Alexandria Police are investigating smash-and-grab incidents at three ABC stores that occurred at night on August 25 and 26.
“We have had three instances of ABC stores burglarized,” APD spokesman Lt Courtney Ballantine told ALXnow. “All high end liquor. Fairfax (County) has had similar incidents.”
After a tumultuous start right as the pandemic hit, business at Old Town zero waste grocery store Mason and Greens (913 King Street) is doing better as quarantine has forced locals to reassess trash output.
“When we started off, we were just doing online orders,” said Justin Marino, who opened Mason and Greens with his wife Anna Marino in March. “We pushed up the deployment of our website a little further so we could do online orders and pickups.”
Todd Ketch has had a busy summer at his Pedego Electric Bikes shop in Old Town. Six months ago, he was worried that the pandemic was driving away too many locals and tourists, but that business has steadily gained speed as fewer of his customers are commuting to the office and want to get around town fast without parking issues.
Other stores, like Big Wheel Bikes, have seen demand increase so much over the last few months that there’s a waitlist for new bicycles.
The pool tables are gone, there’s no dancing and everything is spread out, but singing karaoke at the Rock It Grill is still going strong with some new additional safety features.
“Our regular Rock It customers are beyond wonderful,” said owner Laura Seiss. “As far as employees that are back, everybody who wanted to work is working.”
Old Town hotel The Alexandrian (480 King Street) is planning to kick off a new restaurant concept in the building’s central courtyard.
The new restaurant, King & Rye, features a menu centered around southern cuisine and whiskey.
Alexandria Police are investigating a single gunshot that was heard in the area of Wythe and Fayette Streets in the Parker Gray/Braddock neighborhood on Sunday afternoon.
There were no reported injuries. Police found no suspects and nothing was reportedly hit. The incident was reported on Twitter just before 3 p.m. on Sunday. It occurred just blocks from the Braddock Road Metro station and a number of local businesses, town homes and apartments.
Missing Man Found and Returned Home — “Mr. Walter ‘George’ Winstead has returned home safe and without incident.” [Facebook]
Beyer Says Trump Colluded With Russians — “The Trump campaign was offered Russian government assistance. The Trump campaign sought Russian government assistance. The Trump campaign received Russian government assistance. Trump campaign personnel coordinated efforts with Russian intelligence operatives and Wikileaks.” [Twitter]
Alexandria has put another summer work week to rest.
As the City Council enjoys a legislative break, the School Board conducted a virtual meeting to discuss the renaming process for T.C. Williams High School. Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr., and the board advocate a public engagement process that could result in the board voting to change the name this December, followed by a vote on a specific name next spring. A group of community activists, however, believe that the name should be taken off immediately, since ACPS acknowledged Williams was an avowed racist and segregationist.
Even though it’s just three blocks away, Heather Lesley doesn’t let her teenage daughter walk to the Braddock Road Metro station to meet her when she gets back from work.
“I don’t feel comfortable letting her do that anymore,” Lesley told ALXnow. “My neighbor has bullet holes in the brick wall of their home.”
Need a quick sweat in the office sauna before an upcoming meeting? How about an ice bath? For folks tired of working from home, a new coworking office just opened in Old Town with amenities focused on wellness.
Real estate developer Christopher Campagna was ready to open The Loop at 215 N. Payne Street back in March, but then the pandemic struck and it pushed back his plans. He was all set for a virtual opening when George Floyd was killed and the city experienced a period of social unrest, and so he pushed the opening to late summer.
An Arlington nonprofit has partnered with a D.C. food truck to provide free pizza to affordable housing communities in Alexandria this month.
This is the fifth local campaign for Hearts of Empowerment, which has partnered with Timber Pizza Company to provide free wood-fired pizzas from its food truck on August 22 at Charles Houston Recreation Center (901 Wythe Street) in Old Town at 1 p.m. on Saturday, August 22, and at the same time at the Parkview of Alexandria apartments in Arlandria on Saturday, August 29.
