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.
State legislators representing Alexandria called on constituents today (Sept. 8) to support a referendum to restore voting rights to former felons.
In the city’s Arlandria neighborhood, state Sen. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-39) was flanked by Del. R. Kirk McPike (D-5) and nonprofit leaders joining Virginians for the Right to Vote in asking for support for her constitutional amendment to automatically restore voting rights for former felons without having to make a request to the governor.
Alexandria’s state Sen. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-39) and a handful of other Democratic lawmakers are calling on Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) to convene a special session in September on the proposed Dominion Energy and NextEra merger.
Few state legislators saw a more interesting General Assembly session than Alexandria’s state Sen. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-39).
Bennett-Parker, whose Senate district includes all of Alexandria and portions of Arlington and Fairfax counties, started the 2026 session as a member of the House of Delegates.
The City of Alexandria is asking residents if and how it should change its legislative priorities for the next Virginia General Assembly session in 2027.
Because Virginia is a Dillon Rule state, localities can only use authority specifically granted by the General Assembly through a state law or city charter. The city sends requests to state lawmakers each year through its Legislative Agenda.
Over 1,100 bills made it out of the latest General Assembly session, and many will take effect Wednesday (July 1).
As Democrats gained a trifecta with the election of Gov. Abigail Spanberger and control of the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates, legislators’ bills focused on priorities like immigration enforcement, gun control, housing and tenant protections, reproductive rights and more. Democrats also passed Virginia’s first-ever paid sick leave, paid family and medical leave, and child care assistance programs for workers.
Alexandria leaders were on hand Tuesday morning to cut the ribbon at Del Ray’s newest restaurant, Little Birdie.
After months of interior renovations, Matt Sloan and Eric Brannon opened the doors to their newest venture at 1504B Mount Vernon Avenue. Brannon and Sloan also own Matt & Tony’s All Day Kitchen + Bar (1501 Mount Vernon Avenue), which opened in 2022 across the street and is a finalist for a regional RAMMY Award. Sloan is a former managing partner of Alexandria Restaurant Partners, which owns The Majestic, Mia’s Italian Kitchen, Ada’s on the River and numerous other Alexandria restaurants.
State Sen. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-39) and her business partner are launching a new maternity and children’s consignment boutique in Del Ray this weekend.
Bennett-Parker and Allie Rubinoff, who both live in Del Ray, will launch Little Chickadee with a pop-up event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday (June 13) at Gustave Boulangerie (2213 Mount Vernon Avenue). Bennett-Parker said that the boutique will operate mostly online from a space above Mulberry Lane.
A bill allowing church-based by-right housing development and several other laws passed during the 2026 Virginia General Assembly will require or allow local action, according to a presentation to Alexandria City Council last week (May 12).
Wendy Ginsberg, the city’s legislative director, provided an update on key bills the city has been tracking or will be impacted by during City Council’s May 12 meeting. Virginia is a Dillon Rule state, which means localities can only use authority granted through state law.
Elected officials representing Alexandria have joined the Alexandria NAACP in condemning the Virginia Supreme Court’s overturning of the redistricting referendum.
Voters had narrowly approved the referendum to redraw Virginia’s congressional districts — with 51.69% in favor — on April 21. The Virginia Supreme Court struck down the voter-approved constitutional amendment in a 4-3 ruling Friday (May 8), with the majority citing procedural violations in how the amendment was placed on the ballot.
Numerous pieces of legislation from Alexandria lawmakers are officially set to become law or are heading back to the General Assembly with amendments after action by Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D).
Among the approximately 1,200 bills passed out of the 2026 session, legislation on guns, housing, the national popular vote, energy and immigration enforcement all came by way of state senators and delegates representing Alexandria. Most signed bills will take effect on July 1, 2026, unless otherwise specified.
