Mount Vernon Reopens After $40M Renovations — “For first time since January 2024, George Washington’s Mount Vernon has re-opened all first and second-floor Mansion rooms to the public. The reopening comes just in time for holiday events, including Mount Vernon by Candlelight when visitors can step back in time with a 45-minute candlelit tour of the estate as we celebrate the build-up to the 250th anniversary of American Independence.” [Alexandria Living Magazine]
Volunteers Remove 500-Pound Junk From Trail — “Removing a 500lb + piece of trash is not an easy feat. Watch how we slowly removed it from the trail over the course of 2 weeks. Without 6 volunteers and over 3 hours of volunteer time this trash would still be sitting in the river.” [Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail]
Grant Writers, Book Buddies Needed — New volunteer openings in the city include grant writers to support the Latino community with Casa Chirilagua, “Book Buddy” reading tutors with the Alexandria Tutoring Consortium and Thanksgiving meal servers with Affordable Homes & Communities. [Volunteer Alexandria]
State Lawmakers Look to Ease Utility Costs — “In recent days, House Democrats released some of their priority bills – two of which zoom in on energy efficiency in homes.” House Bill 3 would create a task force to assess households based on barriers to efficiency program participation and other qualities. House Bill 2 aims to reduce heating-related costs by requiring utility companies to provide energy efficiency upgrades to 30% of qualified customers by the end of 2031. Both bills will be considered during the 2026 General Assembly legislative session. [Virginia Mercury]
Torpedo Factory Hosting Free Hip Hop Event — “Ever wondered how Hip-Hop blends creativity with science and technology? … Led by the “Digging in the Crates” (VTDITC) Hip Hop Studies team at Virginia Tech, this workshop breaks down the science behind two of Hip-Hop’s most iconic creative practices: DJing (mixing and scratching) and beat making. You’ll not only witness these art forms in action but also get a chance to try them yourself!” [City of Alexandria Office of Arts]
It’s Wednesday — Expect rain before 7am, followed by patchy fog until 9am, then cloudy skies will gradually clear with a high near 70. A southwest wind will blow at 9-11 mph, gusting up to 21 mph. There’s a 30% chance of precipitation. Wednesday night will be partly cloudy and breezy, with a low of 38 and winds gusting up to 39 mph. Thanksgiving Day will be partly sunny with a high of 44, and winds gusting up to 28 mph. [NWS]
