A new Mexican restaurant in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood will close daily at 2 a.m. rather than operate around the clock after facing opposition from residents, the Alexandria Times reported.
Tortas Y Tacos La Chiquita received approval Friday from Alexandria’s Department of Planning and Zoning for its special use permit at 529 E. Howell Ave., but with modified hours from its original 24/7 request, according to the Alexandria Times.
The Alexandria Democratic Committee announced Tuesday in a newsletter to supporters that it will host its annual Labor Day picnic at a new indoor-outdoor venue this year, marking a shift from previous outdoor-only locations to ensure the event remains accessible regardless of weather conditions.
The picnic is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at The Garden Alexandria, located at 5380 Eisenhower Ave. in Alexandria.
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.
Tenants from several Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority apartments will stage a protest next week at ARHA headquarters (401 Wythe Street) in Old Town.
The tenants are protesting “ongoing issues,” alleging delayed rental payments from ARHA to landlords, paperwork backlogs, caseworker abandonment, and more. The protest will take place at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 20.
Alexandria police have arrested a 29-year-old Washington, D.C., man in connection with multiple indecent exposure incidents that occurred over two months in three city neighborhoods.
Marc Westbrooks was arrested Monday following a grand jury indictment on 10 misdemeanor counts, including four counts of indecent exposure and six counts of simulated masturbation with the intent to be seen, according to a news release from the Alexandria Police Department.
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 man who died Aug. 8 after jumping from a 15th-floor balcony during an FBI arrest attempt had been indicted on multiple counts of wire fraud for allegedly defrauding women he met on dating apps, according to court documents obtained by ABC 7/WJLA.
Shawn Steven Harris jumped from the Alexander Apartments in the 4300 block of King Street around 6 a.m. as federal agents attempted to serve an arrest warrant for wire fraud and false impersonation of a federal officer, according to an indictment filed in the Eastern District of Virginia.
Want to find out what’s happening with crime in Alexandria? A new app created by a lifelong city resident does just that.
Last year, freelance app developer Trevor Weir launched AVAware on the iOS App Store. After a free week-long trial, a $3.99 monthly fee kicks in, giving users an ad-free opportunity to explore publicly available information on all manner of Part 1 crime events occurring in the city.
With pedestrian-only blocks near the Potomac River to local businesses along picturesque red brick sidewalks, King Street in Old Town was just listed as one of the top 100 main streets to walk in the United States.
The King Street mile from the waterfront to the King St. Metro station was listed as 53rd in the new list, “Top 100 Best Main Streets in U.S. to Walk”, compiled by Assisted Living Magazine, behind W. Washington Street in Marquette, Michigan. Main Street in Lake Placid, New York, topped the list. The ranking, first reported by Secret DC, is the result of a survey taken by more than 3,000 Americans, according to the magazine.
Construction will close East Abingdon Drive north of Slaters Lane starting Monday as part of a long-awaited project to widen the Mount Vernon Trail, the City of Alexandria announced.
The work is scheduled to begin Aug. 18, weather permitting, and continue through early October. Construction crews will work Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Alexandria Fire Department extinguished a car fire in the West End on Wednesday, Aug. 13.
The fire was reported at a car parked in the 200 block of S. Reynolds Street at around 5:30 a.m. The 911 caller reported that a black Honda Accord was on fire.
