Good Thursday morning, Alexandria!
🌤️ Today’s weather: There is a slight chance of showers after 2pm, with mostly sunny skies and a high near 87°F. South winds will range from 9 to 13 mph, with gusts up to 20 mph, and a 20% chance of precipitation. On Thursday night, expect a chance of showers and thunderstorms primarily after 2am, with mostly cloudy skies and a low around 70°F. South winds will be around 10 mph, and the chance of precipitation will be 30%.
City-approved plans for the future of the Torpedo Factory Art Center are drawing serious concern from resident artists.
The Torpedo Factory Artists Association (TFAA) says it’s hopeful the plan will work, but that the city’s vibrancy initiative threatens to reduce rental space available to artists.
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 could be prioritizing the Mount Vernon Trail at crossings where, currently, trail users are expected to stop for car traffic.
At a Traffic and Parking Board meeting last week, civil engineer Dan Scolese presented plans to change the stop signs from making pedestrians and cyclists stop for street traffic to having cars stop for trail users.
A remembrance ceremony is planned next week to mark the 124th anniversary of the lynching of Alexandria teen Benjamin Thomas and the unveiling of a new historic marker.
Thomas, one of two black Alexandrians murdered by lynch mobs, was 16 when he was hanged and shot at the corner of King and Fairfax streets in 1899.
Event location
Woodson High School
9525 Main Street
Fairfax, Virginia 22031
Northern Virginia Fairfax Families for Safe Streets (NoVA FSS) cordially invites you to attend and support our upcoming World Day of Remembrance (WDoR) for Road Traffic Victims.
World Day of Remembrance is an annual event where we honor those whose lives were prematurely ended after being struck by a person driving. This year is particularly painful and sad as we think about the recent death of a 13-year-old Frost middle school student who was struck and killed by a person driving a truck on Pickett Road. We will also honor the nearly 30 other people (as of today’s date) who have been killed on Northern Virginia streets while, walking, biking, or rolling since last year’s day of remembrance.
Meet Champ, a 1-year-old dog up for adoption with the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria!
Full of energy with a silly and very much lovable personality, this young pup loves his playtime and will gallop around with toys, according to AWLA spokesperson Erin Shackelford.
One month after a study found that the Virginia state government is underfunding schools, Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson called on state leaders in Richmond to reconsider their approach.
The core issue identified by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission is that the Local Composite Index (LCI) incorporates local real property, gross income and taxable retail sales to determine how much a locality can fund their school system.
Like trying to book Taylor Swift tickets, the rush to get the good fall classes and activities in Alexandria can be a competitive race — and it’s set to kick off next week.
From swimming lessons to “Adult Hip Hop Class,” there’s a broad suite of programs coming up this fall through Alexandria Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities (RPCA). City of Alexandria residents will get first pick of the programs starting at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 9. Nonresidents can register for programs starting on Friday, Aug. 11.
Good Wednesday morning, Alexandria!
☀️ Today’s weather: The weather will be mostly sunny, reaching a high of around 85 degrees, with winds shifting to a light southeastern breeze at 6 mph in the afternoon. Expect a partly cloudy evening, with lows of about 65 degrees and a south wind at 7 mph.
Tonight is National Night Out — an event where Alexandria’s first responders interface with the communities. This year’s celebrations come after a rough week with the city rattled by multiple shootings, including one homicide.
“On Tuesday, August 1, 2023, The City of Alexandria will celebrate National Night Out (NNO), a day designed to heighten crime prevention awareness, generate support for anti-crime programs, and send a message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized, and working with law enforcement to help prevent crime,” the city said in a release.
