Dominion Energy has invested $18.02 million in reliability projects across Alexandria from 2022 through the first quarter of 2025, completing 37 projects that have benefited 56,792 customers, External Affairs Representative Gaston Araoz told the Alexandria City Council Tuesday night.
The utility company serves 62,500 residential customers, 5,600 commercial customers, 440 governmental customers, and two industrial customers in Alexandria, according to Araoz’s presentation to the council.
Good morning, Alexandria! Today is Wednesday, Sept. 10, the 253rd day of 2025. There are 112 days left in the year.
☀️ Today’s weather: A chance of showers, mainly before 8 a.m. Cloudy, with a high near 72. North wind around 9 mph. The chance of precipitation is 30%. Mostly cloudy tonight, with a low around 59. North wind 3 to 6 mph.
Alexandria City Council unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance Tuesday night to permanently close the 200 block of King Street to vehicular traffic, following a pilot program that demonstrated overwhelming public support.
The ordinance, which passed 7-0, sets a public hearing and final vote for Saturday, Sept. 13. If approved, the permanent closure would take effect Oct. 1.
Alexandria City Manager Jim Parajon presented the first in a series of monthly economic updates to the city council on Tuesday, Sept. 9, highlighting mixed economic signals and rising uncertainty that could complicate budget planning.
The presentation, requested by Mayor Alyia Gaskins, showed commercial office vacancy rates climbing to 21.6% in 2025 from 15% in 2023, while retail markets remained strong with Old Town posting a 5.8% vacancy rate.
Alexandria announced Tuesday its first project labor agreement for a $35 million renovation of City Hall, Market Square Plaza and an underground garage set to begin in January 2026.
City Manager James Parajon presented the agreement during Tuesday’s city council meeting, calling it “a major milestone in the history of the city of Alexandria.” The city announced the agreement via a press release following Parajon’s presentation.
About 50 family members, friends, and city officials gathered at Alexandria City Hall on Tuesday, Sept. 9, to celebrate the city’s 13 centenarians during the annual recognition ceremony.
The event, held in the Vola Lawson Lobby, honored residents age 100 and older with personalized birthday displays, music from the Alexandria Citizens Band, and a decorated sheet cake reading “Celebrating Alexandria’s Centenarians!”
The Alexandria City Council, on Saturday (Sept. 14), will consider loosening its citywide mural requirements.
Following the Planning Commission’s unanimous approval on Sept. 4, the City Council will conduct a public hearing on whether to allow entire walls to be taken up by murals, provided that “distracting elements” such as “any text, numbers, symbols, logos, or trademarks” are limited to one per multi-unit property.
Alexandria City Council will vote Tuesday on permanently closing the 200 block of King Street to vehicular traffic, following a pilot program that drew overwhelming public support.
The ordinance, which will receive its first reading at Tuesday’s meeting, would make the closure permanent beginning Oct. 1. A public hearing and final vote are scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 13.
While its current CEO is on probation and under investigation for living in a public housing property under his management, the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority is being led by an interim CEO, ALXnow has confirmed.
Last month, ALXnow reported that ARHA CEO Erik Johnson was living in an ARHA property, prompting the Alexandria City Council to call for an independent investigation. ARHA has since confirmed that its Deputy Executive Director Rickie C. Maddox is currently working as the organization’s interim CEO.
The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority will convene a special board meeting this morning at 8 a.m. to discuss a personnel matter in executive session, one day after Mayor Alyia Gaskins sent a letter on behalf of City Council demanding a third-party investigation into CEO Erik Johnson’s residency in public housing.
In a four-page letter sent Tuesday to ARHA Board Chair Anitra Androh, Gaskins called for an independent investigation into three specific areas: Johnson’s actions, ARHA’s compliance with all applicable laws related to properties the authority owns and manages, and ARHA’s finances, including an independent financial audit.
It’s been an intense week in Alexandria. Here’s a look at our top stories.
Our most-read story is on a woman found dead outside her apartment during an eviction process on Wednesday, Aug. 19. The Alexandria Sheriff’s Office reported on social media that deputies were conducting an eviction at an apartment at 400 Madison Street at around 9 a.m., when they found the adult woman dead outside the building. The woman’s identity and the circumstances surrounding her death have not been released.
