News

ALXnow Daily Debrief for Oct 23, 2025

By ALXnow.com

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 23, 2025.

Here are today’s most-read articles:

  1. USPTO to lay off 126 workers at Alexandria headquarters in December (1436 views)
  2. AFD rescues pinned driver after West End crash (798 views)

📅 Upcoming events

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

🌥️ Friday’s forecast

Clouds will increase throughout the day, reaching a high temperature near 61. A light west wind will shift to the northwest at 8 to 13 mph in the morning and may gust up to 22 mph. By Friday night, skies will be mostly clear and the temperature will drop to around 39, accompanied by a northwest wind at 5 to 7 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Let us make our future now, and let us make our dreams tomorrow’s reality.”
– Malala Yousafzai

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading!

News

Virginia Democrats will try to reshape US House districts in counter to Trump’s redistricting push

By The Associated Press
FILE - The state and U.S. flags fly over the Virginia State Capitol as the 2024 session of the Virginia General Assembly gets underway, Jan. 10, 2024, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)

By OLIVIA DIAZ and DAVID A. LIEB Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Democrats are taking steps to redraw their state’s U.S. House districts, hoping to boost their party’s chances in next year’s midterm elections and counter President Donald Trump’s push for more partisan districts in Republican-run states.

Go to Virginia Democrats will try to reshape US House districts in counter to Trump’s redistricting push Read more
Sponsored

USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation honors local leaders at Tennis Creates Gala

By Sponsor
Image from USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation honors local leaders at Tennis Creates Gala
Malika Andrews, 2026 Tennis Creates Gala Host
Gabrielle Berg, Northern Virginia Tennis for Fun Chapter Founder, 2026 Youth Leader of the Year Awardee
Khoi Truong, Lake Braddock Boys Tennis Coach, 2026 Coach of the Year Awardee
Vice Admiral Sean S. Buck, U.S. Navy (ret.), 2026 Tennis Creates Impact Honoree
1/5

Game, set, Gala! On Saturday, Nov. 14, the USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation’s annual Tennis Creates Gala, presented by QTS, comes to The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, celebrating the transformative power of tennis.

The evening raises critical funds to make the sport accessible to all across Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia and eastern/southern West Virginia.

Every dollar goes back into local communities through programs like Girls Rule the Court™, which has served more than 2,000 girls, along with Junior Player Scholarships and Tennis in Schools. Gala funds also help restore public courts. Over the last three years, the Foundation has invested $505,000 across 17 public facilities.

Emceeing the evening is Emmy Award-winning ESPN journalist Malika Andrews, host of NBA Today and NBA Countdown, who joined ESPN’s tennis coverage this year for the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.

Andrews has pointed to the electric moment American tennis is having, with stars like the DMV’s own Frances Tiafoe reaching the 2026 US Open men’s semifinals, and says she’s grateful for the chance to support the sport at the local level.

Joining the celebration is new USTA CEO Craig Tiley, who took the helm of the national governing body in July after over 20 years at Tennis Australia. As he leads the USTA toward its goal of 35 million players by 2035, the USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation drives the grassroots work to grow the sport right here in the region.

The Foundation will present its Tennis Creates Impact Award to Vice Admiral Sean S. Buck, U.S. Navy (ret.), 63rd Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy, recognizing his leadership in fostering character, community, and well-being through tennis.

The heart of the night is the 2026 Tennis Creates Awards, honoring local changemakers. Alexandria’s Leigh Ann Jackson receives the Adult Leader Award for coaching Girls Rule the Court at Groveton Elementary, where she has served 130 students over five seasons and championed the program’s expansion to Hybla Valley.

Arlington’s Gabrielle Berg earns the Youth Leader Award for founding a Northern Virginia chapter of Tennis For Fun, which runs free year-round clinics for people with special needs in partnership with the Arlington YMCA. Burke’s Khoi Truong, head coach at Lake Braddock Secondary School, is the 2026 Coach of the Year.

They’ll be joined by fellow honorees Dr. Ellen Markowitz (Community Champion), James Skinner (Provider Champion), and Janelle Nichols (Tennis in the Classroom Awardee).

Tickets and tables are now available. Can’t make it? Make a gift to USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation or bid in the silent auction to help put a racquet in the hands of the next generation of players.

The Tennis Creates Gala takes place Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, from 6:00 – 11:00 p.m. at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, 1700 Tysons Blvd., McLean, VA 22102.

For more information, visit TennisCreatesGala.com.

News

Alexandria’s 4,400 SNAP families to receive November benefits under state emergency declaration

By Ryan Belmore
SNAP in Virginia (Courtesy photo)

Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency Thursday to authorize the use of state funds to continue providing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to more than 850,000 Virginians — including thousands of Alexandria residents — starting Nov. 1.

The emergency declaration comes as federal funding for SNAP is expected to run out after 22 days of a federal government shutdown that began Oct. 1.

Go to Alexandria’s 4,400 SNAP families to receive November benefits under state emergency declaration Read more
News

Alexandria City Council hosting town hall Nov. 5

By James Cullum
The Nannie J. Lee Memorial Recreation Center at 1108 Jefferson Street in Old Town (via Google Maps)

The Alexandria City Council will host a town hall meeting on Nov. 5 (Wednesday) at the Nannie J. Lee Memorial Recreation Center (1108 Jefferson Street) in Old Town.

“Members of the Alexandria City Council will be present to speak about the issues impacting you and your family. You can also get the latest news on upcoming projects and initiatives in Alexandria,” the city said in a release.

Go to Alexandria City Council hosting town hall Nov. 5 Read more
Event

CatRad Halloween Eve!

Halloween Eve Party poster with date 10/30/26 and 7–11 PM at St. Elmo's, Alexandria, VA 22314 (tickets listed)

Event location

St. Elmo's - Old Town North

529 Montgomery Street

Alexandria, Virginia 22314

Add to Calendar

Join us for our second annual CatRad Halloween Eve! A night of ghoulish fun, spooky treats, and a wicked good time!

It's time for CatRads 2nd Annual Halloween Eve! Join us at St. Elmo's Old Town North for an evening of Halloween fun. Join us for:

Go to CatRad Halloween Eve! Read more
News

USPTO WARN Notice reflects October layoffs, no new December cuts

By Ryan Belmore
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria's Carlyle neighborhood (staff photo by James Cullum)

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification on Oct. 14, indicating 126 employees at its Alexandria headquarters will be removed from the payroll on Dec. 9, but a source familiar with the matter told ALXnow on Friday that these are not new layoffs.

The 126 employees were part of the reduction in force announced on October 1 and have been on administrative leave since then, according to the source. The WARN notice filed with the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement reflects when those employees will officially come off the agency’s books.

Go to USPTO WARN Notice reflects October layoffs, no new December cuts Read more
News

Alexandria City Council sets Nov. 1 budget retreat

By James Cullum
The Alexandria Permit Center is located in the Redella S. “Del” Pepper Community Center at 4850 Mark Center Drive (via City of Alexandria)

The Alexandria City Council will open its budget season with an annual retreat in the West End on Saturday, Nov. 1.

The meeting will be held in-person in the first-floor community conference room of the Del Pepper Community Resource Center (4850 Mark Center Drive) from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Council will receive a revenue forecast, expenditure overview and a preliminary budget gap from city staff, as well as a presentation from Alexandria City Public Schools and other city departments.

Go to Alexandria City Council sets Nov. 1 budget retreat Read more
News

City postpones Lee Street repaving to preserve Halloween tradition

By James Cullum
Beetlejuice and Lydia at Halloween on Lee Street in Old Town, Oct. 31, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Halloween will not be interrupted by repaving on S. Lee Street in Old Town.

Residents of Lee Street received a letter from the city today (Oct. 23) advising that all of S. Lee Street would be repaved from Oct. 28 to Nov. 3. Despite a plan for work crews to wrap up daily by 3 p.m., the repaving work would have coincided with the annual Halloween celebration on the roadway, which is attended by thousands of people every year. Now, the city has confirmed to ALXnow that the repaving will be rescheduled to the following week.

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News

Warner urges Trump to “stay home” and resolve shutdown

By Ryan Belmore
Senator Mark Warner hosts remote media availability on Oct. 23, 2025. (Screenshot)

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s planned trip to Asia during a remote media availability Thursday, calling it “the height of irresponsibility” as the government shutdown enters its 23rd day.

Warner expressed frustration that Trump plans to leave the country for nearly a week while federal workers and contractors go without pay and Virginians face dramatic increases in healthcare premiums.

Go to Warner urges Trump to “stay home” and resolve shutdown Read more
News

New West Alexandria Transit Center to open Nov. 2, replacing Landmark facility

By Ryan Belmore
A diagram shows the bus bay layout at the new West Alexandria Transit Center, which opens Nov. 2. (Courtesy Metro)

A new transit hub will open its doors next month in Alexandria’s West End, marking the first phase of a major redevelopment project on the site of the former Landmark Mall.

The West Alexandria Transit Center, located on Hecht Avenue, will officially begin operations at 5 a.m. on Nov. 2, according to announcements Tuesday from DASH. The opening will coincide with the permanent closure of the temporary Landmark Transit Center, which will shut down at 2:05 a.m. that same day, with all DASH and Metrobus services relocating to the new facility.

Go to New West Alexandria Transit Center to open Nov. 2, replacing Landmark facility Read more
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