Reports of high ridership last fall held steady through the end of the year and made it official: Capital Bikeshare had its best year yet in Alexandria.
A report to the Traffic and Parking Board ahead of a meeting tonight said the bikeshare system ridership grew steadily post-Covid to a high of 109,487 trips starting or ending in Alexandria last year.
Good Monday morning, Alexandria!
☀️ Today’s weather: Expect sunny skies and a high of 38 degrees, along with calm winds picking up from the south at 5 to 8 mph during the morning. Monday night will bring partly cloudy conditions, a low of approximately 27 degrees, and a south wind at 3 to 6 mph.
Before the pandemic, I ran a Reddit forum that brought people together for local happy hours. It became a great outlet for an in-person social life: you could get out, get to know people nearby, and have a familiar group to spend time with. I enjoyed being the person who helped make that happen.
Getting people together became harder after the pandemic. Friends moved away, had kids, or settled into different routines, and organizing a night out took more effort. I still wanted that camaraderie, but having people to invite didn’t necessarily mean we could get something on the calendar.
I’m in my late 30s and live in Old Town. About a year ago, I joined Choros, a local membership community that helps guys build friendships through small-group activities. Since then, I’ve been to close to 50 hangouts, and it’s given me a regular group of guys to do things with around Alexandria and beyond.
I host board game nights and help host a monthly happy hour at the Commodore in Old Town. I’ve done escape rooms on King Street, trivia, food festivals in Del Ray, movie discussions, and Dungeons & Dragons (which can be especially tricky to get going as an adult with a busy schedule). Having that variety means I can find something that fits my mood and schedule, and there are usually familiar faces when I get there.
One of my favorite things, though, is getting on my bike, picking a destination, and making a day of it. Through Choros, I’ve found a consistent crew to ride with almost every month. That’s the kind of thing I wanted more of: people who enjoy the same stuff and make time to get out and do it together.
I still like hosting and bringing people together. What makes Choros useful is having a community to draw from, so every plan doesn’t depend on the same few friends being available. Other guys suggest and host things too, which gives me plenty of opportunities to join something without organizing it myself.
Over time, seeing the same guys at different activities builds familiarity. You have conversations to pick back up and another reason to make plans together. That’s how it’s become a circle of friends for me.
If you’re in Alexandria, check out Choros and come to one of our monthly happy hours at the Commodore. I’d be happy to meet a few more neighbors, whether you’re into board games, bike rides, or just getting out for a drink. There’s plenty happening here, along with activities throughout the rest of the D.C. area.
Tuesday, the day after MLK day, Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) closed for a ‘traditional snow day‘.
The day after started with a two-hour delay, but sure enough, today (Friday) the schools were closed as well.
The Alexandria Police Department is investigating an alleged assault and armed robbery of a man this snowy afternoon in Old Town North.
At around 1:40 p.m., the victim reported to police that a man wearing a dark jacket and light-colored jeans pulled a tan and black handgun on him, punched him, and took his black Canada Goose jacket with fur lining the hood, according to the police scanner.
**Sips & Shells: Holiday Oyster Shell Workshop at Hank's Oyster Bar**
Gather your girlfriends for a creative night out in Old Town Alexandria!
(Updated at 4 p.m. on Jan. 29) Critics contend that the proposed Alexandria City Public Schools budget shortchanges staff, but that’s not what the superintendent is saying.
Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt says that her proposed $374 million fiscal year 2025 budget focuses on retention with a full step increase and a 2% market rate adjustment for eligible staff. The school system is currently experiencing a staffing crisis, and the budget also increases bus driver salaries to $24 an hour for new drivers and more than $47 per hour for senior drivers with more than a decade experience with the school system. The budget also opens the door to the creation of a collective bargaining agreement with staff.
There’s a new member of the Alexandria School Board. Tim Beaty, the retired former global strategies director for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, was sworn into office on Thursday night.
Beaty won a special election on Jan. 9 to fill the seat vacated by former School Board Member Willie Bailey. He will fill the remaining 11 months of Bailey’s term before the next School Board is sworn into office in January 2025. During that time, he said that he wants to help Alexandria City Public Schools edge closer to a collective bargaining agreement with staff.
If you’re thinking of heading out for a drive in the snow, you may want to hold off on that unless you live on one of the city’s arterial roads.
The City of Alexandria’s SnowReport website provides a look at current roadway conditions around Alexandria during a snowstorm.
Good Friday morning, Alexandria!
❄️ Today’s weather: Expect snow mainly before 1pm with a high near 32, and a northeast wind at 6-9 mph becoming northwest later. The chance of precipitation is 90%, with 1-3 inches of new snow accumulation possible. Friday night, there’s a slight chance of snow before 1am, with clouds clearing gradually and a low of 19. The northwest wind will be 9-11 mph and the chance of precipitation is 20%.
Somebody in Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) is making the proper sacrifices to the snow gods: Alexandria students and teachers will have another snow day tomorrow (Friday).
Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt said the school system will have another snow day tomorrow — i.e. no virtual learning will take place — after getting one earlier this week on Tuesday. With MLK Day on Monday, ACPS students only attended classes on Wednesday and Thursday.
