Depending on how you cut it, the residential tax base comprises either 82% of the city’s revenue or 62% — but either way, Alexandria leaders said that’s a precarious balance for a local government’s budget.
It’s an issue that came up in both the city budget discussion and an update on the Potomac Yard Arena development at a City Council meeting last night.
Amtrak said last year was one for the books for train travel around Virginia and the Alexandria station had the state’s second-highest ridership in the southeastern United States.
Just behind Richmond at 424,617 riders, Alexandria Union Station had 327,285 riders in 2023.
(Updated at 4:30 p.m.) With a handful of schools exceeding 110% utilization, the Alexandria School Board is moving forward with a lengthy redistricting process to redraw elementary and middle school boundaries.
The School Board, which is now starting its redistricting process from scratch, wants any changes to go into effect at the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year, according to School Board Vice Chair Kelly Carmichael Booz.
March is Women’s History Month and there are events across the city discussing women who helped shape Alexandria.
Events include a lecture by Jane Plitt, Director of the National Center of Women’s Innovations, on how women shaped the world of healthcare, from curing leprosy to developing cataract eye surgery, but it took years for their role in the field to be recognized.
He’s not remotely Irish, but Alexandria restaurant owner “Mango” Mike Anderson is the grand marshal of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday.
A local celebrity of sorts, Anderson will lead the parade down King Street and to the reviewing stand on Royal Street in the heart of Old Town.
Good Wednesday morning, Alexandria!
⛈️ Today’s weather: Expect rain and a possible thunderstorm after 4pm with a high near 68, accompanied by breezy south winds reaching 16-20 mph and gusts up to 37 mph. Precipitation chances are 90%, with new rainfall amounts between a quarter and half-inch. By Wednesday night, anticipate rain and a potential thunderstorm before 7pm, followed by a chance of rain until 10pm, with a low around 31. Winds will shift to the northwest, blowing at 15-25 mph with gusts up to 47 mph, and precipitation chances drop to 80%. New rainfall amounts will be less than a tenth of an inch, with higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Within days of the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, Alexandria’s City Hall was lit up with the colors of Israel. But after months of mounting civilian casualties in Gaza, a push for Alexandria to join cities calling for a ceasefire has faced significant opposition in City Hall.
A resolution calling for a ceasefire was raised as a recommendation at a Human Rights Commission (HRC) meeting earlier this month.
The Potomac Yard arena fight has created a fascinating mix of opponents and supporters who don’t adhere to strict political party lines.
While Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin and Alexandria’s Democratic local leadership took the stage last year in support of the plan, Alexandria Republicans today joined State Sen. Louise Lucas and other Democrats opposed to the arena.
A 29-year-old Washington, D.C. man was arrested last month for allegedly stealing a $1,300 necklace from the First Cash Pawn shop in Alexandria’s West End and then trying to resell it the following day at the pawn shop’s Arlington location.
The 14-karat gold necklace was reported stolen from the shop at 516-C S. Van Dorn Street on August 19, 2023, and the suspect allegedly pawned it the following day at the First Cash Pawn at 89 N. Glebe Road in Arlington, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.
Anyone heading out this afternoon should remember to bring an umbrella: storms are likely inbound to Alexandria.
The National Weather Service (NWS) said rain is likely this afternoon, mainly after 2 p.m.
Alexandria knows how to throw a great parade, and the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 2, should be a good one.
The parade will start at the intersection of King and St. Asaph streets and move east along King Street to Lee Street. From there the parade turns north one block then heads back west along Cameron Street to the Pitt Street intersection.
