Pro-Palestinian activists plan to rally at Market Square on Sunday before walking to press U.S. Sen. Mark Warner to end American weapons shipments to Israel.
The demonstration is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. and continue until 4 p.m., according to organizers. After a short walk from the meeting point to the final location, participants will remain stationary, organizers said.
A watch party and fundraiser will celebrate the season two premiere of “Neighborhood Favorites with George Worrell” on Monday at Cooper Mill in Old Town Alexandria.
The event runs from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at 10 Duke Street. Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins will serve as special guest and deliver a welcome address.
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.
Virginia families buying health insurance through the state marketplace face monthly premium increases of hundreds — and in some cases more than $1,000 — if enhanced federal subsidies expire, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine warned Friday.
The Democratic senators called the newly released projections from the state’s Health Benefit Exchange a “grim new forecast for Virginia” in a statement decrying the ongoing federal government shutdown and Republican inaction on preserving health care tax credits.
Good Friday 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 3, 2025.
Event location
Fort Hunt Park
8999 Fort Hunt Rd
Alexandria, Virginia 22308
Join Breast Cancer Collective for the 2026 Walk to Bust Cancer on Sunday, October 18, at Fort Hunt Park in Alexandria.
Walk alongside survivors, caregivers, friends, families, and neighbors for an uplifting community event supporting access to breast cancer screening and care across the DMV.
Walk to Bust Cancer brings our community together to turn hope into action and help expand access to timely breast health care. Register to walk, gather your team, and join us at Fort Hunt Park.
Fragrance boutique Arielle Shoshana is planning to open across the street from City Hall in Old Town in November.
The company planned to open at 313 Cameron Street over the summer, and has a sign on the door with a QR code. The code leads to the company website with the message, “After 10 years as D.C/’s first niche fragrance boutique, Arielle Shoshana is bringing out curated collection of exceptional, exclusive fragrances to Cameron Street!”
U.S. Rep. Don Beyer on Friday released a webpage with resources for federal workers and contractors affected by the partial government shutdown that began this week.
Beyer represents Virginia’s 8th Congressional District, which includes Alexandria and has one of the highest concentrations of federal employees and contractors in the nation. More than 72,000 of his constituents work directly for the federal government, with thousands more employed as government contractors.
By STEPHEN GROVES, MARY CLARE JALONICK and MATT BROWN Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hopes for a quick end to the government shutdown faded Friday as Democrats refused to budge in a Senate vote and President Donald Trump readied plans to unleash layoffs and cuts across the federal government.
Welcome to Friday, Alexandria. Here’s a look at the top stories of the week.
ALXnow’s top story this week is on the man who was struck by a train at the Potomac Yard Metro station on September 22 and later died at George Washington University Hospital. Metro Transit Police stated at the time that the man had trespassed onto the tracks, and an investigation revealed that he was being chased by two alleged fare evaders: a 17-year-old female and an 18-year-old female, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.
The city has mailed second-half 2025 real estate tax bills to property owners and mortgage companies, with payment due Monday, November 17, the city announced Friday.
The 2025 real estate tax rate for the calendar year is $1.135 per $100 of assessed value.
