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.

News

JUST IN: Thousands without power along Quaker Lane in Alexandria

By Emily Leayman
Map showing a beige polygon outlining a neighborhood boundary around N Quaker Ln and W Braddock Rd near Fairlington, VA.
Outages reported in Alexandria on Aug. 17 (via Dominion Energy)

Thousands of Dominion Energy customers in a portion of Alexandria are experiencing power outages this afternoon (Monday).

Dominion Energy’s outage map shows 2,160 outages around the Taylor Run, Seminary Hill and Fairlington neighborhoods with small extensions into North Ridge and Rosemont.

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Around Town

Horror and sci-fi bookstore Long Dark House to hold grand opening in early September

By Emily Leayman and James Cullum
Woman walking on brick sidewalk past a storefront with a green awning labeled 1510, carrying shopping bags.
The upcoming location of Long Dark House at 1510 King Street (staff photo by James Cullum)

Long Dark House, a bookstore dedicated to horror, science fiction and other dark titles, will open its doors at the start of September.

The independent bookstore will open at 1510 King Street at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 1. A grand opening from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5 will include special activities all day. Author Lisa Jones Gentry will be at the opening to sign copies of “A Dead Man Speaks,” which can be preordered through Long Dark House. The grand opening will also have specially themed matcha drinks from Whisked Away Cafe, chocolates and gifts from Madame Coco’s Emporium, raffle prizes, music and more.

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Around Town

Alexandria woman draws from personal experience to write book about finding inner strength

By Emily Leayman
Smiling woman with glasses sits in a pink armchair indoors, holding two blue book covers titled 'Source of Happiness' and 'La Femme Source du Bonheur'.
Alexandria-based author Tania Dalia Kiboko (via Tania Dalia Kiboko)

An Alexandria woman originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo is focused on empowering women with the publication of her first book.

Tania Dalia Kiboko published “Woman: Source of Happiness,” a story of self-discovery and finding inner strength geared toward women who have faced adversity and haven’t put themselves first. She drew from her own experiences and testimonies of women from Africa, Europe and North America as well as inspiration from biblical women.

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Around Town

Restaurant Week, Bands & Brews, Sidewalk Sale top busy weekend of Alexandria events

By Emily Leayman
Mezze platter on a black tray with flatbread, sesame falafel balls, chickpea curry, tomato and feta salad, beet yogurt, and pastry bites.
Food at Elaine’s (via Cynthia Higgins for Visit Alexandria)

If you’re staying in town this weekend, there’s plenty to look forward to from Alexandria’s lineup of events.

Between the Summer Sidewalk Sale in Old Town, Bands & Brews in Del Ray and the ongoing Alexandria Restaurant Week across the city, there’s no shortage of event options.

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News

Boat passage to prompt another drawbridge opening on Woodrow Wilson Bridge this weekend

By Emily Leayman
The Woodrow Wilson Bridge at sunset (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

If you missed the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge’s drawbridge opening last night, there’s another chance to witness — or avoid — it.

The drawbridge on the Capital Beltway (Interstate 495) will open from 11 p.m. to 11:20 p.m. Sunday (Aug. 16), according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. The opening will allow the boat My Podium to pass underneath the bridge.

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News

Man cut with scissors during altercation at Van Dorn Street Metro station

By Emily Leayman
Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)

An attack with scissors led to two arrests at the Van Dorn Street Metro station early Friday (Aug. 14).

Metro Transit Police responded around 12:30 a.m. to a report of a potential stabbing at one of the station’s bus bays. A police investigation determined two men had an altercation, and one was attacked with scissors and received a cut on the elbow.

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Around Town

Alexandria Summer Sidewalk Sale set for this weekend at dozens of Old Town boutiques

By Emily Leayman
Eries Interiors at 103 S. St. Asaph Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Shoppers will descend upon Old Town this weekend in search of the best deals of the summer at local boutiques.

The Old Town Boutique Community will host its 17th annual Alexandria Summer Sidewalk Sale from Friday, Aug. 14 to Sunday, Aug. 16 at participating boutiques. Dozens of independent boutiques will offer merchandise displays on the sidewalk and their deepest discounts of the season, and some will have extra promotions or activities for shoppers.

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News

Woodrow Wilson Bridge to have multiple drawbridge openings tonight

By Emily Leayman
A view of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge from Old Town, Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

Late-night Capital Beltway drivers will encounter the next drawbridge openings on the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge tonight (Aug. 13) into Friday (Aug. 14).

Multiple bridge openings for maintenance work are expected between 10 p.m. Thursday and 5 a.m. Friday, according to the D.C. emergency alert system. The openings are weather permitting.

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News

Grace Taylor appointed as acting ACPS superintendent as permanent search continues

By Emily Leayman
School board meeting: a woman raises her right hand to take an oath at a table with a blue cover that reads Alexandria City Public Schools, as a man speaks into a microphone beside her.
ACPS Chief of Staff Grace Taylor becomes acting superintendent after a School Board vote (via ACPS/Facebook)

Outgoing Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt’s time at Alexandria City Public Schools has come to an end.

During a special meeting Wednesday (Aug. 12), the Alexandria City School Board appointed ACPS Chief of Staff Grace Taylor as acting superintendent. According to a statement from ACPS, the School Board and Kay-Wyatt agreed to change her resignation date from Oct. 1 to Aug. 12.

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News

Mayor says Flock camera data not shared with ICE amid recent enforcement in Alexandria

By Emily Leayman
Solar-powered street light with LED lamp on a pole against a cloudy blue sky.
A Flock Safety license plate reader is seen along a public road, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in Houston. (David Goldman/Associated Press file)

As recent ICE activity spurred concerns about ICE utilizing Flock cameras, Alexandria’s mayor is saying the city’s camera data is not shared with federal immigration officers.

The immigrant advocacy group ICE Out of Alexandria had called on City Council to ban automatic license plate readers like Flock cameras over the concern of ICE using them for surveillance of immigrants. That came after the group reported ICE’s apparent detainment of four residents on the morning of Saturday, Aug. 8 at the Eaton Square apartment complex and two more at 7/11 on W. Glebe Road in Arlandria on the morning of Monday, Aug. 10.

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