Around Alexandria this week

empty car lot on King St.  Better to have a car lot w/ or w/out cars?  

hello deer!  

haven't seen a rabbit in Alexandria in a long time! 

Fall is here!  

old truck 

Spirit Halloween in the old Staples store on duke St. 

new breakfast - pancake muffins. 

5 Little Pumpkins

5 Little Pumpkins

Here are the words to the favorite Halloween book.

5 Little Pumpkins

5 little pumpkins sitting on a gate.
The 1st one says, "Oh my it's getting late."
The 2nd one says "The witch is in the air"
The 3rd one says, "I don't care"
The 4th one says, "I'm ready for some fun"
The 5th one says, "Let's run, run, run"

Then came the wind
and
blew out the lights.
And five little pumpkins rolled out of sight.

Rec. Dept. To Hold Public Mtg. On Warwick Pool

For Immediate Release: October 2, 2014

Alexandria Park and Recreation Commission to Hold Public Hearing on the Condition and Potential Future Improvements to the Warwick Pool Facility

The Alexandria Park and Recreation Commission will hold a public hearing on the Warwick Pool Facility including potential improvement activities and Capital Improvement Program funding on Thursday, October 9, 7 p.m., at the Charles Houston Recreation Center located at 901 Wythe St. After discussion on the Warwick Pool, the Commission will hear comments from City residents on any other park and recreation related issue not previously discussed in a public hearing by the Commission. The regular monthly meeting of the Commission will follow the public hearing.

In May 2014, staff performed an Existing Site and Building Analysis of the Warwick Pool Facility to identify items that may affect the City’s ability to sustain normal operations following the FY 2015 season (Summer 2014). The analysis included an assessment of the community building, pool shell, pool deck, and access to the immediate pool site.  The adjacent Landover Park and playground are not included in the analysis. 

Individuals who are unable to attend the public hearing may send written comments to the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities, Attention: Laura Durham, City Open Space Coordinator, 1108 Jefferson St., Alexandria, VA 22314; e-mail laura.durham@alexandriava.gov; or fax to 703.684.6826 by 5 p.m. Thursday, October 9.

For additional information, contact William Chesley, Deputy Director, at william.chesley@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.5426.

Series of Library Talks Addresses Mental Health Issues

Series of Library Talks Addresses Mental Health Issues

A series of free presentations addressing mental health issues will be offered Monday, October 6, through Thursday, October 9, in the large meeting room of the Beatley Central Library, 5005 Duke St., Alexandria, 22304.

The series, presented in honor of Alexandria’s Mental Health Awareness Week, begins with a discussion of "Suicide Prevention and Response," October 6 at7 p.m. At 10:30 a.m. October 7, Alexandria’s Hoarding Task Force will explain "Hoarding, a Mental Illness." "The Causes and Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder" will be described in a discussion October 8 at 7 p.m. and a film, "The Genuis of Marian," a documentary about Alzheimer’s disease, will be shown October 9 at 6:30 p.m.

The events are sponsored by the Department of Community and Human Services, the Alexandria Library, Friends of the Alexandria Mental Health Center and Alexandria’s Mental Health Hope Campaign. For additional information on each program, call 703.746.1751 or visitwww.alexandria.lib.va.us or www.alexandriava.gov/DCHS.

Maury Elementary School Playground & Yard Fundraiser

FROM Maury Schoolyard Initiative member -- 

There is a lot of excitement building about the plans for a newly renovated schoolyard at Maury.  
The Maury Schoolyard Initiative (MSI) has been working closely with its partner Land Design/Bowman and has finalized proposed plans for the new schoolyard.  

The plans include installation of an outdoor learning garden, installing new playground equipment, walking paths, field turf for soccer and baseball and a new basketball court.  Importantly, MSI is also working with the City of Alexandria to emphasize the need to correct drainage problems that have hampered previous short-term solutions to the schoolyard.  Seven of the 10 members of the Alexandria City Public School Board have made personal visits to the Schoolyard to discuss the new plans.  MSI intends to present before the ACPS Board in October and November as well as making a presentation to City Hall November 15th.  

Plans for the new schoolyard will be on display at the Maury Fall Festival on October 18th.  

A community-wide fundraiser with Alexandria elected officials, business leaders and Rosemont and Del Ray citizens will take place at the offices of Land Design at 200 S Peyton on Friday, October 24th from 5pm to 7pm.  All are welcome to attend.

Seeking Halloween Costume Donations

FROM THE DEL RAY LISTSERVE --

*For the 9th year, we will collect and distribute Halloween costumes for
children who would otherwise go without. *

*We will be collecting Halloween costumes in the bright orange donation
bins at local businesses in Del Ray beginning October 1st. All children's
sizes are needed but we are especially in need of larger size costumes. *

We will be distributing the costumes on Saturday, October 25th, from 2-4
p.m. at the Mount Vernon Recreation Center, 2701 Commonwealth Avenue. If
you'd like to volunteer please email ellen@homesofalexandria.com

*Drop Off Locations Include:*

*Caboose Café*, 2419 Mount Vernon Ave

*Rock of Ages Music*, 114 E Del Ray Ave

*BB&T*, 1901 Mount Vernon Ave

*Your Dogs Best Friend "The Store", *2301 Mount Vernon Ave

Upcoming Programs at Friendship Firehouse Museum

107 South Alfred Street
 

Saturday, October 11, 1-2:30
Firefighting History Walking Tour
Explore Alexandria’s firefighting history on the “Blazing a Trail:  Alexandria’s Firefighting History” tour.  Participants learn about volunteer firefighting in early Alexandria, three devastating fires, and the five volunteer fire companies.  The tour begins at the historic Friendship Firehouse, goes east on Prince Street, and returns to Friendship via King Street. 
For age 10 and older.  $6 for adults, $4 ages 10-17.  Reservations are required, as space is limited.  Telephone703.746.4994, or seewww.friendshipfirehouse.net. 

Ticket limit:  10


Saturday, October 25, 1-3 p.m.
Firefighting in Civil War Alexandria Walking Tour
When Virginia joined the Confederacy, Union troops occupied Alexandria and it became a center for transportation, supplies and medicine.  Most municipal functions were assumed by the U.S. Army under the authority of the military governor.  The “We’ve Been Burned:  Alexandria Firefighters During the Civil War” walking tour will explore firefighting during the Union occupation.  How were volunteer fire companies treated by Federal authorities? Were firefighters allowed out after curfew?  What happened to the firehouses and equipment?   These questions will be answered as tour participants visit the sites of four of the five fire houses, and learn what happened if there was a fire in the occupied city.

For age 10 and older.  $6 for adults, $4 ages 10-17.  Reservations are required, as space is limited.  Telephone 703.746.4994, or see www.friendshipfirehouse.net.

Ticket limit:  10

The Friendship Fire Company, established in 1774, was the first fire company in Alexandria.  Friendship members were volunteers – motivated by their concern for the property and well-being of the community. 

Today the Friendship Firehouse, built in 1855, is a museum open to the public.  Buckets, hose, axes, and Friendship’s mid-19th century suction engine – elaborately decorated with the company’s clasped-hands insignia, are on view with the company’s ornate hose reel carriage that was made in Alexandria.  Visitors also learn about the company as a fraternal organization, and its larger role in the community.  In addition to fighting fires, Friendship members participated in parades and performed ceremonial duties for civic events. In the firehouse Meeting Room ceremonial artifacts such as helmets, capes and other regalia, are exhibited alongside the room’s original furniture.

Friendship Firehouse Museum is located at 107 South Alfred Street in Old Town, Alexandria.  The site is open from 1-4 pm on Saturdays and Sundays; closed on major holidays.  The museum is owned and operated by the City of Alexandria, and managed by the City’s Office of Historic Alexandria.  For more information seewww.friendshipfirehouse.net.; or contact the museum by calling 703.746.3891.
  

Halloween Reading

FROM THE ARCHIVES:

Getting Ready for Halloween

Some books for you and your child --

picture books

The Littlest Pumpkin

Wee Witches Halloween

Ten Timid Ghosts

Scary, Scary Halloween 

In the Haunted House

The 13 Nights of Halloween

BIG Pumpkin

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything

Rattlebone Rock

The Halo-Weiner

On Halloween Night

The Perfectly Horrible Halloween

The Teeny Tiny Ghost

There was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat

I'm Not Afraid of This Haunted House

The Pumpkin Fair

Two Little Witches

Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet

One Witch

Miss Fiona's Stupendous Pumpkin Pie

for beginner or early readers --- 

The Ghoul Brothers

Ready Freddy

Horrible Harry

Nate The Great

The Best/Worst Halloween Ever

The Witch Who Was Afraid of Witches

Creepy Crawly Critters

Fluffy 

Prescription Drug Take Back Day a Success in Alexandria

Prescription Drug Take Back Day a Success in Alexandria

The Alexandria Police Department and the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office collected 141 pounds of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs for destruction at the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.

On Saturday, September 27, 2014, from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M., the two Alexandria law enforcement agencies, with cooperation from the Substance Abuse Coalition of Alexandria, collected potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs and other medications for destruction at three sites in the City

Over 5,000 collections sites nationwide participated in the take back day program this past Saturdayand over 3,150 pounds were collected in the Northern Virginia area alone. In Alexandria, residents dropped off unused prescription medications at three drop sites in the City. The sites included Police Headquarters, the Del Ray Pharmacy and the parking lot of the First Baptist Church. The service was free and anonymous.

Last spring, the two Alexandria law enforcement agencies collected over 188 pounds of prescription drugs for destruction in the third ever take back initiative.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Many Americans are not aware that medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are increasing at alarming rates, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away – both potential safety and health hazards.

Other participants in this initiative include the Partnership for a Drug-Free America; the International Association of Chiefs of Police; the National Association of Attorneys General; the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy; the Federation of State Medical Boards; and the National District Attorneys Association.