Saturday, November 10 – Soldier-Led Tours

In recognition of Veterans Day, the Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site, 4301 West Braddock Road, will offer free walking tours of the fort at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. A guide, dressed in the period uniform of a Union soldier, will conduct the one-hour tours to introduce visitors to the history of the Defenses of Washington, the building and role of Fort Ward, 19th-century fortification engineering, and the troops who were stationed in this area during the Civil War. For more information, please visit www.fortward.org or call 703.838.4848.

Monday, November 12 – Veterans Day (Observed)

City of Alexandria government offices, libraries, and recreation centers will remain open on Veterans Day. Alexandria City Public Schools will be closed. State offices in Alexandria, including Circuit, General District, Juvenile and Domestic Relations courts, the Clerk of Court Office, and the Alexandria Health Department, will be closed. For more information, please contact the Office of Citizen Assistance at 703.838.4800.

Monday, November 12 – Veterans Day Program

Celebrate the African American men and women who fought and continue to fight for our country with a free program from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe Street. The keynote speaker is Constance A. Burns, executive director of the National Association of American Veterans. Sponsored by the Alexandria Branch of the NAACP, Alexandria Society for the Preservation of Black Heritage, Friends of Freedmen’s Cemetery and the Alexandria Black History Museum. For more information, please visit www.alexblackhistory.org or call 703.838.4356.

Monday, November 12 – Apartment Managers’ Seminar
“Crime Prevention and Elimination for Apartment Communities”
The Alexandria Landlord-Tenant Relations Board, in cooperation with the Alexandria Police Department, Court Services Unit, and Office of Housing, is offering a free seminar for managers and owners of rental housing in Alexandria on November 12 from 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at the Nannie J. Lee Recreation Center. This free seminar will assist residential rental property owners and managers in identifying, preventing, and responding to criminal and nuisance activity on or near their properties. For more information, please call 703.838.4545.

Monday, November 12 – Caregivers Conference
The Department of Human Services’ Office of Aging and Adult Services is co-sponsoring the 21^st Annual Caregiver Conference, scheduled for Monday, November 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Alexandria, 2932 King St. Conference topics will include home caregiving, communication and behavior, legal issues, assisted living, and laughter yoga. For more information, please call the Office of Aging and Adult Services at 703.838.0920.

Thursday, November 15 – Due Date for Second Half 2007 of Alexandria Real Estate Tax
The City of Alexandria reminds property owners that payment of the second half of the 2007 Real Estate Tax and Refuse Fee is due Thursday, November 15. To avoid late payment penalty and interest charges, payment must be received by the City or postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service no later than November 15. Taxpayers may utilize the City’s real estate tax history search and pay at alexandriava.gov/finance, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In addition, the program provides property owners with the option to pay their real estate taxes online by eCheck or credit card. For information on real estate assessments or appeals, please visit alexandriava.gov/city/realestate or call Real Estate Assessments at 703.838.4646. For information on real estate tax and refuse fee payments, late payment penalty and interest, or to request a tax bill, please e-mail payments@alexandriava.gov or call the Treasury Division at 703.838.4777.

Thursday, November 15 – 18th Century Dance Lessons

In preparation for the Late Harvest Ball on November 17, Gadsby’s Tavern Museum is offering 18^th-century English country dancing lessons from expert dance instructor Corky Palmer. Lessons will be held at the museum, 134 North Royal St., from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Cost is $12 per person and reservations are recommended. For more information, please visit www.gadsbystavern.org or call 703.838.4242.

Continuing Exhibit – “God Has Made a Way in Leesburg”

“God Has Made a Way in Leesburg,” a photography exhibition by Big Al Carter, is open at the Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe St. These large format images, on display for the first time, showcase Carter’s family members and their community in Loudoun County during the early 1970s. Admission is free! Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information please visit www.alexblackhistory.org or call 703.838.4356.

Coming Soon!

Thursday, November 22 – Alexandria’s Turkey Trot
The 32^nd annual Alexandria Turkey Trot will be held on Thanksgiving morning, starting at 10 a.m. at the Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology, 3600 Commonwealth Ave. The five-mile road race draws a large cross section of runners from around the region and across the country. Registration is $15 plus two cans of food, with all donations turned over to ALIVE, Inc., a local organization serving Alexandria families in need. Register online by Monday, November 19 and save $5! For more information, please visit www.turkeytrot.pwba.org.

Sunday, December 2 – Women, Art and Shopping Holiday Spectacular!
Please join the Alexandria Commission for Women and the Friends of the Alexandria Commission for Women for a relaxing afternoon of fun, art, shopping, terrific women and wine! The Women, Art and Shopping Holiday Spectacular will be held on Sunday, December 2, from 3 to 6 p.m at the Durant Center, 1605 Cameron St. Purchase art and crafts from emerging women artists (jewelry, handbags, children's items, photography, pottery and more) just in time for the holidays! Fifteen percent of all proceeds benefit the Commission for Women and Alexandria Office on Women projects. Admission and refreshments are free, and there is plenty of parking in lots and on the street. For more information, please call 703.838.5030.