News

ARHA appoints former longtime CEO as interim amid national search

By James Cullum
ARHA properties in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Roy Priest, the former longtime CEO of the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority, has been named the interim CEO until a permanent successor is chosen, the organization announced this week.

Priest was CEO of Alexandria’s public housing authority from 2006 to 2017, and his temporary reinstatement follows last month’s resignation of interim CEO Rickie Maddox. Priest started work on July 7 and will act as interim CEO for five or six months until the ARHA Board fills the permanent CEO position, ARHA Board Chair Mark Jinks told ALXnow in an email.

Go to ARHA appoints former longtime CEO as interim amid national search Read more

Police: Accidental shooting in Old Town sends man to hospital Friday morning

By James Cullum
Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)

A man was injured when he accidentally discharged his gun Friday morning (July 17) inside a home in Old Town.

The 66-year-old man called 911 around 6:15 a.m. to report that he was alone at home in the 300 block of Wilkes Street when he shot himself in his left hand with a handgun, according to Alexandria Police Department radio dispatches.

Go to Police: Accidental shooting in Old Town sends man to hospital Friday morning Read more

No evidence of cyclosporiasis outbreak in Va., Alexandria health officials say

By Emily Leayman and The Associated Press
Two red round cells on a blue-stained microscopic slide, clustered together.
This undated photo taken through a microscope provided by the CDC shows Cyclospora cayetanensis oocysts found in a fresh stool sample which had been prepared with a formalin solution and stained with safranin. (CDC via AP)

The intestinal illness spreading in parts of the U.S. has been raising food safety concerns, but health authorities in Alexandria say there’s little cause for alarm locally.

Cyclosporiasis is an infection caused by a parasite believed to be linked to some types of imported fresh produce. The illness is most often associated with watery diarrhea, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It can last a few days to upward of a month, but some people do not show symptoms.

Go to No evidence of cyclosporiasis outbreak in Va., Alexandria health officials say Read more

Morning Notes for July 17, 2026

By ALXnow.com
Sunrise over a misty park field seen through a large tree with sprawling branches in the foreground.
Sunrise at Chinquapin Loop (via Eric Keber)

On This Day in Alexandria History — “On July 17, 1946 the City of Alexandria designated the Old and Historic Alexandria District, nicknamed at the time the “Charleston Ordinance” after the City of Charleston, South Carolina which had earlier extended the police powers of its zoning code to regulate changes to the exterior appearance of buildings within a designated area. Zoning laws in the United States were first upheld by the U. S. Supreme Court in 1916 in the famous Euclid vs. Ambler case, but that issue dealt specifically with land uses and not aesthetic appearance. Alexandria’s new historic district was the third in the United States including the “Vieux Carre” area of New Orleans. Historic District zoning codes went unchallenged for over two decades until the Supreme Court case Penn Central vs. City of New York upheld that city’s action to denied an application to build a skyscraper atop the historic Grand Central Station.” [Historic Alexandria]

Code Red Air Quality Alert Today — “The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) has forecast a Code Red air day in the metropolitan Washington region tomorrow, July 17, due to smoke from Canada wildfires.” [Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments/X]

Go to Morning Notes for July 17, 2026 Read more

ALXnow Daily Debrief for Jul 16, 2026

By ALXnow.com
ALXnow news banner: dog in car window with the headline 'Daily Debrief for Jul 16, 2026'

Good Thursday 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 — Jul 16, 2026.

Here are today’s most-read articles:

  1. BREAKING: Man shot to death on Holmes Run Parkway in Alexandria (2936 views)
  2. Alexandria man accused of stabbing at King Street Metro station faces malicious wounding charge (983 views)
  3. First look: Luxury new townhomes with 2-car garages (some with elevators) (906 views)
  4. Alexandria mayor opposes idea of merging DASH into a regional bus system (707 views)
  5. AWLA taps into emergency vet fund to help dogs after Alexandria house fire (700 views)

📅 Upcoming events

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

🌥️ Friday’s forecast

This afternoon, expect widespread smoke mainly after 2 p.m., with mostly sunny skies and a high near 92°F. Winds will come from the north at about 5 mph before becoming calm. Tonight, there is a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 a.m., along with widespread smoke. Conditions will be partly cloudy with a low around 74°F, and winds from the southeast at 6 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!

UPDATE: APD identifies victim of Wednesday night fatal shooting on Holmes Run Parkway

By James Cullum
Nighttime street scene with a police officer standing in the foreground and vehicles in the background near a cordoned area and traffic cones.
A man was shot in the 5300 block of Holmes Run Parkway in Alexandria’s West End, July 15, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria Police Department identified the victim of Wednesday night’s fatal shooting in the West End as 36-year-old Charles Talley.

Talley was shot and killed on Wednesday night at the ParcView Apartments in the 5300 block of Holmes Run Parkway. ALXnow observed a male and female suspect being apprehended in connection to the shooting, but APD made no arrests.

Go to UPDATE: APD identifies victim of Wednesday night fatal shooting on Holmes Run Parkway Read more

Alexandria Mayor Gaskins chosen for network of rising Democratic leaders

By James Cullum
Mayor Alyia Gaskins speaks at Alexandria’s 277th birthday celebration at Oronoco Bay Park, July 11, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Mayor Alyia Gaskins has been chosen to join 21 other rising Democratic state and local leaders from around the country to trade ideas on local governance.

Gaskins is joining NewDEAL (Developing Exceptional American Leaders), a network of center-left elected officials, for a year. The mayor will participate in virtual webinars to share ideas and discuss challenges such as rising costs, housing, energy and childcare. She will also take part in the NewDEAL Annual Conference from Nov. 18-20 in D.C.

Go to Alexandria Mayor Gaskins chosen for network of rising Democratic leaders Read more

Alexandria mayor opposes idea of merging DASH into a regional bus system

By James Cullum
A bus driver waits outside the Van Dorn Metro station in Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins has joined other local leaders in opposing a potential merger of bus operations across multiple Northern Virginia localities.

Gaskins told ALXnow she is strongly opposed to the idea that Alexandria’s free DASH bus system should merge with Arlington Transit, the Fairfax Connector and CUE (City of Fairfax). Between now and November, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) is compiling a report as part of the recently adopted biennial budget to consider cost savings and rider impacts of merging the local bus systems.

Go to Alexandria mayor opposes idea of merging DASH into a regional bus system Read more

Joseph Hensley Park fully reopens in Eisenhower West after years-long renovations

By Emily Leayman
Amenities at the renovated Joseph Hensley Park (via Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities)

Joseph Hensley Park has completely reopened in the Eisenhower West neighborhood after years of renovations, the Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities said.

The renovated park (4200 Eisenhower Avenue) includes a new synthetic turf upper diamond field, a full-size natural turf softball field on the lower level, a replacement picnic pavilion and bathhouse and new playground. The athletic fields have new LED field lighting, scoreboards, safety netting, dugouts, spectator seating and batting cages. A flexible court and event space also provides a setting for community and recreational programming.

Go to Joseph Hensley Park fully reopens in Eisenhower West after years-long renovations Read more

AWLA taps into emergency vet fund to help dogs after Alexandria house fire

By Emily Leayman
Senior dogs Dunya and Jasnah received emergency vet care after being displaced by a house fire (via Animal Welfare League of Alexandria)

Two dogs recently surrendered to the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria due to a house fire have received emergency care, but that has put a strain on the organization’s emergency veterinary fund.

Senior dogs Dunya and Jasnah had been surrendered due to a displacement from a house fire. The animal shelter operator confirmed to ALXnow that the dogs were from the house fire Monday (July 13) in the 600 block of N. Ripley Street.

Go to AWLA taps into emergency vet fund to help dogs after Alexandria house fire Read more

Alexandria man accused of stabbing at King Street Metro station faces malicious wounding charge

By James Cullum
Police at the King Street Metro station (staff photo by James Cullum)

A 21-year-old Alexandria man goes to court next month after allegedly stabbing a man twice in the bus loop area of the King Street-Old Town Metro station.

On May 5, the victim called 911 to report he’d been assaulted at the King Street Metro station. At the scene, the man told an Alexandria Police Department officer that he was punched in the head, “but upon further examination by medical staff it was determined that he had been stabbed twice,” according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.

Go to Alexandria man accused of stabbing at King Street Metro station faces malicious wounding charge Read more
View More Stories