Alexandria Dispatches: Landmark Gateway, Biden Visit

Welcome to Alexandria Dispatches, a collection of this week's top stories you may have missed in West End Alexandria and surrounding communities.

West End Alexandria Patch:

Landmark Gateway Developer Seeking New Retail: Mixed-use development will be located at the corner of South Van Dorn and South Pickett streets.

Alexandria's Splash Dive Center Thrives on Dry Land: The Duke Street dive center sells and rents scuba diving and snorkeling gear, trains divers and charters boats for excursions.

New Pope Francis Elected: Catholics in Alexandria React: The white smoke appeared on Wednesday, signalling that the conclave had chosen Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio to be the new head of the Catholic Church. Locals across the community responded.

Old Town Alexandria Patch:

Vice President Biden Visits Injured Officer's First Responders: Vice President Joe Biden visited the Alexandria Police Department to pay his respects for the Alexandria Police Officer Peter Laboy, who was shot recently.

New Torpedo Factory CEO Sets Sights on New Targets: Eric Wallner recently moved to Alexandria from Ventura, Calif., to help craft a strategic plan to grow the internationally recognized arts center and take it to the next level.

Plans for Green Space Unfurl With Braddock Small Area Plan: The city's Planning and Zoning Department held an informal meeting to present possible park designs and collect community input on potential park features.

Del Ray Patch:

ACPS Superintendent: Toy Gun Incident Handled Appropriately: Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Morton Sherman along with the Alexandria Police Department and others discussed issues surrounding the arrest of a 10-year-old who brought a toy gun on a bus.

Alexandria Council Advertises 4 Cent Increase to Real Estate Property Tax Rate: If adopted at the maximum rate, the real estate property tax would result in the average Alexandria residential tax bill increasing up to $314.

: Advocates for Alexandria Aquatics and two citizens associations are urging the city keep Warwick Pool open this summer.

Annandale Patch:

Man Reportedly Flashes Girl Near Annandale High School: The incident, which happened Tuesday, occurred near Commons Drive and Rectory Lane.

Police Investigate Possible 22nd Assault in Serial Groper Attacks: A woman was groped Tuesday evening on Franconia Court.

: “We’re just growing too much,” Superintendent Jack Dale said Tuesday as talks began between county supervisors and school board members.

Injured Officer Long 'Junior' V. Dinh Remains Hospitalized Two Weeks After Head-on Crash: Mason District Station Officer Long "Junior" V. Dinh, remains hospitalized and is recovering at a local hospital after suffering severe injuries in a head-on car crash last month.