The Alexandria Brief

Good morning, Alexandria.

The Yellow Line is back to normal this morning. Metro says trains are running between Greenbelt and Huntington again after yesterday's derailment cut service short of the District. Two more disruptions to plan around: tomorrow, Yellow and Blue trains will run single-track between Reagan National and Pentagon City from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the Yellow Line will shut down again this weekend for track work.

Also today: Rep. Don Beyer is calling on the FAA to suspend an AI-supported air traffic tool it started using around Reagan National on Monday. Alexandria's median home price hit $752,500 in August even as sales fell nearly 29%. And City Council votes tonight on new rules for public participation — the mayor said Saturday the language on personal attacks will get definitions before the vote.

And summer officially ends tonight. The fall equinox arrives at 8:05 p.m.

Here's what you need to know for Tuesday, Sept. 22.

1️⃣ Beyer calls on FAA to suspend AI-supported air traffic tool launched at Washington airports

Helicopter shot of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C. at sunset on a fall evening. (halbergman/Getty Images)

The FAA started using a new AI-supported air traffic tool Monday in the airspace around Reagan National, and Rep. Don Beyer wants it shut off. The system, called SMART, pulls in about 200 data streams — weather, flight paths, controller staffing — and recommends ways to head off congestion and delays. "The FAA should not use my constituents as guinea pigs for an unproven AI air traffic control system," Beyer said.

The FAA says the tool can't replace controllers or take control of an aircraft, and that staff reviews every recommendation. Beyer says he was told controllers weren't consulted on its design or trained before it went live, and he wants it suspended until controller feedback and independent stress testing show it's safe. I've asked the FAA to respond.

2️⃣ Alexandria home prices climbed in August as sales fell nearly 29%

A row of townhouses in Alexandria, Virginia. (Gracy Cary/Getty Images)

Alexandria's median home price hit $752,500 in August, up 9.1% from a year ago, while sales fell 28.6% to 130 homes, according to the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors. That's the second-steepest sales drop in the region, behind only the city of Fairfax — and it matches what the Redfin numbers have shown here all summer.

Region-wide, listings are up 18.5%, almost all of it condos and townhouses. More homes on the market hasn't meant more sales, though, and prices have held.

3️⃣ City Council votes tonight on new rules for public participation in meetings

Alexandria City Council: Pictured top row from left are Councilman Abdel-Rahman Elnoubi, Councilwoman Sandy Marks, Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley, and Councilman Canek Aguirre. Pictured bottom row from left are Councilman John Chapman, Mayor Alyia Gaskins, and Councilwoman Jacinta Greene. (City of Alexandria)

City Council votes tonight on a resolution rewriting the rules for how the public takes part in its meetings, and much of it puts current practice in writing. Clapping during public comment is already off-limits, and people who keep disrupting already get escorted out. New specifics include a size limit on signs, a list of banned devices, and a 10-minute cap for developers and other applicants, who now have no limit. An earlier draft would have cut civic groups from five minutes to three; that's gone.

The part drawing fire is a ban on personal attacks, off-topic comments and campaigning during testimony. At Saturday's hearing, Mayor Alyia Gaskins said the draft should have included definitions and that staff would bring them tonight. "Personal insults, we get those all the time. That's not something we speak to or stop at," she said. What council has in mind, she said, is people who "have come and given actual threats and then followed up on those threats." The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center.

Before that vote, the council meets at 5:30 with Alexandria's state legislators to discuss what the city will ask Richmond for in 2027.

In brief

Attorney General Jay Jones has asked the State Corporation Commission to reset the review of the $67 billion Dominion-NextEra merger. The companies filed their offer of extended bill credits and other perks the first business day after the deadline for intervenors to join the case, which Jones said "raises serious notice concerns." Alexandria is one of those intervenors. (Virginia Mercury/The Brief)

Alexandria police hold their first community listening session on department technology, including the Flock cameras, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library. The second is Oct. 7 at Patrick Henry Recreation Center. (The Brief)

The Fund for Alexandria's Child takes over Continues Arcade on Thursday for a night of '80s and '90s games, raising money for children in foster care. (The Brief)

The Eisenhower Partnership hosts a breakfast with Planning and Zoning Director Paul Stoddard from 8 to 10 a.m. Oct. 7 at The Garden by Building Momentum. Mayor Alyia Gaskins gives opening remarks at 8:30, followed by Stoddard, with networking before and after. (Eventbrite)

An Alexandria office building a block from King Street Metro sold for $7.1M. It went for $65.8M in 2008. Insight and Moriarty plan nearly 200 apartments using already-approved conversion plans, with construction starting mid-2027. (Washington Business Journal)

Alexandria startup HyperSpectral is aiming to close a $60M Series B by year's end, then find permanent lab space in 2027. CEO Matt Theurer says he's open to leaving the city for it, including university partnerships in Montgomery County or College Park. (Washington Business Journal)

NOVA Parks' board adopted a $69.1 million five-year capital budget Thursday, including $1.5 million to renovate Carlyle House and $1 million for a new entrance, parking lot and other upgrades at the Winkler Botanical Preserve, both in Alexandria. (NOVA Parks)

ACPS has hired Tameka Estep as assistant director of pupil transportation, starting this week in the office that's spent the school year dealing with late buses, missed stops and a 16-driver shortage. Estep comes from D.C.'s transportation department and previously ran customer service for the District's student transportation agency. (ACPS)

ACPS is looking for students, families and staff to fill vacancies on its calendar committee, which sets teacher workdays, conference days and early-release dates. Interest forms are due Friday. (ACPS)

Prince George's County Council holds a public listening session at 6 p.m. tonight on the proposed Sphere at National Harbor, a 6,000-seat entertainment venue across the Potomac from Old Town. The session is at the Wayne K. Curry Administration Building in Largo, and anyone can attend. (Prince George's County Council)

Sports

River Ryan made a strong debut as Detroit hit three home runs in a 9-2 win over the Nationals on Monday. The series continues tonight. (AP/The Brief)

Marcus Mariota will start for the Commanders this weekend as the team awaits more information on Jayden Daniels' dislocated elbow. Coach Dan Quinn said he might have an update Thursday or Friday. (AP/The Brief)

Today in Alexandria

⛅ Weather

Today: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Patchy fog before 1 p.m., then patchy fog after 2 p.m. High near 64 degrees. Northeast wind around 13 mph, with gusts up to 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three-quarters of an inch are possible.

Tonight: Showers. Patchy fog before midnight. Low around 57 degrees. Northeast wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts up to 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three-quarters of an inch are possible.

🌖 Sun, Moon, & Tide

Sunrise at 6:56 a.m., sunset at 7:05 p.m. 12 hours & 9 minutes of sun.

High tide at 5:46 a.m. & 6:19 p.m. Low tide at 12:16 p.m. The moon phase is a Waxing Gibbous.

🗓️ Things To Do

5:30 p.m.: WEBA Networking Mixer with the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce & Mount Vernon Springfield Chamber of Commerce at Three Collective
7 p.m.: Beer Yoga at Port City Brewing Company

🎶 Entertainment

219 Restaurant: Justin Gillen Trio at 9 p.m.
Atlas Brew Works ALX: Trivia at 7 p.m.
Cooper Mill: Music Bingo at 6 p.m.
Galactic Panther: Find Fiona with Knave, Nice Breeze, and Sunny Mondays at 7 p.m.
Laporta’s Restaurant: Antonio James at 6 p.m.
Lena's: Melissa Quinn Fox on the patio at 6 p.m.
Lost Dog Cafe: Trivia at 7 p.m.
Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: Pete Baker at 8:30 p.m.
Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
The Birchmere: 40 Fingers at 7:30 p.m.
The Commodore: Trivia at 7 p.m.

🏛️ City & Schools

City Gov.: Open | Flag: Full Staff | Trash, Recycling, & Yard Waste: On Time

9 a.m.: Board of Equalization hearing at Bankers Square
5:30 p.m.: City Council work session with the state legislative delegation, followed by the legislative meeting at 7 p.m., at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center

City of Alexandria calendar

📚 Alexandria Library

10 a.m.: English Language Learning 1 Workshop — Beginner Conversation at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
11 a.m.: Baby and Toddler Time at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
3 p.m.: Beatley Friends Book Sale member preview at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
6:45 p.m.: Eco:mmunion at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library

Alexandria Library calendar

⚾ Sports

ACHS Titans

4 p.m.: Golf at Falls Church, Jefferson District
7 p.m.: Volleyball (girls) at Washington-Liberty
Varsity only. Full schedule, including JV and freshman.

D.C. Sports

6:40 p.m.: Washington Nationals at Detroit Tigers
7:30 p.m.: Connecticut Sun at Washington Mystics

On this day in Alexandria's history

Two notable things happened in Alexandria on Sept. 22.

In 1896, Black Alexandrians celebrated the anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation with a parade, followed by a program and speeches at the opera house at 500-508 King St.

And in 1897, the community marked the anniversary again with a celebration at Third Baptist Church, 917 Princess St. The featured speaker was John Mercer Langston, the first African American elected to Congress from Virginia. (Historic Alexandria)

Alexandria, Va. news and information you won't find anywhere else.

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Ryan Belmore, an Alexandria resident and journalist, is the founder and publisher of The Alexandria Brief. Send tips and feedback to ryan@alexandriabrief.com.