Daily Brief | June 15

Good morning, Alexandria. It's Monday, June 15 — the 166th day of 2026, with 199 days left in the year. This newsletter is now serving 5,977 Alexandrians, 268 of whom keep it free for the other 5,689. Thank you.

A quick personal note before we get to the news. Thank you to everyone who came out to Crab Shack Live in Del Rayon Saturday night. It was an honor to serve as jumbo sponsor of the show, and it was a real pleasure to meet so many of you in person and to put faces to names. Special congratulations to all the kids on an amazing performance — the energy in the yard was something. To everyone who said hello, thank you for reading.

Now to the news. Alexandria City Council voted unanimously Saturday to approve the first phase of HRP Group's redevelopment of the former Potomac River Generating Station and the $135 million tax increment financing package that will underwrite the public infrastructure work needed to bring the long-fenced waterfront site back into use. Croatia winger Marco Pašalić, who plays his club football for Orlando City, told The Alexandria Brief he feels "right at home" in the United States as he prepares with his teammates for Wednesday's group-stage opener against England. An Alexandria man has been charged in a Saturday morning stabbing on West Glebe Road that followed a hit-and-run, leaving a man hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. And Carly Fiorina, honorary chair of the Virginia 250th Commission, delivered the keynote at the opening of Sails on the Potomac Friday with a defense of the proposition that "America was made in Virginia."

A few notes for the week ahead: Croatia practices at Episcopal High School this morning before heading to Dallas for Wednesday's match. Early in-person voting for the Aug. 4 dual primary opens Thursday at the Office of Voter Registration and Elections. And the World Cup continues today with four matches across North America.

Today: sunny and pleasant, with a high near 81 degrees — a welcome break from last week's heat.

Here's what's happening in Alexandria.

1️⃣ Alexandria City Council unanimously approves first phase of Potomac River Generating Station redevelopment, $135 million financing package

Rendering of Potomac River Generating Station (PRGS) Power Plant Redevelopment (City of Alexandria)

The Alexandria City Council voted unanimously Saturday to approve the first phase of HRP Group's redevelopment of the former Potomac River Generating Station, clearing the Development Special Use Permits for the project's opening blocks and a $135 million tax increment financing package the developer says will underwrite the public infrastructure needed to bring the long-fenced waterfront site back into use.

The vote caps a roughly six-week approval process that began with City Manager James Parajon's late-April presentation of the financing framework and ran through a unanimous June 2 recommendation from the Planning Commission. According to HRP, groundbreaking is anticipated in 2027.

2️⃣ "I feel right at home": For Croatia's Marco Pašalić, a World Cup on familiar soil

Croatia defender Marin Pongračić, left, and Orlando City winger Marco Pašalić speak with reporters Saturday at Episcopal High School, the team's World Cup base camp in Alexandria. Pašalić, one of two MLS-based players on Croatia's roster, said playing his club football in the U.S. has made the tournament feel like home. (Credit: Ryan Belmore / Alexandria Brief)

For most of the Croatian national team, the 2026 World Cup is being played in a faraway country. For Marco Pašalić, it is being played at home.

The winger — who has spent the past two seasons starring for Orlando City in Major League Soccer — was one of two players Croatia made available at its Alexandria base camp Saturday, and his answer to the local outlet in the room captured something none of his teammates could quite say the same way.

"I feel right at home here in the United States," Pašalić said, asked by The Alexandria Brief whether playing his club football in America changes anything about competing at a World Cup hosted here. He said he had adapted quickly to life in the States since joining Orlando, that the conditions that might unsettle a newcomer had not troubled him, and that he was glad the U.S. is hosting the tournament — a development he believes has drawn bigger names to MLS and raised the league's profile.

3️⃣ Alexandria man charged in West Glebe Road stabbing that followed hit-and-run, police say

An Alexandria police map shows the 800 block of West Glebe Road, where detectives investigated a stabbing early Saturday and took a suspect into custody. (Alexandria Police Department)

An Alexandria man has been charged in a stabbing early Saturday that police say followed a hit-and-run crash on Mount Vernon Avenue, leaving a man hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.

Officers responded about 12:40 a.m. Saturday to the 800 block of West Glebe Road for a reported stabbing and found an adult man with an apparent stab wound, the Alexandria Police Department said. He was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. Witnesses gave officers a description of the suspect and the suspect's vehicle, including the license plate number.

4️⃣ School board member defends central office staff amid pressure to cut administrators

School Board member Tim Beaty speaks during the June 11 meeting. (ACPS meeting video)

A presentation meant to showcase Alexandria City Public Schools' community partnerships turned, briefly, into a defense of the central office staff who manage them — and a rebuttal to one of the loudest refrains of this year's budget season.

The June 11 update was an information item, not a vote. Staff walked the School Board through a portfolio of more than 200 partner organizations — nonprofits, city agencies, businesses and universities providing tutoring, mentoring, soccer, dance, career training and family support, much of it at no cost to the division. Then board member Tim Beaty asked how many people it takes to run all of it.

5️⃣ 'America was made in Virginia': Fiorina ties Alexandria festival to the founding's full story

Carly Fiorina, honorary chair of the Virginia 250th Commission, delivers the keynote address at the opening of Sails on the Potomac at Waterfront Park on Friday, June 12, 2026. (Ryan Belmore/The Alexandria Brief)

Speaking to a crowd gathered in midday June heat at Waterfront Park on Friday, Carly Fiorina opened her keynote for Sails on the Potomac with a claim she would spend the next several minutes defending: that the United States is unlike any other nation because it was founded not on ethnicity, territory or religion, but on ideas.

"When we as Americans do not know our history, we don't know why we are a nation," said Fiorina, who serves as honorary chair of the Virginia 250th Commission. She told the audience that ideas "can move the world" — and that a country built on them is fragile when its citizens forget what those ideas were, recalling her own college studies in history and philosophy.

📰 In brief

Alexandria police arrested a man Friday on suspicion of stealing packages in Old Town and said he may be connected to several thefts reported across the neighborhood earlier that morning. (The Brief)

An Arlington man has been indicted on an involuntary manslaughter charge in a December crash on King Street that killed a 78-year-old Alexandria driver, police said Friday. (The Brief)

Early in-person voting for Alexandria's Aug. 4 dual primary opens Thursday, June 18, the city's Office of Voter Registration and Elections has announced. Any registered Virginia voter may cast a ballot early, and no excuse is required. (The Brief)

I've spent more hours than I can count this year watching Alexandria build a school budget — from the board's first adoption back in February, through a city budget season that stretched into spring, to the final votes this week. Work sessions that ran past dark. An add/delete meeting where the rules changed on the day of, and the board had to figure out what they were even allowed to do. Roll calls. Public comment, some of it angry. A blog post from the board, signed by all nine, trying to explain themselves before a vote. A 10-year capital plan. A $13 million gap. Fifty-six positions cut. Here's what I didn't see. (The Brief)

Region

Virginia’s first woman governor defends her vetoes and cautious approach as lawmakers race towards a shutdown deadline. (Virginia Mercury)

Sports

The Washington Nationals took two of three from the Seattle Mariners over the weekend, capping the series with a 10-1 win Sunday at Nationals Park. The team opens a three-game series tonight against the Kansas City Royals at 6:45 p.m. at Nationals Park.
The Alexandria Aces (6-4) lead the South Division after a busy weekend — a 14-11 win at Metro South County Braves Saturday and a doubleheader split with the Southern Maryland Senators Sunday at home (W 13-7, L 5-2). The team travels to Blair Stadium tonight to face the SS-T Thunderbolts at 7 p.m. in the makeup of an earlier postponed game.
The Washington Mystics fell 86-64 at the New York Liberty Sunday after beating the Toronto Tempo 86-85 at home Friday. The team is off until Wednesday's game at the Connecticut Sun.
Croatia trains at Episcopal High School this morning before departing this afternoon for Dallas, where the team will take on England on Wednesday at 3 p.m. local time (4 p.m. ET) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The match is a group-stage rematch of the 2018 World Cup semifinal that Croatia won 2-1 to advance to the final. The team will return to Alexandria Wednesday night to continue its base camp through the group stage.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup served up a full day of action Sunday: Germany beat Curaçao 7-1 in Houston, Australia upset Türkiye 2-0 in Vancouver, the Netherlands and Japan drew 2-2 in Dallas, and Côte d'Ivoire edged Ecuador 1-0 in Philadelphia.
Today's World Cup schedule: Spain vs. Cape Verde at noon at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta (FOX), Belgium vs. Egypt at 3 p.m. at Lumen Field in Seattle (FOX), Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay at 6 p.m. (FS1), and Iran vs. New Zealand at 9 p.m. at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles (FS1).

Today in Alexandria

⛅ Weather

Today: Sunny, with a high near 81 degrees. Northwest wind 10 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 59 degrees. Northwest wind 5 to 8 mph.

🌖 Sun, Moon, & Tide

Sunrise at 5:42 a.m., sunset at 8:35 p.m. 14 hours & 52 minutes of sun. High tide at 8:46 a.m. & 9:30 p.m. Low tide at 2:49 a.m. & 3:59 p.m. The moon phase is a New Moon.

🗓️ Things To Do

6:30 p.m.: Joggers & Lagers at Port City Brewing Company

🎶 Entertainment

219 Restaurant: Just For Fun at 9 p.m.
Clyde’s at Mark Center: Trivia at 6:30 p.m.
Daniel O’Connell’s: Traditional Irish Music at 7 p.m.
Del Ray Public House: Trivia at 7 p.m.
Epicure on King: Open Mic at 7 p.m.
Laporta’s Restaurant: Jim West at 6 p.m.
Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: Colby Sard at 8:30 p.m.
O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: Karaoke at 9 p.m.
Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.

🏛️ City of Alexandria

City Government: Open | Flag: Full Staff | Holiday Schedule: Juneteenth | Trash, Recycling, & Yard Waste Collection: On Time
6 a.m.: Chinquapin Pool Open at Chinquapin Park Recreation Center
7 a.m.: Minnie Howard Pool Open at Minnie Howard campus
11 a.m.: Warwick Pool Open at Warwick pool
noon: Old Town Pool Open at Old Town pool
4 p.m.: Alexandria Library Board Meeting
7 p.m.: Budget and Fiscal Affairs Advisory Committee and Budget Advisory Committee Subcommittee Meeting (virtual)
7:30 p.m.: Environmental Policy Commission Regular Meeting
(City of Alexandria calendar)

📚 Alexandria Library

10 a.m.: Twice Loved Plushies at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
10:15 & 11:15 a.m.: Baby Time at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
10:30 a.m.: Storytime in the Reading Garden at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
10:30 a.m.: Senior Bingo at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
1 p.m.: English Language Learning (ELL) at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
2 p.m.: Embroidery Bootcamp Jr. at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
4 p.m.: Alexandria Library Board Meeting at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
5 p.m.: Dungeons & Dragons at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
5:30 p.m.: ELL 2 Workshop — Intermediate Conversation at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
6 p.m.: Horror Fans Unite! at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
6:30 p.m.: Stability in Motion Yoga at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
(Alexandria Library calendar)

🏫 Alexandria City Public Schools

Teacher Work Day
(ACPS calendar)

📜 On this day in Alexandria's history

'George Washington' by Rembrandt Peale after Gilbert Stuart, De Young Museum (Wmpearl, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons)

On June 15, 1775, in the Assembly Room of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, the Second Continental Congress voted unanimously by ballot to appoint George Washington Commander in Chief of the newly formed Continental Army.

He was 43, more than six feet tall, the largest landowner among the delegates, and one of the most experienced soldiers in the colonies. He was also a man whose adult life had been organized around a town less than 10 miles north of his Mount Vernon home — Alexandria, where he attended Christ Church as a vestryman, where he belonged to Masonic Lodge No. 22, where he bought supplies, dined at Gadsby's Tavern, and conducted his civic and commercial business.

The Alexandria Brief

Alexandria, Va., news and information you won't find anywhere else.

The Alexandria Brief has no ads, no paywall, and no corporate owner. Support this work with a monthly or annual subscription, or a one-time contribution.

Publisher: Ryan Belmore, an Alexandria resident and journalist. Send feedback, questions, story ideas, and news tips to ryan@alexandriabrief.com.