Table of Contents
Good morning, Alexandria.
School's back, and a lot is different. ACPS opens the 2026-27 year today under an acting superintendent who took the job 12 days ago, with a new principal at Alexandria City High School and a new School Board chair. New attendance boundaries move roughly 860 students to different schools, and redrawn walk zones end bus service for some families who had it last year.
Also today: a draft housing report shows the city beat its rehab targets and missed its construction ones, and goats are headed to Holmes Run next month.
Here's what you need to know for Monday, Aug. 24.
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1️⃣ Alexandria schools open today with new boundaries, new leaders, and new walk zones
Alexandria City Public Schools opens the 2026-27 school year today, with a new acting superintendent, a new principal at the state's largest high school, redrawn attendance boundaries taking effect for the first time and new walk zones that end bus service for some students.
Acting Superintendent Dr. Grace Taylor was scheduled to start her day before dawn at the ACPS transportation depot on Wheeler Avenue, greeting bus drivers as they head out on their routes.
Later this morning, a drumline and cheerleaders will meet students arriving at Alexandria City High School's King Street campus. Taylor, School Board Chair Christopher Harris, new ACHS Principal Michael Burch, Mayor Alyia Gaskins and Police Chief Tarrick McGuire are scheduled to speak. City Manager Jim Parajon will attend, and division and city leaders plan to visit classrooms afterward. City Council members and community partners will help welcome students at King Street and at schools across the division.
2️⃣ Alexandria's federal housing report shows gains in rehab, little new construction
Alexandria far exceeded its goals for repairing affordable apartments and sheltering homeless residents over the past five years while falling well short on building new units, according to a draft city housing report released Friday for public comment.
The Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report, required annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, measures the city's use of federal housing money against the goals it set in its 2022-2026 Consolidated Plan.
The report shows the city rehabilitated 356 rental units over the plan period against a goal of 12, and 204 in the past year against a target of 11. It sheltered 1,768 people against a five-year goal of 1,000 and assisted 55 homebuyers against a goal of 40. In the past year, the city helped 29 first-time homebuyers and prevented 63 people from becoming homeless, both above target.
3️⃣ Goats — and sheep — will graze kudzu off a slope at James Marx All Veterans Park
Between 35 and 40 goats and sheep will spend up to 10 days eating their way through a kudzu-covered slope at James Marx All Veterans Park beginning Sept. 8, in a city pilot testing whether livestock can do work that crews and machines cannot.
The city announcement referred mostly to goats, but Natural Resources Manager Katrina Napora confirmed Friday that both goats and sheep will graze the site.
The slope, alongside Holmes Run at the West End park, was chosen for two reasons, the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities said: it is thick with leafy invasives, and it is dangerous to clear by hand. Large rocks hidden under the vegetation make footing treacherous for people, and the uneven ground defeats autonomous mowers. Goats handle it easily.
In brief
The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority is taking comment through Sept. 22 on its 2027 Annual PHA Plan and on revisions to the two rulebooks governing its programs. (The Brief)
Legislators didn’t allow local bans of gas-powered leaf blowers. Va. localities are doing it anyway. (The Brief)
City crews will repave one street and do concrete work at four locations this week. (The Brief)
Alexandria remains under a state drought warning, with the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force continuing every existing advisory in an update issued this week despite what the state called significant rainfall. (The Brief)
The neighbors fighting a 48-unit residential building at 301 North Fairfax Street have taken their case to the Supreme Court of Virginia, according to a docket released for the court's September writ panel. (The Brief)
Sports
The Washington Spirit dominated possession, took 23 shots and lost anyway, falling 1-0 to the Orlando Pride at Audi Field on Sunday evening. (The Brief)
Shakira Austin had a career-high 31 points and 10 rebounds and Georgia Amoore hit two free throws with 4.2 seconds left to help the Washington Mystics rally from a 14-point deficit and beat the Portland Fire 105-100 on Sunday night. (The Brief)
Kirkwood crossed the finish line in front of the U.S. Capitol 3.09 seconds ahead of Christian Lundgaard, after leading for 128 of a possible 147 laps. (The Brief)
Xavier Edwards hit a go-ahead two-run single in the fifth inning and the Miami Marlins beat the Washington Nationals 6-2 on Sunday to complete a three-game series sweep. (The Brief)
Joshua Dobbs ran for a 50-yard touchdown and the Detroit Lions held on for a 17-13 preseason win against the Washington Commanders on Saturday. (The Brief)
Today in Alexandria
⛅ Weather
Today: Sunny, with a high near 85 degrees. Calm wind becoming west 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 63 degrees. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
🌖 Sun, Moon, & Tide
Sunrise at 6:30 a.m., sunset at 7:50 p.m. 13 hours & 20 minutes of sun.
High tide at 6:23 a.m. & 6:56 p.m. Low tide at 1 p.m. The moon phase is a Waxing Gibbous.
🗓️ Things To Do
- 6:30 p.m.: Joggers & Lagers at Port City Brewing Company
🎶 Entertainment
- 219 Restaurant: Just For Fun at 9 p.m.
- Aslin ALX: Dungeons n' Drafts at 6 p.m.
- Clyde’s at Mark Center: Trivia at 6:30 p.m.
- Daniel O’Connell’s: Traditional Irish Music at 7 p.m.
- Del Ray Public House: Trivia at 7 p.m.
- Epicure on King: Open Mic at 7 p.m.
- Laporta’s Restaurant: Jim West at 6 p.m.
- Mason Social: Rook Richards at 5 p.m.
- Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: Colby Sard at 8:30 p.m.
- O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: Karaoke at 9 p.m.
- Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
🏛️ City & Schools
- All Day: ACPS First Day of School (Traditional Calendar)
- 6 a.m.: Chinquapin Pool open
- 11 a.m.: Alexandria Police Department blood drive at APD headquarters
- 4 p.m.: Board of Equalization hearing at 100 N. Pitt St., Suite 301
- 4:30 p.m.: Warwick Pool open
- 4:30 p.m.: Old Town Pool open
- 7 p.m.: Sister Cities Committee meeting (virtual)
📚 Alexandria Library
- All day: Alexandria Library: A Legacy of Service Since 1937 at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 10:30 a.m.: Senior Bingo at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library (registration required)
- 1 p.m.: English Language Learning (ELL) at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
- 5:30 p.m.: English Language Learning 2 Workshop — Intermediate Conversation at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 6:30 p.m.: Stability in Motion weekly yoga at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
⚾ Sports
- 6:45 p.m. Colorado Rockies at Washington Nationals
On this day in Alexandria's history
In 1874, about 50 teachers and others gathered at the Peabody School building at King and Alfred streets for a two-day Teachers' Institute. Alexandria's school superintendent spoke, as did educators from Washington and New Orleans, on topics including the teaching of history and school hygiene.
And in 1933, at the depth of the Great Depression, the price of a haircut in Alexandria rose from 35 cents to 50. Men grumbled, and some vowed to let their wives handle it. But a good haircut still counted for nearly as much as a starched collar, and those looking for work — or hoping to keep it — paid the increase. (Historic Alexandria)
The Alexandria Brief
Alexandria's independent daily community news source
Publisher: Ryan Belmore. Send news and feedback to ryan@alexandriabrief.com.
