Articles
Monday, Nov 25, 2019 - 4:18 pm
Alexandria, La. (Nov. 25, 2019)—It’s not often a person gets compared to a tortoise, but in this case it’s a compliment. At the Alexandria Zoo there are two major icons who have been around for decades. They are both crowd pleasers and many generations of zoo visitors have a story or two to tell about them.
One of the icons is, of course, “Big Al” the Aldabra Tortoise and the other is George Simmons, the zoo’s train conductor.
Life at the zoo will change a bit at the end of this month, because Simmons is hanging up his conductor’s hat after 27 years riding the rails.
“George...
Monday, Nov 25, 2019 - 3:59 pm
Alexandria, La. (Nov. 22, 2019)— The City of Alexandria Community Development Department, in conjunction with The Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center, will present a Fair Housing Seminar from 2-4 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 4 in Alexandria Convention Hall, 915 Third St. “It is extremely important that people understand just what The Fair Housing Act is and how it works to protect us,” said Alexandria Mayor Jeffrey Hall. “I really want to encourage all our citizens to learn about The Fair Housing Act, and I especially urge tenants, landlords, property managers, Zoning Board...
Wednesday, Nov 20, 2019 - 9:43 am
Alexandria, La. (Nov. 20, 2019) —Alexandria Police officers and the Central Louisiana Homeless Coalition conducted a reverse panhandling effort from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Tuesday at the intersection of Jackson Street and MacArthur Drive. As part of the reverse panhandling effort, officers from APD joined with representatives from the Central Louisiana Homeless Coalition, Volunteers of America and other support groups that provide services to the area’s homeless to pass out cards to motorists and explain how they can truly help individuals they encounter in the area asking for money. “We...
Thursday, Nov 14, 2019 - 7:15 pm
Alexandria, La., (November 14, 2019) —The volume of water used to fight a fire in a vacant building near Bolton Avenue today agitated sediment in the main lines in the vicinity, according to Utility Director Mike Marcotte. The City of Alexandria Water Department is currently flushing lines to remove sediment that may cause some water to appear discolored in the area of the 1400 to 1700 blocks from Jackson to Elliott streets. The City of Alexandria recognizes the importance of the water quality to ensure it is maintained within recommended limits. Rest assured your water is safe and...
Tuesday, Nov 12, 2019 - 4:30 pm
The City is monitoring and preparing for a potential minor winter weather event tonight, Tuesday, Nov. 12, into Wednesday morning. A hard freeze warning is in effect for Alexandria and Central Louisiana from 8 p.m. tonight through 9 a.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 24 are expected. But an added wind advisory in effect from the north at 15-20 mph could create a wind chill as low as 13 degrees. Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Frost and freeze...
Monday, Nov 11, 2019 - 5:18 pm
2 percent increase offered as city seeks to attract, retain quality officers Alexandria, La. (Nov. 11, 2019) — Alexandria Mayor Jeffrey W. Hall along with Public Safety Commissioner Daryl Terry and Police Chief Jerrod King hope to reduce police turnover by continuing to offer a 2 percent base pay increase for current officers who did not receive the increase this summer after their union declined it. To date, the union representing Alexandria police officers, Alexandria Police Officers Association Local 833, has declined to accept the Mayor’s offer. The initial offer would have provided a 2...
Friday, Nov 1, 2019 - 3:04 pm
Alexandria, La. (November 1, 2019) — The City of Alexandria, along with the Alexandria-Pineville Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, the Greater Alexandria Economic Development Authority and the Louisiana Holiday Trail of Lights, will hold a formal press conference at 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, in the Alexander Fulton Mini Park at the corner of Third and Murray streets in downtown Alexandria to discuss plans for the 5th annual AlexWinterFête and the 26th Holiday Trail of Lights. At that time, details will be announced concerning events scheduled for the 2019 AlexWinterFête, which will be...
Monday, Oct 28, 2019 - 12:30 pm
Alexandria, La. (Oct. 28, 2019) — The City of Alexandria is working to educate residents on the dangers of possible lead contamination in drinking water caused by plumbing systems in older houses that use copper pipes with lead solder or other plumbing components that used high-lead materials. The educational push is in response to the Louisiana Department of Health’s recent finding of four confirmed cases of elevated levels of lead in water samples taken by residents in Alexandria homes as part of a routine testing process. Alexandria Utility Systems Director Michael Marcotte explained the...
Friday, Oct 18, 2019 - 10:46 am
Alexandria, La. (Oct. 18, 2019) — The Alexandria Police Department and the Central Louisiana Homeless Coalition, along with the assistance of Kinetix design services, are working together to launch an educational campaign to address the high number of panhandlers in the city. In August, Alexandria Mayor Jeffrey Hall announced eight strategic priorities the administration planned to address. One of those priorities was to assess and update policies, ordinances and procedures for addressing complaints related to panhandling. “We want to ensure people are not taking advantage of the kindness...
Friday, Oct 18, 2019 - 10:38 am
Alexandria, La. (Oct. 18, 2019)—The City of Alexandria has set Halloween trick-or-treating for children from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31. “We want everyone to have fun,” Alexandria Mayor Jeffrey W. Hall said, “but we also want everyone to be safe. So, I urge drivers to be extra cautious and watch for children crossing the road. I also ask parents to please accompany their children on trick-or-treat rounds. We have released a list of area events that begin this Friday through Halloween which are safe alternatives to traditional trick-or-treating.” The Alexandria Police Department also...