As Alexandria’s City Council mulls over an expensive revamp of City Hall, one of the major changes could be a move away from the current historic chambers into a more accessible first-floor room.
The City of Alexandria is working through a year of public engagement that could reshape not only City Hall but Market Square outside the building. The proposal will come back to the City Council for a vote in July.
Alexandria nonprofits can breathe a sigh of relief after the White House today rescinded a controversial order by President Trump’s administration to withhold all federal grants and loans.
The Trump administration ordered a halt to all federal and grant programs on Monday (Jan. 27), and it was soon after temporarily blocked from going into effect until Monday, Feb. 3. The block was issued by U.S. District Court Judge Loren L. AliKhan and the White House rescinded the order on Wednesday (Jan. 29).
Alexandria’s City Council is considering a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers, citing environmental and health concerns.
During a legislative meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 28, Council members discussed potential regulations and a phased approach to implementation.
Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins says that recent immigration enforcement raids in nearby jurisdictions have resulted in “fear, confusion, and concern,” and that the city won’t assist federal investigators.
In a statement posted on the city website today, the Democrat mayor said that Alexandria will always be a welcoming community where “all residents are supported, respected, and valued.”
Good Wednesday morning, Alexandria!
☀️ Today’s weather: Expect sunny skies and a high of 54 degrees today, accompanied by breezy conditions as southwest winds of 11-16 mph increase to 18-23 mph in the afternoon with gusts up to 46 mph. Tonight, enjoy mostly clear skies with a low of 30 degrees, as northwest winds of 7-13 mph shift to the southwest in the evening, with gusts as high as 31 mph.
A new tool launched by the City of Alexandria will help locals access some of the city’s fascinating historical markers virtually
Some markers not items of historic significance, like the Marshall House where Col. Elmer E. Ellsworth was murdered in one of the events building up to the Civil War. Others are more fantastical, like the spot in Old Town North that was reportedly home to one of Alexandria’s local cryptids: the infamous Goosepigs.
Last night the Trump administration announced a halt on federal grants and loans, a move 8th district Rep. Don Beyer called “blatantly illegal and unconstitutional.”
The White House clarified that the new order would “clamp down on foreign aid and funding for diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI. Washington Post reported that states have had issues accessing Medicaid and Head Start funding.
The Alexandria City Council disapproved a plan to reconfigure the city’s Independent Community Policing Review Board (ICPRB).
On Saturday, Council unanimously reversed a November 2024 decision that would have dramatically altered the rules and authority of the board and eliminated its subpoena power. The decision was made after considerable pushback during the public hearing, including from the ICPRB chair and vice chair, who are unhappy with the proposal.
Update 1/29: A memo rescinding telework and remote work specifically notes that it does not apply to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
A new executive order mandating federal employees end telework and return to offices could be a boon to the local markets, though a local expert warned not to expect a return to the pre-Covid office market.
With President Donald Trump removing restrictions preventing Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from raiding schools, Alexandria Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt laid out the ways Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) are protected from ICE but also exceptions families should be aware of.
The message comes after a full-throated rebuke of ICE activities at school to the fullest extent allowable by law by Fairfax County Public Schools leadership. Kay-Wyatt’s message similarly noted that the schools can help shield children to an extent, but reaffirmed that ACPS “is obligated to comply with all lawful orders and warrants from any law enforcement entity, including ICE.
Good Tuesday morning, Alexandria!
☀️ Today’s weather: Expect sunny skies and a high around 50 degrees during the day, accompanied by breezy northwest winds at 7-12 mph, increasing to 15-20 mph in the afternoon, with potential gusts up to 34 mph. For Tuesday night, partly cloudy conditions will persist, with a low of 32 degrees. The light and variable wind will become southwest at 5-9 mph after midnight.
