People at Work
A plumbers work in Old Town, Alexandria
People At Work: Hart Behind the Scenes
Delivering new trash cans, solving problems
Excell Hart checks the orders that have come in since yesterday. He will head out in "my Cadillac" to issue out a new trash container on S. Royal Street and deliver one on N. Alfred where they have never had one.
A Dog’s Best Friend: The Doggie Sports Club
Morgan jumps over the 12" hurdle and sniffs Tayler Hudson's hand, looking for his dog treat.
Give that Couch a New Life
ALIVE! assists low-income families with furniture program.
Each week people contact ALIVE! to donate furniture and others contact them with furniture requests.
Prisoner Resource Fair Offers a Head Start
Easing the transition from jail to the community.
This is the first prisoner Resource Fair held by the Alexandria Sheriff's Office for prisoners who are scheduled to be released within several months.
Hands Held High for 44 Years
Cora Reed has been a school crossing guard for the Alexandria Public Schools for nearly 44 years.
Prisoner Reentry: Some Solutions
Local programs, services help ex-offenders.
Ex-offenders may face stigma, lack of family support, inadequate life skills suitable for making it on "the outside" and difficulty getting and retaining employment.
McCrary Creates the Score, Directs 'The Prodigal Son'
John McCrary, director of Music and Liturgy at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church on W. Braddock Road, gears up for the Feb. 24 concert.
Hunger Free Alexandria Receives Bishop’s Award
Hunger Free Alexandria has been awarded the 2017 Bishop's Award for the establishment of the West End Pantry on Oct. 24, 2016 at Church of the Resurrection.
An Ambassador and an Enforcer
Working in traffic enforcement.
Cheryl Fuller has been a traffic enforcement officer for the City of Alexandria for 20 years.
Part I: A three-part series focusing on prisoner reentry in Northern Virginia.
Employment and housing prove to be major hurdles.
In Virginia, 38,000 citizens were incarcerated in 2016. Almost 90 percent of those released return home.
Green: Color for Sewers and Boots in Alexandria
Bill Jones climbs into his white city truck and heads for 5375 Duke St. to respond to an emergency ticket.
Firefighters from Station 201 Read to Lyles-Crouch Elementary Students.
‘So, Who Has Ever Heard of a Turnip?’
The fire engine pulls up in front of Lyles-Crouch Elementary School on Friday morning and four firefighters jump out and head for the front door.
Thomas Pollack advances to Eagle Scout
Twelve Years from Cub Scout to the Top
Thomas Pollack reached the end of a long journey on Saturday, Jan. 7 when he received his Eagle neckerchief in his Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony at the Army-Navy Country Club.
Bondareff Expands Pediatric Practice in Alexandria
Fifty-three years brings many changes.
Four-month-old Quinn Doren wiggles her toes and squirms on the table in the nursing area at Pediatric Associates of Alexandria.
Meet Chef Euripides at the Royal Restaurant in Alexandria
A community institution since 1904.
Richard Euripides, chef at the Royal Restaurant on N. Asaph Street, has boiled two packages of ribbed Zerega lasagna noodles for a customer favorite.
Column: People at Work in Alexandria
Making Thanksgiving Possible
Tables are piled high with canned green beans, boxes of stuffing and mashed potatoes, cans of broth and yams and marshmallows; “for some reason we got double marshmallows. But one of our volunteers says you have to put marshmallows on sweet potatoes."
Alexandria: People At Work
Store combines exotic plants and comics since 1974.
The front window of Exotic Planterium and Card and Comic Book Collectorama on Mount Vernon Avenue is crowded with plants of all varieties.
Goodwin House of Alexandria Residents Share Memories of Thanksgiving
Residents at Goodwin House on Fillmore Street in Alexandria shared memories of Thanksgiving traditions.
Alexandria Station 206 Firefighter Wins Best Chef Contest
Cooking with an eye to sudden interruptions.
Ever wonder what firefighters on 24-hour duty eat for dinner?
Alexandria: Behind the Glass Wall
Alexandria history at one’s fingertips.
“What's Behind the Glass Wall?” The sign sits outside the Local History and Special Branch of the Alexandria Library on Queen Street.
People at Work
Sharing Food and Conversation
The telephone is ringing; customers line up at the counter for large white carry-out plastic bags of scrambled eggs and pancakes; the cash register clinks.
Alexandria People at Work: Neighborhood Pharmacy Cares for Its Community
Over 1,000 look-alike white bottles line the shelves, cram the nooks and crannies and sit in the refrigerator at Neighborhood Pharmacy on Mt. Vernon Street in Del Ray. Stacey Swartz, pharmacist and co-owner, has operated the independent pharmacy for eight years since she bought the space from Show of Hands. "Monday is the busiest day of the week," she says, "with all of the things piled up from the weekend."
Alexandria People at Work: Shaping Her Life, Her Art
Renee Altman wedges off a large chunk of high-fired stoneware clay and puts it on the workbench. "It's like kneading dough. I usually do this 100 times." Altman owns The Clay Queen Pottery on Mt. Vernon Avenue.
From the Beginning to the End
982 participants signed up for 2016 Northern Virginia Senior Olympics.
The Northern Virginia Senior Olympics (NVSO) opened Sept. 10 and ran through Sept. 21 with another record registration of 918 participants.
Senior Living: Life at Vinson Hall — Living the Difference
Mary DeMaris is headed down on the elevator at Vinson Hall with her black case of art supplies, an artist headed to a still life class out of the building. “There is a club here for everything — poetry, art, choral group, photography, book, gardening,” she said.
Alexandria People At Work: New Boutique Opens in City
Elizabeth Todd picks up the phone. "Hey, we just got in this great Veronica Beard classic jacket with a zip-in dickey — just your style. Do you want me to hold it for you?" Todd says she has a loyal client base and she calls to let them know what has just arrived. "I get to know who needs comfortable shoes to walk in on the Hill." Todd has just opened the Hive, described as a luxury lifestyle and clothing boutique, at 301 Cameron St.
Alexandria People at Work: Chef Couple Cooking through 26 Years at Tempo
Sharing cooking duties.
"First I give the lobster a shower." Serge Albert puts the 1.5 pound Maine lobster under running water to get off "whatever is on there." Today he is making Linguine alla Aragosta, one of the customer favorites at Tempo on Duke Street. "We have one customer who comes in twice a week and orders it,” he said.
Alexandria People at Work: Stetanova’s Secret – Plenty of Coffee
Kremena Stetanova opens the Caboose Cafe and Bakery on Mt. Vernon in Del Ray Monday and Thursday and leaves at 2:30 p.m. Other days are regular hours. "Well first I turn on the lights and make sure there is plenty of coffee. That's the biggest thing, then put out the muffins."
Alexandria People At Work: Listening to Her Patrons
Talking Books librarian provides concierge-style service.
The green caterpillar inches along a tree branch toward a juicy looking leaf.
Alexandria People at Work: Gonzalez Creates Art as a Team
"O.K. everyone, out on the field." Arms grab trumpets, clarinets, with a shoulder harness for the drum. Band members head out the door, down the steps and onto the end of the football field at T. C. Williams High School on a hot first school day of the year.
Alexandria: Faces of Hunger
Stories from a church’s “pop-up” grocery.
Third in a series on childhood hunger in Alexandria.
Alexandria People at Work: Recruiting as Match-Making
TorchLight Hire: Number 621 out of 5,000 fastest growing private companies.
Heidi Parsont says, "I've always been a connector. So, 12 years ago I randomly ended up in sales/business development and built relationships with companies.
Alexandria People at Work: Jones Reinvents Himself at 60
Not a choice: what he was meant to do.
Guy Jones hunches over his clay board panel in Studio 337 working on a pen and ink commission of a guy's dad in Vietnam. "The father is standing there in his uniform but had adorned himself with a beautiful red flower. His son wanted to catch that spin of his father." Jones says he has several pictures of the father as examples and will create a new image. "I sketched the face this morning. By tomorrow I should have it knocked out."Guy Jones hunches over his clay board panel in Studio 337 working on a pen and ink commission of a guy's dad in Vietnam. "The father is standing there in his uniform but had adorned himself with a beautiful red flower. His son wanted to catch that spin of his father." Jones says he has several pictures of the father as examples and will create a new image. "I sketched the face this morning. By tomorrow I should have it knocked out."
Alexandria Snapshot: Friendship Firehouse Festival
The crowd arrives early for the Friendship Firehouse celebration Aug. 6.
Alexandria People at Work: The Many Faces of Firefighting
On a normal day Durant Cephers would be working at Firehouse 206 on Seminary Road. But it is Aug. 6 and he is on S. Albert Street at the Friendship Firehouse 150th anniversary event.
Alexandria People at Work: Campolieta Thinks Outside the Piano
Daniel Campolieta remembers when he was about four years old his mother attached numbers with masking tape to the keys on a little plastic keyboard. "She wrote out the accompanying numbers for my favorite songs in a book — like the Ninja Turtles theme song." Campolieta's mother was a piano teacher and noticed he seemed to like it so his piano career started from there.
Alexandria People at Work: Act, Sing and Dance Through Summer
Michael Page is the Director of summer camps at LTA.
"Everyone ready to go on stage? Awesome!" The Counselors In Training at The Little Theatre of Alexandria Summer Camp have just rolled up the comic strip backdrop of villains and heroes created by the 3-5 grade group. The actors have been practicing giving each other a punch because, “We are superheroes for goodness sake. But we need to be focused so people don't get hurt."
Alexandria People at Work: Walking through City’s History
“There is no real place called Mercy Street although it would have been right there on the 100th block of N. Fairfax Street," according to Meredith Barber, tour guide for DC Military Tours.
Alexandria: Making Progress Against Childhood Hunger
Serving up ways to provide food.
“When you look at the big picture of childhood hunger in Alexandria, you almost don't want to tackle it," said Melanie Gray, director of Outreach and Mission at Historic Christ Church in Alexandria. "So we take it one piece at a time."
Alexandria: Trying To Ease the Pains of Childhood Hunger
Massive need requires massive effort.
Childhood hunger in Alexandria is just beyond the doorstep. Some of the underlying causes include lack of knowledge about the existence of the problem or the resources available to alleviate it.
Alexandria People at Work: One Pint Can Save Three Lives
Robbins manages Red Cross Blood Drive in Alexandria.
It was 12:20 p.m., and donors were starting to line up for the American Cross Blood Drive at Alexandria Chapter House.
Alexandria People at Work: A Second Family at Sunrise
Every Alzheimer’s story is unique.
A yellow balloon zooms across the room. An arm reaches up from a wheelchair and bats it back across the room. The balloon flies faster and faster. "Go Hunter, you throw harder than anyone." Some of the residents are down the hall taking naps.
Alexandria: Teacher Retires After 40 Years
Cecelia Snyder leaves Old Town Montessori School.
After 20 years of teaching 3-6-year-olds at the Old Town Montessori School on S. Columbus Street and serving as its administrative director, Snyder is retiring.
Alexandria: Kiosk Enhances Four-Mile Run
Eagle Scout-organized effort completes project.
It was 92 degrees and Thomas Pollack stood on the spot where the new Four Mile Run Wetlands Trail and Bike Trail meet in Four Mile Run Park.
Alexandria People at Work: Singing Is Breathing
Voice coach Elizabeth Kluegel-Niblock starts with basics.
"So let's warm up." Elizabeth Kluegel-Niblock says, "we always start with a neutral vowel."
Meet The Chef: London Curry's Naina Mohammed
Cameron Station restaurant offers regional specialties.
Naina Mohammed stirs a large pot of tomatoes, purple onions, fresh ginger, garlic bits and marsala — 15 different spices: "I use everything."
Responding to Teen Sex Trafficking
Comprehensive approach seeks to educate teens.
In 2012 Fairfax County Detective William Woolf discovered a 16-year-old girl being prostituted by the M-16 gang. At the time there was little recognition that the problem existed locally. The girl was recovered and since then Woolf has interviewed 300 recovered victims, some as young as 12-years old. After the initial shock, Northern Virginia businesses, faith communities and educational groups sought to understand the extent of the problem.