News | ALXnow - Part 46

Democrats ask the Supreme Court to halt a Va. ruling blocking new congressional districts

Published May 11, 2026 at 5:05PM

Charles Houston Recreation Center on Election Day, April 21, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Democrats on Monday filed an emergency appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to halt a Virginia ruling invalidating a ballot measure that would have given their party an additional four winnable U.S. House seats.

The move came after the Virginia Supreme Court on Friday struck down a constitutional amendment that voters narrowly passed just last month. The 4-3 state court decision found that the Democratic-controlled legislature improperly began the process of placing the amendment on the ballot after early voting had begun in the Virginia’s general election last fall.

City Council to consider nonprofit lease renewals, receive Torpedo Factory operator proposals

By James Cullum

Published May 11, 2026 at 3:45PM

Casa Chirilagua at 4109 Mount Vernon Avenue (via Facebook)

Alexandria City Council will consider extending leases to allow nonprofits and other programs to keep operating at its meeting on Tuesday (May 12).

City Council will consider setting a public hearing for Saturday (May 16) on a new five-year lease agreement with nonprofit Casa Chirilagua at 4109 Mount Vernon Avenue in Arlandria, as well as three-year lease extensions for the Alexandria Boxing Club at Charles Houston Recreation Center (901 Wythe Street) and the Child and Family Network Centers at Leonard “Chick” Armstrong Recreation Center (25 West Reed Avenue).

AEDP taps FedTech to launch Alexandria’s summer business accelerator

By James Cullum

Published May 11, 2026 at 2:45PM

The Alexandria skyline (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The Alexandria Economic Development Partnership announced today that Arlington-based FedTech will help launch and manage the city’s new business accelerator this summer.

AEDP received more than 20 proposals from companies to help manage a “high-touch cohort program for up to 15 Alexandria start-ups in high-growth sectors, including robotics, aerospace, quantum, AI, energy tech, computer services, cybersecurity, and defense,” AEDP said in a release. The accelerator is the first strategy outlined in the ALX Forward framework, a roadmap for Alexandria’s economic future approved by City Council in January.

Alexandria NAACP, elected officials slam Virginia Supreme Court’s redistricting ruling

By Emily Leayman and The Associated Press

Published May 11, 2026 at 1:45PM

Signs supporting and opposing redistricting on April 6, 2026 in Old Town Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

Elected officials representing Alexandria have joined the Alexandria NAACP in condemning the Virginia Supreme Court’s overturning of the redistricting referendum.

Voters had narrowly approved the referendum to redraw Virginia’s congressional districts — with 51.69% in favor — on April 21. The Virginia Supreme Court struck down the voter-approved constitutional amendment in a 4-3 ruling Friday (May 8), with the majority citing procedural violations in how the amendment was placed on the ballot.

Alexandria police bust alleged sex trafficking at Huntington area massage parlor

By James Cullum

Published May 11, 2026 at 11:45AM

Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Two women are being held without bond in Alexandria after being arrested for alleged sex trafficking at a massage parlor in the Huntington area of Fairfax County, according to the Alexandria Police Department.

The two Fairfax County residents — ages 51 and 21 — were arrested Monday, May 4, and charged with sex trafficking. The arrests were made after APD, with assistance from the Virginia State Police, served a search warrant at a massage business in the 5900 block of Ashlar Way, near the city border in Huntington.

Mount Vernon Avenue bridge fully closing for construction starting Saturday

By Emily Leayman

Published May 11, 2026 at 10:30AM | Updated May 11, 2026 at 11:33AM

The Mount Vernon Avenue/Arlington Ridge Road bridge in 2025 before construction began (via Google Maps)

The Mount Vernon Avenue/Arlington Ridge Road bridge between Arlington and Alexandria will be closed during upcoming construction beginning Saturday (May 16).

The bridge will be fully closed in both directions during construction hours from Saturday, May 16 to Saturday, May 23. Closures will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. There will be no construction or bridge closure on Sunday, May 17.

School Board approves changes to agreement with Alexandria Police Department

By James Cullum

Published May 11, 2026 at 9:15AM

Alexandria Police at Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard Campus. (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria City School Board unanimously approved an amended memorandum of understanding with the Alexandria Police Department last Thursday (May 7) to provide school resource officers at the city’s high school and two middle schools.

The previous MOU between ACPS and APD, approved in June 2023, was set to expire June 30. The school system continued using the 2023–2025 MOU, which was extended several times while the new agreement was being revised. The updated MOU was approved without discussion and now goes to City Council for approval.

Morning Notes for May 11, 2026

By ALXnow.com

Published May 11, 2026 at 7:30AM | Updated May 11, 2026 at 9:29AM

Street in Alexandria's Braddock neighborhood (staff photo by James Cullum)

On This Day in Alexandria History — “On May 11, 1749, colonial Governor William Gooch designated sixty acres of land adjacent to a small bay along the Potomac River in Northern Virginia as the site for a new settlement to be called Alexandria … John West, Fairfax County surveyor, assisted by 17-year-old George Washington, laid out 60 acres for creation of the new town and lots were auctioned off in July 1749.” [Historic Alexandria]

Chamber ALX to Host City Council Breakfast — “Join us for an inside look at Alexandria’s future as City Council members unpack the newly adopted City budget, highlight key investments, and share updates on major initiatives already underway. Learn how local priorities are shaping decisions and driving progress across neighborhoods, services, and community development efforts.” [Chamber ALX]

ACPS teachers decry planned increases to health insurance premiums

By James Cullum

Published May 8, 2026 at 3:45PM | Updated May 9, 2026 at 12:16PM

ACPS Superintendent Melanie KayWyatt unveils her amended Combined Funds FY2027 budget to the Alexandria School Board, May 7, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Public Schools staff are decrying the short notice given over an increase to their health insurance premiums, just a day before the month-long open enrollment period.

In an April 30 email, thousands of ACPS staff and retirees were told that health insurance premium rates will increase by 16% for UnitedHealthcare customers and by 8.9% for Kaiser Permanente customers, and that the changes will result in higher employee contributions. Employees who don’t go through the open enrollment process by 11:59 p.m. May 31 will lose their healthcare coverage.

ACPS board celebrates 2026 Principal and Teacher of the Year honorees

By James Cullum

Published May 8, 2026 at 1:45PM

(Left to right) ACPS Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt, ACPS Principal of the Year Jeanette Vinson, ACPS Teacher of the Year Deedra Robinson of Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School, and School Board Chair Michelle Rief, May 7, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria City School Board honored the school system’s 2026 Principal and Teacher of the Year during its meeting last night (Thursday).

This year’s accolades were bestowed to Jeanette Vinson, principal of George Washington Middle School, and Deedra Robinson, an educator at Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School. The School Board celebrated their dedication while recognizing teachers of the year from every public school in Alexandria.

UPDATED: Virginia Supreme Court strikes down Democrats’ redrawn US House maps

By The Associated Press

Published May 8, 2026 at 11:00AM | Updated May 8, 2026 at 3:16PM

Voters at Mount Vernon Recreation Center in Del Ray on Election Day, Nov. 4, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Virginia Supreme Court on Friday struck down a voter-approved Democratic congressional redistricting plan, delivering another major setback to the party in a nationwide battle against Republicans for an edge in this year’s midterm elections.

The court ruled 4-3 that the state’s Democratic-led legislature violated procedural requirements when it placed the constitutional amendment on the ballot to authorize mid-decade redistricting. Voters narrowly approved the amendment on April 21, but the court’s ruling renders the vote’s result meaningless.