People don’t generally smile when they see zombies, but there were plenty of smiles at the base of King Street on Saturday evening.
A flash mob of about 100 people dressed like zombies performed a dance to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” as hundreds of spectators gathered around. The event was so crowded that parents hoisted their children up onto their shoulders, and some people watched through their phone cameras held above their heads.
With a focus on turning words into early votes, a fourth “No Kings” protest in Alexandria took place over the weekend.
On Saturday, protestors lined Duke Street outside Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library (5005 Duke Street) holding signs criticizing the Trump administration and encouraging voters to cast early ballots in the run-up to the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The two-day event, organized by Indivisible Do Something Alexandria, was part of a nationwide “No Kings” day of action.
Game, set, Gala! On Saturday, Nov. 14, the USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation’s annual Tennis Creates Gala, presented by QTS, comes to The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, celebrating the transformative power of tennis.
The evening raises critical funds to make the sport accessible to all across Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia and eastern/southern West Virginia.
Every dollar goes back into local communities through programs like Girls Rule the Court™, which has served more than 2,000 girls, along with Junior Player Scholarships and Tennis in Schools. Gala funds also help restore public courts. Over the last three years, the Foundation has invested $505,000 across 17 public facilities.
Emceeing the evening is Emmy Award-winning ESPN journalist Malika Andrews, host of NBA Today and NBA Countdown, who joined ESPN’s tennis coverage this year for the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.
Andrews has pointed to the electric moment American tennis is having, with stars like the DMV’s own Frances Tiafoe reaching the 2026 US Open men’s semifinals, and says she’s grateful for the chance to support the sport at the local level.
Joining the celebration is new USTA CEO Craig Tiley, who took the helm of the national governing body in July after over 20 years at Tennis Australia. As he leads the USTA toward its goal of 35 million players by 2035, the USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation drives the grassroots work to grow the sport right here in the region.
The Foundation will present its Tennis Creates Impact Award to Vice Admiral Sean S. Buck, U.S. Navy (ret.), 63rd Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy, recognizing his leadership in fostering character, community, and well-being through tennis.
The heart of the night is the 2026 Tennis Creates Awards, honoring local changemakers. Alexandria’s Leigh Ann Jackson receives the Adult Leader Award for coaching Girls Rule the Court at Groveton Elementary, where she has served 130 students over five seasons and championed the program’s expansion to Hybla Valley.
Arlington’s Gabrielle Berg earns the Youth Leader Award for founding a Northern Virginia chapter of Tennis For Fun, which runs free year-round clinics for people with special needs in partnership with the Arlington YMCA. Burke’s Khoi Truong, head coach at Lake Braddock Secondary School, is the 2026 Coach of the Year.
They’ll be joined by fellow honorees Dr. Ellen Markowitz (Community Champion), James Skinner (Provider Champion), and Janelle Nichols (Tennis in the Classroom Awardee).
Tickets and tables are now available. Can’t make it? Make a gift to USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation or bid in the silent auction to help put a racquet in the hands of the next generation of players.
The Tennis Creates Gala takes place Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, from 6:00 – 11:00 p.m. at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, 1700 Tysons Blvd., McLean, VA 22102.
For more information, visit TennisCreatesGala.com.
Alexandria City High School football legend Keith Burns’ name was immortalized last Friday (Oct. 16).
The field at Alexandria City High School’s Parker-Gray Memorial Stadium was renamed in honor of the 1990 graduate. Flanked by city and school leaders, Burns thanked his friends and family and said that he hopes to serve as an example.
Blackbeard and brothels and bootleggers — oh, my!
Alexandria Colonial Tours has launched a new tour featuring both ghosts and pirates, and it has quickly become the historic tours company’s most popular option.
Join us for our second annual CatRad Halloween Eve! A night of ghoulish fun, spooky treats, and a wicked good time!
It's time for CatRads 2nd Annual Halloween Eve! Join us at St. Elmo's Old Town North for an evening of Halloween fun. Join us for:
A second early voting location is open in Alexandria for the Nov. 3 election, which will decide congressional midterm elections and Virginia constitutional amendments.
Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library (5005 Duke Street) opened for early voting Sunday (Oct. 18), supplementing the ongoing location at the Office of Voter Registration and Elections. Voter ID is required to vote in person, or voters can sign an ID statement affirming their identity. The deadline for early voting will be 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31.
On This Day in Alexandria History — “On October 19, 1781, after eight years of conflict, British General Lord Charles Cornwallis surrendered to General George Washington at Yorktown, Virginia and the American colonies finally secured their freedom from Great Britain. … As the Americans traveled southward before their Yorktown victory, thousands of soldiers camped in a large area just north of Oronoco Street in Alexandria along what is now called the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route.” [Historic Alexandria]
Anti-immigrant Flyers — “Just weeks before the midterm elections, flyers that appear to target immigrants are raising concerns about possible voter intimidation in Alexandria, Virginia. The flyers discovered on dozens of car windshields Monday cite laws prohibiting non-citizens from voting in federal elections and included a hotline to report alleged immigration and voting violations.” [NBC4]
Roy Priest says he’s “somewhat surprised” to find himself working back in his old office.
Since taking over as the acting CEO of the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority in July, Priest set a goal of getting the nonprofit’s operating and capital budgets approved by the end of the year. He’s also resurrecting ARHA’s previous strategic plan with some updates — all part of an effort to navigate Alexandria’s public housing authority into calmer waters as a new CEO will likely take over this spring.
As DASH Bus reels from a $3.3 million overspending error in the last fiscal year, the Alexandria transit agency is considering service changes to mitigate current budget challenges.
On Wednesday (Oct. 14), the DASH Board of Directors pre-authorized a package of service cuts. The changes are intended to address a $2.4 million shortfall in the current operating budget.
In their first year on the field, the undefeated Alexandria City High School Girls Flag Football team is tearing it up.
