Katie Taranto | ALXnow

Mayor Gaskins, City Council ask sheriff to cease voluntary inmate transfers to ICE

Published November 13, 2025 at 9:00AM | Updated November 13, 2025 at 9:33AM

A letter signed by 26 local organizations and leaders demanding Sheriff Sean Casey end voluntary collaboration with ICE was delivered to the Alexandria Sheriff's Office on Tuesday. (Courtesy ICE Out of Alexandria)

Mayor Alyia Gaskins and the City Council are calling on the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office to stop transferring inmates to immigration enforcement unless required by law.

Following months of pressure from activists critical of Immigration and Customs Enforcement — including a protest during an Oct. 18 public hearing — Gaskins and the Council publicly asked Sheriff Sean Casey to stop transferring Alexandria inmates to ICE custody via the agency’s detainers and administrative warrants.

News

Increased disability transit fares and food truck enforcement up for Council review tonight

By Katie Taranto

Published November 12, 2025 at 1:45PM

DOT is the City of Alexandria's paratransit program, which is a specialized transportation service for residents and visitors who cannot use fixed routed public transit due to their disability. (via City of Alexandria)

City Council will consider fare increases to its disability transit program and changes to food truck parking enforcement at a meeting tonight (Wednesday).

Up for vote is a resolution that would increase some paratransit fares by $1 and create a new $2 “peak-hour” surcharge for some trips. The Council will also complete a first read of an ordinance that would shift how the city enforces parking for food trucks.

News

Northern lights could return to N. Va. skies tonight after Tuesday auroras

By Katie Taranto and The Associated Press

Published November 12, 2025 at 1:30PM

The northern lights fill the sky behind the Saint Joseph the Woodworker Shrine Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, near Valley Falls, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Solar storms brought colorful auroras to unexpected places last night (Tuesday), and there could be more to come across the D.C. area this evening.

Space weather forecasters confirmed that storms reached severe levels Tuesday, triggering vibrant northern lights as far south as Kansas, Colorado and Texas. In Virginia, residents posted about aurora sightings from northern localities like Arlington and Vienna, and out west in Rockingham County.

News

New city assessment deems West End watersheds ‘vulnerable’ to flooding

By Katie Taranto

Published November 12, 2025 at 11:45AM

Holmes Run (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A new flooding assessment and map have identified watersheds in the West End as some of Alexandria’s most vulnerable flood zones.

Areas considered most at-risk of flooding include the Potomac waterfront, Four Mile Run and Hooffs Run — as well as new additions like Holmes Run, Cameron Run and Backlick Run, according to a map shared by Flood Resilience Plan (FRP) project leaders at a meeting Monday night.

News

Dept. of Wildlife Resources delivers hundreds of trout to Lake Cook for fishing program

By Katie Taranto

Published November 12, 2025 at 10:30AM

Department of Wildlife Resources staff restock Lake Cook with trout (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

With buckets, nets and a whole lot of trout, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources restocked Lake Cook’s fish population earlier this week.

DWR staff deposited about 350 pounds of trout across the four-acre lake on Monday as part of the department’s Urban Fishing Program. In total, some 200 to 300 fish made the journey to Alexandria from a DWR hatchery in Montebello, about three hours southwest, fisheries biologist John Odenkirk told ALXnow.

News

Alexandria museums featured in new ‘Virginia 250 Passport’ state tourism program

By Katie Taranto

Published November 12, 2025 at 9:15AM

Family uses VA250 Passport booklet at Art Museums (courtesy of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture)

Three Alexandria museums are participating in a new Virginia tourism campaign to commemorate the country’s 250th anniversary next year.

The new program, called the Virginia 250 Passport, includes Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, the Alexandria Black History Museum and the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum as part of a “passport” sweepstakes. The program encourages residents to visit various museums and historic sites throughout the commonwealth.

News

ACHS student journalists earn statewide awards as school board to review publication policy

By Katie Taranto

Published November 10, 2025 at 2:45PM

Theogony's 2024-2025 editorial board. Back row from left: Rozalia Finkelstein, James Libresco, Maxwell Jones-LaChance. Front row: Nadja Duss, Casey Donahue, Pablo Cruz Rivera, Julia Gwin and Max Carpenter (courtesy of Chloe Yokitis/Theogony)

It’s been a lively year for the student journalists of Alexandria City High School newspaper Theogony, who were recently named some of the best in the state.

Just months after Theogony staff made national headlines for their enterprising Voices Unbound campaign, the student newspaper was one of five in Virginia to win top-ranking “Trophy Class” honors from the Virginia High School League. Former co-editor James Libresco, who spearheaded the anti-censorship campaign, was also named Virginia’s Student Journalist of the Year.

Around Town

Veterans Day in Alexandria: Events, closures and deals for veterans

By Katie Taranto

Published November 10, 2025 at 1:45PM

Alexandria City Hall in Old Town in 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Veterans Day will bring a day of reflection and community ceremonies in Alexandria, as well as some local deals for veterans and their families.

Several city offices will close tomorrow (Tuesday) in observance of the holiday, while veterans and the Alexandria community are welcome to participate in some local ceremonies and events.

Around Town

What’s happening this weekend in Alexandria: Annual film festival, wine class and more

By Katie Taranto

Published November 7, 2025 at 11:45AM

Fall Farmers Market. (Photo credit Cade Martin for Visit Alexandria)

From the annual Alexandria Film Festival to free crafting, author events and a sold-out Banned Book Speakeasy, this fall weekend in Alexandria is packed with plenty of interesting activities. Catch an independent film, try a candle-making workshop or attend Sunday morning jazz brunch.

Discover all that’s happening in your community this weekend (Nov. 7-9), from events and entertainment to live music and more.

Around Town

Adoptable Pet of the Week: Phoenix, the ‘total cuddlebug’

By Katie Taranto

Published November 7, 2025 at 10:30AM

Phoenix (courtesy of the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria)

Phoenix is a “super sweet, friendly and gentle” pup who loves running, playing fetch and settling in for a good cuddle.

The resident pooch at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria is searching for a forever family to accompany on “woodsy weekend field trips,” according to an AWLA volunteer. She’s two years old, about 74 pounds and never seen without her “fanciest white dancing boots.”

News

ACPS proposes $340M capital improvements budget over next decade

By Katie Taranto

Published November 7, 2025 at 8:15AM

The new athletic field at Patrick Henry K-8 School, March 18, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

A new budget proposal at Alexandria City Public Schools includes nearly $150 million in funding to address the district’s growing student population over the next decade. In total, the proposed […]