Alexandria Letter: Insightful Article
Letter to the Editor
This article ["Reynes Shares Something Sweet," March 3, Gazette Packet] provides wonderful insight on the beauty of passion, hard work, and interdependence in one’s own community.
Fairfax: Oak Valley Center Joins PHILLIPS Programs for Children and Families
PHILLIPS Programs for Children and Families, a local nonprofit helping youth with a variety of challenges and qualities succeed, will assume operations of Fairfax-based Oak Valley Center.
Alexandria Letter: Stick to Braddock Plans
Letter to the Editor
How curious! Twenty-two of the existing affordable housing units adjacent to the Alfred Street Baptist Church will be demolished so the church can expand its sanctuary. In another forum Councilman John Taylor Chapman demanded the city violate two of its plans rather than forgo loss.
Column: Focus on Family, Starting at Home
Commentary–Rebuilding Together Alexandria
Family is a central focus for Tamir, who lives with his wife and two teenage children in Alexandria. He was laid off in the fall and started working as an Uber driver to make ends meet while he seeks a new job. Making matters worse, his refrigerator broke the week before Thanksgiving. With money tight, he did not know how he was going to replace it.
Column: Countdown to Gadsby’s Ball
Commentary–Gadsby's Tavern Museum Society Board
The top 10 things about Gadsby’s Tavern that you may not know and why you should go to its Best Bib & Tucker Ball:
Column: True Grit–Two Stories of the Value of AmeriCorps Experience
Commentary-Community Lodgings
Cristina O'Brien, 25, grew up in Long Island, N.Y., and knew that one day she would work with Spanish-speaking immigrants. She heard about AmeriCorps, a national service program that offers a stipend and college tuition reimbursement, while majoring in Spanish at American University. She searched for a position that would allow her to work with Spanish-speaking and immigrant children, and when she was placed at Community Lodgings in 2013, it was the perfect fit.
Column: Governor’s First Vetoes and Ongoing Supreme Court Battle
Commentary
The 2016 General Assembly will be wrapping up its work this week, and of the more than 3,200 bills and resolutions that were introduced, over 1,350 pieces of legislation have passed both chambers.
Meet the Chef: Frantz of Majestic
Chef Frantz discovers her sweet spot in the kitchen.
Wedges of lemon, squares of unsalted butter, curly green onion slivers, low country gravy and blackened shrimp sit mise en place in the prep kitchen at The Majestic on King Street. Lisa Marie Frantz, executive chef at The Majestic, is preparing shrimp and grits made to order for each customer.
Alexandria People at Work: Getting Back on Track
Something's always happening at FireFlies on Mount Vernon. It might be Pick a Pasta Night on Tuesday, Build Your Own Omelet or Quiche Brunch on Sunday, live comedy on Monday Burger Night, local musicians on the weekend or children dancing on the stage when it's not otherwise occupied. Marylisa Lichens, owner with her husband Dan, says, "We wanted it to be a place where families could bring their children and have dinner a couple of times a week. We wanted it to become an extension of the neighborhood."
Letter: Hug Your Dog
To the Editor
Dogs have always been a huge part of my life. My first dog, Leroy, was here before I was, and would follow me around the house to keep me out of trouble.
Musings from the Maestro: ‘Lushness & Lyrical’
Alexandria Symphony Orchestra
Alexandria Symphony Orchestra will present “Lushness & Lyrical” on Saturday, April 2 and Sunday, April 3.
Alexandria Appetite: Hank’s Pasta Bar Brings Little Italy to Old Town
Newcomer to the neighborhood has already gained solid following.
North Old Town has a new hotspot in the neighborhood. Hank’s Pasta Bar, the kid sister to the venerable Hank’s Oyster Bar on King Street, has taken the area by storm since opening about five weeks ago. And the newness hasn’t worn off yet. From the two fully booked soft openings to a recent Monday night that found the dining room out of space for the evening by 7 p.m., it’s clear that residents have a hankering for pasta. And Hank’s stands at the ready to accommodate.
Alexandria: Ramsey Reconsidered
Rebuilding the strained “special relationship.”
Rezoning a piece of property without having an approved plan — for what will replace it — is highly unusual, but it doesn’t mean the City Council won’t do it.
Alexandria: ‘Boots & Bling’ Supports Children
The Center for Alexandria’s Children hosted “Boots & Bling: A Western Fling” on Feb. 25 at Blackwall Hitch to benefit its programs for child abuse victims and vulnerable families in Alexandria.
Fairfax: Gifted Dancers, Thrilling Artistry
George Mason University School of Dance presents Dance Gala.
“These are exciting times for the Mason School of Dance; we want to share our excitement with all of Northern Virginia,” said Susan Shields, director School of Dance, George Mason University.
What City Can Do To Help Businesses Succeed
Small business owners offer suggestions.
It might not sound like much for the average Alexandrian, but a zoning community meeting could be the first step towards making Alexandria a better home for small businesses. On March 19, the city will host a Small Business Zoning Community Meeting, starting at 10 a.m. in the Sister Cities room at City Hall.
Alexandria Snapshot: Grand Opening
From left: Lily Damtew, Mayor Allison Silberberg, and Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile Selassie, who is president of The Crown Council of Ethiopia, at the official opening of the The Abyssinia Mart, located at 720 Jefferson in South Old Town.
Fairfax: Pancakes for a Cause
Breakfast event raises funds for Ellie’s Hats.
Some 200 people enjoyed a pancake breakfast, Saturday morning, at American Legion Post 177 in the City of Fairfax.
Fairfax: Asking the Needed Questions
City Council and staff discuss City housing policy.
The City’s housing policy was one of the items discussed during the Fairfax City Council’s recent mini-retreat at the Blenheim Interpretive Center.
Sports Roundups
Sports happenings