Newcomers & Community Guide 2016-2017 Inside Inside t e ck a P e t t e z a G e h T / s le g g u R Guide Community & A hidden gem, Winkler Bo- Guide Community & Guide Community & e o- é tanical Preserve in Alexandria Alexandria n ria Alexandria e boasts a large pond, lodge Newcomers R Newcomers Newcomers y and outbuildings, trails and b bridges around the park. Gazette Packet to o h P Local Media Connection LLC online at www.connectionnewspapers.com 25 Cents August 25, 2016 Alexandria What’s Shaking Old Town? Old Town Civic Association, and Neighbors rattled by Robinsonseveral Old Town citizens speak- Gazette Packet ing at the meeting said that the TerminalBy VernonSouthGazette Miles Packet demolition.vibrations from the construction Serving Alexandria for over 200 years • A Connection Newspaper were rattling nearby homes. Citi- zens shared accounts of dishes being broken and doorways dam- obinson Terminal South is aged. But representatives from going through demolition, developer EYA said the vibrations and neighbors say they Photos by John BordnerR were expected. “We said from the beginning can feel it. While developer EYA that construction will create vibra- proved that the vibrations from tions,” said Adam Hayes, director construction work falls within the of engineering for EYA. “That’s the standard set by City Council, local nature of the work we do. This is residents argued that a stricter in the plan and we follow the standard be put in place. On Aug. plan.” 19 in City Council’s Sister Cities “It is normalSee Neighbors, to feel vibrations Page 3 room, the Ad Hoc Monitoring Group on Waterfront Construction met to bring residents and devel- opers to the same table to discuss the problems. Katy Cannady, representing the On Display director for the Office of the Arts, The expanding scope hasof higher sights. On Aug. 22, the Office of the Alexandria’sBy VernonGazette public Miles Packet artArts projects. hosted a Public Art Annual Workplan Meeting to look through World War II veterans are joined Aug. 20 by volunteers from Team Red, White and potential sites for public art Blue at American Legion Post 24 for a V-J Day celebration honoring the service of projects. Every year, the group the veterans. raffic Control boxes are meets to lay out a slate or projects metal containers. They ater, V-J Day will always be Aug. 14,” said Pearl for the next two fiscal years. help make sure the traf- Harbor survivor Jay Groff. “It’s the day that Ja- T Ruggiero said the main question Eyewitnesses topan surrenderedHistory even though the formal cer- facing the group is whether to con- fic lights run smoothly, but they’ve tinue focusing on smaller street art Gazette Packet emony took place in September.” By Jeanne Theismann Due to time differences and the international never been accused of being beau- or push for bigger, more involved WWII veterans gather for V-J Daydateline, celebration. some countries observe V-J Day on Aug. tiful. That changed in 2015 when projects. the City of Alexandria Office of the “We’re looking at things like traf- 15 while President HarrySee TrumanEyewitnesses, declared PageSept. 7 2 the official day of observation in the U.S. Arts created a public art program fic boxes, but do we want to do Doug Gurka, a Vietnam veteran and commander where 12 boxes would be wrapped more or Seelook Expanding, at other projects?” Page 5 t 91-years-old, Air Force Col. Kim Ching in art. The program returned and (ret.) was the youngster among World spread across the city in early War II veterans who gathered Aug. 20 2016. The Traffic Control Box art at American Legion Post 24 in Old Town is one of the most visible public art projects from the Office of the A 22314 VA Alexandria, Arts, but DianeReques Ruggiero,Service deputyAddress to commemorate Victory Over Japan Day, other- St., King 1604 To: wise known as V-J Day. “To those of us who served in the Pacific The- 1 ted ❖ material. Time-sensitive Postmaster: Attention ❖ August 25-31, 2016 Permit #482 Permit Alexandria, VA Alexandria, PAID U.S. Postage U.S. PRSRT STD PRSRT Alexandria Gazette Packet WWII veteran Robert McLaughlin signs a poster commemorating V-J Day. Col. Kim Ching (USAF ret.) talks about witnessing the signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender aboard the USS Missouri in 1945 to mark the end of World War II. www.ConnectionNewspapers.com 2 ❖ Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ August 25-31, 2016 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Alexandria Gazette Editor Steven Mauren News 703-778-9415 or [email protected] Neighbors Rattled by Robinson Terminal South Demolition From Page 1 and [feel] concerns about the impact on your home,” said David Miller, president of Seismic Surveys “But typically, the home can withstand more vibration than the people in it.” So far, Miller said he was unaware of any claims of damage being filed yet and pre- sented data about vibration levels from the site, but residents say their experiences have been different. Some residents said they’d “We said from the beginning that construction will create vibrations.” — Adam Hayes, director of engineering for EYA tried to reach out by phone or email to EYA but were ignored. “Who cares what the numbers are?” said Bert Ely, co-chair of the Friends of the Alex- andria Waterfront, “There are damages.” “This is about greed, and we need to know contributed Photo if the city is a part of that,” said Nick Kunesh, one of the residents who said his dishes were being rattled by the vibrations com- ing from the construction site. Ultimately, members of the Ad Hoc Moni- toring Group said they believed EYA needed to do a better job responding to the local Map of the homes affected by Robinson Terminal South vibrations. community. “If the developers had been more com- time of damages. Allison Silberberg attended the meeting as municative and helped us understand, you The representatives from EYA agreed to an audience member but stepped forward wouldn’t have all these people here,” said “Who cares what the checking homes to establish a baseline for to try and help the group reach a compro- Barbara Saperstone, representing the Wa- current damages. Ely and other Old Town mise. EYA agreed to publish weekly updates terfront Place Homeowner’s Association. numbers are? There are residents suggested that construction at the about the seismic activity from the site. The “You need to regain our trust.” site be halted while those surveys were be- developer also agreed to focus on areas of Saperstone also said she was wary that damages.” ing conducted. Other residents threatened the project that didn’t involve heavy vibra- once EYA and the neighboring Carr hotel — Bert Ely, co-chair of the Friends to picket the site and sue the developers. tions until the survey results were collected. were finished with construction they would of the Alexandria Waterfront “I figured this was where it was headed,” After hearing from residents who said their be equally unresponsive to claims of dam- said Rex Muller, project manager for EYA homes adjacent to those covered by current age from homes settling. LLC. “That someone would say ‘stop devel- seismological surveys were also being af- Pete Mensinger, special project manager “We want to make sure we stop and look opment,’ but we can’t. The approval pro- fected, EYA agreed to extend the survey to for the Plan Review staff, said the best at the damages to report them now,” said cess had an agreed upon standard. If there connected structures. course of action for both groups would be Mensinger. “That way we can create a are people here feeling vibrations or expe- The next meeting will be held on Sept. for the developer to check on what dam- benchmark of what’s existing now. We need riencing damage, we want to take care of 12. Anyone seeking to file a complaint about ages already existed in the nearby homes to establish a baseline for current damage. that, but it’s unrealistic to say that [we construction is encourages to call the Help so there wouldn’t be debate later about [EYA] will keep a record of seismic activity, should not develop]. That site cannot be line: 703.746.HELP or use the city’s what was pre-existing. so people in homes: record the date and developed without people feeling it.” Mayor call.click.connect link on the City webpage. Upcoming Trials Commonwealth Attorney’s Office braces for a flurry of murder trials. By Vernon Miles murder codefendants at anyone time to my The Pit ing to select a trial date on Sept. 15, 2016. ❖ Gazette Packet knowledge.” CW v. Alvaro Saenz-Castro: Set for sentenc- Castro, Guerrero-Umana, and Gomez-Sorto are ing on Oct. 20, 2016. all charged in connection with the murder of Edwin ❖ CW v. Reinaldo Portillo Membrano: Set for a Almandarez on Nov. 28, 2015. all 2016 and early 2017 are sched- The North Side of Old Town Murders hearing to select a trial date on Oct. 13, 2016. ❖ uled to be a busy time for the Com CW v Rashad Adkins: Set for a jury trial the Saenz-Castro and Membrano are charged with the S. Alfred Street Robbery/Homicide F week of Jan. 23, 2017. Adkins is charged with the murder of Jose Luis Ferman Perez on Nov. 9, 2015. ❖ CW v. George McGee: Set for a jury trial the monwealth Attorney’s Office. Over murder of Shakkan Elliot-Tibbs, a 22-year-old In April, Leidi Granados Gutierrez pled guilty as an week of Sept.