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Internet provider Ting says expansion west of Braddock Road coming ‘in the near future’

By Vernon Miles
Ting Internet team on-site in Alexandria, Virginia (image courtesy Ting Internet)

Ting Internet started providing some long-awaited competition to Comcast in parts of Alexandria earlier this year, now the company says it’s expanding to central Alexandria soon.

Catharine Rice, community engagement and public affairs manager, told ALXnow in an email that the company has finished microtrenching in work zone 1, the first area Ting Internet was implemented in Alexandria. Rice said Ting Internet is starting work in neighborhoods west of Braddock Road soon, but without any exact dates announced.

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

New coffee shop opening in West End — “A new coffee shop will be opening in the Shoppes of Foxchase shopping center in Alexandria’s West End. Cortado Cafe is under construction now in the shopping center on Duke Street. It is taking the place of a now-closed Hair Cuttery between Massage Envy and La Casa restaurant.” [Alexandria Living]

Nonprofit teaches computer coding for free — “For over 20 years, the Alexandria nonprofit Computer CORE has helped adults learn computer technology and programming, thereby advancing their careers. The newest educational opportunity begins Tuesday, Sept. 14 with the virtual class Code Beats Computer Coding Camp. The free course will use hip hop and other music beats to teach computer coding.” [Zebra]

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum
Alexandria Fire Chief Corey Smedley and acting Police Chief Don Hayes with neighborhood kids at National Night Out at Charles Houston Recreation Center in the Parker Gray neighborhood on Tuesday, August 3, 2021. The pair traveled to multiple cookouts around the city. "It's good because people are coming out, and we're glad to tell them that the police department is here for them," Hayes told ALXnow. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Capitol officer who committed suicide was from Alexandria — “Very sad news: @MikevWUSA @wusa9 reports MPD Officer Kyle DeFreytag died by suicide in July after defending the US Capitol on January 6. His obituary says he was a hiker, drummer, motorcyclist, and resident of Alexandria, who served with MPD for five years” [WUSA9]

Alexandria, neighboring health directors recommend wearing face masks indoors — “Today, all five Northern Virginia Health Directors issued a joint letter of interim recommendations for mask wearing in Northern Virginia. The letter was issued by Health Directors from the City of Alexandria, as well as Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties to Northern Virginia Mayors, Chairs and Chief Administrative Officers with the recommendation that individuals wear masks while indoors in government and other public settings, regardless of vaccination status.” [City of Alexandria]

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Alexandria businesses advised to sharpen e-commerce as consumer patterns evolve

By James Cullum

The pandemic changed how consumers shop, and with the development of Amazon HQ2, Alexandria is evolving from a government town to a tech town.

That’s according to a presentation to the Del Ray Business Association this week by Kevin Fenton, founder of The Walla Design Company.

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Mayor Says Comcast Data Throttling Highlights Danger of Company’s Internet Monopoly

By Vernon Miles

Comcast sent shockwaves through localities in the northeast with plan to implement data caps, and Mayor Justin Wilson said this emphasizes more than ever the need to break the cable company’s monopoly on internet in Alexandria.

“It’s frustrating to see Comcast put new policy in place…basically data caps,” Wilson said. “They’ve said there’s a small number of customers who would be impacted by this, but in the end it’s not great timing.”

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

After Flooding, Councilman Says City Stormwater Management Needs Work — “Councilmember Chapman tells 7 On Your Side Thursday’s flooding means city leaders need to quickly consider wholesale changes in terms of storm management.” [WJLA]

City Extends Deadline on Personal Property Tax Payments — “To provide relief for our residents and businesses during the ongoing pandemic, the City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday evening to extend the deadline for payment of the Personal Property Tax (Car Tax and Business). Payments are now due on December 15th.” [Twitter]

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Local Methodist Church Offers to Bless Chromebooks Before School Starts

By Vernon Miles

A local church is offering the ultimate tech support: a divine blessing for local students’ laptops.

This Sunday, Sept. 6, at 5:30 p.m.,Trinity United Methodist Church (2911 Cameron Mills Road) is planning to host an Outdoor Blessing of the Chromebooks & Ice Cream Social (Social Distanced Edition).

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West End Computer Repair Shop LapFix Sees Business Spike During Pandemic

By James Cullum

Karim Hussen’s business is spiking. With more customers working from home on personal laptops, the owner and staff of LapFix (4613 Duke Street) have their hands full recovering data and fixing personal computers and phones.

“We are busier now than ever, because everyone needs cameras for their computers and webcams for Zoom chats,” Hussen recently told ALXnow. “Of all things it’s webcams. Thankfully we are an essential business, according to the Commonwealth of Virginia, so I’m thankful that we never closed.”

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum
Lower King Street in Old Town, Alexandria, in June 2020. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria Tech Firm Raises $1.1 Million in Seed Funding — “Clowder has quickly become the leader in modern member communication. Our apps are able to take organizations who’ve long relied on web and email-based engagement strategies and place them in the 21st century with an on-hand tool that provides instant access.”[Clowder.com]

Metro Expands Train Service Hours — “The pandemic has posed challenges never before faced by Metro, and I want to extend my thanks to our customers – especially essential workers – for their understanding as we took unprecedented action to protect our essential frontline workforce and the public health.” [Zebra]

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ACPS: All Secondary Students Will Have Internet Access and Laptops by Monday

By James Cullum
Students learning at home during the COVID-19 shutdown (Photo via ACPS/Facebook)

As of Monday, Alexandria City Public Schools will have issued more than 1,200 mobile hotspots to families without internet access and more than 12,000 Chromebook laptop computers to students to keep them learning throughout the COVID-19 shut down until the end of the year.

Making sure that students have access to their teachers and modified curriculums has been an unprecedented logistical puzzle that took a lot of work for ACPS Chief Technology Officer Elizabeth Hoover and her team to accomplish.

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