The Alexandria Brief: Friday, December 12
Delivery robots roll in, community honors local legends, and snow is on the way
Good morning, Alexandria. I’m Ryan Belmore, founder and publisher of The Alexandria Brief.
Robots are now delivering Uber Eats on city sidewalks, passionate speakers rallied behind naming facilities for Kerry Donley and Keith Burns, and Sen. Mark Warner isn’t holding back on a defense bill provision he calls “dastardly.” Plus, a winter weather heads-up: 1 to 2 inches of snow could arrive Saturday night.
Here’s what you need to know today.
1️⃣ Markets, music, and merriment fill Friday’s calendar
Bundle up for partly sunny skies and a high near 40 as Alexandria offers a full slate of holiday festivities. The Gustave Marché de Noël Gift Market kicks off at 3 p.m., followed by Ice & Lights - The Winter Village at Cameron Run and A Very Merry ALX Jazz Fest at the GW Masonic National Memorial, both starting at 5 p.m. Del Ray Artisans hosts its 30th Annual Fine Art & Fine Craft Holiday Market at 6 p.m., and the evening continues with the Alexandria Citizens Band Holiday Sing-Along Concert at Del Ray United Methodist Church and Holiday Hootenanny at Piece Out Pizzeria, both at 7:30 p.m.
Live music fans have plenty of options tonight, including The Satin Doll Quartet at Laporta’s, Holiday Swing Night with DC Ambiance at Lost Boy Cider, and Bob Schneider & Steve Poltz at The Birchmere. The Little Theater of Alexandria presents A Christmas Carol at 8 p.m.
On the civic side, the Industrial Development Authority meets at 9 a.m., the ACPS Governance Committee convenes via Zoom at 8 a.m., and student athletes compete in wrestling invitationals at Magruder High School and swim/dive at Minnie Howard.
2️⃣ Community rallies behind Kerry Donley, Keith Burns facility naming proposals
Thirteen speakers urged the Alexandria City School Board on Thursday not to delay votes on four facility naming proposals, with the most passionate advocacy focused on honoring former Mayor Kerry Donley. Former U.S. Rep. Jim Moran compared Donley to George Bailey from “It’s a Wonderful Life,” while supporters highlighted his service as mayor during the Sept. 11 attacks, his later role as T.C. Williams athletic director, and his work with numerous local nonprofits. Donley’s daughter, Caitlin, noted that she and her four sisters competed in 59 combined athletic seasons at the school, with their father rarely missing a game.
Strong support also emerged for naming the Parker-Gray Stadium field after Keith Burns, a 1990 T.C. Williams graduate who won two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos. Supporters cited Burns’ 25 years of community contributions, including scholarships and a recent Friendsgiving event serving 250 families. Despite more than 1,400 poll responses showing community support, Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt recommended only one proposal—Owen’s Place at the Early Childhood Center—move forward, citing narrow margins and budget constraints. The board is scheduled to vote on all four naming requests on Dec. 18.
3️⃣ Autonomous delivery robots hit Alexandria sidewalks
Serve Robotics launched its Uber Eats delivery robots in Alexandria this week, making the city the company’s first stop in its D.C.-region expansion. The robots are now operating in Northeast Alexandria, Del Ray, Potomac West, Old Town North, and surrounding neighborhoods, with plans to expand to additional areas in the coming months. The company said it chose Alexandria because of the state’s business-friendly environment and existing legislation permitting sidewalk delivery robots.
The robots operate seven days a week, traveling on sidewalks to deliver food from participating restaurants. Customers meet the robot outside, unlock its compartment via phone or code, and receive an automatic refund on any prepaid tip—resulting in 15 to 20 percent savings, according to the company. Serve said the robots handle short-distance deliveries that human drivers often skip and that success in Alexandria means “more bots, no or little community concerns” and a strong working relationship with the city.
4️⃣ Warner blasts ‘dastardly’ NDAA provision easing helicopter restrictions near Reagan National
Sen. Mark Warner criticized a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act that would create a waiver process for military training flights in airspace around Reagan Washington National Airport, calling it “disrespectful” to families affected by the January crash that killed 67 people. “As we approach next month and the one-year anniversary of the terrible tragedy that took place at National Airport, somebody snuck into this bill the ability for the military to kind of back off on some of the restrictions we put, particularly in terms of helicopter flights around National,” Warner said Thursday.
Six Virginia House members—Reps. Don Beyer, Suhas Subramanyam, James Walkinshaw, Bobby Scott, Jennifer McClellan, and Eugene Vindman—issued a joint statement saying Section 373 “falls short of NTSB’s preliminary safety recommendations” and could “further congest the airspace.” NTSB hearings revealed the Army Black Hawk helicopter that collided with American Airlines Flight 5342 on Jan. 29 was flying at 278 feet, well above the 200-foot ceiling, and that the FAA had ignored years of warnings about helicopter dangers in the area. Warner said he would still vote for the defense bill, which includes a 3.8% military pay raise.
5️⃣ What’s happening this weekend
Winter weather arrives Saturday night as rain transitions to snow before 1 a.m., with 1 to 2 inches of accumulation possible. Saturday starts mild with increasing clouds and a high near 46, while Sunday brings a chance of morning snow, partly sunny skies, and blustery conditions with wind gusts up to 34 mph. Temperatures drop to a high of 33 Sunday and a low of 19 overnight.
Saturday brings the 10th Annual Del Ray Candy Cane Bar Crawl starting at 12:30 p.m., Wreaths Across America at Alexandria National Cemetery at 9:30 a.m., and the 30th Annual Fine Art & Fine Craft Holiday Market continuing at Del Ray Artisans. Other highlights include the Alexandria Choral Society’s “The Weary World Rejoices” at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, the Fifteenth Annual Alexandria Holiday Lights Ride and Walk in Del Ray, and matinee and evening performances of “A Christmas Carol” at the Little Theater of Alexandria. City Council also holds a public hearing at 9:30 a.m.
Sunday’s lineup features the OTNCP Annual Holiday Market at Montgomery Park, a Hot Chocolate History Tour in Old Town, Colonial Handbell Ringers concerts at the Lyceum, and Don McLean at The Birchmere. Ice & Lights - The Winter Village at Cameron Run runs all weekend.
Extra Extra!
City Council will hold a public hearing Saturday to consider several housing developments, updates to commercial zoning regulations, and funding for the next phase of the Heritage at Old Town redevelopment project. (The Alexandria Brief)
On December 9, 2025, Alexandria City Public Schools Director of Safety and Security Services Les Bonroy announced that potentially tainted Christmas cookies were seized from a student at the King St. Campus. (Theogony) - Note: this is a spoof.
The Colonial English Handbell Ringers bring peace to your world and joy to your hearts this holiday season as they proudly present their 2025 holiday concert “Tidings of Comfort and Joy,” presented on Sunday, December 14, at the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum. (City of Alexandria)
U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released a statement Thursday after voting to preserve the health care tax credits that are set to expire at the end of this year. The legislation, which would have extended these tax credits for three years, failed to advance in the Republican-led Senate, 51-48. (Warner)
Sen Warner also released a statement after “the House of Representatives voted to pass the Protect America’s Workforce Act, bipartisan legislation to repeal two union-busting executive orders signed by President Trump and restore collective bargaining rights and workplace protections for federal workers”. (Warner)
Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), co-Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Artificial Intelligence Caucus, issued a statement on President Trump’s executive order targeting state regulations on artificial intelligence. (Beyer)
Outstanding roundup of what's happening in Alexandria. The Serve Robotics rollout is fascinatingbecause it finally solves the last-mile problem that made so many short deliveries unprofitable. I've tested similiar bots in another city, and the tip refund mechanic is honestly genius for adoption. The real test will be winter sidewalk navigation once that snow hits Saturday.