.” [Twitter]
Mas Seafood to Open Retail Space in Old Town — “From the previous North Henry Street location, they supplied restaurants in Alexandria and Arlington, including Daniel O’Connell’s Pub, Fontaine Caffe & Creperie, Alexandria Pasty Shop and Belle Haven Pizzeria. While they had always been interested in doing retail sales, it wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic upended their market that they were able to make the shift — almost by accident.” [Alexandria Living]
Outcasts Brass Band Jazzes Up Old Town — “Band members who can wear masks while playing wear their masks, and all band members wear masks in between songs. They also stand farther apart from one another and encourage audiences to practice social distancing and wear masks.” [Alex Times]
Alexandrian Sending Space Cube to Moon — “Alexandria’s Hudson Merrick is going to take a selfie in space. At least that is part of what he what he and 19 other carefully selected students at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University are attempting in the latest space mission, the EagleCam CubeSat camera system. The first-of-its-kind student-led project aims to snap a third-person ‘selfie’ of a lunar lander touching down on the moon.” [Zebra]
DCHS Helping Residents with Medicare Open Enrollment — “Do you or someone you know need assistance with Medicare Open Enrollment? The Department of Community and Human Services can help. The Medicare health insurance program–for people age 65 or older, or under age 65 with certain disabilities or disease–encourages all enrollees to review their plans to ensure the plans meet their needs. Open enrollment ends December 7.” [City of Alexandria]
Today’s Weather — “Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. High 72F. Winds light and variable. A mostly clear sky (in the evening). Low 46F. Winds light and variable.”[Weather.com]
New Job: Ministry Program Associate — “This is a full-time position at the Alfred Street Baptist Church (ASBC) located in Alexandria, Virginia. The incumbent is under the day-to-day supervision of the Liaison for Ministries and serves as Ministry Program Associate. This role is primarily responsible for providing direction and leadership to ministry leaders and staff in the areas of ministry program development, volunteer and event management and new ministry development.” [Indeed]
Alexandria Voted 80% for Joe Biden — “The vote total in Alexandria, as of Wednesday morning, was 65,201 or 80.4 percent for Biden, the former Vice President; 14,251 voted for Trump.” [Alexandria Living]
Alexandria Reaches Complete Count in 2020 U.S. Census — ” The Bureau’s Crystal City Area Census Office, which includes all of Alexandria, was the only such office in the Washington, D.C. metro region to count 100% of households by the time data collection ended on October 15. Because almost 74% of Alexandria households completed the census questionnaire by mail or online, census workers had to visit fewer households in person.” [City of Alexandria]
Here’s Updated COVID-19 Guidance from Alexandria — “Everyone has a role in stopping the spread of COVID-19. Take immediate action by wearing a mask, reducing unnecessary travel, maintaining at least 6 feet of physical distance from others and staying home when sick. Below are specific guidance and resources based on setting or need.” [City of Alexandria]
Vegan PLNT Burger Restaurant Opens Inside Whole Foods — “Co-founder and chief culinary director for PLNT Burger, Spike Mendelsohn (of ‘Top Chef’ fame) was in town recently to open the hip new vegan burger joint inside the Whole Foods store at 1700 Duke Street and on opening day gave away 100 free burgers to the first people in line.” [Zebra]
Waterskiing Santa Going Virtual This Year — “The show was originally scheduled to run on Christmas Eve this year but organizers announced that they decided to cancel the live event for safety reasons. Instead, a recording will be available for viewing on Dec. 20 so families can “stay home, get some hot chocolate and popcorn and cozy up while watching the Waterskiing Santa,” organizers said on the event’s Facebook page.” [Alexandria Living]
Today’s Weather — “Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. High 69F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Partly to mostly cloudy (at night). Low 48F. Winds light and variable.” [Weather.com]
New Job: Scholarship Program Assistant — “The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, a national nonprofit in Alexandria, Virginia, seeks a Scholarship Program Assistant to become part of the Scholarship Program team. The Scholarship Program Assistant works closely with the Assistant Director, Scholarship Programs to support the needs of the department and the \Foundation and its various stakeholders. S/he is responsible for supporting the Department in an overall administrative capacity and to provide support in the day-to-day functions of the Department and team.” [Indeed]
Democrat Don Beyer didn’t waste any time after his reelection on Tuesday to go back to bashing President Donald Trump on Twitter. With his fourth Congressional election for Virginia’s 8th District wrapped up, Beyer says he’s on pins and needles to see the results of the presidential election.
He also just tweeted that President Trump a liar who is trying to steal the election.
“I love my job,” Beyer told ALXnow. “I love the responsibilities that I have. And, you know, I work my heart out. I’m glad I get to do it for two more years, but I but I’m always very humble about it. I know there are a lot of other people who could do this job well and so I’m just determined to take this responsibility as seriously as I can and work as hard as I can.”
Beyer, a former lieutenant governor, defeated Republican Jeff Jordan to retain his seat for a fourth term. Beyer won with 76% of the vote (293,235 votes) to Jordan’s 24% (93,906 votes), according to the Virginia Department of Elections.
“I think we’re discovering yet again just how divided our country is, and it in me at least it inspires a real need to try to find ways to to heal up the divisions,” Beyer said. “One of my great hopes for Joe Biden is that he would be a healer, you know that President Trump obviously has been working on a different philosophy of dividing us, which I don’t think is good for the health of our country.”
If Democrats win the House, then Beyer will chair the Joint Economic Committee, he says.
“I’m hoping to use those two years of hearings to dive deep on the income inequality and the wealth inequality in our country,” he said. “We need to look really deeply at what the concentration of business have done to the wages of the average person. That lax antitrust enforcement has made ever more employees of companies with wages continually pushed down.”
Donald Trump is lying. He is a liar. He hopes to steal the election by cheating, but he will not succeed.
Every vote must be counted.
— Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) November 4, 2020
It’s election day, November 3, 2020. Here’s what you need to know about voting today in Alexandria.
On the ballot for Nov. 3 is the race for president and vice president, a U.S. Senate and Congressional seat and two proposed Constitutional Amendments.
The polls opened at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. More than 50% of Alexandria voters have cast their ballots so far, and the Alexandria results and statewide results will be posted after polls close tonight.
Need a ride to vote? Both the Alexandria Democratic Committee (703-549-3367) and Alexandria GOPÂ (571-281-7042) will drive you to the polls.
What To Expect At The Polls
Voters on November 3 should expect to find foot markers to encourage social distancing inside and outside polling precincts.
Additionally:
- Polling officers will be separated from voters by plexiglass, and will not touch any identification
- Voters will be required to wear face masks, and the Alexandria Medical Reserve Corps will be on-hand to make sure masks are worn properly. They will also have free masks
- Voters who can’t go into a polling precinct can vote curbside
- Ballots will be placed in one-time use manila folders
Polling Place Changes
- The voting location for the Ladrey Senior Building Precinct is Charles Houston Recreation Center (901 Wythe Street)
- The voting location for the Hermitage Precinct is John Adams Elementary School (5651 Rayburn Avenue)
- The voting location for the Douglas MacArthur School Precinct is the George Washington Masonic National Memorial (101 Callahan Drive)
See a sample ballot below the jump.
Beyer Slams Trump Before Election — “He has run the most corrupt presidential administration in history.” [Twitter]
Free COVID Test Pop-Ups Twice a Week — “The City is continuing our targeted COVID-19 testing initiative in partnership with @NeighborhoodHth into November. Starting tomorrow, our free testing pop-ups are now scheduled twice a week!” [Twitter]
Alexandria Fire Department is Hiring — “The Alexandria Fire Department is now hiring for the Firefighter/EMT position. The application process is open through Wednesday, Nov. 4. No previous experience needed.” [Twitter]
Alexandria Deputy Shoots Self in Leg During Training — ” An Alexandria Sheriff’s Office deputy accidentally shot himself in the leg Friday morning at the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy in Ashburn, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.” [Patch]
Today’s Weather — “Sunny skies (during the day). High near 60F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Clear skies (in the evening). Low near 40F. Winds light and variable.” [Weather.com]
New Job: Pet Care Specialist — “We are looking for dedicated animal lovers to join our growing company! We offer a competitive benefits package including health insurance, supplemental insurance, IRA, and smartphone for full-time VIP client routes. Applicants MUST have a car, internet access, and basic computer skills to be considered for employment.” [Indeed]
A number of Alexandria residents with political signs supporting Democrat Joe Biden for president have received disturbing anonymous letters in the mail stating that Biden is a pedophile, and that anyone who votes for him is condoning pedophilia.
“You may have preciously heard about or seen video clips/photos documenting Joe Biden’s ‘sniffing’ obsession,” reads a typed letter from ‘A Concerned American’. “It’s likely you thought he was creepy, but laughed it off. But have you actually watched the videos of Joe Biden inappropriately kissing, groping, and even grinding (yes, grinding) on small children?!”
The letter lists links to Youtube videos.
The letter continues, “I assume you don’t support pedophilia — no normal person would. But, if you’re rooting for a pedophile to be the next leader of the free world — despite the videos — I hate to say it, you do condone pedophilia and the inappropriate touching, and groping of small children.”
One Alexandrian who has two Biden signs in their front yard received the letter in the mail on October 25. The letter has a Northern Virginia postmark and no return address. The resident said a number of neighbors with Biden signs have also gotten the same letter.
“I voted long ago by mail like most people,” the resident told ALXnow. “This would never deter me from voting.”
Clarence Tong, chair of the Alexandria Democratic Committee, is advising residents who receive the letters to contact the Alexandria Police non-emergency number at 703-746-4444.
“This is very disturbing,” Tong said. “We encourage anyone who receives harassing behavior like this to report it to the Alexandria Police Department.”
