New Compost Station Opens — “On Sunday, July 17, the Old Town North Sunday Farmers Market officially opened its Compost Cab compost station. The new compost station will be a permanent fixture at this year-round market, every Sunday from 10am-2pm.” [Zebra]
City Ranks as One of the Top U.S. Cities — “Readers of Travel + Leisure appear to have a favorable opinion of Alexandria, because the city made the top 10 of the magazine’s 15 Best Cities in the United States list… Alexandria was ranked eighth among big cities like New York City, New Orleans and Chicago on the national list.” [Patch]
Film Festival Submissions Open — “Calling all #artists and #filmmakers–Join us this November in @AlexandriaVA for the 4th Annual STEM Art & Film Festival at #IFoRE22. Now accepting submissions http://experienceIFoRE.org/stem-art-film-rt-film-festival #art #artstudent #artfestival #filmfestival #scienceart” [Twitter]
It’s Monday — Rain in the evening. High of 87 and low of 75. Sunrise at 5:59 am and sunset at 8:33 pm. [Weather.gov]
Golf could return to former Topgolf Alexandria property — “The shuttered Topgolf Alexandria and neighboring former Ruby Tuesday restaurant on South Van Dorn Street may be resurrected as a golf-centric venue by the underlying landowner, whose efforts to rezone the properties for residential use have been slow to advance.” [Washington Buisness Journal]
Alexandria Film Festival 2021 extended into December — “The festival, held in a virtual format, is giving viewers more time to view films through Dec. 10.” [Patch]
Little Theater’s Christmas Carol completely sold out — “Congratulations to the Cast & Crew of LTA’s A Christmas Carol – your spirited production is completely SOLD OUT!” [Facebook]
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]
State senators weigh in during council’s legislative package discussion — “Several state officials were in attendance at City Council’s Saturday public hearing, where they weighed in on the 2022 draft legislative package for January’s Virginia General Assembly session.” [Alexandria Times]
Del Ray holiday card lane display to return in 2021Â — “Oversized holiday cards will adorn the front yards of homes in Del Ray for the Holiday Card Lane in December.” [Patch]
Alexandria Symphony to provide live soundtrack for six short films — ” The Alexandria Symphony Orchestra (ASO) and the Alexandria Film Festival (AFF) are teaming to bring a special, immersive experience to audiences. On Saturday, Nov. 6, ASO will perform at Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center as six original films play onscreen.” [Zebra]
Local documentary explores ‘The Pits’ before it was Kingstowne — “For me, the gravel pits behind Hayfield Secondary School was the local fishing hole – at age 10, in 1972, I’d grab something out of my mom’s refrigerator to use as bait, and head on up there on foot or on bicycle and fish for hours. Usually, I’d catch a bunch of bluegill fish, maybe hook a snapping turtle or two, and head home. If I was lucky, I had some change in my pocket or find a few returnable bottles, and I’d stop at 7-11 for a Slurpee.” [Zebra]
TedXOronocoBayPark returns Oct. 2 — “This event will feature 10 speakers in the afternoon, followed by a reception and a live music event in the evening.” [Alexandria Living]
Today’s weather — “Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 83F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%… Scattered thunderstorms early (in the evening). Skies will become mainly clear overnight. Low 56F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.” [Weather.com]
New job: School crossing guard — “The Alexandria Police Department is looking for a few qualified individuals for a rewarding part time opportunity to connect with the community and provide safety to our smallest citizens. This is a great opportunity for individuals with flexible schedules including students, the stay-at-home parent and retirees.” [Indeed]
Beyer to Introduce Legislation for Law Enforcement to Wear Identifying Badges — “We don’t do secret police in the United States of America. I will introduce House legislation in the next few days to require uniformed federal officers to identify themselves by wearing badges. Next step will be working for broad support in the House. More soon.” [Twitter]
Tenants and Workers United Gives Food and Supplies to 400 Families — “Today we gave food, needs, and diapers to almost 400 families!! This was possible by Arlington Calvary United Methodist Church. Our community greatly appreciates this support during these difficult times!” [Facebook]
Alexandria Back to Business Grant Application Deadline at 5 p.m. — “Applications for the ALX B2B Grant are open (as of Thursday, June 4th at 8:00AM EDT), and will close Monday, June 8th at 5:00 PM (EDT).” [AEDP]
Del. Herring Thanks Inova Alexandria Hospital Workers — “Thank you @InovaHealth Alexandria for this display of unity & caring for our community. #WhiteCoatsforBlackLives” [Twitter]
Vice Mayor Sends Message of Solidarity With Black Leaders — “I have a responsibility to use my platform to speak up about these issues. The best way to do that is to amplify the voices of black leaders in our community. If you haven’t already done so, please listen to and read their words. And then take action.” [Elizabeth Bennett-Parker]
ACPS Announces Collection and Return of School Materials — “The school closures related to COVID-19 and the Governor’s stay-at-home order have forced us to make a new plan of how we collect students’ school materials and also allow our students to get personal belongings from their lockers or classrooms.” [ACPS]
Alexandrian Named National Eagle Scout Runner-Up — “Noah Ventura, an Alexandria resident and rising senior at Gonzaga College High School, has been named the American Legion’s Eagle Scout of the Year Runner-Up for 2020. As a recipient of the award, he is receiving a $2,500 college scholarship.” [Zebra]
Local Filmmakers Selected for Alexandria Symphony Series — “The films will accompany music by American composers performed “live to picture” by the orchestra as part of ASO’s 2020-2021 season on November 7 and 8, 2020. The works will also be screened as part of the Alexandria Film Festival on November 12-15.” [Zebra]
Reminder: Here’s a List of ACPS Free Food Distributions — “ACPS has multiple distribution meal site locations throughout Alexandria for all ACPS students and children over the age of two.” [ACPS]
New Job: Contact Tracer — “The Contact Tracer is an entry level public health professional responsible for identifying and contacting individuals who may have come in contact with persons recently diagnosed with an infectious disease associated with an outbreak or pandemic.” [Indeed]
A planned screening of a film covering the history of the Torpedo Factory is being turned into an online viewing party tonight.
“A Brush with History” is a film by local director Nora Kubach about the Torpedo Factory’s 100-year history.
“The Art Center is an early example of placemaking in the country,” the Torpedo Factory Art Center said in a Facebook post, “a structure that went from making weapons of war, to now producing meaningful works of art by inspirational artists, and serving its community in a different way.”
The online premiere is tonight (Thursday) at 7 p.m. and will be followed by a live Q&A session with the filmmakers and participants in the movie. The event listing said viewers will be able to write in questions and have them answered during the video chat.
A link to the video page is not available yet but will be posted on the Facebook page.
The Art Center itself, meanwhile, remains closed until at least May 18.
Photo via Torpedo Factory Art Center/Facebook
Alexandria’s 13th annual film festival officially starts tomorrow, with movie screenings across Alexandria scheduled to run through the weekend.
The biggest name at the festival this year is Alexandria native and former Saturday Night Live performer Casey Wilson, who is showing Daddio, her short film about a daughter and an eccentric father struggling to find ways to cope with the loss of the matriarch of the family.
The film will be followed by a Q&A with Wilson and her father.
Other spotlighted features include This Changes Everything, a movie about gender discrimination in Hollywood as told by actresses like Meryl Streep and Natalie Portman, executive produced by Geena Davis.
Daddio and This Changes Everything will both be shown at AMC Hoffman Center (206 Swamp Fox Road) at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9, as part of a “Women in Film Showcase.” Tickets to the event are available online.
The festival’s screenings start on Friday, Nov. 8, at the Beatley Central Library (5005 Duke Street) with a series of free movie events from 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Movies range from Barbarian Utopia, a 94-minute documentary following a college graduate hiking the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, to Dead, White and Blue, a two-minute short film about love at first sight.
All-festival passes to the are available online for $50 until Friday, Nov. 8. Tickets to individual sets of films are $12.50 online or $15 at the door.
Photo via Facebook/Alexandria Film Festival
Man Pleads Guilty in Rape Case — “An Alexandria nurse pleaded guilty Thursday to a 2016 rape solved using a genealogical database. Jesse Bjerke, 38, followed a Â24-year-old lifeguard to the local pool where she worked one day that September, pointed a gun at her head and assaulted her. He confessed Thursday in Alexandria Circuit Court to rape, abduction and gun crimes.” [Washington Post, WTOP]
Vigil for Homicide Victim — “A candlelight vigil is planned to honor an Alexandria homicide victim. The vigil for De’shon Jenkins, 21, will happen Friday, Oct. 18 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the 300 block of South Reynolds Street, where the crime occurred.” [Patch]
Film Screening at AMC Hoffman Center — “Join us to learn about Claudia Lacy’s quest for justice following the hanging death of her son Lennon. Filmmaker Jacqueline Olive’s Sundance Film Festival award-winning documentary Always in Season confronts the trauma of more than a century of lynching African Americans as it bleeds into the present.” [Facebook]
Cat Cafe Planning to Open This Spring — “A dozen or so new tenants are coming to 109 S. Alfred St. this spring, and they’re ready to cuddle. Mount Purrnon, Alexandria’s first cat café, doesn’t have centuries of history like its namesake but, when it opens in spring 2020, co-owners Kristen Cowen and Adam Patterson aim to bring cats, wine and a hot new business concept to Old Town.” [Alexandria Times]
