News

A vehicle fire has shut down two left lanes of Interstate 95 northbound near the Eisenhower Avenue exit, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Alexandria Police dispatch said that a vehicle was on fire in the local lanes at around 3:45 p.m. VDOT reported that the incident occurred at mile marker 174.4 in Fairfax County.


News

A man was shot in the leg on Wednesday night in the 300 block of N. West Street, according to Alexandria Police Department dispatches. The injury was deemed non-life-threatening, according to APD.

APD received multiple calls of six to eight shots fired in the 300 block of N. West Street at around 9:45 p.m. Police reviewed security footage from the scene and saw two individuals walk into a playground area, fire multiple shots in a westbound direction, and then flee the scene eastbound, according to radio dispatches.


News

More than a dozen Alexandria and area restaurants are participating in the 18th annual Taste For Giving in Old Town next month.

Tickets for the Nov. 7 event cost $75, and proceeds benefit several Alexandria nonprofits and charities. The Alexandria Rotary Foundation is hosting the event at the Atrium Building (277 S. Washington Street) in Old Town. Over the past 17 years, the Rotary Foundation has raised more than $1.7 million for organizations throughout the city.


News

A new restaurant has been proposed at the former home of Kismet Modern Indian at 111 N. Pitt Street in Old Town.

Restaurant Finn and Fire is being proposed for the space, according to plans going before the city’s Board of Architectural Review next month. The property’s landlord confirmed to ALXnow that a lease has been signed, although the restaurant did not return calls for comment. The proposal goes before the BAR on Nov. 5.


News

A proposal to build 32 four-story townhouses in Old Town will head back to the Board of Architectural Review next month.

Alexandria land-use attorney Ken Wire is asking the city for approval to demolish the Essex Building, an office building at 333 N. Fairfax Street built in the 1970s, and replace it with townhomes. Renderings show rows of four-story townhouses with garages and second-floor balconies encompassing an entire square block, bordered by N. Lee Street, Queen Street, and Princess Street. The BAR will review the proposal on Wednesday, Nov. 5. It will be the second concept review for the project, and city staff are advising some minor modifications.


News

Award-winning children’s book author and illustrator Chris Van Dusen will read his latest book to Alexandria kids next week.

Van Dusen will read from his book, “If I Built a Town,” to students at Cora Kelly School for Science, Math, and Technology (3600 Commonwealth Avenue) on October 15. Inspire Lit and Old Town Books sponsor the 9 a.m. event and is part of Van Dusen’s book tour.


News

The Del Ray Farmhouse Market and Garden, located at 1913 Mount Vernon Avenue, has just opened a small grocery store inside its premises.

Owner Jay Portlance soft-opened the grocery store today (Oct. 8), selling vegetables, fresh bread, and eggs. He said that the store will support local vendors and farms. Portlance noted that the store is a “micro-version” of a standard grocery store and plans to expand its offerings over the next several weeks.


News

The Alexandria Health Department is looking for volunteers to join community coalitions to create the city’s next five-year Health Improvement Plan.

In the upcoming 2026-2031 plan, AHD will focus on citywide mental wellness, as well as in the Landmark/Van Dorn corridor in the West End and the city’s Arlandria neighborhood. The focus areas were chosen in AHD’s most recent State of Health Report. Each subject matter area will be worked on by a coalition, which will be made up of “Alexandria residents, businesses, faith leaders, community groups, and others who work and spend time here,” according to AHD.


News

Three grant recipients will unveil their findings on Alexandria’s history during the Civil War, records at Douglas Cemetery and more.

The grants were awarded as part of the Alexandria Historical Society‘s 50th anniversary celebration. The “golden grantees” will present their findings at the free event at the Lyceum (201 S. Washington Street) on Wednesday, Oct. 22, starting at 6:30 p.m.


News

Next week, Sandy Williams IV will submit his proposal for an art installation in Alexandria to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Williams’ proposal for public art to adorn the courtyard of the Alexandria Circuit Court (520 King Street) from April to November must first receive approval from the city’s Commission for the Arts. The design is still under wraps, although the artist, who is known for creating pieces that defy convention, says that the issues the signers of the Declaration of Independence wrestled with in 1776 are similar to those faced by contemporary Americans.


News

Ready to solve a mystery at home?

Four years ago, a group of Alexandrians combined their talents to launch the Literary Adventure Society, a play-at-home mystery game series based on classic detective stories set in Victorian London, featuring sleuths Sherlock Holmes and Loveday Brooke. Would-be detectives (up to six at a time) can order the $55 interactive mystery boxes that include audio plays, clues, as well as custom tea blends and scented candles to get everyone in the right frame of mind to unravel mind-bending crimes like A Scandal in Bohemia, The Dancing Men, and The Mystery of the Black Bag.


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