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Good morning, Alexandria. It's Friday, June 19 — the 170th day of 2026, with 195 days left in the year.
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Today is Juneteenth. The city's daylong observance begins at 10 a.m. at Douglass Cemetery with a memorial and keynote by Coppin State University's Dr. Elgin Klugh, then moves to a Washington Revels Jubilee Voices concert at Shiloh Baptist Church and an afternoon celebration at Charles Houston Recreation Center. City offices, RPCA facilities, and Alexandria Library branches are closed in observance.
Alexandria's Housing 2040 Plan, two years in the making, cleared its public hearing on June 13 and is set for final adoption Tuesday — the city's housing blueprint through 2040 is one step away from becoming policy.
The Alexandria Police Department brought Chief Tarrick McGuire's five-pillar Public Safety Plan to an invitation-only community summit Thursday at Virginia Theological Seminary. The day featured a Regional Police Chiefs Forum and a closing keynote from Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Stanley Meador.
Here's what's happening in Alexandria.
1️⃣ Alexandria's Housing 2040 clears its public hearing; final adoption set for June 23
After more than two years of community meetings, surveys and three rounds of draft revisions, Alexandria's Housing 2040 Plan is one step from becoming the city's housing blueprint through 2040.
The City Council approved the plan at its June 13 public hearing, closing the hearing and adopting the Planning Commission's recommendation. According to the city's Office of Housing, the approved plan will be considered for adoption at the council's June 23 Legislative Meeting.
Read more: Alexandria's Housing 2040 clears its public hearing; final adoption set for June 23
2️⃣ Warner says Iran war is driving up Virginia costs, warns Trump is playing politics with intelligence post
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said Thursday that the Trump administration's newly signed agreement with Iran has left Virginians paying more for fuel, food and farming while leaving the country no safer, as he also accused President Donald Trump of treating the nation's top intelligence post as a "political pawn" and pointed to a bipartisan housing bill as rare good news for the state.
Speaking during his weekly remote availability with Virginia reporters, Warner, vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, tied the 111-day conflict he has repeatedly called a "war of choice" directly to the state's economy. He said fertilizer costs for Virginia's growing season are already up 40% and warned that energy prices and inflation, which he said topped 4% over the last quarter, would not ease soon.
3️⃣ Alexandria police take Public Safety Plan to the community at Thursday summit
The Alexandria Police Department held its Public Safety Summit on Thursday at Virginia Theological Seminary, taking the five-pillar Public Safety Plan Chief Tarrick McGuire presented to City Council on June 9 to invited community members, civic and neighborhood leaders, city officials and public safety stakeholders. The summit was closed to the public, with attendance by invitation only. I was invited but unable to attend in person.
The agenda included McGuire's introduction of the department's G.R.E.A.T. framework — geographical policing and accountability, relationships, evidence-based strategies and enforcement, assessment, and technology — a community panel, a Regional Police Chiefs Forum moderated by journalist Simone DeAlba, facilitated breakout sessions, and a closing keynote from Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Stanley Meador. According to the department's account, Meador emphasized that public safety is a shared responsibility built before crises arrive, and focused particular attention on the "Relationship" pillar of G.R.E.A.T. The chiefs forum centered on the "Technology" pillar, with multiple chiefs cautioning that innovation like body-worn cameras must be paired with clear policy, transparency and accountability.
The Alexandria Brief has reached out to APD with follow-up questions.
4️⃣ Alexandria to mark Juneteenth with daylong celebration of African American history
The City of Alexandria will commemorate Juneteenth today with a series of free, family-friendly events honoring African American history and culture, capped by an evening festival featuring go-go music, food and performances.
Juneteenth, observed each June 19, marks the end of slavery in the United States. On that day in 1865, Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger and his troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce that enslaved people there were free — roughly 2 1/2 years after President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation took effect. It became a federal holiday in 2021 and a permanent Virginia state holiday by legislation passed in 2020.
The city's observance begins at 10 a.m. with a memorial at Douglass Cemetery, 1421 Wilkes St. Dr. Elgin Klugh, a professor and department chairperson at Coppin State University whose research includes heritage and cultural landscapes, will give the keynote address.
Read more: Alexandria to mark Juneteenth with daylong celebration of African American history
5️⃣ What's happening in Alexandria this weekend: June 19-21
Saturday brings the season's usual rhythm of farmers markets in Old Town and Del Ray, the Be the Good 5k & 10k at Ben Brenman Park, living history tours aboard the Tall Ship Providence, and an Old Town North Pride Party at St. Elmo's — plus the Ohio Players at The Birchmere.
The weekend wraps Sunday with a summer solstice yoga session at Lee-Fendall House, a piano concert at The Lyceum, and plenty of Father's Day options, including Dad's Day Off at Good Fortune and an after-dark Poisons tour at the Apothecary Museum.
Read more: What's happening in Alexandria this weekend: June 19-21
📰 In brief
The Alexandria Police Foundation will hold its annual Karaoke with Cops fundraiser on Saturday, June 27, from noon to 3 p.m. at Cooper Mill Restaurant. (The Brief)
The city's Department of Transportation and Environmental Services has announced its citywide repaving and street maintenance schedule for next week, including speed cushion installation on Gunston Road and Valley Drive, concrete work on North Armistead Street and South Whiting Street, and storm drain work on Naylor Place and the 200 block of South Van Dorn Street. Schedules are subject to change. (City of Alexandria)
Sports
The Alexandria Aces (8-6) travel to face the Southern Maryland Senators tonight at 5 p.m. at North Point High School after an 8-5 road win at the Gaithersburg Giants Thursday — the team's second straight win after back-to-back shutouts earlier this week.
The Washington Nationals open a three-game weekend series at the Tampa Bay Rays tonight at 7:10 p.m. at Tropicana Field in Tampa.
The Washington Mystics travel to face the New York Liberty tonight at 7 p.m. at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The U.S. men's national soccer team plays Australia at 3 p.m. at Lumen Field in Seattle in its second 2026 FIFA World Cup match (FOX, Telemundo). The USMNT opened with a 4-1 win over Paraguay on June 12; Australia beat Türkiye 2-0 in its opener. Other matches today: Scotland vs. Morocco at 6 p.m. at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts (FOX); Brazil vs. Haiti at 8:30 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia (FOX); and Türkiye vs. Paraguay at 11 p.m. at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California (FS1).
Today in Alexandria
⛅ Weather
Today: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8 a.m., then isolated showers between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Cloudy through mid-morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 84 degrees. Northwest wind 8 to 11 mph. The chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 64 degrees. Northwest wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
🌖 Sun, Moon, & Tide
Sunrise at 5:42 a.m., sunset at 8:36 p.m. 14 hours & 53 minutes of sun. High tide at 12:14 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. Low tide at 6:42 a.m. & 7:21 p.m. The moon phase is a Waxing Crescent.
🗓️ Things To Do
- 10 a.m.: Specialty Tours - Tell Me Your Name at Carlyle House
- 2 p.m.: Pride in the West End at Port City Brewing
- 3 p.m.: Alexandria Soccer Association Family World Cup Watch Party: USA vs. Australia at Gustave Boulangerie & Brasserie
- 3 p.m.: Alexandria Moms Passport Happy Hour at St. Elmo's Old Town North
- 4 p.m.: Juneteenth Ice Cream Social at Hotel Heron
- 6:30 p.m.: Friday Night Run Club at Daniel O'Connell's
- 7 p.m.: The Friendship Series at Lost Boy Cider
🎶 Entertainment
- 219 Restaurant: Holly Montgomery at 9 p.m.
- Blackwall Hitch: Merlon Devine at 5 p.m.
- Cuates Grill: Karaoke at 10:15 p.m.
- Del Ray Public House: Karaoke at 9 p.m.
- Epicure on King: Live music at 6:30 p.m.
- Evening Star Cafe: Comedy Night at 7:30 p.m.
- Galactic Panther: Chris App & The Coastliners at 8 p.m.
- Hummingbird: Scott Solo Acoustic at 6 p.m.
- Laporta’s Restaurant: Live music at 7:30 p.m.
- Lost Boy Cider: The Friendship Series at 7 p.m.
- Makeda Restaurant: Mesfin & Tsehay at 10 p.m.
- Mount Purrnon Cat Cafe & Wine Bar: Bingo with Cats at 7 p.m.
- Murphy’s Pub: Powers & McLaughlin at 9 p.m.
- O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: Late Night Superstars at 9 p.m.
- Pork Barrel BBQ: DM Shift at 8:30 p.m.
- Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
- The Birchmere: Stacy Kent at 7:30 p.m.
- The Light Horse: Bansy at 9:30 p.m.
- The Little Theatre of Alexandria: Still We Rise: A Broadway Cabaret to Celebrate America's 250th at 8 p.m.
- The Study at Morrison House: Live Piano Music at 6:30 p.m.
🏛️ City & Schools
- City Government: Open | Flag: Full Staff | Holiday Schedule: Juneteenth | Trash, Recycling, & Yard Waste Collection: On Time
- All day: City Offices Closed in observance of Juneteenth Holiday
- All day: RPCA Closure: Juneteenth
- 10 a.m.: Memorial Pool Open
- 10 a.m.: Warwick Pool Open
- 10 a.m.: Old Town Pool Open
- 1 p.m.: Washington Revels Jubilee Voices Concert at Shiloh Baptist Church
- 4 p.m.: Juneteenth Celebration at Charles Houston Recreation Center
- 4:30 p.m.: What Does Public Safety Owe Black Communities? at Charles Houston Recreation Center
- (City of Alexandria calendar) (ACPS calendar)
📚 Alexandria Library
- Closed in observance of Juneteenth Holiday
- (Alexandria Library calendar)
📜 On this day in Alexandria's history
On June 19, 1943, the United Service Organization opened a recreation and morale center for World War II servicemen in the rear section of 115 N. Washington Street, in what had once been the 18th century home built for John Gordon at the corner of King and Washington streets. The location placed the new USO in the heart of Old Town, within walking distance of the rail station that funneled troops through the city, the Naval Torpedo Station running around the clock on the waterfront to supply the Pacific war, and the road south to Fort Belvoir. By the summer of 1943, Alexandria was a city deeply absorbed in the war effort, with the Pentagon recently completed just upriver and federal workers filling the streetcar suburbs.
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Publisher: Ryan Belmore, an Alexandria resident and journalist. Send feedback, questions, story ideas, and news tips to ryan@alexandriabrief.com.
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