Anti-Abortion Activist Sentenced for Trespassing — “An abortion rights opponent, who earlier this year had five fetuses seized from her home, is one of six activists who has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to jail for trespassing in 2021 at an Alexandria, Virginia, women’s health clinic.” [WTOP]
It’s Thursday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 86 and low of 73. Sunrise at 5:56 am and sunset at 8:35 pm. [Weather.gov]
Former Alexandria Mayor Kerry Donley died unexpectedly at his home in Alexandria on Wednesday, July 13.
Donley was 66 years old and died of a heart attack, according to the Alexandria Times. He lived in the city for nearly six decades.
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.
July is packed with holidays in Alexandria: Independence Day, the city’s birthday, and most importantly peak street repaving season.
The Department of Transportation and Environmental Services unveiled the latest batch of streets targeted for resurfacing and maintenance over the next two weeks, many of them around the Seminary Hill and North Ridge neighborhoods:
Today, George Washington is one of the city’s two public middle schools, but the building’s history as white-only high school and the process of desegregation is being told in a new historical marker.
The George Washington High School Alumni Association is planning a dedication of the Virginia Historical Marker in front of the school on Saturday, July 23 at 11 a.m, according to the Office of Historic Alexandria.
StoryWorx: Workhouse's First Ever FREE Book Festival
Sat, Nov 14 | 11 a.m.–5 p.m. | Lorton, VA
Meet bestselling authors Angie Kim (Happiness Falls), 4× NFL Pro Bowler Ken Harvey (first-ever dramatic reading), and Emmy-winning WUSA9 anchor Wisdom Martin, plus Marcie Atkins, Omar Abed, Ellen R.B. Smith, and more for panels, signings, poetry, and workshops. Kids' Corner features author readings, crafts, and storytime. Browse the artisan market, catch a live Upstart Crow podcast, and explore the Workhouse galleries and artist studios—all part of Second Saturday.
Alexandria Police are investigating a resident who found a tracking device inside of her vehicle.
On June 20 (Monday), the resident was loading her infant child into her car at her West End apartment building when she heard a beeping noise. She found an Apple AirTag in the rear pocket of the passenger seat, and then called the police the next day, according to a search warrant affidavit.
Burke & Herbert Bank has been an iconic institution in Alexandria since 1852, but the financial institution has been cozying up to the city’s southern neighbor with a new centralized office.
Similar to how the city is consolidating its services in a new West End facility, Alexandria’s Burke & Herbert Bank is planning to centralize just south of the border with Fairfax.
Alexandria Police are investigating an overnight burglary of the Dunkin’ restaurant at 3325 Richmond Highway in Potomac Yard.
The incident was one of at least three similar break-ins at Dunkin’ locations that occurred in the early morning of Thursday, July 7.
Why Gen Z Loves Alexandria — “College graduates and young professionals are choosing Alexandria over other nearby areas.” [Alexandria Living Magazine]
It’s Wednesday — Humid and partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 86 and low of 75. Sunrise at 5:55 am and sunset at 8:35 pm. [Weather.gov]
Alexandria firefighters say the city and its mutual aid partners in neighboring jurisdictions were left unprepared in the event of an emergency last week, but the Alexandria Fire Department says everything was covered.
In a tweet on July 7 (Thursday), the International Association of Firefighters Union 2141 issued a public safety announcement that the city had only two fire trucks and no rescue apparatus in operation.
