Chris Edwards, executive chef at Old Town Italian restaurant Hank & Mitzi’s, won on the Food Network’s reality show Chopped on Tuesday night (Sept. 29).
Edwards beat three other chefs for $10,000 and bragging rights, although the episode was taped in June 2019 and he had to keep his mouth shut about what happened for more than a year.
City Opening Second Round of Small Business Loans — “Starting tomorrow @AlexandriaEcon will begin accepting applications for another $2.4M of grants for our small businesses. This is the second round of “Back to Business Grants” designed to aid business recovery. Apply online!” [Twitter]
Residents Invited to Join RiverRenew Advisory Committee — “AlexRenew is seeking a balanced and diverse group of citizens representing neighborhoods, businesses, and various interests who commit to being active and engaged in the stakeholder process.” [Zebra]
Beyer Refutes Trump’s Claims of Media Spin Over Tax Payments — “No, ‘everyone else’ didn’t write off payments to their children and $70,000 for haircuts so they could live a lavish lifestyle while only paying $750 in taxes. Trump remains the only major party candidate for president in 40 years who refused to release his tax returns.” [Twitter]
ACPS Asks Community to Discuss Future Facilities Projects, School Sites — “As ACPS and the City start looking at the need to rebuild, replace, add to or modernize schools, fire stations, police facilities and more, local officials are asking for feedback on the Joint City-ACPS Facilities Master Plan.” [Alexandria Living]
After a decade of serving pizza in Old Town, Pizzeria Paradiso at 124 King Street is closing its doors. But there’s still a chance to get one more pie before the pizzeria says arrivederci.
On Sunday, October 4, Pizzeria Paradiso will serve pizza and souvenirs for the last time. The “walk-by celebration” will start at 1 p.m. and will go until supplies run out.
Gov. Ralph Northam and First Lady Test Positive For COVID-19 — “Gov. Ralph Northam and his wife, Pamela, have both tested positive for COVID-19, according to a Sept. 25 news release from the governor’s office.” [Alex Times]
Beyer Says Trump is Taking Dramatic Steps Toward Abolishing Obamacare — “No Supreme Court nominee has ever been confirmed so close to the election. Why are Senate Republicans in such a hurry to break their 2016 promises? They want the Court to side with Trump, strike down the Affordable Care Act, and wreck your healthcare. The case hits in November.” [Twitter]
It’s the end of a busy week in Alexandria.
This week, our top story was City Council’s decision to extend the state of emergency in the city until March 31, 2021. That means that by the spring the city will have been under a state of emergency for more than a year.
Virtual spin classes don’t work too well for Del Ray’s Ascend Cycle. Owner Kathryn Zajac says that her six-year-old indoor cycling and strength training studio is all about making an in-person connection, and that her expanded garage space in a former auto repair shop helps fit the bill.
“We have 11 bikes under cover, and any day it isn’t going to rain we have an additional four bikes,” Zajac told ALXnow. “There’s a lot of competition in the virtual space, so we opened in the garage to make people feel safe during this time and a part of a community.”
Beyer Says Trump Should Not Reject Strict FDA Guidelines for COVID Vaccines — “Political interference with vaccine development and an open feud with FDA can only further damage the public’s already growing safety concerns. Once again, lives may depend on Trump shutting his mouth and letting scientists do their jobs.” [Twitter]
Pizzeria Paradiso Closing in Old Town — “Like many restaurants in Old Town, Pizzeria Paradiso closed when the coronavirus pandemic reached Alexandria. Unfortunately, the beloved pizza restaurant will not be reopening, the owner announced this week.” [Alexandria Living]
For the first time, Antoine Barksdale is now taking appointments.
The owner of the Heads Up Barbershop (300 N. Fayette Street ) just celebrated his tenth anniversary in business in Old Town, and all of his customers used to walk in for their haircuts. No calls. The pandemic changed all that, though, and forced Barksdale to start making scheduled appointments.
It’s a tough time for many, but there are also opportunities.
We took a look through Alexandria listings of the website BizBuySell and found a number of businesses for sale. Many are restaurants, which have been heavily impacted the last several months due to the pandemic.
What a week it’s been in Alexandria.
The pandemic seemed inescapable this week, and much of our coverage was related to dealing with the coronavirus.
