Good morning, Alexandria!
👋 Today is Thursday, July 24, the 205th day of 2025. There are 160 days left in the year.
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The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for Alexandria and the greater Washington region Thursday, warning residents to prepare for dangerous heat index values that could reach 109 degrees Friday.
The advisory takes effect at 11 a.m. Friday and remains in place until 8 p.m., covering portions of the District of Columbia, central and northern Maryland, and northern Virginia.
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.
A nonprofit serving Arlandria’s Latino community is trying to raise $250,000 by Wednesday, Aug. 27.
Casa Chirilagua (4109 Mount Vernon Avenue) launched its Summer Challenge Campaign today to fund its programming, serving over 400 people.
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The City of Fairfax has hired Alexandria Assistant Police Chief Raul Pedroso to be its next chief of police, ALXnow has confirmed.
The Fairfax City Council hired Pedroso in a recent meeting, and his start date is Monday, Aug. 11.
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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:
Attention all magic-loving muggles!
There’s a Harry Potter birthday tour on Sunday (July 27) at the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum (105-107 S Fairfax Street) in Old Town.
The Alexandria Fire Department assisted in extinguishing two-alarm fires in Fairfax County this morning (July 23).
No injuries were reported in the early morning fires at three townhouses in Kingstowne and at Anytime Fitness (6400 Brandon Avenue) in Springfield’s Tower Shopping Center.
Alexandria is considering six pedestrian safety improvements near four schools in Alexandria.
The project would remove up to 14 parking spaces for curb extensions and improved pedestrian crossings near Patrick Henry K-8 School, Samuel Tucker Elementary School, Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 School, and Mount Vernon Community School. The traffic calming measures will be discussed at the city’s Traffic and Parking Board meeting on Monday, July 28.
Episcopal High School will host two chess-related international events next month, including a student tournament featuring competitors from 47 countries and an education conference examining chess instruction in schools.
The 2025 FIDE World Schools Team Championship will run from August 2 to 7, with 350 student participants competing in the biennial tournament organized by the World Chess Federation. A separate Smart Moves Summit will take place on August 4-5, bringing together educators to discuss the integration of chess in curricula.
The Little Theatre of Alexandria opens “Kinky Boots” on Saturday (July 26), presenting the Tony Award-winning musical through Aug. 16.
The production features music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper and book by Harvey Fierstein. Kevin Sockwell directs the show at the theater’s 600 Wolfe St. location.