The Alexandria Brief

Good morning, Alexandria.

Showers again this morning, then it's over. Today tops out at 64 degrees, but Friday is mostly sunny and 70 degrees, and the first full weekend of fall looks close to perfect — sunny and 73 degrees on Saturday, 72 degrees on Sunday. Homecoming Friday night should be clear.

Tonight, DASH leadership sits down with council at 5:30 p.m. to explain the $3.7 million overrun The Brief first reported last week. The mayor turned down a request to postpone it.

Three stories from last night's council meeting are below, with more throughout the day.

Here's what you need to know for Wednesday, Sept. 23.

1️⃣ City Council puts off new public comment rules until December

Alexandria City Council: Pictured top row from left are Councilman Abdel-Rahman Elnoubi, Councilwoman Sandy Marks, Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley, and Councilman Canek Aguirre. Pictured bottom row from left are Councilman John Chapman, Mayor Alyia Gaskins, and Councilwoman Jacinta Greene. (City of Alexandria)

City Council voted 4-3 Tuesday to send its public comment rewrite back to staff until December, after nearly an hour of debate over how to define a personal attack. Councilman Abdel-Rahman Elnoubi, who moved to defer, said he agrees with the rules but wants the terms in writing. City Attorney Cheran Ivery told him not to expect that: "It is a blurry line."

2️⃣ City Council asks how Alexandria police count their license plate reader successes. The answers are pending.

A Flock Safety license plate reader camera. (Flock Safety)

Five new questions appeared on the city's license plate reader page Monday, all aimed at the numbers the department has used to defend the program — the 266 arrests and 134 stolen vehicles the cameras are credited with since 2023. Council wants to know how those are counted. The answers are listed as pending.

3️⃣ Alexandria keeps its top bond ratings

Alexandria City Hall sign. (traveler1116/Getty Images)

Moody's and S&P Global both affirmed Alexandria's highest bond ratings, marks S&P says now sit above the U.S. government's. The ratings determine what the city pays to borrow for schools, streets and the City Hall renovation. Gaskins said the agencies spent more than 90 minutes asking questions.

In brief

DASH leadership and City Council hold their joint work session tonight on the $3.7 million overrun The Alexandria Brief first reported. It runs from 5:30 to 7:30 in the DASH board room at 3000 Business Center Drive. Mayor Alyia Gaskins turned down the board chair's request to postpone it. (The Brief)

The military will conduct an aircraft flyover near the White House at about 5 p.m. today, according to AlertDC. Alexandria residents may hear or see aircraft. (AlertDC)

ARHA holds a public hearing at 5:30 tonight at 401 Wythe St. on its 2027 plan, which would bar new applicants for public housing or vouchers whose net assets exceed $52,787. Current tenants are exempt. The board votes Sept. 28. (The Brief)

Gaskins wants Alexandria to form a friendship city tie with Osijek, Croatia, after the Croatian embassy approached the city about building on this summer's World Cup base camp. A vote could come Oct. 13. (The Brief)

Rep. Don Beyer called President Trump's plan to base drones and snipers at his proposed Memorial Circle arch "stupid, dangerous, and unworkable," saying it would put a drone launch site in Reagan National's landing path. (The Brief)

A march against the Edsall Road substation is set for Oct. 10 in the West End. Organizers want the project denied and a moratorium on data centers. The Fairfax County hearing is Dec. 2. (The Brief)

The city holds an open house on the Del Ray East sewer project from 6 to 7:45 p.m. Tuesday at Mount Vernon Community School. Crews will reline pipes across Del Ray, Rosemont, Arlandria and North Potomac Yard, with parking restrictions and temporary water shutoffs. (The Brief)

Alexandria police will host the national kickoff for Faith & Blue Weekend, Oct. 9-12, along with the department's first prayer breakfast. Congregations can register events through Oct. 2; APD hasn't said when or where the kickoff happens. (The Brief)

Tons of Trucks turns 10 on Saturday, free at Chinquapin Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a monster truck, a DeLorean and a lower-sensory first hour. (The Brief)

Tammy Barnes won a community vote to design banners for the Old Town North arts district, in a race the Old Town North Alliance called extremely close. More than 800 people voted. (The Brief)

Gov. Abigail Spanberger is pressing Congress for AI guardrails as states move ahead on their own. (Virginia Mercury/The Brief)

The Washington Commanders and Blessings in a Backpack visited Mount Vernon Community School Tuesday for an assembly on giving back, and volunteers packed about 500 bags of food for students to take home on weekends. It's the second year of the partnership. (ACPS)

Parents at George Washington Middle School say traffic on Mount Vernon Avenue is dangerous, while a school resource officer says families skip the designated drop-off behind the building when the line backs up. (The Wash)

Sports

Alexandria City's girls volleyball team lost 3-1 at Washington-Liberty, and the JV and freshman teams both fell 2-0. No score was posted for the varsity golf match at Falls Church. (AC Titans)

The Mystics beat Connecticut 79-69 for a franchise-record 27th win, with 25 points and 13 rebounds from Austin. Washington is 27-16; the old mark was 26 in 2019, the year of its only title. (AP/The Brief)

CJ Abrams homered twice and drove in three as the Nationals beat Detroit 3-1, their seventh win in 10 games. (AP/The Brief)

Today in Alexandria

⛅ Weather

Today: Showers likely, mainly before 7 a.m. Cloudy, with a high near 64 degrees. Northeast wind 11 to 13 mph, with gusts up to 26 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch possible.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54 degrees. Northeast wind around 9 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

🌖 Sun, Moon, & Tide

Sunrise at 6:56 a.m., sunset at 7:03 p.m. 12 hours & 6 minutes of sun.

High tide at 6:36 a.m. & 7:05 p.m. Low tide at 12:16 a.m. & 1:02 p.m. The moon phase is a Waxing Gibbous.

🗓️ Things To Do

6 p.m.: Literary Libations September Book Club at The Study at Morrison House
6:30 p.m.: Sushi & Cider at Lost Boy Cider
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: Date & Game at 7 p.m.
Atlas Brew Works: Bingo at 7 p.m.
Augie's Mussel House: Rook Richards at 5 p.m.
Daniel O'Connell's: Trivia at 7 p.m.
Evening Star Cafe: Lillie & The Lushtones in the No. 9 Lounge at 8:30 p.m.
Galactic Panther: Chum Huffer, The Knuckleheads, Allstrieke, and Ghost Riot at 7 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.
Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
Southside 815: Rook Richards at 9:30 p.m.

🏛️ City & Schools

City Gov.: Open | Flag: Full Staff | Trash, Recycling, & Yard Waste: On Time

9 a.m.: Walk-In Wednesday hiring event at Alexandria Police Department Headquarters
9 a.m.: Board of Equalization hearing at Bankers Square
9:30 a.m.: Alexandria Electoral Board meeting at Voter Registration Office
2 p.m.: Alexandria Community Policy and Management Team monthly meeting at Del Pepper Community Resource Center
3 p.m.: Recovery Month Celebration at Ben Brenman Park
5:30 p.m.: City Council and DASH joint work session at the DASH board room
6 p.m.: Community Police Academy at Police Headquarters
7 p.m.: Board of Architectural Review Design Guidelines community meeting at Dr. Oswald Durant Memorial Center

City of Alexandria calendar

📚 Alexandria Library

10 a.m.: Beatley Friends Book Sale at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
10:30 a.m.: 1s and 2s Time 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 at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
11:30 a.m.: 1s and 2s Time at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
2 p.m.: 250th Film Festival — "Harriet" at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
4 p.m.: Teen Art Cafe at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
5:30 p.m.: English Language Learning 2 Workshop — Intermediate Conversation at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
6 p.m.: September Sewing — Plushie Emojis at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
6 p.m.: Technology & Career Readiness at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
6:30 p.m.: English Language Learning — Intermediate Conversation
7 p.m.: My Apartment is Not Eco-Friendly But I Am at Virtual

Alexandria Library calendar

⚾ Sports

ACHS Titans

4 p.m.: Golf vs. Robinson at Army Navy Country Club
5 p.m.: Cross country (girls) at Woodson, Wakefield Park
5:30 p.m.: Cross country (boys) at Woodson, Wakefield Park
7:30 p.m.: Field hockey (girls) at Marshall
Varsity only. Full schedule, including JV and freshman.

D.C. Sports

1:10 p.m.: Washington Nationals at Detroit Tigers

On this day in Alexandria's history

Nothing notable today.

Alexandria, Va. news and information you won't find anywhere else.

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Ryan Belmore, an Alexandria resident and journalist, is the founder and publisher of The Alexandria Brief. Send tips and feedback to ryan@alexandriabrief.com.