The Alexandria Brief: Friday, January 16
'Unwilling to lie about the moment'
Good morning, Alexandria. A couple of hundred people braved below-freezing temperatures Thursday evening to mark what would have been Martin Luther King Jr.’s 97th birthday — and speakers at the city’s 53rd annual memorial program didn’t mince words. “We remember Dr. King not as a servant, but as a threat,” Rev. Dr. Quardricos Bernard Driskell of Beulah Baptist Church told the crowd. “A prophet who named American sins and paid his life.” Driskell explicitly criticized federal immigration enforcement, invoking St. Augustine’s principle that “an unjust law is no law at all.”
Also today: Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker is resigning her House seat to consolidate elections; major crimes fell across all categories in 2025; MetroStage eyes a late 2026 opening; and an Alexandria puppy is headed to the Puppy Bowl.
Here’s what you need to know today.
1️⃣ ‘Unwilling to lie about the moment we are in’: Alexandria MLK program takes pointed tone on King’s 97th birthday
On what would have been Martin Luther King Jr.’s 97th birthday, speakers at the city’s 53rd annual memorial program drew sharp parallels between the civil rights era and the present day Thursday evening, with calls for resistance to federal immigration policies and warnings against a sanitized version of King’s legacy.
The program at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial featured music, poetry, and dramatic readings, but took on an urgent political tone as Rev. Dr. Quardricos Bernard Driskell of Beulah Baptist Church delivered a pointed invocation.
2️⃣ Bennett-Parker will resign House seat to put District 5 race on Feb. 10 ballot
Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker announced Thursday she is resigning her House of Delegates seat effective Feb. 18 — the same date Sen. Adam Ebbin’s resignation takes effect — a move that will place the special election to replace her on the same Feb. 10 ballot as her Senate race.
“I cannot fathom the possibility of putting our community through three general elections within as many months,” Bennett-Parker wrote in an email to supporters.
Publisher’s Note — With the House District 5 firehouse primary expected early next week, voters don’t have much time to get to know the candidates. So I’ve invited all announced candidates to join me for live one-on-one virtual conversations over the next few days.
Former School Board member Eileen Cassidy Rivera and City Councilman Kirk McPike have announced. If others jump in, they’ll be invited too.
These aren’t gotcha interviews — they’re conversations about why they’re running, their priorities, and what they’d bring to Richmond. Watch live here and on my YouTube channel, with the chance to submit questions in real time. Dates and times coming soon.
3️⃣ Alexandria sees sharp drop in major crimes in 2025
Major crimes in Alexandria fell significantly in 2025, with every Part 1 offense category declining compared to the previous year, according to data released by the Alexandria Police Department.
The department’s crime dashboard, which tracks data through Dec. 31, 2025, shows total Part 1 offenses — the most serious crime categories tracked by law enforcement — dropped substantially year over year.
4️⃣ MetroStage passes two-thirds fundraising mark, targets late 2026 opening
MetroStage is targeting an opening by the end of 2026 for its new permanent home at 915 N. Fairfax St., across from Montgomery Park, Producing Artistic Director Carolyn Griffin shared with The Alexandria Brief on Thursday.
The theater company has raised more than two-thirds of its $3 million fundraising goal for the project, Griffin said. The company is accepting donations by mail at P.O. Box 1152, Alexandria, VA 22313, or through its website.
5️⃣ ACPS School Board launches new website to improve transparency
The Alexandria City Public Schools School Board has launched a new website designed to help residents better understand its work without having to attend every meeting or read through lengthy board packets.
The site, introduced on Wednesday by board members Kelly Carmichael Booz and Alex Scioscia, both representing District B, will serve as a centralized hub for plain-language explanations of major decisions, committee updates, and community information. The board also announced a new presence on Bluesky, the social media platform.
📰 Extra! Extra!
A 15-year-old male pedestrian was struck by a driver Thursday evening on North Van Dorn Street and transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, Alexandria police said. (The Alexandria Brief)
No criminal charges will be filed against police officers involved in the August in-custody death of Allan F. Tucker II after the medical examiner determined he died of cocaine and cocaethylene intoxication, the Commonwealth’s Attorney announced Thursday. (The Alexandria Brief)
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin says the collapse of a proposed sports arena deal in Alexandria ranks among his most frustrating moments during his four years in office. (The Alexandria Brief)
An Alexandria puppy is headed to the big game. Twig, an energetic 8-month-old adopted through Operation Paws for Homes, will represent the city in Animal Planet’s annual Puppy Bowl XXII. (The Alexandria Brief)
Here’s your full guide to everything happening in Alexandria this weekend. (The Alexandria Brief)
🗓️ Today in Alexandria
Mostly sunny, with a high near 38 degrees. West wind 6 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Increasing clouds tonight, with a low around 33 degrees. South wind around 9 mph.
Sunrise at 7:24 a.m., sunset at 5:11 p.m. There will be 9 hours & 47 minutes of sun.
Events & Things To Do
11 a.m.: Metro Red Release Party at Port City Brewing Company
12 p.m.: Ice & Lights - Daytime Ice Skating at Cameron Run
6 p.m.: Tarot Readings with Cats at Mount Purrnon Cat Cafe & Wine Bar
7 p.m. Jazz Night at the Departmental Progressive Club
Live Music & Entertainment
219 Restaurant: Myles Deep at 9 p.m.
Alexandria Bier Garden: Karaoke at 8:30 p.m.
Blackwall Hitch: Spike Burton at 9 p.m.
Daniel O’Connell’s: Jason Hibler at 9:30 p.m.
Del Ray Pizzeria: Karaoke at 9 p.m.
Galactic Panther: FunChicken: Dream Residue at 6 p.m.
Hops N Shine: Lenny Stevens at 6 p.m.
Laporta’s Restaurant: The Satin Doll Quartet at 7:30 p.m.
Lost Boy Cider: Sleeper Car at 7 p.m.
Makeda Restaurant: Mesfin & Tsehay at 10 p.m.
Murphy’s Pub: Poehemia at 9 p.m.
O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: Austin Miller & The Old Towne Killers at 9 p.m.
Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
The Birchmere: Jarrod Lawson at 7:30 p.m.
The Light Horse: Lloyd Braun Band at 9:30 p.m.
The Study at Morrison House: Live Piano Music at 6:30 p.m.
City of Alexandria
Government: Open. Flag: Full Staff. Trash, Recycling, & Yard Waste Collection: On Time
6 a.m.: Chinquapin Open at Chinquapin Park Recreation Center
9 a.m.: CYFCC Ad Hoc Meeting with School Board Member at Junction Bakery
Alexandria City Public Schools
8 a.m.: Governance Committee at School Board Meeting Room
4 p.m.: Girls Varsity Indoor Track Invitational at Episcopal
4 p.m.: Girls JV Indoor Track Invitational at Episcopal
4 p.m.: Boys Varsity Indoor Track Invitational (Maroon & Black Relays) at Episcopal
4 p.m.: Boys JV Indoor Track Invitational at Episcopal
4:30 p.m.: Boys Freshman Basketball vs. W.T. Woodson at W.T. Woodson High School
6 p.m.: Boys JV Basketball vs. W.T. Woodson at W.T. Woodson High School
6 p.m.: Girls Varsity Swim and Dive vs. W.T. Woodson at ACHS Minnie Howard Campus
6 p.m.: Boys Varsity Swim and Dive vs. W.T. Woodson at ACHS Minnie Howard Campus
7:30 p.m.: Boys Varsity Basketball vs. W.T. Woodson at W.T. Woodson High School
Alexandria Library
All day: A Commonwealth of Cultures Exhibit at Local History/Special Collections
All day: Winter Lego Building Contest (Virtual)
10:15 a.m.: Baby Storytime at Burke Branch Library
2 p.m.: Musical Movement at Burke Branch Library
3:30 p.m.: Fun Friday! at Burke Branch Library
On this day in Alexandria
1947: The United Service Organization center on Cameron Street closed. Built during World War II, the USO center provided recreational and social activities for service members. The City of Alexandria later acquired the building for use by the Department of Recreation, and today it’s known as the Dr. Oswald Durant Memorial Center (1605 Cameron Street).