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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Join us for an evening of made-up-on-the-spot improv comedy! We'll be calling on you to give us suggestions for a totally unique show that'll never be seen again!
Show is 18+ recommended. We perform free shows for the Alexandria, VA and surrounding community. Donations help us rent space, supply drinks, and defray other costs!
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.
Alexandria’s Traffic and Parking Board will convene on Monday, Oct. 27, to discuss several transportation-related items in the city.
On the docket is a proposal to allow drivers to pay by phone for on-street parking along three residential streets in Old Town — the 900 Block of Cameron Street, the 200 Block of North Alfred Street and the 200 Block of Wilkes Street. The Board will also discuss an appeal to a curb cut at 1612 Princess Street, proposed travel lane and speed limit reductions on Yoakum Parkway and Reinekers Lane, and the removal of parking spaces for crossing improvements on Cameron Mills Road at Woodland Terrace.
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.
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 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.
