The grand reopening for The World Crafted on King, a fair trade store that rebranded from Ten Thousand Villages, starts tomorrow (Friday), leading into a weekend of festivities.
On This Day in Alexandria History — “On February 19, 1885, a fatal train crash occurred at Four Mile Station when two trains collided near the Alexandria canal. Virginia Midland passenger train traveling north and a southbound Baltimore & Potomac train crashed around 10 p.m. and resulted in the deaths of at least seven people.” [Historic Alexandria]
Lawmakers Push For Potomac Spill Plan, Transparency — “Congressional lawmakers from Maryland and Virginia are pushing for a “rigorous” environmental remediation plan, public briefings and continued bacteria monitoring in the wake of last month’s spill of millions of gallons of sewage into the Potomac River. The lawmakers’ letter to DC Water, the owner of the broken pipe, comes amid continued sparring between President Donald Trump (R) and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) about who’s responsible for the devastating sewage leak.” [Virginia Mercury]
Good Wednesday 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 18, 2026.
- 7:30 am: Morning Notes for February 18, 2026 | 🗣️ Comments
- 9:45 am: Daniel O’Connell’s celebrating 20th anniversary in Old Town this month | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:15 am: Water main relocation planned on Commonwealth Avenue ahead of flood mitigation work | 🗣️ Comments
- 2:20 pm: ACHS teacher wins grant to create learning experiences on the Declaration of Independence | 🗣️ Comments
- 3:00 pm: Annual chili cook-off brings competition and flavor to Del Ray this month | 🗣️ Comments
- 3:45 pm: City Council candidates spar in second debate before Democratic firehouse primary | 🗣️ Comments
Here are today’s most-read articles:
- City Council candidates spar in second debate before Democratic firehouse primary (693 views)
- Daniel O’Connell’s celebrating 20th anniversary in Old Town this month (527 views)
- Water main relocation planned on Commonwealth Avenue ahead of flood mitigation work (400 views)
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on Thursday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.
- 3:30 pm: Alexandria Teen Science Cafe/ Empowering The Future (Virginia Tech Innovation Campus)
- 6:00 pm: Nepenthe Gallery Welcomes New Artist Shona D’Cruz
🌧️ Thursday’s forecast
Expect rain to begin mainly after 3pm with foggy areas clearing by 9am and a high near 48°F. An east wind of 5 to 10mph accompanies an 80% chance of precipitation, with potential rainfall between a tenth and a quarter of an inch. Thursday night continues with rain and patchy fog both before midnight and after 1am, with a low around 42°F, east wind 6 to 9mph, and a 100% chance of precipitation. New rainfall may reach a quarter to half an inch. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”
– Winston Churchill
🌅 Tonight’s sunset
Thanks for reading!
Sparks flew last night (Tuesday) as City Council candidates debated topics like immigration enforcement and budgeting at the Departmental Progressive Club in Old Town.
The event was hosted by DPC and the Alexandria branch of the NAACP, and it was the second debate in two days for the five Alexandria Democrats vying for their party’s nomination in the upcoming Feb. 21 firehouse primary. Independent candidate Frank Fannon, a former Republican member of City Council, also participated and received significant pushback from several candidates for his opinions on governance, housing and immigration.
Calling all treasure hunters, vintage lovers, thrifters & DMV weekend explorers — THIS is your sign to start planning.
Saturday, June 13
Flavor, fundraising and friendly competition are coming to Del Ray with the return of the Del Ray Chili Cook Off this month.
The annual culinary competition by the Del Ray Citizens Association is open to individual and team entries from Del Ray residents. It will kick off at 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28 in the gymnasium at Commonwealth Academy.
A teacher at Alexandria City High School has been awarded a $5,000 grant to create a project commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this year.
ACHS math teacher Essie Jones is one of 51 educators nationwide to be selected for a Teaching America250 Award. The grant will allow her to “design and implement an engaging learning experience that helps students explore the history of America’s founding and the ideals of the Declaration of Independence,” according to Alexandria City Public Schools.
A water main relocation project is coming to a stretch of Commonwealth Avenue in and around Del Ray, where one of the city’s biggest flood mitigation projects is planned.
Virginia American Water, the city’s drinking water utility, said it is starting a water main relocation on Commonwealth Avenue. The work is taking place between the 3700 block of Commonwealth Avenue and Ashby Street, and is intended to make space for new, larger stormwater pipes as part of the city’s Commonwealth, Ashby, Glebe Flood Mitigation Project in northern Del Ray.
Daniel O’Connell’s Irish Restaurant and Bar just hit a milestone.
On Saturday, Feb. 28, the restaurant at 112 King Street will host its 20th anniversary party. The festivities start at noon with live music and continue for 12 hours, featuring raffles, contests and happy hour from 3-5 p.m. with $6 pints of Guinness — the price of a pint back in 2006.
Senate Passes Bill Restricting Local ICE Activity — “The Virginia Senate on Tuesday passed a bill that would place hefty guardrails on any proposed 287(g) agreements allowing local law enforcement to carry out federal immigration functions … ‘I’m seeking to give some comfort to thousands of men, women and children in the Commonwealth who are living in fear that federal agents might send them or their family members to a country they fled, or a country they have never been to,’ said Democratic state Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim, who put forward the bill.” [ARLnow]
Ramadan Mubarak — “Muslims worldwide will begin daily fasting from dawn to sunset as Ramadan starts, marking a period of worship, reflection and charity. The holy month, the ninth in the Islamic lunar calendar, brings families together for meals to break the fast.” [AP]