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Good morning, Alexandria. It's Friday, May 15— the 135th day of 2026, with 230 days left in the year.
Happy Bike to Work Day.
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the regional event, and Alexandria is rolling out six pit stops across the city. Mayor Gaskins, Vice Mayor Bagley, and several council members will greet cyclists at John Carlyle Square Park this morning. Grab a snack, spin a prize wheel, and enjoy the ride.
Tomorrow at 9:30 a.m., council takes up the Braddock Road bike lane appeal — the contested project that's dominated listservs and yard signs for months.
And the school board is giving itself more time on the budget. The next work session moves to Wednesday, May 20. Add/delete proposals are now due Friday, May 22. Final adoption still targets June 11.
Here's what you need to know today.
~ Ryan
Programming note: I'm off my normal publishing schedule and frequency for a few days. I'll be back up to speed on Monday.
1️⃣ ACPS school board pushes FY27 budget timeline back a week; staff answers to 97 questions due Friday
The Alexandria City School Board is giving itself an extra week to work through Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt's adjusted FY 2027 budget, with the next work session moved to Wednesday, May 20 and the deadline for board members to file add/delete proposals pushed back four days, to Friday, May 22.
The schedule change, announced Thursday in a joint blog post by Strategy and Accountability Committee Chair Ryan Reyna (District A), Vice Chair Christopher Harris (District C), and Budget Advisory Committee liaison Kelly Carmichael Booz (District B), follows the board's May 12 public hearing and first work session on the adjusted plan. Final budget adoption is still targeted for June 11.
Read the full story: ACPS school board pushes FY27 budget timeline back a week; staff answers to 97 questions due Friday
2️⃣ Thursday's Prince Street townhouse fire was electrical and accidental, AFD rules; smoke detectors alerted occupant
A residential fire that drew Alexandria Fire Department crews to the 100 block of Prince Street on Thursday afternoon was accidental and electrical in origin, the department said in an update posted to its Facebook page.
Working smoke detectors activated and alerted the occupant to the fire, AFD said. No civilians were injured. One firefighter sustained a minor injury, was treated, and was released.
Read the full story: Thursday's Prince Street townhouse fire was electrical and accidental, AFD rules; smoke detectors alerted occupant
3️⃣ Alexandria leaders to greet riders at John Carlyle Square Park for Bike to Work Day's 25th anniversary
Alexandria's elected leadership is expected to greet cyclists at John Carlyle Square Park this morning as the region marks the 25th anniversary of Bike to Work Day.
Mayor Alyia Gaskins, Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley and Councilmembers John Chapman, Canek Aguirre and Jacinta Greene will be among the local officials on hand at the city's marquee pit stop, organizers announced.
Read the full story: Alexandria leaders to greet riders at John Carlyle Square Park for Bike to Work Day's 25th anniversary
📰 In brief
Virginia Tech will test select elements of the VT Alerts emergency notification system on Wednesday, May 20 in university facilities in Blacksburg and Academic Building One in Alexandria. (Virginia Tech)
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Advance Project on Wednesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse Virginia’s high court ruling striking down the state’s redistricting referendum, arguing the decision nullified the votes of millions of Virginians who approved the measure last month. (Virginia Mercury)
Gov. Abigail Spanberger traveled to Northern Virginia on Wednesday to sign a slate of bills aimed at reducing healthcare costs, ranging from insurance claims reform to targeted prescription drug affordability. (Virginia Mercury)
Fort Ward Museum will open a new exhibit, “Buglers & Brass Bands: Soldier Musicians in the Civil War,” on May 16. (City of Alexandria)
Chase Burns threw six scoreless innings, JJ Bleday homered twice and drove in six runs, and the Cincinnati Reds avoided being swept by the Washington Nationals with a 15-1 victory Thursday afternoon at Great American Ball Park. (The Alexandria Brief)
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Today in Alexandria
⛅ Weather
Partly sunny today, with a high near 72 degrees. Northwest wind around 10 mph. Partly cloudy tonight, with a low around 53. Calm wind.
🌖 Sun, Moon, & Tide
Sunrise at 5:55 a.m., sunset at 8:14 p.m. 14 hours & 19 minutes of sun. High tide at 7:25 a.m. & 8:04 p.m. Low tide at 1:16 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. The moon phase is a Waning Crescent.
🗓️ Things To Do
- All Day: Bike to Work Day throughout Alexandria
- 6 p.m.: Tarot Readings With Cats at Mount Purrnon Cat Café & Wine Bar
- 6 p.m.: Geoffrey Johnson Solo Exhibition & Opening Reception at Principle Gallery
- 6:30 p.m.: Friday Night Run Club at Daniel O'Connell's
🎶 Entertainment
- 219 Restaurant: Fat Chance at 9 p.m.
- Alexandria Bier Garden: Second Sun at 9:30 p.m.
- Aslin ALX: Comedy Show at 8 p.m.
- Blackwall Hitch: Tony Gatlin at 9 p.m.
- Cuates Grill: Karaoke at 10:15 p.m.
- Daniel O'Connell's: Jason Hibler at 9:30 p.m.
- Del Ray Public House: Karaoke at 9 p.m.
- Epicure on King: Live music at 6:30 p.m.
- Galactic Panther: Making Friends As Adults, Quiet Room, Not Now, and Anxiety Monster at 7 p.m.
- Hops N Shine: Mike Leverone at 6 p.m.
- Laporta’s Restaurant: Live music at 7:30 p.m.
- Makeda Restaurant: Mesfin & Tsehay at 10 p.m.
- Murphy’s Pub: The Wavos & Pat Carroll at 9 p.m.
- O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: Culp at 9 p.m.
- Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
- St. Elmo's Del Ray: Poetry Reading at 7 p.m.
- The Birchmere: Jeffrey Osborne at 7:30 p.m.
- The Light Horse: Noise In The Basement at 9:30 p.m.
- The Study at Morrison House: Live Piano Music at 6:30 p.m.
🏛️ City of Alexandria
- 6 a.m.: Chinquapin Open at Chinquapin
- 7:30 a.m.: Bike to Work Day — pit stops across the city with refreshments and activities
- (City of Alexandria calendar)
📚 Alexandria Library
- All day: A Commonwealth of Cultures Exhibit at Local History/Special Collections
- 9 a.m.: Exhibit: Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka at Local History/Special Collections
- 10 a.m.: On the Move! American Migration Routes - Part 2 (virtual)
- (Alexandria Library calendar)
🏫 Alexandria City Public Schools
- 8 a.m.: Governance Committee via Zoom
- (ACPS calendar) (ACHS Titans sports calendar)
📜 Alexandria History
On May 16, 1799, the musical play The Highland Reel was performed at Thomas West’s Theatre located in what is now the 400 block of Cameron Street. This British comical opera was well suited for presentation to early Alexandrians, as the antics of a troop of humorous but rustic characters, set in the rural Scottish countryside, corresponded quite accurately with the young settlement on the banks of the Potomac. Virginia audiences were particularly appreciative of the rural comedy, set within a hierarchy of strict social order, which fit so well with the Jeffersonian ideal of the triumph of civilization over the wilderness.
On May 17, 1860, the first passenger in the Alexandria, Loudoun and Hampshire Railroad traveled from Alexandria to Leesburg. A year later, when the Civil War started, Union troops seized the AL&H rails, equipment and buildings, and converted the station at Princess and Fairfax into offices for the Quartermaster Department.
The Alexandria Brief
Alexandria, Va., news and information you won't find anywhere else.
Publisher: Ryan Belmore, an Alexandria resident and journalist.
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.
Send feedback, story ideas, news, and tips to ryan@alexandriabrief.com.
