Alexandria Sheriff Dana Lawhorne in the alley behind his house after flooding in Del Ray. (Courtesy photo)
Alexandria Sheriff Dana Lawhorne is fed up and says the city’s stormwater management is a disaster. On Sunday, Lawhorne said he was helping a neighbor in Del Ray pump water out of his basement until 4 a.m.
“It’s the same summer repeated over and over again,” Lawhorne told ALXnow. “I’ve got basement damage and my shed in the back is destroyed. Whenever we get a big storm you’ll see two-to-three feet of water rushing into the back alley and our house gets engulfed with floodwater. It’s not sanitary.”
Alexandria already feels like home. It’s the trails you walk, the restaurants you return to, and the easy reach of D.C. that make it all work. The question is whether your home feels as right as the city around it. For those who love Alexandria but want more space, more privacy, and more choice, Van Metre at Banner Heights offers a new opportunity to have it all, just minutes from I-495, I-95, and Old Town Alexandria.
Every Van Metre homesite at Banner Heights has a backyard that doesn’t face into another homesite, so the space behind your home is entirely yours, and a deck or covered terrace makes it the spot for a quiet morning or a long evening with friends. Four levels offer up to five bedrooms and an optional elevator. From there, 20+ personalization options let you decide the rest: add a bedroom on the lower or fourth levels, a great room fireplace with ceramic detailing, or a wet or dry bar, plus upgraded flooring and packages for electrical, tech, and comfort.
With more than 70 years of building across Northern Virginia, Van Metre designs homes around the way people live. At Banner Heights, that means the T-27 townhome plan with 3-5 bedrooms, 3-4 full and 1-2 half baths, 3,014+ square feet, a 2-car garage, and 20+ personalization options, starting from the $1.25Ms.*
Van Metre at Banner Heights is now open for Early Access, giving interested buyers the chance to purchase before our grand opening, when initial homesites deliver.
*Pricing, offers, and availability are subject to change without notice. Some images and renderings may represent a similar home or may have been created or edited using artificial intelligence (AI), and may depict design elements, furnishings, finishes, landscaping, views, or other features that are not included in the home or may not be available. Please see a Van Metre New Home Advisor for details.
Missing man found safe in West End — “Mr. Robert Johnson has been found. Thank you for helping get the word out.” [Twitter]
New Census data shows surge of Latino residents — “The last 10 years have marked a dramatic shift in the demographic makeup of the United States, with a marked shrinkage of the white population and the rapid growth of the Hispanic/Latino community, according to 2020 Census data. These changes were reflected in the City of Alexandria, where the share of the white population decreased by 3,001 people (-3.5 percent) since 2010, while the Hispanic/Latino population grew by 6,848 people (30.4 percent). The Asian population grew by 2,922 people (34.7 percent), and Black/African American population grew by 1,412 (4.6 percent).” [Patch]
Following the 2026 NAACP Election Procedures, the Alexandria Branch of the NAACP held a General Membership meeting on Thursday October 22, 2026. The purpose of the meeting (in part) was to select candidates for branch officers including President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary and at-large members of the Executive Committee positions.
(Updated 7:15 p.m.) The Alexandria Fire Department responded to 21 weather-related calls for service in the massive thunderstorm early Sunday morning, including three rescues that saved several people.
Two of the rescues were in Alexandria — one vehicle on N. Quaker Lane and a stalled vehicle on the George Washington Memorial Parkway, AFD senior public information officer Raytevia Evans told ALXnow.
Furniture drying out after flooding in Del Ray after a massive storm on August 14, 2021. (via DrainALX/Twitter)
A Flash Flood Warning is in effect until 8:15 p.m. in Alexandria, just days after massive flooding throughout the city. A Flash Flood Watch was issued earlier today and was previously in effect until 3 p.m.
The National Weather Service warned of “Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.”
Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson (center) and City Manager Mark Jinks at the annual APD wreath laying ceremony for fallen officers, May 10, 2021. (Staff photo by James Cullum)
A vaccine mandate for Alexandria government employees will be ready for implementation by this fall, according to Mayor Justin Wilson.
“The policy is being finalized in place right now and should be in place in the September/October timeframe,” Wilson told ALXnow. “This will likely not come before Council as this is in the City Manager’s purview. Although he is of course keeping us up to date.”
Development Special Use Permit (DSUP), via City of Alexandria
One of the most brought up terms in Alexandria development discussions is Development Special Use Permit — or DSUP — but despite being one of the building blocks for city planning is also one of the more confusing aspects of development.
Karl Moritz, Director of Planning and Zoning for the City of Alexandria, said a DSUP is a type of permit that comes up whenever a development could be seen as having a substantial impact on the neighborhood around it.
The School Board will determine this week whether to make coronavirus vaccines mandatory for all Alexandria City Public Schools staffers.
COVID-19 numbers are on the rise in Alexandria, and unvaccinated people make up a majority of new cases, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
Revolutionary Fitness, the strength and longevity training studio for people over 50 at 215 N. Payne St., is opening 5 spots in its members-only year-end challenge.
Every year, the stretch between Thanksgiving and New Year’s knocks people off track. Workouts get skipped, schedules fill up, and the plan becomes “I’ll start in January.”
