Meet Green Bean, a 7-month-old pup whose cheerful personality and adorable wiggle are guaranteed to brighten your day.
This handsome brown-and-white “low rider” came to the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA) as a local stray in need of medical care. After recovering in a loving foster home, the 32-pound boy has blossomed into a playful, curious companion who’s ready for his forever family.
A proposal to build a seven-story residential multi-unit building with 402 units in Alexandria’s West End is scheduled to be heard by the Planning Commission on Thursday, Nov. 6.
Maryland-based Bozzuto Development Company is presenting the plan to redevelop the vacant four-acre lot at 4880 Mark Center Drive, which is bounded by the Winkler Botanical Preserve and near the Seminary Road exit to Interstate 395.
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.
Patrick T. Garrity, a longtime realtor and organizer of the Ballyshaner’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Old Town, died on Tuesday, Sept. 23.
Garrity was a longtime volunteer at the parade, a dedicated Ballyshaner (meaning “Old Towner” in Gaelic), and a multi-million-dollar award-winning realtor with Coldwell Banker Realty. He was 63 years old, and no cause of death was announced.
Good morning, Alexandria! Today is Monday, Sept. 29, the 272nd day of 2025. There are 93 days left in the year.
🌥️ Today’s weather: Increasing clouds, with a high near 79°F. Calm wind becoming northeast around 6 mph in the morning.
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.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced new administration and board appointments on Friday, which include two Alexandria residents.
Brandy Schantz of Alexandria, CEO of Schantz Business Consulting, was appointed to the State Rehabilitation Advisory Council. Robert Luther III of Old Town, founder of Constitutional Solutions PLLC, was named to the Board of Visitors to Mount Vernon.
The Alexandria City Titans overcame a sluggish start to defeat C.G. Woodson 23-21 on Friday night, rallying from a 14-7 first-quarter deficit to remain unbeaten.
Woodson jumped out early with 14 first-quarter points while Alexandria City managed just one touchdown. The game remained scoreless through the second and third quarters.
Alexandria residents will have the opportunity to directly engage with their elected officials at a City Council town hall scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 4, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Patrick Henry Recreation Center.
The upcoming session will be the city’s third town hall of the year, following gatherings in March and June that drew dozens of residents and addressed topics ranging from ward redistricting to Old Town train tracks.
Take a step back in time on Oct. 4, as the Lee-Fendall House Museum and Garden (614 Oronoco Street) hosts a Roaring Twenties speakeasy night.
The annual event commemorating the centennial of state-level prohibition against alcohol will take place in the museum’s historic garden, with music from the Conservatory Classic Jazz Band. Since 2016, the fundraiser has raised over $50,000 to support the museum. Tickets for the event cost $97.88.
Alexandria has once again received the highest possible bond ratings from major credit agencies, marking the 33rd consecutive year the city has earned top marks for its financial management – news that City Manager Jim Parajon appeared to preview at a tourism industry event Thursday night.
S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s Ratings reaffirmed Alexandria’s ‘AAA’ and ‘Aaa’ ratings, respectively, allowing the city to continue securing low interest rates when issuing bonds for significant capital projects.
