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ALXnow Daily Debrief for Oct 22, 2026

By ALXnow.com

Published October 22, 2026 at 9:00PM

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

🕗 More from today

Everything else we published today, Oct 22, 2026.

📣 Announcements

Alexandria Fitness Studio for People Over 50 Closes Fall Into Fitness Program in 11 Days
Revolutionary Fitness, the semi-private strength and longevity studio at 215 N. Payne St. in… [Announcement]

Army Navy Game Day 5k and 10k Run, sponsored by the Washington, D.C. Foreign Area Officers Association
Attention all runners, joggers, and Army Navy fans! Come join us on Saturday, 12 December 2026… [Announcement]

📅 Upcoming events

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

10:00 am: Burke Branch Friends, Inc Fall Book Sale
12:00 pm: What Everyone Needs to Know about the Safe Use of AI (Webinar)
5:00 pm: Blind Wine Tasting at Cherry on Top
6:00 pm: 1920s Party: American Girl Celebration
6:00 pm: Styling Series: Spook & Shop — Current Boutique Old Town

⭐ Featured events

🎭 Halloween Improv Comedy Show with the Auxiliary
Oct 24: Join the Auxiliary Improv for a night of Halloween-themed comedy in Old Town, Alexandria VA! [Event]

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 59° at 8:25 p.m. (8° below normal), a low of 45° at 7:35 a.m. and no rain.

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 47. North wind around 8 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 64. Northeast wind around 9 mph.

About 753 Dominion customers are without power.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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

Thanks for reading!

Morning Notes for October 22, 2026

By ALXnow.com

Published October 22, 2026 at 7:30AM

A Del Ray home pays tribute to the late Dolly Parton through its Halloween decor (staff photo by James Cullum)

School Board Election Changes Advance — “The Alexandria City School Board-City Council ad hoc committee on election reform met for the third and final time on Tuesday evening and voted 3-1 to recommend a reformed election schedule that would give Board members four-year terms but would not stagger the terms nor shrink the Board’s size.” [Alexandria Times]

Abuse Alleged at Senior Living Facility — “According to records with the Virginia Department of Social Services, family members of a resident at the Benchmark at Alexandria senior living facility alleged to the state licensing department in early August that an in-room camera at the location showed a member of staff striking the resident.” [Patch]

GW Parkway Bridge Hit by Truck — The southbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway at Alexandria Avenue have reopened after a truck hit a bridge yesterday morning (Wednesday), the U.S. Park Police said. “A Federal Highway Administration inspection team found that there was no structural damage to the bridge.” [WJLA]

License Plate Reader Audit Plans Unclear — “Three weeks after telling City Council that the city’s Independent Policing Auditor “could potentially” review its license plate reader audits, the Alexandria Police Department said Wednesday it has not decided whether that office, vacant since Oct. 3, or the city’s Office of Internal Audit will have a role.” [Alexandria Brief]

Hot Chicken Chain Coming — “Crimson Coward, a California-born restaurant chain specializing in Nashville hot chicken, is preparing to open at 5557 Cardinal Place in Cameron Square. The company’s Alexandria webpage lists the restaurant as ‘Coming Soon,’ and Cameron Square also identifies it as an upcoming tenant.” [The Zebra]

Alexandria Native Scouts for Dodgers — “On Oct. 15, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ hopes of returning to the World Series were squashed by a pesky but talented Milwaukee team, which swept the Angelenos four games to zero … For one group of Dodger employees, including Alexandria native Lee Tackett, the season is finished for a few months.” [Alexandria Times]

It’s Thursday — Sunny with a high near 66 and a north wind around 8 to 10 mph. Thursday night will be mostly clear, with a low around 47 and a north wind around 6 to 8 mph. [NWS]

Want more local news? Check out our newest sister site, WSHnow, with the latest from across the region.

#Morning Notes

ALXnow Daily Debrief for Oct 21, 2026

By ALXnow.com

Published October 21, 2026 at 9:00PM

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

📈 Today’s most-read stories

🕗 More from today

Everything else we published today, Oct 21, 2026.

📣 Announcements

Alexandria Fitness Studio for People Over 50 Closes Fall Into Fitness Program in 11 Days
Revolutionary Fitness, the semi-private strength and longevity studio at 215 N. Payne St. in… [Announcement]

Army Navy Game Day 5k and 10k Run, sponsored by the Washington, D.C. Foreign Area Officers Association
Attention all runners, joggers, and Army Navy fans! Come join us on Saturday, 12 December 2026… [Announcement]

📅 Upcoming events

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

6:00 pm: A Night of Art and History at Nepenthe Gallery featuring Bill Shute
👉 6:00 pm: Murder Mystery Night at Cherry on Top

⭐ Featured events

Murder Mystery Night at Cherry on Top
Oct 22: Murder Mystery Night at Cherry on Top [Event]

🎭 Halloween Improv Comedy Show with the Auxiliary
Oct 24: Join the Auxiliary Improv for a night of Halloween-themed comedy in Old Town, Alexandria VA! [Event]

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 68° at 1:55 p.m. (normal for the date), a low of 48° at 6:00 a.m., no rain and a peak gust of 21 mph.

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 43. North wind around 6 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 67. North wind 6 to 9 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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

Thanks for reading!

Morning Notes for October 21, 2026

By ALXnow.com

Published October 21, 2026 at 7:30AM

Fall decorations at Del Ray Farmhouse Market & Garden (staff photo by Emily Leayman)

On This Day in Alexandria History — “On October 21, 1669, Sir William Berkeley, colonial governor of Virginia, bestowed a 6000-acre land patent in the northern reaches of the colony to a Welsh sea captain named Robert Howson. … Eighty years later, a portion of that land would be formally established as the town of Alexandria, at a location just south of the tobacco inspection station operated by Hugh West since 1732.” [Historic Alexandria]

Guide to Halloween in Alexandria — “Spooky season is in full swing, and Alexandria’s calendar is packed — from Halloween bar crawls on King Street and a floating pumpkin patch to a goat social in Del Ray and Edgar Allan Poe himself (sort of) at The Lyceum. Here are some of the most fun events coming up around town.” [Alexandria Living Magazine]

‘Hallow-Screen’ for STIs — “From October 26–30, Alexandria Health Department’s Teen Wellness Center clinics will offer free, confidential sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing to all Alexandria teens. In Alexandria, there are two Teen Wellness Center clinics located at Alexandria City High School’s King Street and Minnie Howard campuses, respectively.” [City of Alexandria]

Local Advisory Bodies Need Applicants — “Alexandria residents interested in helping shape city policies and programs have until Oct. 30 to apply for approximately 80 vacancies on city boards, commissions and committees. The Alexandria City Council is seeking applicants for positions on 32 advisory bodies covering issues including transportation, housing affordability, public safety, historic preservation and community services.” [Patch]

Trunk-or-Treat Next Week — “The Alexandria Police Department (APD), along with its public safety partners, invites residents and families to celebrate Halloween at the Public Safety Trunk or Treat event on Thursday, October 29, 2026, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Alexandria Police Headquarters, 3600 Wheeler Avenue.” [City of Alexandria]

Childcare Affordability in Virginia — “Closing Virginia’s child care affordability gap would require up to $4.5 billion annually over the next decade, according to the Virginia Department of Education — an investment that, under one scenario, would also raise annual pay for 43,000 educators by an average of $17,000.” [Virginia Mercury]

It’s Wednesday — Sunny with a high near 65 and a north wind of 8 to 10 mph. Wednesday night will be mostly clear, with a low around 46 and a northwest wind around 6 mph. [NWS]

Support local journalism. Join the ALXnow Press Club to boost our reporting and to get upgraded newsletters.

#Morning Notes

ALXnow Daily Debrief for Oct 20, 2026

By ALXnow.com

Published October 20, 2026 at 9:00PM

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

📈 Today’s most-read stories

JUST IN: Alexandria activist Glen Pine challenging Del. R. Kirk McPike for Democratic nomination (1,588 views)
Alexandria man arrested with airsoft gun after alleged Safeway robbery (1,165 views)
City Council approves townhouse development project in Old Town (1,163 views)

🕗 More from today

Everything else we published today, Oct 20, 2026.

📣 Announcements

Alexandria Fitness Studio for People Over 50 Closes Fall Into Fitness Program in 11 Days
Revolutionary Fitness, the semi-private strength and longevity studio at 215 N. Payne St. in… [Announcement]

📅 Upcoming events

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

4:00 pm: Powered by Virginia Tech: Building the Next Generation of Founders

⭐ Featured events

Murder Mystery Night at Cherry on Top
Oct 22: Murder Mystery Night at Cherry on Top [Event]

🎭 Halloween Improv Comedy Show with the Auxiliary
Oct 24: Join the Auxiliary Improv for a night of Halloween-themed comedy in Old Town, Alexandria VA! [Event]

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]

Submit events, announcements, or home listings to ALXnow.

☀️ Weather update

Today: Alexandria saw a high of 72° at 1:45 p.m. (4° above normal), a low of 46° at 5:50 a.m., no rain and a peak gust of 17 mph.

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 49. North wind around 7 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 67. North wind 6 to 10 mph.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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

Thanks for reading!

News

Morning Notes for October 20, 2026

By ALXnow.com

Published October 20, 2026 at 7:30AM

An Amtrak train in Old Town, Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria Gets New Legislative Director — “City Manager James Parajon selected Fatimah Dandashi for the role following a national search. Dandashi brings experience in local and state government, including previous work with Fairfax County and the Virginia Senate. As Legislative Director, she will oversee the City’s intergovernmental affairs, advocate for state and federal funding, and work closely with City Council and City departments to advance Alexandria’s legislative priorities.” [City of Alexandria]

Mural Behind the Birchmere — “If you park behind the Birchmere this month, you may notice a plain concrete-block wall slowly turning into something else: an old Alexandria brick warehouse, complete with a loading dock, a paneled door and a couple of carpenters hard at work.” [Alexandria Living Magazine]

ALXnow Daily Debrief for Oct 19, 2026

By ALXnow.com

Published October 19, 2026 at 9:00PM

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

📈 Today’s most-read stories

🕗 More from today

Everything else we published today, Oct 19, 2026.

📣 Announcements

Alexandria Fitness Studio for People Over 50 Closes Fall Into Fitness Program in 11 Days
Revolutionary Fitness, the semi-private strength and longevity studio at 215 N. Payne St. in… [Announcement]

⭐ Featured events

Murder Mystery Night at Cherry on Top
Oct 22: Murder Mystery Night at Cherry on Top [Event]

🎭 Halloween Improv Comedy Show with the Auxiliary
Oct 24: Join the Auxiliary Improv for a night of Halloween-themed comedy in Old Town, Alexandria VA! [Event]

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

Submit events, announcements, or home listings to ALXnow.

☀️ Weather update

Today: Alexandria saw a high of 70° at 4:35 p.m. (2° above normal), a low of 43° at 3:05 a.m., no rain and a peak gust of 17 mph.

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 48. North wind around 7 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 71. North wind 8 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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

Thanks for reading!

News

Morning Notes for October 19, 2026

By ALXnow.com

Published October 19, 2026 at 7:30AM

Nightmare on the Avenue at the Del Ray Pop-up Bar (staff photo by Emily Leayman)

On This Day in Alexandria History — “On October 19, 1781, after eight years of conflict, British General Lord Charles Cornwallis surrendered to General George Washington at Yorktown, Virginia and the American colonies finally secured their freedom from Great Britain. … As the Americans traveled southward before their Yorktown victory, thousands of soldiers camped in a large area just north of Oronoco Street in Alexandria along what is now called the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route.” [Historic Alexandria]

Anti-immigrant Flyers — “Just weeks before the midterm elections, flyers that appear to target immigrants are raising concerns about possible voter intimidation in Alexandria, Virginia. The flyers discovered on dozens of car windshields Monday cite laws prohibiting non-citizens from voting in federal elections and included a hotline to report alleged immigration and voting violations.” [NBC4]

Poll: The best veterinarian in Alexandria

By ALXnow.com

Published October 16, 2026 at 11:45AM

Reliable veterinary care plays a vital role in maintaining the health and well-being of Alexandria’s pet population. Local animal hospitals and clinics provide essential services that give pet owners peace of mind and support the broader community.

Here are the nominees for Best veterinarian in Alexandria as part of our ALXnow Readers’ Choice awards.

Did we miss your favorite veterinarian? Write it in!

Voting will close on Wednesday, Oct. 28.

Voting for Best places to hike in Alexandria is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Wednesday at 11:59 p.m.

Two weeks ago, we voted on the Best coffee shops in Alexandria. The full results are now official:

🥇 Turkish Coffee Lady — 1484 votes
🥈 Café du Soleil — 836 votes
🥉 LaPluma Coffee & Wine — 342 votes
St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub — 253 votes
Swing’s Coffee — 187 votes

A total of 3,692 votes were cast.

See every ALXnow Readers’ Choice winner, past and present, here.

News

Morning Notes for October 16, 2026

By ALXnow.com

Published October 16, 2026 at 7:30AM

Halloween decorations in Del Ray (staff photo by James Cullum)

On This Day in Alexandria History — “On October 16, 1824, the beloved Marquis de Lafayette arrived in Alexandria for an extended visit during his ‘Grand Tour of America,’ one of the social high points in history of the young nation he had so fervently fought for. The Alexandria Gazette of October 19, 1824, vividly described his entrance to the city: ‘Between twelve and one o’clock General LaFayette entered the line from the Potomac Bridge, under a salute of artillery from Capt. Williams’s company. Here he was met by General Walter Jones and suite…. LaFayette then entered a splendid barouche, drawn by four fine greys, [and escorted to Alexandria]…. The procession entered the town through Columbus Street, went through a part of King into Fayette…to Washington Street.” [Historic Alexandria]

Amtrak Service Adjustments to Happen on Five Days — “Work will start after service ends on Friday, Oct. 16 and be completed before morning service on Monday, Oct. 26. Work will be done at the ‘A-Interlocking’ track and control point within D.C.’s First Street Tunnel. The point controls routing of all Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express trains between D.C.’s Union Station and Virginia. During the work, two train lines will run in segments, with the southern segment starting or ending in Alexandria.” [ALXnow]

News

Morning Notes for October 15, 2026

By ALXnow.com

Published October 15, 2026 at 7:30AM

Houses in the Old Town of Alexandria, Virginia (licensed via Adobe Stock)

On This Day in Alexandria History — “On October 15, 1862, with deaths from Civil War battles in Virginia increasing drastically, the City of Alexandria formally leased land at the west end of Wilkes Street to the Federal government for creation of the Alexandria National Cemetery, the nation’s first military cemetery. Within a year, the cemetery was filled almost to capacity nearing 4,000 graves, most of which contained the remains of soldiers brought to Alexandria for medical care. Running out of burial ground in Alexandria, Quartermaster General Montgomery C. Meigs seized on the idea of burying war dead on the lawns surrounding ‘Arlington House,’ the vacated Custis homestead owned by the wife of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, which was then occupied by Union troops just north of the city.” [Historic Alexandria]

Old Town Eyed as Stop for Ferry Study — “Old Town is one of six sites recommended for further study as a terminal for a hydrofoil ferry pilot that its backers say could reach Navy Yard in 20 minutes, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments board heard Wednesday.” [Alexandria Brief]