All City of Alexandria government offices will be closed on Monday, Dec. 25; Tuesday, Dec. 26; and Monday, Jan. 1, in observance of the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
Alexandria City Public Schools and administrative offices will close for winter break on Friday, Dec. 22, and re-open on Tuesday, Jan. 2.
All City of Alexandria recreation centers, including the Chinquapin Recreation Center, will be closed on Sunday, Dec. 24; Monday, Dec. 25; and Monday, Jan.1. On Tuesday, Dec. 26, the Chinquapin Recreation Center will operate from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. All other City recreation centers will open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Dec. 26.
On Sunday, Dec. 31, the Chinquapin Recreation Center will operate from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Charles Houston, Cora Kelly, Mt. Vernon, and William Ramsey recreation centers will open from 1 to 5 p.m. on Dec. 31. The Nannie J. Lee recreation center will operate from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 31, and the Charles Barrett and Patrick Henry recreation centers will be closed on Dec. 31.
All City of Alexandria Libraries will be closed on Sunday, Dec. 24, through Tuesday, Dec. 26. All libraries will close at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31 and remain closed on Monday, Jan.1.
Alexandria Transit Company DASH bus service will operate a Sunday schedules on Sunday, Dec. 24, with service ending at 7 p.m. DASH buses will also operate a Sunday schedule on New Year’s Eve, Sunday, Dec. 31, with additional free shuttle service for “First Night Alexandria” events. The shuttle service will originate from the Masonic Temple and King Street Metro station and will serve all “First Night Alexandria” venue stops. Shuttle service will also be provided between the First Night venues in Del Ray and the King Street Metro station. In addition, all regular DASH routes serving King Street, between the King Street Metro Station and King/Fairfax Streets, will also be free. The free service will begin at 5 p.m. and end at 1 a.m. DASH buses will not operate on Monday, Dec. 25, or Monday, Jan. 1.
Residential trash and recycling will not be collected on Monday, Dec. 25, or Monday, Jan. 1. Scheduled collections will be delayed by one day during the weeks of Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.
The Alexandria Police Department will suspend enforcement of parking restrictions at metered spaces, as well as time restrictions in residential permit parking districts and other areas with signed parking time limits, on Dec. 25, Dec. 26, and Jan. 1. HOV restrictions on Washington Street and U.S. Route 1 will be suspended on Dec. 25, Dec. 26, and Jan. 1.
All Commonwealth of Virginia offices located in Alexandria will close at noon on Friday, Dec. 22, and remain closed through Tuesday, Dec. 26, for the Christmas holiday. State offices will also be closed on Monday, Jan. 1, and Tuesday, Jan. 2. This includes the Circuit, General District, and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts, the Clerk of Court Office, and the DMV Office at 2681 Mill Road.
The Alexandria Health Department, one of 35 district offices operated by the Virginia Department of Health’s Division of Community Services, and the Flora Krause Casey Health Center at 1200 N. Howard St. will also close at noon on Friday, Dec. 22, and remain closed through Dec. 26. The Health Department and Flora Krause Casey Health Center will also be closed on Monday, Jan 1, and Tuesday, Jan. 2.
The Adolescent Health Center at 3701 W. Braddock Road will remain open all day on Friday, Dec. 22, and will close on Monday, Dec. 25, and Tuesday, Dec. 26. The center will also be closed on Monday, Jan. 1 but will open on Tuesday, Jan. 2.
All emergency hotlines operated by the Alexandria Office on Women operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including the domestic violence hotline, 703-838-4911, and the sexual assault hotline, 703-683-7273.
Ten teen acts will be competing in the final round of the
Talented Teen Competition at First Night Alexandria 2006.
The finals of the 4th Annual Talented Teen Competition will be held on Dec. 31, at the Durant Center, located at 1605 Cameron St. in Old Town. The venue opens at 7 p.m. for dancing. The finals take place between 8-10 p.m.
The ten 2006 finalists are: Mike Richards, a guitarist who attends West Potomac H.S.; Amber Sheriesse Prigmore, a singer from Mt. Vernon H.S.; Simone Sattler, a singer/songwriter from Osbourn H.S.; Chris Green, a hip/hop dancer from Minnie Howard Middle School; Prophit, dancers from Alexandria; Interference, a four-piece band; Tyjuane Sharpe, a singer/songwriter from Alexandria; NOVA Quartet, comprised of junior and seniors from various high schools; Cross Product, a five-piece band of high school students; and Jolt, a four-piece band comprised of junior and senior high school students.
Winners will be announced at 11 p.m. when cash prizes will be awarded. The first place act will receive a paid contract to play at First Night Alexandria 2007.
Carbon Copy, the 2005 Talented Teen winner, will play three sets at 8:30, 9:30 and 10:30 p.m.
Admission to this venue is $10 per person if purchased before Dec. 25. After that date, admission is $15. Children 12 and under and active military are free.
First Night Alexandria 2006 officially kicks off at 5 p.m. at the Embassy Suites Hotel at 1900 Diagonal Rd. Children's venues throughout Old Town and Del Ray open at 6 p.m. The evening ends with a spectacular fireworks show at the stroke of midnight at the George Washington Masonic Temple. Free parking and shuttle services.
For more ticket and free parking information, visit FirstNightAlexandria.org or call 703-838-4200 ext. 210.
The Alexandria Community Services Board is urgently seeking volunteers to serve as legally appointed guardians for geriatric adults with mental illness. Service would start in late January 2007 or after. Ideal guardians will be compassionate persons who are able to make difficult decisions. Guardians make decisions about personal care, health care and living arrangements. Guardians meet periodically with the client and his/her social worker or service provider. The provider will give guardians pertinent information relevant to decision making.
Some of the clients in need of guardians may eventually be placed in nursing homes outside of Alexandria in locations such as Manassas, Warrenton, Fredericksburg or possibly Richmond. The guardian would then need to maintain correspondence with service providers in the location and visit as needed, approximately one or two times per year.
Guardians are bonded and court-appointed in Alexandria and will receive a copy of the Virginia Handbook for Guardians: A Practical Handbook. A tuberculosis test and training is required. The duties require approximately two hours per month. Contact Jennifer Cohen Cordero at jennifer.cohen-cordero@alexandriava.gov or 703-838-4455, ext. 165.
The Alexandria Fire Department, Emergency Management Division, partnered with the Be Safe Coalition need a limited number of adult and youth volunteers to sell hot chocolate at a fundraising event on New Year’s Eve at the Embassy Suites and Jefferson Houston School to raise money for fire and life safety education. The volunteers will work a two-hour shift 6-8 p.m.; 8-10 p.m.; or 10 p.m.-midnight at one of the locations. Volunteers receive free passes to the First Night Alexandria events. Contact Patsieann Misiti at 703-706-3940 ext. 222.
From 5:30 a.m., Dec. 29 to 5:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 30, join the YMCA Alexandria at 420 East Monroe Ave. in Alexandria for a 24-hour swim-a-thon as the swim teams swim non-stop as a fundraiser to help with camp scholarships for disadvantaged children. Contact Linda Blake at 703-838-8095 for more information.
The Alexandria Community Services Board is seeking a volunteer to assist a pre-school therapist with a play group for 50 infants, toddlers and their care givers. The volunteer is needed to help with activities, monitor children and help clean up. The volunteer should be energetic, comfortable giving direction and have experience with small children. The group meets on Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Mount Vernon Recreation Center: 2701 Commonwealth Ave., Alexandria. Call 703-838-4455, ext 165.
The City of Alexandria has partnered with Rebuilding Together Alexandria, a leading volunteer community organization, to implement a new free weatherization program for low-income homeowners to help City residents increase home comfort and lower heating fuel bills this winter. For additional information on the weatherization program or to apply for assistance, call the Alexandria Department of Human Services, Office of Community Services at 703-838-0971. For more information on other types of home repair assistance, call Katharine Medina of Rebuilding Together Alexandria at 703-836-1021.
HEW Federal Credit Union (HEWFCU), a federally insured financial institution can now serve the entire City of Alexandria. All residents are able to join HEWFCU and take advantage of the low-cost products and services the credit union offers. With experienced lending and member services staff and a physical facility already located in the area, HEWFCU has the tools and infrastructure to deploy to the market as an alternative to non-traditional financial services providers. Visit HEWFCU's office located on 400 N. Columbus St.; or visit www.hewfcu.com.
Rebuilding Together Alexandria (formerly Christmas in April) is seeking homeowners who need assistance with home repairs. Teams of volunteers work on many houses throughout Alexandria, repairing and renovating homes so that homeowners may continue to live in warmth, safety, and independence. All repairs are made at no expense to the homeowner. If you are a low-income Alexandria homeowner and need help with home repairs, call for an application at 703-836-1021 or e-mail info@rebuildingtogetheralex.org for more information. Limited applications accepted.
The Alexandria Domestic Violence Program is looking for volunteers to provide hotline coverage and crisis counseling to survivors of domestic violence. Volunteers are required to participate in 40 hours of training and requested to donate 10-15 hours per month over weekends and holidays. The next volunteer training will be on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2007 with a retreat from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Regular training sessions will follow on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-10 p.m. throughout the month of January. Interested individuals should contact Lacie Hughes at 703-838-4911. For more information on the program, visit www.alexwomen.com.
Virginia Tech’s Urban Affairs and Planning Program in Alexandria is presenting a New Metropolis Lecture Series during 2006-2007. The lecture series focuses on cutting-edge topics and ideas about metropolitan development in the United States and abroad. Lectures will be held from 7-9 p.m. at Virginia Tech’s Alexandria campus, 1021 Prince Street, 3rd floor main conference room, and are open to the public, free of charge.
Jan. 31, 2007, Bruce Beard, Assistant Director for Environmental Readiness Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Installations and Environment) — “Linking Landscapes—Linking Mission?”
Feb. 21, 2007, Peter Katz, author of The New Urbanism; Toward an Architecture of Community — “The New Revolution: Form-based Codes”
April 25, 2007, William Millar, President of the American Public Transportation Association — “The Future of Transit in the U.S.”
Contact Heike Mayer at 703-706-8122 or heikem@vt.edu
The Alexandria Community Services Board’s Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse is in need of volunteers to serve in the following positions. For more information about these volunteer opportunities, contact Jennifer Cohen Cordero at jennifer.cohen-cordero@alexandriava.gov or 703-838-4455.
* Representative Payees to receive Social Security checks and pay bills for persons with mental retardation or mental illness. A separate bank account is opened with automatic deposit and there are few monthly transactions. The duties require two hours per month, per account.
* Child activity leaders to participate in activities and supervise a small group of children while their parents are in English class at the Essex House Apartments, located at 375 South Reynolds St. Classes are held Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Children range in age from 1-7 years-old and there are up to eight children at a time. Essex House will provide a room equipped with games and activities near the parent classroom.
* Local Human Rights Committee (LHRC) member who is a health care provider. The LHRC reviews complaints of consumer rights violations filed by consumers of the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse. The LHRC reviews policies and makes recommendations about procedures that affect the rights of consumers. The duties require approximately three hours per month. There are 8-10 meetings per year on Wednesday evenings. The health care provider may be a nurse, doctor, social worker, residential counselor or other health care professional, and can be retired.