Proposed area to remove on-street parking along Russell Road in Alexandria’s Rosemont/North Ridge neighborhoods (via City of Alexandria)
As the Transportation & Environmental Services plan for Russell Road is being appealed to City Council, the Alexandria Traffic and Parking Board rejected additional proposals for parking spaces on Russell Road.
On Monday (Sept. 28), the board considered parking additions that T&ES director Leah Riley had recommended in her Alternative C. The board voted against adding five on-street parking spaces in the 600 block of Russell Road, two loading zone spaces in the 600 block of Russell Road with time restrictions and six on-street parking spaces in the 700 block of Johnston Place.
Kiwi Kuisine Pie Shop is reopening at 4548 Eisenhower Avenue on Oct. 10, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)
A shop that sells New Zealand-style meat, sweet and veggie pies in Alexandria is reopening its interior next month for the first time since closing during the COVID-19 pandemic more than six years ago.
Kiwi Kuisine Pie Shop at 4548 Eisenhower Avenue has still been selling sweet and savory pies for delivery and pickup, and at the Old Town Farmers’ Market and the Whole Foods on Duke Street. On Saturday, Oct. 10, the shop will reopen its renovated interior with seating for customers and new morning hours.
This recurring Most and Least Expensive Home feature is sponsored by Adrianna Vallario of Compass, a North Ridge-based Alexandria, VA real estate agent helping buyers, sellers, upsizers, and downsizers, throughout Alexandria City and Northern VA.
In September 2026, 16 detached homes sold, 62 condos sold, and 35 townhomes sold. Detached home sales are down 56% when compared to the same time period last year, condos are down 26%, and townhomes are down 29%.
According to state police, the vehicle was stolen two days before (Sept. 26) in Prince George’s County, Md. The stolen vehicle was spotted in the area of Stevenson Avenue and S. Walker Street in Alexandria’s West End around 12:45 a.m. Monday, and the driver sped onto northbound Interstate 395 when a state trooper tried to make a traffic stop. The driver lost control at the exit ramp for the Shirlington Road exit, causing the vehicle to strike a jersey wall.
Most adults over 50 have heard the same advice for years: stay active. Walk more. Take the stairs.
It’s good advice, but it leaves out the part that matters most. Muscle loss starts in your 30s and speeds up after 50, and walking alone doesn’t stop it. You can feel fine and keep a steady weight while getting a little weaker every year. Then one day, getting up off the floor or carrying a suitcase upstairs feels harder than it should.
Ava Pasley made the top five of the 2026 Baby of the Year competition (courtesy of Gabrielle Pasley)
At just 10 months old, Alexandria baby Ava Pasley has earned her place in the national spotlight.
Ava is in the top 10 of the 2026 Baby of the Year competition run by Colossal Management to support nonprofit Baby2Baby. She has advanced to the round of voting that will determine the top five babies. She comes from an Air Force veteran mother who is now a deputy sheriff at the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office and active-duty Air Force father.
As seen at Art on the Avenue in Del Ray, Oct. 4, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)
From music to dance to all sorts of arts and crafts, Del Ray’s biggest arts festival will have plenty to draw visitors to the neighborhood on Saturday (Oct. 3).
The 31st annual Art on the Avenue, which closes Mount Vernon Avenue from Hume to Bellefonte Avenues the first Saturday of every October, will host more than 300 artists and dozens of activities for all ages from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The festival has become one of Del Ray’s most important events. The Del Ray Business Association estimates attendance could reach 50,000.
A fall wreath on a door in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)
On This Day in Alexandria History — “On September 29, 1896, a severe storm caused extensive damage in and around Alexandria. High winds from a hurricane, the fourth of the Atlantic season, impacted the downtown area as well as Del Ray and outlying areas. Two people were killed in Alexandria and dozens of buildings, including the Third Baptist Church, the Virginia Glassworks, Smoot’s planing mill, and Pioneers Mills, were heavily damaged. Telegraph service, the gas works, trains and the electric railway were also impacted by the storm and debris.” [Historic Alexandria]
Duke Street Land Use Plan to Be Released Tuesday — “Please join us at Patrick Henry Recreation Center to celebrate the release of the full Draft Duke Street Land Use Plan on September 29 (Tomorrow)! All are welcome to attend, whether this is your first or 9th community meeting. Cake and BBQ will be served. There will be a short presentation followed by a 30 minute Q&A and an open house where attendees can provide feedback and engage directly with staff about the Plan and its content. A virtual option on Zoom will be provided for the presentation and Q&A portions.” [City of Alexandria]
The weather will be mostly sunny with temperatures reaching a high of 76°F, accompanied by northwest winds at 5 to 8 mph. Tuesday night will be partly cloudy, with temperatures dropping to around 60°F and a light west wind. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
School bus at Alexandria City High School (staff photo by James Cullum)
Alexandria City Public Schools started responding to families wanting school buses to return to their neighborhoods last week, and any eligible students will be able to ride on a bus starting by Monday, Oct. 5.
That was the message relayed to the Alexandria City School Board last Thursday night (Sept. 24) by Clinton Page, the school system’s chief accountability and research officer. Page said that ACPS started sending out their decisions on walk zone requests on Wednesday, Sept. 23 and will respond to all families by Wednesday, Sept. 30.
A Flock Safety license plate reader is seen along a public road, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in Houston. (David Goldman/Associated Press file)
The Alexandria Police Department will release a map of automated license plate reader (ALPR) camera locations across the city by Oct. 1, the same day that it begins a third-party audit of its surveillance programs.
That’s according to a long list of answers that APD posted on the city’s website in response to questions posed at the Sept. 8 City Council meeting. At that meeting, Mayor Alyia Gaskins said that she does not think there is a role for Flock cameras in the city, and was backed up by two other Council members.
A Bison Celebration is part of the Smithsonian Institution’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. The Bison Celebration will be a full day event that brings together organizations, scholars, scientists and filmmakers to celebrate the past, present, and future of North America’s largest land mammal. Through captivating films and thought-provoking panel discussions, the museum will explore the bison’s vital role in restoring grassland ecosystems and its deep spiritual connection to Tribal nations.
