Around Town

A local wine shop is preparing to celebrate a new chapter in Alexandria this weekend.

D.C. wine boutique DCanter is hosting a grand opening for its second location, DCanter Alexandria, from 12-4 p.m. Saturday (April 4) at 1101 King Street, Suite 112. Led by couple Michelle Lim Warner and Michael Warner, the shop focuses on sustainably made and organic wines sourced from small, independent producers.


News

The winner of a Millionaire’s Raffle lottery ticket bought in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood has claimed the $1 million prize after initially forgetting about it, the Virginia Lottery said.

An Arlington woman anonymously claimed the prize, marking the fifth and final $1 million prize from the 2026 Virginia New Year’s Millionaire Raffle. Under Virginia law, winners of prizes of $1 million or more may claim their winnings anonymously.


Sponsored

Many people who look into estate planning ask, “What is the difference between wills and trusts?” While both wills and trusts deal with estate planning, they serve different purposes. In this post, the legal team of PJI Law, PLC, estate planning lawyers from Fairfax, VA, outline the key principles of wills, trusts, and their role in asset protection.

Wills and Trusts in a Nutshell

Here are the basic features of wills and trusts:

A Will

  • Only comes into effect once the will maker is deceased
  • States who will receive the decedent’s assets
  • Appoints an executor to carry out the decedent’s wishes
  • Is potentially contestable and must go through probate, a legal examination by the court

A Trust

  • Can take effect immediately after its creation
  • Allows a person or an institution (a “trustee”) to hold assets for beneficiaries
  • Can distribute property before or after the trustor’s passing
  • Can be irrevocable or revocable/changeable
  • Assets in trust generally avoid probate

While we recommend that everyone have at least a will (whether or not you also have a trust), trusts aren’t strictly necessary for all individuals. Trusts are particularly helpful for individuals who have assets that are potentially going through probate, own property across several states, or have minor children.

Wills: the Basics of Estate Planning

A will, also known as a last will and testament, is a legal document specifying how the will maker wishes to handle asset distribution and other affairs after their death. A will typically includes all of the principal’s assets, such as real estate, vehicles, and other property, and usually a list of debts. A will may also provide directions for a funeral or memorial service.

Usually, every will must go through a probate court before execution. In some states, it may be possible to avoid probate under specific conditions. Certain assets, such as insurance policies and retirement accounts, may, if planned properly, pass directly to named beneficiaries without probate. (more…)


News

On This Day in Alexandria History — “On March 30 and 31, 1841, former President John Quincy Adams visited Edmund Jennings Lee at his home at 614 Oronoco Street. Adams had dinner and breakfast at Lee’s home, today known as the Lee-Fendall House.” [Historic Alexandria]

Alexandria Women for Good Help Women at Guest House — “Women entering the aftercare program, all formerly incarcerated, have completed the Friends of Guest House six-month residential program and are moving toward their next step of reintegrating into the community. Many of these women do not have basic household items, and Alexandria Women for Good stepped in to help make the transition a little easier and more comfortable.” [The Zebra]


News

Hundreds of people holding political signs lined Richmond Highway in Alexandria to protest the Trump administration today (Saturday).

Indivisible Do Something Alexandria hosted the “No Kings 3” protest from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. along northbound Richmond Highway from Powhatan Park to the Potomac Yard Shopping Center. Protestors held signs and encouraged drivers to honk in solidarity. While the event didn’t have speakers like the past two protests at Market Square in Old Town, Rep. Don Beyer (D-8) and state Sen. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-39) made appearances at the “No Kings 3” protest.


Event

Come celebrate the 250th anniversary of America’s War for Independence with renowned music historians David & Ginger Hildebrand for performances of special period music. The Hildebrands will don period attire to discuss and perform music associated with Alexandria’s sister cities: Caen, France; Dundee, Scotland; Helsingborg, Sweden; and Gyumri, Armenia. Scottish music was especially influential in the American colonies, and once the French joined the Revolutionary cause there were musical celebrations for Generals LaFayette, Rochambeau and other French leaders. This concert event is part of the “Alexandria commemorates America’s 250” campaign. David & Ginger specialize in researching, recording, and performing early American music. Since 1980 they have presented concerts and educational programs throughout the country and abroad at museums, historic sites, schools and universities. Mount Vernon, The National Gallery of Art, The National Archives, and Colonial Williamsburg are among their many past sponsors.

Tickets are $20.


News

Good Friday evening, Alexandria. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Mar 27, 2026.

Here are today’s most-read articles:

  1. NEW: ACPS Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt to resign (2425 views)
  2. Poll: The best Mexican restaurant in Alexandria (1930 views)
  3. Lower water pressure, discoloration to affect Alexandria water during spring flushing (518 views)
  4. Morning Notes for March 27, 2026 (412 views)

Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.

  1. New plan unveiled after National Park Service sinks pump station at Waterfront Park (17811 views)
  2. JUST IN: WMATA pitches Braddock Road Metro changes to allow for potential development (10018 views)
  3. Hit-and-run kills pedestrian on I-395 in Alexandria: state police (6370 views)
  4. Historic home sets Old Town record for residential sales with $7.1M deal (6243 views)
  5. ACPS prepares to move 800+ students for redistricting effort (4123 views)
  6. DEVELOPING: Hit-and-run pursuit leads to driver arrest on I-495 in Alexandria (3413 views)
  7. Alexandria restaurants named semifinalists for regional RAMMY Awards (3318 views)
  8. Man receives 1-year sentence for assaults outside Alexandria Metro stations (2268 views)
  9. ACPS plans to make April election day a student holiday (2049 views)
  10. Three candidates for Alexandria City Council clash at West End forum (1947 views)

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Saturday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.

Here are the events planned for Sunday:

☀️ Saturday’s forecast

Expect sunny skies with a high near 49°F and northwest winds blowing at 11 to 13 mph, gusting up to 25 mph. Saturday night will be mostly clear with temperatures dropping to around 32°F and light, variable winds. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
– Albert Einstein

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

We hope you have a great weekend, Alexandria!


News

Alexandria continues to outpace the state average for sexually transmitted infections, according to a new report.

The Alexandria Health Department’s 2024 Disease Investigation Report recorded 1,900 separate disease investigations in 2024, a 5% decrease from 2023. The department found that vaccine-preventable diseases increased fivefold with 41 cases in 2024, compared to eight reported cases in 2023; and that sexually transmitted infections decreased 2%, although gonorrhea and HIV cases have increased by 9% and 24%, respectively.


News

The General Assembly session that wrapped up in mid-March was an especially busy one for state Sen. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-39).

In addition to introducing legislation and other regular duties, Bennett-Parker ran a mid-session campaign to replace former state Sen. Adam Ebbin in Senate District 39. The former delegate won the Feb. 10 special election in the district, which covers Alexandria and parts of Arlington and Fairfax counties.


News

Alexandria’s drinking water utility Virginia American Water will start its annual flushing of its water distribution systems next week, and it could mean temporarily reduced pressure and discolored water across Alexandria.

No end date was released, but Virginia American Water said flushing will begin sometime next week and involves work crews opening fire hydrants across the city. Customers will be notified via email and/or phone when flushing is scheduled for their area. The utility is asking that customers update their contact information and preferences in their MyWater account.


Opinion

There’s never a bad time to enjoy a margarita and meal from Alexandria’s thriving Mexican and Tex-Mex food scene.

Here are the nominees for “Best Mexican Restaurant in Alexandria” as part of our returning ALXnow Readers’ Choice awards.

Did we miss your go-to spot? Write them in!

Voting will close in two weeks.

Voting for the Best Fitness Studio/Gym in Alexandria is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday at 8:30 a.m.

Two weeks ago, we voted on the Best Burger in Alexandria. The results are now official:

  1. Chadwicks
  2. Holy Cow
  3. District Biscuit Company