On This Day in Alexandria History — “On July 14, 1965, the Board of Architectural Review for the Old and Historic Alexandria District approved the design for the plaza, fountain and subterranean garage at Market Square. The project, part of a much larger “urban renewal” project to revitalize six deteriorated commercial blocks in the downtown area, paved the way for the demolition of dozens of early buildings fronting King, North Royal and North Fairfax Streets, as well as structures and stalls associated with the market near City Hall. Although controversial even at that time, the authorization supported the concept of opening up Market Square as a community gathering space, rather than the maintaining the jumbled marketplace that had developed over 200 years, and had been largely hidden from surrounding streets for decades.” [Historic Alexandria]
Mentor Open House at Beatley Library Today — “Please help us by signing up to be a mentor and helping young people see that adults in this community care about them and want the best for them. This Tuesday, July 14, we are hosting our mentoring open house. This event will be held at the Beatley Library from 5:30 to 7 p.m.” [Mayor Alyia Gaskins/Facebook]
Wrong-Way Driver Crash in I-395 Express Lanes — “An alleged wrong-way driver is under investigation after a collision in the Interstate 395 reversible express lanes injured a Virginia state trooper in Alexandra, Virginia State Police said in a statement Friday. The collision Thursday enmeshed three cars and sent debris skittering onto the main highways, forcing the express lanes to close for hours Thursday night and bottlenecking traffic into two lanes of I-95 in each direction.” [WTOP]
An Engagement at Alexandria Birthday Fireworks — “When Jenn Meffert and Zach Quinn decided to make their relationship official, they didn’t plan a surprise proposal. They planned a day — a whole Alexandria day — and did it together.” [Alexandria Brief]
Virginia Joins Solar Initiative to Address Rising Electric Bills — “On Monday, Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced that Virginia is partnering with the nonprofit Switch Together to help bring down the cost of solar array purchases for homeowners who want to install them on their homes. The governor framed the move as a way to help Virginians lower their utility bills. The organization acquires the solar arrays through a reverse auction where the seller tries to outbid other companies, which allows homeowners to then buy the solar panels for a reduced rate.” [Virginia Mercury]
Alexandria Fire Department Recommends Safety Tips for Vacation Rentals — “As summer continues, AFD wants to keep you safe when staying in a vacation rental, such as an Airbnb or Vrbo. Check out these safety tips from the NFPA to keep in mind while traveling.” [AFD/Facebook]
It’s Tuesday — The weather will be sunny, with temperatures reaching a high of 91°F. Winds will be calm, shifting to the southwest at about 5 mph in the afternoon. At night, skies will remain clear, with temperatures dropping to around 72°F and southwest winds at 5 to 7 mph. [NWS]
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