On This Day in Alexandria History — “On July 31, 1934, a contract was let for the construction of George Washington High School at 1005 Mount Vernon Avenue in the city’s Del Ray neighborhood. The new school, which opened a year later, replaced the old Alexandria High School on Cameron Street and merged it with the George Mason High School, the former high school of the Town of Potomac, annexed as part of Alexandria several years earlier. The new high school was designed in the Del Ray’s prevalent Art Deco style, and was funded as part of a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project. The school initially housed a student population of 1,200 with a staff of 35. At the time of its construction, critics claimed that the school was built so large that there would never be enough students to fill its cavernous halls. By 1944, the addition of three wings proved them wrong! The old George Mason High building is still standing as part of the Mount Vernon Elementary School.” [Historic Alexandria]
Rep. Beyer Urges Fairfax County to Deny Substation Associated with Data Center — “U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-VA) [Thursday] urged the Fairfax County Planning Commission to deny the permit application filed for Edsall Data Center Substation 2232 at the Plaza 500 site at 6299 Edsall Road in Lincolnia … In a letter to the Fairfax County Planning Commission, Beyer noted that while Fairfax County has adopted guidelines intended to minimize the impacts of data center infrastructure on surrounding neighborhoods and preserve land for housing, economic opportunity, and transit-oriented development, he shares the concerns of many residents and stakeholders that the proposed substation is inconsistent with those goals.” [Rep. Don Beyer news release]
Real Estate Agent Named Chamber ALX’s Business Leader of the Year — “Jen Walker, the longtime Del Ray real estate professional whose name has become closely associated with neighborhood events, volunteerism and generous community support, has been named The Chamber ALX’s 2026 Business Leader of the Year … The Chamber announced the recognition Wednesday, citing Walker’s more than 25 years in real estate, her advocacy for clients and her decades of involvement in Alexandria. A Del Ray resident for more than 30 years, Walker has built a career in real estate while making community connection central to her work.” [The Zebra]
Olympic Boxer Troy Isley Visits Children in Alexandria — “On July 10, Isley, who trained at the Alexandria Boxing Club as an amateur, took a training break to make a stop by his old stomping ground, the Alexandria Boys and Girls Club in Alexandria’s Parker-Gray neighborhood. While at the Club, he took time to meet and take pictures with the youth in attendance and share his stories of growing up.” [Alexandria Times]
Spotlight on RiverRenew’s Impact on Waterways — “Alexandria’s 1800s-era combined sewer overflow system served Old Town, where stormwater and sanitary sewage flowed in the same pipe. During heavy rains, when large amounts of runoff from streets entered the combined sewer system, the excess mixture resulted in untreated flows entering the Potomac River, Hunting Creek and Hoofs Run. Opened in July, AlexRenew’s RiverRenew project is expected to prevent 120 million gallons of combined sewer overflows from polluting the Potomac and its tributaries each year.” [WTOP]
End of Summer Youth Employment Program Celebration — “The Workforce Development Center will host the 2026 Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) Closing Ceremony at the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus in the Boeing Auditorium (3625 Potomac Ave.). This community celebration brings together youth participants, families, employers, and partners to recognize the achievements of Alexandria’s young workforce, marking the close of another successful summer of career exploration and professional development. Members of the community are encouraged to attend.” [City of Alexandria]
Why 600,000 Mosquitoes Are Being Released in Region — “Hundreds of thousands of mosquitoes are being released across Maryland and Washington, D.C. this summer as part of an effort to curb populations of disease-carrying insects, but there’s a major catch. None of the newly released insects bite humans. The initiative, led by Silver Spring-based Bee Safe Mosquito Control, aims to reduce the biting mosquito population without resorting to widespread pesticide spraying.” [Fox5DC]
Site Plan Reveals Potential Size of National Harbor Sphere — “A detailed site plan for the development illustrates the features of the 6,000-seat suburban Maryland venue, including firmed-up arrangements for the site’s entrances, public plazas and a pedestrian bridge across more than 14 acres in Oxon Hill. The maximum diameter of the National Harbor Sphere will be 428 feet, according to documents filed with the Prince George’s County Planning Department and obtained by the Business Journal.” [Washington Business Journal]
Attorney General Forms Unit Targeting Illegal Vapes — “Virginia is creating an enforcement unit to oversee the rapidly expanding market for vaping products, hemp-derived intoxicants, THC and kratom, consolidating several regulatory responsibilities within the attorney general’s office … Inspectors assigned to the unit will monitor retailers, conduct compliance checks and coordinate enforcement with the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority and other state agencies. The office will also be able to pursue civil penalties and other legal action against manufacturers, distributors and retailers accused of violating state law.” [Virginia Mercury]
It’s Friday — Expect sunny skies with temperatures reaching a high of 90°F, accompanied by a gentle northwest wind at 3 to 5 mph. On Friday night, the weather will be partly cloudy with temperatures dropping to around 70°F and light, variable winds. [NWS]
