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Good morning, Alexandria.
Today's lead story took several days to put together. I asked the Police Department and the city on Friday why two fields were missing from the city's public Flock page. I asked Flock and the mayor over the weekend. Then I spent hours comparing what Alexandria discloses with what Fairfax County and Arlington publish, and reading the state law alongside the department's own directive on how the cameras are used.
Two new fields appeared on the page Tuesday. Nobody has explained why. The camera locations the mayor asked for still aren't posted, and the department hasn't said whether it will turn on a new setting that would block immigration-related searches. I've asked, and I'll keep asking.
Also today: Rep. Don Beyer on reports of ICE encounters in Northern Virginia, and the mayor's back-to-school hair salon, now in its fourth year.
Here's what you need to know for Wednesday, Aug. 19.
1️⃣ Alexandria's Flock page now lists the 161 Virginia agencies that can search its cameras
Alexandria's public license plate reader page began showing two things Tuesday that it did not show a day earlier: the number of searches run over the past 30 days, and the full list of law enforcement agencies allowed to search the city's cameras.
The list runs to 161 agencies. All of them are Virginia entities. No federal agency appears on it, and no out-of-state department.
Two days earlier, Mayor Alyia Gaskins said she had asked Police Chief Tarrick McGuire and City Manager James Parajon to publish exactly that information, along with camera locations, and to switch on a set of new privacy controls announced last week by Flock Safety, the company behind the 61 cameras the Police Department operates.
2️⃣ Beyer says his office has received reports of ICE violence and warrantless detentions in Northern Virginia
Rep. Don Beyer said Tuesday that his office has received reports of several encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Northern Virginia over the past 10 days involving what he described as unjustified violence or apparently warrantless detention.
Beyer, whose district includes Alexandria, said the reports describe a pattern: agents stopping people outside or on the street, asking for identification, and responding with force when their instructions are questioned.
"I urge Northern Virginians to exercise extreme caution," Beyer said in a statement. He said agents are "regularly ignoring their training and departmental regulations that call for deescalation."
3️⃣ Mayor's Back-to-School Hair Salon serves more than 30 Alexandria girls in fourth year
More than 30 girls left Iye's Beauty Salon on Duke Street with fresh hairstyles and backpacks full of school supplies Tuesday, as Mayor Alyia Gaskins hosted the fourth annual Back-to-School Hair Salon ahead of the first day of classes.
The event, held at the West End salon at 4600 Duke St., has quadrupled in size since its first year, when eight girls were served. Last year's salon served between 15 and 20. Participants this year came through the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority and Community Lodgings.
Gaskins said the idea came from a gap she noticed while attending backpack drives around the city.
In brief
The Board of Architectural Review presents 11 draft design guideline chapters from 7 to 9 p.m. today at the Nannie J. Lee Memorial Recreation Center — new rules on EV chargers, security cameras and HVAC for Old Town and Parker-Gray property owners. Comment runs through Sept. 2. (The Brief)
Van Metre has acquired a site for 110 townhomes at WestEnd Alexandria, bringing the first for-sale housing to the 52-acre redevelopment of the former Landmark Mall. (The Brief)
Forced from the Kennedy Center following approval of a reconstruction project by allies of President Donald Trump, the National Symphony Orchestra will split its 2026-27 season among six venues in Washington, D.C., including nine shows in Alexandria. (The Brief)
Crilley Warehouse Executive Offices will host a reception Sept. 1 honoring four artists whose work is on display in the historic Old Town building as part of Mayor Alyia Gaskins' Art in Every Space initiative. (The Brief)
The U.S. Military will conduct an aircraft flyover in the National Capital Region (NCR) over Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday, August 20, 2026, at 1:15 p.m. (Alert DC)
Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced Executive Order 19 Tuesday afternoon, which is designed to strengthen Virginia’s preparedness for natural disasters and other emergencies and streamline the state’s response to crises. (Virginia Mercury)
Historic Alexandria will host an informational webinar for the 2026-2027 StoryKit Cohort on Sept. 3. (City of Alexandria)
Sports
Cal Quantrill gave up four hits in seven innings, Justin Foscue hit a home run, and the Texas Rangers beat the Washington Nationals 5-0 on Tuesday night. (The Brief)
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Today in Alexandria
⛅ Weather
Today: Sunny, with a high near 90 degrees. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 72 degrees. Calm wind.
🌖 Sun, Moon, & Tide
Sunrise at 6:25 a.m., sunset at 7:57 p.m. 13 hours & 31 minutes of sun.
High tide at 1:44 a.m. & 2:17 p.m. Low tide at 8:32 a.m. & 8:10 p.m. The moon phase is a Waxing Crescent.
🗓️ Things To Do
- All Day: Alexandria Restaurant Week throughout Alexandria
- 6 p.m.: Card Night at Continues Arcade
- 7 p.m.: Murphy’s Run Club at Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub
🎶 Entertainment
- 219 Restaurant: Bill Pappas Project at 9 p.m.
- Aslin ALX: Brew Feud at 7 p.m.
- Atlas Brew Works: Bingo at 7 p.m.
- Galactic Panther: Old Town New Films Screening Event at 7 p.m.
- Hops N Shine: Trivia at 6:30 p.m.
- Laporta’s Restaurant: Pete Chauvette at 6 p.m.
- Lost Boy Cider: Line Dancing at 6:30 p.m.
- Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: Kenny Kohlhaas at 8:30 p.m.
- O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: Karaoke at 9 p.m.
- Port City Brewing: Bluegrass Jam Night at 7 p.m.
- Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
- Southside 815: Rook Richards at 9:30 p.m.
🏛️ City & Schools
- 6 a.m.: Chinquapin Pool open
- 10 a.m.: Memorial Pool open
- 4:30 p.m.: Warwick Pool open
- 7 p.m.: Board of Architectural Review Design Guidelines Committee meeting at Nannie J. Lee Recreation Center
📚 Alexandria Library
- All day: Alexandria Library: A Legacy of Service Since 1937 at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 10:30 a.m.: Stitcher's Space at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
- 3 p.m.: Painternoon monthly painting club at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
- 5 p.m.: Bar C Ranch Petting Zoo at the Beatley Library parking lot
- 5:30 p.m.: English Language Learning 2 Workshop — Intermediate Conversation at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 6:30 p.m.: Period Products 101 at Ms. Moxie's Moon Shop, 102 N. Fayette St.
⚾ Sports
- 7:30 p.m.: Toronto Tempo at Washington Mystics
- 7:30 p.m.: New England Revolution at D.C. United
- 8:05 p.m.: Washington Nationals at Texas Rangers
On this day in Alexandria's history
Nothing specific for Alexandria today.
Ryan Belmore is the founder and publisher of The Alexandria Brief. Send news, tips, and feedback to ryan@alexandriabrief.com.
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