ARHA properties in Old Town, Alexandria. (Staff photo by James Cullum)
With its interim chief executive officer stepping down today (Friday), the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners has promoted its director of housing to help provide continuity of leadership.
ARHA’s interim CEO Rickie Maddox submitted her resignation last month, leaving behind Alexandria’s struggling housing authority nearly a year after its previous CEO Erik Johnson was fired for living in a public housing unit — and the organization’s nine-member board resigned and was replaced. Now, Board Chair Mark Jinks says that Janell Diaz, ARHA’s director of housing, has been appointed the acting deputy CEO.
In Alexandria, it’s not uncommon to see dogs accompany diners on outdoor patios. Some restaurants will even go a step further and offer treats and water to furry friends.
Here are the nominees for “Best Dog-Friendly Restaurant in Alexandria” as part of our returning ALXnow Readers’ Choice awards.
Did we miss your go-to dog-friendly eatery? Write them in!
Voting will close in two weeks.
Voting for the Best Ice Cream Shop in Alexandria is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday at 8:30 a.m.
This recurring Most and Least Expensive Home feature is sponsored by Adrianna Vallario of Compass. Based in the North Ridge area of Alexandria City, Adrianna is more than just a real estate agent – she is a trusted advisor, relocation expert, and community advocate.
In October 2026, 26 detached homes sold, 50 condos sold, and 41 townhomes sold. Detached home sales are down 40% when compared to the same time period last year, condos are down 52%, and townhomes are down 18%.
Gustave Boulangerie & Brasserie will host a World Cup viewing party with the Alexandria Soccer Association (staff photo by Emily Leayman)
Alexandria will get a long holiday weekend packed with Juneteenth festivities, Father’s Day events, Pride Month celebrations and summer solstice events.
Join artist Nora Naranjo Morse (Kha’p’o Owenge ([Santa Clara Pueblo]), creator of Always Becoming, and the community that cares for the museum’s ephemeral outdoor sculpture family, to learn about the project’s evolution over the past two decades, and what the future holds.
Learn about the art of clay, traditions of sustainability in Pueblo building techniques, and more. Visitors can enjoy family-friendly art activities, dance performances by the Zuni Olla Maidens, watch a short film, and multiple opportunities to hear from the artist, her family, and museum experts that have contributed to the care and revitalization of the sculptures.
The audience at APD's Public Safety Summit, June 18, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)
On This Day in Alexandria History — “On June 19, 1943, the United Service Organization (USO) opened a center for World War servicemen in the rear section of 115 N. Washington Street, seen in the background of this image, in what was once the 18th century home built for John Gordon at the corner of King Street.” [Historic Alexandria]
City Government Services Closed for Juneteenth — “All City of Alexandria government offices will be closed Juneteenth (Friday, June 19). The holiday recognizes the end of slavery in the U.S. as the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free on June 19, 1865 — two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.” [ALXnow]
If you are interested in learning more about Continuing Care Retirement Communities (also known as "Life Plan Communities"), whether for yourself or for a loved one, please join our free workshop on Wednesday, November 4 from 5:00-7:00 at the Arlington office of Long & Foster. We are hosting this workshop in conjunction with Lisa Bates of the Williamsburg Landing community, which is a particularly excellent model of the way these communities work, and one you may wish to consider!
– How do Continuing Care Retirement Communities work? – What do they offer? – How much do they cost, and what are the financial models offered? – How do you how to evaluate them, and choose the one that's right for you? – How do you make a plan for a move like this? – How do you handle a lifetime's worth of possessions?
(Left to right) Moderator Simone de Alba, Alexandria Police Department Chief Tarrick McGuire and Robin Engle at APD's Public Safety Summit at Virginia Theological Seminary on June 18, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)
Public safety leaders and their counterparts from around the region reaffirmed a commitment to mutual aid today (Thursday) at the Alexandria Police Department’s Public Safety Summit.
The three-hour event was held at Virginia Theological Seminary, and attended by Mayor Alyia Gaskins, Sheriff Sean Casey, Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter, City Manager Jim Parajon, Fire Chief Felipe Hernandez, Jr, as well as officials from Alexandria City Public Schools and other city departments. Speakers included Arlington County Police Chief Andy Penn, Prince William County Police Chief Peter Newsham, and Stanley Meador, the Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security.
Fresh Healthy Cafe has submitted plans for 2040 Jamieson Avenue in Alexandria’s Carlyle neighborhood (via City of Alexandria)
A cafe serving smoothies, paninis, fresh juices and bowls has submitted a request to open in Alexandria’s Carlyle neighborhood.
If approved, franchise owner Vijay Balusu’s Fresh Healthy Cafe special use permit request would transform the former home of a Starbucks at 2040 Jamieson Avenue into a cafe with 12 indoor seats and four outdoor seats.
Inova Alexandria Hospital at Landmark, April 13, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)
The Inova Alexandria Hospital replacement and a new hospital to the south in Fairfax County remain on schedule for opening in late 2028 — potentially on the same day.
Meeting the timetable will be good news for the region’s economy, Inova Health System CEO Dr. J. Stephen Jones said at a June 16 roundtable of Fairfax County’s Council for Economic Opportunity, a group of government and business leaders looking at high-level economic, development and technology trends. Jones called health care “the job engine and in many ways economic engine” of Northern Virginia.
Michael Duffin is running for Virginia’s 8th Congressional District seat (via Michael Duffin for Congress)
Michael Duffin, a fired State Department worker from Alexandria who is running for Congress, appeared on “The Daily Show” Tuesday to discuss federal workforce reductions by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Duffin, who lives in the West End with his wife and two children, was one of more than 1,300 federal workers fired by the State Department in July 2025. The Democrat running in the 8th Congressional District joined Maryland congressional candidates Alexis Goldstein and Tracy Starr and New York candidate Alissa Ellman in “The Daily Show” segment on fired federal workers’ campaigns.
This recurring Most and Least Expensive Home feature is sponsored by 
