English Bulldog Puppies for Sale in Alexandria, VA

ALEXANDRIA, VA — If you’re like many of your Alexandria neighbors, you may spend a good part of the holiday season with your credit card in hand buying gifts for family and friends. Coming up soon is a chance to give back to the local community.

Giving Tuesday, which in 2024 falls on Dec. 3, is a day dedicated to supporting nonprofit and community groups. Since 2012, nonprofits worldwide have used the Tuesday after Thanksgiving to galvanize fundraising, rally volunteers and add momentum to their causes.

Maintaining funding is a constant challenge for many nonprofits that fill gaps and meet other needs in the Alexandria area.

Here are five local nonprofits to consider getting behind on Giving Tuesday:

1. ALIVE: ALIVE helps residents in need with safety net resources, including food assistance. It runs several food hub locations and holds regular pop-up food distribution events. Another program is its ALIVE House, which houses women and their families in transitional situations.

2. Carpenter's Shelter: This organization serves hundreds of homeless individuals in Alexandria each year. It runs the 64-bed homeless shelter at 930 N. Henry Street and took over the Alexandria Community Shelter at 2355-B Mill Road in late 2023.

3. Animal Welfare League of Alexandria: This organization not only runs the city's animal shelter, but it also provides wildlife responses and services for pets and pet owners in Alexandria. In 2023, 1,545 animals were adopted from the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, and 2,868 animals benefited from its pet pantry. There are various ways to help, from monetary donations and volunteering to providing needed supplies.

4. Scholarship Fund of Alexandria: This scholarship fund helps Alexandria City High School graduates with financial need pursue higher education after high school. Since 1986, it has provided over $20 million in scholarships. Of the 841 Alexandria City High School graduates, 216 received some assistance from the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria.

5. The Child & Family Network Centers: This nonprofit provides early childhood education to over 100 children in income-qualifying families. Families also receive support services, including case management, to refer families to resources for areas of need.

For more ways to help nonprofits in Alexandria, check out Volunteer Alexandria's ongoing list of volunteer opportunities, check out some top nonprofits from the Spring2Action fundraiser, and save the date for the next Spring2Action day of giving on April 9, 2025.

VIRGINIA — An approaching storm system could complicate conditions at highways and airports in Virginia, which are expected to be congested with projections for record travel over Thanksgiving weekend, the busiest travel holiday of the year.

The Northeast and mid-Atlantic states face chances for widespread rain and pockets of snow in the typically cooler spots in the East next week progresses, AccuWeather forecasters said.

"A less intense storm would move quickly off the Carolina coast and would bring less intense rain and snow to parts of the Southeast and mid-Atlantic," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Emma Belscher.

Regardless of what track the storm takes, Thanksgiving will likely be a cloudy, rain day for some across the eastern half of the country. A slower-moving, more intense storm could lead to more impacts following the Thanksgiving holiday into the weekend.

The National Weather Service predicts the Baltimore-DC region will see perfect travel conditions next Tuesday and Wednesday with mostly clear skies and highs in the low 60s and low 50s. By Thanksgiving Day, Northern Virginia faces a 40 percent chance of showers with high temperatures in the upper 40s.

Find out what's happening in Old Town Alexandriawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"A new storm packing the potential for accumulating snow is set to take shape across the eastern half of the nation on Thanksgiving and Black Friday that could result in widespread disruptions for travel and holiday festivities," AccuWeather warned in an update Friday.

Even if the cold air out of Canada is slow to advance southward as far as the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic region, any drenching rain accompanied by blustery winds that may impact the region could still prove challenging for Thanksgiving Day parades and those heading driving to family dinner.

Depending upon how the storm takes shape, winds spanning from the Tennessee Valley to the Virginia coastline could gust upwards of 20 mph later next week. That will cause problems for New York City or Philadelphia, which host major parades with large balloons, AccuWeather said.

Travel Outlook For Highways, Airports

AAA said Monday that about 80 million people will travel 50 miles or more from their homes over the Thanksgiving travel period. This year, AAA expanded the Nov. 26 to Dec. 2 travel period by an additional two days to better capture the flow of holiday travelers. Thanksgiving is on Thursday, Nov. 28.

This year, 1.7 million more people are expected to travel for Thanksgiving than in 2023. AAA expects travel to be up across the board, from driving to flying to cruising.

An estimated 2.07 million Virginians will travel during the Thanksgiving holiday period, AAA predicted. That would be up from the 2.03 million Virginians who traveled during the same holiday period in 2023 and above the pre-pandemic level of 2.05 million in 2019.

Nationally, about 72 million people plan to drive. Gas prices are lower this Thanksgiving season compared to 2023, when the national average for regular gas was $3.26 a gallon. As of Thursday, Virginia motorists were paying an average of $2.98 for a gallon of regular gas, according to AAA. The average in Northern Virginia alone is $3.08.

Falling oil prices could push the national average below $3 a gallon for the first time since 2021, and that could happen before the travel period starts, AAA said. The national average stands at $3.06 as of Thursday.

When To Avoid DC Metropolitan Area

The auto club’s transportation data partner, INRIX, suggests staying away from certain metropolitan areas when traffic is the heaviest, including Washington, D.C., to Annapolis, Maryland.

According to the INRIX analysis, D.C. area travelers should avoid eastbound U.S. Route 50 from Washington, DC to Annapolis at 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 26, when the travel time will be one hour and 31 minutes. Traffic is expected to be about 120 percent higher than normal.

The Virginia Department of Transportation expects the heaviest congestion from mid-morning to evening on Tuesday, Nov. 26, all day on Wednesday, Nov. 27 and all day on Sunday, Dec. 1. Pockets of congestion are also expected Saturday, Nov. 30 around shopping destinations. A Thanksgiving travel trends map shows projected congestion on Virginia's major routes based on historic data.

VDOT will lift most lane closures on Virginia's interstates and other major roads from noon Wednesday, Nov. 27 to noon on Monday, Dec. 2, with the exception of semi-permanent work zones. Drivers can find real-time traffic data using Virginia 511. Schedules for the reversible I-95 and I-395 Express Lanes are now available.

The best and worst times to travel over the holiday period are (all times local):

Flying Out Of Dulles International Airport or Reagan National Airport?

Air travel is expected to set records this year, with about 5.84 million people flying domestically for the holiday, an increase of percent compared to last year and 11 percent over 2019.

People who are flying out of or expecting guests to fly into Dulles or Reagan National should prepare for long lines. A separate report, Hopper’s 2024 Thanksgiving Outlook & Busiest Airports, said the busiest day for air travel will be Sunday, Dec. 1 while the least busy day will be Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday on Nov. 29, and Tuesday, Dec. 3.

Dulles International Airport and Reagan National Airport are not in the top 10 of busiest airports in the country. Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth and Denver lead the busiest airports list, according to Hopper’s analysis.

It’s a good idea to check a flight-tracking service such as FlightAware to see if flights are running on time before leaving for the airport.

The forecast also noted a 23 percent increase in international flight bookings, compared to last year, in part because the cost to fly internationally is down 5 percent. On domestic flights, travelers are paying about 3 percent more.

Snow and rain are in the D.C. area forecast heading into the weekend. See the latest timing and impacts.

Megan VerHelst, Patch Staff

|Updated Thu, Nov 21, 2024 at 10:51 am ET

VIRGINIA — Northern Virginia could see its first snowfall of the season late this week as other parts of the state prepare for a significant winter storm that forecasters say may dump up to a foot of snow in the Appalachians.

After some overnight rain, fall temperatures arrived in full force in the D.C. area on Thursday. Highs in the upper 40s to lower 50s will preface another drop in temperatures Friday, when a storm system is predicted to push rain and snow showers into the area, forecasters said.

According to the Capital Weather Gang, Northern Virginia could see snow starting mid-morning Friday before changing to rain in the afternoon.

"The best chance for seeing flakes will be in our colder areas during the morning before precipitation transitions to mostly rain," the Capital Weather Gang said in its Thursday forecast. "Highs are only in the upper 30s to lower 40s as west winds gust up to 30 mph."

Despite the chance of snow flurries, little to no accumulation is expected, according to the National Weather Service.

Find out what's happening in Arlingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

For the remainder of Friday, forecasters said to expect cloudy skies and blustery conditions, with wind gusts topping 25 mph. By Saturday, conditions will give way to partly cloudy skies and slightly warmer temperatures, with highs in the mid-50s.

Meanwhile, a winter storm warning is in effect for Highland County in Virginia as a potent storm system is expected to dump 6 to 12 inches of snow, with up to 18 inches of snowfall on the highest ridges of the Appalachians.

Anyone with plans to travel to the affected areas should reconsider, the National Weather Service said.

Upslope mountain snow showers should pick up across the mountains Thursday afternoon and persist through Saturday midday. Brief whiteout conditions are expected at times, with wind gusts up to 50 mph, the National Weather Service said.

"Visibilities may drop below 1/4 mile at times due to falling and blowing snow. This may lead to whiteout conditions and may make travel difficult," forecasters said. "The strong winds and weight of snow on tree limbs may down power lines and could cause sporadic power outages."

Here's a look at the D.C. area forecast through the weekend:

Thursday: Scattered showers, mainly between 2pm and 4pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 51. West wind around 11 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34. West wind 7 to 9 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.

Friday: Snow showers likely before 10am, then rain and snow showers likely between 10am and 1pm, then rain showers likely after 1pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 43. West wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Friday Night: Scattered showers before 1am. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 38. West wind around 11 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54. West wind 9 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 56.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 38.

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Old Town Alexandria businesses reeling after devastating fire

Several businesses in Old Town are trying to pick up the pieces after a fire ripped through their building that sits on South Saint Asaph Street. FOX 5's Nana-Sentuo Bonsu spoke to business owners about the damage.

A number of businesses in Old Town are trying to pick up the pieces after a fire ripped through their building that sits on South Saint Asaph Street.

The multi-level structure is home to Friends to Lovers Romance bookstore, Little Birdies Boutique and Madame Coco.

Jamie Fortin celebrated the grand opening of Friends to Lovers over the weekend just hours before the fire broke out.

"It was a whirlwind, exciting and fun!" said Fortin.

Little did she know hours after closing up on Sunday, a fire would destroy her brand-new business.

"I get too emotional. It looks a lot different in there. It’s really hard to look at," she told FOX 5 as she stared at the damage outside the store.

In a cell phone video she shared, you can see ash covering books, shelves and a number of special items throughout the store.

"We have artist that we had bene working with and authors that came by to sign their books and we are so excited to have us publish their indie novels, those kinds of things were the hardest to see no longer in condition," she explained.

Her bookshop isn’t the only store that was left with damage.

"The destruction, everything is burned. There is soot on all the walls, the ceilings," said Shanlee Johnson.

Johnson owns Little Birdies, a children's boutique located in the same building.

"There’s nothing that is salvageable. It’s all been destroyed. It’s fabric. We can’t sell it. There is probably an inch of soot on everything," Johnson said.

She told FOX 5 that the store was starting to get busy as people start their holiday shopping.

"Between all of our new fall merchandise and fixtures, easily $100,000 was destroyed in the fire," she added.

In just days after the fire, the community has helped raise thousands of dollars for both stores through Gofundme campaigns for Little Birdies and Friends to Lovers.

The third store destroyed in the fire, Madame Coco, described the damage as "immense" on social media, but also expressed their gratitude for the community’s support.

"Honestly, the community support has really made me feel empowered," Fortin said.

"We’re just thankful for so much of the support that we’ve received and that we will rebuild," Johnson said.

The Alexandria Fire Department says that all three businesses were impacted by smoke and water damage from extinguishment efforts.

The cause is under investigation by the Fire Marshal's Office.

A romance bookstore wrapped up its grand opening celebrations on Sunday morning in Alexandria, Virginia. But that night, a fire swept through, leaving behind a layer of soot on the carefully curated books and forcing the business to shutter.

It’s not the only small business impacted by the flames. The bookstore is one of three women-owned businesses that operated under a shared storefront in Alexandria, Virginia.

Little Birdies Boutique, Madame Coco Emporium and the Friends to Lovers had called the building home. Now, the business owners have said the structure — which is located right off King Street, at 103 South Saint Asaph St. — is condemned.

“My intention here was to create a women-owned consortium of businesses, where people could come and support all of us in one building,” said Meshelle Armstrong, who owns Madame Coco’s. “So that this happened is just really devastating.”

On Tuesday, the women were able to go inside to size up the damage to their stores.

“Everything is with an inch of soot on it, and there’s really nothing salvageable,” said Shanlee Johnson, owner of Little Birdies.

All three were damaged by the smoke and water used to extinguish the flames, according to the Alexandria Fire Department. The fire came from inside the building and the Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating how it started.

Before the fire on Sunday, Friends to Lovers closed out its opening celebrations by passing out boxes of free macaroons to customers.

Business owner Jamie Fortin said she was reading a romance book in bed, about to go to sleep when she heard about the fire. She and her boyfriend “jumped up” to get to the store.

“They wouldn’t really let us in, much less that night, we were able to go up and just take a look in the dark,” she said on Tuesday. “But today’s the first day we really saw the damage.”

The store’s books are covered in soot, along with custom art Fortin had commissioned, including a piece of embroidery by a local artist.

“That was the hardest part, was the stuff that’s going to be harder to replace,” she said.

With paper being porous, she doesn’t want to sell the books damaged by smoke.

“We’re hoping to start fresh,” she said.

After a “successful” opening weekend, she said the bookstore sold a lot of inventory and is now looking for another space to do business.

“I had a few days where I just was sad and sat with my cat and drank wine and just could grieve a little bit,” Fortin said. “But I’m really excited to rebuild.”

Johnson said in a post on social media that Little Birdies’ merchandise — “much of it designed with love and care in-house — has been destroyed.”

“We’ve been a staple children’s boutique in the DMV for over 10 years,” Johnson told WTOP. This is really devastating. We’ve been just trying to regroup.”

Her business has been open since 2012, previously operating out of storefronts in Georgetown and Tysons Corner.

Armstrong, the chocolate shop’s owner, said she was “shaken” by the impact of the fire on Madame Coco and the neighboring businesses.

“These shops have been our partners, our friends, and a source of inspiration every single day,” she wrote on Instagram.

How to help

Mayor Justin Wilson called the fire “heartbreaking,” and said the city will work to help the business owners.

“I know small businesses can rarely shoulder any kind of shock, and this is certainly the most significant, not being able to to open for an extended period of time, and so we’ll see what we can do to assist,” Wilson said.

While the building is being repaired, all three businesses said they will look for ways to engage with customers, such as pop-up shops.

Those interested in helping Friends to Lovers can purchase books from bookshop.org or audiobooks from libro.fm — a portion of the proceeds will go to the Alexandria business.

You can donate on GoFundMe to Friends to Lovers or Little Birdies Boutique.

“Once I opened, I really feel like I kind of gave the store to the world,” Fortin said. “It’s not just mine anymore, and it feels like everyone’s really taking that responsibility seriously, and I’m really grateful for it.”

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Jessica Kronzer

Jessica Kronzer graduated from James Madison University in May 2021 after studying media and politics. She enjoys covering politics, advocacy and compelling human-interest stories.

jkronzer@wtop.com