Good morning, Alexandria! Today is Tuesday, Sept. 16, the 259th day of 2025. There are 106 days left in the year.
⛈️ Today’s weather: A chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 69—northeast wind 13 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph. The chance of precipitation is 60%—new rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Showers and thunderstorms are likely tonight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. Northeast wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. The chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch, except higher amounts are possible in thunderstorms.
🚨 You need to know
The Alexandria Board of Architectural Review will meet on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers to consider updates to design guidelines that would standardize door review requirements across the city’s historic districts.
The meeting’s primary focus will be on proposed changes to the Doors + Garage Doors chapter of the Design Guidelines for both the Parker-Gray District and the Old and Historic Alexandria District. Currently, the two districts have different requirements for door reviews.
According to a staff memorandum from Urban Planner III Brendan Harris, doors on later buildings in the Parker-Gray District are not currently reviewed by the Board of Architectural Review. The proposed update would align Parker-Gray guidelines with those in the Old and Historic District, requiring BAR review for all doors visible from public rights-of-way in both districts.
“The committee has proposed updating these guidelines to be the same as in the Old and Historic District, recognizing doors to be important character-defining features of a building,” Harris wrote in the memo.
The board will also consider updates to the Dormers chapter of the design guidelines for both districts, though staff noted no policy changes are proposed for dormers.
Other business on Wednesday’s agenda includes:
- Consideration of updates to the Board of Architectural Review Bylaws
- A request for alterations at 214 North Fairfax Street by applicants Keith and Kerri Urbahn
- An information session on proposed zoning text amendments
- Approval of minutes from the Sept. 3 meeting
The Design Guidelines Committee has been working on the updated versions of both chapters. The current door guidelines show different BAR review levels, with some door work requiring no review, others requiring administrative staff review, and major changes requiring full board review.
Public comments will be accepted at the hearing. Residents may also submit comments in advance to Luke Cowan at [email protected].
The meeting begins at 7 p.m. on Wednesday in City Hall Council Chambers at 301 King St., Room 2400. The full docket is available online.
What else to know
Gale Warning in Effect Through Late Tonight – The National Weather Service has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria and surrounding areas. A Gale Warning is in effect through late tonight from North Beach to Smith Point and from Cobb Island to Smith Point on the Tidal Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay.
Alexandria to Reveal Old Town Pool Replacement Plans Tonight – Alexandria will unveil redevelopment plans for Old Town Pool at a community meeting tonight at 7 p.m. The city’s Department of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities will present the plans at the Oswald Durant Center (1605 Cameron Street). Read the preview coverage.
Alexandria Arts Commission to Review Major Public Art Projects Tonight – The Alexandria Commission for the Arts will meet at 7 p.m. at the Lee Center to consider approval of artist Alicia Eggert’s “Now or Never” concept for the 2026 Waterfront Park installation. The commission will also vote on deaccessioning bronze hands from the King Street Gardens Park drinking fountain, returning them to original artists Buster Simpson and Laura Sindell. ALXnow will provide coverage of the meeting.
D.C. Officer Charged with DWI, Sexual Battery After Trying to Grab Alexandria Officer’s Gun – A D.C. police officer was charged with multiple crimes Sunday after allegedly assaulting two Alexandria officers and attempting to grab one of their weapons while in custody at a local hospital. Officer Trevon King, a five-year veteran of the Metropolitan Police Department, was initially arrested for drunken driving following an 8 p.m. crash on Russell Road. Read the full story.
Virginia Senators Demand Education Department Restore Funding to Northern Virginia Schools – U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner sent a letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Monday demanding the immediate reversal of federal funding cuts to Alexandria City Public Schools and four other Northern Virginia school districts over transgender student policies. The standoff has put more than $300 million in federal funding at risk for more than 386,000 students. Read more.
Pastor’s Comments on Conservative Activist Go Viral – Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley, senior pastor of Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, has found himself at the center of a national controversy after comments he made about slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk went viral on social media over the weekend. Read more on ALXnow.
📈 Monday’s most read
The following were the most-read ALXnow articles on Sept. 15, 2025:
- Alexandria pastor’s Charlie Kirk comments spark national debate
- Teacher at Alexandria daycare fired for tying 21-month-old to chair
- Alexandria City Council approves permanent closure of 200 block of King Street
- New ice cream, coffee shop opens next to Northside 10
- Ex-Fort Belvoir soldier sentenced to 15 years for assaulting infant, raping wife
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on today in Alexandria, from our event calendar.
- No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.
Things To Do
- 10 a.m. – English Language Learning Workshop (Beginner Conversation) at Central Library Large Meeting Room
- 10:30 a.m. – Bilingual Storytime (English and Spanish) at Barrett Branch
- 10:30 a.m. – Playtime! ¡Hora de jugar! (Ages 0-5 with adult) at Central Library Reading Garden
- 11 a.m. – Baby and Toddler Time (Ages 0-23 months) at Barrett Branch
- 4 p.m. – Creatives’ Club (draw, paint, craft) at Duncan Branch
- 4:30 p.m. – Tuesday We Play (Ages 5-12, Lego and games) at Central Library Story Room
- 5 p.m. – One-On-One Computer Help (call 703-746-1721 to schedule) at Barrett Branch
- 5:10 p.m. – Duncan and Dragons (Teens ages 13-19, registration closed) at Duncan Branch
- 6 p.m. – Financial Literacy Workshop “Convierte tus Monedas a Dolares” at Central Library Large Meeting Room
- 6:30 p.m. – Second Annual Fall Title I Family Expo at Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School
- 7 p.m. – BeerYoga at Port City Brewing Company
- 7 p.m. – Old Town Pool Community Meeting at Oswald Durant Center
- 7 p.m. – Personal Finance Workshop “Tailoring Your Resume to the Job Description” (virtual)
- 7 p.m. – Handcraft Tuesday Evening (virtual crafting session) (virtual)
Organizing an event? Submit your event to ALXnow’s Event Calendar.
Live Music & Entertainment
- 5 p.m. – Live music at Augie’s Mussel House & Beer Garden
- 6 p.m. – Antonio James at Laporta’s Restaurant
- 6 p.m. – Summer and Eric at Lena’s Wood-Fired Pizza & Tap
- 7 p.m. – Trivia at Lost Dog Cafe
- 7 p.m. – Trivia at The Garden
- 7:30 p.m. – Girl Named Tom “…Wilder Then Tour” with Torri Weidinger at The Birchmere
- 8 p.m. – Trivia at Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub
- 8:30 p.m. – Pete Baker at Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub
- 9 p.m. – Justin Gillen Trio at 219 Restaurant
- 9 p.m. – Trivia at O’Shaughnessy’s Pub
- 9:30 p.m. – Karaoke at Rock It Grill
City Meetings & Events
- 7:30 a.m. – Waterfront Commission Meeting
- 6 p.m. – AlexRenew Board of Directors Meeting at Ed Semonian Boardroom
- 6:30 p.m. – Second Annual Fall Title I Family Expo at Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School
- 7 p.m. – Budget & Fiscal Affairs Advisory Committee
- 7 p.m. – Commission for the Arts Monthly Meeting
- 7 p.m. – Human Rights Commission Regular Monthly Meeting
- 7 p.m. – Historic Alexandria Resources Commission (HARC)
City of Alexandria Today
- City Government: OPEN
- Flag Status: FULL STAFF
- Trash Collection: ON TIME
- Recycling Collection: ON TIME
- Yard Waste Collection: ON TIME
