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Superintendent Kay-Wyatt discusses challenges and solutions for youth well-being at regional conference

By Ryan Belmore
Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt speaking at the 2025 Shape of the Region Conference (via 2025 Shape of the Region Conference)

Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt emphasized the critical importance of addressing mental health needs across diverse student populations during a panel discussion at the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia’s Shape of the Region conference on Wednesday, March 26.

“In Alexandria, I have the largest high school in the state of Virginia. It’s almost 5,000 students in four campuses. We are very diverse. One hundred eighteen different countries, 120 plus languages,” Dr. Kay-Wyatt told attendees at the conference focused on creating safe and supportive futures for Northern Virginia’s youth.

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These Alexandria restaurants just made Northern Virginia Magazine’s ‘Best Burgers’ list

By James Cullum
The biscuit burger at District Biscuit, 3401 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray (via Facebook)

Hungry? A fantastic burger might help, especially from one of the Alexandria restaurants included in Northern Virginia Magazine’s April list of the 25 tastiest burgers in the region.

District Biscuit (3401 Mount Vernon Avenue) made the list for its biscuit burger, described online as a “custom-blended Allen Brothers patty sits between layers of an airy square biscuit that absorbs every tantalizing drop of juice, along with housemade hollandaise sauce and pickles.”

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Pinwheel Garden to be planted at Charles W. Hill Park for Child Abuse Prevention Month

By Ryan Belmore
Pinwheels for Prevention (via Prevent Child Abuse America)

In honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month, Alexandria Celebrates Women is planting a pinwheel garden in Del Ray on Friday, April 4.

Pat Miller, Chair of Alexandria Celebrates Women, says, “Pinwheels are the national symbol for child abuse prevention. In 2008, Prevent Child Abuse America introduced the Pinwheels for Prevention campaign. What they found is that people respond positively to pinwheels, which represent childlike whimsy and lightheartedness. All children need to grow up happy, healthy, and prepared to succeed in supportive families and communities.”

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Short-term residential rental building with daycare and retail proposed for former DCHS building in Del Ray

By James Cullum
2525 Mount Vernon Avenue (via Google Maps)

After years of false starts, a new project to replace the former Department of Community and Human Services building in Del Ray with a short-term rental building with a daycare and retail is heading to the Alexandria Planning Commission.

The two-story, 30,000 square-foot DCHS building property at 2525 Mount Vernon Avenue was constructed in 1985 and has been vacant for years. In 2022, the site’s previous owner, Bonaventure, cited economic viability issues and backed out of plans to redevelop the property into a four-story mixed-use apartment complex. Bonaventure bought the property in 2019, but the proposal was met by pushback from neighbors who complained that it added to parking congestion and took away from the character of Del Ray.

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Mayor Gaskins, Councilman Chapman travel to Caen, France for Sister City’s 1,000th Anniversary

By Ryan Belmore
Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins, Councilman John Taylor, and Alexandria-Caen Sister City member Stephen Hartka were among those on hand for Caen's 1,000th Anniversary. (via Alexandria-Caen Sister Cities on Facebook)

Alexandria is renewing its commitment to international friendship through its sister city relationship with Caen, France, as Mayor Alyia Gaskins and Councilman John Taylor Chapman recently returned from celebrating the French city’s 1,000-year anniversary.

The visit, which took place in mid-March, provided an opportunity for Alexandria officials to strengthen ties with their French counterparts and discuss future collaborations between the two historic cities.

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Senator Warner calls for resignations after military plans were shared via Signal

By Ryan Belmore
U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) held a remote media availability from the Capitol on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (via Senator Warner's office)

U.S. Senator Mark Warner expressed shock and dismay over what he calls a “colossal screw up” by Trump administration officials who discussed classified military plans on an unsecured Signal group chat.

During a remote media availability on Wednesday (March 26), the Virginia Democrat said the incident represents a pattern of incompetence that puts American lives at risk and damages relationships with allies.

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Alexandria firefighters extinguish six vehicle fires in two days

By James Cullum
AFD extinguish car fire on Interstate 395 in Alexandria, March 22, 2025 (via Facebook)

The Alexandria Fire Department has been busy the last couple of days. Between Saturday, March 22, and Monday, March 24, firefighters extinguished six vehicle fires.

The incidents are unrelated and accidental in nature, according to AFD.

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Check out the sweeping George Mason Elementary School modernization plans heading to the Planning Commission

By James Cullum
George Mason Elementary School modernization rendering (via City of Alexandria)

Sweeping plans to modernize George Mason Elementary School (2601 Cameron Mills Road) will soon head to the Alexandria Planning Commission.

Alexandria City Public Schools anticipates relocating staff and students three-and-a-half miles away at the end of this school year to swing space 1703 N. Beauregard Street. If the project timeline stays on track, ACPS will cut the ribbon on the new two-story building in the summer of 2027.

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Operation Warm and FedEx Cares provide new shoes to all 320 Cora Kelly students

By James Cullum
Jhanelle Hollins with FedEx helps a student at Cora Kelly School try on a new pair of shoes, March 26, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

All 320 students at Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology stepped into spring in brand new shoes on Wednesday (March 26).

For the second time this month, Operation Warm visited an Alexandria school to outfit hundreds of students with new shoes.

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Terri Cheshire named Acting Executive Director at The Center for Alexandria’s Children

By Ryan Belmore
The Center for Alexandria's Children, Inc. (via The Center for Alexandria's Children, Inc.)

The Center for Alexandria’s Children is undergoing a leadership change, with Executive Director Giselle Pelaez stepping down after 16 years at the helm. Terri Cheshire, M.A., who joined the center full-time in 2021 after working as a consultant, will take over as Acting Executive Director.

In a press release, the organization’s Board of Directors praised Pelaez’s dedication and impact, noting her key role in bolstering child advocacy efforts in Alexandria and fostering a collaborative, compassionate approach to addressing child abuse.

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Alexandria City Council approves Emergency Operations Plan; receives capital projects status report

By Ryan Belmore
Members of Alexandria City Council and members of the public pose for a picture while honoring Women's History Month during a Tuesday, March 25 Council Legislative Meeting (via City of Alexandria)

The Alexandria City Council received concerning projections about potential federal workforce reductions and their economic impact on the region during Tuesday’s legislative meeting.

The council heard presentations from Clark Mercer, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), and Jill Kaniff, Senior Regional Demographer for the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC), who outlined potential consequences of federal job cuts.

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