Democrat Sandy Marks, the winner of the April 21 City Council special election, will be sworn into office Tuesday, May 12, according to the city.
Marks will get sworn in before City Council at some point during its legislative meeting at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center (4850 Mark Center Drive), the city confirmed to ALXnow. An exact time for the swearing-in ceremony has not been set, although it will be administered by Clerk of Court Greg Parks.
From diners to farm-to-table restaurants, Alexandria has a vibrant breakfast scene to help you start your day with a delicious meal.
Here are the nominees for “Best Breakfast Spot in Alexandria” as part of our returning ALXnow Readers’ Choice awards.
Meet Arturo, a 2-year-old dog who would love a family that can keep up with his energetic nature.
Arturo is a young dog who has started his training but has much more potential to learn tricks through the motivation of treats. He would enjoy activities like a treat puzzle, chasing balls, and going on a run or hike, an Animal Welfare League of Alexandria volunteer told ALXnow.
On This Day in Alexandria History — “On April 24, 1940, the Robert Robinson Library opened its doors to the African American community, just eight months after one of America’s first “sit-in” demonstrations took place at the segregated Alexandria Library on Queen Street. The library was named after Robert H. Robinson, a former slave who became a pastor at a church on South Washington Street known today as Roberts Memorial United Methodist Church. The old Robinson Library building now houses the Alexandria Black History Museum.” [Historic Alexandria]
No Budget Deal as General Assembly Session Recesses — “The Virginia General Assembly convened for a special session Thursday to finalize the state’s $212 billion budget, but recessed after just a few hours without a deal, underscoring deep divisions within the Democratic majorities and leaving the spending plan unresolved. After a brief floor session, lawmakers left Richmond and returned to their districts, with no clear timeline for when negotiations might produce a compromise on the two-year spending plan.” [Virginia Mercury]
Join us Saturday June 13 for a special edition of the Gustave Art & Craft Market, celebrating Father’s Day and the 2026 World Cup! Find that special gift for Dad from local artisans & crafters and enjoy family fun, community & Gustave’s delicious World Cup specialties. Plus, singer songwriter Chris Fotos performs before the game.
Gustave Art & Craft Market takes place the Second Saturday of the month at Gustave Boulangerie, 2213 Mt. Vernon Avenue in the heart of Del Ray. Each month features special kids’ activities. Mark your calendars for the Second Saturday and see you at Gustave!
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 23, 2026.
Here are today’s most-read articles:
Here is what’s going on Friday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.
Expect mostly sunny weather with a high near 81, although there is a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms developing after 2 p.m. Winds will be from the northeast at 3 to 5 mph. Friday night will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 55 and a continued 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, with southeast winds around 6 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
“The only impossible journey is the one you never begin.”
– Tony Robbins
Thanks for reading!
Alexandria’s waterfront will get a taste of the Polynesian islands for much of the warmer season.
The Tiki Pop-Up Bar opened today (Thursday) in Vola’s Dockside Grill’s Hi-Tide Lounge (101 N. Union Street), which Alexandria Restaurant Partners owns. The pop-up is decked out in tropical decorations and serves Tiki cocktails and bites. Reservations are not accepted for the pop-up.
Alexandria City Council torpedoed City Manager Jim Parajon’s plan for paid metered parking on Sundays, but balanced a $726,000 shortfall by raising parking meter fees from $1.75 to $2.75 and parking ticket fines from $40 to $55.
Last week, City Council directed Parajon to consider a number of alternatives to his Sunday parking plan. After deliberation, a majority of members endorsed Option E at Tuesday night’s add/delete work session, as the final touches are being put on the city’s $977 million Fiscal Year 2027 Budget. The move will generate $1.1 million in funding — covering an approximately $726,000 shortfall from removing the Sunday parking fee proposal and adding about $329,000 to the city’s general fund.
A pedestrian suffered non-life-threatening injuries after a hit-and-run on King Street on Wednesday night (April 22).
The Alexandria Fire and Police Departments received multiple calls around 11 p.m. reporting that a man had been struck by a vehicle near the intersection of King Street and Park Road in the Taylor Run neighborhood, near the George Washington Masonic National Memorial. The striking vehicle was described in radio dispatches as a Ford pickup truck of unknown color missing its passenger-side mirror.
ACT for Alexandria has done it again. On Wednesday, Spring2ACTion, the biggest day of giving in Alexandria, raised more than $3.4 million for 198 area nonprofits.
Spring2ACTion is the main annual fundraiser for most participating nonprofits. ACT for Alexandria eclipsed its $2.5 million goal for the event, which drew participation from more than 7,000 donors, 198 nonprofits and more than 60 businesses.
