Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Three men suspected of running an organized burglary operation were arrested after their getaway vehicle was discovered in Alexandria with stolen goods and professional burglary equipment, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
The arrests came after a burglary on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at a Kingstowne home where suspects stole $20,000 to $30,000 worth of items. Police later found the suspects’ vehicle in the 5600 block of Gary Avenue in Alexandria with stolen property and sophisticated burglary tools, including Wi-Fi jammers and a license plate flipping device.
A DASH bus in Old Town Alexandria (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
UPDATE (Sept. 24, 2025): Following this reporting, DASH has placed both registered sex offenders on administrative leave. The transit agency said it is now assessing “the rigor of our recruitment standards” and confirmed that one of the employees is a bus driver, contradicting its initial statement Tuesday that no drivers were on the registry. DASH places 2 registered sex offenders on leave following ALXnow reporting
Following a discussion on the Alexandria School Board’s safety concerns about the proposal to transport Alexandria City High School students on DASH buses, ALXnow investigated the transit agency’s background check policies and discovered that it does not “expressly prohibit” sex offenders from employment.
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.
Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site will host Civil War Artillery Day on Saturday, featuring living history demonstrations and cannon firing displays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The free program will showcase the role of Union artillerymen who defended Washington, D.C., during the Civil War. Reenactors from the 1st Connecticut Heavy Artillery, a regiment historically stationed at Fort Ward, will demonstrate the duties and daily life of soldiers who manned the Defenses of Washington.
Photo (l-r): (back) Sheriff Sean Casey, Deputy Desmond Angus, Deputy Jason Rowland and Deputy Parmah Njoh; (middle) Deputy Lola Pitts, Deputy Amarachukwu Igwe and Deputy Micah Peffer; (front) Deputy Ashley Matias. (Credit: Alexandria Sheriff's office)
Seven recruit deputies from the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office graduated from the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy on Sept. 17 after completing eight weeks of intensive training as part of Jail Officer Basic Class 219, according to a sheriff’s office news release.
The graduates are Deputy Desmond Angus, Deputy Amarachukwu Igwe, Deputy Ashley Matias, Deputy Parmah Njoh, Deputy Micah Peffer, Deputy Lola Pitts and Deputy Jason Rowland.
High school students from across the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region are invited to participate in Dialogue for Democracy at George Mason University!
Hosted by the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, this event offers high school students an opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations about democracy, civic engagement, and the importance of understanding different perspectives.
Alexandria Fire Alarm 50th Anniversary (Credit: Alexandria Fire Department on Facebook)
The Alexandria Fire Department is seeking former employees ahead of the 50th anniversary of its Fire Alarm Headquarters, set to be celebrated in 2026.
The department began hiring its first civilian dispatchers in January 1976 to handle all fire and emergency medical calls within the city 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The change allowed firefighters previously assigned to Fire Alarm Headquarters to return to suppression duties or retire.
Burke and Herbert Bank at the corner of Fairfax and King Street in Old Town (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)
After 120 years at 100 S. Fairfax Street in Old Town, Burke & Herbert Bank wants to illuminate its signs.
In a proposal that’s going to the city’s Board of Architectural Review, the bank wants to install halo-lit signs facing S. Fairfax and King Streets. The signs would be repainted and LED lights installed behind them, shining on the wall and creating a halo effect around the letters.
Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)
UPDATE (Sept. 23, 2025): Thanks to numerous tips from the public, next of kin has been notified, according to a Virginia State Police social media post.
Virginia State Police are asking for the public’s help to notify the family of a man with possible Alexandria ties who was found dead in Colorado more than a month ago, according to WDBJ7.
Virginia State Police vehicle (photo by John Calhoun/JC Photography)
A Springfield man died Saturday after his disabled vehicle was struck by another car traveling at high speed on Interstate 395 in Alexandria, according to a Virginia State Police press release.
Hennry O. Ortuno Flores, 45, was driving a 2008 Toyota Corolla southbound on I-395 when his vehicle crashed and became disabled in the travel lanes near the 3-mile marker around 2:20 a.m. Saturday.
Old Town Cocktail Week will run Sept. 25 through Oct. 6, featuring specialty cocktails at more than 40 restaurants and four curated events throughout Alexandria’s historic district.
Suntory Global Spirits presents the event in partnership with Captain Gregory’s. Participating restaurants will offer signature cocktails designed to highlight Alexandria’s cocktail scene, according to organizers. A complete list of participating restaurants was not available at press time. Organizers encourage checking captaingregorys.com/cocktailweek for updates.
