Stories for October 2020

Paving the Way in Alexandria

Memorial Walkway celebrates legacy of Parker-Gray School.

The 100th anniversary of the founding of Parker-Gray School, for decades the lone place of education for Alexandria’s African American community, was celebrated Oct. 24 with the dedication of a brick Memorial Walkway on the grounds of its original site at the Charles Houston Recreation Center.

The Other Alexandria: The Cigar Man Made a Better Life – James Thomas Ford

In 1930, James Thomas Ford was a 17-year-old who lived with his mother and siblings in a rural community in Victoria, Lunenburg, Virginia.

This Week Is Pedestrian Safety Awareness Week in Alexandria

Alexandria City Council issued a Proclamation on Oct. 13, 2020

In recognition of the facts that:

Alexandria Film Festival Unveils 2020 Program

45 films to be screened virtually, including 18 premieres

The Alexandria Film Festival, which will debut virtually this year Nov. 12-15, announced on Tuesday its 2020 programming of 45 short and feature length fiction and nonfiction films, representing every genre.

Witchful Thinking in Alexandria

Ghouls still want some fun on Halloween.

Halloween will look different this year, with COVID-19 safety a priority as children and adults look for alternative ways to celebrate the ghoulish holiday.

Local Filmmaker Uses a Pie Recipe to Highlight Family Change

The family and sweet potato pie is one of many highlights in the upcoming Alexandria Film Festival.

Local Filmmaker

Officer Shot, Suspect Dead in Old Town Alexandria Shooting

Second suspect in State Police custody

North Old Town was on lockdown for several hours Oct. 26 following a double shooting that left an Alexandria police officer wounded and a suspect fatally injured on the 600 block of First Street near the Old Town Holiday Inn.

Obituary: Dr. Nancy Durant Edmonds

Daughter of Dr. Oswald Durant dies at 92

Dr. Nancy Durant Edmonds, daughter of noted Alexandria doctor Oswald Durant, died unexpectedly at her home in Plainfield, N.J. at the age of 92.

Opinion: Commentary: Building Trust in our Police Officers

This column, number two of three columns, focuses on reforms to Virginia’s policing practices, legislation I helped craft with Senator Mamie Locke.

Myth-busting the Vote

A look at how the election will really happen in Alexandria

For most Alexandria voters expected to cast a ballot this year, Election Day has already come and gone. The unprecedented spike in early voting comes at a time when the city is battling a deadly pandemic and a whirlwind of misinformation. Here are a few myths about the election this year and why they are wrong.

Preventing Falls

Physical exercise and home safety reduce risk

One of the leading causes of fatal injuries in older adults is falling.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Don’t Waste Your Vote

Maybe Joe Biden was not your preferred Democratic candidate and you would rather have supported Warren, Klobuchar, Sanders or Buttigieg.

Opinion: Commentary: Don’t Be Fooled by Ballot Language in Virginia

Vote NO on the Gerrymandering Amendment

The ballot language in Amendment 1 is confusing.

Restaurant of the Week: Cedar Knoll Restaurant

Cedar Knoll Restaurant features sweeping views of the Potomac River, acclaimed American – French cuisine and a fun atmosphere.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Don’t Bulldoze Taylor Run

To reduce sediment and nutrient loads in the Chesapeake Bay, the City of Alexandria is proposing an ambitious $4.5 million plan to re-engineer 2,000 feet of Taylor Run, which courses through the woods in Chinquapin Park.

Kaleidoscope – Another Type of Halloween Candy

As a toddler, Anila Angjeli was given a small device that displayed endless mesmerizing symmetric geometries when seen through light.

Alexandria Arts Alliance Hosts Joint Virtual Fundraiser

The Alexandria Arts Alliance in partnership with ACT for Alexandria and in collaboration with Alexandria’s vibrant artists and arts organizations announces and invites you to its first virtual fundraising event, streaming on Facebook Live on Oct. 24, 2020 at 7 p.m.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Seriously, Don’t Bulldoze Taylor Run

It is said that the definition of a hypocrite is one who cuts down a magnificent tree and then uses the stump to stand on to make a speech about conservation.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Project Community Connect Supports Those Struggling to Afford Basic Needs

The impact of COVID-19 has deepened the economic hardship for residents in the DMV area.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Why the Arts in Alexandria Deserve Your Support on Saturday and Beyond

A friend recently told me she wasn’t supporting local arts organizations because there were so many life and death situations out there that needed her dollars.

Additional Locations for Absentee Voting in Alexandria

The City of Alexandria will open additional voting locations to facilitate in-person absentee voting for the Nov. 3 general and special elections.

Oktoberfest Goes Virtual in Alexandria

SSA holds 9th annual fundraiser

Senior Services of Alexandria went virtual as it held its 9th annual Oktoberfest on Oct. 15 with supporters across the city hosting small in-home gatherings in support of SSA programs.

Spooky Science in Alexandria

Mad Science Expo inspires STEAM learning

With social distancing measures in place, hundreds of future astronauts, scientists, mathematicians and engineers turned out Oct. 17 at The Watergate at Landmark for the fourth annual Spooky Mad Science Expo, an event to combine Halloween and science learning projects.

Aw Shucks: Fish Market Takes Oyster Shucking Title in Alexandria

The competition was fierce, but in the end it was Gerson Baten of the Fish Market who took top honors at the first annual Oyster Week Oyster Shucking contest Oct. 17 at the City Marina. “I don’t have any secret,” said Baten, who has been shucking oysters for 8 years. “I just like shucking oysters fast.” Sponsored by the Old Town Business Association, the contest was the culmination of Oyster Week, which ran Oct. 12-17, with restaurants featuring oyster specials. Due to COVID, the planned Oyster Festival was downgraded to an Oyster Week. Representatives from local restaurants were judged on shucking speed as well as the quality of presentation. The event was sponsored by Guinness Beer and held behind Torpedo Factory Art Center.

Obituary: Joe Shumard

“Mr. Parade,” volunteer organizer dies at 67

No name is more synonymous with Alexandria’s signature events than Joe Shumard.

Appetite: Off the Menu: Restaurant Notes From Around Town in Alexandria

Though the Covid-19 pandemic marches on, there are signs of life across the city’s restaurants as new enterprises launch and old favorites re-emerge.

Obituary: Bernard ‘Bernie’ Cohen

Trailblazing attorney dies at 86

In 1963, Bernie Cohen was barely out of law school, practicing on King Street in Alexandria and doing pro bono work for the American Civil Liberties Union.

Agenda Alexandria Civilian Review of Law Enforcement

Agenda Alexandria will be hosting an online discussion of civilian review of law enforcement in Alexandria at noon on Monday, Oct. 26, 2020.

Civilian Oversight

City Council members to consider creating citizen board to investigate police

Last spring, disparities in law enforcement created a groundswell of support for a new civilian review board in Alexandria, a group that could investigate excessive use of force and abuse of authority. Since that time, the General Assembly passed a new law giving these kinds of bodies authority to subpoena documents and witnesses as well as make binding disciplinary determinations. Now members of the City Council are about to consider several options for what kind of civilian review board they want to create.

Opinion: Commentary: Marathon is Over – Virginia Special Session Gavels Out

The 2020 General Assembly Special Session, which first convened on Aug. 18, recessed at 7:15 p.m. Oct. 16.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: We Are Not Better Off Now

Regarding this 2020 election… never mind that President Trump took children away from their parents at our southern border.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Voters: Heroes of the Day

I am just short of 88 years of age and have voted in sixteen elections for president.

National Book Month

Month-long celebration focuses on engaging families in reading, writing and literature

It’s a line from the Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, To Kill a Mockingbird, that is at the heart of the literary philosophy of Anne Briggs, web services and communications librarian at Montgomery College Library.

U.S. Park Police Charged in Killing of McLean Resident

Family has waited for justice since November 2017 when Bijan Ghaisar was shot.

Latest: Police Officers Turn Themselves In

Opinion: Column: “I’ll Think About That Tomorrow”

What I'm thinking about – and being thankful for, today, is the disappearance of all the side effects I've been experiencing during the last four weeks or so since I began my pill regimen for my papillary thyroid cancer treatment.

Opinion: Commentary: Special Session Summary #1: Criminal Justice Reform Delivered

First of three parts.

Locals Revisit the Civil War at Fort Willard

By 1865, Fort Willard was southernmost of 68 forts and 93 batteries armed with over 800 cannons protecting Washington.

In 1862 and 1863, at the apex of today’s Belle Haven community, Union soldiers at Fort Willard were on the lookout for enemies coming up the Potomac River or approaching along Accotink Turnpike.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Does Changing the Names Violate Free Speech?

Public edifices typically acquire their names at their time of construction.

Evelyn deLottinville, Local Business Leader, Dies at 64

Evelyn deLottinville, vice president and branch manager at the Duke Street branch of United Bank, died Sept. 28 after a brief battle with leukemia.

Best in Business in Alexandria

INOVA Alexandria tops 2020 honorees

Campagna Center president and CEO Tammy Mann was honored by the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce as the Business Leader of the Year at the Oct. 1, 2020 Best in Business Awards.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Police in ACPS Harms Students, Especially Black and Brown Students and Students with Disabilities

A July 3 Gazette-Packet article entitled “Reconsidering Police in Schools in Alexandria” tapped into the growing demands of activist groups, the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia, and ACPS students to remove police from our schools.

Opinion: Commentary: Alexandria School Board Must Vote to Get Police Out of Schools

All children deserve to go to school and feel safe and supported.

40 Under 40 in Alexandria

Chamber to honor young leaders Oct. 29

The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce will pay tribute to the city’s young business and community leaders Oct. 29 at the fifth annual 40 Under 40 awards ceremony.

The Other Alexandria: Giving Back to the Youth: Joyce Casey Sanchez

Mrs. Joyce Casey Sanchez is an 87-year-old who lives in the Seminary area of Alexandria, Va.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Taking a Bite Out of Alexandria’s Historic District

The Southwest Quadrant of the Old and Historic District is under serious assault.

Opinion: Column: “And Awaaay We Go!”

As Jackie Gleason would say as he segued from his monologue into the sketch comedy that followed on his Saturday night entertainment hour on CBS.

Mary Moran Dies at 65

Mary Moran, a longtime Alexandria resident who relocated in recent years to Leonardtown, Md., died Oct. 1 following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.

Hiding at the Top of the Ticket

Race for Senate features two-term incumbent versus first-time candidate.

When Mark Warner ran for governor in 2001, opponents knocked him for wanting to be governor without having ever run for office before.

Home Library Design

Designers offer ideas for spaces with style and comfort.

Once thought of as space for academics to smoke cigars and sip whiskey, the era of covid-19 has transformed home libraries into now cozy places of refuge.

The Great Pumpkin Patch in Alexandria

Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill hosts 27th annual charity fundraiser

The corner of Seminary Road and Quaker Lane is once again ablaze in a sea of orange as Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill hosts its 27th annual Pumpkin Patch fundraiser for charity.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Renaming Maury School?

The Sept. 24 issue of the Gazette Packett demonstrates the illogical dichotomy between the Alexandria Public School System, the Economic Development Agency, and some of our unusual community activists.

Warner, Restaurateurs Meet in Alexandria

Questions abound on stalled pending relief

Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) met with area restaurateurs Oct. 5 for a discussion on how Congress can support the industry and its workforce during the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

McArthur Myers: Preserving Alexandria’s African American History

What is right? Actively serving your community in any capacity you see fit.

School Stimulus Money: Private Versus Public in Alexandria

Private schools received up to $3 million more in stimulus than public schools.

Private schools in Alexandria received significantly more federal stimulus money than public schools, according to data from the agencies that doled out the cash.

Opinion: Column: An Update About Some Down Time

Not that I want to give you a blow-by-blow concerning my treatment switch over to thyroid cancer from lung cancer, but the last two columns were written four weeks ago in the same week in expectation of a weekend away, so these observations will be new-ish in that they will be hot off the press, so to speak.

Creating a Spooky and Safe Halloween in the Age of COVID-19

Ideas for frightful revelry abound even amid coronavirus concerns.

Cartoon character Marshall from Paw Patrol will be searching for chocolate while a tiny pop star tracks down toys as Arlington mother and teacher Becky Beach and her family celebrate the spookiest day of the year.

Behavioral Health Teams to Join Police on Mental Health Calls in Virginia

Marcus alert bill passes House and Senate, moves to Northam’s desk

Opinion: Commentary: We Need a Better Redistricting Amendment

Along with eliminating the Electoral College and reversing corporate contributions green-lighted by the Citizens United case, I consider the drawing of elected officials’ district lines to be one of the most significant, fundamental problems in American Democracy today.

Alexandria Police Department Makes Arrest in Sept. 30 Homicide

On Oct. 4, the Alexandria Police Department arrested Tavon Marquis Lanier, a 19-year-old resident of Alexandria, for the September 30 homicide of John Pope.

Alexandria Police Investigate Fatal Crash

The Alexandria Police Department is investigating a vehicle crash that occurred on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, in the 900 block of N. Washington Street.

Appetite: Alexandria: Hank & Mitzi’s Chef Edwards Wins Food Network’s ‘Chopped’

Through multiple courses, battling multiple competitors, Hank & Mitzi’s own Chef Chris Edwards came out on top of the Food Network’s “Chopped” competition last week, facing off against competitors from across the country – and Edwards’ own back yard in Alexandria.

Mount Vernon Serenity Cut Short By Noisy Tailpipes

Modified mufflers put out sounds that carry through quiet neighborhoods.

Noisy tailpipes

Limiting Neck Restraints

Lawmakers negotiate behind closed doors on how to curb police use of chokeholds.

When lawmakers began their special session on criminal justice reform in August, hopes were high that the General Assembly would send the governor a bill that banned police from using chokeholds. But now that the protesters have gone home and the lawmakers have moved behind closed doors to negotiate in a secret closed-door conference committee, advocates for criminal-justice reform are worried about what will emerge in the conference report that will be presented to the House and Senate.

Opinion: Commentary: Lee District Welcomes You

On behalf of Fairfax County, and especially Lee District, I welcome you to our community.

Alexandria/Mount Vernon Nonprofits

Many nonprofits in the city and nearby need your help to continue to rise to the need during the dual health and economic crisis of the pandemic.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Show Up and Vote Early; No Excuse Required

I was one of the many people who flocked to Alexandria’s Election office on Royal Street on Sept. 18, when it kicked off 45 days of no-excuse voting for the first time.

Getting Out, Giving Back in Alexandria

Opportunities abound to help community

As Alexandrians continue facing challenging times during the pandemic, individuals have rallied in their spirit of giving, whether it be in time, talents or resources with no shortage of opportunities to get involved.

Getting Down to Business in Alexandria

Guide to navigating the ABCs of Alexandria, for newcomers and the rest of us

With Alexandrians living in the shadow of the nation’s capital, acronyms such as DoD, NSA and DHS are a part of the daily vernacular.

There’s No Place Like Home in Alexandria

City adapts in changing times

Alexandria has for centuries been known primarily as the hometown of George Washington, attracting history aficionados from across the globe to its cobblestone streets and lively waterfront.

‘What Do You Like About Living in Alexandria?’

‘Too Blessed to be Stressed’ in Alexandria

Walk-by parade held for Jim Henson.

Family and friends gathered for a socially distanced walk-by parade Sept. 27 to honor Jim Henson, who was recently diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer.

‘Notorious RBG’

Vigil held to honor Justice Ginsburg

Generations of Alexandrians turned out Sept. 24 to participate in a candlelight vigil and walk in memory of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died Sept. 18 after a battle with cancer.

Del Ray’s Art on the Avenue Goes Virtual

5th anniversary festival to run Oct. 3 to Dec. 25

One of the region’s premier arts festivals is going virtual for 2020, with Del Ray’s Art on the Avenue kicking off Oct. 3 and running through Dec. 25 in an effort to provide ongoing support to local artists.

History: Alexandria

The Office of Historic Alexandria announced the installation of two new panels commemorating the Loving v. Virginia Supreme Court decision legalizing interracial marriage throughout the United States, and the Law Firm of Cohen, Cohen, and Hirschkop, which represented the Lovings.

Opinion: Commentary: 7 Months of Snow Days

COVID-19 outbreak has shined a light on unacceptable disparities in wellness and access to healthcare.

Some of the most challenging times in local government are when it snows.

9 Spots for Outdoor Dining in Alexandria

Over the past six months, restaurants across Alexandria have had to get creative in the face of unprecedented challenges.

The Other Alexandria: He Believed In the Constitution: Reverend Fields Cook

Reverend Fields Cook engaged in so many areas of endeavor during his lifetime that it would be impossible to write a short article on all the things he accomplished. His struggles became his strengths

He was born a slave in King Williams County, Virginia around 1817, and was author of the 1847 unpublished memoir, “Fields’ Observations.”

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Gerrymandering in Virginia and Maryland

The warship Vasa was a floridly crafted masterpiece with at least 700 delicately carved sculptures, figurines, and ornaments, and three gun decks.

Alexandria Police Investigate Fatal Vehicle Crash

The Alexandria Police Department is investigating a vehicle crash that occurred on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, in the 900 block of N. Washington Street.

Landscapes Are Vivid, and Get Haikus, in Steve Moen’s Across the Gorge and Other Spaces Between

Painter Steve Moen ponders time and the human experience through his solo exhibit Across the Gorge and Other Spaces Between.

Opinion: Commentary: Reform at America’s #1 High School Is Good for All, Including Asian Americans

As part of the proposed 2020 budget for the Commonwealth of Virginia, Governor Northam charged all academic year governor’s schools to set diversity goals and develop a plan to meet them.

Where to Give Locally To Help with Pandemic Hunger and Beyond

Any quest to talk about the issues in Northern Virginia right now seems to lead to talk about the pandemic, and the economic crisis that follows in its wake.

Newcomers & Community Guide 2020

About the Connection in 2020

Alexandria’s Failed Experiment with Wards

Del Ray forced a ward system on Old Town. It didn’t end well.

Del Ray was furious. The Alexandria City Council was dominated by members from Old Town, and they took action in the interest of Old Town. People in Del Ray felt neglected and unheard. The elected members of council did not include one single solitary member from their neighborhood, and so people there were demanding the city abandon its at-large system of representation on the City Council and adopt a ward system similar to the one the city had before adopting the city manager form of government.

Opinion: Column: And So It Continues

Two-plus weeks into my thyroid cancer treatment, all is as I anticipated.