Living Legends of Alexandria: ‘Champions for Children’
Magaly and Tom Hirst
Passionate. Dedicated supporters. Generous. Inspirational. Humble. These are just a few words to describe Tom and Magaly Hirst’s philanthropic efforts to give back to Alexandria through the Mason Hirst Foundation.
The Other Alexandria: Standing on Historical Land: James E. Henson, Esq.
After the end of the Civil War, George L. Seaton was commissioned by the Freedmen Bureau to build two schools for the education of Colored children.
‘Flags for Heroes’ in Mount Vernon
Hundreds of flags on display through July 11.
A lone bagpiper stood among hundreds of American flags as the strains of Amazing Grace wafted through the air during the opening ceremony of the 3rd annual Flags for Heroes display June 28 at Cedar Knoll Restaurant along the George Washington Parkway.
Senior Services of Alexandria Welcomes New Board Members
Senior Services of Alexandria (SSA) welcomed 5 new board members at its virtual Annual Meeting on June 23, 2020.
T.C. Williams: What’s in a Name?
Efforts intensify to change name of T.C. Williams High School.
When the Disney movie “Remember the Titans” was released in 2000, it brought national attention to T.C. Williams High school. Starring Academy Award winner Denzel Washington, the movie shone a spotlight on the integration of Alexandria’s public high school and the 1971 undefeated season of its football team.
‘It’s Been an Honor’: Trailblazing Judge Dawkins Retires After 26 Years
Nolan Dawkins grew up at a time when Alexandria segregated everything from water fountains to public schools. But he was determined to make a difference, becoming one of seven individuals to integrate George Washington High School in the 1960s, then distinguishing himself as an officer in Vietnam.
The Other Alexandria: We Were Part of the Sunnyside Community: Lovell Arvid Lee
It was 1874 when junk dealer and real estate owner Charles A. Watson died in Alexandria, Virginia. He left his entire estate to his wife, Laura Ware (Wair) Watson. Together Laura and her three sons, Frank, Thomas Montgomery and Elbert turned their real estate into one of the first African American housing communities in Alexandria.
‘Not Again’: Tavares Floyd Mourns Loss of His Cousin George
“Not again” is the first thing that went through the mind of Tavares Floyd, a local Civil Rights attorney, when an aunt called him with the news of the death of his cousin George while in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25.
The Other Alexandria: Saluting One of Our Fallen Vietnam Veterans: Raymond Leroy Williams Sr.
In Washington, D.C. near the Lincoln Memorial is a black granite memorial erected for the Vietnam Soldiers who had died in action. On that wall, they listed over fifty individuals from Alexandria, including Private First Class Raymond Leroy Williams.
People at Work: WoofPurrfect Refocuses Pet Product to Fighting Coronavirus
Susan O’Malley chases her brown tabby, Mikey, across the hardwood floor in the dining room overlooking the Potomac with a bottle of 3% food grade hydrogen peroxide to clean up Mikey’s mess. “He is really my bad boy.”
Remembering the Fallen in Alexandria
Memorial Day ceremonies scale back during COVID-19.
The ceremonies were unofficial and scaled back. But on Memorial Day, the gatherings were just as somber and determined that the sacrifice of America’s fallen veterans would not be forgotten.
Al Fresco Pandemic
Restaurants eye parking lots and sidewalks as potential outdoor dining spots.
In normal times, the parking lot behind the Del Ray Cafe gives the restaurant a competitive advantage. Drivers can turn off East Howell Avenue and pull into one of the dozen spaces behind the 1925 house that’s been repurposed into a thriving restaurant. These days, the parking lot is giving the restaurant a different competitive advantage, one that nobody saw coming a few months ago.
‘We Will Never Forget’ in Alexandria
Amid COVID-19 restrictions, fallen officers remembered.
A tribute to Alexandria’s fallen law enforcement officers was held May 15 at Waterfront Park and Alexandria Police Department headquarters as part of a scaled down National Police Week due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Breaking Tradition in Alexandria
Drive-by celebration for new graduate.
When Juliana Mitchell entered the College of William and Mary four years ago, she envisioned a traditional graduation day taking place in historic Williamsburg.
Surviving COVID-19 in Alexandria
Life after the coronavirus.
In early March, 18-year-old Ana Murphy came down with a sinus infection. But as her symptoms persisted, her parents, Gregg and Monica Murphy, both became ill. It was then that the family began to suspect that this was not a normal seasonal virus.