Table of Contents
Good morning, Alexandria.
Got a car tax bill with no parking permit? You don't need to drive to the Mark Center — about 8,700 permits go out by Friday. The city's vendor went under, the replacement fell behind, and the bills arrived first.
Also today: asbestos turned up where nobody expected it at City Hall, pushing the renovation 10 weeks to fall 2028. And the School Board starts interviewing superintendent candidates, without Acting Superintendent Grace Taylor among them.
Here's what you need to know for Wednesday, Sept. 2.
1️⃣ Alexandria parking permits to be mailed by Friday after vendor delay
If your parking permit bill arrived without a permit, you're not alone and you don't need to drive to the West End. About 8,700 residential permits go in the mail by the end of the day Friday, Mayor Alyia Gaskins said Tuesday. The bill's printed instructions read as though picking one up at the Mark Center finance office is the only option. "That is not the case," she said. "We understand the mistake, we understand the confusion, and we're taking action to fix it."
The city has mailed bills and permits separately since 2024 because its vendor's system wasn't compatible with the city's, usually sending the permit first or timing both to land together. Then that vendor went out of business unexpectedly. The replacement hit production delays, and the bills got there first.
Current permits stay valid until Nov. 15, when enforcement of the 2026-27 permits begins. The city's Aug. 28 announcement that tax bills had been mailed didn't mention permits at all.
2️⃣ Unexpected asbestos pushes City Hall renovation back 10 weeks
Crews found asbestos in parts of City Hall nobody expected to contain it — the 1960s south façade and the east and west interior courtyards — and the discovery has pushed the renovation back 10 weeks. Completion is now expected in fall 2028. The city says all hazardous material has been removed from the demolition area and the contractor followed containment protocols throughout.
The visible part starts this month. Deconstruction of the 1960s infill section begins in September, which means a high-reach excavator working on the plaza, more truck traffic on the haul route, more noise during permitted hours, and continued fencing and detours around 301 King St. The 1871 building stays and will be restored.
The project is budgeted at $123.6 million in the city's capital program, with an $85 million construction contract to Grunley. The city hasn't said whether the additional abatement affects that.
3️⃣ Alexandria School Board to interview superintendent candidates in coming weeks
The School Board will interview superintendent candidates over the next several weeks and expects another update before October, Chair Christopher Harris told families and staff Tuesday. He described the pool as strong and highly qualified, drawn from across the country, and said the search remains on schedule.
One thing the message settled: Acting Superintendent Grace Taylor didn't apply. Harris wrote that her focus is on leading the division and maintaining stability until a successor can start. Taylor took the job Aug. 12, the same evening the board moved Melanie Kay-Wyatt's resignation up seven weeks — and the same day applications closed.
The candidates won't be named. Harris said confidentiality is standard for executive searches and helps attract people currently leading other divisions. ACPS handled its Alexandria City High School principal search differently this spring, publishing a leadership profile, holding virtual meet-and-greets with candidates in May and bringing the finalist to a public vote. Virginia law doesn't require boards to name finalists, and practice varies across the state.
In brief
Alexandria police reported a large police presence at Hume and Montrose avenues early Wednesday for a robbery investigation. The department posted the notice at 1:38 a.m. and had released no further details as of publication. (APD)
Thirty-five homes closed in Alexandria in the last week, ranging from a $219,000 one-bedroom at The Fountains to a $2.9 million new-construction house in Beverly Hills, according to data from Redfin. The average sale price was $850,747 across an average of 1,711 square feet, or a blended $497 per square foot. The median sale price was $740,000. (The Brief)
The Alexandria Choral Society announced a 2026-27 season of festival programs, its 57th year performing in the city. (The Brief)
It's a long weekend for a lot of families — no school Friday, city offices closed Monday. Royal Nepal opens on Labor Day, a day it's normally closed, and gives the whole day's sales to flood relief in Nepal. Here's everything on the calendar this week in Alexandria. (The Brief)
The U.S. Postal Service is poised to launch a hastily built, error-riddled computer system that could jeopardize the process of mail voting relied upon by one-third of all voters, according to a whistleblower statement released Tuesday by Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal. (The Brief)
A federal judge has temporarily blocked Virginia from enforcing most provisions of a new law restricting cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, allowing existing partnerships with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to continue while the legal challenge plays out. (The Brief)
Center lanes on 15th Street South in Crystal City close no sooner than Sept. 8 for median demolition, leaving one lane each way through early October, worth knowing if you commute through Crystal City. Part of a realignment project adding a protected bike lane. (Arlington County)
The Federal Aviation Administration announced on Monday that the Washington Manassas Airport can begin offering service to certain commercial passenger airlines, opening the door to more flight opportunities for the Washington region, including Northern Virginia. (Virginia Mercury)
Sports
Yohandy Morales homered in his first major league game and Jared Simpson earned the win in relief in his own debut, helping the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 9-5 on Tuesday night. (The Brief)
Today in Alexandria
⛅ Weather
Today: A slight chance of showers before 8 a.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11 a.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 89 degrees. Heat index values as high as 100 degrees. Calm wind becoming east 5 to 7 mph in the morning. The chance of precipitation is 50%.
Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms likely before 5 a.m., then a slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75 degrees. Southeast wind 3 to 6 mph. The chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch, except higher amounts are possible in thunderstorms.
🌖 Sun, Moon, & Tide
Sunrise at 6:38 a.m., sunset at 7:37 p.m. 12 hours & 58 minutes of sun.
High tide at 12 a.m. & 12:31 p.m. Low tide at 7:02 a.m. & 6:43 p.m. The moon phase is a Waning Gibbous.
🗓️ Things To Do
- 6 p.m.: Wine Tasting Wednesdays With Cats at Mount Purrnon Cat Cafe & Wine Bar
- 7 p.m.: Murphy’s Run Club at Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub
🎶 Entertainment
- 219 Restaurant: Live music (to be announced) at 9 p.m.
- Atlas Brew Works: Bingo at 7 p.m.
- Augie's Mussel House: Rook Richards at 5 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: Rook Richards at 7 p.m., Kenny Kohlhaas at 8:30 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: The Wailin' Jennys at 7:30 p.m.
🏛️ City & Schools
City Gov.: Open | Flag: Half Staff | Trash, Recycling, & Yard Waste: On Time
- 7 a.m.: Old Town Pool open
- Noon: Commission on Employment executive meeting (virtual)
- 4 p.m.: Minnie Howard Pool open
- 4 p.m.: Board of Equalization hearing at Bankers Square
- 4:30 p.m.: Warwick Pool open
- 7 p.m.: Board of Architectural Review monthly public hearing at Charles Houston Recreation Center
📚 Alexandria Library
- 10:30 a.m.: 1s and 2s Time at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 11 a.m.: Just Babies at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
- 11:30 a.m.: 1s and 2s Time, second session, at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- Noon: The Insurance-Industrial Complex of Slavery, a Virginia Humanities fellow talk by Michelle Oliver, at Virtual
- 3:30 p.m.: Crazy Comix Club at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
- 5 p.m.: Paws to Read at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 5:30 p.m.: English Language Learning 2 Workshop — Intermediate Conversation at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 6 p.m.: Technology & Career Readiness at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
- 6 p.m.: September Sewing — Plushie Emojis at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 7 p.m.: Monthly Meditation (virtual)
⚾ Sports
D.C. Sports
- 1:05 p.m.: Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals
ACHS Titans
- 6:30 p.m.: Volleyball (girls) at South County
- Varsity only. Full schedule, including JV and freshman.
Ryan Belmore
On this day in Alexandria's history
Three notable things happened in Alexandria on Sept. 2.
In 1790, the Virginia General Assembly approved an Alexandria Lottery to pay for paving the town's streets. Since 1749, the town had tried cheaper fixes for mud that was a constant nuisance and at times made King Street impassable in the swampy stretch between North Pitt and St. Asaph. Raising taxes enough to cover the work would have crushed residents of the young town.
In 1814, Capt. James Gordon's British fleet weighed anchor and left. It had arrived Aug. 29 with guns pointed at a town that had nothing to fight with, and Gordon offered terms: Alexandria would not be destroyed and its residents would not be molested, provided the town handed over its naval supplies, ships and agricultural goods. The council agreed. Over five days the British emptied the warehouses — 16,000 barrels of flour, 1,000 hogsheads of tobacco, 150 bales of cotton, and about $5,000 in wine, sugar and other goods. Alexandria was left badly looted and physically intact.
And in 1846, Alexandrians voted 763 to 22 to leave the District of Columbia and return to Virginia. Residents had come to feel short-changed after nearly 50 years in the federal district — no representation in Congress, no federal construction on the Virginia side, and a canal that favored the rival port at Georgetown. A proposal to outlaw slavery in the capital also shaped the vote; Alexandria was a major slave trading center at the time. When the tally came in at the courthouse on North Columbus Street, some Black Alexandrians sat on the curb and wept, knowing a return to Virginia would end educational opportunities for their children. (Historic Alexandria)
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Publisher: Ryan Belmore, an Alexandria resident, journalist, and neighbor. Send news, tips, and feedback to ryan@alexandriabrief.com.
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