Two Alexandria City High School seniors got a surprise today (Friday) when they were awarded $40,000 Amazon Future Engineers scholarships.
Seniors Zhi McMillan and Mohammad Elyas Noorzai received the scholarships as well as internship opportunities with the multinational technology company. The awards were presented by 2022 scholarship recipient Sai Naraharisetti, who will start work as an Amazon software engineer in Seattle after graduating next year.
Volunteers will gather this weekend to clean up Waterfront Park, a popular gathering spot for Old Town visitors along the Potomac River.
The Alexandria Beautification Commission and NOVA Cleanups are hosting the volunteer cleanup from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Sunday (April 12). Volunteers will pick up litter and debris throughout the park, covering walking paths, green spaces and the waterfront.
On This Day in Alexandria History — “In the early Spring of 1907, a number of Alexandria residents came forth with reports of the unusual fecundity of fowls belonging to them, some with their eggs linked, others with their daily egg output suddenly multiplied. On April 10 of that year, it was reported that Mr. John Travers of South Henry Street had the most unusual output of all. One of his hens had laid a huge ‘triplicate’ egg, the size of a goose egg that, when opened revealed three distinct eggs inside. The event was described locally as just ‘another lusus naturae,’ meaning ‘freak of nature.'” [Historic Alexandria]
Former Del Ray Business Owner Dies — “We are heartbroken to share the news that our friend, neighbor, and Del Ray trailblazer, Barbara Mancini, passed away this week. In 1995, Barbara took a chance on an up-and-coming neighborhood and opened Mancini’s Cafe & Bakery in Del Ray, becoming one of the female small business owners who helped lead Del Ray’s transformation.” [Del Ray Business Association/Facebook]
Good Thursday evening, Alexandria. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Apr 9, 2026.
Here are today’s most-read articles:
Here is what’s going on Friday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.
Expect patchy fog between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., then partly sunny skies turning fully sunny, with temperatures reaching a high near 75°F. A light south wind will pick up to 5 to 9 mph by morning. Friday night will see increasing clouds and a low around 56°F, with a south wind shifting to the west after midnight at 6 to 8 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.”
– Sam Levenson
Thanks for reading!
With less than two weeks until the April 21 special election, candidates for an open seat on Alexandria City Council made their pitches to civic association members yesterday (Wednesday) at a forum.
Democratic candidate Sandy Marks and independent candidates Alison O’Connell and Frank Fannon joined the forum, held during Alexandria Federation of Civic Associations’ monthly meeting. Candidates answered questions on topics the civic association leaders selected, along with a lightning round of policies they would support or oppose.
Alexandria City Manager Jim Parajon is asking City Council to approve paid parking on Sundays and an increase in parking meter rates.
The initiatives are included in Parajon’s proposed $977.3 million Fiscal Year 2027 budget and have gotten mixed reviews. If approved by City Council, the measure would make Alexandria the only locality in the region with parking meter enforcement on Sundays. Additionally, Parajon is proposing to increase parking violation fines from $40 to $50.
Virginia’s top education officials were in Alexandria on Wednesday as part of a statewide listening tour on public education needs.
Secretary of Education Jeffery O. Smith was joined by Virginia Department of Education Superintendent of Public Instruction Jenna Conway, Alexandria City School Board members and approximately 100 participants at Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard Campus. House of Delegates Majority Leader Del. Charniele Herring (D-4) attended an earlier roundtable with the officials.
The Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge will have drawbridge openings tonight through early Friday morning due to maintenance, the Virginia Department of Transportation announced.
The openings and traffic stoppages will occur between 10 p.m. Thursday and 5 a.m. Friday. Drivers on the Capital Beltway (Interstate 495) should expect delays and follow signals, according to VDOT. The maintenance work is weather permitting.
On This Day in Alexandria History — “When news of the fall of the Confederate capital at Richmond reached Alexandria during the first week of April 1865, days before the surrender of Robert E, Lee’s forces at Appomattox, the grim city immediately took on a festive air. The first sign was the tolling of church bells throughout the downtown, and later the firing of victory rounds at local fortifications as a salute by Union soldiers. The celebration by Union forces and those loyal to their cause lasted several days, with parades spontaneously occurring on main thoroughfares and constant noise making of citizens by blowing horns and whistles.” [Historic Alexandria]
ACPS Collective Bargaining Agreement’s Uncertain Path Forward — “City Council has not yet stated if or how it plans to close the $5.6 million gap between ACPS’ requested fiscal year 2027 budget and the city’s proposed $340 million allocation. If the $5.6 million is not funded, ACPS must make a choice between fulfilling its agreement with the EAA or making further cuts elsewhere … At the same time, educators remain unsure of whether they will vote to approve the collective bargaining agreement – two years after EAA’s two bargaining units voted in support of the union.” [Alexandria Times]
Good Wednesday evening, Alexandria. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Apr 8, 2026.
Here are today’s most-read articles:
Here is what’s going on Thursday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.
Expect areas of frost early in the morning, but the day will be mostly sunny with a high of around 62°F. Winds will be calm initially, becoming southeast at about 6 mph in the afternoon. Thursday night will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to around 42°F and southeast winds between 3 and 6 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
“Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.”
– John F. Kennedy
Thanks for reading!
Two opposing events will be held in Alexandria this week ahead of the April 21 statewide referendum on redrawing congressional maps.
Virginia Democrats have been pursuing the mid-decade redistricting in response to similar actions in states across the country to gain party control of Congress in November’s midterm elections. A recent Washington Post-Schar School poll shows 52% of likely Virginia voters favoring redistricting. Even if redistricting advances in Alexandria, the city would remain within the 8th Congressional District.
