News

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 — Oct 2, 2026.

Here are today’s most-read articles:

  1. JUST IN: Independent policing auditor resigns in Alexandria (1312 views)
  2. Poll: The best coffee shop in Alexandria (713 views)
  3. License plate reader helped track down West End murder suspect, police chief says (397 views)
  4. Morning Notes for October 2, 2026 (396 views)

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

  1. Three juveniles die, one seriously injured, after high-speed chase on I-395 in Alexandria (12949 views)
  2. More details released on fatal crash that killed three teens on I-395 exit (8520 views)
  3. Alexandria babysitter faces felony charges after 6-month-old overdoses (5332 views)
  4. Bricks & Minifigs to open Alexandria store in October (3903 views)
  5. JUST IN: Alexandria man indicted on murder charges for Holmes Run Parkway shooting (3275 views)
  6. Three D.C. women charged with felonies after yoga store thefts in Old Town (2679 views)
  7. Alexandria releases draft plan outlining the land use future of Duke Street corridor (2115 views)

📅 Upcoming events

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

Here are the events planned for Sunday:

🌦️ Saturday’s forecast

Showers are possible this afternoon, mainly between 1 PM and 3 PM, with mostly cloudy skies and a high near 69°F. There will be a north wind at 5 to 8 mph, and the chance of precipitation is 30%. Saturday night may see more showers after 2 AM, with increasing clouds and a low around 59°F. Winds will be light from the east, with a 30% chance of precipitation. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Keep your face always toward the sunshine—and shadows will fall behind you.”
– Walt Whitman

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

We hope you have a great weekend, Alexandria!


Around Town

It’s a busy start to October as many visitors will arrive to the city for a returning arts festival.

Art on the Avenue will draw tens of thousands to Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray. But if you’re looking for something smaller, check out Civil War Shelter Day at Fort Ward, Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill’s Pumpkin Patch, Douglass Cemetery tour or Rosemont Citizens Association’s Oktoberfest.


Sponsored

Among the movers serving Alexandria, VA, 495 Movers stands out for a simple reason: its local hourly rate includes packing materials, furniture disassembly and reassembly, and protection for floors, walls, and elevators. The company has been in business since 2009 and has completed more than 20,000 moves, a number that keeps climbing.

Anyone who has hired movers in the DC area knows the familiar pattern. A low hourly rate wins the call. Then the invoice arrives with a charge for boxes, a charge for taking the bed apart, a fee for the stairs, and another for the elevator. By the end, the number on the bill has little to do with the number in the ad. 495 Movers was built to avoid that.

495 Movers at a glance

  • In business since: 2009 (17 years)
  • Moves completed: more than 20,000, local and long-distance
  • Licensed in: Virginia
  • Serves: Alexandria and the rest of the DMV
  • Local hourly rate includes: packing materials, furniture disassembly and reassembly, and home protection on every move
  • No separate fees for: stairs or elevators
  • Also offers: junk removal, custom crating, and self-storage
  • Reputation: 4.7 stars across nearly 1,000 Google reviews

Who is 495 Movers?

495 Movers is a full-service moving company serving Alexandria and the rest of the DMV, founded in 2009 by people who had worked as movers for several other companies first. They wanted to do it differently.

“We wanted to take a different approach, offering a simple, honest, and transparent approach for the customer,” said Moti Kachlon, co-owner at 495 Movers. For local moves, that meant building the most common extras into the hourly rate. Seventeen years and more than 20,000 moves later, the company is still growing.

What makes moving in Alexandria different?

Alexandria is a hard place to move. A truck on an Old Town block gets watched by neighbors, property managers, and a family wondering whether the sofa will make the turn on a staircase built long before sofas got this big.

Old Town’s rowhouses have narrow staircases and tight turns, which is why large furniture often has to come apart to get out. Del Ray’s bungalows and rowhouses have basements that hold more than anyone remembers. And condo and apartment buildings in Carlyle, Potomac Yard, and the West End often require movers to carry a certificate of insurance and book the elevator, with building managers who care a great deal about scuffed hallways. The street adds its own complications, from cobblestones to limited curb space.

That’s the context for how 495 Movers prices its work.

What does 495 Movers include in its hourly rate?

For local moves, the rate covers four things that many movers bill separately:

  • Packing materials. Boxes, tape, paper, and wrap are provided at no additional cost, whether a move needs a few or a few hundred.
  • Furniture disassembly and reassembly. Beds, tables, desks, sectionals, and wardrobes are taken apart, moved, and put back together at the new home. In an Old Town rowhouse, that’s often the only way a dresser gets down the stairs.

    (more…)


News

Governor Abigail Spanberger (D) heavily criticized President Donald Trump on Thursday night in Alexandria and said that his administration’s attempts to upend voter registrations across the country won’t work in Virginia.

Spanberger was the keynote speaker at the Alexandria branch of the NAACP’s annual Freedom Fund Dinner, held at The Satire, Autograph Collection hotel in Old Town North. Spanberger, Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones (D) and Mayor Alyia Gaskins (D) all received “breaking barriers” awards from the organization.


Event

Curious about strength training but not sure where to start? Or perhaps you're looking for a more efficient alternative to traditional gyms?

Imperium Strength & Longevity invites the Alexandria community to an Open House on Sunday, November 1, from 11 AM to 2 PM.


News

Alexandria Police Chief Tarrick McGuire said that the suspect charged with the murder of Charles Talley in the city’s West End on July 15 was tracked down with automatic license plate reader (ALPR) technology, and he has since been extradited from North Carolina.

The victim, Charles Talley, was shot and killed on the evening of Wednesday, July 15, in the parking lot of the ParcView Apartments in the 5300 block of Holmes Run Parkway. Corey Delantau Stubblefield has been held without bond since his arrest in North Carolina on Aug. 27, and was charged with first-degree murder and use of a firearm in commission of murder.


Opinion

For some, the perfect coffee shop offers tasty caffeinated beverages, an expansive menu and ambiance. Others may say it simply comes down to which brews the best beans. Either way, Alexandria has plenty of options between independent roasters and neighborhood cafes.

Here are the nominees for “Coffee Shop in Alexandria” as part of our returning ALXnow Readers’ Choice awards.

Did we miss your go-to coffee shop? Write them in!

Voting will close in two weeks.

Voting for the Best Restaurant for a Fancy Dinner is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday at 8:30 a.m.

Two weeks ago, we voted on the Best Neighborhood in Alexandria. The results are now official:

1. Del Ray

2. Old Town

3. Rosemont


News

Independent Policing Auditor Ameratu Kamara has resigned amid several investigations into deaths in Alexandria police custody.

Alexandria City Council met this morning (Oct. 2) to accept Kamara’s resignation, effective Oct. 3. City Council’s 6-0 vote will provide Kamara with five months of salary as severance pay and payout of any unused leave.


Around Town

The tradition of picking out pumpkins and other gourds for the fall season is returning to Alexandria’s Seminary Hill neighborhood in October.

For a 33rd year ​Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill (3606 Seminary Road) will host its annual Pumpkin Patch from Saturday, Oct. 3 to Saturday, Oct. 31. The Pumpkin Patch will offer pumpkins in a variety of sizes grown by Navajo Nation farmers, as well as other gourds, homemade soups, baked goods and seasonally-themed crafts. Prices start at $1 and vary by size.


News

More Single Tracking Planned on Metro Friday — “From 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., trains will single track on the Yellow and Blue lines between Pentagon City and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport stations. The Yellow Line will run between Huntington and Greenbelt.” [Metro/Bluesky]

Appeal of 301 N. Fairfax Street Development Fails — “The Supreme Court of Virginia denial follows a denial of the residents’ appeal from the Virginia Court of Appeals. Nearby residents, led by Corzine, appealed the case after an Alexandria Circuit Court judge ruled in favor of the City of Alexandria, City Council and the 301 N. Fairfax St. property owner to proceed with the development after residents sued.” [Alexandria Times]