Daily Brief | June 24

Good morning, Alexandria. It's Wednesday, June 24. This newsletter is now serving 6,005 readers. Thank you for being here. 273 readers make all that we do possible. Will you join them?

Mayor Alyia Gaskins gave the first public accounting of the Fresh Start Initiative at Tuesday night's Council meeting — 318 ARHA households cleared of back rent and more than $1.2 million raised. Croatia's World Cup is alive after a 1-0 win over Panama; the Vatreni are back in Alexandria today and head to Philadelphia Saturday for their group finale against Ghana. DASH broke ground Tuesday on the region's first on-route electric bus charger at the old Landmark Mall site. And in Del Ray, Little Birdie opened on Mount Vernon Avenue and The Dog Store said its storefront is closing at the end of the month.

Heads up on the skies. The U.S. Military told the District it will run aircraft flyovers near the National Mall from June 24 through July 10 for America's 250th anniversary. Expect more air traffic noise around the region — AlertDC says there's no cause for alarm.

One more thing — on the calendar tomorrow night: Tiles & Type, the unveiling of the Local News Day community artwork from April's pop-ups at St. Elmo's, Old Town North, and Four Mile Run, is Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Torpedo Factory. The Brief participated in those pop-ups and covered them. The 85-tile mosaic — designed by Alexandrians on issues they care about — is being shown at the Torpedo Factory this summer in partnership with The Art League. Come find me there.

Here's what's happening in Alexandria.

1️⃣ Three months in, Fresh Start Initiative clears back rent for 318 ARHA households; 62% have stayed current

Aerial photo of Alexandria, Virginia - File photo. (City of Alexandria)

Three months after Alexandria faith congregations pledged to keep hundreds of public-housing families from eviction over back rent, the effort has raised more than $1.2 million and cleared the balances of 318 households, Mayor Alyia Gaskins told the City Council on June 23 — with about 62 percent of those families staying current on rent since.

The update marked the first public accounting of the Fresh Start Initiative, the privately funded partnership Gaskins and the Mayor's Interfaith Council announced in March to clear back rent owed by Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority residents, connect them to financial support, and require ARHA to strengthen its own systems. No taxpayer money is involved; the charitable fund is managed by ACT for Alexandria.

2️⃣ Budimir's goal revives Croatia: Vatreni beat Panama, keep World Cup hopes alive

Croatia's Ante Budimir, left, and Nikola Moro at a press conference on June 15 at Episcopal High School in Alexandria. (Credit: Ryan Belmore / Alexandria Brief)

Croatia got the win it had to have. Ante Budimir's second-half goal lifted the Vatreni to a 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto on Tuesday night, reviving a World Cup campaign that had stumbled out of the gate — and doing it through players Alexandria has come to know well over the past two weeks.

Budimir, the 34-year-old striker who told the Brief's readers — through the team's reports — that he'd "sign right now" to repeat Croatia's Qatar run, came on at halftime and delivered the only goal of the night in the 54th minute. He knocked home a low cross from Josip Stanišić, becoming, at 34, the oldest goal scorer in Croatia's World Cup history.

Croatia returned to Alexandria overnight and will resume training for the next few days before heading to Philadelphia for a match against Ghana on Saturday.

3️⃣ DASH breaks ground on region's first on-route electric bus charger at former Landmark Mall site

Officials break ground on the region's first on-route electric bus charger at the West Alexandria Transit Center on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. The project is funded through a $1 million federal earmark secured by Congressman Don Beyer. (Ryan Belmore/Alexandria Brief)

In the rain at the West Alexandria Transit Center, DASH and city officials broke ground Tuesday on what they say will be the first on-route electric bus charger in the Washington region, marking a milestone in the agency's yearslong push toward a fully zero-emission fleet.

The overhead charging system, being installed at the transit center near the former Landmark Mall site on Duke Street, will allow electric buses to top off their batteries during short layovers without returning to the garage — a change DASH General Manager and CEO Josh Baker compared to the difference between charging a cell phone overnight versus plugging it in briefly throughout the day.

4️⃣ The Dog Store closing its Del Ray storefront at the end of June

The Dog Store is closing its storefront at 2301 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray at the end of June (The Dog Store)

The Dog Store is closing its storefront at 2301 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray at the end of June, the business announced, citing circumstances beyond its control. The last day of in-store sales at the Mount Vernon Avenue location will be Saturday, June 27.

In a letter to customers signed by owner Paul Haire, the business said it is temporarily moving off the Avenue but intends to return. "Rest assured that as soon as we can find a suitable location, we will fully reopen on the Avenue," the letter reads.

Matt Sloan and chef partner Eric Brannon were joined by elected officials and community leaders on Tuesday to cut the ribbon on Little Birdie. (Ryan Belmore/The Alexandria Brief)

Little Birdie, a chicken-focused restaurant from the team behind Del Ray's Matt & Tony's All Day Kitchen + Bar, opened Tuesday at 1504B Mount Vernon Ave. with a ribbon cutting hosted by the Del Ray Business Association, capping a rainy morning that cleared just in time for the scissors.

The opening drew several local and state officials, including Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley, City Council member Canek Aguirre, Sen. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker and Del. Kirk McPike, along with members of the business association.

📰 In brief

An Alexandria man was sentenced Tuesday in federal court in Alexandria to four years in federal prison for possessing a machinegun, more than three years after he pleaded guilty to shooting a victim at Potomac Mills Mall. (The Brief)

Harold "Buck" Adams, 83, who was reported missing June 21, has been found dead, the Alexandria Police Department announced Tuesday. (The Brief)

Virginia Railway Express continues bridge replacement work over King Street and Commonwealth Avenue through Wednesday, with the VRE running an "S Schedule Plus" reduced service today. The King Street walkway access remains closed. VRE recommends commuters plan an additional 10-15 minutes for detour routes. (VRE service alert)

Graduate students upgrade EMT training program for Alexandria Fire Department. (Virginia Tech)

The City of Alexandria has announced the winners of the annual recognition awards presented by the Alexandria Commission on Persons with Disabilities (ACPD), in collaboration with the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce. (City of Alexandria)

Sports

Bryson Stott's three-run homer highlighted Philadelphia's eight-run outburst in the ninth inning and the Phillies rallied to beat the Washington Nationals 14-9 on Tuesday night. (The Brief)

The Washington Wizards selected forward AJ Dybantsa, who led the nation in scoring in his one season at BYU, with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft on Tuesday night. (The Brief)

The Washington Capitals acquired right winger Jordan Kyrou in a trade with the St. Louis Blues on Thursday, keeping the player movement around the NHL spinning ahead of the draft later this week and with free agency on the horizon. (The Brief)

Croatia defeated Panama 1-0 in Toronto on Tuesday night to keep its World Cup hopes alive, with substitute Ante Budimir scoring nine minutes after coming on at halftime. The result mathematically eliminated Panama from the tournament and set up Croatia's final group game against Ghana on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. (The Brief)

The Washington Nationals continue their four-game home series against the Philadelphia Phillies tonight at 6:45 p.m. at Nationals Park. The Washington Mystics host the Minnesota Lynx at 7:30 p.m. at Capital One Arena. The Alexandria Aces (9-9) travel to face the DC Grays (7-9) at 7 p.m. at Robert J. Talbot Field on the campus of Catholic University.

Today's 2026 FIFA World Cup matches: Switzerland vs. Canada at 3 p.m. at BC Place in Vancouver (FOX), Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar at 3 p.m. in Seattle (FS1), Morocco vs. Haiti at 6 p.m. in Atlanta (FS1), Scotland vs. Brazil at 6 p.m. in Miami (FOX), Czechia vs. Mexico at 9 p.m. in Mexico City (FOX), and South Africa vs. South Korea at 9 p.m. (FS1).

Today in Alexandria

⛅ Weather

Today: Sunny, with a high near 82 degrees. Northwest wind 7 to 9 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 62 degrees. South wind around 6 mph.

🌖 Sun, Moon, & Tide

Sunrise at 5:44 a.m., sunset at 8:37 p.m. 14 hours & 53 minutes of sun. High tide at 4:56 a.m. & 5:24 p.m. Low tide at 11:33 a.m. & 11:24 p.m. The moon phase is a Waxing Gibbous.

🗓️ Things To Do

6 p.m.: Community Cookout at Southern Towers - The Monticello
7 p.m.: Murphy’s Run Club at Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub

🎶 Entertainment

219 Restaurant: Bill Pappas Project at 9 p.m.
Alexandria Bier Garden: Comedy night at 8 p.m.
Atlas Brew Works: Bingo at 7 p.m.
Evening Star Cafe: Revecca Berlin at 7 p.m.
Hops N Shine: Trivia at 6:30 p.m.
Laporta’s Restaurant: Pete Chauvette at 6 p.m.
Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: Kenny Kohlhaas at 8:30 p.m.
O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: Karaoke at 9 p.m.
Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
Southside 815: Rook Richards at 9:30 p.m.
The Birchmere: Amy Grant at 7:30 p.m.

🏛️ City & Schools

City Government: Open | Flag: Full Staff
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
9 a.m.: APD Walk-In Wednesday Hiring Event
10 a.m.: Memorial Pool Open
11 a.m.: Warwick Pool Open
11 a.m.: City Job Fair at Nannie J. Lee Memorial Recreation Center
2 p.m.: Alexandria Community Policy & Management Team Monthly Meeting (virtual)
6 p.m.: Community Cookout at Southern Towers - The Monticello
(City of Alexandria calendar) (ACPS calendar)

📚 Alexandria Library

10:30 a.m.: Stitcher's Space at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
10:30 a.m.: Paleontology Playtime at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library Reading Garden
11 a.m.: Just Babies — Solo Los Bebés at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
1 p.m.: Peter Wood: Collector of the Impossible at Charles Houston Recreation Center
2 p.m.: Foam Party at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
3:30 p.m.: Page Turners: Burke's Book Club — "The King of Confidence" by Miles Harvey (virtual)
4 p.m.: Teen Book Club at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
5 p.m.: Summer Soccer with ASA at Ben Brenman Park
5 p.m.: Embroidery Bootcamp — Beginner stitches and techniques for adults at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
5:30 p.m.: ELL 2 Workshop — Intermediate Conversation at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
6 p.m.: LGBTQ+ Authors in Sci-Fi and Fantasy Book Tasting at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
7 p.m.: Romance Book Club (virtual)
(Alexandria Library calendar)

📜 On this day in Alexandria's history

U.S. Post Office and Custom House, July 1, 1900. (National Archives)

On June 24, 1903, it was announced that Washington, D.C., contractor William P. Lipscomb & Company had been awarded a U.S. Treasury Department contract to expand the custom house and post office building located at South St. Asaph and Prince streets. The contract for $52,970 required work to be completed by July 1, 1904. (Historic Alexandria)

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Publisher: Ryan Belmore, an Alexandria resident and journalist. See something we should cover? Reply to this email or send tips, photos, and story ideas to ryan@alexandriabrief.com. The best stories come from readers.