Phil Vassar will perform at The Birchmere on Oct. 26. (Photo Credit: Phil Vassar on Facebook)
Country music star Phil Vassar returns to his Virginia roots this month, bringing his “25 Years of Paradise” tour to Alexandria’s Birchmere Music Hall on Oct. 26. The Lynchburg native celebrates the 25th anniversary of his breakout No. 1 hit “Just Another Day in Paradise” with an intimate acoustic performance that promises nightly setlist changes and covers of musical legends like Billy Joel and Elton John.
For Vassar, who attended James Madison University before moving to Nashville in the 1980s, performing at the Birchmere holds special meaning. “I used to go there when I was starting out as a musician, and I went to James Madison,” Vassar said in an interview with ALXnow on Wednesday. “It’s just such a historic venue, and I just love coming to rock.”
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.
Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)
The Alexandria Police Department announced on Tuesday that it will focus enforcement efforts on speeding and distracted driving as part of the city’s Vision Zero initiative, which aims to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries on local roads.
The department is targeting three intersections where crashes have clustered over the past three years: Duke Street and Washington Street, King Street and Interstate 395, and Duke Street and Van Dorn Street. Those areas account for a significant portion of the 73 injury crashes recorded in Alexandria during October over the past three years, according to police data.
The Del Ray Farmhouse Market and Garden at 1913 Mount Vernon Avenue (staff photo by James Cullum)
The Del Ray Farmhouse Market and Garden, located at 1913 Mount Vernon Avenue, has just opened a small grocery store inside its premises.
Owner Jay Portlance soft-opened the grocery store today (Oct. 8), selling vegetables, fresh bread, and eggs. He said that the store will support local vendors and farms. Portlance noted that the store is a “micro-version” of a standard grocery store and plans to expand its offerings over the next several weeks.
When there’s a chill in the air, nothing satisfies like a rich Cabernet, a velvety Merlot, a smoky Syrah, or a brambly Shiraz. So put down your garden rake (the leaves can wait) and head to Arrowine to sample 20 of the Best Bargains in Big, Bold Reds from California, Washington State, and beyond.
We have spent the last two months tasting well over 200 wines and selected the top 20 for you to enjoy during this event. All of these wines overperformed and have exceptional price-to-quality value ratios. We know you will be impressed with our selections.
Alexandria sign in the city's Arlandria neighborhood (via Facebook)
The Alexandria Health Department is looking for volunteers to join community coalitions to create the city’s next five-year Health Improvement Plan.
In the upcoming 2026-2031 plan, AHD will focus on citywide mental wellness, as well as in the Landmark/Van Dorn corridor in the West End and the city’s Arlandria neighborhood. The focus areas were chosen in AHD’s most recent State of Health Report. Each subject matter area will be worked on by a coalition, which will be made up of “Alexandria residents, businesses, faith leaders, community groups, and others who work and spend time here,” according to AHD.
This courtroom sketch depicts former FBI Director James Comey, second from left, and his attorneys Jessica Carmichael, seated left, and Patrick J. Fitzgerald, standing right, during his arraignment at the federal courthouse in Alexandria, Va., Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons, is seated right. (Dana Verkouteren via AP)
By ERIC TUCKER, ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and MICHAEL KUNZELMAN Associated Press
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — James Comey pleaded not guilty Wednesday in a criminal case that has highlighted the Justice Department’s efforts to target adversaries of President Donald Trump, with lawyers for the former FBI director saying they plan to argue the prosecution is politically motivated and should be dismissed.
Alexandria during the Civil War (image via Visit Alexandria)
Three grant recipients will unveil their findings on Alexandria’s history during the Civil War, records at Douglas Cemetery and more.
The grants were awarded as part of the Alexandria Historical Society‘s 50th anniversary celebration. The “golden grantees” will present their findings at the free event at the Lyceum (201 S. Washington Street) on Wednesday, Oct. 22, starting at 6:30 p.m.
Alexandria City Council held a Capital Improvemnt Work Session on Oct. 7. (Photo by Ryan Belmore/ALXnow)
Alexandria City Council members grappled with difficult decisions on Tuesday evening about which major infrastructure projects deserve funding over the next decade, as Alexandria approaches its debt capacity limits while facing $307 million in unfunded needs.
The work session at City Hall focused on prioritizing projects within the city’s Capital Improvement Plan — a $2.1 billion blueprint for infrastructure investments through 2035 that includes everything from school replacements to fire station upgrades and recreation facilities.
Sandy Williams IV speaks at the Torpedo Factory Art Center, Oct. 7, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)
Next week, Sandy Williams IV will submit his proposal for an art installation in Alexandria to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Williams’ proposal for public art to adorn the courtyard of the Alexandria Circuit Court (520 King Street) from April to November must first receive approval from the city’s Commission for the Arts. The design is still under wraps, although the artist, who is known for creating pieces that defy convention, says that the issues the signers of the Declaration of Independence wrestled with in 1776 are similar to those faced by contemporary Americans.
