Home Care In Alexandria, VA

ALEXANDRIA, VA – If you wonder why Alexandria resident Amy Duvall has an extra special smile radiating today, it’s because the new cake pop law was signed today by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin. Youngkin put his signature on HB 759, otherwise known as the cake pop law, which was championed by Delegate Nick Freitas. The legislation makes it easier for small food entrepreneurs to thrive in Alexandria and across the Commonwealth.

In 2016, after a successful 20-year career as an environmental lawyer and lobbyist that culminated in the passage of major legislation signed into law by President Obama, Duvall had a panic attack. In the aftermath, her therapist asked what made her happy? The answer, she said, was working in the kitchen. So she left her high-stress job in March 2018 and began baking breads and cookies.

After her Italian cookies, modeled after the amazing confections she and her husband discovered in Taormina, a small town in Sicily, received rave reviews from friends and neighbors, Duvall opened from politics to pastry, a home-based, made-from-scratch, small-batch business that specializes in traditional Italian sweets, custom pastries and breads, and in-home/virtual culinary instruction classes.

Since its February 2019 launch, from politics to pastry has amassed over 1800 followers on Facebook, who wait for regular posts and pictures about available treats and upcoming classes. Over on Instagram, there are over 1150 similar posts. And mouth-watering pictures of Italian cookies, scones, bars, breads, cakes, and other treats, including a wide selection of gluten-free options, beckon from the company’s website (the museum-quality photographs are courtesy of Duvall’s husband, Jeff Campagna, a photo editor at Smithsonian Magazine).

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What are Cottage Food Laws?

When she opened her business, Duvall carefully reviewed the “cottage food laws” of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the state agency responsible for enforcing food safety rules over small businesses that operate in home kitchens. It excludes low-risk foods, like baked goods, jellies, nuts, and pickles produced in home kitchens from regulation as long as they are sold directly to customers at the producer’s home or at a farmer’s market. Additionally the uninspected goods cannot be “offered for sale over the Internet or in interstate commerce.”

“My take on it, with my background, was that the word ‘sale,’ from a legal standpoint is a contract,” Duvall said. “You pay me, I give you something in return. I never would have thought that applied to advertising. Advertising is advertising; it’s not offering for sale.”

Last year, however, Department regulators sent a letter to Kelly Phillips, a Richmond-based entrepreneur, after she shared on social media that she would be selling her cake pops at a local craft show. It warned Phillips that by advertising her products on social media, she had run afoul of the prohibition on Internet sales, and was thus operating her cake pop venture without a necessary permit. Failure to rectify the situation, the official said, could lead to a misdemeanor charge. The Department also cited Phillips for selling her uninspected goods at a craft show, noting that the regulation allowed sales only at a farmers market.

Phillips protested that she only used social media to post photos and menus and let people know when and where her cake pops would be available. Similarly, from politics to pastry used its website and social media presence to attract and connect with customers, while making clear that the cookies and treats are not available for resale or shipping, and would need to be picked up at Duvall’s home near Alexandria City High School. Following the Department’s letter to Phillips, however, it became unclear whether other home-based small businesses may be operating in violation of Virginia law.

After Phillips’ letter went viral, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) “We’re going to fix this, Virginia will always be the best place to live, work, and bake cake pops!” In early February, the Virginia House of Delegates voted 94-2 in favor of legislation clarifying that advertising or promoting homemade goods on social media platforms does not constitute actually selling them via the Internet, as long as the actual transaction takes place in person.

Additionally, under the new law, sales of uninspected goods are no longer limited to farmer’s markets and may now occur at any “temporary event that operates for a period of no more than 14 consecutive days,” thus covering a wider range of craft shows, holiday markets, and other events that do not focus primarily on farm-produced goods.

In late February, the bill passed unanimously in the Virginia Senate. And on Monday, March 25, Governor Youngkin signed the legislation, formerly known as HB 759 but generally described as the “Cake Pop Bill,” into law at an outdoor ceremony at the Governor’s Executive Mansion in Richmond. Seated behind a desk overflowing with cake pops, and with a beaming Phillips at his side, Youngkin celebrated “an opportunity for us to deregulate a bit, to open up pathways for entrepreneurs, and to make Virginia an even better place to live, work, raise a family, and make cake pops.”

For Duvall, the passage of the Cake Pop Bill, which takes effect July 1, 2024, means that she no longer has to worry about running afoul of state regulators: “The social media clarification is certainly welcomed,” said Duvall. “I already presumed that social media wasn’t an issue, but I’m glad they clarified it. The farmer’s market clarification is, to me, even more valuable.” Duvall said that she can now focus her efforts on growing her burgeoning business and introducing more residents of the DMV to her selection of rainbow cookies, Sicilian pasta di mandorla amaretti with red cherry centers, lemon ricotta, pignoli, biscotti, and other Italian cookies and treats.

TRENDING IN ALEXANDRIA: Get Caffeinated on the Old Town Coffee Crawl

General Assembly will need to back legislation to create a new authority to issue bonds for project

ALEXANDRIA — The Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals could be headed to Virginia.

State officials and Monumental Sports and Entertainment, which owns the basketball and hockey franchises, on Wednesday unveiled plans to create a $2 billion entertainment district in Alexandria that would include a sports arena, a practice facility for the Wizards, a performing arts venue and an expanded esports facility, coupled with new retail, residential, restaurants, hotels, conference facilities and community gathering spaces.

Located along the Potomac River in the Potomac Yards neighborhood, the proposed district would be adjacent to the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus and near Amazon HQ2, with access to air, bus and rail services.

In a release Wednesday, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin called the project “the most visionary sports and entertainment development in the world, bringing together entertainment, sports, and technology in the most advanced innovation corridor in the United States: a once-in-a-generation and historic development for the commonwealth, sports fans, and all Virginians.”

The win for the Old Dominion comes at the expense of Washington D.C., which this week made a last-minute pitch to keep the teams in the city, offering $500 million in financing for an $800 million renovation of the arena the teams have been using in downtown D.C.

Under the proposed deal with Virginia, which was approved by the state’s Major Economic Incentives Commission earlier this week, the state would set up a new authority that would issue $2 billion in bonds for the district. Monumental would have a 40-year lease of the site and would repay the bonds annually through rent payments, arena parking revenues, district naming rights and incremental taxes generated by the development. The company would also invest $403 million into the proposed project, and Alexandria would contribute $56 million toward the construction of the performing arts venue and $50 million for an underground parking facility.

The governor’s office has said the state will make no upfront investment in the project and local residents will not be subject to any tax increases for it. The authority will own the land and buildings built under the proposal.

At a Wednesday morning announcement at Potomac Yard, Youngkin said the project “would first and foremost be good for the Virginia taxpayer.”

“That’s exactly what this project represents,” he said. “No upfront investments, harnessing the financial horsepower of the future incremental taxes and other revenues with an estimated $12 billion of economic contribution to Virginia and the city of Alexandria over the coming decades.”

Ted Leonsis, CEO of Monumental Sports and Entertainment, called Virginia a “fantastic state,” noting, “You’re also the only state, the most successful state without professional sports teams.”

“So I think this is a big, big moment that is kind of a capstone for that journey of making Virginia a major driver and a major part of this whole new economy where sports and technology are the big drivers of what a community stands for,” he said.

The project, which is expected to open in late 2028, will require backing from the General Assembly to come to fruition. Legislators will have to approve the creation of the new Virginia Sports and Entertainment Authority that will be the issuer of the bonds, a proposal expected to come before the legislature in the upcoming session that starts in January.

While the Major Economic Incentives Commission has already backed the idea, Virginia lawmakers have balked previously at getting involved in sports team developments. During the last session, the General Assembly abandoned legislation to bring the Washington Commanders to Virginia following concerns over the use of tax revenue and team culture. The Commanders are now under new ownership.

Commanders sale could revive Virginia General Assembly interest in stadium relocation

A handful of protesters turned out Wednesday, yelling over officials’ remarks and urging policymakers to focus on other issues affecting Virginians, such as potential cuts for Metro and a lack of housing.

Patrick Hedger, a Virginia resident and executive director of the nonprofit Taxpayers Protection Alliance, said he believes stadium subsidies are a poor use of public funding and Monumental is “playing off of a bunch of really closely located jurisdictions” to finance an arena.

Hedger said that he’s concerned the governor is “saddling taxpayers with this new debt and this new burden.”

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, said local, state and federal leaders will need to build on the investment by improving existing transit and engaging with the community.

“Our job is to make sure that the neighborhoods adjacent here in Potomac Yard, across Route 1 in Del Ray and other surrounding neighborhoods, feel engaged and know that their quality of life will be protected,” Warner said. “And at the end of the day, their quality of life will be improved from this investment.”

Del. Charniele Herring, D-Alexandria, said she’s encouraged that “there is a dedication to do the work to ensure that is not disproportionately impacting our most vulnerable in our community.”

“I know, like many of you, [I] have been looking for a bipartisan agreement that will meet our community’s values and ultimately benefit the local community, Alexandria and commonwealth,” she said. “I look forward to turning this framework into an incredible project beginning as a venue for the entire community.”

GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

FRANCONIA, VA — Breakfast, brunch and lunch chain First Watch opened its newest Northern Virginia location Monday south of Alexandria City, and more locations are planned.

The new restaurant is located in the Franconia area at 7027C Manchester Blvd., Alexandria, VA. There is seating for 170 people, outdoor dining on a covered patio and a dedicated bar serving cocktails and juices.

For the opening, First Watch will offer a free cup of Project Sunrise coffee with their meal from Monday, March 18 to Friday, March 22.

"Our Franconia restaurant is the perfect location to kick off an exciting expansion that’s been years in the making, with a fresh take on brunch our customers know and love," said Rob Botelho, vice president of operations at First Watch. "As First Watch approaches two decades in the area, we’re thrilled to share our aspirations to inspire even more good mornings with each of our new openings."

Up to fall 2024, First Watch expects to open two more Northern Virginia restaurants — one at 12249 Fair Lakes Promenade Drive in Fair Lakes and one at 7501 Leesburg Pike in Falls Church. A spokesperson also told Patch First Watch is looking for a location in Sterling but has not secured a lease.

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First Watch offers a menu of breakfast and lunch options for dine-in, pickup and delivery. Some menu favorites are the Avocado Toast, Lemon Ricotta Pancakes and Million Dollar Bacon. Rotating seasonal offerings are typically offered five times per year. The Franconia restaurant's first seasonal menu will launch in summer 2024. The full menu is available during opening hours 7 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. daily.

The restaurant is seeking job applicants for its locations, noting that staff never work evenings and nights due to its morning-to-afternoon schedule. The Franconia restaurant will have approximately 30 staff.

ALEXANDRIA, VA — After financing wasn't included in the Virginia General Assembly budget for the arena and entertainment in Alexandria's Potomac Yard, the developer offered to double its affordable housing commitment if the project goes forward.

JBG Smith, which is proposing the arena and entertainment district with Washington Capitals and Wizards owner Monumental Sports & Entertainment, said it will increase the affordable housing units preserved from 500 to 1,000. The developer said it is proposing the additional affordable units as part of discussions with Alexandria city officials, Virginia legislators, Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, and Alexandria residents.

If the Virginia General Assembly approves the financing measure allowing the arena to move forward, JBG Smith said it would work with the city government to identify and preserve 1,000 affordable housing units with a focus on neighborhoods surrounding the arena. The units would be in addition to any residential development JBG Smith is proposing as part of the proposed entertainment district.

The 1,000 units would be a significant portion of the city's affordable housing goal — 2,250 new affordable workforce units by 2030.

"Our extensive conversations with members of the Alexandria community, leaders such as Mayor Wilson, the council and legislators from the Commonwealth further reinforced the centrality and necessity of housing preservation efforts in Alexandria," said AJ Jackson, the executive vice president of social impact investing at JBG Smith. "As a result, we are doubling the number of units we are preserving to maintain affordability and prevent displacement in advance of the arena’s opening so that as many Alexandrians as possible are able to take advantage of this incredible economic development opportunity."

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The arena team has faced a roadblock with the arena financing being left out of the Virginia budget sent to Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Virginia General Assembly approval of a new Virginia Sports and Entertainment Authority to provide $1.4 billion in bond financing would be the first step for the project to move forward. The arena financing was not in the budget after Virginia House and Senate negotiations after the House version of the budget had the arena financing and the Senate version did not.

State Sen. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth), the chair of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, has been a key opponent that has prevented the measure from moving forward in the Senate. Lucas had questioned the public financing support for a private economic development project.

"With all of the information that I’ve had coming into me from other localities and other states, I can’t find anybody who can show me that having taxpayer dollars help construct, finance, any kind of sports arena has ever been a good deal for that locality," Lucas told WTOP about the budget deal. "And so I’m just not willing to take that risk."

Youngkin, who criticized the Senate push to leave the arena out of the budget, told WTOP he could reintroduce the arena in an amended budget. To get the General Assembly to reconsider the arena, Youngkin would have to propose it in a budget amendment or separate bill. The Virginia General Assembly will reconvene on April 17 to consider the governor's budget amendments and vetoes. Another option is the governor calling a special session.

JBG Smith is the developer behind the National Landing with Amazon's second headquarters in Arlington and the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus already under construction in Potomac Yard. With an arena and entertainment district development, JBG Smith would also pursue mixed-use development at the current Potomac Yard Shopping Center with plans to keep a Target store.

In 1953, the City of Alexandria in Virginia adopted an ordinance that said streets running in North-South directions had to be named for Confederate military leaders. But now, some of the street names that resulted from that ordinance will be changed.

“We named streets and other contexts, we named parks,” said city council woman Sarah Bagley, who serves on the Naming Committee. “And so I took up what I saw as the mayor’s charge to us that we should be leading this effort with public feedback.”

The name change proposal came about last year from Mayor Justin Wilson. There are at least 41 streets in Alexandria that are associated with Confederate military members.

During a meeting on Jan. 9, the City Council finalized a plan to rename or rededicate four of those streets.

The Naming Committee, composed of Bagley, Councilman John Taylor Chapman and Councilwoman Alyia Gaskins, worked with the Historic Alexandria Resources Commission to generate a list of individuals and locations worthy of honor by the City.

The ordinance, which was officially adopted on Jan. 20, will rename North Breckinridge Place after the founder of Alexandria’s first school for free Black children, Harriet Jacobs.

Forrest Street will become Forest Street and North and South Jordan Streets and Jordan Court will be rededicated in honor of Thomasina E. Jordan, an Alexandria resident who became the first Native American to serve in the U.S. Electoral College.

North and South Early Streets will each get an extra “e” in the name for the U.S. Army’s highest-ranking Black woman officer during World War II Lt. Col. Charity Earley.

Prior to the vote, city residents were given the opportunity to provide public testimony on the ordinance.

“We need to realize and recognize that our city made a failure in naming the streets as such, but by rededication allows us to close those wounds,” said one man named John who lives just off North Jordan Street.

Susan Cole lives on North Early Street, she said she’s concerned about the issues that could arise from changing street names.

“Personally, I have a ninety-year-old mother and a husband at home and I work full time. I am the caretaker to both of them,” Cole said. “And I can’t even fathom trying to do a name change for all the documents for my mother and for myself.”

But others, such as Fran Vogel who’s also a resident of North Early Street, found themselves in the middle.

“We still bear the burden of effort, time and costs of change of address — which is considerable,” Vogel said. “That said, renaming Early with the spelling E-A-R-L-E-Y preserves the sense of place, eradicates the association with the Confederacy giving new meaning that is unrelated to Civil War history and results in a change all can embrace.”

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