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

Fresh Market’s Alexandria store is staying put as other N. Va. location closes

By Emily Leayman
The Fresh Market at the Bradlee Shopping Center (via Google Maps)

As another Fresh Market store in the Northern Virginia region prepares to close, the Alexandria location isn’t going anywhere.

A Fresh Market spokesperson told ALXnow no changes are planned for the Alexandria store at Bradlee Shopping Center (3680 King Street). The store is one of the anchor businesses at the shopping center, adjacent to a Safeway grocery store to the east.

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News

Alexandria releases draft Housing 2040 Plan ahead of public hearings

By Emily Leayman
As seen at the 204-unit affordable housing apartment complex Samuel Madden Homes, Nov. 12, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria has released its draft Housing 2040 Plan, which will set new housing goals for the next 15 years, ahead of June public hearings.

The Housing 2040 Plan is slated to replace the city’s current Housing Master Plan, which was first approved in 2013. That plan had a goal of producing and preserving 2,000 affordable housing units by 2025, and the city exceeded that goal when counting units under construction.

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Around Town

Alexandria launches passport program 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 to generate support for Duke Street businesses has launched, the city announced Friday (May 22).

The program encouraging residents to shop local is a lighter side of the Duke Street Land Use Plan, a process updating the land use vision for the Duke Street corridor. Christian Brandt, an urban planner for the city, told ALXnow 19 businesses have signed up to participate in the Duke Street Business Passport Program, with more to be added. Businesses within a half-mile of Duke Street are eligible to join.

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Around Town

Adoptable Pet of the Week: Ginger seeks a quiet home to fit her gentle nature

By Emily Leayman
Ginger, an adoptable pup from the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (via AWLA)

Meet Ginger, a young dog looking for a calm environment to make her home.

This petite pup has a gentle spirit and has plenty of love to give once she warms up to you. An AWLA volunteer told ALXnow she needs a family with a bit of patience and would like to avoid loud, chaotic settings.

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News

School Board asks City Council to redirect reserve funds to program for high-needs students

By James Cullum and Emily Leayman
Alexandria School Board meeting in 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria School Board is asking City Council to use emergency funds to help preserve a $350,000 program that supports high-needs students.

In a joint letter to City Council, Chair Michelle Rief said the School Board is navigating difficult choices between staff and programming cuts. The request comes after City Council approved its Fiscal Year 2027 Budget, leaving a $5.6 million gap for the school system’s proposed $12.7 million collective bargaining agreement. Proposed budget cuts to fill the gap include reducing the partnership with Communities In Schools of Northern Virginia (CIS NOVA), which provides 10 bilingual staffers at Alexandria City High School, Francis Hammond Middle School, Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 School and Samuel Tucker, John Adams and William Ramsay Elementary Schools.

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News

State health officials push safe swimming pledge after young child drownings rise in 2025

By Emily Leayman
Person swimming (photo via Brian Matangelo/Unsplash)

After pool drownings of children 5 and under reached a five-year high last year in Virginia, state health officials are urging families to take a “safe swimming pledge” as pools open for the season.

In 2025, there were 12 accidental drownings of children aged 5 and under in Virginia — more than the nine reported over the prior three years: three in 2024, two in 2023 and four in 2022. Virginia reported 473 drownings in all bodies of water between 2020 and 2024.

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Around Town

Little Birdie to offer sneak peek of menu at Del Ray Farmers’ Market

By Emily Leayman
Chicken sandwich at Little Birdie (via Little Birdie/Instagram)

An earlier version of this article said the Little Birdie preview will happen Saturday, May 23. The preview is being rescheduled for next Saturday, May 30.

Little Birdie, the sister restaurant of Matt & Tony’s All Day Kitchen + Bar, will host a preview ahead of its June opening in Del Ray.

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News

Alexandria transitions to electric leaf blowers ahead of citywide gas-powered device ban

By Emily Leayman
Employees with electric leaf blowers (via City of Alexandria)

The City of Alexandria has fully transitioned from gas-powered to electric leaf blowers as it prepares to implement a citywide ban on the gas devices later this year.

The city reported this week that it has completed the transition to electric devices for city maintenance and operations. The May 17 phase-out came one year after City Council approved the ban, which made Alexandria the first locality in Virginia to approve such a measure.

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Around Town

Volunteers needed to help run four tall ship tours at festival next month in Old Town

By Emily Leayman
The Tall Ship Providence sails to its new home, The Senator John Warner Maritime Heritage Center at Waterfront Park (staff photo by James Cullum)

As Alexandria prepares for a major waterfront festival next month, the Office of Historic Alexandria is seeking hundreds of volunteers to assist with four tall ship tours.

The city put out a call for volunteers to take shifts at the Sails on the Potomac waterfront festival from June 12-14, one of the city’s America250 events celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. A highlight of the three-day festival will be free timed tours of four tall ships — Swedish Navy warship replica Kalmar Nyckel, Royal Navy schooner replica Sultana, historic fishing vessel Gazela and Alexandria’s own Continental Navy ship replica Providence.

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News

Memorial Day weekend closures and schedule changes announced in Alexandria

By Emily Leayman
Alexandria National Cemetery (staff photo by James Cullum)

The City of Alexandria and other agencies serving the city have announced closures and other schedule changes for the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

All City of Alexandria government offices will be closed Memorial Day (Monday, May 25). The city will co-host a Memorial Day ceremony with the Friends of Rocky Versace at the Captain Rocky Versace Plaza & Vietnam Veterans Memorial outside the Mount Vernon Recreation Center (2701 Commonwealth Avenue). The ceremony runs from 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. and honor Versace, a posthumous Medal of Honor recipient, 68 Alexandrians who died in the Vietnam War, and others who have served in the military or are missing in action.

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News

Numerous Alexandria officials endorse Rep. Don Beyer’s reelection bid

By Emily Leayman
U.S. Rep Don Beyer (D-8th) speaks at the Alexandria Democratic Committee's Labor Day Picnic at The Garden Alexandria, 5380 Eisenhower Avenue, Sept. 1, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Numerous Alexandria elected officials have thrown their support behind Rep. Don Beyer (D-8) in his reelection bid, his campaign announced Monday (May 18).

The endorsements include Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins; Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley; City Council Members Canek Aguirre, John Chapman, Jacinta Greene, and Sandy Marks; Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter; Clerk of Court Greg Parks; Sheriff Sean Casey; School Board Chair Michelle Rief; School Board Vice Chair Christopher Harris; and School Board Members Abdulahi Abdalla, Tim Beaty, Kelly Carmichael Booz, Alexander Crider Scioscia, Donna Kenley, Ashley Simpson Baird, and Ryan Reyna. Former Mayors Bill Euille, Allison Silberberg and Justin Wilson also endorsed Beyer.

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