On This Day in Alexandria History — Becoming the trademark tactic of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, the first sit-in occurred well before the era of social unrest that would characterize the decade of the 1960s. Prior to the famous Woolworth counter sit-in in Greensboro, North Carolina, five courageous African-American youths staged the first deliberate and planned sit-in at the Alexandria “public” Library on August 21, 1939 … Although this first act of defiance against the system of Jim Crow did not garner the media attention, this was the first step towards the City of Alexandria seriously considering a colored branch for its African-American citizens and facing the issue of accessibility, however unequal, for all of its citizens.” [Historic Alexandria]
Testing of Speed Cameras Happening Today — “The City of Alexandria will test school zone flashers and camera systems on Friday, August 21 ahead of the first day of school for ACPS next week. Residents may see the flashers in operation during normal weekday hours as part of the test. No citations will be issued during the testing period … School zone speed camera enforcement will resume on Monday, August 24, the first day of school for the majority of Alexandria City Public Schools.” [Alexandria T&ES]
Pipes and Drums Summer Concert Tonight — “Don’t miss the City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums Summer Concert! Join us on Friday, August 21, at 7:45 p.m.at Waterfront Park, Market Square, 1A Prince St, for performances filled with music, energy, and community spirit. Combining precision marching with powerful and stirring musical arrangements rooted in Scottish heritage, the City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums has been captivating audiences for over 50 years.” [City of Alexandria]
Acting ACPS Superintendent Not Seeking Permanent Position — “In a statement to the Times, [Grace] Taylor said ACPS has a responsibility to ‘continuously adapt’ to an evolving education landscape and that her focus is on steering the school district’s path forward in the immediate future. She has not applied for the permanent superintendent position, she added.” [Alexandria Times]
Old Town Books Owner’s Ice Cream Brand Expands — “Fabled Ice Cream — a small-batch brand that longtime Fort Hunt resident Ally Kirkpatrick launched last summer — will open at 7940 Fort Hunt Road in the Hollin Hall Shopping Center. After a year of serving up scoops at pop-events, and a few months of selling pints at Old Town Books for pickup, Kirkpatrick is ready for the brand’s story to include a brick-and-mortar store.” [FFXnow]
Cheestique Owner’s Other Restaurant Temporarily Closed — “A Shirlington Italian restaurant is shutting its doors for repairs after flooding earlier this month. Corso Italian will be closed at 4024 Campbell Avenue for an uncertain period of time after flooding on Aug. 2 caused ‘significant damage’ to a dining room and the basement, owner Jill Erber wrote in a letter to customers (Wednesday).” [ARLnow]
Freedom 250’s Grand Prix to Take Over Downtown D.C. This Weekend — “The Freedom 250 Grand Prix — which President Donald Trump established through an executive order in January — will take place Saturday and Sunday. It marks the final major summer event in D.C. organized through Freedom 250, the public-private partnership that the White House launched to celebrate the nation’s birthday and that Trump has fashioned into a cornerstone of his second term.” [The Washington Post]
Rep. Beyer Joins Investigation into ICE Encounter — “Rep. Don Beyer and five other House Democrats opened an investigation Wednesday into an Aug. 10 encounter in which they say a masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent pointed a gun at a U.S. citizen in Northern Virginia without justification, and asked the FBI and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division to examine the agents’ conduct.” [Alexandria Brief]
Survey Shows N. Va. Drivers Would Make Pay Sacrifice for Better Commute — “The survey of 3,017 workers found that 59% would accept a lower salary from another employer if it significantly reduced their commute. Participants were also asked how much of their annual salary they would be willing to give up to avoid their commute altogether. Virginia workers said they would be willing to sacrifice an average of $4,626 in annual salary, according to the survey.” [Inside Nova]
It’s Friday — It will be mostly sunny with a high of 82°F, with a north wind turning east in the afternoon at about 6 mph. Friday night brings increasing clouds and a 70% chance of showers and thunderstorms, especially after 2 a.m., with a low around 69°F and light east winds. Rainfall could range from a tenth to a quarter of an inch, with possibly more during thunderstorms. [NWS]
