Volunteering in Alexandria isn’t exactly a thankless job.
Later this month, 84 individuals working with Volunteer Alexandria will be honored for their selfless work to donate thousands of hours toward the betterment of the city. From gathering and distributing free food to shoveling snow and organizing meet-ups and clubs, the honorees provide a valuable service that would otherwise be cost-prohibitive.
Alexandria City Public Schools wants a formalized collective bargaining agreement sent to the city manager by the end of the year, but it comes as the city is renegotiating its agreements with police, fire, and administrative and technical staff.
It’s been a year since the school system failed to reach a collective bargaining agreement with the Education Association of Alexandria (EAA). Last year, the School Board held a public hearing and approved a draft collective bargaining resolution with the goal of presenting the package to City Manager Jim Parajon for inclusion in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget.
Enjoy the return of jazz at Metropolitan Park with a free concert series co-presented by the DC Jazz Festival and National Landing BID. Listen to live stylings from Go-Go to bossa nova across the four-part series, from 5-7PM on select Thursdays: May 7, May 21, June 4, and June 18.
Refresh with onsite vendors including Toby’s Homemade Ice Cream and Taqueria Xochi, plus free samples from Mocktail Club—non-alcoholic beverages inspired by travel destinations. Take part in artist-led Studio Sessions curated by Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington while enjoying the music. Visit businesses around Met Park to pack a picnic or sit down for a meal after the show.
Music kicks off at 5PM and concludes at 7PM, with a set break in the middle.
Featured Performers and MoCA Studio Sessions
May 7: The JoGo Project (Jazz Meets Go-Go)
Art Activity: “Even Colors Dance (Synesthetic Watercolor)” | Led by David Ignacio, current Resident Artist at Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington’s main museum
May 21: Joe Brotherton (New Orleans)
Art Activity: “Paper Garden” | Led by Jaqui Falkenheim of Arlington Collage Collective
June 4: Eric Byrd Trio (Acoustic Jazz Piano/Vocals)
Art Activity: “Stitching Systems: Mapping Home” | Led by Lauren Crawford, current Resident Artist at MoCA Arlington’s main museum.
June 18: José Luiz Martins (Brazilian Jazz)
Art Activity: “Day Inking with JD” | Led by JD Deardourff, recent Resident Artist at MoCA Innovation Studio.
For transportation and Met Park information, visit nationallanding.org/met-park/faqs. Met Park is a five-minute walk from the Pentagon City Metro.
Jazz @ Met is presented by DC Jazz Festival and National Landing BID, sponsored by Amazon. Additional support for performances is provided by The Galena-Yorktown Foundation and The Leonard and Elaine Silverstein Family Foundation.
Note: Performance schedule is subject to change.
The City of Alexandria has appointed Maria Cristina (Cristi) Donoso as its next Poet Laureate.
Donoso succeeds Zeina Azzam, whose term concludes in April 2025. The Poet Laureate serves a three-year term, continuing the City’s tradition of celebrating poetry and creative expression.
Alexandria is preparing for a nautical spectacle as the iconic tall ship, Pride of Baltimore II, is set to arrive at the Old Town Alexandria waterfront early Thursday morning. According to a social media announcement from the City of Alexandria, the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge will be temporarily raised to accommodate the ship’s passage, causing brief traffic disruptions.
The City alerted residents that the bridge will open at approximately 12:00 a.m. (midnight) on Thursday, April 3, to allow the Pride of Baltimore II to sail up the Potomac River. The bridge will then reopen for the ship’s departure in the early hours of Monday, April 7, at 3:30 a.m. Each bridge opening is expected to last between 15 and 20 minutes.
Join us for a delightful Sunday afternoon at the BlackRock Center for the Arts as Cruise Planners Beth & Rod present a special travel-inspired matinee featuring the beloved film Under the Tuscan Sun.
Date & Time: Sunday, May 31 | 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Good Wednesday morning, Alexandria!
🌥️ Today’s weather: Partly sunny, with a high near 60 degrees. East wind 6 to 14 mph, becoming southeast in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 21 mph. There will be scattered showers tonight, mainly after 2 a.m. Cloudy, with a low around 52 degrees. Southeast wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. The chance of precipitation is 30%.
The Virginia General Assembly is set to reconvene Wednesday for what will likely be a long, one-day session that’s equal parts policymaking and political theater, as lawmakers face off over Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s sweeping amendments to 159 bills — including major changes to the state budget.
Youngkin finished acting on all 915 bills sent to him during the 2025 session by last week’s Monday midnight deadline. He signed 599, vetoed 157, and sent back 159 with recommended changes — including a staggering 205 proposed amendments to the budget bill, House Bill 1600, and eight item vetoes.
HRP Group (formerly known as Hilco Redevelopment Partners) is moving forward with plans to transform the former Potomac River Generating Station in Old Town North into a mixed-use development, with public engagement on the first phase set to begin next month (May 2025).
The 18-acre waterfront site, purchased by HRP Group in 2020, is slated to become a vibrant destination featuring residential buildings, commercial spaces, and over 10 acres of public open space.
Scores of Alexandria City High School students are descending on local businesses that sell tobacco today (April 1) with big red stickers.
The Alexandria Police Department is investigating last Sunday morning’s fire, which affected multiple businesses in the 5200 block of Duke Street, as a commercial robbery and arson.
As previously reported, multiple businesses were affected when the fire started at Diko Bar & Hookah Lounge (5243 Duke Street).
