Daily Brief: Thursday, November 13
Alexandria City Council calls on sheriff to stop ICE transfers; Hours before shutdown ends, city manager details the toll it has had on Alexandria; and more.
Good morning, Alexandria. This is The Alexandria Brief. I’m Ryan Belmore, founder and publisher of The Alexandria Brief.
One week into The Alexandria Brief. Yesterday: two groundbreakings, a City Council meeting, seven stories. Grateful for everyone’s support so far. If you know someone in Alexandria who is interested in what’s happening in our city, please let them know about what I’m doing here. Here’s to week two.
Here’s what you need to know for Thursday, November 13.
Essentials
Today will be sunny, with a high near 60 degrees. Northwest wind 8 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. It will be mostly clear tonight, with a low of around 35 degrees. West wind 3 to 7 mph.
The sun will rise at 6:48 a.m. and set at 4:56 p.m. High tides at 2:29 a.m. and 3:06 p.m. Low tides at 9:08 a.m. and 9:28 p.m. There will be 10 hours and 7 minutes of sun.
On Tap Today: Annie Jr. The Musical, Gratitude Wreath Making, Colin Hay, Grease, trivia, live music, and more. Get the full rundown of events and entertainment below.
1️⃣ City manager details shutdown’s toll on Alexandria hours before 43-day closure ends
City Manager James Parajon told City Council on Wednesday night that nearly 40% of federal workers are dipping into substantial savings to cover expenses, 63% have reduced spending, and the city has seen a significant increase in residents seeking food assistance during the 43-day government shutdown.
The presentation came hours before the House voted 222-209 to reopen the federal government, ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history.
Alexandria, home to at least 13,000 federal employees, proved particularly vulnerable as the shutdown reduced national GDP by approximately 0.2% each week and cut Virginia’s gross state product by around $396 million weekly.
2️⃣ City Council calls on sheriff to stop ICE transfers based on administrative warrants
Alexandria City Council issued a collective statement Wednesday night calling on Sheriff Sean Casey to stop transferring inmates to Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody in response to administrative detainers and warrants, marking the first time the council has taken a unified public position on the practice since residents packed chambers in October demanding action.
3️⃣ Judge rules in city’s favor in zoning lawsuit, upholding housing initiative
An Alexandria Circuit Court judge ruled in the city’s favor Wednesday on motions for summary judgment in a lawsuit challenging the city’s elimination of single-family zoning protections. Judge H. Thomas Padrick Jr. granted the city’s motion following a public hearing at Alexandria Circuit Court, upholding the controversial Zoning for Housing initiative that passed City Council unanimously in November 2023.
Mayor Alyia Gaskins announced the ruling at Wednesday night’s legislative meeting, calling the decision “well reasoned” and saying the court agreed the state housing amendments “were lawfully enacted and supported by the record.”
4️⃣ Alexandria rail projects break ground to ease East Coast bottleneck
Virginia officials and rail partners broke ground Wednesday on a suite of Alexandria rail projects designed to eliminate a critical bottleneck where multiple rail lines converge south of Washington, D.C. The Alexandria Fourth Track Project will construct six miles of additional railroad track between Arlington and Alexandria to separate freight and passenger operations, while bridge replacements over King Street and Commonwealth Avenue address aging infrastructure.
DJ Stadtler, executive director of the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority, said the projects will create “two dedicated passenger tracks, two dedicated freight tracks from south of here all the way up to Union Station,” with Secretary of Transportation W. Sheppard Miller III noting the improvements will increase rail throughput by 33%.
5️⃣ Fairstead breaks ground on $120M Samuel Madden Homes redevelopment
Fairstead and its development partners broke ground Wednesday on the $120 million redevelopment of Samuel Madden Homes, replacing 66 aging townhomes with a six-story, 207-unit affordable housing community in Old Town with permanent affordability for families earning 30% to 80% of area median income.
The 295,000-square-foot development at 999 North Henry Street will feature net zero energy-ready design, universal accessibility standards, approximately 7,500 square feet of open space, and nearly 500 square feet of ground-floor community space for a food hub operated by local nonprofit ALIVE.
Extra Extra!
Alexandria City Public Schools will hold a public hearing tonight on Superintendent Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt’s proposed $340.4 million capital improvement plan for fiscal years 2027-2036. (The Alexandria Brief)
A federal judge in Alexandria this morning will hear arguments challenging the appointment of the prosecutor who recently charged James Comey and Letitia James. (WTOP)
$300,000 is the income needed to buy a single-family home in Northern Virginia (NBC Washington)
Historic Alexandria is inviting the public to experience An Intimate Reception with General George Washington on November 15 at the Duvall House. (City of Alexandria)
The City of Alexandria invites community members to a pop-up event at the West Alexandria Transit Center on November 19 to discuss the planning and design process for the permanent Transit Center structure that will be integrated into the redevelopment of the former Landmark Mall site. (City of Alexandria)
Get ready to celebrate the holidays with your family and friends at A Very Merry ALX Jazz Fest on December 12! Enjoy a festive gathering of music, art, and poetry at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial. (City of Alexandria)
On This Day in Alexandria History
Source: Historic Alexandria - This Day in History
November 13, 1873
“On November 13, 1873, the Alexandria City Council granted permission to the Electro-Magnetic Telegraph Company, created in 1845 by inventor Samuel Morse, to run its lines through Alexandria providing instant communication for the first time from New York all the way to Richmond. Morse was a well-respected American painter, who in 1825 was commissioned to do a portrait of the Marquis de Lafayette in Washington, D.C. Halfway through completing the artwork he received word that his wife was seriously ill at their home in New Haven, Connecticut. He left for New England at once, only to find her dead and buried upon his arrival. Thereafter he decided to commit his endeavors to creating a device which could convey important communication instantaneously, without reliance on the daily mail. After witnessing a series of electro-magnetic experiments, he later developed the concept of the single-wire telegraph and the Morse code system of telegraphy.”
November 13, 1956
“On November 13, 1956, the Alexandria City Council approved preliminary plans to build a new police headquarters at North Pitt and Princess streets. The red brick building with white trim opened two and a half years later, around the corner from the jail.”
