About The Publisher
I'm Ryan Belmore, founder and publisher of The Alexandria Brief. I live in Alexandria and bring fifteen years of experience as a local independent online news publisher, editor, and journalist to the city I call home
I moved here in 2021 with my wife, Jen. Since then, I've served on the city's Commission for the Arts and Board of Zoning Appeals, and now serve as a media representative on the Local Emergency Planning Committee. I contributed a column to ALXnow for two years before serving as its publisher from March to October 2025. I launched The Alexandria Brief in November 2025.
This is my home. You are my neighbors. The decisions I cover affect me too — I'm a taxpayer and resident, just like you.
I've spent nearly 15 years in local independent journalism. In 2012, I took over as Owner and Publisher of What's Up Newp in Newport, Rhode Island, and grew it into a publication recognized as Rhode Island Monthly's Best Local News Blog for three consecutive years.
I was named LION Publishers Member of the Year in 2020 and received the Dominique Award from the Arts & Cultural Society of Newport County the same year. I’ve been awarded grants for investigative and community journalism. I’ve worked with major technology companies and journalism foundations, and I continue to coach and mentor new publications.
In Newport, I also hosted a daily radio talk show for four years and have since worked as a Senior Editor at Mountain News, which published OnTheSnow. Before all of this news business, I spent several years working in administration/management with the New England Patriots and several years as a volunteer firefighter/first responder in Rhode Island.
I didn't come to journalism through a traditional path. I experienced foster care and homelessness as a kid and was adopted as a teenager. That shapes how I think about community — who gets noticed, who gets heard, and what it means to show up for your neighbors.
Contact information:
- Email: ryan@alexandriabrief.com
- Phone: 703-283-0790
- Signal: RyanBelmore.703
- Mail: 2308 Mt. Vernon Avenue, Suite 245, Alexandria, VA 22301
What makes The Alexandria Brief different
Original reporting
Deep dives and analysis — not just what happened, but why it matters and what it means for Alexandria. Solutions-oriented journalism that makes you smarter about your community.
By a neighbor, for neighbors
I live in Alexandria, cover the city I call home, and focus on what matters here. The Alexandria Brief is a member of the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce and the Del Ray Business Association.
Community-powered
No ads, no conflicts of interest, no corporate ownership. The Alexandria Brief is funded directly by readers — independent journalism, answerable to neighbors.
Free for all
All content is free for everyone. No paywall. Local news should be accessible to every Alexandria resident, whether you can pay or not.
Standards, policies & values
The Alexandria Brief adheres to the ethical standards of the Society of Professional Journalists, Online News Association, and Local Independent Online News Publishers. My commitments are accuracy, independence, accountability, transparency, and fairness. I correct all known errors promptly and transparently. The Alexandria Brief is 100% reader-funded with no advertising and no conflicts of interest.
My mission is to deliver independent journalism that makes Alexandria residents smarter about their community — focused on accountability, deep dives, and the stories that affect your daily life, not what gets pageviews.
I use artificial intelligence tools to assist with workflow and efficiency. All reporting, editorial decisions, and writing are mine. AI does not generate quotes, select stories, or replace original reporting. The Alexandria Brief does not use AI-generated images.
Read my full standards, policies, and AI policy →
Have questions about how we operate? Read our FAQ →
What I cover
The Alexandria Brief covers the full life of this city — from city hall to your neighborhood. That means government and politics, the school board, public safety, development and zoning, local business, food and drink, arts and entertainment, transportation, and the community events and people that make Alexandria worth living in.
It also means the broader region. Virginia, D.C., and Maryland news that affects Alexandria residents — curated for this community, not a national audience. And sports, from Alexandria's own fields and courts to the Commanders, Nationals, Capitals, Wizards, and Spirit. Everything that matters here, covered by someone who lives here.
Subscribe
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Why become a member?
The Alexandria Brief is free for everyone. It stays that way because readers fund it directly. When you become a member, you're not donating — you're buying original Alexandria reporting that shows up every day. No paywall. No ads. No corporate owner. Just independent journalism, answerable to neighbors.
Join the readers who make it possible. If you can't pay, read anyway — that's the point.