Good Friday evening, Alexandria. Here’s a look back at today’s most-read stories and a look ahead to tomorrow.

📈 Today’s most-read stories

1. Poll: The best bakery in Alexandria (1,351 views)
2. New Barnes & Noble to open in Alexandria’s West End next week (1,144 views)
3. From Lee Street Halloween to Paws in the Park, here is what’s happening in Alexandria this weekend

🕗 More from today

Everything else we published today, Oct 30, 2026.

• Morning Notes for October 30, 2026
• Community Lodgings seeks late 2026 approvals for 91-unit affordable housing complex in Arlandria
• Phony cyber crimes agent steals over $800K in Alexandria cashier’s check scam

📣 Announcements

Always Becoming: Next Chapter
Join artist Nora Naranjo Morse (Kha’p’o Owenge ([Santa Clara Pueblo]), creator of Always Becoming… [Announcement]

Artful Evenings: Water’s Edge with Artist Sky Hopinka
Reserve your spot for an after-hour event with multi-disciplinary artist Sky Hopinka, Thursday… [Announcement]

Old Town Fitness Studio for People Over 50 Down to Final 2 Spots Before Saturday Deadline
Revolutionary Fitness is a semi-private strength and longevity training studio for adults 50+… [Announcement]

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Saturday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.

• 9:00 am: Inova Blood Drive
• 11:00 am: Alexandria Fall-O-Ween (John Carlyle Square)
• 12:00 pm: Pumpkin Palooza
• 2:00 pm: This is Halloween: A Community Concert

Here are the events planned for Sunday:

• 9:00 am: Fall Music at the Market Series
• 👉 11:00 am: Imperium Open House: Discover a Smarter Way to Get Stronger

⭐ Featured events

Imperium Open House: Discover a Smarter Way to Get Stronger
Nov 1: Explore a different approach to strength training at Imperium’s free open house in Old Town Alexandria. [Event]

Dialogue for Democracy
Nov 3: Dialogue for Democracy invites high school students from across the DMV to George Mason University. [Event]

How Retirement Communities Work – A Free Workshop
Nov 4: Interested in learning about how Continuing Care Retirement Communities work, but don’t know where to start? Join us on 11/4 to learn more! [Event]

Submit events, announcements, or home listings to ALXnow.

🌤️ Weather update

Today: Alexandria saw a high of 77° at 2:35 p.m. (13° above normal), a low of 55° at 3:25 a.m., no rain and a peak gust of 30 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 46. North wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. North wind around 6 mph.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

The photo above is from the City of Alexandria’s marina webcam.

Thanks for reading!

On This Day in Alexandria History — “On October 30, 1916, Leon Day, a star baseball player in the Negro League, was born in Alexandria where his father Ellis worked in a glass factory. Day was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on March 7, 1995, and he died six days later.” [Historic Alexandria]

City’s Reminder on Halloween Night Safety — “As hundreds of families celebrate Halloween this weekend, remember to keep it safe first and spooky second! Trick-or-treaters should hold hands, look both ways, and stay on sidewalks and crosswalks. For more Halloween safety tips, go to alexandriava.gov/Halloween.” [City of Alexandria/Facebook]

Chamber ALX’s Best in Business Award Winners Honored — At the Westin Alexandria Old Town on Wednesday, the chamber honored Business Leader of the Year (Jen Walker of The Jen Walker Team); Overall Business of the Year (Full Strength Physical Therapy); Micro Business of the Year (Hypergoat Coffee Roasters & Cafe); Small Business of the Year (Eliana Curanted); Medium Business of the Year (Friedman, Grimes, Meinken & Leischner, PLLC); Large Business of the Year (VEG ER for Pets Alexandria); Nonprofit/Association of the Year (Animal Welfare League of Alexandria) and Rising Star Business of the Year (Continues Arcade). [Chamber ALX]

Traffic Concerns Linger with Draft Duke Street Land Use Plan — “Residents in the plan area and members of City Council have echoed similar concerns about whether the sprawling plan – 1.6 square miles – for land use can be properly supported by Duke Street, considering the realities of traffic congestion on Duke Street and in the surrounding area.” [Alexandria Times]

Rosemont Citizens Association to Take Position on Russell Road Project — “Council takes up the project Saturday, Nov. 14, at a public hearing running from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center, 4850 Mark Center Drive. It will consider three appeals and review the full design before making a final decision.” [Alexandria Brief]

Crooked Beat Holds Grand Reopening Today in Del Ray — “Some news about our grand opening on Friday at 11 AM. Hope to see everyone there! They’ll be music, giveaways, and more.” [Crooked Beat Records]

Del. Kirk McPike Opposes Dominion Energy Merger — “[Thursday], I submitted a comment to the SCC asking that they reject the proposed merger between Dominion and NextEra. I agree with my constituents: this deal would be bad for ratepayers and our environment.” [Del. Kirk McPike/Facebook]

Spotlight on Gadsby’s Tavern for Halloween — “With Halloween in the air, one of Old Town Alexandria’s most storied landmarks is drawing attention not just for its ties to early American leaders, but for an old legend that still fuels supposed ghost sightings to this day. In the heart of Old Town, Gadsby’s Tavern has long been a gathering place where visitors walk in wondering what — or who — they might find.” [WJLA]

Deadline for AWLA Adoption Special — “There are just a few more days left of our ‘Pick of the Patch’ adoption event! Through Saturday, October 31, all dogs 40+ lbs. have $0 adoption fees.” [Animal Welfare League of Alexandria/Facebook]

Criticism on Flock Camera Removal in Arlington — “Most who spoke on the topic at a town-hall meeting on Monday shared the view of Eric Lotke, who said county officials should permanently ban their use by local law enforcement. Simply ending the county’s contract with Flock Safety, as Board members did in mid-September, was not enough, Lotke said.” [ARLnow]

General Motors Makes Data Privacy Settlement in Virginia — “Attorney General Jones joined a coalition of 36 attorneys general in the case against GM, and the Commonwealth will receive $6,541,173 through the settlement. The settlement requires GM to obtain affirmative express consent from consumers before collecting or disclosing consumer driving and location data. For many consumers, this data was used by insurance companies in part to set insurance rates.” [Office of Virginia Attorney General]

Prediction for End of Dry Stretch — “It’s not totally unexpected this time of year, given that we’re in the second half of fall’s nice day season — loosely defined as dry weather with highs between 65 and 85. The 11 days before Thursday all had highs between 62 and 72. Still, we’re now certain to finish October with below-average precipitation, following two wetter-than-normal months.” [Capital Weather]

It’s Friday — Sunny with a high near 75, accompanied by northwest winds of 5 to 13 mph and gusts up to 24 mph. Friday night will be mostly clear, with a low around 47 and north winds of 6 to 9 mph. [NWS]

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Good Thursday evening, Alexandria. Here’s a look back at today’s most-read stories and a look ahead to tomorrow.

📈 Today’s most-read stories

1. Fired Alexandria sheriff’s deputy pleads guilty to smuggling drugs to city jail inmate
2. Heat island mapping project identifies Alexandria as one of N. Va.’s hottest areas
3. Rally against recent anti-immigrant flyers and graffiti to be held Friday in Del Ray

🕗 More from today

Everything else we published today, Oct 29, 2026.

• Morning Notes for October 29, 2026
• Suspect awaits sentencing after guilty plea in stabbing near Braddock Metro station
• Free Lyft rides offered over Halloween weekend in Alexandria to combat drunk driving

📣 Announcements

Always Becoming: Next Chapter
Join artist Nora Naranjo Morse (Kha’p’o Owenge ([Santa Clara Pueblo]), creator of Always Becoming… [Announcement]

Artful Evenings: Water’s Edge with Artist Sky Hopinka
Reserve your spot for an after-hour event with multi-disciplinary artist Sky Hopinka, Thursday… [Announcement]

Old Town Fitness Studio for People Over 50 Down to Final 2 Spots Before Saturday Deadline
Revolutionary Fitness is a semi-private strength and longevity training studio for adults 50+… [Announcement]

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Friday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.

• 6:00 pm: Halloween Decorations Bike Tour of Alexandria
• 👉 7:00 pm: CatRad Halloween Eve!
• 7:00 pm: Haunted Lantern Tours

⭐ Featured events

CatRad Halloween Eve!
Oct 30: Join us for our second annual CatRad Halloween Eve! A night of ghoulish fun, spooky treats… [Event]

Imperium Open House: Discover a Smarter Way to Get Stronger
Nov 1: Explore a different approach to strength training at Imperium’s free open house in Old Town Alexandria. [Event]

Dialogue for Democracy
Nov 3: Dialogue for Democracy invites high school students from across the DMV to George Mason University. [Event]

How Retirement Communities Work – A Free Workshop
Nov 4: Interested in learning about how Continuing Care Retirement Communities work, but don’t know where to start? Join us on 11/4 to learn more! [Event]

Submit events, announcements, or home listings to ALXnow.

🌤️ Weather update

Today: Alexandria saw a high of 70° at 1:20 p.m. (5° above normal), a low of 54° at 12:55 a.m., no rain and a peak gust of 24 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 53. South wind around 5 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 75. West wind 2 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

The photo above is from the City of Alexandria’s marina webcam.

Thanks for reading!