On This Day in Alexandria History — “On October 6, 1796, the City Tavern welcomed its new tavern keeper, John Gadsby. The Englishman had excellent credentials having previously run a tavern on Union Street. Gadsby remained as the proprietor of tavern on North Royal Street until 1808.” [Historic Alexandria]
Alexandria Driver Dies After Vehicle Hydroplanes — “Virginia State Police troopers responded at 4:40 a.m. on Saturday (Oct. 3) to westbound I-495 for a single-vehicle crash at the 170-mile marker near the interchange with I-95 and I-395, a tangle of highways often called the Springfield Mixing Bowl. ‘A 2025 Toyota Rav4 was travelling southbound (the correct direction of travel) on Interstate 495 when the vehicle hydroplaned and struck a traffic attenuator,’ the VSP said (Monday) in a press release.” [FFXnow]
New Dashboard for ACPS Performance Launched — “The ACPS 2030 Strategic Plan Dashboard tracks ACPS’ performance with regard to 16 indicators in five goal areas identified by the school district … The KPIs five goals are: creating environments where students feel supported, engaging and challenging students, recruiting and retaining talented teachers, cultivating trust through community engagement, and preparing students for life after graduation.” [Patch]
Over 3,400 Pounds of Food Donated by Farmers Market Vendors — “Each Saturday from June through September, volunteers from Christ Church and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church gather at the Old Town Farmers’ Market on King Street to collect, or “glean,” excess produce and other food donated by vendors. The food is then distributed through the Lazarus Food Pantry.” [The Zebra]
AFD Honors First Fallen Firefighter — “On Sunday, October 4th, we gathered to honor and recognize Charles Glasscock who was the first Alexandria firefighter to die in the line of duty on June 28, 1852. Nearly 175 years have passed since Charles made the ultimate sacrifice while serving with the Friendship Fire Company. May his name remain part of Alexandria’s history, and may his sacrifice continue to remind us of what it means to serve.” [Alexandria Fire Department/Facebook]
City Encourages Resident Input in Dominion Energy Merger Case — “The Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) is taking public comments on the proposed $67 billion merger of Dominion Energy and NextEra Energy. The decision will affect every Dominion customer in Virginia, including households and businesses here in Alexandria.” [City of Alexandria/Facebook]
Theme Set for 2027 George Washington Birthday Parade — “The theme honors the endurance and sacrifice of the Continental Army in 1777, one of the most trying years of the Revolutionary War. That was the year Washington’s troops lost Philadelphia after defeats at Brandywine and Germantown, then marched into winter quarters at Valley Forge.” [Alexandria Living Magazine]
New Affordable Housing Units to Become Available This Winter — “Margot, a new apartment community located at 425 Montgomery St., Alexandria, VA 22314 is providing 16 new apartments ranging in size from junior one bedroom to two-bedroom units under the City’s Affordable Rental Set-Aside Program. The units will be affordable at 60% of the area median income. Ten committed affordable apartments are being delivered as part of the first phase, tentatively in December and January 2027. One accessible unit will have grab bars in the bathroom, side-by-side washer/dryer, and wider clearances in kitchen and bathrooms.” [Alexandria Office of Housing]
Alexandria Library Marks Banned Books Week — “It’s #BannedBooksWeek 🚫📚! Join us for book clubs, crafts, trivia, and more, and check out a challenged or banned title. View our full calendar and RSVP for events on our website … Remember, all Alexandria Library branches will be closed Monday, October 12, for Indigenous Peoples’ Day.” [Alexandria Library/Bluesky]
Inflation Cited in Metro’s Fare Increase Proposal — “Metrorail fares could jump by 11.1% under a new proposal the transit agency shared Monday — going from today’s range of $2.25-$6.75 up to $2.50-$7.50. Late-night fares could also be impacted, and bus fares would likely increase from $2.25 to $2.50.” [NBC Washington]
Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Project Funds Awarded by Feds — “U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi announced Friday in Smithfield that the agency will disburse $37 million to localities to aid Chesapeake Bay pollution reduction and clean up efforts. An additional $53 million in matching grant funds will be awarded to 83 projects across the watershed, 28 of them Virginia-based.” [Virginia Mercury]
An Early Look at the Winter Forecast — “With the start of October, new computer model simulations have become available that offer some ideas about what could happen. Their main message is this: It will probably be wet. Simulations from modeling systems in both Canada and Europe project substantially above-normal precipitation from Florida to New England, including the DC area. The wild card is: Will it be white? The answer will depend on temperatures.” [Capital Weather]
It’s Tuesday — Expect sunny weather with a high near 65 degrees and a gentle north wind at 6 mph, which will die down to calm in the afternoon. Tuesday night will be clear, with temperatures dropping to around 43 degrees and calm winds. [NWS]
There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.
