A 47-year-old Alexandria man is out on bond after allegedly strangling his ex-girlfriend in her apartment last month, according to police.
The incident allegedly occurred at the victim’s apartment on Sunday, Feb. 12, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit. The victim reported that the suspect allegedly strangled her inside of her apartment.
Good Thursday morning, Alexandria!
☔ Today’s weather: Possible light rain in the morning. High of 74 and low of 60.
☔ Tomorrow: Rain throughout the day. High of 69 and low of 48. Sunrise at 7:07 am and sunset at 7:24 pm.
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.
ALXnow.com’s local news reporting today is supported by the Junior League of Washington’s Tossed & Found rummage sale.
More on the event:
It’s spring and the musical lineup at Arlandria’s The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Avenue) is heating up.
Folk/bluegrass band The Wailin’ Jennys is headlining next month in two — unfortunately already sold out — shows on April 16 and 17.
**Sips & Shells: Holiday Oyster Shell Workshop at Hank's Oyster Bar**
Gather your girlfriends for a creative night out in Old Town Alexandria!
Alexandria’s DASH bus system has been going through a pair of ambitious, headline-grabbing overhauls, but city leaders are still working out how to pay for them.
In 2021, DASH went fully fare-free, meaning anyone could ride a DASH bus at any time without paying for a ticket. At the same time, the bus network has been undergoing a full-electric conversion, gradually swapping out all of the diesel buses for electric buses.
Anyone that’s a sucker for a good book sale might want to head to the Beatley Central Library (5005 Duke Street) at some point this week.
Good Wednesday morning, Alexandria!
⛅ Today’s weather: Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High of 59 and low of 51.
☔ Tomorrow: Possible light rain in the morning. High of 73 and low of 50. Sunrise at 7:08 am and sunset at 7:23 pm.
Despite previous commitments to diversity, including recruitment efforts and leadership from a Black chief of police, the Alexandria Police Department is contending with diversity issues.
Officers tell ALXnow a reorganization that occurred after Chief Don Hayes stepped into his leadership role in 2021 rewarded close connections and disregarded officers of color and civilian staff, which they say is a sign that Hayes does not want to make waves.
Like many local households, the City of Alexandria has plans to tidy up for the spring.
The City announced in a release today that a number of beautification efforts will be going on around town, along with a few continue improvements like pothole repair and repaving.
