🌱 Tax On Business Initiative + E-Scooter Pilot Program

Hey, everybody. Lauren Kubiak here with your Wednesday edition of the Old Town Alexandria Patch newsletter, full of everything you need to know about what's going on in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Wednesday: Cooler; a little p.m. rain. High: 49 Low: 45.
• Thursday: Partly sunny. High: 82 Low: 48.

Business owners and marketers in Old Town Alexandria: Do you want to build awareness with local customers? I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top three stories today in Old Town Alexandria:

1. Old Town Business, an advocacy group in Alexandria, is working to establish a "business improvement service district" in the Old Town area, funded by a tax on businesses within the district’s boundaries. The funds would be used to host events and promote the businesses, with the district’s boundaries being along King Street and the waterfront and a new tax of 10 cents per $100 of assessed value levied on commercial properties. To proceed, Old Town Business needs to obtain petition signatures from 60 percent of the affected property owners, and public forums are being held to discuss the proposal. (WTOP)
2. A pilot program to limit the speeds of e-scooters and e-bikes below the city's 15 miles per hour maximum has been launched in a specific area of Old Town Alexandria. The slow zone will have an 8 miles per hour limit and is enforced through GPS technology to improve street and sidewalk safety. This pilot program will be evaluated, and feedback from residents will be considered for future implementation in other areas of Alexandria. (Old Town Alexandria Patch)
3. New homes have been listed for sale in the Old Town area. Available properties range from a 819-square-foot, two-bed, two-bath home for $345,000 to a $1.8 million home with three beds, five baths, and 3,344 square feet. Get all the property details at the link. (Old Town Alexandria Patch)

Today in Old Town Alexandria:

• Pourhouse Trivia Show At Augie's Mussel House And Beer Garden (8:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Crowds gathered along the streets of Old Town Alexandria and participated in the city's annual Presidents' Day tradition – the George Washington Birthday Parade. If you missed the parade, you can see photos at the link! (WTOP)
• Eddie’s Little Shop and Deli, which specializes in deli sandwiches, cold cuts, and marinated mozzarella, has opened in the former location of Deli, News & More on Alexandria's King Street, offering signature sandwiches like the sausage roll with ground sausage, peppers, onions, and balsamic glaze, and the Co'bano with corned beef, mustard pickle, hot capicola, ham, swiss cheese, and toasted marble rye loaf. (Old Town Alexandria Patch)
• The City of Alexandria honored Officer Albert Augustine Beverly, the first African-American police officer for the city in 1965, who saw the position as a "great opportunity" and was admired by both officers and the community on the anniversary of his death yesterday. (Police Department, City of Alexandria, Virginia via Facebook)

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Featured events:

• Preschool Tours for 2023-2024 school year (February 24)
• Old Town Alexandria Civil War Roundtable (February 25)
• Alexandria Citizen's Swing Band Spring Fling (February 25)
• XP League Open House (February 25)
• 2023 Alexandria Sister Cities Scottish Social and Whisky Tasting (February 25)
• Shoff Promotions Comic Book & Sports Card Show (February 26)
• Add your event

You're officially in the loop for today. See you all soon for another update!

— Lauren Kubiak

About me: Lauren is a freelance copywriter for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. She graduated from Rowan University with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism. She is a full-time editor at an association management firm, editing peer-reviewed nursing journals, textbooks, and newsletters.