(Updated at 4:49 p.m.) The Alexandria Police Department officially rolled out its body-worn camera program today, with the goal of outfitting 30 officers per month.
Full deployment is expected by January, and officers will immediately begin using the cameras after eight hours of training.
(Updated 2 p.m.) Four Alexandria schools went into “secure the building” mode earlier today after nearby police activity.
Alicia Hart, chief of facilities and operations for Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS), said Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School (1701 N. Beauregard Street), William Ramsay Elementary School (5700 Sanger Avenue), John Adams Elementary School (5651 Rayburn Avenue) and the Early Childhood Center (5651 Rayburn Avenue) were in “secure the building” status today from 12:15-12:35 p.m.
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.
City Council says developers should be financially on the hook for the traffic impacts of their projects — but they disagree over how long payments should last.
Alexandria currently relies on developers to pay for the impact their projects have on local roads and transportation networks. When it comes to follow-through, however, the city has no meaningful mechanisms to hold accountable developers who don’t make good on the promises they made during the application process.
A water main break has shut down three Alexandria schools today.
Douglas MacArthur (4633 Taney Avenue), James K. Polk (5000 Polk Avenue) and Patrick Henry Elementary (4643 Taney Avenue) Schools have been closed, according to Alexandria City Public Schools.
**Sips & Shells: Holiday Oyster Shell Workshop at Hank's Oyster Bar**
Gather your girlfriends for a creative night out in Old Town Alexandria!
Good Tuesday morning, Alexandria!
🌤 Today’s weather: Scattered clouds. Mild. High of 67 and low of 50.
🌤 Tomorrow: Sunny. Mild. High of 73 and low of 44. Sunrise at 6:26 am and sunset at 7:48 pm.
(Updated 5 p.m.) Police are responding to a shooting near the bus stop at the Bradlee Shopping Center (3660 King Street).
According to the scanner, multiple gunshots were reported by employees at the McDonalds at the Bradlee Shopping Center — where an ACHS student was murdered last year — around 3:40 p.m.
A clerk at the 7-Eleven convenience store at 3023 Duke Street was shot in the leg in a robbery early this morning.
At around 2 a.m., a man dressed in black wearing a black mask went into the store, displayed a handgun and walked behind the counter, according to staff. The suspect reportedly shot into the floor behind the counter and the bullet ricocheted and hit the clerk in the leg.
(Updated 1:50 p.m.) Police are responding to a call for shots fired on the 1200 block of Madison Street, roughly a block away from the Braddock Road Metro station.
Alexandria Police spokesman Marcel Bassett said there are currently no injuries reported. The original call for service came in around 12:52 p.m., Bassett said.
After extensive public comment and a few interruptions, Alexandria’s City Council voted unanimously to approve a zoning change that would bring zoning requirements for abortion centers in line with other medical facilities.
The gist of the change is that abortion would be included with other healthcare-related uses for by-right approval in commercial and mixed-use zones.
