Alexandria Union Station will be busier than usual for nine days in October as it replaces D.C.’s Union Station for some Amtrak trips.
Amtrak announced Monday that it will be replacing aging track components for nine days, prompting a service suspension at the control point between D.C. and Virginia. Work will start after service ends on Friday, Oct. 16 and be completed before morning service on Monday, Oct. 26.
Alexandria City Public Schools is increasing the cost of breakfast and lunch at the elementary and middle schools that charge for meals.
Starting this school year, the cost of breakfast will rise by 25 cents (to $2.35 for all grade levels), and lunch will jump 50 cents (to $3.75) for students in kindergarten to fifth grade, and will cost $3.95 for students in grades 6 to 8, according to ACPS.
The Old Town North Alliance is one step closer to developing branding for the neighborhood’s new arts and cultural district.
The alliance’s board of directors named three artists as finalists in the Old Town North Arts and Cultural District Banner Design Project. They will be subject to a public vote to determine the winning artist.
Nearly a year after rebranding as the Breast Cancer Collective, the Alexandria-based organization is preparing for major fundraisers in the fall to continue its work to make breast cancer screenings and treatments accessible.
The collective officially announced its rebranding as the Breast Cancer Collective last October. The name change from the National Breast Center Foundation sought to clear up confusion with other national breast cancer entities.
How Alexandria Pursued Gas Leaf Blower Ban without State Law — “[Former Attorney General Jason] Miyares, a Republican, acknowledged that the General Assembly had voted down legislation giving local governments express authority to regulate leaf blowers, but cited case law in rejecting any inference of legislative intent from those outcomes as speculative. Alexandria, he concluded, was clearly within its rights to ban the equipment. Alexandria used that green light to amend its noise ordinance in May of 2025 and begin an 18-month phaseout of gas leaf blowers. A full prohibition is set to take effect on November 17, 2026.” [Virginia Mercury]
Acting Superintendent on Biggest Challenge of This School Year — “With the reality of maintaining a variety of rising costs, including healthcare premiums and other operating variables, the school division is expecting another challenging budget year. While maintaining our focus on supporting students, staff and our schools, investing in recruitment and retention remains critical to ensuring ACPS can continue to attract and retain the talented educators and staff who serve our students each day.” [WTOP]
Good Monday evening, Alexandria. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Aug 24, 2026.
Here are today’s most-read articles:
Here is what’s going on Tuesday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.
There will be increasing clouds with a high of around 86 degrees and a northwest wind blowing at 5 to 8 mph. On Tuesday night, expect partly cloudy skies with temperatures dropping to about 64 degrees, and a light northwest wind. See more from Weather.gov.
“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.”
– Henry David Thoreau
Thanks for reading!
A D.C. man has been charged with felony grand larceny after allegedly stealing more than $1,000 of clothing from a popular yoga shop in Old Town last month.
The suspect was arrested on Friday, July 17, after being captured on surveillance footage allegedly stuffing Alo Yoga (814 King Street) merchandise into a white Nordstrom bag and fleeing the store without paying, according to a recently unsealed search warrant affidavit.
The owner of an Old Town office building is asking the city for permission to modify its parking lot to make space for six three-story townhomes.
Merion Group, the owner of 330 N. Washington Street, will present plans to the Board of Architectural Review on Wednesday, Sept. 16. The building is home to a Wells Fargo bank, and Merion Group wants to eliminate two of the three drive-thru banking aisles to make way for six three-story townhomes with rear-loading parking garages and rooftop terraces.
Alexandria City Public Schools welcomed students back for the first day of school today (Monday) as the district implemented a stricter student cell phone policy and new school boundaries.
More than 15,000 students started school at ACPS, from the incoming kindergarten class who will graduate in 2039, to the seniors graduating next year. Acting Superintendent Grace Taylor, Mayor Alyia Gaskins, School Board Chair Christopher Harris, Alexandria City High School Principal Michael Burch and Police Chief Tarrick McGuire visited classrooms at ACHS’s King Street Campus on the first day.
Alexandria officials are working to get to the root of the problem — literally — as they battle the ongoing influx of spotted lanternflies.
The city is among those across Northern Virginia working to cull tree-of-heaven, a tree species that serves as a host to the spotted lanternfly, an invasive pest that arrived in the U.S. from China in 2014 and has been wreaking havoc since.
On This Day in Alexandria History — “On August 24 and 25, 1874, about 50 teachers and other interested parties attended the Teachers’ Institute at the Peabody School building at King and Alfred streets. The superintendent of Alexandria’s schools addressed the audience as did educators from Washington, D.C., and New Orleans, speaking on topics such as ‘The Teaching of History’ and ‘School Hygiene.'” [Historic Alexandria]
First Day of School Today at ACPS — Monday, Aug. 24 marks the start of the school year for Alexandria City Public Schools students. ACPS has a back to school guide with information for the 2026-2027 school year. [ACPS]
