A Prince William County man faces malicious wounding charges after an afternoon fight in the West End.
On Monday, Oct. 10, at around 2:15 p.m., the Alexandria Police Department was dispatched to a fight around the unit block of N. Jordan Street — near the Shoppes At Foxchase.
Tonight, the City of Alexandria is launching a kick-off meeting for the 18-month process of updating and potentially reshaping city policy governing the West End.
According to the city’s website, the goal is to “engage the community to create a shared vision for the future of Alexandria West, addressing topics such as equity, culture, housing, getting around, land use, parks, and safety.”
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.
Four people were arrested and a number of firearms confiscated after a high-speed chase through Alexandria on Monday afternoon (Nov. 14).
At around 3 p.m., Virginia State Police initiated a traffic stop for reckless driving on a 2020 Dodge Charger near the Duke Street exit on Interstate 395.
Alexandria Building Proposed As Future Middle School In Capital Budget — “A building purchased by Alexandria City Public Schools is proposed to become a middle school after serving as a swing space.” [Patch]
It’s Tuesday — Rain starting in the afternoon. High of 47 and low of 34. Sunrise at 6:53 am and sunset at 4:56 pm. [Weather.gov]
Join Cruise Planners Beth Borrego and Rod Rodriguez for the World of Travel Show 2027 on Saturday, February 6, 2027, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in The BlackBox at BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown.
Meet representatives from 13 respected travel brands covering family and adults-only cruises, premium and luxury ocean voyages, European river cruises, expedition and Galápagos adventures, small-ship sailing, guided land tours, and customized vacations.
The Alexandria City Council unanimously approved a plan to install lights on a handful of athletic fields, but city leaders also acknowledged neighbor concerns about the project.
The plan is to eventually install new outdoor lighting at five fields around the city, with those lights phased in as the budget and construction timetables allow. Three of the fields could be illuminated as early as FY2023:
The Alexandria School Board unanimously approved extending its agreement with the Alexandria Police Department to provide school resource officers at the city’s high school and middle schools until the end of this school year.
On Thursday (Nov. 10), the Board quickly approved the extension to June 30, continuing the memorandum of understanding with the department, which expired last month.
(Updated 1/6/23) Last week, Alexandria city staff pulled back the curtain on the city’s progress on turning Old Town North into an arts district.
The goal is to trade density in Old Town North for arts uses — mirroring earlier arrangements between the city and developers for affordable housing uses.
Hundreds of Alexandrians packed into the AMC Hoffman Center 22 Thursday night to see an early screening of Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The event was attended by hundreds of fans in costumes, and included food and live music.
No arrests were made after shots were fired in the West End on Friday night (Nov. 11).
Alexandria Police reported the incident at 8:35 p.m. on The shots were fired in a residential area in the 4300 block of King Street. There were no injuries, and no arrests have been made.
