On This Day in Alexandria History — “On June 16, 1809, the Virginia General Assembly was petitioned to construct a new turnpike linking Alexandria with Fredericksburg about 50 miles away. Construction began soon after on a causeway across the Great Hunting Creek and a road through the rural wilderness of eastern Fairfax County, passing the Huntley meadows, Mount Vernon, Woodlawn and the town of Woodbridge, eventually becoming part of U.S. Route 1 stretching from Fort Kent, Maine to Key West, Florida. That same year, a new turnpike was built north of Alexandria (now Powhatan Street) extending from the northern dead-end of Washington Street to connect with the Long Bridge across the Potomac River. This new turnpike would finally provide a direct road connection between Alexandria and Washington Counties, the original two counties that made up the District of Columbia.” [Historic Alexandria]

Differences Between New Virginia House, Senate Budget Proposals — “The data center sales and use tax exemption remains the biggest bottle neck on state budget negotiations.. The state currently forgoes an average of $1.6 billion annually by allowing the industry to not pay the 5.3% state tax on their computer equipment and server racks.” [Virginia Mercury]