News

After BID failures, City Council looks for other options to support Old Town business corridor

By Emily Leayman
Shops in the 200 block of King Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

After multiple failed attempts over the past decade to bring a Business Improvement District to Old Town, Alexandria City Council is asking for other strategies to give the corridor an economic boost.

On Tuesday (June 23), City Council endorsed a memo from Council Members Sandy Marks and John Taylor Chapman directing the city manager to assess “how we can address the needs of the Old Town business corridor a little more intentionally.” City staff will review existing research on services and financial investments the city is making in Old Town and alternative options to boost tax revenue.

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Morning Notes for June 25, 2026

By ALXnow.com
A sign supporting the U.S. World Cup team at Pork Barrel BBQ in Del Ray (staff photo by Emily Leayman)

Latest Flood Action Alexandria Updates — “Check out the latest edition of the Flood Action Alexandria newsletter! Get updates on the Flood Resilience Plan, design plans for the Mt Vernon Dual Culvert Replacement project, and the Commonwealth, Ashby, Glebe Flood Mitigation project.” [Alexandria T&ES/X]

Landini Brothers and Oak Steakhouse Claim Wine Spectator Awards — Since 1981, Wine Spectator’s Restaurant Awards have recognized restaurant wine service with three award levels — the Award of Excellence, the Best of Award of Excellence and the Grand Award. Landini Brothers and Oak Steakhouse won the Award of Excellence. [Wine Spectator]

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ALXnow Daily Debrief for Jun 24, 2026

By ALXnow.com

Good Wednesday evening, Alexandria. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Jun 24, 2026.

Here are today’s most-read articles:

  1. Outgoing ACPS superintendent takes sudden leave, designees appointed (1391 views)
  2. Body camera footage of Alexandria police shooting homicide suspect released (761 views)
  3. Alexandria fire chief reports morale boost, staffing gains with new 49-hour work week (643 views)

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Thursday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.

☀️ Thursday’s forecast

The weather will be mostly sunny with a high of about 87°F, accompanied by a light south wind picking up to 5 to 9 mph in the morning. By Thursday night, expect partly cloudy skies with a low around 69°F and a south wind blowing at 6 to 8 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit.”
– Napoleon Hill

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading!

Alexandria fire chief reports morale boost, staffing gains with new 49-hour work week

By Emily Leayman
Alexandria Fire Chief Felipe Hernandez (on left) at APD’s Public Safety Summit, June 18, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Morale and staffing are improving at the Alexandria Fire Department after a 49-hour work week was implemented, according to an annual presentation to City Council by Fire Chief Felipe Hernandez Jr. yesterday (Tuesday).

AFD implemented the 49-hour work week in October 2025, reducing weekly hours from 56 as a strategy to improve retention and recruitment. The department achieves the 49 hours with a fourth-shift schedule and “debit day” system. That means firefighters work a 42-hour work week and work an extra day every 24 days to average 49 hours weekly.

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Outgoing ACPS superintendent takes sudden leave, designees appointed

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

As outgoing Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt takes an unexpected leave, the School Board has designated three administrators to handle her duties.

School Board Chair Michelle Rief announced in an email to ACPS families and staff that Kay-Wyatt is going on leave due “to a matter that arose unexpectedly.” On Tuesday night (June 23), the School Board appointed ACPS Chief of Staff Grace Taylor, Chief Accountability Officer Clinton Page and Chief Academic Officer Pierrette Finney as designees of the division superintendent.

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Body camera footage of Alexandria police shooting homicide suspect released

By James Cullum
Alexandria Police Department Chief Tarrick McGuire talks to reporters at APD headquarters about a May 18 fatal police shooting of a homicide suspect, June 24, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria Police Department today (Wednesday) released body camera footage from a fatal shooting of a homicide suspect in the city’s West End last month.

Police Chief Tarrick McGuire also publicly disclosed the names of the victim as 27-year-old Emily Ramirez and the suspect, her boyfriend, 38-year-old Hector Amaya. According to APD, Amaya allegedly shot Ramirez multiple times with a handgun before charging at police and being shot and killed by two APD officers. McGuire characterized the incident as a domestic violence situation and described Ramirez as a T.C. Williams High School graduate and beloved Alexandrian.

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RiverRenew set to launch, meeting ‘impossible’ state deadline to address sewage overflow

By James Cullum
Hazel, the tunnel boring machine, has completed the 2.2-mile RiverRenew tunnel through Old Town (via AlexRenew)

RiverRenew, the largest infrastructure project in Alexandria’s history, is coming online on Wednesday, July 1.

John Hill, chair of AlexRenew‘s board of directors, said that replacing Old Town’s 19th century combined sewer system with a tunnel system and sewer infrastructure has been a “gargantuan” task. The wastewater project will divert approximately 120 million gallons of raw sewage from flowing into the Potomac River every year.

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City Council considers extending Torpedo Factory leases amid operator bid process

By Emily Leayman
The Torpedo Factory Art Center in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

As the city reviews an operator proposal for the Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria City Council will consider extending leases to current artists and galleries.

City Council will have a July 1 public hearing on extending leases in good standing for artists through March 31, 2027 and for founding members and galleries through Sept. 30, 2027. The proposal is for leases that would expire Sept. 30, 2026.

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Morning Notes for June 24, 2026

By ALXnow.com
A pair of ducks waddle around Old Town North (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

On This Day in Alexandria History — “On June 24, 1903, it was announced that Washington, D.C., contractor William P. Lipscomb & Company had been awarded a U.S. Treasury Department contract to expand the custom house and post office building located at South St. Asaph and Prince streets. The contract for $52,970 required work to be completed by July 1, 1904.” [Historic Alexandria]

More Military Flyovers Planned for America’s 250th — “The U.S. military notified D.C. that it will conduct aircraft flyovers near the National Mall from Wednesday, June 24, through Friday, July 10, as part of America’s 250th-anniversary celebrations, according to AlertDC.” [ARLnow]

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ALXnow Daily Debrief for Jun 23, 2026

By ALXnow.com

Good Tuesday evening, Alexandria. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Jun 23, 2026.

Here are today’s most-read articles:

  1. King Arthur Baking Company eyes fall for opening of Old Town store and baking school (2642 views)
  2. The Dog Store to close June 27 in Del Ray, vows to find new location (1175 views)
  3. Auditor finds Alexandria police disregarded man’s hospital requests before in-custody death (866 views)

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Wednesday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.

  • No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.

☀️ Wednesday’s forecast

Sunny with a high of 81°F and a northwest wind at 7 mph. For Wednesday night, expect mostly clear skies and a low of 62°F, with calm winds. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“The best way to predict the future is to invent it.”
– Alan Kay

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading!

Auditor finds Alexandria police disregarded man’s hospital requests before in-custody death

By James Cullum
Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Alexandria’s independent policing auditor has concluded Alexandria Police Department officers violated performance standards and body camera directives when they transported Allan Tucker II, who died in their custody in the sally port of the city jail.

That’s according to a report Independent Police Auditor Ameratu Kamara released Monday (June 22). Kamara found that the officer who arrested Tucker at an apartment complex in the city’s West End on Aug. 15, 2025, disregarded the 32-year-old Tucker’s multiple requests to be taken to the hospital, even as they drove past Inova Alexandria Hospital.

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