Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)
The Alexandria Police Department is investigating the theft of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from the Lululemon store (700 King Street) in Old Town.
On Sept. 23 (Tuesday), the store manager reported that two women stole $5,536 in merchandise from the store at around 8:30 p.m. The manager told APD that the suspects “began selecting clothing while appearing to check the sizes of the merchandise,” and then left the store with the clothing, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.
National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board met on Oct. 15. (Screenshot via YouTube)
The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board unanimously voted Wednesday to defer including Virginia’s controversial I-495 Southside Express Lanes project in its long-range transportation plan, effectively blocking the highway expansion from moving forward until at least 2026.
The TPB adopted Resolution R2-2026, which excludes the 11-mile express toll lanes project from the Visualize 2050 plan and directs the Virginia Department of Transportation to provide a 2026 status report on its work with all relevant jurisdictions.
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.
Students from Columbus, Ohio, wait outside a barrier as U.S. Capitol Police watch over the East Plaza where congressional leaders will have a news conferences on the government shutdown at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
By JANIE HAR Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration for now must stop firing workers during the government shutdown, a federal judge ordered on Wednesday.
Ribbon cutting at CommonWealth One Federal Credit Union at 4557 Duke Street (via ChamberALX)
CommonWealth One Federal Credit Union cut the ribbon at its newest location in the Shoppes at Foxchase in Alexandria’s West End on Tuesday.
Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley, credit union CEO Frank Wasson, Board Chairman Rupert J. Jennings, III, and Chamber ALX CEO Joe Haggerty attended the event at 4557 Duke Street.
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.
Candela P-12 is the world’s first electric hydrofoiling passenger ship. At high speeds, it produces no damaging wake, allowing exemptions from “no-wake” zones. (credit: Candela)
A Swedish maritime technology company will demonstrate its electric hydrofoiling vessel on the Potomac River next week, showcasing technology that could potentially transform water commuting in the Washington region.
Candela will perform media demonstration rides Oct. 17-23 near the Swedish Embassy using its C-8 flying vessel. The demonstrations coincide with the Swedish Green Transition Summit, a forum focused on sustainable development innovations.
Concerned Citizens Network of Alexandria will host a Town Hall Meeting with City Manager James Parajon on Oct. 22 (via CCNA)
Alexandria City Manager Jim Parajon will take questions from residents during a virtual town hall meeting next week hosted by a local civic organization.
The Concerned Citizens Network of Alexandria is hosting the event on Wednesday, Oct. 22, from 6-7 p.m. via Zoom. The forum is part of the organization’s community engagement series, which aims to keep residents informed about city issues.
Alexandria City Hall sign (staff Photo by Jay Westcott)
The Alexandria City Council will convene for a public hearing Saturday morning to consider several development projects and zoning ordinances, including two major residential conversion proposals in Old Town.
The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. at City Hall, 301 King St., and is open to the public in person and virtually via Zoom.
Inside the new Alexandria City High School's Minnie Howard Campus, May 29, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)
Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard campus has been featured in i+s (interiors+sources), a national commercial interior design publication, highlighting the facility’s approach to sustainable and inclusive educational environments.
The article, published Tuesday by Chief Content Director Robert Nieminen, showcases the campus redesign by architecture firm Perkins Eastman.
