News

Charles Barrett Elementary School unveiled a new reading corner Thursday, funded by a $75,000 Amazon donation and community partnerships aimed at boosting student literacy.

The project, six months in the making, transformed a corner of the school library with custom murals by artist Shawn James, comfortable seating and hundreds of new books. Amazon also donated 500 backpacks filled with books and supplies, while Reading Is Fundamental contributed more than 1,000 books to the school library.


News

Jackie Surratt, the founder of the Alexandria Fatherless Coalition nonprofit, has been banned from recreation centers in the city for a year.

It’s not the first time Surratt has been banned. In 2022, he admitted to stepping out of bounds when he yelled at a staffer at William Ramsay Recreation Center (5650 Sanger Ave.) for not observing pandemic-related rules while trying to play ping-pong, resulting in a two-year banishment. This time, he says that the most recent ban, which went into effect last month, is unjust. Surratt says he’s peaceful, and wants the ban lifted in order to administer his mentorship program to Alexandria boys. He’s taken his case to city leaders, City Manager Jim Parajon and City Attorney Cheran Ivery.


News

The Pampered Pet Boutique & Barkery (1612 Belle View Boulevard) and its sister store Pampered Pet Bark Bath (1614 Belle View Boulevard) have permanently closed in the Belle View Shopping Center in the Alexandria area of Fairfax County.

The boutique opened in 2021, and the dog bath opened last year.


News

Alexandria City Public Schools will present quarterly safety data to the School Board Thursday showing a dramatic decline in student arrests and court referrals, with 28 total cases during the 2024-25 school year compared to 69 the previous year.

The latest quarterly report covers 262 safety incidents between January and June, with 8 student court referrals and 6 arrests during the third and fourth quarters. This represents a 59% decrease from the 2023-24 school year.


News

The Alexandria School Board will consider Thursday whether to accept a $9,999 donation from McLean-based Proxyware to support a male mentoring initiative at two city schools.

Alexandria City Public Schools received the $9,999 donation on Sept. 2 for programs at Patrick Henry K-8 School and Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 School. The board must approve any donations over $5,000.


News

The Alexandria Planning Commission will review a three-year extension in October for a controversial 180-unit apartment building near the Braddock Road Metro station that has faced years of delays and community opposition.

In June, the city council deferred a decision to extend the DSUP for the one-acre project at 727 N. West St. until its city council public hearing on October 18. The deferral gave developer West Street Acquisitions several months to discuss stormwater issues with the city and conduct more community conversations with neighbors. The plan will first go to the Planning Commission for review on Oct. 9.


News

Mount Vernon Community School students in Alexandria got a visit on Tuesday from Washington Commanders players, who gave away $5,000 worth of food, plush footballs, hats, and notebooks.

Commanders running back Christopher Rodriguez, Jr., wide receivers Jaylin Lane and Chris Moore, and mascot Major Tuddy visited the school in collaboration with the nonprofit Blessings in a Backpack. In addition to receiving signed team merchandise, students also got bags with yogurt, pretzels, fruit cups, cereal, soup, macaroni and cheese, and tuna.


News

Alexandria nonprofit ALIVE! gets plenty of peanut butter donations, but not enough jelly.

ALIVE! feeds more than 20,000 hungry residents monthly, and recently announced on social media that the perfect partner to peanut butter is harder to come by. According to ALIVE:


News

A new traveling exhibit chronicling 400 years of struggle for Black equality in the U.S. will open in Alexandria on Wednesday, Sept. 24.

The Kate Waller Branch Library (717 Queen Street) will host Determined: The 400-Year Struggle for Black Equity​ Exhibit from Sept. 24 until Oct. 25 (Saturday). The traveling exhibit from the Virginia Museum of History and Culture highlights the stories of Black Virginians who fought against injustice. Alexandria history makers are included in the exhibit, and the opening on Sept. 24 will be hosted by Alexandria Library Director Rose Dawson and feature a presentation from genealogist Char McCargo Bah on 15 African Americans “whose lives and legacies shaped the city’s journey toward equality,” according to Alexandria Library.


News

Alo Yoga started construction at 814 King Street in Old Town.

The California-based yoga chain has gutted the interior of the space that was previously home to the Random Harvest furniture store. According to contractors working on site, the renovation should be completed within a month.


News

Alexandria-based Carpenter’s Shelter will hold its signature fundraiser next month, pitting chefs around the city against each other.

Chefs from more than a dozen Alexandria restaurants will compete in the Carpenter’s Cook-Off 2025 from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19, at The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Avenue). Funds from the event will benefit the nonprofit, which provides temporary housing and support for hundreds of homeless families and individuals every year.


View More Stories