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

Alexandria Restaurant Week extending one week at select eateries due to winter storm

By Emily Leayman
Meal at Vermilion (photo via Vermilion Restaurant & Bar/Facebook)

Alexandria Restaurant Week will run an additional week, after last weekend’s winter storm put many families’ plans to dine out on pause.

The winter restaurant week, originally set to end this Sunday, Feb. 1, will now run through Sunday, Feb. 8. A Visit Alexandria spokesperson confirmed to ALXnow that the weather prompted the organization to extend restaurant week, giving diners more chances to safely visit participating restaurants.

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Alexandria high school students feel confident about gun safety bills advancing in Richmond

By Emily Leayman
Alexandria City High School chapter of Students Demand Action meets with Del. Alfonso Lopez (courtesy of Virginia chapter of Students Demand Action)

Students from Alexandria City High School went to Richmond last Thursday to push for gun safety legislation with lawmakers as they hope the odds for passage have increased under the Democratic trifecta.

ACHS’ Students Demand Action chapter took part in Advocacy Day at the state capital, which included conversations with several legislators representing Alexandria — House Majority Leader Charniele Herring (D-4), State Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-39), Dels. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5) and Alfonso Lopez (D-3). They were joined by Virginia Moms Demand Action and other SDA chapters statewide.

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News

City Council approves new energy standards for developments in Alexandria

By Emily Leayman
Attendees at City Council's Jan. 24, 2026 public hearing (via City of Alexandria)

Alexandria City Council approved new environmental standards for the development review process on Saturday, following testimony from dozens of public speakers on climate change and impacts on housing development.

The new Green Building Plan is an update to the 2019 Green Building Policy, which set standards for new public and private renovations needing site plan or special use permit approval. The plan focuses on a measure of energy used by a building called Energy Use Intensity (EUI), rather than specific sustainability certifications like LEED.

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Around Town

Historic ‘Clarens Estate’ breaks Alexandria record for home sales in $7.5M deal

By Emily Leayman
The Clarens Estate, sold for $7.5 million, set a City of Alexandria record as the top home sale (courtesy of Washington Fine Properties)

A new record for home sales has been set in the City of Alexandria as the historic property known as “Clarens Estate” is officially off the market.

The property at 318 N. Quaker Lane sold for $7.5 million, the highest price a home in the city has sold for, according to Washington Fine Properties. Jaci Appel and Hadley Jones of WFP were the seller’s agents, and Al and Harriet Pricenor of Weichert Realtors represented the buyer.

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Around Town

Winter Book Festival will draw more than 20 authors to Alexandria library

By Emily Leayman
The Kate Waller Barrett Branch of the Alexandria Library (staff photo by James Cullum)

Bookworms of all ages can gather for author discussions and book signings during the Alexandria Library’s Winter Book Festival next month.

The festival is expected to draw more than 20 authors for discussions on their journeys to publishing, as well as to sell and sign copies of their books. The free event is scheduled from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28 at the Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library (717 Queen Street). Registration is not required.

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News

Proposed $406M ACPS budget accounts for redistricting, collective bargaining

By Emily Leayman
ACPS Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt speaks at Mount Vernon Community School on Nov. 15, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Potential collective bargaining agreements and redrawn school boundaries were factored into the latest budget proposal presented to the Alexandria City School Board last night (Thursday).

Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt proposed the $406.5 million combined funds budget for fiscal year 2027, a 3.7% increase from the last approved budget. The bulk of funds are in the $374.5 million operating budget, but it also includes school nutrition funds as well as grants and a special projects fund.

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Around Town

New ‘passport’ program emerges to boost support for Duke Street businesses

By Emily Leayman
Duke Street near Landmark and Cameron Run (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A new “passport”-inspired promotion will encourage Alexandria residents to shop locally along the Duke Street corridor.

The City of Alexandria is planning a Duke Street Business Passport Program for businesses within a half-mile of Duke Street. The upcoming program would track shoppers’ passport progress with QR codes and award $25 gift certificates to five participants who visit the most passport businesses.

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Snowball fight canceled as George Washington Masonic Memorial will close grounds during storm

By Emily Leayman
The George Washington National Masonic Memorial under the snow, Jan. 4, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

While a hill near the George Washington Masonic National Memorial is a well-known spot for sledding in Alexandria, the memorial’s grounds won’t be accessible during this weekend’s winter storm.

The grounds will be closed Sunday “for everyone’s safety,” said Shawn Eyer, a spokesperson for the site. That comes after resident Steve Adams tried to organize a snowball fight on the grounds Sunday morning.

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Around Town

Sunday snowball fight barred from Alexandria landmark’s grounds as winter storm looms

By Emily Leayman
The George Washington National Masonic Memorial under the snow, Jan. 4, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

An earlier version of this story indicated a snowball fight would occur on the George Washington Masonic National Memorial, but the organization is not permitting the public to access its grounds during the storm.

Shawn Eyer, a spokesperson for the George Washington Masonic National Memorial, told ALXnow the event is not authorized and that the grounds will be closed to the public Sunday.

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Around Town

Health inspector probe into Old Town juice shop’s emotional support dog prompts petition

By Emily Leayman
Zen Press Juice's storefront (staff photo by James Cullum)

Following a health inspection at an Old Town juice shop earlier this month, a community petition has launched to allow the business owner’s emotional support animal inside the establishment.

The recent Change.org petition focuses on a recent city investigation into a complaint about dogs inside Zen Press Juice. That includes owner JuAnn Wong’s emotional support dog, Coco, who previously made frequent visits to the shop at 806 King Street.

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News

City Hall renovation plans move forward without decorative chimneys after BAR appeal

By Emily Leayman
A rendering of the proposed City Hall and Market Square renovation (via City of Alexandria)

City Council last week made a few changes to a review board’s conditional approval of the upcoming City Hall and Market Square project.

On Jan. 13, City Council considered an appeal of the Board of Architectural Review’s approved certificate of appropriateness with conditions for the City Hall and Market Square project on Nov. 19, 2025. The Council voted to remove the review board’s recommendation to maintain decorative chimneys on the south-facing side of City Hall, as well as colonial-style windows at the center entrance pavilion.

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