Alexandria parents are up in arms over a staffing crisis within Alexandria City Public Schools.
Kelly Organek says that her ninth-grade son at Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard campus hasn’t had a geometry teacher since school started in August and that he only recently got a new biology teacher.
(Updated at 1:45 p.m. on Oct. 12) Alexandria City Public Schools has aligned with Virginia law in its stance against marijuana.
Students who possess, use or distribute marijuana within 1,000 feet of an ACPS school, bus stop or bus can now be expelled, according to policy revisions reviewed last week by the School Board. Marijuana was not previously listed as a banned substance.
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.
The City of Alexandria is working on renaming streets honoring Confederate leaders, and now there’s a full list of new potential names to replace them.
The Historic Alexandria Resources Commission compiled a list of roughly 63 names that could replace streets honoring Confederates.
A set of dinners next month will help raise funding for local scholarships named after the victims of lynching in Alexandria.
The Alexandria Community Remembrance Project runs the scholarships in the names of Joseph McCoy and Benjamin Thomas, Black Alexandrians who were lynched in 1897 and 1899.
Explore preschool & kindergarten options in Alexandria! Meet schools, ask questions & find the best match for your child’s early education.
Welcome to the Alexandria Preschool and Kindergarten Fair! Join us for a fun-filled event where parents can explore various preschool and kindergarten options for their little ones. Meet with representatives from different schools, ask questions, and gather information to make the best choice for your child's education. Don't miss this opportunity to discover the perfect match for your family! The fair is free to attend but advance registration is encouraged.
Good Wednesday morning, Alexandria!
🌤️ Today’s weather: Expect increasing clouds throughout the day with a high temperature near 70 degrees and a gentle west wind ranging from 3 to 6 mph. In the evening, the sky will become partly cloudy and the temperature will drop to around 49 degrees, accompanied by calm winds.
On Oct. 4, after nearly a decade at 1909 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray, sushi restaurant KAiZEN Tavern closed and reopened as Zuki Moon.
“Embark on a culinary adventure as we bring you beloved gastro bar food from Japan, and the Philippines,” the restaurant says on its website. “Our vibrant Asian menus and craft cocktails stem from our favorite culinary travels and adventures from the back alley street food stalls to the vibrant and colorful markets.”
When a pedestrian walk signal comes on at a T-intersection, the light for turning vehicles comes on at the same time: meaning every vehicle is turning into a crosswalk that has an active walk signal.
A memo from Adriana Castaneda, director of Transportation and Environmental Services, concurred with the broader planning community: T-intersections are uniquely dangerous. Now, the City of Alexandria wants to make enhancements across the city’s 80 T-intersections to make them safer.
The days of being required to wear masks in public are definitely over. An Alexandria man is being held without bond for allegedly selling Schedule I/II drugs, wearing a mask in public and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
The Alexandria Police Department arrested the 25-year-old suspect after responding to a drug complaint outside an apartment building in the 3200 block of Commonwealth Avenue in the city’s Del Ray neighborhood, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.
A man was arrested at a Del Ray apartment building Tuesday morning after allegedly trying to flee from police.
Arlington police flagged a vehicle with Maryland tags as being associated with a suspect wanted for attempted murder and followed the vehicle into Alexandria, according to scanner traffic.
