The City of Alexandria is eyeing three basic concepts for a Duke Street transitway to help boost bus service along the arterial road.
The three options presented at a meeting of the Duke Street Transitway Advisory Group last month ranged from the buses in the center of the street to mixed in with traffic. The options are:
Beyond just low test scores, a city report on issues of suspension, reading rates and more shows that the city schools still face issues of severe racial disparity.
The City of Alexandria’s Children & Youth Community Plan 2025 (CYCP) was earlier this year, highlighted that while there has been some progress in areas like drop-out rates, suspensions have gone up at Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) and the city has failed to meet reading proficiency standards for non-white students since 2016.
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 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has returned Alexandria’s community level from “Medium” to “Low.”
The city had a Medium community level since April, and the city now joins its regional counterparts in Fairfax, Loudoun and Arlington Counties with the Low designation.
A man was shot in Arlandria on Sunday night, according to Alexandria Police.
The incident occurred at around 7:30 p.m. in front of an apartment building in the 3800 block of Old Dominion Boulevard. A 50-year-old man was shot and transported to George Washington University Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
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.
Alexandria bakery’s royal connection — “Queen Elizabeth II’s visits to the D.C. region throughout her long life were always showstoppers, but it was her first visit to the area — as a princess in 1951 — that became the claim to fame for one Alexandria bakery.” [Washington Business Journal]
It’s Monday — Rain starting in the afternoon. High of 82 and low of 72. Sunrise at 6:49 am and sunset at 7:23 pm. [Weather.gov]
Another week down at ALXnow.
The big stories this week was a pair of dangerous situations in public places, with injuries at AMC Hoffman Center after a man walked into a theater and threatened the crowd and a man arrested for pulling out a gun outside a West End club.
The final community meeting about a proposal to add lights to multiple athletic fields is coming up later this month.
The City Council has approved funding for lighting of two athletic fields, pending the permit approval process, with other locations open for consideration down the road.
Here’s a look at some of the open houses taking place in Alexandria this weekend:
See all Alexandria open house listings here.
Alexandria City Public Schools wants to get student and staff absenteeism under control.
A quarter of Latino students at ACPS were chronically absent last school year, and so were 16% of Black students and 22% of economically disadvantaged students, according to data presented to the School Board at a recent work session.
