Good Wednesday morning, Alexandria!
🌤️ Today’s Weather
- Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75 degrees. Calm wind becoming south at 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph.
- Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low of around 48 degrees. Southeast wind 8 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
- Thursday: Showers after 2 p.m. High near 72 degrees. South wind 8 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. The chance of precipitation is 90%—new precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
🚨 You need to know
The City of Alexandria has tapped Hashim Taylor to lead its Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities (RPCA), starting April 14, 2025.
City Manager James F. Parajon announced Taylor’s appointment on Tuesday, March 18, highlighting his extensive experience in parks and recreation management and his track record of spearheading major projects and expanding community programs.
For Taylor, an Alexandria native who grew up participating in RPCA programs, this role marks a homecoming. Taylor comes home to Alexandria from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he served as Director of Parks and Recreation. There, he managed over 5,000 acres of parkland, 100 miles of trails, three golf courses, six swimming pools, and various recreation and cultural facilities.
During his time in Cedar Rapids, Taylor secured more than $12 million in state and federal funding for the $37 million ReLeaf Cedar Rapids initiative, a major tree replanting effort following the 2020 derecho storm. He also oversaw the development of several community projects, including the Ellis Golf Course Event Center, Jones Park Lodge, Hughes Park, 16th Ave Dog Park, Riverside Skatepark, and a 10-court pickleball complex.
Before his role in Iowa, Taylor held leadership positions in Prince William County, Virginia Beach, and Norfolk, where he managed large-scale recreation projects, public-private partnerships, and park revitalization efforts. Taylor holds an MBA from Regent University and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA).
In his new position, the city says that Taylor plans to focus on expanding community programming, enhancing public spaces, and ensuring all Alexandria residents have access to high-quality recreational experiences.
Jack Browand, CPRP, CPM, has been serving as Interim Director of the department.
Here’s what else you need to know
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Alexandria City Public Schools held its first community meeting on school boundary redistricting last night. Three draft boundary maps were presented to address school capacity and utilization issues across the district. More than 300 individuals participated online, with dozens more attending in person at Alexandria City High School, as district officials and consultants explained the redistricting process that began in July 2023. Read More
After years under development, the ribbon was cut yesterday on the new synthetic turf sports field at Patrick Henry K-8 School. Read More
According to ACPS on Nextdoor, congrats are in order for several students;
“Congratulations to the 21 Alexandria City High School students who earned awards at the 2025 DECA State Leadership Conference.
DECA is a career and technical student organization that equips students with essential skills for entrepreneurship and success in college. In April, these students will compete at the DECA International Career Development Conference in Orlando, Florida. Let’s cheer them on as they take the international stage!”
Three men are in custody after allegedly assaulting a man and stealing his shoes on a DASH bus on Tuesday afternoon in Alexandria’s West End. Read More
Ask The Mayor: Beginning in April, we’ll be hosting monthly live one-on-one virtual video conversations with Mayor Alyia Gaskins. This will be an opportunity for you to ask the Mayor questions and to hear about what’s going on in the city. Stay tuned for more details.
What We’re Covering Today:
- Morning notes is coming up at 8 a.m.
- We’ll be on hand as Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) and the City of Alexandria come together this morning to host an event honoring essential workers. Coverage to follow.
- We’ll also be on hand for the City Manager Budget Pop Up and Old Town Festival of Speed & Style’s poster unveiling. Coverage to follow.
- We’ll also have the latest on Break Water, the new Site See art installation on the waterfront, feature the Pet of the Week, introduce you to Alexandria’s new Director of Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Activities, and more.
Join ALXnow Press Club: Want to help us bring you the best local news in Alexandria? Become an ALXnow member! As a member, you’ll directly support our team’s work to inform you about what’s happening in our community. Thanks to the 50 readers who have become an ALXnow Press Club member this month! Help us reach our first 100 members by becoming an ALXnow Press Club member today!
Reminder: To showcase the value of the Press Club, ALXnow is offering all current subscribers a trial of the Morning Briefing (that’s this newsletter) until March 21st. Starting March 24th, access to every edition of the Morning Briefing will become an exclusive benefit for Press Club members.
📈 Tuesday’s most read
The following are the most-read ALXnow articles for March 18, 2025.
- Notes: Big Wheel Bikes finds new home in Old Town (1380 views)
- JUST IN: Man assaulted and robbed of shoes on DASH Bus in Alexandria’s West End (1353 views)
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on today in Alexandria;
Things To Do
- 3:30 p.m.: Burke Book Club – “The Air Raid Book Club” by Annie Lyons (Virtual)
- 5 p.m.: Wine Tasting Wednesday at Mount Purrnon Cat Cafe & Wine Bar
- 5 p.m.: Spitfire Book Club – Kindergarten – 3rd Grade at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
- 5:30 p.m.: English Language Learning (ELL) 2 Workshop at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 6 p.m.: DIY Terrarium Adventure at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
- 6 p.m.: Knit Nite at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 7 p.m.: English Language Learning at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
Live Music & Entertainment
- 219 Restaurant: Bill Pappas Project at 9 p.m.
- Aslin ALX: Puzzle Buzz at 7 p.m.
- Evening Star Cafe: Open Mic Night at 8:30 p.m.
- Hops N Shine: Trivia at 6:30 p.m.
- Laporta’s Restaurant: Esther Haynes at 6 p.m.
- Lost Boy Cider: Line Dancing at 6:30 p.m.
- Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: Kenny Kohlhaas at 8:30 p.m.
- O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: Karaoke at 9 p.m.
- Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
- The Birchmere Music Hall: ZZ Ward and Liam St. John at 7:30 p.m.
- The Light Horse Restaurant: Trivia at 7 p.m.
City of Alexandria
- 9 a.m.: Alexandria City Essential Workers Recognition
- 10 a.m.: Mental Health First Aid Training
- 6 p.m.: Gang Prevention Community Task Force Meeting
- 6 p.m.: Free Income Tax Preparation Assistance
- 6 p.m.: City Manager Budget Pop Up
- 6 p.m.: ACPS Redistricting Advisory Committee (RAC) Meeting
- 6:30 p.m.: ACPS Budget Advisory Committee Meeting
- 7 p.m.: Board of Architectural Review Public Hearing
- 7 p.m.: Stormwater Utility and Flood Mit. Advisory Group
- 7 p.m.: Alexandria Archaeological Commission
- 7 p.m.: Commission on IT Monthly Meeting
Organizing an event? Submit your event to ALXnow’s Event Calendar.
