On This Day in Alexandria History — “On, October 14, 1918, a contract was awarded by the United States government for construction of the U.S. Naval Torpedo Station on the Alexandria waterfront. Ironically, work on the building began on November 12, 1918, the day after Armistice Day, which marked the official end of World War I. The first torpedo was produced there in November 1920. Once fully operational, the Torpedo Station was responsible for the manufacture and maintenance of torpedoes for the next five years … In 1974 the building was converted into the Torpedo Factory Arts Center, one of the nation’s first adaptive reuse projects for a historic building.” [Historic Alexandria]
Whistleblower in Pet Death Case Unveils New Allegations — “Jackie Long, 61, worked for more than 14 years for Your Dog’s Best Friends, a popular dog grooming and boarding facility in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood. She told 7News that the July 2024 death of Abigail, a young golden retriever, could have been avoided had managers heeded her earlier warnings about animal abuse at the facility … She added that she complained to both managers and business owner Paul Haire about ‘four or five’ other employees of Your Dog’s Best Friends engaging in what she considered to be abusive behavior toward dogs.” [WJLA]
AWLA Responds to Whistleblower’s New Report — “The videos included in this news story are graphic, and we encourage viewers to use discretion … However, they only begin to show the awful things our Animal Services team had to watch as they investigated this case and other abuses at this facility while they worked to secure a prosecution. Their commitment to seeking justice for animals is sincerely appreciated.” [Animal Welfare League of Alexandria/Facebook]
Park Police Pursuit Ends in Alexandria — “According to the Park Police, one of their officers saw a vehicle driving recklessly through traffic on I-695 near Maine Avenue at 12:49 a.m. on Tuesday. The officer attempted to stop the driver, but they fled, eventually losing control and hitting a guardrail near Duke Street and Telegraph Road.” [Patch]
ACPS Hosts Community Budget Forum This Evening — “Join ACPS for our Community Budget Forum to learn about the budget process, connect with school division leaders, and share what matters most to you—from classroom resources and staffing to facilities and student support. 📅 Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026 🕡 6:30–7:30 p.m. 📍 Alexandria City High School Minnie Howard Campus Forum 👥 In-person only; no virtual participation option.” [Alexandria City Public Schools/Facebook]
DASH Bus Cuts Considered Amid Overspending Error — “DASH would stop running Line 31 through Old Town and end Line 30 short of the Van Dorn Metro station under both of the service-cut packages going to its board Wednesday. The larger package would also eliminate Lines 102, 103 and 104, which together carry about 310,000 riders a year.” [Alexandria Brief]
Family of I-395 Crash Survivor Notified After Two Weeks — “A 16-year-old girl, whom News4 is identifying only as Marta, was the only survivor. A 17-year-old boy was pronounced dead at the scene, and two 16-year-old boys died at a hospital, authorities said. Marta continues to recover from her injuries, but her family says they had to wait nearly two weeks for authorities to be able to identify her and contact them.” [NBC Washington]
Virginia AG Starts Voter Protection Section — “Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones on Tuesday announced a new Voter Protection Section, creating a team of dedicated lawyers to investigate voting rights violations and enforce state election laws three weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The section will investigate improper voter registration cancellations, absentee ballot denials, voter intimidation and interference with election administration.” [Virginia Mercury]
Arlington’s Flock Cameras Removed on Public Property — “The decision, which came amid nationwide backlash against the technology and concerns about potential misuse by federal agents, does not affect cameras installed on private property, however. It’s unclear how many of these exist, but according to county staff, some are present in Arlington.” [ARLnow]
NTVC Marks $218M in Funds Provided Through Commuter Choice Program — “The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission’s Commuter Choice program has invested $218 million into the region since its founding 10 years ago. Hear more from Chair [Sarah Bagley]. [Northern Virginia Transportation Commission/Bluesky]
Halloween Concert to Benefit Campagna Center — “The program brings together the Alexandria Children’s Chorus, the Alexandria Singers and an ensemble of musicians from the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic for a mix of Halloween songs and spooky favorites aimed at audiences of all ages — goblins, dragons and ghosts included. Organizers encourage attendees to come in costume, and candy will be handed out after the performance.” [Alexandria Living Magazine]
It’s Wednesday — Sunny with a high near 86 and a west wind around 3 to 7 mph. Wednesday night will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 62 and a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 4 a.m., followed by a slight chance of showers after 5 a.m.; winds will shift from west to north after midnight at 5 to 7 mph. [NWS]
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