On This Day in Alexandria History — “On February 11, 1799, Alexandrians celebrated the annual Birthnight Ball at Gadsby’s Tavern, with guest of honor George Washington. Washington was actually born on that same date in 1732, but according to the Julian calendar.” [Historic Alexandria]
McPike, Bennett-Parker Win Elections — Last night, voters elected departing City Councilman R. Kirk McPike and Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker to the House of Delegates and the State Senate, respectively. Both Democrats received over 80% of the vote in their respective elections. [ALXnow]
Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5) is getting a promotion in Richmond.
Voters in today’s special election gave the Democrat a sweeping victory against Republican Julie Robben Lineberry for a seat in the State Senate. The outgoing delegate received a decisive 83% of the vote, setting her up to succeed Sen. Adam Ebbin as he joins Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s administration.
At Carr Workplaces King Street, experience a 5-star rated workspace on Google—designed to support your entire workday in the heart of Old Town Alexandria.
- Start your morning with an easy Metro commute
- Power through your day in a private office with on-site support
- Recharge with access to a fitness center and showers
- When it’s time to connect, host clients at nearby restaurants or step out onto King Street for a change of pace—all just steps from your office.
This is more than a place to work—it’s a seamless, full-day experience built around how you actually live and work.
Work smarter, feel better, and enjoy every part of your day from start to finish.
R. Kirk McPike is trading in Alexandria City Council dockets for a newly-won seat in the House of Delegates, following today’s special election.
Alexandria’s outgoing councilman received 81.5% of the vote in a decisive win against Republican candidate Mason Butler to secure a seat in the House of Delegates. The win means McPike will fulfill the 5th District post of Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, who voters concurrently elected to outgoing State Sen. Adam Ebbin’s 39th District seat tonight.
Good Tuesday 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 — Feb 10, 2026.
Here are today’s most-read articles:
- Barnes & Noble plans new Alexandria bookstore in Shoppes at Foxchase (2480 views)
- ACPS proposal to scale back Chinese and Latin language programs draw public concern (477 views)
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on Wednesday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.
🌤️ Wednesday’s forecast
Expect a mostly sunny day with a high temperature near 44 degrees and northwest winds ranging from 10 to 17 mph, potentially gusting up to 32 mph. The nighttime will be partly cloudy with a low temperature around 29 degrees, accompanied by northwest winds of 13 to 18 mph, and gusts reaching up to 26 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
– Winston Churchill
🌅 Tonight’s sunset
Thanks for reading!
Raise a glass to culture and camaraderie at the 2026 whisky tasting event. Guests will enjoy a guided tasting across the whisky regions of Scotland, gaining insights into the craftsmanship and culture behind each pour. This informative program will help you learn all about the rich tapestry that is Scotch whisky, enable you to sample five different whiskies from across Scotland, and provide an opportunity to ask questions and share personal insights. VIP ticket holders will receive two additional exclusive samples of rare whiskies. All attendees will take home a souvenir Glencairn glass, perfect for continuing their whisky journey. Tickets are $100 for VIP or $75 for general admission (listed as a separate event on Alexandriava.gov/Shop), with hors d’oeuvres included. Wine and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for non-whisky drinkers. A raffle will also be held with prizes, with tickets available for cash purchase at the event. Minimum age: 21. All proceeds support the Alexandria Sister Cities Committee and its mission to support the educational and cultural exchanges between Alexandria, VA and her sister cities of Dundee, Scotland and Helsingborg, Sweden.
Please note: You do not need to print off tickets. Your name will be on the registration list for the event.
The Office of Historic Alexandria celebrated the kickoff of America250 last night (Monday), previewing several city events that will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this year.
City officials joined leaders of OHA, Visit Alexandria and the local business community at The Lyceum to launch the yearlong commemoration, which will include at least two new museum exhibits, a Revolutionary War history forum and this weekend’s George Washington Birthday Parade, among other events.
A proposal to scale back Chinese and Latin language classes at Alexandria City Public Schools have drawn public concern as school officials prepare to make funding decisions.
The Alexandria City School Board discussed a proposal that would remove two middle school Latin teachers and one Chinese teacher due to low enrollment during a Jan. 27 work session.
Alexandria’s Pat Malone is kicking off another year of standing up to cancer.
Starting at 4:26 p.m. today (Tuesday), Malone, a cancer survivor and Air Force veteran, will stand for 24 hours straight at Pork Barrel BBQ (2312 Mount Vernon Avenue) for his 12th annual Stand Up To Cancer fundraiser. Malone estimates that he’s raised more than $100,000 for cancer research over the past 11 years.
Barnes & Noble is planning a new bookstore in the Shoppes at Foxchase.
The national book retailer hopes to open in Walgreens’ former space at 4515 Duke Street toward “the end of this year,” a spokesperson told ALXnow. The plans come as the company seeks to open at least 60 stores across the country in 2026, including a new multilevel bookstore that opened last month in D.C.
Frigid temperatures over the past few days have prompted the Alexandria Warehouse Sale to extend through Presidents Day weekend.
The annual sale featuring dozens of independent Old Town shops and boutiques has extended until Monday, Feb. 16, after the sale’s initial weekend was hit with extreme cold and a High Wind Warning. Discounts at participating retailers range from 60-80% off on goods like clothing and shoes, home decor, toys, books and more.
