Alexandria: Confederate Concerns About Appomattox
Alexandria’s Appomattox statue under scrutiny.
With a national dialogue underway on the appropriateness of Confederate flags and imagery, some Alexandrians have begun questioning whether the Appomattox statue to Alexandria’s Confederate dead should remain on Prince Street.
Alexandria: ‘Don’t Judge Me’ Music Video Promotes Tolerance
Kids Empowering Kids debuts music video.
Their voices were timid at first, but one by one students at William Ramsey Elementary School spoke up when asked how they have been judged by their friends and classmates.
Alexandria: Splash with DASH
DASH to operate free service on pool bus route.
The Alexandria Transit Company (DASH), in partnership with the Advocates for Alexandria Aquatics, and the City of Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Activities, revealed a new initiative to get families and children to the Old Town Pool this summer. More than 20 local businesses, along with the support of the USA Swimming Foundation – Make a Splash, are sponsoring free rides during July and August on DASH’s AT10 route.
Alexandria: Tenants and Timeline Unclear for Landmark Mall
As city approves details for the mall redesign, other questions remain unanswered.
While City Council expressed support for new amenities and retail spaces at Landmark Mall, members of the public remain skeptical until more details emerge.
Alexandria: Rejoicing on Decision Day
Multifaith gathering celebrates national same-sex equality.
As Rev. Robin Anderson from Alexandria’s Commonwealth Baptist Church discovered this weekend, planning a party around a U.S. Supreme Court decision can be problematic. First, when Anderson began planning the Northern Virginia Multifaith Gathering for Marriage Equality, there was no set date for the decision. Decision day could have been anything between June 25 to June 29. And second, there was no way to determine the outcome of the decision. Hanging a festive banner could make for an awkward situation if the Supreme Court ruled against marriage equality.
Alexandria: Best for Vets
Alexandria tops list of cities for veterans.
The Military Times has named Alexandria as the top mid-size community for veterans in its first Best for Vets: Places to Live feature article.
Alexandria Snapshot: Disability Awareness Awards
Mayor Bill Euille and Alexandria Chamber of Commerce chair Walter Clarke congratulate the 2015 Alexandria Commission of Persons with Disabilities award recipients: Donna Shaw of Senior Services of Alexandria, Dave Hammond of the Neighborhood Restaurant Group, Bishop Ireton graduate Iman Smallwood, Mary Lee Anderson of Senior Services of Alexandria and former ACPD chair Chuck Benaugh.
Alexandria: Airborne Motorcycle Misses Children
Students and teachers survive with only minor injuries.
A motorcycle and a car collided on Quaker Lane on Tuesday, June 16, sending the rider headlong into a tree and the bike crashing through the window of St. Clement Episcopal Day School.
Alexandria: Goldilocks Approach
City Council reluctantly approves programming size for Patrick Henry Recreation Center.
A recommendation on the scale of the new Patrick Henry Recreation Center escalated into one City Council member calling on the city manager to fire the project staff.
Shots Fired in Alexandria
Police continue investigating wave of gunfire reports from across city.
The first “shots fired” call of the summer came in on April 18. Since then, there have been 13 reports of “shots fired” across Alexandria.
Alexandria: City Council Brief for 6/26
Pepper Celebrates 30 Years on Council
At the close of the 2014-2015 City Council session, members of the council watched a presentation and recalled where each was 30 years ago. For most, they were memories of playing sports as a young adult or living with their families, Councilman John Chapman was still celebrating a single-digit birthday. But for Council member Del Pepper, 1985 was memorable for an entirely different reason: it was the year she joined City Council.
Alexandria: Lodato Memorial Playground Now Open
The new accessible playground, named after Ruthanne Lodato, an Alexandria piano and music teacher who was an active supporter of Alexandria’s special needs community, is officially open.
Alexandria: Helping Veteran-Owned Businesses
The Bunker@DC opens at Capitol Post.
The Bunker@DC, an incubator program for early-stage, veteran-owned businesses and veteran entrepreneurs, is accepting applications through June 30 for its first cohort of companies. Operating out of the Capitol Post’s co-working office space in Old Town, The Bunker@DC will support veterans in launching and growing a business in a peer- to-peer setting.
Alexandria: Therapist Convicted of Sexual Abuse
Gary Stephen Hankins, 45, of Arlington, was convicted last month by a jury of six felonies related to the sexual abuse of a minor who had visited Hankins for the purpose of receiving therapy.
Alexandria: Patrick Henry Plan Advances
School Board addresses community criticisms of Patrick Henry development.
A divided School Board moved forward with plans to rebuild the Patrick Henry Elementary School. In a 6-3 vote, the School Board approved construction of a new Patrick Henry School and will begin the planning phase for the new building. Patrick Henry Elementary currently houses nearly 600 students in grades preK-5, but will expand to 800 students as a preK-8 school.