Alexandria’s historic Torpedo Factory Art Center will honor two big anniversaries this weekend as the building turns 100 and the Art Center turns 45.
A celebratory Anniversary Ball will take place this Saturday, November 16 from 7-11 p.m. at the Torpedo Factory (105 N. Union Street). Guests are invited to “dress to impress and celebrate like it’s 1919 or 1974,” per the event website, and tickets are still available for $75.
The Lyceum (201 S. Washington Street) will host a screening next Saturday, Nov. 16 of Peter Jackson’s acclaimed World War I documentary They Shall Not Grow Old.
The film stabilizes and colorizes footage from World War I and plays audio from interviews with servicemen who fought in the war.
If your property is damaged by a city vehicle, there’s a good chance you could be out of luck when it comes to seeking payment.
With its blue background and city seal, the marker set up in the yard at Shuter’s Hill within eyeshot of the backside of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial could be mistaken for an official sign, but the sign tells the story of one resident’s struggle with the City of Alexandria over an archaic legal precedent.
Alexandria Leaders Weigh in on Nats World Series Win — From City Councilman Mo Seifeldein: “This a moment to celebrate the @Nationals, hope, and resiliency! The beauty of sports and sportsmanship.” [Twitter, Twitter]
More Details About Italian Restaurant in Old Town — “Hank’s Oyster Bar owner Jamie Leeds is ready to introduce a new concept to her otherwise seafood-focused restaurant group: Hank & Mitzi’s Italian Kitchen. The revamped Italian restaurant replaces Hank’s Pasta Bar in Old Town Alexandria, which closed last month to add a second-story event space and rooftop bar.” [Washingtonian, Eater]
(Updated at 3:20 p.m.) While Alexandria heads out on ghosts tours for Halloween, local archaeologists are busy scouting for secret burials under two historic cemeteries.
Archeologists with the city’s Office of Historic Alexandria are working to pinpoint where coffins and headstones may have been swallowed by the changing landscaping in the Penny Hill and Douglass cemeteries as they plan drainage maintenance for the sites.
Alexandria Declares Climate Emergency — “On October 22, the Alexandria City Council unanimously adopted a resolution declaring a climate emergency, recognizing that climate change poses a grave threat to everyone in Alexandria and around the world.” [City of Alexandria]
City Council Passes Refugee Resolution — “The Alexandria City Council unanimously approved a resolution to notify the federal government of its continued support for resettling refugees in Alexandria. The action was taken in response to Executive Order 13888, issued on September 26, which provides that the federal government ‘should resettle refugees only in those jurisdictions in which both the State and local governments have consented to receive refugees.'” [City of Alexandria]
Scott Fallon prides himself on being a skeptic — just one that happens to believe in Bigfoot.
Fallon is one of the founders of the Alexandria Cryptozoology and Paranormal Society (ACAPS), a local group dedicated to the exploration of all things inexplicable. He talked with ALXnow shortly after finishing his chupacabra hunt in the jungles of Mexico. He didn’t find any, but Fallon says that doesn’t mean they’re not out there.
Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s boyhood home in Alexandria, one of the most expensive residential properties for sale in the city, is still on the market a year and a half after first being listed.
The 6-bedroom, 4 1/2 bath-house and debuted for $8.5 million in 2018 before realtors reduced the asking price by $2.3 million in March, and then reduced it again by $650,000 last month. Real estate agent Robert Hryniewicki with HRL Partners at Washington Fine Properties told ALXnow that the long wait and price fluctuation is to be expected with the “ultra-luxury” spectrum of properties, and says the trick is finding the right buyer for the 8,100-square foot Old Town property.
A ship on Alexandria’s waterfront will host an intimate retelling of a historic ghost story this weekend.
The tall ship Providence is not officially open yet, but the ship will be going through its first test as a permanent fixture of the waterfront with a “ghost ship” story.
Online Maintenance for Library — “Due to service maintenance, on Wednesday, October 23 between the hours of 12am and 6am, Library customers will not unable to access databases or library accounts.” [Twitter]
New Generation for Le Refuge — Since 1983, the family-owned Le Refuge restaurant has served French cuisine at 127 N. Washington Street. Now a new generation of the family is taking over the beloved local institution. [Gazette Packet]
Descendants of the men who led the 1939 Alexandria library sit-in plan to meet tonight for a panel discussion examining how the event impacted their families.
At the Beatley Central Library (5005 Duke Street) at 6:30 p.m., relatives of protestors William “Buddy” Evans and Morris Murray are scheduled to discuss the event and some of the lingering impacts, followed by a question and answer session.
