‘Toy Stories’ Art Exhibit Coming to ALX — From Jan. 2-31, “browse toy-inspired art pieces curated by Gordon Thomas Frank and created by NoVA-area artists. The exhibit highlights the joy of play and evokes childhood nostalgia through the creative expression of toys. Del Ray Artisans Gallery: 2704 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria, free.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
VA Revenue Loss Predicted Amid International Student Uncertainty — “With college students returning to class after the New Year, international students face heightened uncertainty in Virginia, as ongoing federal actions — including visa bans and disruptions to application processing — have led to a projected $23 million revenue loss for the commonwealth compared to last fall. Virginia received $893.5 million from more than 23,000 international students at its colleges and universities from 2024 to 2025, according to the Association of International Educators (NAFSA).” [Virginia Mercury]
New Laws Starting This Week in VA — “A slew of new laws will go into effect in Virginia, Maryland and D.C. on New Year’s Day. Health, social media and paychecks are among the topics addressed in the wide range of legislation that hits the books on Jan. 1, 2026.” [WTOP]
Author Gifts Holiday Bonus to ALX Bookseller — “James Patterson has been busy spreading holiday joy. But he’s not doing it by writing books — he’s been writing checks. The bestselling author has once again gifted $500 bonuses to hundreds of the nation’s independent booksellers, including four in Northern Virginia.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
DRBA Honors APD Officer — “Sergeant Matthew O’Malley of the Homeland Security Section and Events Management Unit received the Public Service Star Award in recognition of his outstanding support in coordinating public safety for our community events … President Lauren Fisher: ‘All the events we run, none of it would be possible without the cooperation of the Alexandria Police Department. Whether there are 500 or 50,000 attending, they all go super smoothly. In particular, we’re grateful for his assistance with our 50th Anniversary Turkey Trot, with record attendance.'” [Visit Del Ray]
It’s Tuesday — Expect a sunny day with a high of 35 degrees accompanied by breezy west winds ranging from 17 to 23 mph, gusting up to 37 mph. For Tuesday night, the clouds will increase while the temperature drops to a low of 26 degrees. The west wind will settle down to 7 to 10 mph, gusting up to 22 mph. [NWS]
