Putting aside some of the drama of his visit, Gov. Glenn Youngkin spoke in Alexandria last week about a topic that even some local Democrats have expressed support for: eliminating the grocery tax.
Virginia has a 2.5% grocery tax that helps to fund public schools and transportation. One percent of that goes to local governments, while the rest goes to the state. This has created a sort of three-faction divide on the tax that doesn’t break evenly along party lines.
Alexandria hotels are still hurting, but there may be some signs of relief on the horizon.
The ongoing battering of the hotel industry by Covid has been one of the biggest talking points in the budget so far: particularly because city leaders say it could lead to more tax pressure on the city’s residents.
Alexandria already feels like home. It’s the trails you walk, the restaurants you return to, and the easy reach of D.C. that make it all work. The question is whether your home feels as right as the city around it. For those who love Alexandria but want more space, more privacy, and more choice, Van Metre at Banner Heights offers a new opportunity to have it all, just minutes from I-495, I-95, and Old Town Alexandria.
Every Van Metre homesite at Banner Heights has a backyard that doesn’t face into another homesite, so the space behind your home is entirely yours, and a deck or covered terrace makes it the spot for a quiet morning or a long evening with friends. Four levels offer up to five bedrooms and an optional elevator. From there, 20+ personalization options let you decide the rest: add a bedroom on the lower or fourth levels, a great room fireplace with ceramic detailing, or a wet or dry bar, plus upgraded flooring and packages for electrical, tech, and comfort.
With more than 70 years of building across Northern Virginia, Van Metre designs homes around the way people live. At Banner Heights, that means the T-27 townhome plan with 3-5 bedrooms, 3-4 full and 1-2 half baths, 3,014+ square feet, a 2-car garage, and 20+ personalization options, starting from the $1.25Ms.*
Van Metre at Banner Heights is now open for Early Access, giving interested buyers the chance to purchase before our grand opening, when initial homesites deliver.
*Pricing, offers, and availability are subject to change without notice. Some images and renderings may represent a similar home or may have been created or edited using artificial intelligence (AI), and may depict design elements, furnishings, finishes, landscaping, views, or other features that are not included in the home or may not be available. Please see a Van Metre New Home Advisor for details.
Midnight the cat needs a new home in the twilight of her life.
The 17-year-old female black cat is up for adoption with the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, and all adoption fees have been paid for by a generous donor.
Dear Members:
Following the 2026 NAACP Election Procedures, the Alexandria Branch of the NAACP held a General Membership meeting on Thursday October 22, 2026. The purpose of the meeting (in part) was to select candidates for branch officers including President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary and at-large members of the Executive Committee positions.
A 26-year-old Washington, D.C. man has been sentenced to three months in the Alexandria jail after leaving the scene of an accident while driving a stolen car in the West End in January.
Jarrel Bailey was arrested driving a stolen Dodge Challenger on Jan. 3 after Alexandria police attempted to pull him over for reckless driving on Monday, January 3. The Challenger took off at high speed, and then “struck an uninvolved motorist,” according to a search warrant affidavit.
Event location
Woodson High School
9525 Main Street
Fairfax, Virginia 22031
Northern Virginia Fairfax Families for Safe Streets (NoVA FSS) cordially invites you to attend and support our upcoming World Day of Remembrance (WDoR) for Road Traffic Victims.
World Day of Remembrance is an annual event where we honor those whose lives were prematurely ended after being struck by a person driving. This year is particularly painful and sad as we think about the recent death of a 13-year-old Frost middle school student who was struck and killed by a person driving a truck on Pickett Road. We will also honor the nearly 30 other people (as of today’s date) who have been killed on Northern Virginia streets while, walking, biking, or rolling since last year’s day of remembrance.
Gov. Youngkin defends school tip line as educational groups call for it to be shut down — “Eight educational groups issued a joint statement that calls on Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin to ‘immediately shut down’ an email tip line created for people to report ‘divisive practices’ in schools.” [ABC]
Davidson Hospitality Group selected to operate Lorien Hotel & Spa in Old Town — “Davidson Hospitality Group announces the addition of Lorien Hotel & Spa to its management portfolio, the third Washington D.C.-area hotel to be managed under the company’s Pivot lifestyle operating vertical.” [Hospitality Net]
After nearly two years of hosting outdoor classical music concerts in Old Town, Classical Movements wants to expand their operation.
City Council, which approved Classical Movements’ request to operate last year, will review the application to expand hours and increase seating for the venue at The Rectory at 711 Princess Street at its meeting on Saturday, Feb. 12. Classical Movements wants to increase outdoor seating from 50 to 181, and expand hours from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
If the city wants a fully electrical bus fleet, DASH leadership said its going to need to invest in making sure buses can recharge across the city.
In a meeting with the City Council ahead of the legislative session last night, DASH General Manager Josh Baker outlined some challenges facing the city as it pushes to have a fully electric bus fleet by 2035.
Local developer Bonaventure hopes their new shopping center in the middle of Del Ray could be constructed as early as summer 2025. That’s if all goes according to their plan.
Right now the plan for 2525 Mount Vernon Avenue is still in its conceptual phase, but includes a four-story, 43-foot-tall building with 12,530 square feet of retail and 79 rental units on the one acre lot. Bonaventure is not planning on including any affordable housing units in the project, and will instead contribute to the city’s Housing Trust Fund.
Business has been so good at the Pedego Electric Bikes shop in Old Town that owner Todd Ketch is planning to open another location in Vienna next month. The ink is still drying on the deal, but if all goes as planned then Ketch will be opening in an industrial section of downtown Vienna.
“The pandemic was like dumping gasoline to the fire for the electric bike market,” Ketch said. “It’s not going to stop from here. How are we going to take full advantage? I’m going to open a second store in Vienna, and we’re excited.”
The NOVA Guide has launched, giving Alexandria residents a new source for local news, upcoming events, business stories, and ideas for their next outing.
The website covers news, businesses, and life across Northern Virginia, with a dedicated Alexandria page for readers who want to explore what is happening nearby. It brings together local stories, upcoming events, business features, and Top Picks lists, making it a useful starting point for both everyday plans and weekend adventures.
