Good morning, Alexandria! Today is Monday, Sept. 29, the 272nd day of 2025. There are 93 days left in the year.
🌥️ Today’s weather: Increasing clouds, with a high near 79°F. Calm wind becoming northeast around 6 mph in the morning.
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DASH
Following Tuesday’s story about DASH hiring policies not prohibiting sex offenders, the transit agency has placed two employees on the Virginia State Police registry on administrative leave to “assess the rigor of our recruitment standards and ensure we meet the highest standards in providing safe, fair, and accessible transit to our community.”
ALXnow looked into DASH’s hiring practices after the Alexandria School Board discussed safety concerns about a proposal to transport Alexandria City High School students on DASH buses starting next school year.
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UPDATE (Sept. 24, 2025): Following this reporting, DASH has placed both registered sex offenders on administrative leave. The transit agency said it is now assessing “the rigor of our recruitment standards” and confirmed that one of the employees is a bus driver, contradicting its initial statement Tuesday that no drivers were on the registry. DASH places 2 registered sex offenders on leave following ALXnow reporting
Following a discussion on the Alexandria School Board’s safety concerns about the proposal to transport Alexandria City High School students on DASH buses, ALXnow investigated the transit agency’s background check policies and discovered that it does not “expressly prohibit” sex offenders from employment.
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Three out of five Alexandria City High School students oppose the city’s proposal to replace school buses with DASH public transit, student representatives told the school board Thursday.
A survey of 131 high school students found 60.3% oppose the proposal — with 37.4% strongly opposed and 22.9% moderately opposed. Only 26% support the plan, while 13.7% reported being indifferent, according to data presented by student representative Madesen Lynch during the representatives’ regular update to the board.
Good morning, Alexandria! Today is Thursday, Sept. 18, the 261st day of 2025. There are 104 days left in the year.
☀️ Today’s weather: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 83. North wind 3 to 5 mph. Mostly clear tonight, with a low around 62. Calm wind.
The Alexandria City School Board will discuss a proposal on Thursday, Sept. 11, to transition Alexandria City High School students from school buses to the city’s DASH public transit system.
City Manager James F. Parajon recommends a phased approach starting in the 2026-27 school year, according to a June 20, 2025 memo to the City Council and School Board. The proposal comes after City Council members Abdel Elnoubi and Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley directed staff in January to study using Alexandria’s public transit system for high school transportation.
Alexandria’s public transit system has named its new mascot “Dashy” following a community vote that drew more than 250 participants.
The Alexandria Transit Company (DASH) announced Tuesday that Dashy received 37% of the votes in an online contest that ran from July 3 to 18. The other options were Duke (29%), Dasher (19%), and Alex (16%).
The Alexandria City Council and School Board have several big-picture items up for discussion early next month.
On Monday, August 4, the Joint City Council/School Board Subcommittee will discuss a proposal to put Alexandria City High School kids on DASH buses starting in fall 2026, collective bargaining with ACPS staff, and the school system’s Long-Range Educational Facilities Plan.
Alexandria’s government offices will be closed on Friday, July 4, but that doesn’t mean you still can’t have a good time.
Here’s what you need to know about city services on Independence Day.
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The City of Alexandria’s Transportation Demand Management Program, GO Alex, and SmartBenefits, a commuter benefits program that allows employers to offer tax-free transit benefits to their employees, have earned recognition from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG).
Alexandria was one of three organizations to receive a 2025 Employer Award at the 28th annual ceremony held at the National Press Club on Wednesday (June 25).
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The Alexandria City Council received a comprehensive update on Tuesday night (June 24) regarding a proposal to transition Alexandria City High School students from traditional school buses to the city’s DASH public transit system. City Manager James Parajon recommended a three-phase implementation, beginning in the 2026-27 school year.
The initiative, which has been under study for five months through a joint City Council and School Board subcommittee, aims to provide student transportation that is safe, reliable, effective, and efficient while supporting environmental goals and potentially reducing costs.