Alexandria: Preserving the Preserve
Jodie Smolik leads Winkler Botanical Preserve.
By her own account Jodie Smolik is a very fortunate woman.
Alexandria: Paving the Way for Stormwater Fee
New fee for residential and commercial properties to be based on permeability.
It might be time to plant some more trees and green up the home. A new stormwater service fee proposed by city staff could be directly tied to the permeability of residential and commercial properties. The fee is the proposed solution to an unfunded mandate by the state requiring one quarter of the city retrofitted for stormwater treatment by 2028.
Alexandria: Last Stop
Sandy Modell retires from DASH.
Thirty-two years after she started driving buses part time in Harrisonburg in college, Sandy Modell is retiring from her position as CEO and general manager of DASH, the Alexandria transit company. For 28 years, Modell led DASH through massive expansions. Since Modell started, the company has grown from one million passengers on 17 buses to four million passengers across 85 buses.
Alexandria: ‘A Labor of Love’
Historic Homes Tour celebrates 75 years.
The Dr. William Brown House, considered one of Old Town’s most prominent and historic homes, will be one of six homes featured Sept. 24 in the 75th annual Historic Alexandria Homes Tour benefitting the Twig Junior Auxiliary of Inova Alexandria Hospital.
Alexandria: Playground Volunteer Day Spotlights Park Revitalization
RunningBrooke spearheads park cleanup.
The wheels were set in motion back in April, when Brooke Curran solicited 400 donors to participate in Spring2Action to help fund the revitalization of Taney Avenue Park.
Alexandria Snapshot: Protest
Ray Deakins protests Sept. 21 the decision of Alexandria City Council to petition the Virginia General Assembly for permission to remove the Appomattox Statue from the intersection of Prince and Washington streets.
Alexandria: Remembering POWs and MIAs
“Rocky” Versace among six Vietnam veterans still considered MIA.
The strains of “God Bless America” were the last words anyone would hear from Capt. Humbert “Rocky” Versace before he was executed Sept. 26, 1963, while a prisoner of war in Vietnam. Versace, whose remains have never been found, is one of six Alexandrians listed as Missing in Action from the Vietnam War.
Alexandria: Meet the Coaches
Longerbeam, Barger to talk about upcoming season.
As T.C. Williams’ head football coach, Jimmy Longerbeam is the new kid in town and will talk about the upcoming season at the Alexandria Sportsman’s Club annual High School Football Coaches Night Sept. 20 at the Old Dominion Boat Club.
Alexandria: Last Minute Donation Saves Dog
Arrielle is one lucky puppy.
By all accounts, Arielle should be dead. The black-haired, big-eared German Shepherd suffered from dens aplasia, a condition in which the first vertebrae of the neck does not form properly and the instability creates damage along the spinal cord.
Alexandria Snapshot: Grand Opening
Mayor Allison Silberberg joints the Sifakis family for the grand opening of The Italian Place at 621 Wythe St. The market, owned by Adrianna Penachio Sifakis, opened in North Old Town on Sept. 8. The Italian Place is a gourmet Italian market serving sub sandwiches, pastas, Italian wines, gift baskets and other Italian themed foods and gifts.
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: 37 Years Later, Chief Cook Retires
Chief of Police Cook reflects on his service to his city.
For as long as he can remember, Chief of Police Earl Cook wanted to be a police officer. At the end of September, Cook will retire and go back to being a civilian for the first time in 37 years.
Council Notebook
While the City Council officially received the report from the Ad Hoc Committee on Confederate Street names at the Sept. 13 City Council meeting, the unanimous decision of the council was to save discussion for Saturday, Sept. 17 public hearing.
Alexandria Police Body Camera Timeline Slips
More police officers is budget priority.
Police in Arlington started wearing body cameras on Aug. 29, and in June the Fairfax County Board voted to approve an 18-month research period for concerns about privacy with regards to body cameras. In D.C. police have been using body cameras for a year. But while Alexandria’s neighbors move forward with body camera usage and related policies, the city has pushed the body camera pilot program back until the fiscal year 2018-19.
Alexandria Column: There, Their, and They’re
A Mentoring Story
Wright to Read provides volunteer-based one-on-one sustained literacy tutoring and mentoring relationships to City of Alexandria elementary school children in need, and collaborates with families, schools and community partners to create a support network that guides each child to success.