Alexandria police have charged a 26-year-old woman with using a West End hotel room for prostitution.
The woman was arrested Aug. 13 and charged with residing in a bawdy place after police observed multiple men entering and leaving her room at the Days Inn, 110 S. Bragg St., according to a search warrant affidavit. The woman was released on a summons and is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 11.
Leaders running the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center (200 S. Whiting Street) are poised to release an Invitation For Bids (IFB) to renovate the cells housing dozens of children.
NVJDC Commission Chair John Lawrence tells ALXnow that the body will vote Sept. 15 to allow the jail’s executive director, Johnitha McNair, to put out the IFB to demolish 60 concrete slabs inside the cells that are used for bedding and tables, as well as repainting walls and replacing flooring with a budget not to exceed $250,000.
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.
The Alexandria City School Board will discuss a proposal on Thursday, Sept. 11, to transition Alexandria City High School students from school buses to the city’s DASH public transit system.
City Manager James F. Parajon recommends a phased approach starting in the 2026-27 school year, according to a June 20, 2025 memo to the City Council and School Board. The proposal comes after City Council members Abdel Elnoubi and Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley directed staff in January to study using Alexandria’s public transit system for high school transportation.
Alexandria’s commercial real estate market is struggling, although the city is a leader nationally with office conversions, according to the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP).
That’s according to AEDP’s 2025 Mid-year Market Report, which outlines business trends and impacts.
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.
Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins administered the oath of office to Alexandria Country Day School’s Student Council members on Wednesday, Sept. 10, continuing a tradition that has marked the beginning of the school year for most of the institution’s 42-year history.
The ceremony at the private school represented Gaskins’ first participation in the annual event since taking office. Previous Alexandria mayors have regularly conducted the swearing-in as part of the school’s start-of-year activities.
Bah! Humbug! The Little Theatre of Alexandria will be holding auditions for its upcoming performances of A Christmas Carol.
The play will be performed at the venue (600 Wolfe Street) from Dec. 6 to 20, and auditions will be held next month. Young actors ages 8 to 16, and adults aged 35+ are asked to apply, as are men 55 years old and older to play the cold-hearted Ebenezer Scrooge.
The owner of a new Japanese restaurant in Del Ray wants to open by the end of this month.
Pak Soii Izakaya and Bar (1909 Mount Vernon Avenue) has undergone an extensive interior renovation since owners Supattra Pummora and Jay Chainam signed a lease in April. While Chainam says that the restaurant will be ready by the end of the month, it could possibly open in October as he and his partner await final inspection approvals from the city.
A dog died in a high-rise apartment fire at 1202 S. Washington Street on Tuesday afternoon (Sept. 9).
The Alexandria Fire Department responded to the blaze at an apartment on the eighth floor just before 4 p.m. and found “dark smoke conditions,” as well as a smoldering mattress and a deceased dog in a cage by the bed, according to AFD dispatches.
Dominion Energy has invested $18.02 million in reliability projects across Alexandria from 2022 through the first quarter of 2025, completing 37 projects that have benefited 56,792 customers, External Affairs Representative Gaston Araoz told the Alexandria City Council Tuesday night.
The utility company serves 62,500 residential customers, 5,600 commercial customers, 440 governmental customers, and two industrial customers in Alexandria, according to Araoz’s presentation to the council.
