Author: ALXnow.com

On This Day in Alexandria History — “On May 14, 1859, van Amburgh & Company’s Grand Zoological & Equestrian Company performed two shows in Alexandria. Founded by Isaac van Amburgh, who was the first American animal trainer to develop wild animals acts for entertainment, the former cage cleaner at the Zoological Society of New York had developed one of the most successful 19th century traveling menagerie shows. Fearless, cunning, and merciless in his treatment of animals, van Amburgh’s mobile exposition featured trained elephants, tigers, lions, leopards, horses, trick dogs, riding monkeys and educated ponies within his repertoire. Nicknamed “The Lion King” van Amburgh was well-known for placing his bloodied arms or entire head within the mouths of growling lions, then having the animal lick his boots at the end of the act. His performance so impressed Queen Victoria and Prince Albert when it was presented to them in London in 1844, that Her Excellency commissioned Sir Edwin Henry Landseer to paint a portrait of van Amburgh and his animals to be exhibited at the Royal Academy.” [Historic Alexandria]

Collective Bargaining Legislation Not Moving Forward — “Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger intends to veto a bill that would expand collective bargaining powers for public employees after the proposed law received bipartisan pushback, according to lawmakers.” [WJLA]

On This Day in Alexandria History — “On May 13, 1904, in the center of the intersection of Prince and South Washington Streets, a decorative iron fence, cast iron urns and landscaping was installed around the statue Appomattox, the location where upwards of 800 Alexandria troops gathered in the early morning hours of May 24, 1861 as Union troops began their Civil War occupation of Alexandria. In May 1889, the statue sculpted by Caspar Buberl, based on a soldier in John Elder’s battlefield painting of the same name, was installed at the site.” [Historic Alexandria]

Del Ray House & Garden Tour Raises Over $27K for Local Causes — Hundreds attended the tour featuring a dozen homes in the Del Ray neighborhood on Saturday, May 9. Proceeds from the tour will go to the Little Red Caboose restoration between the Mount Vernon Rec Center, Mount Vernon Community School, and Duncan Library, as well as Mount Vernon Community School after-school tutoring, and the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria. [Del Ray Citizens Association news release]

On This Day in Alexandria History — “On May 12, 1909, a large fire broke out at Smoot Lumber at Union and Cameron streets. Originating at the planing mill near Lee Street, the fire caused an estimated $500,000 in damage. Firefighters drafted water from the Potomac River to help put out the blaze.” [Historic Alexandria]

Worries About Supreme Court Decision on Voting Rights — “The decision significantly narrowed how Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act can be used in redistricting disputes and made it more difficult to challenge maps that dilute minority voting strength. The ruling stopped short of invalidating Section 2 altogether, but critics across Virginia say it represents the most consequential rollback of federal voting rights protections since Shelby County v. Holder, the 2013 ruling that eliminated the federal preclearance system requiring states with histories of discrimination to obtain federal approval before changing election laws.” [Virginia Mercury]

On This Day in Alexandria History — “On May 11, 1749, colonial Governor William Gooch designated sixty acres of land adjacent to a small bay along the Potomac River in Northern Virginia as the site for a new settlement to be called Alexandria … John West, Fairfax County surveyor, assisted by 17-year-old George Washington, laid out 60 acres for creation of the new town and lots were auctioned off in July 1749.” [Historic Alexandria]

Chamber ALX to Host City Council Breakfast — “Join us for an inside look at Alexandria’s future as City Council members unpack the newly adopted City budget, highlight key investments, and share updates on major initiatives already underway. Learn how local priorities are shaping decisions and driving progress across neighborhoods, services, and community development efforts.” [Chamber ALX]

Spanberger Signs Bills on Clean Water, Flooding — “On the banks of Aquia Creek in Stafford, Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Wednesday signed a slew of bills designed to protect Virginia’s clean water from harmful forever chemicals and aid communities as sea levels rise due to climate change … House Bill 237, sponsored by Del. Alfonso Lopez, D-Arlington, directs agencies to additionally consider how wetlands may migrate.” [Virginia Mercury]

Housing, Swim School Planned in Del Ray — “Bonaventure Realty has finally closed the book on Mount Vernon Avenue. The Alexandria-based real estate investor has sold two major properties in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood, 2525 Mt. Vernon Ave. and 2401-2419 Mt. Vernon Ave., to an affiliate of Sterling’s Ganges Property Group …  The plans [at 2525 Mt. Vernon Ave.] call for 25 short-term residential units on the second floor and a combination of a daycare, swim school and restaurant on the first floor.” [Washington Business Journal]

FBI Raids Sen. Louise Lucas’ Office — “Federal agents on Wednesday morning raided the Portsmouth office of state Sen. Louise Lucas, one of Virginia’s most powerful Democratic lawmakers, a representative of the Federal Bureau of Investigations confirmed Wednesday, after multiple news outlets reported an extensive law enforcement operation that included FBI agents, SWAT teams and court-authorized searches tied to several locations across the commonwealth.” [Virginia Mercury]

Alexandria Chef Wins ‘Chopped’ — “Alexandria chef Leigh Orleans is officially a Food Network champion. The local culinary talent won the Food Network competition series Chopped (Season 64, Episode 8), taking home the $10,000 grand prize after surviving all three rounds of the high-pressure cooking showdown and impressing judges with a creative dessert made from leftover ingredients.” [The Zebra]

Tourists’ Spending Exceeded $1B — “If Alexandria feels more bustling than ever, the numbers help explain why. Visitor spending in the city topped more than $1 billion in 2024 for the first time, according to Visit Alexandria, the city’s nonprofit destination marketing organization. The milestone comes as Alexandria’s tourism growth rate has outpaced both Northern Virginia and the Commonwealth overall.” [The Zebra]

Virginia Opposes Gun Mailing Proposal — “Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones on Tuesday joined 21 other states in opposing a proposed United States Postal Service rule that would allow certain firearms to be sent through the mail, warning the change could undermine state gun laws and make it easier for prohibited individuals to obtain weapons.” [Virginia Mercury]

Cinco de Mayo in Alexandria — “At Tequila & Taco (540 John Carlyle Street), the celebration of Mexico’s defeat over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 begins with 5-cent frozen margaritas from 9-10 a.m. … Elsewhere in Alexandria, events will feature extended happy hour deals, live music and specials on food and drink, including all-day $3.50 tacos at Taqueria Picoso.” [ALXnow]

Thousands of Virginians to Regain Voting Rights — “A federal court ruled earlier this year that Virginia’s current disenfranchisement of anyone with felony convictions violates laws that required former Confederate states to guarantee voting rights for newly-emancipated Black residents.” [Virginia Mercury]