Good morning, Alexandria! Today is Tuesday, Sept. 16, the 259th day of 2025. There are 106 days left in the year.
⛈️ Today’s weather: A chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 69—northeast wind 13 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph. The chance of precipitation is 60%—new rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
A D.C. police officer was charged with multiple crimes Sunday after allegedly assaulting two Alexandria officers and attempting to grab one of their weapons while in custody at a local hospital, NBC Washington reported.
Officer Trevon King, a five-year veteran of the Metropolitan Police Department, was initially arrested for drunken driving following an 8 p.m. crash on Russell Road, according to Alexandria police. Police transported King to a hospital, where he allegedly attacked the officers and tried to disarm one of them.
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.
U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner sent a letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Monday demanding the immediate reversal of federal funding cuts to Alexandria City Public Schools and four other Northern Virginia school districts over transgender student policies.
The letter represents the latest escalation in a monthslong standoff between the Trump administration and Northern Virginia schools that has put more than $300 million in federal funding at risk for more than 386,000 students across the five districts.
Alexandria-based Carpenter’s Shelter will hold its signature fundraiser next month, pitting chefs around the city against each other.
Chefs from more than a dozen Alexandria restaurants will compete in the Carpenter’s Cook-Off 2025 from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19, at The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Avenue). Funds from the event will benefit the nonprofit, which provides temporary housing and support for hundreds of homeless families and individuals every year.
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.
A teacher at a daycare in Old Town North has been fired, and her aide was reprimanded after a 21-month-old child was tied to a chair for 22 minutes during lunchtime on Wednesday, August 13.
The Virginia Department of Social Services (DSS) made an unannounced inspection of the Vinci School Alexandria North (1001 N. Fairfax Street) on Aug. 21, after receiving a self-report on forbidden actions from the daycare’s licensing office. The toddler was tied to a chair with a thin blanket after throwing food on the floor and moving from a table while eating during lunchtime, DSS reported.
A former U.S. Army private stationed at Fort Belvoir has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for two counts of assaulting his infant daughter in 2012, as well as one count of sexual abuse.
Austin Blair Johnson pleaded guilty in June to permanently injuring his child and raping his wife, the U.S. Department of Justice announced. Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton also ordered that Johnson must pay $1.1 million in restitution. The former U.S. Army private was living on base with his family at the time of the incidents. The sentence will be served consecutively with a 15-year sentence for assault of an infant in violation of Montana law, according to the DOJ.
Get your Bavarian hats ready, because Oktoberfest is coming to Alexandria this month.
The annual folk festival celebrating German culture, food and beer, starts at 5:30 p.m. on Friday (Sept. 20) with a 5K and 10K run at Port City Brewing Company (3950 Wheeler Avenue). The event wraps up at 8:30 p.m., and proceeds benefit NoVA Rugby.
A video of the Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley condemning the decision to fly flags at half-staff for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk has ignited a firestorm on social media, drawing both support and fierce criticism for the Alexandria pastor.
Speaking to his congregation at Alfred Street Baptist Church on Sunday, Wesley didn’t mince words about Kirk, who was shot and killed last Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University.
Alexandria’s fall music calendar is packed with performances from Sept. 22 through Dec. 21, featuring Grammy winners, breakthrough artists, and community events across the city. Here are the standout shows:
The Birchmere
