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Opinion: Commentary: Don’t GO (Yet), But Still “Visit”
Just as I reported to you about our nonprofits and local small businesses, our many historic, cultural and arts sites in the Mount Vernon District are currently closed to visitors. Our favorite sites are using their time to create virtual experiences to engage their visitors in new ways and leading fundraising efforts to offset lost revenue.
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Opinion: Commentary: Early Economic Impact of COVID-19
Virginia is gradually and cautiously opening up after the coronavirus lockdown. However, we must navigate a rough fiscal road ahead due to a precipitous drop in tax revenues due to the economic impact of this crisis.
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Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Alexandria Needs a Plan to Re-open
I commend the efforts to flatten the curve of the pandemic by the city of Alexandria and its residents but we must also prepare for a just re-opening of Alexandria's economy. Alexandria, like the rest of Virginia and the DC Metro Region adhered to stay at home orders, and asked businesses to close and citizens and local government alike have tried to reduce the number of cases of the CoronaVirus. Critical to reopening, like flattening the curve, is testing for coronavirus and the antibody, as well as preparation for contact tracers. But we must also continue to encourage social distancing and the wearing of masks.
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Opinion: Commentary: One Night In Del Ray: A 2020 Retrospective
On May 29, 1970, a young black man was murdered in a convenience store in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria. The young man, Robin Gibson, was just 19. The white store manager who shot Gibson later admitted to planting a knife near his body to make it appear as though Gibson had attacked him. The manager pleaded guilty to manslaughter and served less than 1 year in prison for his crime.
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Harmon, Ross Join Incumbents on Fairfax City Council
Meyer and School Board members all re-elected.
Fairfax City re-elected its mayor, City Council and School Board incumbents, Tuesday, May 19, and added Joe Harmon and Tom Ross to the Council, replacing Jennifer Passey and Michael DeMarco who chose not to run. And despite the pandemic, which caused many to vote by mail, more votes were cast than in 2018.
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‘Great Value for Citizens’ Tax Dollars’ in Fairfax City
City adopts budget for FY 21.
It wasn’t the bright, hopeful document they’d expected to pass before COVID-19 gripped the nation, but last Wednesday, May 13, Fairfax City Councilmembers approved the City’s FY 2021 budget.
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‘More Traffic Will Go Down Galesbury’ in Chantilly
VDOT’s proposals for Route 50 intersections.
Under normal traffic conditions, the two-mile segment of Route 50 between Route 28 and Stringfellow Road in Chantilly is clogged during the morning and evening rush. It also averages 71,000 vehicles a day and has a high number of crashes.
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Culpepper Garden Beats the Odds on Coronavirus in Arlington
Low-income senior facility has no cases yet, as of this week.
Culpepper Garden low-income retirement property on Henderson Street in Arlington has so far escaped the coronavirus raging through other senior living facilities nationwide.
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Amazon Partners with Freddie’s to Provide 10,000 Meals in May in Arlington
A caravan of cars packed full of food donations pulls up in hospital parking lot C at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 14 to deliver 350 lunches as part of a partnership between Amazon and Freddie Lutz, owner of Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant.
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Alexandria Week in Coronavirus
More 89,000 deaths in United States, more than 275 cases in Alexandria in one week, but most of Virginia eases restrictions.
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Arlington Week in Coronavirus
Virginia begins to open despite adding more than 6,000 cases and 150 deaths in one week; Arlington up to 1,638 cases and 77 deaths.
Arlington and Northern Virginia will continue stay-at-home restrictions despite most of Virginia transitioning to Phase One of Governor Ralph Northam’s “Forward Virginia” reopening plan.
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West Montgomery County Citizens Association: How Will Residents Be Heard During Pandemic?
Saving trees at Swains Lock; another proposed senior living facility; silly walks?
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Friends Find Ways to Meet and Stay Safe in Potomac
Where there is a will, there is a way, and three high school friends wanted to visit in person in spite of the rules about social distancing. So, Sophie Shapiro, Sheerin Naimi and Maya Rosenberg planned a get together by meeting in the parking lot of Potomac Library Saturday afternoon. “We haven’t met since March,” the Churchill graduates said.
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Burke Community on Parade for Veteran’s 100th Birthday
Lots of honks, waves and social distancing.
100 Birthday
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Potomac Week in Coronavirus
Maryland passes 40,000 cases; cases increased more than 6,000 last week in the county, but state reduces restrictions; county takes an exemption.
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Furloughed and Waiting
Uncertainty lingers as furloughed workers hope temporary layoffs come to an end.
When Joy Phansond was furloughed from her job as sales coordinator at the Holiday Inn in Old Town, the temporary layoff was initially supposed to last until April 5. Then it was extended to May 5. Then it was extended again until June 5. She suspects that it’ll be extended again until July at least because the hotel business in Alexandria has been slammed by the collapse of tourism, trade shows and conventions.
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Appetite: Food Trucks Lift Spirits, Bring Community to Cameron Station
It’s a tale as old as time: Communities finding common ground with food, sharing meals together, looking forward to events that center on a family meal, a special occasion.
