Author: Emily Leayman

Emily Leayman is the editor of ALXnow and contributes reporting to ARLnow and FFXnow. She was previously a field editor covering parts of Northern Virginia for Patch for more than eight years. A native of the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania, she lives in Northern Virginia.

Around Town

Lunar New Year brings Year of the Horse events to Del Ray and Old Town

By Emily Leayman
Lunar New Year gold and red print card (via Jason Leung/Unsplash)

Festivals and other events in celebration of Lunar New Year have started in Alexandria, kicking off the Year of the Horse.

Lunar New Year officially begins on Tuesday, Feb. 17, but some festivities are happening before then. The holiday is celebrated in Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and numerous other Asian cultures, marking the start of the 15-day Spring Festival.

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News

Proposals to limit ICE activity and more Alexandria-supported bills advance in General Assembly

By Emily Leayman
Wendy Ginsberg, the City of Alexandria's legislative director, provided a mid-session General Assembly update to City Council (via City of Alexandria)

As the General Assembly reaches mid-session, the City of Alexandria is supporting nearly 400 proposed bills, including restrictions on immigration enforcement.

Wendy Ginsberg, the city’s legislative director, provided a mid-session General Assembly update to City Council yesterday (Tuesday). According to Ginsberg, city staff have reviewed 584 bills for potential impacts to the city. During the presentation, Councilman Abdel Elnoubi requested an update on the immigration enforcement-related bills, which Ginsberg said are continuing to make progress.

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News

ACPS proposal to scale back Chinese and Latin language programs draw public concern

By Emily Leayman
Francis C. Hammond Middle School, Jan. 6, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

A proposal to scale back Chinese and Latin language classes at Alexandria City Public Schools have drawn public concern as school officials prepare to make funding decisions.

The Alexandria City School Board discussed a proposal that would remove two middle school Latin teachers and one Chinese teacher due to low enrollment during a Jan. 27 work session.

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News

Alexandria City School Board member suggests adding snow days after winter storm

By Emily Leayman
Cora Kelly Elementary School, 3600 Commonwealth Avenue, on Jan. 6, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

An Alexandria City School Board member has proposed starting discussions to bring back traditional snow days, after school buildings were closed for more than a week in the aftermath of last month’s winter storm.

Board member Ryan Reyna called for a discussion on potentially building snow days back into the calendar and examining flexibility of winter break start and end dates for the 2028-2029 calendar during the School Board’s Feb. 5 meeting.

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News

Alexandria election officers, political parties rise to challenge of upcoming special elections

By Emily Leayman
Voters wait in line at the firehouse primary at Charles Houston Recreation Center in Old Town, Jan. 13, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria has experienced a domino effect of incoming special elections since last month, but city election officials and political party leaders are rising to the challenge amid tight deadlines.

Next Tuesday, voters will decide on special elections for seats in Virginia’s 5th House District and the 39th Senate District. Eventually, they’ll also select a new member of City Council, as Councilman R. Kirk McPike departs the post Monday to run for delegate.

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Around Town

Annual ‘Raclette Fest’ returns this month, celebrating melted tableside cheese in Del Ray

By Emily Leayman
Raclette, a type of Alpine cheese served at Cheesetique's Raclette Fest (courtesy of Cheesetique)

Cheese lovers can flock to Cheesetique in Del Ray this month for the returning “Raclette Fest,” a ski lodge-inspired event centered around the tableside cheese wheel and other specials.

Raclette Fest will run from Monday, Feb. 23 to Sunday, March 15, following a kickoff Après-Ski Party from 4-7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22 at 2411 Mount Vernon Avenue. The festival name references a type of Alpine cheese melted from a wheel and served tableside onto bread, seasonal vegetables and sausage.

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News

City-supported bills to expand housing have mixed progress in state legislature

By Emily Leayman
About 50 demonstrators outside City Hall called for affordable housing solutions in Alexandria, April 13, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Several priorities in Alexandria City Council’s latest state legislative package are making progress in the General Assembly.

The City of Alexandria is supporting proposals that aim to make it easier for localities to expand housing and increase its affordability. The latest General Assembly Legislative Package outlines state bills it would support, citing increasing housing costs for city residents and essential workers being priced out of the city.

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Around Town

Alexandria celebrating 100 years of Black History Month with music, exhibits and more

By Emily Leayman
The Washington Revels perform "The Courage to Be" at the Alexandria Lyceum for Black History Month 2025 (via Washington Revels/Facebook)

Various events will honor Black history in Alexandria as this February marks the 100th anniversary of Black History Month being nationally observed.

Founded in 1926 by historian Carter G. Woodson, Black History Month is an observance to preserve and honor Black history as a month-long celebration. Alexandria has its own rich Black and African American history, dating back to 18th century free Black communities to the 19th century slave trading operations and Civil War, to the 1939 library sit-in protest and 2020 protests after George Floyd’s death.

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Around Town

CVS Pharmacy shutters in Potomac Yard, leaving a dozen remaining Alexandria locations

By Emily Leayman
The CVS at 2601 Richmond Highway (via Google Maps)

CVS Pharmacy has closed a location in Potomac Yard, bringing the pharmacy’s locations within the City of Alexandria to 12.

CVS’ last day at 2601 Richmond Highway was Jan. 21, CVS spokesperson Roslyn Guarino confirmed to ALXnow. Prescriptions from the pharmacy have been transferred to the CVS Pharmacy at 415 E. Monroe Avenue in Del Ray, and employees were offered similar roles within the company.

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News

Councilmembers lobby for housing, school funding and gun safety laws in Richmond

By Emily Leayman
Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley testifies in support of a gun safety bill in the House Firearms Subcommittee (via Virginia General Assembly)

Members of City Council traveled to Richmond yesterday (Thursday) to advocate for more authority to expand housing options and increase state funding for school construction, among other goals.

Mayor Alyia Gaskins, Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley, Councilmembers John Taylor Chapman, R. Kirk McPike, Abdel Elnoubi and Canek Aguirre visited the state Capitol for a lobby day to advocate for their legislative priorities, which were set in December. They met with several lawmakers and members of Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s administration.

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Around Town

Alexandria couple starts campaign to provide medical debt relief in Northern Virginia

By Emily Leayman
Scott and Kara Pitek (courtesy of Kara Pitek)

As the cost of health care continues to be a nationwide issue, an Alexandria couple has launched a fundraiser to help regional residents burdened by medical debt.

Scott and Kara Pitek introduced the campaign through the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt, which was established by former debt collectors to purchase and eliminate medical debt. Funds raised through the campaign will help residents facing medical debt in the City of Alexandria and Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William counties.

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