Next week is a double-hitter in terms of holidays, with Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday and Inauguration Day on Wednesday.
As with many holidays, all government offices will be completely closed on both days, but other services around the city are operating on different schedules:
- Residential trash and recycling will not be collected on Monday, with pickup delayed by one day throughout the week. Monday collection will be on Tuesday, Tuesday on Wednesday, and so-on. The hazardous waste center at 3224 Colvin Street will be closed on Monday.
- The animal shelter will be open be open from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. by appointment only
- Schools will be closed on Monday, but virtual classes will be held on Wednesday.
- All library services will be closed on Monday and Wednesday.
- The Alexandria Police Department also announced that they will suspend enforcement of parking restrictions at metered spaces and residential permit parking districts on Monday and Wednesday, though parking in normally prohibited zones is still subject to fines or towing.
- DASH bus service will operate on a Saturday schedule on Monday but will run regular service on Wednesday. The trolly remains suspended until further notice.
File photo
Bilbo Baggins Now for Sale — “Longtime Alexandria restaurant and pub Bilbo Baggins has closed its doors for good. The cozy eatery, which opened in 1980, closed in the spring when COVID-19 first struck. Since then, the family-owned restaurant has not reopened and the nearly 4,000-square foot property is now for sale for $2.8 million.” [Alexandria Living Magazine]
Reminder: Illegal Starting Jan. 1 to Hold Cell Phone While Driving — “Starting January 1st, the ‘Hands-Free’ law will go into effect. The law makes it illegal to hold a cell phone while driving.” [Twitter]
Goodwin House Residents and Staff Receive Vaccine — “Earlier today, some residents and staff at Goodwin House Alexandria received the vaccine. Before the end of 2020, it is estimated that 125 residents and employees will be vaccinated.” [Zebra]
What’s Open and Closed on New Year’s? — “A week after Christmas, residents will get another holiday with the arrival of 2021. Some services in Alexandria will be closed or modified for the New Year’s holiday.” [Patch]
Staff photo by Jay Westcott
City of Alexandria facilities will be closed in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 20.
All public offices will be closed, parking restrictions will be eased and trash will not be collected.
Here is the city’s full list of openings and closures for Monday:
Resource Recovery: Residential refuse and recycling will not be collected on Monday, January 20, and collection services will be delayed by one day that week. The Household Hazardous Waste & Electronics Collections Drop-off Center (3224 Colvin St.) will also be closed.
Animal Shelter: The Vola Lawson Animal Shelter will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with animal visitation beginning at noon.
Health Department: Alexandria Health Department services at 4480 King St. and at the Flora Krause Casey Health Center (1200 N. Howard St.) will be closed. The Teen Wellness Center (3330 King St.) will also be closed.
Historic Alexandria: All Historic Alexandria facilities will be closed with the exception of the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum (201 S. Washington St.), which will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hotlines: All emergency hotlines will be fully operational, including the child protective services hotline at 703.746.5800; the domestic violence hotline at 703-746-4911; the emergency services for mental health or substance abuse crisis hotline at 703-746-3401; the adult protective services hotline at 1-888-832-3858 and the sexual assault hotline at 703-683-7273.
Libraries: All Alexandria Library branches will be closed on Monday, January 20. The Alexandria Law Library (520 King St.) will be closed on Friday, January 17, and Monday, January 20.
Parking: The Alexandria Police Department will suspend enforcement of parking restrictions at metered spaces, residential permit parking districts and other areas with signed parking time limits.
Impound Lot: The City’s Impound Facility (5249 Eisenhower Ave.) will be closed.
Recreation, Nature and Art Centers: Chinquapin Park Recreation Center & Aquatics Facility will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Charles Houston and Patrick Henry Recreation Centers will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and the Torpedo Factory Art Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. All other City recreation and nature centers will be closed.
Schools: All Alexandria City Public Schools and administrative offices will be closed.
State Offices: The Alexandria Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, Alexandria Circuit Court, Alexandria General District Court and Alexandria Juvenile Court and Domestic Relations District Court (520 King St.), will be closed. The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Office (2681 Mill Road) will also be closed.
Transit: The Alexandria Transit Company (DASH) bus service will operate on a Saturday schedule. The free King Street Trolley will run during its regular operating hours, every 10 to 15 minutes, from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., between the King Street Metro Station and waterfront.
Photo via Pixabay
As Alexandrians are getting ready to celebrate New Year’s Eve tonight, be aware that some city services will not be available on New Year’s Day.
Trash will be picked up today (Tuesday), but will not be picked up tomorrow (Wednesday). Trash collection services scheduled for Wednesday through Friday will be delayed by one day.
Libraries will close at 5 p.m. today and libraries, recreation centers, and the Torpedo Factory Art Center will all be closed on Wednesday, according to the city website.
As on Christmas, there’s no need to feed the meters on New Year’s Day. Metered parking restrictions will be lifted throughout the city, though this only applies to legal parking spaces and parking in no parking zones, loading zones, or spaces for persons with disabilities is all still prohibited.
DASH will operate its regular schedule today and will operate a special trolley service between the Durant Center (1605 Cameron Street) and the George Washington Masonic National Memorial (101 Callahan Drive) from 5:30-11 p.m. tonight for First Night activities.
DASH buses will not be operating tomorrow, but the King Street Trolley will run on its regular schedule.
Parking at metered spaces will be free throughout the city on Christmas Day this week.
The police will not be enforcing parking restrictions at metered spaces, residential permit parking districts, and other areas with parking time limits on Wednesday (Dec. 25), according to the city’s website.
This only applies to restrictions on legal parking spaces, so prohibited places like loading zones or spaces for persons with disabilities will still be restricted. Temporary no-parking signs will also be enforced.
Bus riders are less lucky, though. DASH buses will not be running on Christmas.
On Tuesday (Dec. 24), the regular weekday schedule will be in effect, but service will end at 7 p.m. On Wednesday (Dec. 25) there will be no DASH service, but the free King Street Trolley will operate on its regular schedule. The trolly will run every 10-15 minutes from 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. between the King Street-Old Town Metro station and the waterfront.
Meanwhile, most other city services in Alexandria will be closed:
- Alexandria Library: all branches will be closed tomorrow (Tuesday) and Wednesday, (Dec. 25)
- Recreation Facilities: all recreation facilities will be closed on tomorrow (Tuesday) and Wednesday (Dec. 25).
- The Torpedo Factory: the art fac ility will be open tomorrow (Tuesday) from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. but closed on Wednesday (Christmas)
- Animal Shelter: the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter will be open from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Tuesday, December 24, with animal viewing beginning at noon. The Animal Shelter will be closed on Wednesday, December 25.
Staff photo by Jay Westcott
Water Skiing Santa to Return — “A little cold weather doesn’t stop one of Alexandria’s Christmas traditions: a waterskiing show on the waterfront. Santa and his helpers will return for the 34th year at 1 p.m. on Christmas Eve, Tuesday, Dec. 24.” [Patch]
Alexandria Sets Holiday Closures — “All City government offices, libraries and recreation centers will be closed Dec 24 and 25. Regular trash/recycling collection on Dec 24, but not on Dec 25. Collection normally scheduled for Dec 25-26 will be delayed by one day.” [City of Alexandria, Twitter]
Residents Weigh in on Appomattox Statue — “People in Alexandria have long discussed what to do with a Confederate statue standing smack in the middle of an Old Town intersection. Over the weekend, a driver crashed into the statue, knocking it off its axis. Some residents are worried it’s a safety hazard.” [NBC 4]
Environmentally-Friendly Local Gift Guide — “This week, we are featuring environmentally responsible gifts available around Alexandria… With so many green gift options at your fingertips, there is no reason not to take advantage of them. After all, it is the only way to ensure future generations have an abundance of Christmas trees and don’t see Frosty melt away for good.” [Alexandria Times]
(Updated at 10:55 a.m.) Thanksgiving is just two days away, and much of the city government will be shutting down for the holiday.
On Thursday (Nov. 28), all city facilities and the Torpedo Factory will be closed. DASH bus service will not operate, but the King Street Trolley will still be running. The Vola Lawson Animal Shelter will be closed on Thursday except for its Kongs-giving event to make treat packages for animals in the shelter.
Also Thursday, parking meters will not be enforced. However, trash and recycling will still be collected.
On Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, the Chinquapin Park Recreation Center will be open from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. The Charles Houston and Patrick Henry recreation centers will be open from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. The Torpedo Factory will also be open but all other city facilities will be closed.
Several grocery stores around Alexandria will be open on Thanksgiving Day until the afternoon.
- Giant grocery stores throughout the D.C. region will be open until 5 p.m.
- Harris Teeter stores, even the 24-hour locations, will close at 2 p.m.
- Safeway stores will close at 7 p.m.
Other grocery stores, like Trader Joe’s, MOM’s Organic Market, Aldi, BJ’s, and Costco will be closed, according to WTOP.
If you’re looking to pick up a turkey at the last minute, local restaurant group Alexandria Restaurant Partners is offering Thanksgiving meal bundles to take home at various locations.
More on the planned closures, from a City of Alexandria press release, is below (after the jump).
Carpenter’s Shelter Getting Amazon Donation — “A nonprofit that is building a $2 million facility for the homeless in Old Town Alexandria says it has reached its fundraising goal after receiving $300,000 from Amazon, Inc… The donation from Amazon is the latest example of how the retail giant is trying to be a good corporate citizen in Northern Virginia.” [Washington Post, Patch]
Digital Plaudits for City — “Alexandria has been ranked the fourth top digital city of its size in the United States, according to the 2019 Digital Cities Survey… This is the 15th consecutive year Alexandria has been ranked in the top 10, including two years in first place.” [City of Alexandria]
MacArthur Students to Relocate to Henry — “Alexandria City Council has given the green light to Alexandria City Public Schools to use the old Patrick Henry Elementary School facility as temporary swing space for Douglas MacArthur Elementary School students, potentially reallocating $60 million dollars and speeding up the delivery of the new school.” [ACPS]
Closures Planned for Thanksgiving — “All City of Alexandria government offices will be closed on Thursday, November 28, and Friday, November 29, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.” [City of Alexandria]
Weekend Flooding in Old Town — “There are several road closures in the old town area due to coastal flooding. The unit block of Prince Street, The Strand and Unit block of King Street High Tide are temporarily closed. Avoid the area.” [WJLA, Capital Weather Gang, Twitter, Twitter]
City Offices Closed for Holiday — Numerous Alexandria city government offices and facilities are closed today for the Indigenous Peoples’ Day holiday. ALXnow will not be publishing additional news articles today, except in the event of breaking news.
Fire in Old Town North — “Engine 204 arriving with smoke showing in the 1100 Block of North Pitt Street. Crews have located and knocked down a fire on the second floor. Battalion 211 with the command.” [Twitter]
Va. Tech Launches Major Fundraiser — “Virginia Tech has embarked on a $1.5 billion fundraising campaign, the largest in the university’s history, in part to help fund its $1 billion planned innovation campus in Alexandria.” [Washington Business Journal, Virginia Tech]
Reflections on Old Alexandria — “‘In those days Alexandria was very different from what it is now,’ Robinson added. ‘Landmark Mall was a municipal airport and Duke Street was a two-lane asphalt road.’ But he said that the physical layout has not changed as much as what Alexandria has become. Robinson said change was gradual until, one day, it was as if someone ‘stomped their foot on the gas’ and it became a major metropolitan city.” [Zebra]
This coming Monday, Oct. 14 is Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Alexandria and a number of city government offices and facilities will be closed.
Thanks to a recent Alexandria City Council vote, the second Monday in October is now known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the city, though it is still a state and federal holiday known as Columbus Day.
“Alexandria joins more than 130 cities across the country that have recognized this day as Indigenous Peoples’ Day since 1994,” the city noted in a press release on Sept. 10. D.C. voted this week to also rename Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
A separate city press release listed some of the closures and other changes planned on Monday:
All Alexandria City government offices will be closed on Monday, October 14, in observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The following list includes schedule information for other City facilities and partner agencies.
Resource Recovery: Residential refuse and recycling will not be collected on October 14. Collection services will be delayed by one day during the week of October 14. The Household Hazardous Waste & Electronics Recycling Center (3224 Colvin St.) will be closed on October 14.
Animal Shelter: On October 14, the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter will observe holiday hours and will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Animal visiting hours will begin at noon.
Health Facilities: The Alexandria Health Department (4480 King St.), the Flora Krause Casey Health Center (1200 N. Howard St.), and the Teen Wellness Center at T.C. Williams High School (3330 King St.) will be closed on October 14.
Historic Alexandria: On October 14, Gadsby’s Tavern Museum and the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum will be open from 1 to 5 p.m., and Alexandria’s History Museum at the Lyceum will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Alexandria Black History Museum, the Alexandria Archaeology Museum, the Fort Ward Museum and the Friendship Firehouse Museum will be closed on October 14. For more information, visit alexandriava.gov/Historic or call 703.746.4554.
Hotlines: All emergency hotlines operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including the child protective services hotline at 703.746.5800; the domestic violence hotline at 703.746.4911; the emergency services for mental health or substance abuse crisis hotline at 703.746.3401; the adult protective services hotline at 703.746.5778; and the sexual assault hotline at 703.683.7273.
Libraries: All Alexandria Library branches will be closed on October 14. The Alexandria Law Library (520 King St.) will also be closed on October 14.
Parking: On October 14, the Alexandria Police Department will suspend enforcement of parking restrictions at metered spaces, residential permit parking districts and other areas with posted parking time limits. This suspension of enforcement applies only to the restrictions at legal parking spaces, and does not permit parking in any location normally prohibited (for example, no-parking zones, loading zones, or spaces for persons with disabilities). Temporary no-parking signs will be enforced on October 14.
Impound Lot: The City’s Impound Facility (5249 Eisenhower Ave.) will be closed October 14.
Recreation and Arts Centers: On October 14, Chinquapin Park Recreation Center & Aquatics Facility will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Charles Houston and Patrick Henry Recreation Centers will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and the Torpedo Factory Art Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. All other City recreation and arts centers will be closed on October 14.
Schools: All Alexandria City Public Schools and administrative offices will be closed on October 14.
State Offices: The following Commonwealth of Virginia offices in Alexandria will be closed on October 14: the Circuit Court, Clerk of Circuit Court, General District Court, Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, and the Court Service Unit located in the Alexandria Courthouse (520 King St.); and the Department of Motor Vehicles office (2681 Mill Road).
Transit: On Monday, October 14, Alexandria Transit Company’s DASH bus service will operate on a Saturday schedule. The free King Street Trolley will operate on its Saturday schedule, every 10 to 15 minutes, between the King Street Metro Station and the Potomac River waterfront, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 midnight. For more information, visit dashbus.com.
