The Alexandria Brief: Thursday, April 9

Good morning, Alexandria. It's Thursday, April 9 — the 99th day of 2026, with 266 days left in the year. You're one of 5,735 neighbors reading this morning.

Today is Local News Day. More than 1,300 newsrooms across the country are marking it — and The Alexandria Brief was among the first 100 to sign on. I've got more to say about why local journalism matters in my Publisher's Note below, including a few simple ways you can help.

Today is also add-delete day for City Council. Council members must submit their proposed additions, deletions, and amendments to the FY2027 budget by the end of the day. I'll be watching what comes in.

Tonight, the School Board meets at 6 p.m. and will get its first look at the revised police MOU — the agreement that's been stalled for nearly a year over concerns about student privacy. A public hearing is set for April 16.

Here's what you need to know today. Thanks for being here and for reading.

~ Ryan

1️⃣ Publisher's Note: It's Local News Day. Start local.

On April 9, newsrooms and communities across the country will mark Local News Day - a national day of action celebrating the trusted local news and information that helps communities stay informed and connected. (Local News Day)

Today is Local News Day — a national day of action celebrating the trusted local news that helps communities stay informed and connected. More than 1,300 newsrooms across all 50 states are showing up for it. The Alexandria Brief was among the first 100 to sign on.

I started this publication because I believe Alexandria deserves journalism that takes it seriously — independent, community-powered reporting on city government, development, public safety, and daily life. Free for everyone. No paywall. No advertising. No outside agenda.

Today, I'm asking you to take one step: forward this newsletter to one person in Alexandria who isn't reading us yet. Or become a paid supporter. Or just keep reading.

2️⃣ State education officials make Alexandria a multi-stop visit: Teacher of the Year surprise, then listening tour

ACPS Superintendent Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt welcomes the crowd to ACPS for the Commonwealth Listening Tour (Ryan Belmore/The Alexandria Brief)

Virginia's top education officials made Alexandria a destination Wednesday, surprising a Jefferson-Houston teacher with a regional honor in the afternoon before leading a community listening session at Minnie Howard that evening.

Deedra Robinson, a middle school AVID instructor with 40 years in education, was named the 2027 Virginia Region 4 Teacher of the Year — the second consecutive year an ACPS teacher has earned the regional distinction. Robinson, who plans to retire at the end of the school year, was seated on stage unaware she was the subject of Superintendent of Public Instruction Jenna Conway's remarks until her name was called. Her family walked in moments later carrying roses.

Hours later, Conway and Secretary of Education Dr. Jeffrey O. Smith led nearly two hours of structured conversation at Minnie Howard as part of Governor Spanberger's Commonwealth Listening Tour. The session — the final in-person stop on the statewide tour — gathered feedback on literacy, teacher retention, accountability, and how the state can better partner with schools. A public report is expected in the coming weeks.

3️⃣ Alexandria's revised SRO agreement hits the board docket — with the change that stalled it for a year

Minnie Howard Campus at Alexandria City High School (ACPS)

The Alexandria City School Board will receive the long-awaited revised agreement governing police in its schools tonight — the first time the renegotiated document will be publicly available.

The most significant change from the 2025 draft that triggered community concern: the new agreement removes the designation of School Resource Officers as "school officials" under federal privacy law. That designation would have allowed SROs to access student education records without written parental consent. Community members objected strongly at a May 2025 hearing, and the board voted to extend the existing agreement twice rather than adopt the new version.

The revised draft strips the designation entirely. Other changes include updated statutory citations, new language clarifying how SROs may question students in non-emergency situations, and a correction of the review period from "biannually" to "biennially."

The board will review but not vote tonight. A public hearing is scheduled for April 16 at 5 p.m.

4️⃣ Already in the only major metro losing jobs, Alexandria now faces the nation's second-highest AI risk

The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro appears in deep orange on Tufts University's national job risk map — a color reserved for the country's most AI-vulnerable labor markets. Only the San Jose metro, home to Silicon Valley, ranks higher. (Digital Planet, The Fletcher School, Tufts University)

Alexandria is navigating one economic storm while a second one forms on the horizon.

The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro ranks second in the country for AI-related job vulnerability — behind only Silicon Valley — according to a new analysis from Tufts University. The region faces a projected 9.07% job loss rate, translating to an estimated 276,160 jobs at risk and $30.4 billion in annual household income potentially lost to artificial intelligence over the next two to five years.

The threat arrives as the metro is already reeling. It was the only large U.S. metro losing jobs in late 2025, shedding approximately 48,500 positions while every other major city was growing or flat. Alexandria's private sector shed 1.1% of its jobs. Personal bankruptcy filings rose 28%. Inflation-adjusted home prices fell 25%.

5️⃣ Major regional transportation survey launches across DMV, seeking input from 300,000 households

A major transportation survey is hitting mailboxes across the region. If you're selected, don't miss the chance to represent households like yours and help shape the future of travel in the DMV! (COG)

A major regional transportation survey is underway across the Washington area, with planners seeking responses from about 300,000 randomly selected households to help guide future investments in roads, transit, bike routes and sidewalks.

The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board launched the Regional Travel Survey on April 8 in partnership with transportation agencies across the District, Maryland and Virginia — including WMATA and the Virginia departments of transportation and rail. Data collection runs through June, with a second wave planned for the fall.

The survey is the first of its kind since 2017-18 and the first conducted since the pandemic. It also marks a shift from once-a-decade surveys to a new four-to-five-year cycle — and is the first to offer a smartphone app option alongside the traditional web-based version.

For Alexandria residents, responses could directly influence future investments in Metro service, DASH bus routes, the Mount Vernon Trail, and pedestrian infrastructure citywide.

Selected households will receive a postcard in the mail with instructions. Participants receive $5 to $10 per person. Initial analysis is expected in 2027.

📰 In brief

Traffic Alert: Expect multiple bridge openings on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge overnight tonight from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Friday, Apr 10, for maintenance. Plan for traffic stops and follow all signals. Bridge maintenance is weather permitting. (City of Alexandria/X)

Del Ray's biennial House & Garden Tour is back on Saturday, May 9. (The Alexandria Brief)

A high-speed pursuit on Interstate 495 spilled into Alexandria Tuesday night after a suspect fled on foot across highway lanes and into the city, triggering a multiagency manhunt that ended with an arrest at a Washington, D.C., Metro station. (The Alexandria Brief)

Spring2Action, Alexandria's Giving Day, is just 12 days away, and early giving has already begun. (Spring2Action)

The city will host Historic Holmes Run Stream Cleanup on Saturday, April 11. (City of Alexandria)

Making vinyl: Alexandria conference focuses on musicians, bands pressing albums. (WTOP)

Join the city's Office of Housing, Office of Human Rights, and Office of Historic Alexandria on April 30 for a special event, "Built Here: The History of Black Property Ownership and the Pursuit of Fair Housing in Alexandria," as they commemorate Fair Housing Month. (City of Alexandria)

April 21 Special Election: As of April 7, 6,827 residents have voted early in person, and 5,549 have voted by mail-in ballot (10,359 ballots have been sent). The ballot includes a contest for City Council as well as a proposed statewide constitutional amendment on redistricting. Early voting continues today at 132 N Royal Street. (City of Alexandria)

Today in Alexandria

⛅ Weather

Partly sunny today, with a high near 62 degrees. Calm wind becoming southeast around 6 mph in the afternoon.

Mostly clear tonight, with a low around 42 degrees. Southeast wind around 6 mph, becoming calm in the evening.

🌖 Sun, Moon, & Tide

Sunrise at 6:40 a.m., sunset at 7:39 p.m. 12 hours & 59 minutes of sun.

High tide at 2:06 a.m. & 1:57 p.m. Low tide at 7:44 a.m. and 8:47 p.m. The moon phase is a Waning Gibbous.

🗓️ Things To Do

5 p.m.: Historic Happy Hours at Vola's Dockside Grill
5 p.m.: WEBA April Professional Networking Social at Hank's Oyster Bar
7 p.m.: Orin Swift Wine Dinner at Chart House Restaurant
7:30 p.m.: Jazz Heritage Series at Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center

🎶 Entertainment

219 Restaurant: Mike Kelley & Friends at 9 p.m.
Aslin ALX: Trivia at 7 p.m.
Atlas Brew Works: Bingo at 7 p.m.
Evening Star Cafe: The Walkaways at 8:30 p.m.
Hops N Shine: Trivia at 6:30 p.m.
Laporta’s Restaurant: Ken Kilpatrick Trio at 6 p.m.
Lena’s: Dave Manley and Mauricio Miranda at 6 p.m.
Lost Boy Cider: Trivia at 7 p.m.
Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: Pat Garvey & Rook Richards at 8:30 p.m.
O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: Never Elected, Hungry Bug, and An Awful Panic at 9 p.m.
Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
The Little Theatre of Alexandria: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner at 8 p.m.
The Study at Morrison House: Live Piano Music at 6 p.m.

🏛️ City & Schools

City Government: Open | Schools: Open | Flag: Full Staff | Trash, Recycling, & Yard Waste Collection: On Time

6 a.m.: Chinquapin Open at Chinquapin
1 p.m.: Understanding ACEs: Building Resilient Communities
3 p.m.: Commission on Aging Health Committee (virtual)
4 p.m.: Community Criminal Justice Board
4:30 p.m.: Commission on Aging (virtual)
5 p.m.: Historic Happy Hours at Vola's Dockside Grill
6 p.m.: ACPS School Board Meeting
6 p.m.: Minnie Howard Open at Minnie Howard
7 p.m.: Housing Affordability Advisory Committee

📚 Alexandria Library

All day: Footsteps of History - Virtual Walking Challenge (virtual)
All day: Turning the Lens on Plastic Pollution Through Art at Barrett Branch Library
All day: The Great American PoeTREEs at Beatley Central Library
All day: Tiny Art Show: Tiny Chair Edition at Beatley Central Library
All day: America 250 Community Mini Art Show Canvas Pick-Up at Burke Branch Library
10 a.m.: English Language Learning (ELL) 1 Workshop at Beatley Central Library
10 a.m.: Twice Loved Plushies at Beatley Central Library — accepting donations through April 20
10:15 a.m.: AAR Storytime at Duncan Branch Library
11 a.m.: Preschool Story Time at Barrett Branch Library
11 a.m.: Line Dancing 101 at Burke Branch Library
11:15 a.m.: AAR Storytime at Duncan Branch Library
Noon: Line Dancing 201 at Burke Branch Library
1:15 p.m.: Baby Bounce at Beatley Central Library
2 p.m.: American Style Mahjong at Barrett Branch Library
3 p.m.: Handcraft Crafternoon at Beatley Central Library
4 p.m.: Preschool Storytime at Beatley Central Library
5 p.m.: Spitfire - 4th and 5th Grade at Duncan Branch Library
5:30 p.m.: Tai Chi at Beatley Central Library
6 p.m.: Duncan Literary Society at The Company of Books
6 p.m.: Nerdy Knotters at Duncan Branch Library
6 p.m.: Dungeons and Dragons Adult Group: Group A at Barrett Branch Library
6 p.m.: Coding Game Night at Beatley Central Library
6 p.m.: Sit & Stitch at Burke Branch Library
6:30 p.m.: Winter Teen Creativity Contest Art Show - Opening Reception at Dope Focus Gallery

📜 On This Day in Alexandria History

"When news of the fall of the Confederate capital at Richmond reached Alexandria during the first week of April 1865, days before the surrender of Robert E, Lee’s forces at Appomattox, the grim city immediately took on a festive air. The first sign was the tolling of church bells throughout the downtown, and later the firing of victory rounds at local fortifications as a salute by Union soldiers. The celebration by Union forces and those loyal to their cause lasted several days, with parades spontaneously occurring on main thoroughfares and constant noise making of citizens by blowing horns and whistles. American flags sprouted from many homes and businesses, and those structures that did not display “Old Glory’ were subject to vandalism and public scorn.It was the darkest of times for Alexandrians that supported the Confederate cause, as they remained hidden in their homes, praying for some miracle that might yet emerge in the final days of the war. But when Lee’s surrender at Appomattox finally occurred on April 9, all hope was lost. But in their defeat they were at least comforted by the end of the conflict, and the new opportunities that lay ahead for their city." (Historic Alexandria)