Mayor Alyia Gaskins shared possible initiatives to preserve Alexandria’s dwindling affordable housing supply during a conversation with an editor at The Atlantic last night (Monday).
Gaskins and Yoni Appelbaum, author of “Stuck“, met at The Lyceum to discuss affordable housing, the history of zoning laws and how Alexandria should approach ongoing efforts to update its Housing Master Plan.
A longstanding nonprofit retailer dedicated to fair trade practices with artisans around the world is set to undergo a rebranding.
After closing multiple locations around the country and shifting to online sales, Ten Thousand Villages at 915 King Street continue as-is, but with a new identity. In February, the Old Town shop will hold its grand reopening as “The World Crafted on King.”
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An Alexandria nonprofit is requesting donations of women’s pajamas for its residents who are transitioning back into the community after incarceration.
Friends of Guest House, located at 1 E. Luray Avenue, is collecting women’s pajama sets to provide for its residential program participants during the holiday season. Realtor Maureen Clyne has collected hundreds of sets since starting the annual effort seven years ago.
The League of Women Voters of Arlington and Alexandria City, in partnership with Arlington County Public Library, invites you to an open discussion on managing local government in a changing environment.
Join Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz and Alexandria City Manager Jim Parajon for a conversation about how local governments are adapting to shifts in federal funding and changes at the state level. The discussion will explore how these evolving conditions may impact local priorities, services, and decision-making in our communities.
On This Day in Alexandria History — “On Dec. 9, 1839, the first lecture program was performed at Alexandria’s newly-built center for adult learning and knowledge, The Lyceum. The Alexandria Lyceum was founded a year earlier by a group of well-educated local men with an interest in improving public educational and cultural opportunities throughout the community. In early 1839, the group joined with the Alexandria Library to construct a new home for both organizations. This historic site has also served as a Civil War hospital ward, a private residence, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Nation’s first Bicentennial Visitor’s Center.” [Historic Alexandria]
Habitat Restoration Pilot Launches at Four Mile Run — “For this pilot program, two sections along the park’s forest edge have been set aside as Habitat Restoration Areas (HRAs)—places where nature will be given space to thrive. The project will use both natural regeneration and hands-on planting to restore native plants, improve wildlife habitat, and strengthen the park’s ecosystem.” [The Zebra]
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Good Monday 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 — Dec 8, 2025.
Here are today’s most-read articles:
Here is what’s going on Tuesday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.
Expect sunny skies and a high near 35 with calm winds turning south at 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon. Tonight, it will be mostly cloudy with a low around 30 and south winds at 8 to 10 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
“Success is not how high you have climbed, but how you make a positive difference to the world.”
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Updated at 1 p.m., Dec. 9: An earlier version of this story included a previous offer from the city on pay compensation in its collective bargaining negotiations with the Alexandria Police Department. The city’s most recent offer increases starting pay for police officers 17.21% from $63,988 a year to an annual salary of $75,000; a 21% increase for sergeants from $72,300 to $87,500 and police lieutenants 15% from $89,800 to $106,900.
With collective bargaining at a standstill, the Alexandria Police Department’s union is calling for increased salaries as the department’s pay has fallen behind other Northern Virginia localities.
The Department of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities has released its Winter 2026 Program Guide, detailing new seasonal classes, activities and more.
Starting at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 17, Alexandria residents can sign up for RPCA’s winter programs, which start next month and run through April 2026. Registration for nonresidents opens two days later, on Dec. 19.
Alexandria’s 25th annual Holiday Boat Parade brought gleaming, spirited displays of holiday cheer to Old Town’s waterfront on Saturday night.
Visit Alexandria has announced the winners of the parade today (Monday), with exhibits ranging from a hot pink Chappell Roan theme that captured “Most Spirited Crew” to a playful “Hanukkah Octopus” named Happy that won “Hardiest Soul.” Here’s a look at this year’s winners and categories.
The Alexandria Traffic and Parking Board will consider new “No Turn on Red” restrictions at an intersection near Del Ray and North Ridge, after a vehicle struck a woman and her child there in October.
The restrictions would apply to all approaches at the five-legged intersection of Russell Road, Monroe Avenue and High Street, an area that connects single-family neighborhoods to churches and child care facilities, according to the city. The staff recommendation is part of the board’s consent agenda during its 7 p.m. meeting tonight (Monday).
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