Ryan Belmore is a journalist based in Alexandria, Virginia. He served as Publisher of ALXnow from March to October 2025. He can be reached at [email protected].
A 62-year-old Alexandria man who had been missing since Tuesday morning has been safely located, police announced Wednesday evening.
Fecre Desta was found safe, according to the Alexandria Police Department, which thanked the community and media for their assistance in the search.
Alexandria’s beloved fall festival celebrating animals returns to Oronoco Bay Park on Sunday, Oct. 12, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., offering pet adoptions, live music, shopping, and family entertainment — all free to attend.
Paws in the Park, which benefits the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, will feature local artisans, nonprofits, and animal-focused businesses, along with food and beverage vendors including local cideries, breweries, wineries, bakeries, and food trucks.
The Old Town Festival of Speed & Style has donated more than $35,000 to three local nonprofits, organizers announced Friday.
The funds, raised through the festival’s May 18 event and related activities, will be split among ALIVE!, Community Lodgings, and the National Breast Center Foundation. Burke & Herbert Bank served as the presenting sponsor.
Alexandria City Council and School Board members agreed Monday during a joint work session to update the city’s long-range school facilities plan as middle schools operate at more than 120% capacity and some elementary buildings approach 90 years old.
The decision to revise the decade-old planning document comes as officials confront both immediate overcrowding and long-term infrastructure decay that officials say redistricting alone cannot solve.
Alexandria City Council and School Board officials attempted to repair what they openly called a “dysfunctional” relationship on Monday night, with one councilman acknowledging that the tension had persisted for 12 years.
“We are five minutes into our meeting, five minutes into it, and already we’ve taken a tone of not being productive,” School Board Vice Chair Christopher Harris said. “Whether we like it or not, we have to communicate. We have to engage. We have to work together. This is dysfunction.”
Good morning, Alexandria! Today is Tuesday, Sept. 30, the 273rd day of 2025. There are 92 days left in the year.
🌥️ Today’s weather: Cloudy, with a high near 78°F. North wind 5 to 7 mph. Cloudy tonight, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 60°F. North wind around 7 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.
The Alexandria City Public School Board will not support a proposal to use DASH buses to transport high school students, Chair Michelle Rief announced on Monday night, effectively ending months of work on a cost-saving initiative that exposed deep-seated tensions between the board and the City Council.
“After several months of thoughtful discussion and deliberation, the school board has determined that we cannot support moving forward with this proposal,” Rief said at the opening of the joint work session at ACPS Central Office. “While we appreciate the efforts to explore cost-saving strategies and alternative transportation options, we ultimately do not believe this approach is in the best interest of ACPS students, families, or staff.”
The Alexandria Republican City Committee welcomed Virginia’s Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, John Reid, to its annual picnic Sunday at Fort Ward Park, drawing what organizers described as the largest crowd in recent memory.
Reid arrived after navigating heavy traffic caused by accidents on Interstate 95, he said on X on Monday.
The City of Alexandria’s Office of the Arts will host a reception with Richmond-based artist Sandy Williams IV on Oct. 7 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Torpedo Factory Art Center.
The event takes place in the Overlook Room, 105 N. Union St., third floor, Room 325. Remarks begin at 7 p.m.
Meet Green Bean, a 7-month-old pup whose cheerful personality and adorable wiggle are guaranteed to brighten your day.
This handsome brown-and-white “low rider” came to the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA) as a local stray in need of medical care. After recovering in a loving foster home, the 32-pound boy has blossomed into a playful, curious companion who’s ready for his forever family.
Good morning, Alexandria! Today is Monday, Sept. 29, the 272nd day of 2025. There are 93 days left in the year.
🌥️ Today’s weather: Increasing clouds, with a high near 79°F. Calm wind becoming northeast around 6 mph in the morning.
