Good Thursday morning, Alexandria! Today is Thursday, July 3, the 184th day of 2025. There are 181 days left in the year. On this day in 1775, Gen. George Washington took command of the Continental Army at Cambridge, Massachusetts.
☀️ Today’s weather: Sunny, with a high near 91 degrees. Calm wind becoming northwest around 6 mph in the afternoon. Mostly clear tonight, with a low around 69 degrees. Light and variable wind.
Alexandria police are investigating after a driver struck a pedestrian with a vehicle on Executive Avenue Wednesday evening.
The incident occurred in the 3800 block of Executive Avenue, prompting a significant police response to the scene. According to the Alexandria Police Department, the driver remained at the location after the crash.
A man found deceased this morning (July 2) with a gunshot wound to his head and black duct tape wrapped around his mouth in Holmes Run Park shot himself, according to a preliminary report from the Alexandria Police Department.
APD was notified at around 6:45 a.m. that a man with black duct tape wrapped around his mouth was found lying on the ground near a picnic table in the 5200 block of Holmes Run Parkway, according to dispatch reports. Police are conducting an investigation into the death, and the investigation is ongoing, according to APD.
What is your hope for the future of Duke Street?
That’s one of the many questions the city is asking as it ramps up 18-24 months of planning for the Duke Street Land Use Plan, a document to guide city officials in the development of the Duke Street Corridor from the former Landmark Mall to Alexandria Union Station.
If you’ve got a hankering for strawberry rhubarb vodka, look no further than Del Ray.
For the last year and a half, Orkney Springs Distillery has bottled and sold small batches of gluten-free, organic gin and vodka at its facility at 3125 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray. The award-winning recipes are all made on a 140-acre farm in the Shenandoah Valley, and the Del Ray tasting room costs $30 per person and is open by appointment only.
A sweeping redevelopment promises to bring fresh amenities and improved access to Eugene Simpson Stadium Park, but staff at the Alexandria YMCA say that the project will have a severe impact on the nonprofit.
Plans presented at a recent community meeting reveal that 53 city-owned parking spaces in front of the YMCA, located at 420 E. Monroe Avenue, have been designated as a construction area. The actual construction of the project, which was unanimously approved by the City Council in 2023, is scheduled to begin this month and is expected to be completed by September 2026, with a phased reopening of the park starting in August 2026.
Capital Bikeshare announced Monday (June 30) that it will increase prices across all membership tiers starting August 1, marking the first price adjustment since 2021 as the bike-sharing system grapples with unprecedented ridership growth and rising operational expenses.
The price hikes will affect both casual users and committed members, with annual memberships jumping from $95 to $120 and 30-day passes rising from $20 to $25. Day passes will increase from $8 to $10, while electric bike usage fees will climb from 10 cents to 15 cents per minute for members.
A new dog care business has opened at a recently closed District Dogs location in Alexandria, marking the latest development in a story that began with tragedy and led to the creation of an entirely new brand “focused on enhanced safety standards”.
According to a New Administrative Special Use Permit notice, Steve Gaudio filed an application (SUP #2025-00031) seeking approval to operate “Molly’s Dog Care Alexandria” at 2403 Mandeville Lane, the former home of District Dogs Alexandria. The company announced on its website that the Alexandria location is now open for business.
Alexandria Fire Chief Felipe Hernandez Jr. delivered an upbeat assessment of the department’s transformation during his first year in office, reporting significant improvements in employee morale and retention that have addressed longstanding staffing challenges.
Speaking to City Council Tuesday night (July 1), Hernandez said the department’s monthly attrition rate has dropped from 3.3 employees to 1.1 over the past year, with four former employees returning to work. The 10-year average attrition rate stands at 2.1 employees per month.
The Alexandria Police Department issued a missing person alert late Tuesday night for an 82-year-old man who was last seen in the area of 5837 Quantrell Avenue.
Alexander Polyak, 82, is described by police as 5 feet tall, weighing approximately 140 pounds, with blue eyes and white-gray hair. He was last seen wearing a green jacket, white shirt, gray pants, and white sneakers.
The Alexandria Health Department presented findings from its comprehensive community health assessment to the Alexandria City Council Tuesday night (July 1), revealing stark health disparities between neighborhoods and outlining plans for a more targeted approach to community health improvement.
Dr. David Rose, Director of the Alexandria Health District and Alexandria Health Department, told the council that the extensive assessment revealed “large differences in health between our neighborhoods” and calls for collaboration “with the people most impacted to move the needle on health outcomes.”
