Alyia Gaskins

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Alexandria police to publish map of Flock camera locations, conduct surveillance systems audit

By James Cullum
Solar-powered street light with LED lamp on a pole against a cloudy blue sky.
A Flock Safety license plate reader is seen along a public road, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in Houston. (David Goldman/Associated Press file)

The Alexandria Police Department will release a map of automated license plate reader (ALPR) camera locations across the city by Oct. 1, the same day that it begins a third-party audit of its surveillance programs.

That’s according to a long list of answers that APD posted on the city’s website in response to questions posed at the Sept. 8 City Council meeting. At that meeting, Mayor Alyia Gaskins said that she does not think there is a role for Flock cameras in the city, and was backed up by two other Council members.

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Alexandria teams up with Arlington in Dominion Energy merger intervention

By Emily Leayman
A Dominion Energy lineman lifts himself up to work on a power line in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in North Augusta, S.C. (AP Photo/Artie Walker Jr., File)

The City of Alexandria and Arlington County are joining forces to intervene in the proposed Dominion Energy and NextEra Energy merger case.

The neighboring localities announced Monday (Sept. 28) they filed a joint representation agreement on Sept. 22 to join the case.

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Interim CEO of ARHA sets ambitious agenda in bid to restore integrity

By James Cullum
Man in a suit speaks into a handheld microphone at a community event in a gym, with volunteers at tables and laptops in the background.
ARHA interim CEO Roy Priest speaks at a resident meeting at Charles Houston Recreation Center, Sept. 24, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Despite constant maintenance issues, Ronesha Parker says that she and her daughter are literally breathing easier.

Earlier this summer, Parker and her neighbors living in Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority properties on S. 28th Street were temporarily moved into hotels while maintenance crews fixed mold and other longstanding issues. In August, Parker and her daughter were moved to another property on W. Braddock Road.

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Asbestos removal drains $3M from Alexandria City Hall renovation budget

By James Cullum
Brick municipal building with a tall white steeple under renovation; construction barriers line the street in front of a fenced site.
City Hall renovations (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria’s City Hall renovation faced a major challenge this summer with the removal of additional asbestos, city staff told City Council on Tuesday (Sept. 22).

Contractors working on the massive renovation project spent 10 weeks and more than $3 million in reserve funds to demolish and safely remove an entire section of asbestos-contaminated wall facing King Street that was installed in the 1960s.

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Mayor Gaskins proposes Croatian friendship city after Alexandria hosts World Cup team

By Emily Leayman
Mayor Alyia Gaskins welcomes Croatia’s national football team to the city, June 10, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria’s mayor wants to keep the connection going with Croatia after the city hosted the Croatian National Football Team as its World Cup home base.

At Alexandria City Council’s meeting Tuesday (Sept. 22), Mayor Alyia Gaskins proposed a memo to establish a friendship city with Osijek, Croatia.

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March starting in Alexandria to rally for Virginia data center moratorium

By Emily Leayman
Exterior entrance to Plaza 500 with glass doors, brick walls, and a brick walkway lined by planters and trash cans.
A commercial building at Plaza 500 (via Google Maps)

Organizations and residents opposed to planned data center development just outside city limits are leading a march starting in Alexandria’s West End.

At 12 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, the march will run from Aslin Beer Company (950 S. Pickett Street) to the Plaza 500 center (6295 Edsall Road in Lincolnia) where data centers and a proposed substation are planned.

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Alexandria residents demand City Council drop Flock cameras over privacy fears

By James Cullum
Panel of six officials seated at a long desk in a government meeting room, microphones and nameplates in front, a seal projected on a screen behind them, a person at a podium on the right side speaking or preparing to speak.
A woman looks at City Council with binoculars at the public hearing on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026 (screenshot via City of Alexandria)

As it weighs the city’s future with automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) technology, Alexandria City Council got an earful from residents on the subject at Saturday’s public hearing.

One speaker peered at City Council through binoculars and asked how they liked being watched.

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Visit Alexandria celebrates 30th anniversary as city records $1 billion visitor spending milestone

By Emily Leayman
Man in a dark suit speaks at a podium on a stage, with a large blue screen reading 'TOURISM CHAMPION AWARD' beside him, in an audience hall.
Visit Alexandria President and CEO Todd O’Leary announces the first-ever Tourism Champion Award (staff photo by Emily Leayman)

Visit Alexandria founders, city leaders and businesses from the hospitality industry gathered to celebrate the organization’s 30th anniversary and the tourism industry’s achievements Wednesday (Sept. 16).

The milestone came as Visit Alexandria reported strong financial results from visitor spending. At the Visit Alexandria meeting at The Westin Alexandria Old Town, Mayor Alyia Gaskins reported the city had reached a milestone of $1 billion in visitor spending in 2025 for the second consecutive calendar year. The figure applies to visitors coming to Alexandria from 50 or more miles away.

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ACPS targets intersections across Alexandria in rush to resolve bus dispute

By James Cullum
Front and side view of a yellow school bus with 'SCHOOL BUS' sign, parked on a street near a brick building; another bus is in the background.
School bus outside Alexandria City High School (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Public Schools staff are evaluating potential road hazards across the city this week as families await answers on how they can get school buses returned to their neighborhoods.

That was the message relayed at Monday night’s (Sept. 14) Joint City Council and School Board Subcommittee meeting. With a looming Sept. 30 deadline to respond to parent requests to reinstate bus service, city and ACPS staff laid out a process of evaluating public complaints.

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Alexandria first responders, leaders mark 25 years since 9/11

By James Cullum
Line of police honor guard in dress uniforms holding rifles and flags at an outdoor ceremony, with an American flag and state flag nearby on a stage backdrop.
The 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks at the Alexandria Police Department headquarters, Sept. 11, 2026 (courtesy of Alexandria Police Department)

Alexandria leaders and first responders commemorated the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks at Alexandria Police Headquarters this morning (Sept. 11).

Nearly 3,000 people were killed on 9/11 when terrorists flew commercial airliners into the Pentagon, the World Trade Center buildings in New York City, and into a field near Shanksville, Pa. On that fateful day, the Alexandria Police and Fire Departments and Sheriff’s Office responded to the Pentagon after it was struck by American Airlines flight 77.

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Visit Alexandria: America250 and World Cup fuel rise in hotel stays

By James Cullum
Two men seated at a panel table with microphones, smiling during a discussion in a blue-walled room.”
Visit Alexandria CEO Todd O’Leary with Vice President of Marketing Vito Fiore, before City Council on Sept. 8, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

What a summer it’s been for tourism in Alexandria.

With tourism boosted by America’s 250th birthday celebration and Alexandria’s participation in a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” hosting a World Cup team, Visit Alexandria CEO Todd O’Leary and staff reported to City Council on Tuesday night (Sept. 8) that hotel stays are up, revenue per available room is up and so is the percentage of visitors staying overnight.

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