It’s been a busy week in Alexandria! Here’s our recap of the most-read stories.
This week’s top story is on an Inova Alexandria Hospital employee getting fired after allegedly stealing a patient’s credit cards from a room at the hospital and using them at a nearby store.
Rubbing elbows with community leaders and participating in interactive workshops are in store for participants of Alexandria’s upcoming 12th annual Youth Leadership Conference.
Registration for rising 9th to 12th graders closes Aug. 8, and the event will be held Aug. 12-14 (Tuesday to Thursday) at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center (4850 Mark Center Drive). This year’s theme is “Young Voices, Powerful Choices!”
The guest conductor of Alexandria’s upcoming birthday celebration on the waterfront has been announced.
John Devlin, music director of the Lancaster Festival Orchestra in Ohio, will take the baton and lead the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra through its program on Saturday night, July 12. The concert includes Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture during the dazzling fireworks, as well as live cannons from the U.S. Army Presidential Salute Battery.
The Alexandria Roller Rink in Old Town North was open from 1948 to 1986 (via Office of Historic Alexandria)Next month, the Alexandria Historical Society will host a behind-the-scenes panel to reflect on the legacy of a long-lost landmark: the Alexandria Roller Rink.
With its maple floors and Wurlitzer organ, the Alexandria Roller Rink (807 N. St. Asaph Street) could hold 3,000 skaters at a time. It wasn’t all about skating, though. In the 1970s, the rink was advertised as a “psychedelic ballroom” and the “Alexandria Rock Arena” and hosted concerts with stars like Janis Joplin, Jethro Tull, and Alice Cooper, according to the Office of Historic Alexandria.
Alexandria is set to break ground on improvements to Eugene Simpson Stadium Park.
Construction will result in a phased reopening of the park, with a full reopening scheduled for August 2026. The groundbreaking will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 21, according to the city.
There’s only three community cookouts left this summer in Alexandria, and the next one is around the corner.
With free food, games and more, the annual series of cookouts started in late April with the intention of connecting residents to their city government and leaders. The next cookout is Wednesday, June 18, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Patrick Henry Recreation Center (5653 Taney Avenue).
How’s your calendar looking?
Alexandria’s Department of Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Activities is seeking vendors for the fourth annual Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration at the Patrick Henry Recreation Center (4643 Taney Avenue). The party’s on October 11 (Saturday), and the deadline to be a vendor is August 1.
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.
Here’s a quick recap of our top stories this week. Over the last weekend, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security removed its list of sanctuary jurisdictions, which included Alexandria, from its website. The list contained numerous errors, including localities being mentioned multiple times, as well as towns being incorrectly designated as cities. It drew stern condemnation from Alexandria’s elected leaders.
“DHS did not provide any information regarding the criteria used to compile the list, any sources or research used for the designation, or a response to local governments seeking clarification,” Mayor Gaskins told ALXnow. “As a result, they published a list that was wrong and mischaracterized cities like ours. We follow the law and uphold the constitutional and civil rights of our residents.”
With summer vacation just days away, Alexandria leaders were on hand at Francis C. Hammond Middle School on Thursday (June 5) to receive 500 free backpacks filled with school supplies.
The backpacks, most of which are being stored for the start of the 2025-2026 school year, were donated to the Title I school as part of a collaboration between United Way National Capital Area, Enterprise Mobility, and American Water. United Way NCA’s partnership with Alexandria City Public Schools has provided more than 3,500 backpacks to the West End school since 2017.
Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins and Del Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5) will join the Virginia chapter of Moms Demand Action onstage at Market Square (301 King Street) on Friday (June 6).
Friday is National Gun Violence Awareness Day, and the annual rally is part of Wear Orange Weekend. Gun violence victims will be honored in events throughout the country by affected families and supporters. The city’s new Poet Laureate, Cristi Donoso, will also speak at the event, which includes an on-site blood mobile and a community resource fair.
