[Archived] Official Announcements for the City of Alexandria: February 27 – March 5, 2010

Saturday, February 27 – Charles Houston Recreation Center Room Naming Dedication
The City of Alexandria will host a dedication reception at 3 p.m. and a naming ceremony at 4 p.m. at the Charles Houston Recreation Center, 901 Wythe St. The Center's gymnasium will be named after Coach Louis Johnson and Mr. Morris Siebert, two individuals who made outstanding contributions to the youth of Alexandria. The swimming pool will be named the Memorial Pool in honor of African American youth who drowned in the Potomac River, recognizing that before integration African American youths were not permitted to swim in the Alexandria Municipal Pool. For additional information, visit alexandriava.gov/Recreation.

Monday, March 1 – Business License Renewal Applications and Payments Due
The City of Alexandria reminds all business owners that 2010 Business License Tax Renewal Applications and payments are due March 1, 2010.  Payment in full must be received or postmarked by March 1 to avoid late payment penalties and interest.  The Finance Department urges Alexandria businesses to submit their renewal applications and pay their business license taxes by mail or online to avoid waiting in line.  For more information, visit alexandriava.gov/BusinessTax 

Coming Soon!

Saturday, March 6 – Fort Ward Park History Group Meeting
Interested participants are invited to the Fort Ward Park History Group meeting at Oakland Baptist Church, 3408 King St., from 10 a.m. to noon. Workgroup members are recording family history, identifying features such as graves, documenting historical photographs including family and landscape images, and helping with other projects related to the history of the site and in particular, to the African-American community that existed at Fort Ward. Meeting attendees should park at T.C. Williams High School, 3330 King St. For more information, please visit www.fortward.org or call 703.746.4554.

Thursday, March 11 – Contrabands & Freedmen’s Memorial 
The City of Alexandria invites residents, stakeholders, and members of the public to attend the Contrabands & Freemen’s Cemetery Memorial information meeting from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Charles Houston Recreation Center, 901 Wythe Street. This meeting will be an opportunity to give public feedback and input regarding the proposed design. For more information, visit alexandriava.gov/Freedmens or contact Emily Baker, Emily.Baker@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.4054.  

Wednesday, March 16 – Potomac Waterfront Flood Mitigation Study
The City of Alexandria invites residents to attend a public information meeting on the Potomac Waterfront Flood Mitigation Study from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Lee Center, 1108 Jefferson St. This is an opportunity for residents to get more information about the study, which is currently in the final stages of production. For more information, e-mail Craig Perl at Craig.Perl@alexandriava.gov, call 703.746.4057, or visit alexandriava.gov/waterfront. 

Ongoing!

Grant Opportunities from the Alexandria Fund for Human Services 
The Alexandria Fund for Human Services is pleased to announce that funding is available for human services projects through three grant programs for FY2011. The Notice of Opportunity is now available, along with specific guidelines for proposals for funding from the Community Partnership Fund, Youth Fund and Children's Fund. A pre-proposal conference will be held on Thursday, March 4 at 1 p.m. To register, please call 703.746.5970. Attendance is strongly recommended for first-time grant applicants. For more information, visit alexandriava.gov/HumanServices.

2010 Applications Now Available for Elderly and Disabled Tax Relief
The City of Alexandria has mailed applications for the City’s Tax Relief Programs for the Elderly or totally and permanently disabled to all previous participants and those who have requested applications. If you are at least 65 years of age or permanently and totally disabled by November 15, 2010, you may qualify for a full or partial exemption and/or deferral for your 2010 real estate taxes and/or an exemption from your 2010 personal property taxes on one vehicle. For more information or to obtain an application, visit alexandriava.gov/TaxRelief, e-mail Tax Services at taxrelief@alexandriava.gov, or call 703.746.3901, Option 6.

Free Tax Preparation Assistance for Low-Income Residents
The City of Alexandria is offering free tax preparation assistance to low-income residents during the 2010 tax season. Tax preparation sessions begin at 9 a.m. on Saturdays, and at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, through April 13. Sessions are held in the lobby of the Alexandria Department of Human Services, 2525 Mount Vernon Ave. For more information, call Suzanne Kratzok, Coordinator of Community Resources, at 703.746.5663.