News

Alexandria residents press City Council to oppose sheriff’s cooperation with ICE

By Ryan Belmore
Residents display signs during Saturday's City Council public hearing demanding an end to Sheriff Casey's collaboration with ICE. (Screenshot from City Council meeting)

More than a dozen Alexandria residents packed City Council chambers Saturday morning to demand elected officials publicly condemn what they described as Sheriff Sean Casey’s voluntary collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The speakers, part of the ICE Out of Alexandria coalition, called on council members during the scheduled public hearing to take a public stance against the sheriff’s practice of holding inmates beyond their release time and making courtesy calls to ICE about upcoming releases.

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‘We need these people’: Alexandria’s Goodwin Living forced to lay off workers under Trump immigration crackdown

By The Associated Press
Jackie Conteh, an advanced care partner originally from Sierra Leone, helps Donald Goodness, 92, put on fresh socks in his apartment at Goodwin House Alexandria, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in Alexandria, Va. (AP Photo/Eric Lee)

By PAUL WISEMAN and GISELA SALOMON Associated Press | Editor’s Note: This Associated Press story has been localized for Alexandria readers. Original headline: ‘Trump’s immigration crackdown threatens America’s job market and ability to recruit foreign talent.’

Maria worked cleaning schools in Florida for $13 an hour. Every two weeks, she’d get a $900 paycheck from her employer, a contractor. Not much — but enough to cover rent in the house that she and her 11-year-old son share with five families, plus electricity, a cellphone and groceries.

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Shutdown impact: What it means for workers, federal programs and the economy

By The Associated Press
FILE - A sign that reads "Closed due to federal government shutdown," is seen outside of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, Oct. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

By KEVIN FREKING Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government shutdown is quickly approaching the second longest on record with no end in sight. Some lawmakers are predicting it could become the longest, surpassing the 35 days from President Donald Trump’s first term.

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Multiple events, early voting converge in Alexandria today

By Ryan Belmore
The No Kings Rally at Market Square in Old Town, June 14, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria Police Department is advising residents and visitors to plan for multiple events today that will affect traffic and access in Old Town and along the Route 1 corridor. At the same time, early voting continues for the November 4 general election.

A protest against President Trump’s policies will span much of the day, beginning with a demonstration along Route 1 in 90 minutes and continuing with an afternoon rally at Market Square. A City Council public hearing meeting and the weekly farmers’ market are also underway or starting soon.

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ALXnow Daily Debrief for Oct 17, 2025

By ALXnow.com

Good Friday 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 — Oct 17, 2025.

Here are today’s most-read articles:

  1. ICE announces arrest in Alexandria of man officials say is wanted MS-13 leader in El Salvador (3665 views)
  2. Controversial political art at Torpedo Factory tests free speech limits (3651 views)

Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.

  1. Eight Alexandria housing commissioners resign after Mayor, City Council demand their departure (23076 views)
  2. Suspect with knife steals cigarettes from West End convenience store (8028 views)
  3. Police investigate after masked trio threatens, attempts to break into Alexandria home (7731 views)
  4. Banned book speakeasy returning to Morrison House in Old Town (5639 views)
  5. Police investigate $5,500 theft from Old Town Lululemon (4583 views)
  6. Driver rescued after crashing into parked tractor-trailer in Alexandria’s West End (3598 views)
  7. Swedish company to demo flying electric ferry on Potomac River (3204 views)

📅 Upcoming events

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

Here are the events planned for Sunday:

🌤️ Saturday’s forecast

Expect mostly cloudy skies to gradually clear up and bring sunshine with a high around 71 degrees. The calm wind will transition into a southerly breeze at 5 to 7 mph during the afternoon. As for Saturday night, it will be mostly clear and a low of approximately 55 degrees, accompanied by a southeast wind around 6 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.”
– Joshua J. Marine

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

We hope you have a great weekend, Alexandria!

Alexandria tourism programs receive $35,000 in state marketing grants

By Ryan Belmore
Old Town Alexandria - 100 block of King Street - pedestrian zone (Credit Chris Cruz)

Two Alexandria tourism organizations will receive a combined $35,000 in state matching grants as part of a statewide initiative to boost off-season travel, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Friday.

The grants, distributed through the Virginia Tourism Corporation, are among 104 awards totaling more than $627,000 given to local tourism programs across the Commonwealth. Local partners committed an additional $729,992 in matching funds, generating more than $1.3 million in new marketing initiatives that will benefit 624 tourism partners statewide.

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Housing board scandal, convenience store robbery top week’s news

By James Cullum
ARHA properties in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

It’s been quite a week, Alexandria. Here’s a look at ALXnow’s top stories.

The top story this week was on the resignation of all the commissioners overseeing the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority Board. The crisis began in August when ALXnow first reported that then-ARHA CEO Erik Johnson was living in an ARHA-managed public housing unit. The ARHA board published a statement acknowledging the situation, demanded that he vacate the property, and then terminated his employment in September. In a special meeting on Wednesday, the City Council appointed six new ARHA board members.

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Ukrainian photographer finds new life, purpose in Alexandria

By James Cullum
Portrait photographer Yelyzaveta Pyvovarova in Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

Yelyzaveta Pyvovarova is looking for happiness in her portraits. It’s a feeling she’s been trying to recapture in Alexandria since leaving Ukraine after the outbreak of the ongoing war with Russia.

Lyza, as she’s formally known, escaped from Oleksandriya, Ukraine, with her two daughters shortly after the war broke out, and moved to the Alexandria area of Fairfax County in July of 2022. Her husband later joined the family, and since then she launched her own portrait photography business and manages events for ALX Community in Old Town.

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Controversial political art at Torpedo Factory tests free speech limits

By Ryan Belmore
Political signs displayed in Studio 17 at the Torpedo Factory Art Center include references to Julius Caesar's assassins and a message about conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. (Staff photo/Ryan Belmore)

Political signs displayed in an artist’s studio window at the Torpedo Factory Art Center have drawn national attention on social media this week, sparking debate over free speech in city-owned facilities. Alexandria officials have not publicly stated whether they can take action on the controversial display.

UPDATE 2:35 p.m.: Artist M. Alexander Gray provided a statement to ALXnow defending his work and questioning the focus on his signs. Story updated below.

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Obama, aiming to boost Democrats in New Jersey and Virginia, endorses Sherrill and Spanberger

By The Associated Press
FILE - Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill, Feb. 13, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib, File)

By MIKE CATALINI and OLIVIA DIAZ Associated Press

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Barack Obama has endorsed the Democratic candidates for governor in New Jersey and Virginia, seeking to boost Mikie Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger ahead of high-stakes elections next month.

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City extends feedback deadline to Oct. 23 for Duke Street Land Use Plan

By James Cullum
Traffic backup heading eastbound along Duke Street (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Alexandria has set a deadline of Oct. 23 (Thursday) to give feedback on the Duke Street Land Use Plan.

When finished, the document will guide city officials in the development of the Duke Street Corridor from the former Landmark Mall to Alexandria Union Station. Last month, residents weighed in on draft principles for the document.

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