News

Firm using Alexandria address wins $220M federal contract for Trump immigration ads

By Ryan Belmore
(Screenshot: U.S. Department of Homeland Security YouTube video.)

A company with an Alexandria address has secured $142.8 million of a $220 million Department of Homeland Security contract to produce advertisements promoting President Donald Trump’s immigration policies — the most expensive ad campaign of the year.

Safe America Media LLC was incorporated in Delaware on Feb. 6, just eight days before the Feb. 14 contract award, and lists an address on Richmond Highway that carries an Alexandria mailing address but is located in Fairfax County, according to records reviewed by The Associated Press in March. The property is owned by Mike McElwain, a Republican consultant and partner at DMM Media, which is registered in Virginia as Designated Market Media, Inc., according to State Corporation Commission records.

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Morning Notes for October 22, 2025

By Ryan Belmore
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria's Carlyle neighborhood (staff photo by James Cullum)

Activists Deliver Letter Demanding Sheriff Casey End ICE Cooperation — A coalition of Alexandria residents and community organizations delivered a letter to Sheriff Sean Casey on Tuesday, demanding that he stop his voluntary collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. [ALXnow]

Warner, Kaine Announce Committee Passage of Aviation Safety Bill — U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced Tuesday that crucial aviation safety legislation has passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee in response to the Jan. 29 mid-air collision near Reagan National Airport that killed 67 people. [ALXnow]

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Alexandria hosting community meeting on Flood Resilience Plan

By James Cullum
Flooding in Old Town on May 9, 2022, staff photo by James Cullum

Alexandria will host a community meeting next month on the development of the city’s Flood Resilience Plan.

The city will host the meeting from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 10 (Monday), at Patrick Henry Recreation Center (4653 Taney Avenue), and online via Zoom. In the meeting, the city will discuss findings from a recent survey on flooding impacts throughout Alexandria, draft flood model results, and a community vulnerability analysis.

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ALXnow Daily Debrief for Oct 21, 2025

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 — Oct 21, 2025.

Here are today’s most-read articles:

  1. Report: Alexandria real estate developer files bankruptcy, faces federal takeover of properties (2795 views)
  2. Morning Notes for October 21, 2025 (306 views)

📅 Upcoming events

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

☁️ Wednesday’s forecast

Clouds will increase throughout the day as the temperature reaches a high near 64°F. West winds will blow at 8 to 14 mph, occasionally gusting as high as 24 mph. For Wednesday night, expect mostly clear skies with a low temperature around 44°F and a gentle west wind of approximately 7 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today.”
– Franklin D. Roosevelt

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading!

TD Bank relocates to King Street, grand opening set for Saturday

By James Cullum
TD Bank rendering at 515 King Street (via City of Alexandria)

TD Bank will reopen at its new location at 525 King Street in Old Town on Saturday (Oct. 25).

The bank is relocating from 119 S. Washington Street, and the grand opening at the new location on King Street will include brief comments from bank leadership, refreshments from neighbor Tatte Cafe and Bakery (535 King Street), a dog treadmill from The Dog Park (705 King Street), caricatures, and live music.

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Warner, Kaine announce committee passage of aviation safety bill

By Ryan Belmore
At Gravelly Point, a man in a folding chair reads a book as planes land at National Airport (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced Tuesday that crucial aviation safety legislation has passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee in response to the Jan. 29 mid-air collision near Reagan National Airport that killed 67 people.

The Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform Act, or ROTOR Act, passed unanimously and addresses systemic failures identified in the crash between American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River.

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Activists deliver letter demanding Sheriff Casey end ICE cooperation

By Ryan Belmore
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)

A coalition of Alexandria residents and community organizations delivered a letter to Sheriff Sean Casey on Tuesday, demanding that he stop his voluntary collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

ICE Out of Alexandria, representing 26 local groups and leaders, held a rally and press conference at the sheriff’s office at 2001 Mill Road to present their demands, according to a press release from the group.

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Report: Alexandria real estate developer files bankruptcy, faces federal takeover of properties

By James Cullum
510 Wolfe Street in Old Town (courtesy photo)

The sale of two large Alexandria properties could settle millions owed to the government by real estate developer and former Connection Newspapers CEO Peter Labovitz, according to a report from the Washington Business Journal.

Similarly, if ALXNow hears anything from the DOJ or other governmental entities pursuing a case against Mr. Labovitz, and they happen to mention 1700 Diagonal, please inform them that he has no interests in that building and tell them to contact me at any of the contact methods in my below signature. I am more than happy to clear up any confusion.

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Spanberger’s lead narrows as Virginia races tighten in new VCU poll

By Markus Schmidt, Virginia Mercury
Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (left) and former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger are facing off in Virginia’s 2025 governor’s race. A new VCU Commonwealth Poll shows Spanberger leading Earle-Sears 49% to 42%, a narrowing margin from the previous survey. (Photos by Charlotte Rene Woods/Virginia Mercury)

Democrat Abigail Spanberger holds a 7-point lead over Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in Virginia’s 2025 governor’s race, according to a new Commonwealth Poll released Tuesday by the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University.

The survey, conducted Oct. 6-14, shows Spanberger leading Earle-Sears 49% to 42% among registered voters — down from a 9-point margin reported in the school’s September poll conducted in August. Spanberger also holds an 11-point advantage among independent voters, 35% to 24%, though 20% remain undecided.

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Inova Alexandria Hospital donates portable lifesaving device to fire department

By James Cullum
Inova Alexandria Hospital President Dr. Rina Bansal shakes hands with Alexandria Fire Chief Felipe Hernandez, Jr. after donating an automated compression device to the department (via Facebook)

Inova Alexandria Hospital recently donated a portable lifesaving device to the Alexandria Fire Department.

The ZOLL AutoPulse resuscitation system can cost upward of $7,500, and “delivers consistent, high-quality chest compressions during cardiac arrest, supporting critical care,” according to the AutoPulse website.

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Alexandria police, public safety partners to host trunk-or-treat event

By James Cullum
APD is hosting a "trunk-or-treat" event at police headquarters at 3600 wheeler Avenue on Wednesday, Oct. 29 (via Facebook)

The Alexandria Police Department and its public safety partners are getting into the spirit of the season.

Next Wednesday (Oct. 29), APD is hosting a trunk-or-treat event in the parking lot at police headquarters (3600 Wheeler Avenue), and residents are encouraged to wear costumes and get candy from the trunks of Alexandria public safety vehicles.

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