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ALXnow Daily Debrief for Sep 2, 2026

By ALXnow.com
ALX now logo with 'Daily Debrief for Sep 2, 2026' over a school exterior featuring a yellow bus and students outside the entrance.

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 — Sep 2, 2026.

Here are today’s most-read articles:

  1. Morning Notes for September 2, 2026 (502 views)
  2. St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School files paperwork to install athletic field lights (317 views)
  3. Woodrow Wilson Bridge to open drawbridge for boat early Thursday (263 views)

📅 Upcoming events

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

🌤️ Thursday’s forecast

Expect mostly sunny weather with a high of 95°F and a heat index of up to 103°F, with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. Winds will be light, turning west at 5 to 7 mph in the morning. Thursday night, there is a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., with partly cloudy skies and a low of around 77°F. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“The purpose of our lives is to be happy.”
– Dalai Lama

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading!

Woodrow Wilson Bridge to open drawbridge for boat early Thursday

By James Cullum
The Woodrow Wilson Bridge at sunset (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge will have a drawbridge opening early Thursday morning (Sept. 3).

Drivers should expect delays, as the 12-lane drawbridge is set to open over the Potomac River from 1-1:20 a.m., according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Go to Woodrow Wilson Bridge to open drawbridge for boat early Thursday Read more

St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School files paperwork to install athletic field lights

By James Cullum
Long row of students sitting on a grassy field at an outdoor event, some with backpacks, facing rightside of the image.
An athletic field (via St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School/Facebook)

Friday night lights may be headed to St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School in Alexandria’s Seminary Ridge neighborhood.

A special use permit request to erect field lighting on poles in excess of 35 feet to light the football and soccer fields at the school at 1000 St. Stephens Road is heading to the city’s Planning Commission on Tuesday, Oct. 6.

Go to St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School files paperwork to install athletic field lights Read more

ACHS Minnie Howard athletic field named after former Mayor Kerry Donley

By James Cullum
Brick wall with blue lettering: 'Kerry J. Donley Athletic Field Complex' behind a chain-link fence; people stand along the walkway above it, on a sports field.
The Kerry J. Donley Athletic Field Complex was named at the Alexandria City High School Minnie Howard Campus (staff photo by James Cullum)

Current and former city leaders met Tuesday (Sept. 1) to officially name the athletic field complex after former Mayor Kerry Donley.

Donley died unexpectedly in 2022 at the age of 66. He was on City Council for 18 years, and was mayor from 1996 to 2003. After a two-year stint as the chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia, he was hired as the athletic director at ACHS, a position he held from 2005 to 2008.

Go to ACHS Minnie Howard athletic field named after former Mayor Kerry Donley Read more

Alexandria rents drop 2.8% from last year but remain well above pre-pandemic levels

By Scott McCaffrey
Apartment living room (photo via Quillia/Unsplash)

Despite a year-over-year decline, median Alexandria apartment costs remain 15% above pre-pandemic rates and 26% higher than the mid-Covid low, according to new data.

August’s median city rental rates were $2,019 for one-bedroom units, $2,481 for two bedrooms and $2,205 overall, according to figures reported Aug. 26 by Apartment List.

Go to Alexandria rents drop 2.8% from last year but remain well above pre-pandemic levels Read more

Bennett-Parker, more lawmakers seek special session on Dominion-NextEra merger

By Emily Leayman
Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker speaking at a debate for Virginia’s 39th Senate District at Charles Houston Recreation Center, Jan. 12, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

 

Alexandria’s state Sen. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-39) and a handful of other Democratic lawmakers are calling on Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) to convene a special session in September on the proposed Dominion Energy and NextEra merger.

Go to Bennett-Parker, more lawmakers seek special session on Dominion-NextEra merger Read more

Morning Notes for September 2, 2026

By ALXnow.com
Students gather outside a brick school building with a yellow school bus parked nearby on a curbside lot at dismissal time.
A school bus dropping students off at Alexandria City High School (staff photo by Emily Leayman)

On This Day in Alexandria History — “On September 2, 1790, the Virginia General Assembly approved the creation of an Alexandria Lottery to raise funds for the paving of streets within the expanding town of Alexandria. Since its founding in 1749, the town had tried a number of low-cost ways to eliminate muddy conditions on local streets that were a constant nuisance to townspeople and at times even prevented passage along King Street in the swampy areas between North Pitt and St. Asaph Streets. Using slave and itinerant workers, and even Hessian soldiers over the years had only modest success installing the round cobblestones in the street grid, and raising taxes to the level needed for the work program would have been a huge burden on residents of the young town.” [Historic Alexandria]

Alexandria Resident Killed in Md. I-270 Crash — “The deceased are identified as Musammat Shamima Begum, 46, and Areebah Jahin, 23, of Burke and Alexandria, Virginia. Begum and Jahin were mother and daughter and were passengers in a Toyota Camry involved in the crash. The driver and a juvenile passenger of the Toyota, a 62-year-old male and an 8-year-old female, were transported by ambulance to local hospitals for treatment of their injuries.” [Maryland State Police]

Go to Morning Notes for September 2, 2026 Read more

ALXnow Daily Debrief for Sep 1, 2026

By ALXnow.com
ALXnow daily debrief banner reading 'Daily Debrief for Sep 1, 2026' over Braddock Road Station entrance.

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 — Sep 1, 2026.

Here are today’s most-read articles:

  1. Alexandria resident seeks good Samaritans who pulled him out of the Potomac River (2630 views)
  2. Alexandria residential parking permit confusion prompts apology from Mayor Gaskins (1166 views)

📅 Upcoming events

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

⛅️ Wednesday’s forecast

The weather will be mostly sunny with a high near 91°F and light, variable winds becoming easterly at about 6 mph in the afternoon. Wednesday night will bring a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, with mostly cloudy skies and a low around 75°F. Southeast winds will blow at 5 to 8 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product.”
– Eleanor Roosevelt

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading!

Asbestos abatement pushes back Alexandria City Hall reopening to fall 2028

By James Cullum
Brick municipal building with a tall white steeple under renovation; construction barriers line the street in front of a fenced site.
City Hall renovations (staff photo by James Cullum)

Major things are happening at Alexandria’s City Hall, as the city says that the last six months have been spent removing asbestos and other hazardous material from the building at 301 King Street.

In a release, the city also reported that the project has been pushed back 10 weeks due to unexpected areas needing asbestos abatement. Now with that part of the project complete, crews in September will start deconstruction of an addition to the building made in the 1960s.

Go to Asbestos abatement pushes back Alexandria City Hall reopening to fall 2028 Read more

Alexandria residential parking permit confusion prompts apology from Mayor Gaskins

By Emily Leayman
Parked cars in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

As residents received their latest car tax bills in the mail starting last week, they were surprised to find their residential parking permit stickers have not arrived.

Vehicle owners used to receive permit stickers at the same time as personal property tax bills. But that did not occur this year when the tax bills arrived.

Go to Alexandria residential parking permit confusion prompts apology from Mayor Gaskins Read more

Alexandria resident seeks good Samaritans who pulled him out of the Potomac River

By Emily Leayman
Around Jones Point Park (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

An Alexandria resident is hoping to find the people who assisted him in a water rescue emergency at Jones Point Park in Old Town over the weekend.

The resident, who opted to remain anonymous, was flying a kite at Jones Point Park on the afternoon of Saturday (Aug. 29). Not realizing there wasn’t a barrier along the Potomac River’s edge, he stepped backward and accidentally fell in.

Go to Alexandria resident seeks good Samaritans who pulled him out of the Potomac River Read more
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