Polls open for the HD5 Dem firehouse primary in Alexandria at 8:30 am...open until 7 pm. Make sure you vote if you can! bluevirginia.us/2026/01/four...

This morning, I was thrilled to have my bill to provide free breakfast for all VA public school students pass out of subcommittee unanimously! Children cannot learn if they are hungry. This bill is an investment in the health of our kids, our families, and our education system.

Alexandria friends coming to vote at Charles Houston: WE ARE IN A DIFFERENT ROOM from last Tuesday. Down the hall, should be better traffic flow. I'll be here checking folks in 8:30 to noon. Come vote and say hi!

A special election has been called for State Senate District 39 and State House District 5, to be held on February 10, 2026. See more information at alexandriava.gov/Elections.

Good morning, Alexandria. It’s election day — again.

Just a few things to talk about this morning. Here's all that you need to know today. www.alexandriabrief.com/p/the-alexan...

Look for my conversations/podcasts on Spotify, Apple, and everywhere else you listen. More interviews to come very soon. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

A conversation with Chris Leibig, House District 5 candidate

This story has been updated with more comment, information. www.alexandriabrief.com/p/republican...

I had a live conversation scheduled with Chris Leibig at 6:30 p.m. tonight. He did not appear. I followed up by email and waited 10 minutes. No response. Voters can still watch our earlier conversations at alexandriabrief.com.

A conversation with Eileen Cassidy Rivera, House District 5 candidate

A conversation with Kirk McPike, House District 5 candidate

Here’s your weekly guide to public meetings in Alexandria — what’s happening, what matters, and how to participate.

Feel free to get a head start with your questions - DM me or ask below.

Full Sunday schedule: 4:30 p.m. — Kirk McPike 5:30 p.m. — Eileen Cassidy Rivera 6:30 p.m. — Chris Leibig

Tune on in...McPike at 4:30 p.m., Leibig at 6:30 p.m.

The Alexandria Republican City Committee will hold a canvass on Sunday from 2-4 p.m. to select its nominee. The deadline for Republicans to file is 6 p.m. today. "We will know tomorrow evening who the Republican candidate will be," ARCC Chairman Chris Howell said in an email.

Shoutout to the anonymous person who dropped me a message on Signal at 3:32 a.m. about this. I appreciate you and all the tipsters out there.

Criminal defense attorney Chris Leibig has entered the race for House District 5, expanding the Democratic firehouse primary field to three candidates three days before Tuesday’s vote.

Cleaning out my phone's photo gallery today (long overdue) and came across this gem from 2019. Pictured L-R: Steve Feinberg (RI Film Office), me, Bobby Farrelly, Michael Corrente, Peter Farrelly, and Richard Crudo. A thread 🧵

“By bringing employers, service organizations, and public safety professionals together in one place, we are creating real-time connections that can lead to immediate opportunity, while also building a pipeline of talent dedicated to serving Alexandria now and into the future,” city officials said.

Ebbin, Bennett-Parker among Democrats advancing measures to spring referendum; Lopez does not vote on redistricting

Hosting conversations with HD5 candidates on Sunday night.

Welcome Motherwell to Alexandria’s lineup of small businesses—our FIRST bourbon distillery!!. #DRBC is ready for an infusion of new LOCAL product Of course we made it an impromptu BlueSky event 🥃 😊 🤙

Here at Motherwell Distilling Co. opening night. Who needs me to bring them a bottle tomorrow night at #drbc ?

Happy Friday, Alexandria! It's time for the first ALXtra issue of the year with @oconnell.bsky.social and we have juuuuuust a few things to talk about

Testing out the technical operations of the live stream over here. I apologize if my test sent you an email or Substack notification. Thanks to at least @alexgoyette.bsky.social for tuning in.

Successfully navigated the Ticketmaster hellscape this morning. Reward: Chris Stapleton this summer. Punishment: having to use Ticketmaster.

Folks are excited on Instagram about Croatia home-basing in ALX.

“Alexandria, Virginia, is continuing to expand its transit bus electrification project with an in-route overhead electric charger that can recharge the city’s buses without returning to the bus depot, vendor ABM announced Thursday.” www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/alexand...

As with this week's Senate District 39 firehouse primary, voters will be asked to sign a form stating they are a Democrat, do not intend to support a candidate opposed to the Democratic nominee, and have not participated in another party's nomination process this year

If you live within the darker area here, you're invited to vote in the Democratic firehouse primary on Tuesday for House of Delegates District 5. More info - www.alexandriabrief.com/p/house-dist...

I fall just outside HD5, so I get to take this Tuesday off from voting. Have fun, everyone!

This is cool. Vinyl is cool.

TGIF. Here’s what you need to know today.

Two candidates, maybe more. A firehouse primary is likely early next week. Not a lot of time. I've invited both HD5 candidates to join me for live one-on-one virtual conversations over the next few days so voters can get to know them. There will be an opportunity for your questions. Details coming.

Typical lifelong New England sports fan: all week I'll say the Texans' defense will destroy us. Sunday night I'll explain how we were obviously the better team. Only I can criticize my team. You can't. It's the New England way. whatsupnewp.com/2026/01/texa...

If you enjoyed the performance by the Alexandria Children's Chorus tonight, please consider donating.

Speakers draw parallels between civil rights era and present day at 53rd annual memorial program

Just home from the 53rd Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Program that took place at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial. Full coverage coming on @alexandriabrief.com.

Hear, hear! “I ultimately think it’s healthier for a publication to owe their financial health to their readers instead of their donors,” Woolley said. “And from a journalistic standpoint, I like the idea of our primary duty being to readers.” www.niemanlab.org/2026/01/l-a-...

Attention fellow transit nerds: COG’s Commuter Connections program will present findings from the 2025 State of the Commute Survey on Jan. 21. Agenda and meeting materials: mwcog_nfe20_2017_.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT...

Corrections desk: Bennett-Parker announced her resignation Thursday, not Wednesday. In my defense, this week has contained approximately 47 days.

Move avoids three elections in three months; firehouse primary expected early next week www.alexandriabrief.com/p/bennett-pa...

Start planning your weekend.

Data covers first full year under Police Chief Tarrick McGuire

MetroStage is targeting an opening by the end of 2026 for its new permanent home at 915 N. Fairfax St., across from Montgomery Park, Producing Artistic Director Carolyn Griffin shared with me. this morning.

Check it out > @acps-schoolboard.bsky.social is now on here

Kirk McPike and Eileen Cassidy Rivera are both in for House District 5, Croatia is setting up World Cup camp in Old Town, and federal agents paid an early-morning visit to a Washington Post reporter’s home. Here’s what you need to know today.

National team to stay at Old Town's AKA Hotel, train at Episcopal High School during tournament