A 48-year-old Alexandria man charged with forcible sodomy and attempted rape against a woman in her Old Town apartment last year was found not guilty today (Wednesday) in the Alexandria Circuit Court.
Antuan Bostick was found not guilty after a seven-day jury trial. The incident occurred around 8 p.m. April 7, 2024, in an apartment on the 800 block of N. Pitt Street, when a neighbor called 911 and reported that she heard the victim screaming for help for up to five minutes.
WASHINGTON — The government shutdown has entered its 36th day, breaking the record as the longest ever and disrupting the lives of millions of Americans with program cuts, flight delays and federal workers nationwide left without paychecks.
President Donald Trump has refused to negotiate with Democrats over their demands to salvage expiring health insurance subsidies until they agree to reopen the government. But skeptical Democrats question whether the Republican president will keep his word, particularly after the administration restricted SNAP food aid despite court orders to ensure funds are available to prevent hunger.
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.
A longtime boutique in Old Town is getting ready to spread some wintery holiday cheer in the week following Halloween.
Red Barn Mercantile is hosting its annual Holiday Unveiling at 6 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday) at 1117 King Street. The festive gathering will reveal a “winter wonderland” of new holiday decorations and gifts at the boutique, along with complimentary treats and party favors.
Alexandria’s Democrats celebrated a blue wave of election wins in Virginia yesterday (Tuesday) with a night of whoops, cheers and excitement in Del Ray.
Voters and local officials packed Pork Barrel BBQ, cheering on Democrats’ three high-profile statewide wins, including Abigail Spanberger for governor. They pointed to these as evidence that Democratic momentum is up and political tides are turning against President Donald Trump.
Join Cruise Planners Beth Borrego and Rod Rodriguez for the World of Travel Show 2027 on Saturday, February 6, 2027, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in The BlackBox at BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown.
Meet representatives from 13 respected travel brands covering family and adults-only cruises, premium and luxury ocean voyages, European river cruises, expedition and Galápagos adventures, small-ship sailing, guided land tours, and customized vacations.
Alexandria voters reelected Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter, Sheriff Sean Casey and three House of Delegates members in resounding victories.
Running without opposition, Porter and Casey each received 96% of votes. Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-3), Del. Charniele L. Herring (D-4) and Del. Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker (D-5) also held onto their statehouse seats.
Dems Swept Virginia Races — “The Democratic victories delivered a sharp rebuke to Virginia’s Republican establishment, which had controlled the executive branch since Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s election in 2021.” [Virginia Mercury]
Alexandria Voter Turnout Hit 53% — In total, 61,174 ballots were cast this election out of the city’s 115,031 registered voters. Democratic candidates had decisive wins among city voters, including Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger (83% of votes), Lieutenant Governor-elect Ghazala Hashmi (80.6% of votes) and Attorney General-elect Jay Jones (77% of votes). [Virginia Department of Elections]
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 4, 2025.
Here are today’s most-read articles:
Here is what’s going on Wednesday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.
Expect sunny skies and a high near 70, accompanied by a southwest wind of 7 to 16 mph, with gusts reaching up to 32 mph. Wednesday night will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to around 45. The southwest wind will blow at 13 to 16 mph but will shift to the northwest after midnight, with potential gusts as high as 43 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.”
– Dalai Lama
Thanks for reading!
RICHMOND, Va — Democrat Abigail Spanberger won the Virginia governor’s race Tuesday, defeating Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears to give Democrats a key victory heading into the 2026 midterm elections and make history as the first woman ever to lead the commonwealth.
Spanberger’s win was the first in a big night for Democrats in Virginia and around the country, casting new doubts about President Donald Trump’s political strength less than a year into his second White House term.
A massive plan to buildout the remaining areas of Potomac Yard with 640 residential units, 13,000 square feet of retail space and public open space is heading to the Alexandria Planning Commission next month.
Developers MTV Holdco, LLC, Wesley Housing Development Corporation and Toll Mid-Atlantic LP Company, Inc, have partnered for the buildout of the four remaining vacant parcels in Potomac Yard. The full package heads to the Planning Commission on Dec. 2.
