News

New kayak launch on Four Mile Run wins Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award

By Emily Leayman
New Four Mile Run kayak launch (via City of Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities/Facebook)

A new kayak launch now open at Four Mile Run Park in Alexandria is one of 11 projects that earned a Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award from Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger.

The Four Mile Run Conservancy, in partnership with the city, completed the public kayak and canoe launch with a 187-foot raised boardwalk ramp, 775-square-foot floating dock, a roller-entry launch, wheelchair transfer platform and 30-foot gangway. It is the city and region’s first ADA-accessible paddling access to the Potomac River.

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Morning Notes for March 26, 2026

By ALXnow.com
A magnolia tree in bloom in Old Town (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

On This Day in Alexandria History — “On March 26, 1839, the Alexandria Lyceum Company and the Alexandria Library Company formally announced plans to join together in sharing a new Greek Revival-style building at 201 S. Washington Street. Alexandria’s Lyceum was modeled after the American lyceum (ly-SEE-um) movement which began in the 1820s with Josiah Holbrook, who admired various institutions in England that had been established for public education.” [Historic Alexandria]

Police In-Custody Death Final Report Delayed — “A final update to the Independent Policing Auditor’s investigation was expected at the March 4 Independent Community Policing Review Board meeting. But, auditor Ameratu Kamara said she found out the night of March 3 that she was unable to share her findings, since they were based on a draft report.” [Alexandria Times]

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ALXnow Daily Debrief for Mar 25, 2026

By ALXnow.com

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 — Mar 25, 2026.

Here are today’s most-read articles:

  1. ACPS prepares to move 800+ students for redistricting effort (1448 views)
  2. New plan unveiled after National Park Service sinks pump station at Waterfront Park (961 views)
  3. Arlandria apartment condemned, two people displaced after kitchen fire (856 views)
  4. Entrepreneur seeks to bring community center to Virginia Tech building in Old Town (642 views)

📅 Upcoming events

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

🌤️ Thursday’s forecast

Expect mostly sunny weather with temperatures reaching a high of around 75°F. Winds will be from the southwest at 10 to 13 mph, with gusts up to 23 mph. Thursday night will bring increasing clouds and a low of about 57°F, along with a slight chance of rain before 7 p.m. and a more significant chance after 2 a.m., with a 50% chance of precipitation. Southwest winds will continue at 10 to 13 mph, with gusts reaching up to 22 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
– Buddha

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading!

Alexandria police chief touts 30% overall crime reduction in 2025

By James Cullum
Alexandria Police Chief Tarrick McGuire speaks after being sworn in at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Dec. 10, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria Police Chief Tarrick McGuire received praise from City Council Tuesday night for a 30% overall crime reduction in 2025.

In a presentation to City Council, McGuire said that violent crime went down an average of 29%, a difference of 111 offenses. Overall property crime was down by an average of 30%, a difference of more than 1,300 offenses.

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New plan unveiled after National Park Service sinks pump station at Waterfront Park

By James Cullum
Flooding on lower King Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Council directed staff on Tuesday to pursue a new preferred option to combat flooding along the Alexandria waterfront — one that does not involve a pump station.

City staff presented the council with a number of options in the wake of the National Park Service’s denial last month of the city’s plan to build a pump station at Waterfront Park. The city’s preferred option, Option 3, is an enhanced gravity storm sewer system, with “automated back flow prevention devices.” Option 3 also means that infrastructure improvements to Point Lumley Park and the bulkhead would be deferred.

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City Council approves $4M loan for last phase of Arlandria affordable housing project

By Emily Leayman
Concept rendering of Sansé and Naja development in Arlandria (courtesy of Housing Alexandria)

Alexandria City Council approved a $4 million loan yesterday (Tuesday) for Naja, the second and final phase of Housing Alexandria’s affordable housing project being built at the intersection of Mount Vernon Avenue and Glebe Road in Arlandria.

The $4 million City Housing Opportunities Fund loan is the final installment of the city funding package for Sansé and Naja, which will have 495 affordable housing units and more than 20,000 square feet of commercial space. City Council also approved $400,000 in rental subsidies for eight units at Naja. Before Tuesday’s approval, the city’s funding support for the project had totaled $79.7 million, according to a city staff memo.

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Arlandria apartment condemned, two people displaced after kitchen fire

By James Cullum
Arlandria fire on March 24, 2026 (via IAFF 2141/Facebook)

Two people were displaced after a fire was extinguished in an Arlandria apartment Tuesday evening, according to the Alexandria Fire Department.

AFD responded at around 6:30 p.m. to a kitchen fire on the first floor of a three-story apartment building in the 3800 block of Milan Drive. No injuries were reported, and no neighboring apartments were affected by the fire, according to the fire department.

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ACPS prepares to move 800+ students for redistricting effort

By James Cullum
The School Board chose Triangle Plan 3 for elementary school redistricting (via ACPS)

Alexandria City Public Schools is preparing to move hundreds of students and reassign staff as part of its redistricting process beginning in July.

The school system has been working on the transition since the Alexandria City School Board approved the plan last June. On Thursday (March 26), ACPS staff will update the board on the plan, which will shift 860 students to new schools in the coming school year.

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Morning Notes for March 25, 2026

By ALXnow.com
Mount Vernon and Del Ray Avenues in the Del Ray neighborhood on March 19, 2026 (staff photo by Emily Leayman)

On This Day in Alexandria History — “On March 25, 1844 a meeting of the African Colonization Society was held at The Lyceum. Known formally as The Society for the Colonization of Free People of Color of America, an organization that supported the resettlement of free blacks in American back to Africa … Ironically, members of the ACS represented two diametrically opposed constituencies; Quakers, evangelicals and other abolitionists that opposed slavery, and ardent slaveholders in the Chesapeake region that fought against regulated abolition but saw free blacks as a potential threat to the institution of slavery that could incite slave rebellions.” [Historic Alexandria]

Next Budget Work Session Focuses on Government Accountability — “This week’s Work Session will focus on Accountable and Effective Government. Listen in on alexandriava.gov/Dockets or attend in person on Wednesday, March 25 starting at 7 p.m. at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center.” [City of Alexandria]

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ALXnow Daily Debrief for Mar 24, 2026

By ALXnow.com

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 — Mar 24, 2026.

Here are today’s most-read articles:

  1. Hit-and-run kills pedestrian on I-395 in Alexandria: state police (2562 views)
  2. No deed fraud incidents reported in Alexandria as Clerk of Court launches alert system (492 views)

📅 Upcoming events

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

🌤️ Wednesday’s forecast

Expect partly sunny skies with temperatures reaching a high of about 59°F and a south wind blowing at 6 to 9 mph. Wednesday night will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 49°F and a continued south wind at 7 to 9 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Do not watch the clock. Do what it does. Keep going.”
– Sam Levenson

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading!

JUST IN: Alexandria housing director Helen McIlvaine to retire

By James Cullum
Helen McIlvaine (via City of Alexandria)

Alexandria’s Office of Housing director Helen McIlvaine will retire at the end of April, the city announced today (Tuesday).

McIlvaine joined the city in 2006 as the deputy director of housing and has been housing director since 2015. Starting on May 1, Deputy Director Aspasia Xypolia will serve as acting housing director.

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