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PHOTOS: Thousands attend No Kings Rally in Old Town, Alexandria

Published June 14, 2025 at 10:21PM | Updated June 15, 2025 at 5:53AM

The No Kings Rally at Market Square in Old Town, June 14, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria leaders railed against the Trump administration at Alexandria’s Market Square on Saturday, just across the Potomac River from the military parade celebrating the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary, which also coincides with President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday.

Alexandria’s No Kings Rally was attended by thousands. The rally also comes as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is reportedly preparing to deploy tactical units to Northern Virginia and four major cities across the country.

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Report: ICE preparing to deploy tactical units to Northern Virginia and four big cities

By James Cullum

Published June 11, 2025 at 3:00PM | Updated June 14, 2025 at 3:04AM

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement logo (via Facebook)

Northern Virginia is reportedly among the “five cities run by Democratic leaders” that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is preparing to deploy tactical units to, according to MSNBC.

Citing two unnamed sources “familiar with the planning of future ICE operations,” MSNBC reported that ICE is preparing to deploy tactical response teams in New York City, Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Northern Virginia.

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Alexandria elected officials to speak at anti-Trump protest outside City Hall

By James Cullum

Published June 10, 2025 at 10:45AM

There's a "No Kings in Alexandria" protest against the Trump administration on Saturday, June 14, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Market Square at 301 King Street in Old Town (via AlexDems)

Alexandria leaders will participate in an anti-Trump protest in front of City Hall at Market Square (301 King Street) on Saturday.

Confirmed speakers at the event, which runs from 3 to 5 p.m., include U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-8), Virginia House majority leader Charniele Herring (D-4), Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-39), and Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter. Mayor Alyia Gaskins is tentatively scheduled to speak.

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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published May 30, 2025 at 3:30PM | Updated May 31, 2025 at 12:49AM

Alexandria City High School's graduation at George Mason University's EagleBank Arena, May 28, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

What a week we just had in Alexandria!

Here’s our recap of everything worth talking and reading about over the past week in the Port City. This week, Alexandria was named a Sanctuary Jurisdiction by the Trump administration, a distinction Mayor Alyia Gaskins said “wrongly targets and mischaracterizes Alexandria and dismisses core principles that make up the foundation of our democracy.”

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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published March 14, 2025 at 3:00PM | Updated April 19, 2025 at 3:13AM

Proposed renovations show a Van Leeuwen ice cream shop at 400 King Street (via City of Alexandria)

What a busy week it’s been in Alexandria.

Our top story was on big changes planned for 400 King Street in Old Town. The building takes over an entire city block and is currently home to The Alexandrian Old Town Hotel at 480 King Street and Southern restaurant King & Rye.

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Alexandria Dems ask Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine to stop supporting Trump’s cabinet picks

By James Cullum

Published March 11, 2025 at 1:00PM

(Left to right) Del. Charniele Herring, Lamice Albaayno, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, Lance Collins, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin at the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus ribbon cutting, Feb. 28, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria Democratic Committee isn’t happy that Virginia Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner recently voted for a number of President Donald Trump’s new cabinet secretaries.

At its March meeting last week, the ADC passed a resolution asking the Democratic lawmakers to withhold future support in all forms.

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Congressman Beyer warns of devastating impact of Medicaid cuts

By Ryan Belmore and James Cullum

Published March 7, 2025 at 3:47PM | Updated March 7, 2025 at 6:18PM

U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (center) hosting a roundtable discussion on the potential impact of Medicaid cuts, from his Old Town office, along with Del. Mark Sickles (D-17), on left, with Colleen Leners, the regional director of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Freddy Mejia, a policy director at The Commonwealth Institute and Mary Lee Ruby, March 7, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria Congressman Don Beyer (D-8th) is sounding the alarm about proposed Medicaid cuts that could have devastating consequences for hundreds of thousands of Virginians who rely on the program for healthcare.

Beyer hosted a roundtable at his Alexandria office Friday with elected leaders, healthcare providers, advocates, and affected Virginians to discuss the potential impact of nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts proposed in a budget resolution passed by House Republicans last week.

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Alexandria leaders rattled by Trump administration’s attempt to freeze federal grants and loans

By James Cullum

Published January 29, 2025 at 2:35PM

Donald Trump (from campaign website)

Alexandria nonprofits can breathe a sigh of relief after the White House today rescinded a controversial order by President Trump’s administration to withhold all federal grants and loans.

The Trump administration ordered a halt to all federal and grant programs on Monday (Jan. 27), and it was soon after temporarily blocked from going into effect until Monday, Feb. 3. The block was issued by U.S. District Court Judge Loren L. AliKhan and the White House rescinded the order on Wednesday (Jan. 29).

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Mayor says Alexandria law enforcement won’t help ICE conduct immigration raids

By James Cullum

Published January 29, 2025 at 11:45AM | Updated January 29, 2025 at 12:10PM

Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins speaks after taking the oath of office, Jan. 2, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins says that recent immigration enforcement raids in nearby jurisdictions have resulted in “fear, confusion, and concern,” and that the city won’t assist federal investigators.

In a statement posted on the city website today, the Democrat mayor said that Alexandria will always be a welcoming community where “all residents are supported, respected, and valued.”

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Beyer blasts federal funding freeze as illegal and unconstitutional

By Vernon Miles

Published January 28, 2025 at 3:40PM

Rep. Don Beyer, of Virginia's 8th District, speaks to supporters on election night at Pork Barrel BBQ in Del Ray, Nov. 8, 2022 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Last night the Trump administration announced a halt on federal grants and loans, a move 8th district Rep. Don Beyer called “blatantly illegal and unconstitutional.”

The White House clarified that the new order would “clamp down on foreign aid and funding for diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI. Washington Post reported that states have had issues accessing Medicaid and Head Start funding.

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What could the return-to-office mandate mean for Alexandria?

By Vernon Miles

Published January 28, 2025 at 1:50PM | Updated January 29, 2025 at 10:20AM

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria's Carlyle neighborhood (staff photo by James Cullum)

Update 1/29: A memo rescinding telework and remote work specifically notes that it does not apply to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

A new executive order mandating federal employees end telework and return to offices could be a boon to the local markets, though a local expert warned not to expect a return to the pre-Covid office market.