Table of Contents
Good morning, Alexandria.
Rep. Don Beyer won his primary comfortably Tuesday — 67.6% districtwide against four challengers — but the returns hold a wrinkle worth a second look. Alexandria, where both Beyer and runner-up Mo Seifeldein live, gave the incumbent his smallest share of any jurisdiction in the district. And across all four jurisdictions, voters who showed up at the polls Tuesday broke for the challengers at notably higher rates than those who voted early or by mail.
Also today: Republicans picked Bert Mizusawa to take on Sen. Mark Warner in November, and the kayak launch that opened at Four Mile Run Park 87 days ago is now lodged against a bridge abutment a fifth of a mile downstream.
Here's what you need to know for Wednesday, Aug. 5.
1️⃣ Don Beyer wins Democratic primary; Mizusawa takes Republican Senate nomination
Rep. Don Beyer turned back four challengers Tuesday to win the Democratic nomination in Virginia's 8th Congressional District, taking 67.6% districtwide in complete unofficial returns. Mo Seifeldein finished second with 17.6%, followed by Adam M. Dunigan at 9%, Michael Christian Duffin at 3.2% and Lorena Thorne Bruner at 2.6%. Beyer carried every jurisdiction, but Alexandria gave him the least: 65.3%, compared with 75.2% in Falls Church. Seifeldein, a former Alexandria City Council member, ran strongest here at 20%. Both men live in the city, and Beyer still beat him in Alexandria by 6,284 votes.
A sharper split ran across the district, and it wasn't geographic. Beyer took 73.5% of ballots cast before Tuesday but 62.5% of those cast at the polls. In Alexandria the gap was wider still — 73.8% early in person and 70.7% by mail, against 59.3% on Election Day. Seifeldein ran the mirror image, pulling 24.4% at the polls to 13.8% early. Among ballots cast at the polls, he won one of the city's 32 precincts, taking Del Pepper Center 38-37. Beyer faces Republican Tony Sabio in November.
On the Republican side, Bert Mizusawa won the U.S. Senate primary with 51.5% statewide, ahead of David E. Williams at 28.9% and Kim Farington at 19.6%. Alexandria Republicans were cooler: Mizusawa took 47.9% here to Williams' 27.4% and Farington's 24.7%. A retired Army brigadier general and former National Security Council official, Mizusawa will face Sen. Mark Warner, an Alexandria resident who was unopposed for the Democratic nomination, on Nov. 3. The city recorded 15,408 votes across both primaries, about 15% of its 99,811 active registered voters. Results are unofficial until local and state boards canvass and certify them.
Read more: Beyer wins 8th District nomination with 68%; Alexandria gave him his smallest share | Virginia Democrats pick establishment nominees for 2 US House seats they hope to flip in November
2️⃣ National Night Out draws hundreds across Alexandria neighborhoods
Alexandria marked National Night Out on Tuesday evening with block parties, cookouts and community gatherings across the city — the annual event bringing together residents and public safety officials in neighborhoods from Del Ray to the West End. Chief Tarrick McGuire and other APD officers made the rounds, stopping at events throughout the evening.
The turnout appeared strong across the city, with more than fifty registered neighborhood events. Alexandria has been building its National Night Out participation in recent years, and Tuesday's showing continued that trend.
See more at the Alexandria Police Department's Facebook Page.
3️⃣ Alexandria's new kayak launch — open just 87 days — was torn from shore by weekend storms
Tree limbs and other large debris piled against the upstream end of Alexandria's new kayak launch during last weekend's storms, and the pressure of fast current tore the structure away from the shore, the head of the nonprofit that built it said Tuesday.
The launch rotated outward, the gangway detached from the shoreline, and the structure floated downstream and lodged against an abutment of the Richmond Highway bridge, about 0.2 miles from Four Mile Run Park, Four Mile Run Conservancy President Kurt Moser said.
"The situation is still being assessed, and engineers will be on site later this week to evaluate the damage and causes of failure," Moser said in an email.
Read more: Debris and current tore the Four Mile Run kayak launch from shore, Conservancy says
In brief
City planners have posted 25 draft recommendations that would shape development along Duke Street for the next 15 to 20 years — the first comprehensive rethinking of the corridor since 1992. Tonight at 6:30 p.m., city staff will present an overview of the draft and take questions via Zoom. Public comment is open through Aug. 21. (The Brief)
The Alexandria Police Department will receive $38,964 in federal grant money to pay overtime for task forces and special details and to hire patrol officers, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced Tuesday. (The Brief)
Alexandrians can travel to Mount Vernon by water on a round trip that leaves from the Alexandria City Marina and includes admission to the estate. (The Brief)
Del Ray's summer bar crawl returns Saturday, Aug. 15, with live music at more than 20 restaurants along Mount Vernon Avenue and proceeds benefiting The Scholarship Fund of Alexandria. (The Brief)
City planners will present a draft proposal Aug. 11 that is expected to loosen the rules governing construction on Alexandria's undersized residential lots — a process that has required City Council approval for more than 50 years. (The Brief)
Alexandria tenants facing eviction for unpaid rent now have a path to stay in their homes while they pay off what they owe, under a program the city's General District Court adopted July 1. (The Brief)
Artists will turn a stretch of pavement in Old Town North into a temporary outdoor gallery next month, as the Old Town North Alliance brings back its Chalk-A-Block festival for a third year. (The Brief)
Region
Virginia is closer to regulating self-driving vehicles, which have steadily increased nationwide despite continued concerns over safety. (Virginia Mercury)
President Donald Trump's proposed 250-foot-tall (76-meter) memorial arch could disrupt the historical significance of dozens of sites near its planned location, according to an assessment by the National Park Service. (The Brief)
The extension of the National Guard deployment in Washington, D.C. until January 2029 will cost roughly $1.4 billion, according to a Defense Department estimate provided to Congress. (The Brief)
Sports
Luis Arraez had two hits and two RBIs in his Philadelphia debut, Jesús Luzardo allowed four hits in eight innings and the Phillies beat the Washington Nationals 5-0 on Tuesday night for their fourth straight victory. (The Brief)
Washington Nationals All-Star outfielder James Wood was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday after suffering a left oblique strain while batting Monday night against the Philadelphia Phillies. (The Brief)
Today's Schedule
- 6:40 p.m.: Nationals at Philadelphia Phillies
- 7:30 p.m.: Dallas Wings at Washington Mystics
Today in Alexandria
⛅ Weather
Today: Showers and thunderstorms likely before 10 a.m., then a chance of showers between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11 a.m. Patchy fog between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m.. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 88 degrees. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half an inch are possible.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 74 degrees. South wind around 5 mph.
🌖 Sun, Moon, & Tide
Sunrise at 6:13 a.m., sunset at 8:14 p.m. 14 hours of sun.
High tide at 1:15 a.m. & 1:43 p.m. Low tide at 7:13 a.m. & 7:07 p.m. The moon phase is a Waning Gibbous.
The following calendar sections — Things To Do, Entertainment, City of Alexandria and Alexandria Library — reflect information available at time of publication. Schedules are subject to change. Please check with the venue or event host for the latest status before attending.
🗓️ Things To Do
- 7 p.m.: Murphy’s Run Club at Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub
🎶 Entertainment
- 219 Restaurant: Mike Wescott at 9 p.m.
- Atlas Brew Works: Bingo at 7 p.m.
- Evening Star: Open Mic in the No. 9 Lounge at 8:30 p.m.
- Galactic Panther: Sound Bites: A Night with Jay Columbus & Andre Vincent 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: Luke James Shaffer at 8:30 p.m.
- O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: Karaoke at 9 p.m.
- Port City Brewing Company: 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.
- The Birchmere: Three Dog Night at 7:30 p.m.
🏛️ City & Schools
- City Government: Open
- Flag: Full Staff
- Trash, Recycling, & Yard Waste Collection: On Time
- All day: Memorial Pool closed for cleaning and sanitization
- 6 a.m.: Chinquapin Pool open
- 7 a.m.: Minnie Howard Pool open
- 9:30 a.m.: Alexandria Electoral Board at Voter Registration Office
- 10 a.m.: APD Career Fair at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall
- 11 a.m.: Warwick Pool open
- Noon: Commission on Employment executive meeting (virtual)
- 6 p.m.: Independent Community Policing Review Board monthly meeting at Del Pepper Community Resource Center
- 6:30 p.m.: Duke Street Land Use Plan Community Meeting #8 (Zoom)
📚 Alexandria Library
- All day: Alexandria Library: A Legacy of Service Since 1937 at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 10 a.m.: Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Beginners (registration full) at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 10:30 a.m.: Stitcher's Space at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
- 11 a.m.: Just Babies / Solo Los Bebés at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
- 12 p.m.: Like a Wave We Break — Overcoming Burnout to Lead with Resilience and Alignment at Virtual
- 2 p.m.: Dino Nightlights at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
- 4 p.m.: Secret Garden: Raptors at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
- 4:30 p.m.: TACA Presents: Kids' Ghanaian Cultural Dance at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 5:30 p.m.: English Language Learning (ELL) 2 Workshop — Intermediate Conversation at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 6:30 p.m.: Manga Sketching Class at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
- 7 p.m.: Monthly Meditation at Virtual (Zoom)
On this day in Alexandria's history
On Aug. 5, 1774, Alexandria’s first volunteer fire company, the Friendship Fire Company, was established. Initially, the company was given space in the Market Square area, but over time, several moves followed as the company's needs grew. In 1855, the company moved to a new firehouse built on South Alfred Street, which featured a tall, pointed steeple visible for miles. During the Civil War, the firehouse was neglected, and by 1871, the impact of wind and weather on the steeple was so devastating that the building was closed and rebuilt. The steeple was removed and replaced by the lower cupola, still in place today. (Historic Alexandria)
The Friendship Firehouse Museum is open one Saturday per month from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers free admission for Alexandria residents. The next Saturday that they are open is Sept. 26. More info.
The Alexandria Brief
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