On This Day in Alexandria History — “On November 13, 1873, the Alexandria City Council granted permission to the Electro-Magnetic Telegraph Company, created in 1845 by inventor Samuel Morse, to run its lines through Alexandria providing instant communication for the first time from New York all the way to Richmond … After witnessing a series of electro-magnetic experiments, he later developed the concept of the single-wire telegraph and the Morse code system of telegraphy. [Historic Alexandria]
City Council Holds Public Hearing Saturday — The appeals of the Russell Road Safe Routes to School, partial tax exemption for Community Lodgings’ affordable housing project, the city’s legislative package for the 2027 General Assembly session, and helmet rules for 14 and under are among the items City Council will consider on Saturday. The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. [City of Alexandria]
Rep. Beyer, Other N. Va. Reps Oppose Dominion-NextEra Merger — “The Members noted that while NextEra stands to benefit from the expanded investment opportunities created by the rapid expansion of data centers across Northern Virginia, residential customers and small businesses could be left footing the bill. The Members also cautioned that the merger could consolidate market power across the regional electricity grid, stifling competition and ultimately increasing electricity costs for Virginia consumers. They argued that the proposed merger’s temporary incentives fail to offset the merger’s potential long-term costs.” [Rep. Don Beyer press release]
D.C. Region Trends Toward Encrypted Police Scanners — “A recommendation from the Washington Metropolitan Council of Governments, a regional advisory body of local governments in D.C., Northern Virginia and Maryland, calls for all local law enforcement to switch to encrypted communications by 2028.” [ARLnow]
Metrorail Adjusts Service This Weekend — Blue Line trains will only run between Franconia-Springfield and Foggy Bottom, while Yellow Line trains run between Huntington and Mount Vernon Square. [Metro/Bluesky]
Condo Dispute Suspected Before D.C. Shooting — “Dr. Matt Lambert, 55, shot and killed James Stuart, 46, and went on to shoot and wound four others early Thursday, police say. The victims include a woman who was shot in the head. Lambert barricaded himself in his penthouse condo in the same block as the gym, shot at officers and took his life, authorities said.” [NBC Washington]
Dan Snyder’s Home Back on Market Near Alexandria — “The Snyders sold the Washington Commanders in July 2023 to a group led by Josh Harris for $6.05 billion. They bought River View in 2021 for a reported $48 million and put it up for sale in June 2024 for $60 million. That listing came down around the end of February 2026. The estate returned to market May 20 at $49.9 million, where the asking price still stands nearly six months later.” [The Zebra]
Microplastics Found in Tested Waterways — “The study from Environment America tracked microplastics at Maryland sites along the Patapsco, Choptank, Nanticoke and Susquehanna rivers — and in the Chesapeake Bay itself near Talbot County. Lab researchers also analyzed samples from sites in Washington, D.C., Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York. All of the sites contained plastic microfibers, 93% of them contained microfragments, 47% had microfilm and 27% had microbeads.” [Virginia Mercury]
Alexandria Library Collects Winter Gear Donations — “We are collecting handmade or store-bought scarves, hats, and mittens for Alexandria’s Community Lodgings. 🧣🧤 Drop items at any Alexandria Library Branch donation box between now and December 2. 🧶” [Alexandria Library/Bluesky]
New Legal Notice — Trustee seeks court approval to decant trust assets into special-needs trust; respondent must answer by December 22, 2026. [Public Notices]
It’s Friday — Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of showers before 1 PM. High near 48, with north winds 14 to 16 mph and gusts up to 25 mph. Tonight will remain mostly cloudy, with a low around 36 and north winds 8 to 11 mph, gusting up to 18 mph. [NWS]
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