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šŸŒ± Why Alexandria is pulling the plug on its license plate cameras.

Alexandria, Virginia Patch AM: a 5 min read

Good morning Alexandria! We're back in your inbox this morning to keep you in the loop with what's happening in and around town. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ā˜•ļøļø

In today's newsletter:

  • Why Alexandria is pulling the plug on its license plate cameras.
  • How a girlsā€™ school became Virginia Techā€™s Alexandria design hub
  • How Hayfield students welcomed over 100 visiting teens from Japan

Also on today's calendar: šŸŽƒ FREE - Hocus Pocus Double Feature at Eden Center! - FREEšŸ‘» and 11 more events.

Today's riddle: What's black & white and read all over? šŸ¤” (Answer below!)

ā˜‘ļø Important voting information: The Nov. 3 general election is coming up. Official Virginia election resources: Find your polling place | Register to vote | Check your registration | Absentee, mail and early voting.

Weather forecast:

  • Friday: Mostly sunny, nice and warm, with a high of 76 and low of 45 degrees.
  • Saturday: Cooler with clouds and sun, temps: high: 65, low: 45.
  • Sunday: Sunshine and some clouds, with a high of 67 and low of 46 degrees.

šŸ“° News we're reading

1. Morning Notes for October 29, 2026 (ffxnow.com) ā€” Alexandria is shutting down its network of 61 license plate readers and other roadway cameras this week after sustained privacy concerns, with deactivation expected within 48 hours and full removal by December. The broader news roundup also touches on statewide transportation funding debates, airport expansion plans, and regional safety and history projects that may interest Northern Virginia residents.
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2. Out of the Attic: Designed to teach girls, it now houses a design school (alextimes.com) ā€” A former early-1900s girlsā€™ school on Prince Street in Alexandria has evolved from a segregated public school into Virginia Techā€™s Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center. This historical look traces its changing roles, from Lee School for Girls to Prince Street School, National Conservative Foundation headquarters, and finally todayā€™s design-focused campus that still anchors the neighborhood.
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3. From Kobe to Alexandria: Japanese Students Spend a Day at Hayfield (thezebra.org) ā€” Hayfield Secondary students in Alexandria just hosted more than 100 visiting ninth-graders from Suma Gakuen in Kobe, Japan, renewing an international exchange that began in 2014. Local teens shared classes, cultural presentations and tours, building friendships that often start over email and continue long after the visit, while gaining real-world experience communicating across languages and cultures.
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4. The Enduring Mystery of the Female Stranger of Alexandria (thewellnews.com) ā€” In Old Town Alexandria, the centuries-old mystery of the Female Stranger still draws visitors to her unusual tabletop grave in St. Paulā€™s Cemetery. This richly detailed retelling explores competing theories, old newspaper accounts, and Gadsbyā€™s Tavern connections, showing how the nameless womanā€™s story has become a lasting part of Alexandriaā€™s folklore and identity.
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5. Out of the Attic: The center of Alexandria's wholesale district (alextimes.com) ā€” At King and Union streets in Old Town, Alexandriaā€™s former Corn and Produce Exchange once anchored the cityā€™s wholesale district. This history piece traces the Italianate buildingā€™s evolution from grain market and grocery hub to utility offices, federal use and, for the past three decades, a succession of restaurants locals still know today.
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šŸ“ø Around Alexandria

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šŸ—“ Upcoming Events in Alexandria

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ā˜… Featured events ā˜…

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Other local events

šŸ“£ Alexandria Shout Outs!

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Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

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Thank you šŸ‘šŸ‘šŸ‘ to these businesses for making Alexandria PatchAM possible:

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šŸ’¬ Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Update: The cat is home safe!
    Friends and neighbors on W Masonic Myrtle and environs! I am currently roaming the neighborhood searching for our lost cat: he has an air tag so heā€™sā€¦ (Nextdoor Rosemont)
  • [Nox is now found and back home] šŸ‘šŸ½ ā¤ļø
    Indoor cat got outside, he just moved in, new environment. 1 hr ago. Black cat, long hair, wearing an orange donut cone. Will update if found. Hisā€¦ (Nextdoor Westgate Mt Vernon Forest)
  • Walmart posted a job opening for Stocking Team Associate in Alexandria. Apply here.
  • Brinker International posted a job opening for QA/Expeditor - Alexandria VA Chili's in Alexandria. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Alexandria here.

Ok Alexandria! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: "What's black & white and read all over?" ā€” The Patch Newsletter! (Thank you Cat H. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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Stay in the loop with what's happening in Alexandria

Never miss out on local news and events that matter to you.

Stay in the loop with what's happening in Alexandria

Never miss out on local news and events that matter to you.