Amid deepening federal funding cuts to programs for crime victims, commonwealth’s attorneys gathered in Alexandria today (Wednesday) to listen to survivors’ stories.
The public officials attended the discussion at the National Organization of Victim Advocacy on 510 King Street. Among them were Steve Descano of Fairfax County, Parisa Dehghani-Tafti of Arlington and Falls Church and Remin Fatehi of Norfolk.
The city of Alexandria will receive $10.9 million in federal grant funding toward DASH, Sens. Mark Warner (D) and Tim Kaine (D) announced today (Wednesday).
Funding will benefit the transit system’s Bus Fleet Replacement & Facility Rehabilitation project, an undertaking that aims to transition Alexandria to 100% zero-emission buses over the next decade and build infrastructure to support the growing fleet, according to a release.
Before the pandemic, I ran a Reddit forum that brought people together for local happy hours. It became a great outlet for an in-person social life: you could get out, get to know people nearby, and have a familiar group to spend time with. I enjoyed being the person who helped make that happen.
Getting people together became harder after the pandemic. Friends moved away, had kids, or settled into different routines, and organizing a night out took more effort. I still wanted that camaraderie, but having people to invite didn’t necessarily mean we could get something on the calendar.
I’m in my late 30s and live in Old Town. About a year ago, I joined Choros, a local membership community that helps guys build friendships through small-group activities. Since then, I’ve been to close to 50 hangouts, and it’s given me a regular group of guys to do things with around Alexandria and beyond.
I host board game nights and help host a monthly happy hour at the Commodore in Old Town. I’ve done escape rooms on King Street, trivia, food festivals in Del Ray, movie discussions, and Dungeons & Dragons (which can be especially tricky to get going as an adult with a busy schedule). Having that variety means I can find something that fits my mood and schedule, and there are usually familiar faces when I get there.
One of my favorite things, though, is getting on my bike, picking a destination, and making a day of it. Through Choros, I’ve found a consistent crew to ride with almost every month. That’s the kind of thing I wanted more of: people who enjoy the same stuff and make time to get out and do it together.
I still like hosting and bringing people together. What makes Choros useful is having a community to draw from, so every plan doesn’t depend on the same few friends being available. Other guys suggest and host things too, which gives me plenty of opportunities to join something without organizing it myself.
Over time, seeing the same guys at different activities builds familiarity. You have conversations to pick back up and another reason to make plans together. That’s how it’s become a circle of friends for me.
If you’re in Alexandria, check out Choros and come to one of our monthly happy hours at the Commodore. I’d be happy to meet a few more neighbors, whether you’re into board games, bike rides, or just getting out for a drink. There’s plenty happening here, along with activities throughout the rest of the D.C. area.
An appealing annual cider festival is right around the corner in Old Town.
The Alexandria Cider Festival will return to Lloyd House at 220 N. Washington Street this Saturday, Nov. 22, with cider tastings from Lost Boy Cider and Ciders from Mars, live music, food, games and a souvenir glass for ticket holders.
The Alexandria Fire Department transported two people to Inova Fairfax Hospital last night (Tuesday) after responding to a two-alarm high-rise apartment fire in Landmark.
The fire on the 14th floor of London Park Towers at 5375 Duke Street was reported at around 6:30 p.m. Tower 203 crews arrived and found the apartment unit engulfed in flames which were visible from the street.
Spend the evening with Washington Spirit alum and former USWNT player Joanna Lohman, a true DMV women’s soccer legend.
This is your chance to meet Joanna in person, hear the stories behind the career, the competition, and The Amazing Race, and experience the kind of sports moment you’ll still be talking about long after the night is over.
Former FBI Director James Comey will make another run Wednesday at getting his criminal case dismissed, with his lawyers looking to convince a judge that the prosecution is vindictive and rooted in President Donald Trump’s hatred of him.
The arguments arrive as the Comey case appears freshly imperiled following a judge’s excoriation of the Justice Department on Monday and as multiple challenges to the indictment may result in its dismissal.
The historic Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House site is collecting non-perishable food donations in exchange for admission discounts this holiday season.
Now through Dec. 29, guests who bring one canned good to the Woodlawn admissions desk can receive a 10% discount on individual tour admission. The food drive comes as the museums aim to provide non-perishable, shelf-stable foods in “waterproof food pantries” outside the front gates at the Quaker Meeting House.
City Posted for ‘National Stormwater Day’ — “Learn more about what the City is doing and what you can do to protect from flooding.” Also, the Stormwater Utility and Flood Mitigation Advisory Group will host a regular meeting at 7 p.m. tonight, in person and on Zoom. [Alexandria T&ES/X]
Scottish Walk Volunteers Needed — “Alexandria nonprofit Campagna Center is recruiting volunteers for the 54th Annual Scottish Christmas Walk Parade happening on Saturday, Dec. 6. About 40 to 50 volunteers are needed to fill a variety of roles., including banner carriers, vehicle lineup, assembly block volunteers and more.” [Patch]
Good Tuesday evening, Alexandria. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Nov 18, 2025.
Here are today’s most-read articles:
Here is what’s going on Wednesday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.
Patchy fog is expected to clear by 9am, giving way to mostly cloudy skies with a high around 51. A calm wind will shift to the north at 5 to 7 mph in the morning. As for Wednesday night, expect mostly cloudy conditions, a low of 41, and a north wind at 5 mph calming down by evening. See more from Weather.gov.
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
Thanks for reading!
City staff laid out numerous possible policies for preserving affordable housing in Alexandria and preventing tenant displacement at a meeting yesterday (Monday).
The city is seeking to update its 12-year-old Housing Master Plan with solutions to address needs over the next 15 years. In a virtual seminar on the Housing 2040 Master Plan, Housing Program Manager Tamara Jovovic and other staff members discussed dozens of possibilities based on input from stakeholders, literature reviews, public meetings and a survey of roughly 1,200 residents.
