News

ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum
The line for the ‘Eras’ pop-up bar at 2312 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray (courtesy photo)

It’s been another busy week in Alexandria.

Amid the impact of federal worker cutbacks, looming budgets and crime, our top story this week was on the popularity of a new Taylor Swift-themed pop-up bar in Del Ray. Lines are wrapping around the block at Eras (2312 Mount Vernon Avenue).

“Del Ray has never seen anything like this,” pop-up owner Bill Blackburn told ALXnow. “Business is strong and the demand to check it out has been unbelievable.”

Staying in the comfort zone with food stories, our number-two post was on a number of Alexandria restaurants listed in Northern Virginia Magazine’s “Best Burgers” list.

Crime took the third spot, with the Alexandria Police Department confirming that drivers were doing donuts in the middle on Arlandria last Saturday night. APD officers reported via dispatch that multiple vehicles performing donuts and a large group of people blocking police from the scene.

“Street takeovers where vehicles block the roadway of an intersection for drivers to perform stunts and burnouts are not only illegal, but they are also dangerous for participants and bystanders,” APD said in a statement. “If you have any information or witness reckless driving of this nature, please report it to the APD non-emergency number 703-746-4444.APD released the follow.”

In other crime-related news, we recently discovered 23 illegal skill games machines operating in Arlandria, and got the latest on enforcement efforts from the Alexandria Police Department.

With Easter just a few weeks away, don’t miss our roundup of what’s happening for dining and family fun.

In development news, construction of the stalled Heritage at Old Town project will start in the second quarter (April 1 to June 30) of 2025. The project promises to bring 310 apartment homes and more than 14,000 square feet of amenity space to the property at 505 S. Alfred Street.

Also this week, Alexandria City Public Schools told us that it’s too early to tell whether a proposal to transport high school kids on DASH buses will work.

On a lighter note, this week we sat down for a fascinating conversation with Josh Cease, drum major with the City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums.

Correction

ALXnow regrets a blunder on Wednesday (March 26). While looking at a press release on upcoming road maintenance in Interstate 495 by the Virginia Department of Transportation, we misread a map and thought that the work would impact Alexandria. It won’t in any way.

The most-read stories this week were:

  1. Lines wrapping around the block for Taylor Swift-themed pop-up bar in Del Ray (13782 views)
  2. These Alexandria restaurants just made Northern Virginia Magazine’s ‘Best Burgers’ list (9850 views)
  3. Police found drivers doing donuts in the middle of Arlandria last Saturday night (6477 views)
  4. Federal workforce cuts could severely impact Alexandria’s economy, officials warn (5859 views)
  5. WATCH OUT: Major detour for I-495 south in Alexandria will take drivers across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge (5055 views)
  6. Alexandria firefighters extinguish six vehicle fires in two days (3405 views)
  7. Lowery’s Dial moving to a new location on King Street (3088 views)
  8. Skill games are still happening in Alexandria, and police are slowly seizing machines (3064 views)

Have a safe weekend!

About the Author

  • Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.