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The Alexandria Brief: Wednesday, Jan. 21

McPike wins HD5 primary; Lineberry challenges Bennett-Parker to debates; Queer Eye's final season drops with Alexandria as home base

,   and  Ryan Belmore
8 min read

Table of Contents

Good morning, Alexandria.

Kirk McPike cruised to the Democratic nomination for House District 5 last night, setting up a Feb. 10 matchup with Republican Mason Butler, and likely triggering yet another special election if he wins. Meanwhile, in the Senate District 39 race, Republican Julie Lineberry is calling for three debates with Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, who says she’s open to a virtual forum but is focused on work in Richmond. We’ve invited both candidates for conversations. Lineberry joins us live on Thursday at noon.

Also today: A massive LED-covered Sphere could soon dominate Alexandria’s cross-river views, Timber Pizza is eyeing a location in the city, and the Transportation Commission holds its first hearing on the GO Alex Fund.

Here’s what you need to know.

1️⃣ McPike wins Democratic nomination in HD5 race

R. Kirk McPike. (Kirk McPike for Delegate)

City Councilman Kirk McPike won Tuesday’s firehouse primary with about 60% of the vote, becoming the Democratic nominee for House District 5. Former School Board member Eileen Cassidy Rivera finished second at 24%, followed by criminal defense attorney Chris Leibig at 12.5%.

McPike will now face Republican Mason Butler, a business executive and federal contractor, in the Feb. 10 special election. If McPike wins, it would trigger yet another special election — this time to fill his council seat, likely in April.

Read more: McPike wins House District 5 firehouse primary

2️⃣ Lineberry calls for debates; Bennett-Parker open to virtual forum

Republican Julie Lineberry challenged Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker to three debates across Senate District 39 on Tuesday, one each in Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax County.

Bennett-Parker said she’s open to a virtual forum with a neutral moderator but noted Lineberry’s challenge didn’t include proposed dates, times, or topics. Bennett-Parker said she’s focused on the legislative session, where she passed a constitutional amendment on voting rights and several bills out of subcommittee last week.

The Alexandria Brief has invited both candidates for live conversations and a joint forum — Lineberry joins us Thursday at noon, and we’re working to schedule Bennett-Parker.

Read more:

3️⃣ That glowing orb on the horizon? It could be a Sphere

Alexandria’s cross-river views may be getting a new landmark. Sphere Entertainment announced plans to build a smaller version of its Las Vegas venue at National Harbor, about two miles across the Potomac from Old Town.

The 6,000-seat structure would feature the signature LED-covered exterior that makes the Vegas original visible for miles — particularly at night. Exact dimensions haven’t been released, but even a scaled-down version would likely tower over the Capital Wheel and MGM casino that residents already see from the waterfront, Jones Point and higher-elevation neighborhoods.

The project hinges on government approvals and could open within three to four years.

Read more: Glowing orb on horizon? Proposed Sphere at National Harbor would be visible from Alexandria

4️⃣ Timber Pizza Co. planning Alexandria location

Timber Pizza Co., the wood-fired pizzeria that earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand and Bon Appétit’s Pizzeria of the Year, announced it has a deal in development for an Alexandria location.

The D.C.-born brand didn’t disclose a specific address or timeline. If it opens, it would be Timber’s fourth Northern Virginia location, joining McLean, Ballston, and Reagan National Airport. The company started in 2014 with a pizza oven and a 1967 Chevy pickup at farmers’ markets and has since grown into a franchise operation with recent openings in Charleston, Raleigh, and Durham.

Read more: Timber Pizza Co. eyes Alexandria as next Virginia location

5️⃣ Transportation Commission holds first hearing on GO Alex Fund

The Transportation Commission meets virtually tonight at 7 p.m. to take public comment on the GO Alex Fund, a pooled transportation fund that most new developments pay into rather than running their own programs. Staff is proposing $220,000 in spending for fiscal year 2026.

Commissioners will also hear that the city secured a $600,000 federal grant to update its Vision Zero plan, which aims to eliminate traffic deaths and severe injuries by 2028 — now just two years away.

Separately, the city is hosting workshops this week on the Duke Street Land Use Plan, with sessions tonight and Thursday at Patrick Henry Recreation Center from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Read more: On the Docket: A weekly preview of city and school board meetings (January 19–24)

More from The Alexandria Brief

Garrett McGuire, Chair-Elect of the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, won a special election Tuesday for a Fairfax County seat in the House of Delegates, giving one of the city’s top business advocates a vote in Richmond. Read more

The Alexandria Sheriff’s Office is inviting residents and workers to sign up for its spring community academy, a free program offering an insider’s view of local law enforcement operations. Read more

A winter storm forming over the Southern United States could bring significant snow to Alexandria this weekend, and city crews are already preparing for the potential impact. Read more

Mikie Sherrill, born in Alexandria in 1972, was sworn in Tuesday as New Jersey’s 57th governor, becoming the first Democratic woman and first female military veteran to hold the office. Read more

Alexandria City Council will hold its first public hearing at the new Del Pepper Community Resource Center on Saturday, with a packed agenda headlined by the city’s new Green Building Plan, on which staff and the Planning Commission have offered different recommendations. Read more

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia is accepting applications for a U.S. attorney after Lindsey Halligan’s 120-day appointment expired on Tuesday. Read more

The Little Theatre of Alexandria has received 24 nominations for the 2025 WATCH Awards, recognizing the theater’s work across five productions staged last year. Read more

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🗓️ Today in Alexandria

Sunny today, with a high near 41 degrees. Light southeast wind becoming south 9 to 14 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 24 mph.

Mostly cloudy tonight, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 34. South wind around 10 mph.

Sunrise at 7:21 a.m., sunset at 5:17 p.m. There will be 9 hours & 55 minutes of sun.

Events & Things To Do

Live Music & Entertainment

City of Alexandria

Alexandria City Public Schools

Alexandria Library

📰 Extra! Extra!

Queer Eye’s final season begins tonight. Keep an eye out for Alexandria! (Visit Alexandria)

The final season of Queer Eye premieres tonight on Netflix, and Alexandria played a starring role behind the scenes. The city served as production headquarters when the Fab Five filmed in the D.C. area last summer. Keep an eye out for a familiar crosswalk in the promos. (Visit Alexandria)

Systems Planning and Analysis Inc., based in Alexandria, was awarded a contract worth up to $112 million to support the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. The work includes administrative support, communications, public affairs, and workflow management. (Clearance Jobs)

Nasime is the only Alexandria restaurant to make Washingtonian’s 100 Very Best Restaurants list for 2026. The Japanese tasting menu spot on King Street joins a list that includes Albi, Occidental, and El Viejo. (Washingtonian)

Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker is sponsoring a bill to reduce Virginia’s food-to-alcohol sales ratio from 45% to 30%, a change she says could help struggling small restaurants. The idea came from a constituent who shared the challenges of meeting the current ratio while offering craft cocktails. The effort has bipartisan support, including from House Speaker Don Scott, and faces fewer obstacles after longtime opponents retired from the legislature. (WVTF)

On this day in Alexandria (via Historic Alexandria)

  • 1852: The Potomac River was entirely frozen over between Virginia and Maryland. People came to Alexandria from Fort Washington and points further south by traveling across the frozen river, as though it were a road.
  • 1953: A large fire destroyed the City Armory located in the 200 block of South Royal Street. The armory housed military equipment but also served as a community recreation center during peacetime. Designed in 1880 by Benjamin F. Price and expanded seven years later by architect Glenn Brown, the large armory held space for 700 people, with a slate roof, brick turrets, and monumental arches in the “Richardsonian” style. Thankfully, a steel and concrete vault prevented the explosion of hundreds of rounds of ammunition stored in the building during the fire.

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