It’s been a busy week in Alexandria.
Just two weeks after an Alexandria City High School student was killed during a brawl at the Bradlee Shopping Center, there was another murder in the City’s West End. Enoc Cruz Villafuerte, 22, was arrested at the scene of a shooting in a West End apartment complex and was later charged with the murder of his brother, Jonathan Cruz Villafuerte.
This week also saw Superintendent Gregory Hutchings Jr. announce his resignation effective at the end of the summer. Hutchings has served as Alexandria City Public Schools superintendent since 2018. The announcement came just days after the School Board discussed new rules that would require Board members to send their media responses to their colleagues and limit conversations with school staff.
Top stories
- Behind closed doors, Alexandria School Board proposes ‘peer pressure’ procedure when talking to media
- Man in serious condition after being shot in Braddock Area Thursday morning
- Man charged with brother’s murder in West End shooting
- BREAKING: Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr. resigns
- Three-year-old Alexandria child revived by Narcan after drinking from wrong cup
- Alexandria man arrested for stealing car parts, eluding police in Fairfax County
- JUST IN: Short-staffed Alexandria Police Department to reduce service to public
- Alexandria needs volunteers for Torpedo Factory task force
- Slain Alexandria City High School senior given posthumous diploma
- Pair of new affordable housing developments headed to city review
Recent Stories

If you had a chance to enhance a child’s future with a time commitment of less than 2 hours a week, how would you respond? You have that opportunity right now to join over 200 Alexandrians as a reading tutor volunteer with the Alexandria Tutoring Consortium (ATC).
ATC tutors work with one child in kindergarten, first, or second grade in Alexandria public schools who need extra help with reading. Tutors meet with their Book Buddy 1-2 times each week for 30 minutes October-May at school, during school hours. Many struggling readers only receive one-on-one instruction through this program, and it makes all the difference. Last year, ATC served 195 children, of whom 82% ended the year reading on grade level and 96% made substantial reading gains. But the need is great, and we are still seeing learning lags from the pandemic.
This year, ATC plans to significantly increase the size of the program to reach over 250 students and to serve every elementary school in Alexandria. This is very exciting news, but we will only succeed if we can recruit more tutors. ATC trains you, matches you with a child, and provides ongoing lesson materials and support.

If you have been thinking about buying your first home or haven’t owned one in the last three years, THIS IS FOR YOU!
In the DMV area, it can be difficult to save the downpayment necessary for you to get into your own home. We have a solution. The Funder’s Summit!
We have assembled a summit with different municipalities to tell you how to access their funds for your home purchase.
2023 Alexandria Fall Festival
Food trucks, bounce houses, pony rides, magic shows and more at the 2023 Alexandria Fall Festival, an Alexandria Living event presented by The Patterson Group. Join us at River Farm on Sunday, Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.