A proposal to take space away from cars draws a familiar reaction. What’s on the roster for the Maryland Legislature’s final day? Alexandria considers throwing traditional taxis a bone.
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The Arlandria/Chirilagua neighborhood is surrounded by some of
the most significant developments in the region. (Image/City of Alexandria)
City Council discussed an ambitious draft housing affordability plan for the Chirilagua neighborhood and its majority Hispanic residents that would expand access to deeply affordable housing during the Tuesday legislative meeting.
The city’s growing need for affordable housing has been a topic of conversation on the City Council dais for years, with councilors stressing the need to keep Alexandria livable for its lower income residents. The plan presented by city staff on Tuesday targets the Arlandria/Chirilagua neighborhood in an attempt to not only increase the city’s affordable housing stock but preserve the neighborhood’s cultural identity, according to staff.
Amy Jackson, a current member of City Council and longtime educator in Northern Virginia, kickstarted her council re-election campaign on Feb. 3, her birthday.
It was a personal way for Jackson to launch her campaign at a time when knocking on doors and meeting community members at fundraisers are no longer part of running a campaign. It was also apt for a candidate who was raised in Alexandria and pitches herself as a “voice of the people.”
“We have an inclusive city that’s always been home to me,” Jackson said. “I want to continue to always find a path to make sure that people feel welcome and that people feel seen. I want everybody here feeling seen.”
At around 9 a.m. on Jan. 15, Yodit Gulelat, the owner of Van Dorn Pharmacy, found herself facing down a growing line of elderly patients eager to get their COVID-19 vaccinations. The pharmacy had just received its first batch of Moderna vaccine doses from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the line outside her door was ballooning.
Gulelat, who immigrated to the U.S. from Ethiopia in 1986, worked non-stop to process the winding line of patients.
“I didn’t see her take a sip of water,” Pamela Norton, director of business development for a local architectural firm who had been at the pharmacy throughout the vaccination process, said.
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National Symphony Orchestra cellists Britton Riley and Eugena Chang played for a socially distanced crowd on July 25, 2020 as part of Classical Movements outdoor concert series. (Photo/Classical Movements)
For six months during the pandemic, music was alive again in Alexandria. And then, suddenly, it wasn’t.
At a time when concert halls, clubs and other live music venues had to close their doors, Classical Movements, an Old Town based classical music tour company, found a creative solution to the sudden dearth of live music. Starting in June, Classical Movements held a series of intimate, socially distanced outdoor concerts in the “secret garden” behind its historic 18th century building at 711 Princess St.