It’s shaping up to be another busy October weekend in Alexandria.
There are plenty of festivals going on, including the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria’s Paws in the Park with its largest Rescue Row yet. For those looking for a shucking good time, Old Town Oyster Week returns starting with an oyster shucking competition.
Personnel Investigation Cited Amid Policing Auditor’s Resignation — “A personnel investigation has been ongoing since at least Sept. 2, since [Independent Community Policing Review Board Chair Deborah] Porter confirmed ‘there was no staff available from the auditor’s office in September [for the Board’s Sept. 2 meeting] because of a personnel investigation.’ The Board’s Sept. 2 and Oct. 7 meetings were canceled. The October meeting was canceled following news of Kamara’s resignation, Porter said.” [Alexandria Times]
Samuel Madden Redevelopment Tops Out — “The six-story building replacing the Samuel Madden Homes in Old Town has reached its full height, a milestone developer Fairstead and its partners marked Wednesday with a topping-out ceremony. The $120 million project at 999 N. Henry St. will have 207 apartments reserved for families earning between 30% and 80% of the area median income.” [Alexandria Brief]
When a loved one passes away, families often face difficult decisions about funeral arrangements, finances, and the distribution of property. One common question is whether having a will automatically means the estate must go through probate.
Not necessarily. Whether probate is required in Virginia depends largely on how the deceased person’s assets were owned and whether those assets have another method of transferring to heirs or beneficiaries.
Understanding when probate is required—and when it can be avoided—can help families navigate estate administration with greater confidence.
Probate is the legal process used to administer certain assets belonging to a deceased person, or decedent. In Virginia, probate generally takes place through the circuit court in the city or county where the decedent lived.
When probate is necessary, the court recognizes the will, if there is one, and appoints a personal representative to handle the estate. The personal representative is responsible for identifying and collecting assets, addressing valid debts and taxes, and distributing the remaining property according to the will or Virginia’s intestacy laws.
Importantly, having a will does not automatically mean every asset must pass through probate. A will generally controls probate assets, while certain property passes directly to another person through ownership arrangements or beneficiary designations.
Probate is generally necessary when someone dies owning assets in their individual name that do not have another method of transferring ownership.
Examples can include:
In these situations, probate may be necessary to give the personal representative authority to transfer or distribute the property.
Some assets can transfer automatically after death and therefore may not need to pass through probate.
Jointly owned property: Assets held jointly with rights of survivorship generally pass to the surviving owner.
Beneficiary-designated accounts: Life insurance policies, retirement accounts, and certain bank accounts can pass directly to the beneficiaries named on the account.
Revocable living trusts: Assets properly transferred into a revocable living trust generally avoid probate because the trust owns the property rather than the deceased individual.
Virginia also provides a simplified option for certain small estates. Under Va. Code § 64.2-601, qualifying personal property valued at $75,000 or less may be transferred using a small estate affidavit rather than a full probate proceeding, provided the statutory requirements are satisfied.
This simplified procedure applies to qualifying personal property, not real estate, and can be particularly useful when an estate consists of modest assets such as a bank account or vehicle.
When probate is necessary, the personal representative must complete several steps before the estate can be closed. These typically include identifying and valuing estate assets, filing the required inventory, addressing creditor claims and taxes, and distributing assets to beneficiaries.
Virginia also imposes deadlines for certain estate filings. The inventory generally must be filed within four months after qualification, while the first accounting is generally due within 16 months.
The Alexandria City School Board voted tonight (Oct. 8) to appoint the school division’s next superintendent.
Jharrett Bryantt, superintendent of the Anchorage School District in Alaska, will become Alexandria City Public Schools’ superintendent, effective Feb. 1, 2027. The School Board announced the appointment following a closed session at its meeting.
Tom Shupe is looking for a new home in Alexandria for a chess school.
Shupe describes himself as a U.S. chess expert and was previously an examiner with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for 12 years until 2023. That’s when he gave it all up to write for Chess.com and founded MVP Chess Center. Shupe currently teaches dozens of kids and adults and hosts weekly events and monthly tournaments at The Link co-working office (215 N. Payne Street) in Old Town.
Curious about strength training but not sure where to start? Or perhaps you're looking for a more efficient alternative to traditional gyms?
Imperium Strength & Longevity invites the Alexandria community to an Open House on Sunday, November 1, from 11 AM to 2 PM.
The Alexandria Police Department is investigating the theft of copper and security wire from the Inova Alexandria Hospital at Landmark construction site.
No arrests have been made, but around 4:15 p.m. on Aug. 30, the senior superintendent of Clark Construction reported a burglary to APD. Just 10 minutes before, at 4:05 p.m., surveillance footage showed a white U-Haul cargo van drive into the construction site and two male suspects enter one of the hospital buildings under construction, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.
The Ethiopian community in Alexandria will share its food and culture at a returning fall festival next weekend.
The Ethiopian Community Support and Advocacy Center will host the sixth annual Ethiopian Fall Festival from 1-7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18, at Chinquapin Park (3210 King Street). Ethiopian families and local residents alike are invited to the festival to celebrate Ethiopian heritage and share culture, traditions, food, music, dance and art with the community.
Michigan-based Acorp Services recently closed on a 1.3-acre office building in Old Town North, buying a property assessed at nearly $21 million in value for $9.05 million.
The sale of the 1970s-era Class A office building at 11 Canal Center Plaza marks Acorp’s first building acquisition in Northern Virginia.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day, recognized on the federal Columbus Day holiday, will bring an array of closures and schedule changes to Alexandria.
The holiday falls on Monday, Oct. 12, which will mean a three-day weekend for some employees and students. The City of Alexandria has recognized the holiday as Indigenous Peoples’ Day since 2019 and has shared the history of Indigenous peoples in the city on its website.
Alexandria’s recently reported unemployment rate was down from a year before and on the lower end of what has been seen citywide during the past year.
But like much of the rest of Northern Virginia, there also has been an exodus in the total number of city residents with jobs.
