The City of Alexandria is accepting applications for Virginia’s Farm Market Fresh program, which provides eligible older adults with $50 benefit cards to purchase fresh produce from local farmers.
The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program offers one benefit card per qualifying resident aged 60 or older. Cards can be exchanged for fresh, locally grown fruits, vegetables and herbs at approved farmers’ markets and roadside stands throughout the region.
Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins will sit down with ALXnow next Tuesday for her regular monthly conversation with the community, offering residents a direct line to city leadership as the City Council prepares to resume meetings after its August recess.
The live virtual discussion, scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 2, at 11 a.m., provides a platform for community members to get answers about pressing city issues and municipal priorities. The 30-minute session will be hosted by ALXnow Publisher Ryan Belmore.
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 Oswald Durant Center (1605 Cameron Street) in Old Town will be closed from Sunday, Aug. 31, until Friday, Sept. 5, to undergo annual maintenance and cleaning.
“This brief closure ensures that our facility remains safe, clean, and welcoming for all who use it. During this time, no programs, rentals, or public access will be available,” the city said in a statement. “We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we complete this essential upkeep.”
Dozens of Alexandria-based nonprofits seeking assistance will be on hand at the second-annual Community Volunteer Fair next month.
On Saturday, Sept. 13, Volunteer Alexandria and JustServe will host the free, family-friendly event inside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (2810 King Street). From 2 to 4 p.m., representatives from more than 45 nonprofits will showcase their services.
Join us for our second annual CatRad Halloween Eve! A night of ghoulish fun, spooky treats, and a wicked good time!
It's time for CatRads 2nd Annual Halloween Eve! Join us at St. Elmo's Old Town North for an evening of Halloween fun. Join us for:
Old Town Sandwich shop will reopen soon after undergoing a two-week interior renovation.
The longstanding business at 127 S. Peyton Street closed for interior work on Friday, Aug. 22, and will reopen on Tuesday, Sept. 2, according to a note left on the front door.
The Alexandria Police Department is investigating the early morning burglary of a tobacco shop on King Street in Old Town.
APD was called at around 5:30 a.m. by a passerby who found that the glass front door of Alexandria Vape and Tobacco (1213 King Street) had been smashed, according to dispatch reports. Police found the owner of the shop, who said that two suspects smashed the front door and then fled the scene, the owner told ALXnow.
The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority Board of Commissioners took decisive action Wednesday morning, voting to hire an independent law firm to investigate CEO Erik Johnson and placing him on probationary status with a final warning.
The board convened a special meeting at 8 a.m., one day after Mayor Alyia Gaskins sent a letter on behalf of City Council demanding a third-party investigation into Johnson’s residency in public housing.
Good morning, Alexandria! 👋 Today is Wednesday, Aug. 27, the 239th day of 2025. There are 126 days left in the year.
☀️ Today’s weather: Sunny, with a high near 78 degrees. Northwest wind 6 to 8 mph. Partly cloudy, with a low around 59 degrees. Northwest wind around 5 mph, becoming calm in the evening.
The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority will convene a special board meeting this morning at 8 a.m. to discuss a personnel matter in executive session, one day after Mayor Alyia Gaskins sent a letter on behalf of City Council demanding a third-party investigation into CEO Erik Johnson’s residency in public housing.
In a four-page letter sent Tuesday to ARHA Board Chair Anitra Androh, Gaskins called for an independent investigation into three specific areas: Johnson’s actions, ARHA’s compliance with all applicable laws related to properties the authority owns and manages, and ARHA’s finances, including an independent financial audit.
