Jesse O’Connell
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oconnell.bsky.social
Jesse O’Connell
@oconnell.bsky.social
Advancement at the American Council on Education. Del Ray dad and 2x Hoya. Books, baseball, beer, higher ed, and all things Alexandria. Subscribe to ALXtra: https://alxtra.ghost.io/
Reposted by Jesse O’Connell
@sarahbagley.bsky.social ENDORSES SANDY✅
“Through her...work with the ADC... Sandy has heard from candidates, council members, precinct captains, and citizens just what is and isn’t working in Alexandria and how we can do better. It is that listening skill set that Sandy will bring to Council.” 🚴‍♂️
February 15, 2026 at 7:48 PM
First FA Cup game of the day going to penalty kicks - ESPN2 if you want to see some drama.
February 15, 2026 at 2:39 PM
Our vacation rental heard the phrase “carrying the backsplash up” and was like, I got you dog.
February 14, 2026 at 10:47 PM
That cutaway overcoat is baller as hell.
February 14, 2026 at 5:17 PM
Absolutely perfect day at Timberline.
February 14, 2026 at 3:15 PM
Reposted by Jesse O’Connell
Job done, into the Fifth Round we go 👏

🔴⚪ #WxmAFC
February 13, 2026 at 9:37 PM
Reposted by Jesse O’Connell
Tonight's FA Cup line-up 👊

🔴⚪ #WxmAFC
February 13, 2026 at 6:45 PM
Reposted by Jesse O’Connell
Del Ray Hardware wins 2026 Heart of Del Ray Award
Del Ray Hardware wins 2026 Heart of Del Ray Award
Portlances transformed neighborhood staple after taking over in 2024
dlvr.it
February 13, 2026 at 5:32 PM
Reposted by Jesse O’Connell
Del Ray Hardware is the 2026 Heart of Del Ray Award winner 🛠️💛 — chosen by a public vote. Neighbors call it “so much more than a hardware store”… a true community hub.
#DelRay #AlexandriaVA #ShopLocal
thezebra.org/2026/02/13/d...
Del Ray Hardware Named 2026 Heart of Del Ray — Neighbors Say It’s “So Much More Than a Hardware Store”
ALEXANDRIA, VA — When longtime Del Ray neighbors worried they might lose their beloved hardware store a few years ago, they couldn’t have imagined what
thezebra.org
February 13, 2026 at 5:44 PM
FA Cup day for Wrexham, up the Reds #askwxm
February 13, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Reposted by Jesse O’Connell
Every time a new story about this comes out I feel better about moving our newsletter off Substack. I'm happy to talk to anyone who's interested in learning about moving to Ghost (what we use) or other platforms. It was easy and we didn't lose subscribers
Revealed: How Substack makes money from hosting Nazi newsletters
Exclusive: Site takes a cut of subscriptions to content that promotes far-right ideology, white supremacy and antisemitism
www.theguardian.com
February 13, 2026 at 3:48 PM
Does everyone in ALX know that the new-ish Sweetside coffee shop (next to Northside 10 on Glebe) has both breakfast burritos *and* pork roll breakfast sandwiches, each under $10? I need many many more of you to start getting breakfast here so they never go out of business.
February 13, 2026 at 2:18 PM
Reposted by Jesse O’Connell
Happy Friday Alexandria! The snowcrete is finally melting and @oconnell.bsky.social and I are thawing our futtocks in the new issue of ALXtra:
Snow Way
After the better part of three weeks, it feels like we reached the moment when we can finally put the most dramatic winter storm of the past several decades behind us. What does that moment feel like,...
alxtra.ghost.io
February 13, 2026 at 1:12 PM
Reposted by Jesse O’Connell
NUDE ELON MUSK: The invisible clothes I'm wearing are a product of xAthleisure, which will roll out self-dressing outfits within two years at the latest

THE CREDULOUS PRESS: Fully Clothed Tesla Innovator Does It Again
February 12, 2026 at 7:10 PM
Reposted by Jesse O’Connell
When people ask me why I prefer local journalism, I point them to stories like this
Alexandria’s Most Famous Food Snorter on How She’s Kicking Her “Strange Addiction” - Washingtonian
On the recent seventh season premiere of My Strange Addiction, the long-running TLC show spotlighting folks who suffer from "strange" (usually life-threatening) "addictions" (usually not quite addicti...
washingtonian.com
February 12, 2026 at 5:11 PM
Reposted by Jesse O’Connell
Given recent public opinion has started turning against gambling (with a plurality of people seeing it as bad, but a sizeable group not caring), there's a lane here to tax it like Illinois has while also restricting advertising and league partnerships.

apnews.com/article/spor...
February 12, 2026 at 2:18 PM
Reposted by Jesse O’Connell
in the flag industry ...
😐
😐🕶️
😎
it's always a banner year
Rodger have you done any research about the flag industry, and if they have banner years every other during the Olympic cycles? Or maybe it all flattens out since people are buying at different times?
February 12, 2026 at 2:15 PM
Reposted by Jesse O’Connell
TREAT YO SELF to Galentine's Day with Sandy for the City—Sat, 2/14, 10am @ Stardust Vintage + Gift! Celebrating local, women-owned businesses!
Amy Eggers hosting @ Stardust, sweets by Sloane Hill of Rolling Sloanes + fruit from Erin White & Mindy's Catering, bubs by Catherine Babin of Planet Wine.
a woman is sitting at a table in a restaurant and saying what 's galentine 's day
ALT: a woman is sitting at a table in a restaurant and saying what 's galentine 's day
media.tenor.com
February 12, 2026 at 4:10 AM
February 12, 2026 at 1:58 AM
Reposted by Jesse O’Connell
My new conspiracy theory is that only baseball players have hamate bones. Has literally anyone heard about it outside of MLB injuries?
Jackson Holliday will miss Opening Day. Broken hamate bone in right hand.
February 11, 2026 at 3:14 PM
Georgetown has never been wounded so grievously as this.
BREAKING: Villanova and Notre Dame's men's and women's basketball teams are set to open the next college basketball season in none other than Rome, sources told CBS Sports.

The reason? Take a big papal guess.

Details on a huge deal in college hoops: www.cbssports.com/college-bask...
Holy hoops! Villanova and Notre Dame finalizing plans to tip 2026-27 college basketball season in Rome, Italy
Pope Leo XIV is a Villanova alum and proud longtime sports fan. His attachment in the historic event is still to-be-determined
www.cbssports.com
February 11, 2026 at 1:44 AM
Reposted by Jesse O’Connell
Cancer survivor, Air Force veteran launches 12th annual 24-hour fundraiser at Pork Barrel BBQ
Cancer survivor, Air Force veteran launches 12th annual 24-hour fundraiser at Pork Barrel BBQ
Pat Malone, who lives with a rare neurological condition, marks the exact minute he awoke from life-saving surgery by standing for 24 hours at Pork Barrel BBQ
dlvr.it
February 10, 2026 at 10:38 AM
Reposted by Jesse O’Connell
I used to listen to Pearl Jam, I didn't realize it was mandatory to understand what the singer was singing to enjoy it
February 10, 2026 at 1:34 AM
Pretty cool to see someone from ALX Skeets go so hugely viral last night!

(I’m talking about @robkrupicka.bsky.social’s bbq salmon post, obviously).
February 9, 2026 at 3:58 PM
Former Secretary of Education @arneduncan.bsky.social and former US ambassador to Hungary David Pressman with a powerful essay on higher education leadership and academic independence:
Opinion | Universities are sending Trump a dangerous message
Higher education is under attack. Drop the appeasement.
wapo.st
February 9, 2026 at 3:33 PM