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.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., holds a news conference on day 23 of the government shutdown, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
By MARY CLARE JALONICK and KEVIN FREKING Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Thursday rejected dueling partisan bills to pay federal workers during the government shutdown, with both Republicans and Democrats deflecting blame as many employees are set to miss their first full paycheck at the end of this week.
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
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.
(Left to right) Del. Charniele Herring, Lamice Albaayno, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, Lance Collins, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin at the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus ribbon cutting, Feb. 28, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)
As the federal government shutdown stretches into its third week, Alexandria’s congressman and Virginia’s two U.S. senators have all declined their salaries while approximately 13,000 federal workers in the city go without pay.
Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., announced he would have his pay withheld for the duration of the shutdown. During a telephone town hall, Beyer told a constituent that, while the 27th Amendment ensures members of Congress continue to be paid during shutdowns, he had requested that his salary be withheld in solidarity with federal workers.
A driver was extricated from a truck after a crash into a pole in the area of Dawes Avenue and Seminary Road, Oct. 23, 2025 (via Facebook)
The Alexandria Fire Department extricated the driver of a rental truck after a crash in the city’s West End on Wednesday (Oct. 22).
The driver of an Enterprise rental truck crashed into a pole in the area of Seminary Road and Dawes Avenue at around 2 p.m., which is near Northern Virginia Community College. It took more than a half-hour to stabilize the vehicle and remove the driver, according to AFD dispatches.
Hundreds of neighbors came together on Sunday, October 19 at George Washington Middle School for ALIVE!’s 44th annual StepALIVE! Walkathon, raising $100,000 to support families across Alexandria who face food insecurity and housing instability. (Credit: Jennifer Ayers, Executive Director of ALIVE!)
Hundreds of Alexandria residents gathered Sunday at George Washington Middle School for ALIVE!’s 44th annual StepALIVE! Walkathon, raising $125,000 to support families facing food insecurity and housing instability.
The event marked a milestone for the fundraiser, which moved to a new site for the first time since its inception. A total of 352 walkers participated, choosing between 5K and 5-mile routes through Del Ray and Old Town.
Celebrate Lights On Afterschool (via City of Alexandria)
The City of Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities is participating in the 26th annual Lights On Afterschool celebration tonight, Thursday, Oct. 23, joining communities nationwide in showcasing the role afterschool programs play in children’s lives.
The national event, organized by the Afterschool Alliance and first launched in October 2000, highlights how afterschool programs help students explore interests in areas ranging from science and robotics to poetry and community service. The celebration also draws attention to children who need access to after-school care.
Three pumpkins on a wall at Halloween on Lee Street in Old Town, Oct. 31, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)
Gustave Boulangerie Employee Charged With Hidden Camera Recordings in Employee Bathroom — An employee of Gustave Boulangerie has been charged with multiple counts related to hidden camera recordings in the restaurant’s employee bathroom, including felony charges involving children. [ALXnow]
Time Running Out to Register to Vote or Request Absentee Ballot — Time is running out for Alexandria residents who need to register to vote or request an absentee ballot for the Nov. 4 general election. Both deadlines fall on Friday, Oct. 24, giving eligible voters just two days to take action. [ALXnow]
Suspect Charged in Hidden Camera Investigation (via Alexandria Police Department)
An employee of Gustave Boulangerie has been charged with multiple counts related to hidden camera recordings in the restaurant’s employee bathroom, including felony charges involving children.
Joshua Hombrebueno, 20, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, faces three felony counts and nine misdemeanor counts of unlawful creation of an image of another, according to the Alexandria Police Department.
