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A Republican official from Hopewell, Virginia drove to Alexandria this weekend for a small, armed protest outside Delegate Mark Levine’s home in Old Town.

Brandon Howard, chair of the Hopewell Republican Party and head of the gun group Right to Bear Arms Virginia, walked along the street outside of Levine’s house on Saturday, Richmond public broadcaster VPM first reported. He held a Virginia flag, a large gun, and a sign that said “withdraw HB 961,” referencing a bill Levine sponsored and the House of Delegates passed that would ban assault weapons in the state.


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The sun was shining on Alexandria on Monday, Feb. 17. The annual George Washington Birthday parade was accompanied by 50+ degree weather, and went off without a hitch.

The parade, which has a nearly a one-mile route through Old Town, finished off a long weekend of activity that included the George Washington Birthnight Ball at Gadsby’s Tavern.


News

It’s Valentine’s Day and if you’re stumped on what to do for a date, fret not, because several businesses in Old Town have some ideas.

ALXnow went around a few blocks of King Street to some of the city’s more romantic shops to get ideas for how to spice up an Old Town date. Here’s what we found:


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Late last year there were rumblings of some activity at King Street Blues, but it’s official now: a gastropub called Old Hat is coming to 112 N St. Asaph Street in Old Town.

The awning outside the location still says King Street Blues, a former two-story barbecue and southern cuisine restaurant that’s been empty for at least two years. Inside, however, there’s work being done to renovate the space and turn it into a new pub.


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Along with locations in Arlington, Tysons and the rest of the national chain, Papyrus in Old Town (721 King Street) is closing.

Signs in the window say everything in the shop is 40-60% off. The store remains about half stocked, with remaining cards and merchandise filling the front half of the store. Other items include journals, gift bags, and assorted stationery.


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The start of spring is just over a month away, which means the arrival of Girl Scout cookies is here.

You could just hope to encounter a stand somewhere on your commute, or locate a co-worker with a kid in the Scouts, but if you want to be more strategic about it, the Girl Scouts website has a cookie tracker to find your nearest stand.


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Sushi restaurant The Handover, which is replacing Eamonn’s Dublin Chipper at 728 King Street, is planning opening tomorrow, according to staff at the restaurant.

A sign in the window says the restaurant is focused on hand rolls called temaki.


News

With both the Virginia House and Senate approving legislation to allow localities to remove Confederate statues, it would seem the Appomattox statue’s days are numbered.

The statue sits in the center of the intersection of S. Washington Street and Prince Street, where it’s been occasionally struck by cars.


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Skip the expensive restaurant tabs, avoid the usual bar scene. If you want to take your date somewhere romantic and unique in Alexandria this Valentine’s Day (Friday), below are a few ideas for local outings.

On the more romantic side, there’s Ice & Lights, an ice skating running at Cameron Run (4001 Eisenhower Ave) through the end of February. Access to the rink is $8 and skate rentals are $4. There’s also a nearby retail area and a pizza shop called Slice & Ice.


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Don’t worry. Even though Hal Hardaway just closed on a house in Williamsburg, he’ll still be around half the time.

If you don’t know the 70-year-old Hardaway by sight, you might know his famous garage, or the emails the Old Town resident sends to more than 1,000 people on a daily basis railing about the Alexandria waterfront or videos he shares of electric scooter violators.


News

Feeling tired and achy? You might be wearing the wrong shoes.

For the last 27 years, Comfort One Shoes has eased the pain of customers in locations throughout the region by offering more than 100 comfort brands like Mephisto, Beautifeel, Ecco and Dansko. The company’s 15 locations employ more than 100 employees, and it all started at 201 King Street.


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