News | ALXnow - Part 156

Alexandria SOHO Program seeks mentors for 2025-26 school year

Published July 14, 2025 at 9:35AM

Become a SOHO Mentor for the 2025-26 School Year! (via City of Alexandria)

Alexandria’s award-winning Space of Her Own (SOHO) program is looking for mentors who will spend a school year helping fifth-grade girls build confidence through art and STEM projects—culminating in transforming each child’s bedroom into a personalized space of her own.

The unique mentoring program pairs women one-to-one with local fifth-graders for weekly sessions from September through early June. Mentors and their mentees collaborate on professionally-led creative projects, then work together with the girl’s family to redesign her sleeping space using what they’ve created.

Notes: Mill Road, Trinity Drive among streets being repaved this week

By Ryan Belmore

Published July 14, 2025 at 8:00AM | Updated July 14, 2025 at 10:25AM

Construction workers repave a street in Old Town Alexandria (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Good morning, Alexandria! Today is Monday, July 14, the 195th day of 2025. There are 170 days left in the year.

⛈️ Today’s weather: Showers and thunderstorms likely, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 3 p.m. High near 89 degrees. Calm wind becoming south around six mph in the afternoon. The chance of precipitation is 80%—new rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch, except higher amounts are possible in thunderstorms.

TD Bank to open new King Street location in October

By Ryan Belmore

Published July 13, 2025 at 3:55PM | Updated July 14, 2025 at 10:26AM

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

TD Bank will relocate its Alexandria branch from 119 S Washington Street to 515 King Street on October 11, 2025, according to a customer notification letter dated July 10, 2025.

The new location will be situated next to Tatte Bakery & Cafe in Old Town Alexandria.

Notes: New arcade bar prepares for “beta test” opening in Alexandria

By Ryan Belmore

Published July 13, 2025 at 10:35AM | Updated July 14, 2025 at 10:26AM

Continues is coming soon. (via Continues)

Good morning, Alexandria! Today is Sunday, July 13, the 194th day of 2025. There are 171 days left in the year.

⛈️ Today’s weather: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 88 degrees. Southeast wind 3 to 6 mph. The chance of precipitation is 40%.

PHOTOS: Thousands gather for Alexandria’s 276th Birthday Bash at Oronoco Bay

By James Cullum

Published July 13, 2025 at 6:15AM | Updated July 14, 2025 at 10:29AM

The grand finale of Alexandria's birthday celebration at Oronoco Bay Park, July 12, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria celebrated its 276th and the U.S.’s 249th birthday in style along the Potomac River at Oronoco Bay Park on Saturday (July 12).

Thousands attended the annual event. For about four hours, the park was turned into a maze of beach blankets, lawn chairs, and barefoot kids with lightsabers and bubble guns. Flanked onstage by City Council and city staff, Mayor Alyia Gaskins and Poet Laureate Maria Cristina Donoso made brief remarks before the program was turned over to the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, which wrapped up in time for a spectacular fireworks show (see video below).

Morning Notes: Alexandria turns 276 tonight with free fireworks and family festival

By Ryan Belmore

Published July 12, 2025 at 7:00AM

The fireworks at Alexandria's 275th birthday celebration along the waterfront in Old Town, July 13, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Good morning, Alexandria! Today is Saturday, July 12, the 193rd day of 2025. There are 172 days left in the year.

On this day in 1955, the Alexandria City Council refused a request to build a drive-in movie theater in the West End. The Alexandria Amusement Co. wanted to open a drive-in south of Duke Street near Cameron Station, but area residents complained that the theater would cause traffic problems and the light and sound at night would be a nuisance.

Diagonal Road to close Monday for construction work

By Ryan Belmore

Published July 11, 2025 at 7:30PM

Temporary Closure of Diagonal Road Between Duke Street and King Street – July 14, 2025 (via City of Alexandria)

A section of Diagonal Road will be temporarily closed to through traffic on Monday, July 14, as construction crews conduct crane operations in the area.

The City of Alexandria announced that Diagonal Road between Duke Street and King Street will be shut down from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. to accommodate the construction work. Through traffic will be rerouted to Daingerfield Road during the closure.

Governor Youngkin taps another Alexandria resident for a state board position

By Ryan Belmore

Published July 11, 2025 at 6:30PM

Gov. Glenn Youngkin speaks speaks at the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus ribbon cutting, Feb. 28, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Governor Glenn Youngkin announced another round of new board appointments today, including an Alexandria resident who will serve on a state advisory board, continuing a recent trend of Northern Virginia appointments to state positions.

Joseph M. Van Name of Alexandria was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Family and Children’s Trust Fund. Van Name serves as President of Advisors Financial, Inc.

Alexandria/Arlington Regional Workforce Council receives $150k grant for executive coaching program

By Ryan Belmore

Published July 11, 2025 at 4:15PM | Updated July 11, 2025 at 8:40PM

Alexandria/Arlington Regional Workforce Council (via Alexandria/Arlington Regional Workforce Council)

The Alexandria/Arlington Regional Workforce Council has been awarded $150,000 in state funding to provide executive coaching services to higher-skilled job seekers in the region.

The grant, announced today by Governor Glenn Youngkin, is part of over $1 million in workforce development funding distributed across Virginia through the “Facilitating Career Pivots into High-Demand Occupations” program.

ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published July 11, 2025 at 3:45PM

Inova Alexandria Hospital at 4320 Seminary Road (staff photo by James Cullum)

It’s been a busy week in Alexandria! Here’s our recap of the most-read stories.

This week’s top story is on an Inova Alexandria Hospital employee getting fired after allegedly stealing a patient’s credit cards from a room at the hospital and using them at a nearby store.

No injuries after lightning strike on roof of Alexandria town house

By James Cullum

Published July 11, 2025 at 3:00PM

The Alexandria Fire Department responded to a lightning strike on a two-story townhouse in the 2400 block of N. Dearing Street on Wednesday, July 9, 2025 (via Facebook)

There were no injuries after lightning struck the roof of an Alexandria home on Wednesday night (July 9).

The Alexandria Fire Department was notified at around 6:40 p.m. by the homeowner that the roof of their two-level townhouse was smoking, according to dispatches. Inside, firefighters found and extinguished smoke and fire in the attic.