First Night Alexandria Returning for NYE — “First Night Alexandria will bring hours of live music and performances, family-friendly fun and fireworks to Old Town and Carlyle for New Year’s Eve next week. In its 31st year, the annual holiday festival includes a packed schedule of activities and arts, culminating in a countdown to midnight at the Old Town waterfront.” [ALXnow]
Chamber Releases 2026 Agenda — “The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce has officially released its 2026 Legislative Agenda—their most important advocacy document of the year. Crafted by Chamber members, the agenda reflects the collective voice and priorities of Alexandria’s business community and outlines how the Chamber will advocate on their members’ behalf in the year ahead and beyond.” [Alexandria Living Magazine]
Spanberger Appoints Labor Secretary — “[Spanberger] announced Monday that Jessica Looman will serve as the state’s next secretary of labor. Looman was previously appointed by former President Joe Biden as administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, where she led the federal labor standards enforcement agency from 2021 to 2025. In that role, she prioritized enforcement of minimum wage and overtime protections, combatted child labor exploitation, and addressed the misclassification of employees as independent contractors, according to a news release announcing her appointment.” [Virginia Mercury]
VA Minimum Wage Increasing Next Month — “Right now, the minimum wage in Virginia sits at $12.41 an hour, but beginning Jan. 1, it will increase to $12.77. For full-time employees working 40 hours a week, that amounts to about a $750 difference per year.” [WSET]
It’s Monday — Showers are likely before 10 a.m., followed by cloudy conditions that will gradually clear up. Temperatures will peak at 58°F around 11 a.m., but will then drop to around 41°F. Expect windy conditions, with southwest winds of 17-22 mph becoming 24-29 mph from the west in the afternoon, and gusts of up to 47 mph. There is a 50% chance of precipitation. Tonight, partly cloudy skies and a low of 27°F can be anticipated, accompanied by a breezy west wind of 22-24 mph and gusts as high as 48 mph. [NWS]
Today’s Morning Notes are brought to you by Industrious. ARLnow has been in an Industrious office for years and we love the convenience — you get to focus on your work rather than worrying about brewing your own coffee or keeping the copy machine stocked. Industrious has several Metro-accessible coworking locations in Arlington.
