Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)
An Alexandria man and a juvenile were arrested Sept. 8 (Monday) after a carjacking in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Fairfax County.
The Fairfax County Police Department announced Wednesday (Sept. 10) that detectives from their Major Crimes Bureau arrested Noel Isaac Sanchez, 20, and a 17-year-old juvenile when they were tracked down in the stolen vehicle in Burke. Police said in a release that the suspects went to the 5800 block of Saint Gregory’s Lane to meet a man looking to sell clothes he listed for sale online, and that one of the suspects displayed a firearm and made off with the victim’s vehicle.
Alexandria's Joint Public Safety Honor Guard at the 9/11 remembrance ceremony at Alexandria's Market Square, Sept. 11, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)
Alexandria leaders commemorated the 24th anniversary of the September 11 attacks on Thursday, Sept. 11, and reflected on the personal and societal impacts that followed.
Mayor Alyia Gaskins was joined by Sheriff Sean Casey, Fire Chief Felipe Hernandez, Jr., and Police Chief Tarrick McGuire onstage at Market Square in front of City Hall (301 King Street). Gaskins urged the audience to “remember the lives lost on 9/11 and to look forward with hope and a call to action for peace and a better world.”
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.
The Old Town Alexandria Art Festival on Sunday, September 18, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)
Alexandria comes alive this weekend with an exciting blend of live music, cultural events, and community gatherings that showcase the city’s vibrant arts scene and rich history.
From tribute bands rocking The Birchmere to intimate jazz performances in cozy neighborhood venues, music lovers will find everything from Eagles covers to contemporary folk acts. The weekend also features major cultural happenings, including the 23rd Annual Alexandria Art Festival at John Carlyle Square Park, where visitors can browse works from juried artists, and the monthly Del Ray Vintage & Flea Market, offering unique treasures and local crafts.
There will be a Breast Cancer 5K at Cameron Run Regional Park, Lake Cook (4001 Eisenhower Avenue) on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 (via City of Alexandria)
Alexandria will host its first-ever Breast Cancer 5K at Lake Cook in Cameron Run Regional Park next month.
Participants can walk or run at the October 5 event at 4001 Eisenhower Avenue, which will be held from 9 a.m. to noon. Registration costs $25 per person and is open for anyone ages 10 and up, according to the city’s Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities.
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.
The City of Alexandria’s Office of Historic Alexandria, in partnership with community members and descendants, will lead the unveiling of a new state historic marker commemorating the legacy of Colored Rosemont, a vibrant African American neighborhood established in 1926. The unveiling ceremony will take place on September 13th at 3 p.m. near the intersection of Wythe and West Streets. (Credit: City of Alexandria)
Good morning, Alexandria! Today is Thursday, Sept. 11, the 254th day of 2025. There are 111 days left in the year.
☀️ Today’s weather: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 81. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph in the afternoon. Mostly clear tonight, with a low around 59. Calm wind.
A Del Ray musician will premiere his latest musical next month in Bethesda, Maryland.
Neal Learner’s “French Cupcakes” will be performed Oct 10-12 and 17-19 at the Bethesda Writers’ Center (4508 Walsh Street). The Bethesda Little Theater is producing the play, which features a cast of 15 actors who tell the story of a legendary cafe similar to one in Learner’s college town of Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)
A South Carolina man faces felony charges after allegedly attempting to pick up online orders from the Best Buy store (3401 Richmond Highway) in Potomac Yard.
The suspect was arrested on Aug. 6 after a store manager reported he tried to “pick up online orders with fraudulent identification,” according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.
FILE - Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., greets people during a "Get Out the Vote" rally June 7, 2025, in Elizabeth, N.J. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa, File)
Rep. Mikie Sherrill, born in Alexandria in 1972, is two months away from potentially making history as New Jersey’s first female Democratic governor.
The three-term congresswoman from New Jersey’s 11th District secured the Democratic nomination in June with 34% of the vote, defeating Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop in a crowded primary field.
Alexandria City High School's Minnie Howard Campus (staff photo by James Cullum)
The library at Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard campus has successfully gotten crowdsource funding for LEGO architecture kits.
The school librarian raised $755 from a dozen givers via Donors Choose for kits that include Malfoy Manor from the Harry Potter book series, the Great Pyramid of Giza, and the Statue of Liberty.
