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.


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.


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.


Event

The Alexandria A Cappella Collective – composed of award-winning men's and women's choruses the Harmonizers and Metro Voices, respectively – is excited to announce that registration is open for the ’26-’27 season of its youth chorus, Capital Force! Students learn a unique form of a cappella from top educators and will perform locally and on the Barbershop Harmony Society International stage in February.

The kick off rehearsal includes voice placement, an informal audition, vocal warm-ups, and singing together. You will also learn about the season’s dates and rehearsal expectations. Interested singers are welcome to try the first rehearsal before deciding whether to join.


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]


News

Good Thursday 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 1, 2026.

Here are today’s most-read articles:

  1. Alexandria babysitter faces felony charges after 6-month-old overdoses (1825 views)
  2. Three D.C. women charged with felonies after yoga store thefts in Old Town (1091 views)
  3. Morning Notes for October 1, 2026 (482 views)
  4. Drawbridge opening for boat passage planned tonight on Woodrow Wilson Bridge (348 views)

📅 Upcoming events

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

☀️ Friday’s forecast

The weather will be mostly sunny with a high of 88°F and a southwest wind at 5 to 8 mph. On Friday night, expect a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, mostly cloudy skies, and a low of around 60°F, with a north wind at 7 to 10 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.”
– Winston Churchill

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading!