Systems Planning & Analysis announced Thursday it will expand its Alexandria headquarters and create 1,200 new jobs over the next five years as part of a $46.9 million investment across Northern Virginia.
The defense contractor, which has operated from Alexandria since its founding in 1972, purchased its 239,000-square-foot office building at 2001 N. Beauregard Street and plans extensive renovations to create what CEO Rich Sawchak described as “a modern, collaborative workspace.”
Alexandria leaders commemorated the 24th anniversary of the September 11 attacks on Thursday, Sept. 11, and reflected on the personal and societal impacts that followed.
Mayor Alyia Gaskins was joined by Sheriff Sean Casey, Fire Chief Felipe Hernandez, Jr., and Police Chief Tarrick McGuire onstage at Market Square in front of City Hall (301 King Street). Gaskins urged the audience to “remember the lives lost on 9/11 and to look forward with hope and a call to action for peace and a better world.”
Good morning, Alexandria! Today is Thursday, Sept. 11, the 254th day of 2025. There are 111 days left in the year.
☀️ Today’s weather: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 81. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph in the afternoon. Mostly clear tonight, with a low around 59. Calm wind.
About 50 family members, friends, and city officials gathered at Alexandria City Hall on Tuesday, Sept. 9, to celebrate the city’s 13 centenarians during the annual recognition ceremony.
The event, held in the Vola Lawson Lobby, honored residents age 100 and older with personalized birthday displays, music from the Alexandria Citizens Band, and a decorated sheet cake reading “Celebrating Alexandria’s Centenarians!”
Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins addressed community concerns about the city’s use of Flock Safety surveillance cameras during a live one-on-one discussion with ALXnow on Tuesday, providing clarification and further details on Wednesday that new Virginia laws prevent the technology from being misused by federal immigration enforcement.
The mayor’s clarification came in response to a resident’s question about whether the Alexandria Police Department should discontinue its contract with Flock Safety, an AI surveillance company that has faced scrutiny over potential misuse by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins outlined the city’s preparations for potential federal funding cuts and addressed numerous infrastructure concerns during her monthly community conversation Tuesday, emphasizing the need for proactive planning as the City Council prepares to resume meetings Sept. 9.
The mayor detailed ongoing “scenario planning” efforts to assess the city’s vulnerability to federal funding reductions, noting that Alexandria receives more than $50 million in direct federal funding, with most supporting the Department of Community and Human Services.
Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins will sit down with ALXnow next Tuesday for her regular monthly conversation with the community, offering residents a direct line to city leadership as the City Council prepares to resume meetings after its August recess.
The live virtual discussion, scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 2, at 11 a.m., provides a platform for community members to get answers about pressing city issues and municipal priorities. The 30-minute session will be hosted by ALXnow Publisher Ryan Belmore.
The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority will convene a special board meeting this morning at 8 a.m. to discuss a personnel matter in executive session, one day after Mayor Alyia Gaskins sent a letter on behalf of City Council demanding a third-party investigation into CEO Erik Johnson’s residency in public housing.
In a four-page letter sent Tuesday to ARHA Board Chair Anitra Androh, Gaskins called for an independent investigation into three specific areas: Johnson’s actions, ARHA’s compliance with all applicable laws related to properties the authority owns and manages, and ARHA’s finances, including an independent financial audit.
Federal immigration agents arrested 15 construction workers at an Alexandria apartment complex Monday afternoon, sparking an evening community rally where city officials and residents denounced the enforcement action.
The arrests occurred at Eaton Square Apartments on Florence Drive in the Chirilagua neighborhood while the men were working on a roofing project, according to Evelin Urrutia, executive director of Tenants and Workers United. The timing coincided with the first day of school in Alexandria, heightening community concerns about children’s safety.
Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins is urging state and federal leaders to conduct expedited audits of Virginia’s readiness to implement new federal requirements affecting Medicaid and food assistance programs.
In letters sent this week to Alexandria’s congressional delegation and General Assembly representatives, Gaskins requested reviews by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission and the Government Accountability Office to evaluate the state’s preparedness for mandates in the recently enacted federal legislation known as H.R. 1, or the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
Mayor Alyia Gaskins will give the keynote address at this Saturday’s Alexandria Diversity in Business Expo.
The free event is designed to foster connections and exchange ideas between local entrepreneurs and will take place from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at My Father’s House Christian Church, located at 4746 Eisenhower Avenue. City Council Member John Taylor Chapman, a small business owner, will discuss how local policies can impact the bottom line.
