The Alexandria Brief: Wednesday, March 18

Good morning, Alexandria. It's Wednesday, March 18, 2026.

Spring arrives Friday at 10:46 a.m. — and the forecast is cooperating. Expect highs in the low 60s on Friday, near 70 on Saturday, and into the low 70s on Sunday. A chance of rain Friday night, otherwise mostly clear for the first weekend of astronomical spring.

This morning: City Manager James Parajon joins the Eisenhower Partnership for breakfast at AlexRenew at 8:30 a.m., and the Del Ray Business Association hosts a coffee and conversation with the three City Council candidates.

Tonight: Council takes up the combined budget work session on housing, transit, schools, and human services — more than 70% of the operating budget. 7 p.m. at Del Pepper. Tomorrow: Potomac Interceptor town hall at the Lee Center, 7 p.m.

Here's what you need to know today.

1️⃣ HUD begins moving roughly 3,000 employees to Alexandria headquarters amid legal challenges and congressional scrutiny

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, HUD Secretary Scott Turner, and GSA Commissioner Michael Peters announced HUD would be taking over NSF headquarters on June 25, 2025. (Ryan Belmore)

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is moving the bulk of its roughly 3,000 Washington-based employees to a new headquarters in Alexandria this week, even as the agency faces unresolved legal questions, a congressional watchdog investigation, and a union campaign to block the relocation.

Politico reported last Friday that the bulk move was set to begin the week of March 16. In a March 11 email to employees, HUD said it plans to complete the majority of transfers between March 9 and April 6, citing "positive feedback" from staffers who moved earlier. Some employees had already relocated in January.

HUD is moving from the Robert C. Weaver Federal Building in Washington to 2415 Eisenhower Avenue in Alexandria — the building the National Science Foundation vacated earlier this year after being displaced to make room for HUD. NSF, which now lists 401 Dulany Street as its official headquarters address, is transitioning to the Randolph Building on the Carlyle Innovation Campus.

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2️⃣ Alexandria City High School launches search for new principal after months without a permanent leader

Alexandria City High School (Addisnog, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Alexandria City Public Schools has launched a nationwide search for a new principal to lead Alexandria City High School, officials announced Monday, ending months of uncertainty at one of the largest high schools in Virginia.

ACHS enrolls more than 4,500 students in grades 9-12 across four campuses and has centered its school improvement efforts on increasing student engagement to drive gains in academics, attendance, conduct and school involvement.

The job description was posted on March 16, and a stakeholder survey opens on Wednesday, March 18, giving students, staff, families, and community members a chance to weigh in on the qualities they want to see in the school's next leader.

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3️⃣ Alexandria police seek public's help finding missing 15-year-old girl

The Alexandria Police Department is asking for the public's help locating a missing 15-year-old girl who was last seen nearly two weeks ago, according to an alert posted to the department's social media accounts Tuesday afternoon.

Brooklynn Williams, 15, was last seen March 5 at approximately 6:30 p.m. near the 2800 block of Park Center Drive in Alexandria, police said. She has black hair, brown eyes, stands 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 112 pounds.

The department posted the missing juvenile alert at 4:47 p.m. Tuesday, urging anyone with information about Williams' whereabouts to come forward.

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📰 In brief

Budget Work Session on Livable, Green & Prospering and Healthy, Thriving & Equitable to be held tonight. (The Brief)

Potomac River advisory fully lifted after DC Water finished emergency repairs Friday. (The Brief)

Calhoun Ave. rededicated to honor former vice mayor and state senator. (The Brief)

Where the council candidates stand on biking and walking. (The Brief)

City to host pre-construction meeting on Eisenhower Metro pedestrian improvements March 26. (The Brief)

City Council candidates to participate in Del Ray Business Association membership meeting this morning. (The Brief)

April 21 special election: 11,691 ballots cast or requested — 1,780 in person, 9,911 by mail; 34 days until Election Day. (City of Alexandria)

Commenting policy updated: We're all neighbors here, and anonymous comments will not be approved. (The Brief's Standards & Policies)

On this day in 1784, Baron Von Steuben passed through Alexandria after visiting George Washington at Mount Vernon. (Historic Alexandria)

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Today in Alexandria

⛅ Weather

Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 44 degrees. Partly cloudy tonight, with a low around 33 degrees.

🌖 Sun, Moon, & Tide

Sunrise at 7:14 a.m. | Sunset at 7:18 p.m. | 12 hours & 3 minutes of sun

High tides at 8:35 a.m. & 8:59 p.m. | Low tides at 2:45 a.m. & 3:13 p.m.

The lunar phase is a Waning Crescent.

🗓️ Things To Do

8:30 a.m.: City Manager's Breakfast with Eisenhower Partnership at Alex Renew
6 p.m.: Wine tasting with Impero Wines at Pupatella
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.
Evening Star Cafe: Open Mic at 8:30 p.m.
Hops N Shine: Trivia at 6:30 p.m.
Laporta’s Restaurant: Pete Chauvette at 6 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.
The Light Horse: Trivia at 7 p.m.

📚 Alexandria Library

All day: Black Life Through the Lens of Elrich Murphy Exhibit at Local History/Special Collections
All day: A Commonwealth of Cultures Exhibit at Local History/Special Collections
10:30 a.m.: Stitcher's Space at Burke Branch Library
10:30 a.m.: 1s and 2s Time at Beatley Central Library
11 a.m.: Just Babies at Barrett Branch Library
11:30 a.m.: 1s and 2s Time at Beatley Central Library
2 p.m.: The Great American Novel (virtual)
3 p.m.: Painternoon at Barrett Branch Library
3:30 p.m.: Burke Book Club - "The Dictionary of Lost Words" (virtual)
5 p.m.: Paws to Read at Beatley Central Library
5 p.m.: Spitfire Club at Duncan Branch Library
5:30 p.m.: English Language Learning Workshop at Beatley Central Library
6 p.m.: Horror Fans Unite at Barrett Branch Library
6 p.m.: Sew a Softie AND Knit Nite! at Beatley Central Library
6:30 p.m.: English Language Learning at Duncan Branch Library