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.
The November general election will feature contests for Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, House of Delegates, Commonwealth’s Attorney, and Sheriff.
A company with an Alexandria address has secured $142.8 million of a $220 million Department of Homeland Security contract to produce advertisements promoting President Donald Trump’s immigration policies — the most expensive ad campaign of the year.
Safe America Media LLC was incorporated in Delaware on Feb. 6, just eight days before the Feb. 14 contract award, and lists an address on Richmond Highway that carries an Alexandria mailing address but is located in Fairfax County, according to records reviewed by The Associated Press in March. The property is owned by Mike McElwain, a Republican consultant and partner at DMM Media, which is registered in Virginia as Designated Market Media, Inc., according to State Corporation Commission records.
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.
Activists Deliver Letter Demanding Sheriff Casey End ICE Cooperation — A coalition of Alexandria residents and community organizations delivered a letter to Sheriff Sean Casey on Tuesday, demanding that he stop his voluntary collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. [ALXnow]
Warner, Kaine Announce Committee Passage of Aviation Safety Bill — U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced Tuesday that crucial aviation safety legislation has passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee in response to the Jan. 29 mid-air collision near Reagan National Airport that killed 67 people. [ALXnow]
Alexandria will host a community meeting next month on the development of the city’s Flood Resilience Plan.
The city will host the meeting from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 10 (Monday), at Patrick Henry Recreation Center (4653 Taney Avenue), and online via Zoom. In the meeting, the city will discuss findings from a recent survey on flooding impacts throughout Alexandria, draft flood model results, and a community vulnerability analysis.
Shifting Waters Leadership Institute (SWLI) is bringing a new kind of leadership experience to Old Town Alexandria and DMV area this fall. On November 19 and 20, 2026, the organization will host its inaugural November Leadership Incubator Weekend at COWO & Crèche, a two-day, application-based program built for leaders who are ready to do more than perform their roles well. They are ready to be formed.
The incubator is led by Grace Adofoli, Founder and CEO of SWLI, a leadership development practitioner, executive coach, and 2026 Alexandria Chamber of Commerce 40 Under 40 honoree who has worked across leaders in more than thirty countries over the past decade. Her background spans global public health, disaster relief, and community development, including field work in the Philippines, Ethiopia, and Cambodia, alongside service with AmeriCorps and in underserved communities across the United States. She holds an ACC credential through the International Coaching Federation and degrees in public health and social work from the University of Michigan.
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 — Oct 21, 2025.
Here are today’s most-read articles:
Here is what’s going on Wednesday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.
Clouds will increase throughout the day as the temperature reaches a high near 64°F. West winds will blow at 8 to 14 mph, occasionally gusting as high as 24 mph. For Wednesday night, expect mostly clear skies with a low temperature around 44°F and a gentle west wind of approximately 7 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today.”
– Franklin D. Roosevelt
Thanks for reading!
TD Bank will reopen at its new location at 525 King Street in Old Town on Saturday (Oct. 25).
The bank is relocating from 119 S. Washington Street, and the grand opening at the new location on King Street will include brief comments from bank leadership, refreshments from neighbor Tatte Cafe and Bakery (535 King Street), a dog treadmill from The Dog Park (705 King Street), caricatures, and live music.
U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced Tuesday that crucial aviation safety legislation has passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee in response to the Jan. 29 mid-air collision near Reagan National Airport that killed 67 people.
The Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform Act, or ROTOR Act, passed unanimously and addresses systemic failures identified in the crash between American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River.
A coalition of Alexandria residents and community organizations delivered a letter to Sheriff Sean Casey on Tuesday, demanding that he stop his voluntary collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
ICE Out of Alexandria, representing 26 local groups and leaders, held a rally and press conference at the sheriff’s office at 2001 Mill Road to present their demands, according to a press release from the group.
The sale of two large Alexandria properties could settle millions owed to the government by real estate developer and former Connection Newspapers CEO Peter Labovitz, according to a report from the Washington Business Journal.
Similarly, if ALXNow hears anything from the DOJ or other governmental entities pursuing a case against Mr. Labovitz, and they happen to mention 1700 Diagonal, please inform them that he has no interests in that building and tell them to contact me at any of the contact methods in my below signature. I am more than happy to clear up any confusion.
