The largest beauty retailer in the world is coming to Potomac Yard this spring.

After months of construction, “opening soon” signs have been erected for Ulta Beauty at 3501 Richmond Highway in the Potomac Yard Center. That’s the former home of Dressbarn, which closed in 2019, along with hundreds of other Dressbarn locations around the country.


Friends of Guest House residents will have a comfy new year, as more than 75 sets of new pajamas and cozy socks were donated to the nonprofit and handed out on Christmas Eve.

The donations are enough to keep the residents outfitted with pajamas for an entire year, and were made possible by Maureen Clyne, a local realtor, who started the holiday effort seven years ago.


Chris Collins never wants to retire.

For 50 years, the Alexandria native has taught tap, ballet, jazz and pointe to thousands of aspiring movers and shakers at his private company, the Chris Collins Dance Studio. The studio at 5408 Eisenhower Avenue is a second home for Collins, who works there with his wife, Vickie, and daughter, Tiffany Hopper.


Where can you find a green tree and Santa with his reindeer and sleigh on the roof of a business along Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray?

Correctly answer this and at least 19 other questions from a clue sheet by Jan. 3 (Saturday) for bragging rights and a chance to win the 6th annual Del Ray Holiday Scavenger Hunt.


The stalled expansion of a nursing home in Alexandria’s Rosemont neighborhood just got a three-year extension from the Alexandria City Council.

The Council has unanimously re-approved a 2022 plan by Woodbine Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center to build a three-story, 31,909-square-foot addition. The development permits expired in October and were held back by increased construction costs and interest rates, Woodbine said in its application.


Alexandria city staff want to establish a standard permitting process for commercial-to-residential conversions.

Amid a struggling office real estate market, the city has seen a number of old office properties convert to residential use over the last several years. The proposal to create a special use permit (SUP) process for the conversions will head to the Planning Commission on Tuesday, Jan. 6.


First Night Alexandria Returning for NYE — “First Night Alexandria will bring hours of live music and performances, family-friendly fun and fireworks to Old Town and Carlyle for New Year’s Eve next week. In its 31st year, the annual holiday festival includes a packed schedule of activities and arts, culminating in a countdown to midnight at the Old Town waterfront.” [ALXnow]

Chamber Releases 2026 Agenda — “The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce has officially released its 2026 Legislative Agenda—their most important advocacy document of the year. Crafted by Chamber members, the agenda reflects the collective voice and priorities of Alexandria’s business community and outlines how the Chamber will advocate on their members’ behalf in the year ahead and beyond.” [Alexandria Living Magazine]


Good Friday evening, Alexandria. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Dec 26, 2025.

Here are today’s most-read articles:

  1. Morning Notes for December 26, 2025 (815 views)
  2. Firefighters make rescue from flipped vehicle in North Ridge (690 views)
  3. Plaintiffs in Zoning for Housing lawsuit file notice of appeal (451 views)
  4. Most and Least Expensive: December 23, 2025 (241 views)

Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.

  1. Man arrested after robbery and barricade in Del Ray (4590 views)
  2. Police investigating assault and robbery at bus stop in Alexandria West (3874 views)
  3. Waterskiing Santa returns to Old Town waterfront for 40th annual Christmas Eve show (2818 views)
  4. Annual New Year’s Eve music, fireworks and performances returning to Old Town (2120 views)
  5. Man stabbed early Saturday morning in Landmark (2083 views)
  6. UpCycle Creative Reuse Center reopens in new location after six-month closure (1364 views)
  7. Former mayor getting settled into new leadership role with regional parks (1344 views)

📅 Upcoming events

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

  • No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.

🌤️ Saturday’s forecast

Expect a partly sunny day with highs near 43 and a north wind between 8-10 mph. Saturday night will be mostly cloudy with lows around 32. The northeast wind around 5 mph will become calm in the evening. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.”
– Plutarch

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

We hope you have a great weekend, Alexandria!


The Alexandria Fire Department rescued two people stuck inside a flipped vehicle in North Ridge on Wednesday.

The vehicle flipped near the intersection of W. Braddock Road and Davis Avenue at around 1:30 p.m. after the driver crashed into a tree. Firefighters rescued the two occupants within 15 minutes, according to AFD dispatches. Both were transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.


Alexandria recorded no traffic fatalities related to impaired driving in 2024 for the second year in a row, according to new data.

Regional deaths connected to impaired driving were down 26% from 2023 to 2024, according to a report by the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) and Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. The report recorded 74 fatalities connected to alcohol- and/or drug-related crashes last year — down from 100 recorded in 2023 and below the five-year average of 90.


After a judge dismissed their case last month, plaintiffs in Alexandria’s Zoning for Housing/Housing for All lawsuit have announced a notice of appeal.

Under The Coalition for a Livable Alexandria, several Old Town residents are seeking to overturn a Circuit Court decision upholding Alexandria’s Zoning for Housing/Housing for All initiative last month. The group announced its intent to appeal in an email on Wednesday.


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