ALXnow - Alexandria Now

Alexandria police ask dog walkers to watch out for crimes and other emergencies

Published July 30, 2026 at 2:45PM

Lila at the Del Ray Dog Fest 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria Police Department is asking dog walkers to join a citywide watch program where walkers keep an eye out for crimes and to call 911 if they see a situation needing an emergency response.

APD is launching the Dog Walker Watch program as the city is experiencing a summer uptick in violent crime. APD says that the dog walkers will help strengthen public safety and “serve as extra eyes and ears while walking their dogs, reporting suspicious activity through 911, 703-746-4444, or 311, as appropriate,” according to an email registry with the city.

News

Alexandria City Council OKs additional investigation into in-custody death of Allan Tucker II

By James Cullum

Published July 30, 2026 at 1:45PM

The Alexandria City Council (staff photo by James Cullum)

Yesterday (Wednesday), the Alexandria City Council unanimously approved a request by the city’s police review board to continue investigating last summer’s in-custody death of Allan Tucker II.

Earlier this month, the Independent Community Policing Review Board voted to tell City Council that a report on the Alexandria Police Department’s response to the incident was incomplete and needed further investigation.

Most and least expensive homes – October

By Adrianna Vallario

Published October 28, 2026 at 10:45AM

In October 2026, 26 detached homes sold, 50 condos sold, and 41 townhomes sold. Detached home sales are down 40% when compared to the same time period last year, condos are down 52%, and townhomes are down 18%.

Most Expensive Detached Home Sales:

$2,950,000 – 3400 Saylor Place 5 Bedrooms, 5.5 Bathrooms, 5,864 Sqft, Listed by D.S.A. Properties & Investments LLC
$2,500,000 – 2100 Mount Vernon Ave Commercial and Residential Property – Listed by Corcoran McEnearney
$2,250,000 – 808 Oronoco St 4 Bedrooms, 3.5 Bathrooms, 2,420 Sqft, Listed by Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
$2,095,000 – 2504 Leslie Ave 4 Bedrooms, 4.5 Bathrooms, 3,356 Sqft, Listed by TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

Least Expensive Townhome Sales:

$525,000 – 115 Wesmond Dr 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom, 1,088 Sqft, Listed by Samson Properties
$625,000 – 206 N Payne St 1 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom, 702 Sqft, Listed by Real Property Management Pros
$639,900 – 932 Harrison Cir 2 Bedrooms, 2.5 Bathrooms, 1,935 Sqft, Listed by Long & Foster Real Estate
$665,000 – 5405 Richenbacher Ave 3 Bedrooms, 2 full/2 half bathrooms, 2,310 Sqft, Listed by Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

3400 Saylor Pl - Listed by DSA Properties, photo from Bright MLS — 3400 Saylor Pl – Listed by DSA Properties, photo from Bright MLS

If you have any questions about these listings, or are looking to make a move in the DMV, please contact Adrianna Vallario – Your Alexandria Real Estate Agent.

#Most and Least Expensive

News

Record participation set for Alexandria’s National Night Out with 54 sites

By Emily Leayman

Published July 30, 2026 at 11:45AM

2025 National Night Out in Alexandria (courtesy of the Alexandria Police Department)

National Night Out, an annual program that promotes community and law enforcement partnerships to combat crime, will get record participation from Alexandria this year.

The city will have 54 participating sites on Tuesday, Aug. 4, which is also the date of Democratic and Republican primary elections.

Announcement

Army Navy Game Day 5k and 10k Run, sponsored by the Washington, D.C. Foreign Area Officers Association

By D.C. Area Foreign Area Officers Association (FAOA)

Published October 21, 2026

Attention all runners, joggers, and Army Navy fans!

Come join us on Saturday, 12 December 2026 for a fun run before the big game. The Army Navy Football Game is one of the greatest rivalries in college football, and what better way to kick it off than with a fun run sponsored by FAOA. FAOA supports active, retired, and civilian Foreign Area Officers around the globe. All proceeds go directly to funding FAOA programs to help and support our members.

Around Town

Old Town resident’s Velvet Wax & Beauty salon pays tribute to late mother

By Emily Leayman

Published July 30, 2026 at 9:15AM

Velvet Wax & Beauty founder Montie Green (via Velvet Wax & Beauty)

As Black Business Month approaches in August, Montie Green is reflecting back on her journey to open her Old Town business Velvet Wax & Beauty.

Green is a licensed cosmetologist and opened her first salon in Hampton ten years ago. The location at Old Town’s Crilley Warehouse (218 N. Lee Street, Suite 100) has been open for four years.

Event

CatRad Halloween Eve!

October 30, 2026 7:00 pm -11:00 pm

Event location

St. Elmo's - Old Town North

529 Montgomery Street

Alexandria, Virginia 22314

Add to Calendar

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:

News

Morning Notes for July 30, 2026

By ALXnow.com

Published July 30, 2026 at 7:30AM

City Hall renovations (staff photo by James Cullum)

On This Day in Alexandria History — “On July 30, 1909, Orville Wright and Benjamin Foulois, a U.S. Army lieutenant, flew a plane to Alexandria in a test flight for the military. The biplane traveled from Fort Myer to Shuter’s Hill and back. A tethered balloon flew above Shuter’s Hill so the pilot would know when to turn back toward Fort Myer. This successful demonstration flight was required for the Army’s purchase of its first military airplane.” [Historic Alexandria]

Voters Share Top Issues Ahead of Aug. 4 Primary — “It is an unusual time for a primary election in Virginia, but voters will head to the polls Aug. 4, choosing their nominees in races for Senate, House of Representatives and local offices … Almost every voter talked about the kitchen table issue of affordability, especially the high price of gas.” [WTOP]

News

ALXnow Daily Debrief for Jul 29, 2026

By ALXnow.com

Published July 29, 2026 at 8:30PM

Good Wednesday 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 — Jul 29, 2026.

7:30 am: Morning Notes for July 29, 2026 | 🗣️ Comments
9:15 am: Two men sentenced to combined 56 years in prison for rape and robbery at Alexandria hotel | 🗣️ Comments
11:45 am: UPDATED: No injuries after Tuesday night house fire in Fairlington near city border | 🗣️ Comments
1:45 pm: Upgrades underway for permanent 200 block of King Street pedestrian zone | 🗣️ Comments
2:45 pm: The Dog Store extends lease in Del Ray until January 2027 as search for new home continues | 🗣️ Comments

Here are today’s most-read articles:

📅 Upcoming events

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

4:00 pm: Alexandria Businesses Unite
6:00 pm: Open Mic Night at Nepenthe Gallery

☀️ Thursday’s forecast

Expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 86°F and a northwest wind at 11 mph, gusting up to 21 mph. Thursday night will be partly cloudy with a low around 69°F and a lighter northwest wind between 3 and 7 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.”
– Dalai Lama

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading!

News

The Dog Store extends lease in Del Ray until January 2027 as search for new home continues

By James Cullum

Published July 29, 2026 at 2:45PM | Updated July 31, 2026 at 4:12PM

The Dog Store at 2301 Mount Vernon Avenue was originally set to close on June 27, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

After announcing its impending closure last month, The Dog Store on Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray has had its lease extended to January.

Owner Paul Haire confirmed to ALXnow that Ray Mahmood, the new owner of 2301 Mount Vernon Avenue, extended the pet shop’s lease to Jan. 6, 2027. Even though his rent is going up significantly, Haire credited former Mayor Bill Euille and locals Gayle Reuter and Bill Blackburn with convincing Mahmood to extend the lease.

News

Upgrades underway for permanent 200 block of King Street pedestrian zone

By Emily Leayman

Published July 29, 2026 at 1:45PM

200 block of King Street (staff photo by James Cullum)

After the permanent closure of the 200 block of King Street to vehicular traffic was approved last year, Alexandria is making upgrades to the block.

The Alexandria Department of Transportation & Environmental Services announced plans to add permanent improvements to the pedestrian block. The last city budget allocated $350,000 to make improvements to the 200 block pedestrian zone.

News

UPDATED: No injuries after Tuesday night house fire in Fairlington near city border

By James Cullum

Published July 29, 2026 at 11:45AM | Updated July 29, 2026 at 2:47PM

Alexandria firefighters extinguish a blaze in the rear of a home in the 4100 block of 36th Street South in the Fairlington neighborhood of Arlington, July 28, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

No injuries were reported after a fire Tuesday night (July 28) in the rear of a townhouse in the Fairlington neighborhood of Arlington, just outside the Alexandria border.

Alexandria firefighters were called to respond to a fire in the 4100 block of 36th Street S. around 11 p.m. The occupants of the home evacuated safely, the fire was extinguished less than 10 minutes later and damage was limited to the outside of the home, according to radio dispatches.

Announcement

Always Becoming: Next Chapter

By Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian

Published October 27, 2026

Join artist Nora Naranjo Morse (Kha’p’o Owenge ([Santa Clara Pueblo]), creator of Always Becoming, and the community that cares for the museum’s ephemeral outdoor sculpture family, to learn about the project’s evolution over the past two decades, and what the future holds.

Learn about the art of clay, traditions of sustainability in Pueblo building techniques, and more. Visitors can enjoy family-friendly art activities, dance performances by the Zuni Olla Maidens, watch a short film, and multiple opportunities to hear from the artist, her family, and museum experts that have contributed to the care and revitalization of the sculptures.