Table of Contents
Good morning, Alexandria.
Two things dominated the weekend. Oronoco Bay Park filled Saturday for the 10th Around the World Cultural Food Festival — global food, two beer gardens, a craft market, and the weather held. And Friday night, what happened at Bradlee Shopping Center after the Titans' home opener became the most-talked-about thing in the city. Much of what circulated online went beyond what police and the school division have confirmed.
Also today: Royal Nepal will open on Labor Day, a day it's normally closed, and give everything it takes in to flood relief back home. And parents told the School Board last week that the walk zones ACPS redrew this summer left some children with no way to get to school at all.
Here's what you need to know for Monday, Aug. 31.
1️⃣ Police disperse large crowd at Bradlee Shopping Center after ACHS football game
Alexandria spent the weekend on a story that traveled faster than the facts. A large crowd left Parker-Gray Memorial Stadium after Friday's sold-out season opener and gathered at Bradlee Shopping Center around 9:45 p.m., drawing a police response that affected King Street traffic. Accounts on social media described a far larger and more chaotic scene than what police and the school division have confirmed.
What police say: no student injuries, no arrests. School resource officers were already at the game, and additional officers had been assigned to Bradlee as a support detail. Worth noting how one answer arrived — spokeswoman Tracy Walker first said no injuries were reported, then corrected it Saturday afternoon to specify no student injuries. I've asked the department to explain the change.
Principal Michael Burch told families Saturday that a group of individuals caused a significant disruption and that the vast majority of students and fans left in an orderly manner. Administrators, ACPS security and police are still reviewing. Those involved could be barred from future extracurricular events.
2️⃣ Royal Nepal will open on Labor Day to give a full day's sales to Nepal flood relief
Royal Nepal is normally closed Mondays. On Labor Day it will open anyway, serving 5 to 9 p.m. at 3807 Mount Vernon Ave., and send every dollar it takes in to flood relief in Nepal. The staff are volunteering their time.
In a video posted to Instagram, the restaurant's staff spoke in Nepali and English about the disaster back home — people lost, people still missing, families and communities upended. "From our Royal Nepal Restaurant family to Nepal, we stand with you," one said.
The flooding began Aug. 26, when a surge of water swept down the Bhote Koshi River from the Tibetan side of the border into Nepal's Rasuwa district. Nepal's disaster authority put the death toll at 734 or more as of Saturday, with nearly 2,500 still missing and more than 8,100 rescued. The Red Cross says more than 90,000 people have been affected.
3️⃣ Alexandria's first week of school brought late buses, missed stops and children with no ride at all
A mother told the School Board on Thursday that her 6-year-old son hasn't been to school since classes started. The bus that used to pick him up doesn't come anymore, and a health condition keeps her from walking him. Marisela Serrano was one of five speakers, out of 10, who came to talk about the same thing: the walk zones ACPS redrew this summer, and the bus service that ended when they took effect on the first day of school.
That's the second transportation problem of the young school year, and the one the division has said least about. ACPS has acknowledged the first — late buses and missed stops across the division during opening week. On the walk zones, the written Opening of Schools Report gives transportation a single slide that doesn't mention late buses, missed stops, or students who lost eligibility.
The parents who spoke described the same wall. Jeremy Miller said he spent the summer asking one question — what route under a mile and free of unusual hazards exists between his house and Douglas MacArthur Elementary — and was eventually told to file a FOIA request with the city, which charged him $15 for PDFs already posted on the ACPS website. The answer, when it came, was that the city didn't do a door-to-door analysis; it worked at the school and geographic-area level using GIS.
In brief
North Van Dorn Street was closed between Duke Street and Taney Avenue early Monday after a crash, Alexandria police said in a 3:15 a.m. alert. (Alexandria Police Department)
Renters dealing with mold, pests, broken heat or other housing conditions can get free legal advice and talk directly with city staff at a clinic later tonight in the West End. (The Brief)
Today is International Overdose Awareness Day. The city points residents to alexandriava.gov/opioids for information on prevention, naloxone, treatment and recovery. (City of Alexandria)
The city has mailed 2026 personal property tax bills to registered vehicle owners and business personal property tax bills to businesses that were operating in Alexandria as of Jan. 1. Both are due Monday, Oct. 5. (The Brief)
The city will hold a community meeting Sept. 9 on potential changes to Article X of the zoning ordinance, the section governing historic districts and buildings. (The Brief)
Gov. Abigail Spanberger has appointed four Alexandria residents to state boards and councils. (The Brief)
Belmore's Notebook launched Saturday, a new weekly column on what didn't make it into the week's stories. In the first one: DHS quote-tweeted my reporting instead of answering questions, and three agencies quietly came off the city's Flock access list. (The Brief)
The School Board approved a budget revision Thursday funding about $2.5 million in one-time bonuses — going to every full-time employee, rather than only the state-funded positions the bonus was built around. (The Brief)
Alexandria remains under a state drought warning, but for the first time since April a part of Virginia is out of the drought entirely. (The Brief)
Voters in 47 Virginia jurisdictions will decide in November whether to add a 1% local sales tax for school construction, with Northern Virginia localities also able to use the revenue for transit. Alexandria is not among them — the city is not seeking the authority. (Virginia Mercury)
Gov. Spanberger and voting rights advocates marked the March on Washington anniversary Friday, saying the fight over voting rights continues. (Virginia Mercury)
An Alexandria woman and her mother were killed Saturday night in a wrong-way crash on the Interstate 270 Spur in Bethesda, Maryland. They were identified as Areebah Jahin, 23, of Alexandria, and her mother, Musammat Shamima Begum, 46, of Burke. (WTOP)
An Alexandria woman, Wafa Abdelhafiz Abdalla, 61, has been charged with two counts of misdemeanor assault and battery after Fairfax County police said she assaulted two 2-year-olds while teaching at a McLean daycare. (WTOP)
Crews are scheduled to work on four street segments this week under the city's repaving and street maintenance program: North Tracy Street from Grigsby Street to the end, and concrete work on the 200 block of West Glebe Road, the 100 block of Lynhaven Drive and Woodland Terrace between Russell and West Braddock roads. (City of Alexandria)
Sports
The Washington Spirit beat Bay FC 1-0 at Audi Field on Sunday afternoon, ending a four-game winless streak and holding second place in the National Women's Soccer League with a month of the regular season left. (The Brief)
Otto Lopez's two-run homer capped a six-run ninth inning, and the Miami Marlins rallied past the Washington Nationals 6-2 on Sunday. (The Brief)
Hugo Lloris had his MLS-leading 11th shutout this season for Los Angeles FC in a 0-0 tie with D.C. United on Saturday night. (The Brief)
Tyler Loop missed two of his four field goal attempts Friday night, the only real sour note for Baltimore in a dominant 41-3 win over the Washington Commanders. (The Brief)
Today in Alexandria
⛅ Weather
Today: Scattered showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 91 degrees. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph. The chance of precipitation is 40%.
Tonight: Scattered showers and thunderstorms before 11 p.m., then a slight chance of showers between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. Mostly clear, with a low around 75 degrees. Southeast wind around 5 mph, becoming light and variable. The chance of precipitation is 30%.
🌖 Sun, Moon, & Tide
Sunrise at 6:36 a.m., sunset at 7:40 p.m. 13 hours & 3 minutes of sun.
High tide at 11 a.m. & 11:18 p.m. Low tide at 5:24 a.m. & 5:22 p.m. The moon phase is a Waning Gibbous.
🗓️ Things To Do
- 11 a.m.: The Chamber ALX's 2026 Golf Classic at Laurel Hill Golf Club
- 6:30 p.m.: Joggers & Lagers at Port City Brewing Company
🎶 Entertainment
- 219 Restaurant: Just For Fun at 9 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
City Gov.: Open | Flag: Half Staff | Trash, Recycling, & Yard Waste: On Time
- 7 a.m.: Old Town Pool open
- 1 p.m.: Commission on Aging executive committee meeting at Del Pepper Community Resource Center
- 3 p.m.: School Board Strategy & Accountability Committee Meeting at School Board Meeting Room
- 4 p.m.: Minnie Howard Pool open
- 4 p.m.: Board of Equalization hearing at Bankers Square
- 4:30 p.m.: Warwick Pool open
- 6 p.m.: School Board Operational Excellence Committee Meeting at School Board Meeting Room
- 6 p.m.: Housing Conditions Clinic with the Office of Housing, Legal Aid Justice Center, Code Administration, the Health Department and Alex311 at William Ramsay Recreation Center
- 7 p.m.: Alexandria Community Remembrance Project Committee of Inquiry meeting at Alexandria Black History Museum
📚 Alexandria Library
- All day: Alexandria Library: A Legacy of Service Since 1937 at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 10:15 a.m.: Baby Time at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
- 11:15 a.m.: Baby Time at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
- 1 p.m.: English Language Learning 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 p.m.: Bad Art Night! at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
- 6:30 p.m.: Stability in Motion weekly yoga at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
⚾ Sports
DC Sports
- 6:45 p.m.: Miami Marlins at Washington Nationals
ACHS Titans
- 6:30 p.m.: Volleyball (girls) vs. Wakefield
- Varsity only. Full schedule, including JV and freshman.
On this day in Alexandria's history
Nothing notable today. Check back tomorrow.
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Publisher: Ryan Belmore, an Alexandria resident, journalist, and neighbor. Send news, tips, and feedback to ryan@alexandriabrief.com.
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