Fire in the 200 Block of Yoakum Parkway, May May 26, 2025 (via IAFF Local 2141)
A balcony fire at an apartment building in the West End was quickly extinguished Monday morning (May 26), and no injuries were reported.
The Alexandria Fire Department responded to 203 Yoakum Parkway at around 7:45 a.m. to find a fire showing from a fourth-floor apartment balcony. The two occupants inside the apartment were unharmed, and the fire was contained to the balcony, according to AFD dispatches.
Get ready for smoother rides, Alexandria, but be prepared for some temporary adjustments.
The City of Alexandria is launching a series of street repaving and concrete maintenance projects this week, from May 27th to May 30th, affecting several key roadways. Drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians should anticipate lane closures, parking restrictions, and potential delays in the affected areas as crews work to improve the city’s infrastructure.
Among the movers serving Alexandria, VA, 495 Movers stands out for a simple reason: its local hourly rate includes packing materials, furniture disassembly and reassembly, and protection for floors, walls, and elevators. The company has been in business since 2009 and has completed more than 20,000 moves, a number that keeps climbing.
Anyone who has hired movers in the DC area knows the familiar pattern. A low hourly rate wins the call. Then the invoice arrives with a charge for boxes, a charge for taking the bed apart, a fee for the stairs, and another for the elevator. By the end, the number on the bill has little to do with the number in the ad. 495 Movers was built to avoid that.
495 Movers at a glance
In business since: 2009 (17 years)
Moves completed: more than 20,000, local and long-distance
Licensed in: Virginia
Serves: Alexandria and the rest of the DMV
Local hourly rate includes: packing materials, furniture disassembly and reassembly, and home protection on every move
No separate fees for: stairs or elevators
Also offers: junk removal, custom crating, and self-storage
Reputation: 4.7 stars across nearly 1,000 Google reviews
Who is 495 Movers?
495 Movers is a full-service moving company serving Alexandria and the rest of the DMV, founded in 2009 by people who had worked as movers for several other companies first. They wanted to do it differently.
“We wanted to take a different approach, offering a simple, honest, and transparent approach for the customer,” said Moti Kachlon, co-owner at 495 Movers. For local moves, that meant building the most common extras into the hourly rate. Seventeen years and more than 20,000 moves later, the company is still growing.
What makes moving in Alexandria different?
Alexandria is a hard place to move. A truck on an Old Town block gets watched by neighbors, property managers, and a family wondering whether the sofa will make the turn on a staircase built long before sofas got this big.
Old Town’s rowhouses have narrow staircases and tight turns, which is why large furniture often has to come apart to get out. Del Ray’s bungalows and rowhouses have basements that hold more than anyone remembers. And condo and apartment buildings in Carlyle, Potomac Yard, and the West End often require movers to carry a certificate of insurance and book the elevator, with building managers who care a great deal about scuffed hallways. The street adds its own complications, from cobblestones to limited curb space.
That’s the context for how 495 Movers prices its work.
What does 495 Movers include in its hourly rate?
For local moves, the rate covers four things that many movers bill separately:
Packing materials. Boxes, tape, paper, and wrap are provided at no additional cost, whether a move needs a few or a few hundred.
Furniture disassembly and reassembly. Beds, tables, desks, sectionals, and wardrobes are taken apart, moved, and put back together at the new home. In an Old Town rowhouse, that’s often the only way a dresser gets down the stairs.
You already know that ALXnow is the go-to place for local news. But did you know that you can also promote your news on the site?
Yes, the new item on your menu or the award you just won from an industry association is unlikely to be headline news that we would cover. But you can submit it to us as an announcement.
🌥️ Today’s weather: Scattered showers, mainly after 5 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71 degrees. Light and variable wind becoming southeast 5 to 10 mph in the morning. The chance of precipitation is 30%. Showers tonight. Low around 56 degrees. South wind around 8 mph, becoming east after midnight. The chance of precipitation is 80%—new precipitation amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch are possible.
If you are interested in learning more about Continuing Care Retirement Communities (also known as "Life Plan Communities"), whether for yourself or for a loved one, please join our free workshop on Wednesday, November 4 from 5:00-7:00 at the Arlington office of Long & Foster. We are hosting this workshop in conjunction with Lisa Bates of the Williamsburg Landing community, which is a particularly excellent model of the way these communities work, and one you may wish to consider!
– How do Continuing Care Retirement Communities work? – What do they offer? – How much do they cost, and what are the financial models offered? – How do you how to evaluate them, and choose the one that's right for you? – How do you make a plan for a move like this? – How do you handle a lifetime's worth of possessions?
The Alexandria Police Department (APD) is looking into the incident, which happened in the 3800 block of Florence Drive. Three men and one woman were shot.
City to Host Open House on Access and Safety Improvements on King Street near the Alexandria City High School (via City of Alexandria)
The City of Alexandria wants to hear from you about proposed safety improvements near Alexandria City High School on King Street. They’re hosting an open house on June 3 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the school’s cafeteria at 3330 King St.
The Department of Transportation and Environmental Services is leading this effort to enhance safety and improve traffic flow in front of the school. Residents will have a chance to learn about current conditions and proposed changes and share their thoughts with the project team.
Visitors climb aboard a Tall Ship. (via Sail250® Virginia)
Good Monday morning, Alexandria!
🌥️ Today’s weather: Scattered sprinkles before 11 a.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 75 degrees. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph. Partly cloudy tonight, with a low around 54 degrees. Calm wind.
☀️ Today’s weather: Sunny, with a high near 74 degrees. Light northwest wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 21 mph. Isolated showers tonight before 4 a.m., then isolated showers after 5 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55 degrees. Light north wind. The chance of precipitation is 20%.