Mayor: Council to Accelerate Sewer Capacity Projects — “Our ’16 Storm Sewer Capacity Analysis identified 90 areas where the system does not meet our CURRENT design standard of a 10-year storm. Our Stormwater Utility Fee was implemented in ’18 to fund capacity and environmental compliance. Council will now discuss how to accelerate.” [Facebook]

Beyer Attacks Trump’s Environmental Stance — “Trump’s climate change strategy is the same as his pandemic strategy: play it down and pretend it isn’t happening. There are a record number of named storms in the Atlantic and the west coast is on fire.” [Twitter]

Anonymous Donation Helps Expand SNAP Double Dollars Program — “A $10,000 anonymous donation to help fight food insecurity during the pandemic will help the City expand SNAP Double Dollars program, which allows SNAP customers who visit participating Alexandria farmers’ markets to receive up to $20 in double dollars to purchase eligible food products at the markets.” [Facebook]

Environmental Council of Alexandria Decries Taylor Run Restoration Plan — “We’ve got our work cut out for us to make sure that the City doesn’t continue to promote so-called “eco” policies that actually come at the expense of the environment and efforts to reverse global warming.” [Facebook]

Tall Ship Providence Sails Away for Inspections — “And, they’re off… Bright and early this morning, Providence headed out on a voyage to Georgetown, MD for a scheduled haul out and Coast Guard inspection. They’ll inspect the hull, complete any necessary maintenance, and she’ll get a new coat of bottom paint. Please join us in wishing our Captain and crew “Fair winds and following seas.” Providence will return home by the end of September. We look forward to welcoming you back aboard for tours and cruises!” [Facebook]

Classic Car Show in Old Town September 19 — “This Saturday you can head to the parking lot of the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum for a classic car show featuring a variety of Packards and other ‘orphan’ vehicles.” [Zebra]

Today’s Weather — “During the day, mainly sunny. High 73F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. At night, clear. Low 54F. Winds light and variable.” [Weather.com]

New Job: Spanish Language Teacher — “You must have previous tutoring/teaching experience, and minimum Bachelor’s degree.” [Indeed]

Arlandria Champion Kevin Beekman Passes Away — “It is with great sorrow that we announce that Kevin Beekman, an Arlandria hero and force behind the Four Mile Run Conservancy and Farmer’s Market, lost his battle with amyloidosis on August 24. Kevin was part of the fabric of Arlandria.” [Zebra]

Beyer Says Republican National Convention is Corrupt — “The White House is not the property of Donald Trump or the Republican Party, it belongs to the American people. These actions cheapen the office and degrade the nation. This convention, like the person at its core, is fundamentally corrupt.” [Twitter]

Coronavirus Cases Reach 3,333 in Alexandria — “Positive tests up 9 to 3,333 in the City 7-day Positivity Rate up to 5.9%. One new hospitalization.” [Twitter]

Live Outdoor Concert Tonight Honoring Anniversary of March on Washington — “A program of vibrant, meaningful and historic music, presented by prominent Washington Artists on the anniversary weekend of the March on Washington.” [Visit Alexandria]

ALIVE! Warns of Scam Calls — “Periodically ALIVE! seems to be the target of scammers. Please know that ALIVE! staff and leaders will never ask you to purchase gift certificates in specific amounts or at specific places, or make unusual personal requests. Please contact us directly if in doubt of any request.” [Facebook]

Today’s Weather — During the day, “More clouds than sun. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 90F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.” At night, “Scattered thunderstorms during the evening, then cloudy skies overnight. Low around 75F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.” [Weather.com]

New Job: Tour Guide — “We specialize in performing haunted pub tours. Think ghost tour combined with Pub Crawl and there you have it.” [Indeed]

How do you like your soufflé? There’s a new option for folks in Alexandria searching for those savory or sweet egg-based delicacies.

Alena Ignatysh and Cameron Hatam launched Oh La La Soufflé last month, and can be found selling their creations at the Carlyle Farmers Market on Fridays and at the Four Mile Run Farmers and Aristans Market on Sundays. They sell three varieties for $6 apiece — chocolate, orange liqueur, and cheese and spinach.

Ignatysh is an accountant, and she’s also vegan, so she seldom tries her soufflés, and leaves the tasting to Hatam. She says he’s her inspiration.

“I happen to have inspiration in my life, and he sits right here,” Ignatysh told ALXnow. “He was the person who told me, ‘I love soufflés. Can you make one for me, please?’ And that was the first time I made a soufflé in my life.”

Hatam, who owns four Virginia Family Chiropractic and Physical Medicine offices in the area, couldn’t believe the result. He ate all 12 of the chocolate deserts she made for him in less than 20 minutes.

Soon the couple were trying out new recipes and giving away the creations so that Hatam wouldn’t eat them all. Now that their kitchen has cleared health department hurdles to cook and sell their products, the arrangement is simple: She cooks, he packs the boxes, and they both go to the farmers’ markets.

“That first batch she made was amazing,” Hatam said. “I couldn’t believe it. Normally a soufflé from a restaurant deflates as soon as you put your fork in it. Not these.”

Ignatysh hopes to own a soufflé shop someday.

“Our goal was to make soufflés more popular and affordable for everybody,” she said. “That was our goal, and it has this reputation of being very hard to make. You need to use particular measurements for the ingredients and follow some steps, but it’s doable. So, we just decided to make it easier for people to bake at home.”

Image via Oh La La Souffle/Facebook

(Updated 8/7) Upcoming Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend Canceled — “The coronavirus has canceled one of Alexandria’s most beloved traditions this winter.” [Alexandria Living]

Beyer Blames Trump for Coronavirus Response Failures — “The White House is simultaneously blaming state governments for Trump’s failed pandemic response and blocking federal assistance to support state and local governments.” [Twitter]

Fire Department: Use Flashlight, Not Candle if Power Goes Out — “Tropical Storm #Isaias is expected to bring heavy rain and wind gusts that may cause power outages. If you experience an outage, use a flashlight for emergency lighting instead of candles to prevent a possible fire. Be prepared. Be informed. Be ready.” [Twitter]

City Suspends Trash and Recycling Today — “Due to expected impacts from Tropical Storm Isaias, the City of Alexandria has suspended its curbside trash and recycling collection for Tuesday, August 4.” [Zebra]

Ebbin Pledges to Fight for Marijuana Legalization in 2021 — “In 2020, six years of hard work paid off in major reform to our criminal justice system by decriminalizing possession of marijuana. In 2021, I’m ready to do the hard work to legalize cannabis in Virginia the right way.” [Facebook]

Silver Diner to Open August 12 — “The 6,500-square foot restaurant is part of West Alex, a new $185 million mixed-use community at the corner of King and North Beauregard streets, anchored by an in-the-works Harris Teeter grocery store and Array, a 278-unit apartment building.” [Alexandria Living]

New Farmers Market in Carlyle Starts Friday — “The Carlyle Vitality Initiative is hosting a new Farmer’s Market at John Carlyle Square Park, starting on August 7th! We can’t wait to see you this weekend!” [Facebook]

Today’s Weather — “Thunderstorms. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 71F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.” [Weather.com]

New Job: Activities and Volunteer Coordinator — “At Sunrise, our Activities & Volunteer Coordinator is responsible for leading the day to day activities and programs for a Sunrise Senior Living community.” [Indeed]

City Official Dies in Car Crash — “The City of Alexandria is devastated by the loss of Robert Bloom, Public Safety Systems Administrator in the Department of Emergency and Customer Communications (DECC), in a vehicle crash on the morning of July 20, 2020.” [City of Alexandria]

Alexandria Man Dies in D.C. Shooting — “Homicide detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department are investigating the fatal shooting of an Alexandria man that occurred Sunday night in the Shipley area of the city, according to a police release… MPD identified the decedent as Rayfone Gassaway, 37, of Alexandria, Virginia.” [Patch]

COVID-19 Cases Jump by 23 in Alexandria — “Positive tests up 23 to 2,582 in the City… Still safer at home, wash hands, wear masks and support our essential workers.” [Twitter]

Beyer Calls Out Trump Directive to Census Bureau — “A clear violation of the United States Constitution, which spells out in the 14th Amendment that ‘Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States.. counting the whole number of persons in each State..'” [Twitter]

National Coin Shortage Hits Alexandria — “At Alexandria stores like The Home Depot in West End Village and dozens of grocery and other retailers, customers are starting to see signs at checkout (like the one below) pleading with them to use a credit or debit card, or use exact change.” [Alexandria Living]

New Job: Youth Soccer Coach — “Prior soccer experience is not required. We only require the passion for positively impacting children’s lives through the love of sports and fitness. Valid driver’s license and access to personal vehicle Must be at least 18 years of age.” [Indeed]

Sen. Kaine and Wife Anne Holton Test Positive for Coronavirus Antibodies — “After testing positive for the flu earlier in the year, the state’s junior senator said in a statement he experienced new symptoms in late March. He initially thought the symptoms were flu remnants and a reaction to a high pollen count. But when his wife developed fever and chills, then congestion and a cough, they went to health providers in early April.” [Patch]

Police Chase Ends With Suspect Falling 25 Feet Off Beltway — “A man behind the wheel of what Virginia State Police thought was a stolen Ford Expedition rammed two police vehicles on the Capital Beltway, lost control, slammed into a Jersey Wall and then ran across the interstate, jumped over another wall and fell 25 feet Wednesday night.” [WTOP]

Indoor Mask Mandate in Effect Today Throughout Virginia — “Effective at midnight tonight (this morning) Executive Order 63, requiring the wearing of face coverings while inside buildings, becomes effective.” ‬[Facebook]

Lower King Street to Be Closed Off Through Phase 1 — “This week, members of the Alexandria City Council adopted emergency zoning regulations, relaxing the rules as part of a new experiment to get a sense of how people can avoid dining indoors while maintaining social distancing rules. One of the most noticeable changes will be on lower King Street, where city officials are planning to close the 100 block to traffic through the duration of Phase One.” [Gazette]

ACPS Students Can Opt Out of Online Summer School — “All students will be expected to participate in summer school; however, any family who does not wish for their student to participate can opt-out.” [ACPS]

Suspect Beat Veterans’ Motorcycles With Hammer Outside Alexandria Hotel — “It was like 17 bikes and somebody come in an SUV, got out of an SUV with a hammer and decided to get down through there and start busting our bikes up.” [NBC 4]

Del Ray Cafe Prepares for Phase 1 Reopening — “Phase 1 re-opening starts tomorrow 🙂 We will open our porch with two tables beginning tomorrow at 9am. Please call 703-717-9151 for a reservation or curbside pickup. We have submitted our application to the City for temporary use of our parking lot for outdoor dining and expect approval before the end of next week.” [Facebook]

Alexandria Farmers’ Markets to Resume On-Site Sales — “Vendors will be required to use enhanced cleaning and sanitizing procedures, and there will continue to be no food preparation, food sampling, or on-site dining allowed.” [City of Alexandria]

New Job: Temporary Firework Stand Manager — “Location managers are paid a salary based on the number of days they work. This is a great opportunity to make between $1,600 – $2,200 in a 2 week period!” [Indeed]

Tenants & Workers United Rent Protest Today at 4:30 p.m. — “Join our Caravan or take Action from home this Friday at 4:30PM. The caravan will be from 5pm and will go though Arlandria-Chirilagua to send the message to FREEZE RENTS in VIRGINIA. Don’t have a car?? You can take action from your window/balcony by: Wearing Red or swinging any red cloth; Make a sign with a message to the property managers to cancel rent; Make noise with your pots & pans! Take pictures or videos and use #CANCELRENTVA on social media.” [Facebook]

Inova Nurse Recruitment Team Gives Thanks With Photo Collage — “Our Inova Careers Nursing Recruitment team wanted to show support to our frontline workers who are making an incredible sacrifice to keep us all safe!” [Facebook]

Homegrown Restaurant Group Raises More Than $10K For Staff — “We are thrilled and so appreciative of the outpour of love and support we have already received from the community. If you have the financial means to donate, every dollar helps! If you do not, another way you can help is to share this fundraiser on social media!” [GoFundMe]

Here’s Visit Alexandria’s List of Mother’s Day Deals — “While the holidays look much different this year, there are still plenty of ways to celebrate Mother’s Day from home. Purchase the perfect Mother’s Day gift from one of Alexandria’s independent boutiques. Treat the lady in your life to a special meal ordered from one of Alexandria’s restaurants. Keep reading to learn about special offers from local businesses.” [Visit Alexandria]

New Job: Digital Communications Manager — “Support the Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Membership in developing and implementing the digital side of an integrated strategic communications plan to advance NARFE’s [National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association] mission, and broaden awareness of its programs and services.” [Indeed]

Mason & Greens Grocer Opens Online-Only in Old Town — “Like many small businesses still operating while most of the country is staying home, the Marinos elected to keep customers out of the store and offer online ordering only. They moved up their website launch so that customers could order online at www.masonandgreens.com, then pick up their orders at the store.” [Alex Times]

Wholistic Hound Puppy Training Video Tutorial at 5 p.m. — “Wholistic Hound Academy’s Puppy Experts will be on Facebook Live to answer your questions, provide sound advice on everything from socializing your puppy to house training and nipping and biting. We can help to you successfully navigate life with your pandemic puppy.” [Wholistic Hound]

Trinity UMC Collecting Food Sunday — “Reminder if you go to the grocery store this week that Trinity United Methodist Church, located at the corner of Cameron Mills & Allison St., will be collecting non-perishable goods in our parking lot each Sunday afternoon from 2:00 to 4:00 and will continue doing so until the church building reopens.  The food is delivered to Rising Hope United Methodist Church to support their food pantry for the homeless and low-income families.” [Trinity UMC]

Yates Dry Cleaning Offering Wash and Fold Service — “Between full-time jobs, homeschooling and keeping the house somewhat clean, we know you have a lot on your plate right now. If your laundry is piling up, let us take care of it with our Wash & Fold Service! Sign up for our Free Pickup & Delivery Service and you won’t even need to leave your home! We’ll pickup your bag of laundry and return it clean and folded.” [Facebook]

Del Ray Farmers’ Market Open Saturday by Per-Order Only — “Vendors will NOT be offering items for sale at the market – only pickup of preorders is permitted. The list below is changing as we speak and we will do our best to keep it current, so please check back often.  Please also follow our Facebook page for updates.  Thank you for your continued support of our vendors.” [Del Ray Farmers’ Market]

Kids Dress Up Like Super Heroes for School Chat — “It’s Super Hero Day and Ms. Hellmuth just had a great 1:1 writing conference with Spider-Man!” [Facebook]

Junction Bakery & Bistro Delivering to Area Hospitals — “On Saturday, May 2nd, we will be taking part, proudly, in this vital effort — delivering 150 hot meals to the hard-working & dedicated staffs at Prince George’s Hospital + Howard University Hospital. Please help support this dearly needed project.” [Facebook]

Most Alexandria Ice Cream Shops Open for Takeout — “Try to hit up every one of the frozen treat spots on the map. Pace yourself! There are 15 weeks between Memorial Day and Labor Day, so aim for an average of two per week, which will leave you some time to revisit your favorites at summer’s end.” [Alexandria Living]

Vice Mayor Volunteers For ACPS Food Giveaway — “I’m putting my food manager’s license to good use this week in coordinating the preparation of school meals at TC. Thanks to a rock-star team of Alexandria City Public Schools employees, Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities employees, and Volunteer Alexandria volunteers, we distributed more than 1700 meals yesterday.” [Facebook]

Police Hosting Virtual Story Time Tonight — “Great news! Every Friday evening APD will be starting a new initiative–APD #VIRTUALStorytimes at 7PM. This Friday join Sgt. Morgan as she reads “Little Blue Truck” by Alice Schertle. Do you have any book recommendations you wish to see us read???” [Twitter]

Online Focus Group on Parking, Curb Issues Planned — “The City of Alexandria’s Transportation & Environmental Services will be conducting another round of focus groups from April 20 – May 1 on transit, parking and other curb-side uses for Alexandria’s streets.” [Alexandria Living]

Senior Services of Alexandria Gets Face Mask Donation — “We appreciate all the mask donations we have received! Thank you to everyone who responded to our call for masks, our volunteers now can continue to provide services to local seniors while staying protected. Grocery Program volunteer Dave Dolton rocked his new mask this morning while shopping!” [Facebook]

Old Town Boutique District Starts #lovelocalOT Contest — “Each day is a different theme, all you need to do is post in your stories how you supported local in OT that day, use #lovelocalOT & tag @otboutiques… Winners will be chosen at random each night & will receive a $50 gift card to the OT small biz of their choice!” [Facebook]

Evening Star Cafe Sells Wine Package With Tiger King Theme — “As an ode to the latest Netflix phenomenon, Tiger King, Beverage Director/Cat Enthusiast Greg Engert has curated a special selection of bottles tail-ored to sip as you watch the cat-astrophe surrounding Joe Exotic and the G.W. Zoo unfold.” [Facebook]

Village Brauhaus T-Shirt Sales Going to Staff — “We can’t wait for the day when we can all be drinking and eating together at Village Brauhaus! Make sure to get your shirt and wear them when we open our doors again!” [Facebook]

Yates Dry Cleaning Makes Face Masks For Customers — “In challenging times, we’re thankful to have a team with such diverse skills! Our wonderful Seamstress at Yates Dry Cleaning, Joy, has been hard at work making face coverings for our Yates team and some at-risk customers.” [Facebook]

Seifeldein Asks Governor to Ease Restrictions on Medical Transport Businesses — “Some medical transportation businesses needed assistance and I reached out to our governor and elected officials in Richmond. The DMV Commissioner looked into the issue and provided reasonable relief. Our collective actions will help us navigate this crisis.” [Facebook]

ABC Store at 686 St. Asaph Street to Close — “Virginia’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority announced Thursday afternoon that they’re closing 12 ABC liquor stores in Northern Virginia in order to deal with reduced staffing levels as workers self-quarantine. The closure starts Monday and lasts until at least April 30.” [WTOP]

Del Ray Farmer’s Market Open Saturday — “Farmers’ markets in the City of Alexandria are open ONLY for the distribution of pre-paid preorders. Many of the #delrayfarmersmarket vendors are offering this option. Vendors will NOT be offering items for sale at the market – only pickup of preorders is permitted. Please place your orders as soon as possible to give our vendors time to prepare.” [Facebook]

Rosemont Neighborhood Holds Door Decorating Contest — “The Hooff family came in First Place in the “Most Creative” category for their stained glass chalk artwork on their door, windows, and front walk, inspired by artwork they had seen on Facebook.” [Zebra]

Updated Del Ray Easter Menu — “Celebrate Easter while supporting our restaurants! Special menus available for carry out.” [Facebook]

Old Town Deli Needs Support — “If anyone is in the DMV area please stop by my dad’s shop Old Town Deli in Alexandria, VA! It’s been around for over 29 years. Just like everyone else, we’re struggling and we could use all of your support! We offer UberEats, carry out and delivery!” [Twitter]

The following Letter to the Editor was written by Jennifer Ayers, the executive director of ALIVE!

A few weeks ago, like many, I wondered if coronavirus was just another bad case of the flu. Would it just pass?

We’ve all learned it’s much more serious than that. I could not have imagined that I would find myself working extensive hours (from home, mostly, in between taking care of two young children and one nervous beagle mix) and find myself cold calling my counterpart in New Rochelle, New York, because I saw a news clip on CNN of them in action doing a drive-thru-food distribution, and wondering how they did it so that if I had to, we could find a way to replicate it here in Alexandria.

Little did we know, we would be doing not just one, but now four drive-thru mass food distributions within two weeks and find ourselves figuring out supply chain issues. Yet here we are and, believe it or not, I’m not as overwhelmed by the problem and what lies ahead as I am by the love and support I am finding from the people of Alexandria, the place I’ve called home for 20 years and the organization I’m proud to lead.

We’ve served about 8,000 people, equating to more than 40,000 meal equivalents over the course of both drive thru distributions. Read More

Southern Towers Residents Prepared to Strike Over Rent — “Their goal is 1,000 signatures from the 2,300 total units. They want management to cancel rent until one month after the pandemic ends, address safety and cleaning concerns, and create a sliding scale for future rent payments based on income.” [WAMU]

Less Than Half of Alexandrians Will Get Full Stimulus Checks — “SmartAsset estimates that full stimulus check would go to just 49.57% of households in the City of Alexandria, and 65.92% would get some level of stimulus check. The full check of $1,200 would be sent to individuals with an adjusted gross income (AGI) of up to $75,000 and a reduced benefit would be sent to individuals earning up to $99,000, at which point it phases out completely.” [Alexandria Living]

Market 2 Market Del Ray Caters Food Gifted to Alexandria Hospital — “We had the wonderful opportunity to partner with Cafe Pizzaiolo and Market 2 Market Del Ray and our friends Trinchero Family Estates and to provide dinner for the teams working around the clock at Inova Alexandria Hospital this afternoon!” [Facebook]

The Chamber’s Virtual Professional Women’s Network Mixer is Tonight — “We can all agree that these are unprecedented times we are experiencing now, and connections are now more important than ever so please make plans to join us on Thursday, April 9th for a slightly different version of our wildly popular Professional Women’s Network Coffee & Connections.” [Chamber of Commerce]

Del Ray Farmers’ Market Canceled This Weekend — “There is no market at 4 Mile Run this weekend, but Tom (and our other vendors) will be at the #delrayfarmersmarket on Saturday so you can pick up your pre-orders!” [Facebook]

Virtual Mindfulness Workshop Tonight — “Stress is an inevitable part of life. Join Dr. Eng for an 8-week course where you will learn about the stress response in your body, stress management techniques, coping strategies, and mindfulness-based relaxation training.” [Facebook]

Old Town Books Hosting Virtual Writing Classes and Literacy Series — Kicking off on Friday, April 10, Old Town Books will launch writing classes and a virtual literacy series featuring accomplished authors. The pay-what-you-can programs include participation by authors Jenny Offill, Jessica Lahey and New York Times Magazine writer Emily Bazelon. [Old Town Books]

Safeway Updates Social Distancing Rules — “Stores will limit occupancy levels to one person per 150 square feet during normal business hours and one person per 300 square feet during special hours reserved for seniors and other vulnerable customers. Each store will utilize one front entrance/exit to ensure enforcement and a store associate will be assigned to the doors to manage traffic.’ [WUSA9]

Center For Alexandria’s Children Recognizes Child Abuse Prevention Month — “Raise awareness and show your support for Child Abuse Prevention Month while enjoying family time together. Download and print the board and play #PinwheelBingo with us! Continue to check back on our social media platforms throughout April for more family-friendly activities to do at home. Together we are stronger! Let’s all do our parts to protect the children in our communities. [Facebook]

The Dog Park in Old Town is Open — “Easter is coming…so don’t furget your doggy! We carry a full line of Easter toys, treats and wearables. We will be featuring a new item everyday for you to enjoy. We are open everyday M-S 10-6 and Sunday 11-5. We offer curbside pickup and contactless home delivery too!” [Facebook]

Fat Face Opening This Summer in Old Town — “It all began in 1988 with two guys enjoying life on the slopes in the French Alps and desperately trying to avoid working for a living. With money running out, they hatched a plan: print some sweatshirts and t-shirts, sell them at night, and ski during the day. With that simple formula, the FatFace brand was born with the name even being inspired by their favourite black mountain run in Val d’Isère, La Face.” [Alexandria Living]