News

Alexandria Library Board faces backlash after ousting member over city takeover study

By James Cullum
Image via Alexandria Library/Facebook

Criticism has been leveled against the Alexandria Library Board after Libby Bawcombe, a voting member, was expelled earlier this month for supporting a study on converting the library system into a city department.

At a special meeting of the Alexandria Library Company on April 8, Bawcombe was expelled by a secret ballot for voting with three other Library Board members in February to direct Alexandria Library Director Rose Dawson to work with city staff on assessing the library system’s transition into a city department.

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City Council backs plan to replace Old Town office with 32 townhomes

By James Cullum
Proposed townhomes at 333 N. Fairfax Street in Old Town (courtesy of EYA, LLC and Simpson Development)

On Saturday (April 18), Alexandria City Council approved an office-to-residential conversion that will bring 32 four-story townhomes to Old Town.

Without discussion, City Council unanimously approved the Planning Commission’s recommendation to tear down the Essex Building — an office building at 333 N. Fairfax Street built in the 1970s — and replace it with townhomes. A parking garage and lot will also be demolished. Plans for the 1.4-acre site from EYA and Simpson Development reveal four-story homes with two-car garages and roof decks just a few blocks from King Street and the Potomac River waterfront.

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UPDATED: Adult pedestrian killed in Old Town North crash

By Emily Leayman
Alexandria Police cruiser (staff photo by James Cullum)

A pedestrian was killed in a crash in Old Town North yesterday (Monday), according to Alexandria police and fire radio dispatches.

The Alexandria Police Department responded to the fatal crash involving a pedestrian at St. Asaph and Montgomery Streets around 5:26 p.m. According to radio dispatches, multiple callers reported that the pedestrian was down and not breathing.

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Morning Notes for April 21, 2026

By ALXnow.com
Signs in Old Town Alexandria for the April 21 City Council special election (staff photo by James Cullum)

On This Day in Alexandria History — “On April 21, 1893, Alexandrians were saddened to learn of the death the evening before of George Carroll, a well-known and affable African American who had served in the Union Army during the Civil War. Before the war, Carroll had served as a slave in the home of Josiah H. Davis and as a boy, had worked at the old plaster mill on the waterfront between Prince and Duke Streets … Carroll was a member of Alexandria’s Sumner Post, Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), a fraternal organization of nearly 400,000 Union Army veterans by 1890, which advocated for pensions for veterans, voting rights for black veterans and advancement of advocacy groups in American politics.” [Historic Alexandria]

It’s Election Day — Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the Alexandria City Council special election and statewide redistricting amendment. [Office of Voter Registration and Elections]

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ALXnow Daily Debrief for Apr 20, 2026

By ALXnow.com

Good Monday 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 — Apr 20, 2026.

Here are today’s most-read articles:

  1. JUST IN: Sen. Mark Warner and wife announce daughter’s death (9221 views)
  2. Coffee shop owners seek support after abrupt closure of Valletta Port (1706 views)
  3. ‘Do you want to be in the jail business?’ Sheriff Casey asks City Council amid budget talks (1426 views)
  4. Alexandria’s unemployment rises nearly 34% year over year in latest data (1216 views)

📅 Upcoming events

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

  • No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.

☀️ Tuesday’s forecast

Expect widespread frost before 10 am, followed by sunny weather with a high near 62°F. Winds will be calm, shifting to the south at about 6 mph in the afternoon. On Tuesday night, there is a 30% chance of showers after 2 am, with partly cloudy skies and a low around 50°F. South winds will increase to 7 to 9 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
– J.K. Rowling

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading!

‘Do you want to be in the jail business,’ Sheriff Casey asks City Council amid budget talks

By James Cullum
Sheriff Sean Casey at the unveiling of the Alexandria Police Department Suicide Memorial, Sept. 26, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria Sheriff Sean Casey and members of his staff argued against a proposed budget reallocation before City Council on Saturday (April 18).

Casey said a proposal by Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley and City Councilman Abdel Elnoubi to transfer $200,000 out of the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office budget for a jail operational efficiency study is a waste of valuable resources and will hurt an already cash-strapped agency. While a number of speakers at Saturday’s public hearing called for Casey’s budget to be cut over what they see as voluntary collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Enforcement, several City Council members defended the proposed study, saying the measure is intended to improve ASO operations.

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Alexandria School Board members push City Council for staggered term reforms

By James Cullum
Alexandria School Board meeting in 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City School Board members are asking the public to help push for reforms to the nine-member board, including staggered elections, higher salaries and more.

The clock is ticking, School Board Members Ashley Simpson Baird and Kelly Carmichael Booz wrote in a recent blog post. The pair wrote that City Council must act this year by beginning a process to amend the City Charter — a change that would need to go to the Virginia General Assembly’s 2027 session for approval.

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JUST IN: Sen. Mark Warner and wife announce daughter’s death

By Emily Leayman
Senator Mark Warner during a Virginia media availability in May 2025 (via Sen. Warner's office)

Sen. Mark Warner (D) and his wife, Lisa Collis, shared today (Monday) that their daughter Madison Warner has died.

The 36-year-old died after decades of battling juvenile diabetes and other health issues, according to their statement.

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Tuesday’s special election ballot includes City Council race, redistricting amendment

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

Tuesday, April 21 marks Election Day in Alexandria for a statewide redistricting voter referendum and a special election for a City Council seat.

Candidates in the City Council special election are Democrat Sandy Marks and independent candidates Alison O’Connell and Frank Fannon. Marks is the former chair of the Alexandria Democratic Committee, Fannon is a former Republican member of City Council from 2009 to 2012, and O’Connell is a founding member of Alexandria for Palestinian Human Rights.

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Alexandria’s unemployment rises nearly 34% year over year in latest data

By Scott McCaffrey
The Alexandria skyline (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Unemployment among city residents rose by one-third year over year to start 2026, according to new state data.

A total of 3,656 Alexandria residents were reported as seeking jobs in January, according to figures released April 16 by the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.

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Morning Notes for April 20, 2026

By ALXnow.com
As seen at Potomac Yard Park (staff photo by James Cullum)

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore Campaigns for Virginia Redistricting Referendum — “Wonderful to have Governor @iamwesmoore in Alexandria to remind us what’s at stake and why Virginians should vote YES on the redistricting referendum!” [Councilman Canek Aguirre/X]

Road Closures on N. Beauregard Street — “North Beauregard Street between Sanger Avenue and North Morgan Street will be closed intermittently between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays from Monday, April 20 through Tuesday, April 28 to accommodate the delivery of equipment and materials associated with Holmes Run Trail repairs.” [Alexandria T&ES]

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