Friday, December 14, 2012
Outgoing Councilman Frank Fannon hints at making a return to elected office; Vice Mayor Kerry Donley says it's time "to do some other things."
Vice Mayor Kerry Donley and the other outgoing members of Alexandria City Council were awarded proclamations for their service to the city on Tuesday night. The evening marked their final legislative session on the dais at City Hall. The new council will be sworn into office on Jan. 2 at T.C. Williams High School. Donley, who has served 18 non-consecutive years on council including two terms as mayor, chose not to seek re-election this year to focus on his health. “It’s time to do some other things and take care of some other business,” the Democrat said. “The nicest part I’ve maintained about local government is that you get to see the fruits of your labor. You can say, ‘I had a role.’ You can drive down the street past a library and say…
Friday, November 16, 2012
Session dealt with discussion of the acquisition of open space, though few details are known.
Alexandria City Councilwoman Alicia Hughes refused to take part in a closed meeting with Mayor Bill Euille and other members of council Tuesday night to discuss pending or possible city litigation and potential acquisition of real estate. What exactly was discussed in the session is unclear. Councilman Paul Smedberg announced that the closed session was called under reasons stipulated in the Code of Virginia, adding that it was called specifically to discuss “the acquisition of real property for public open space and likely litigation that may result from the acquisition of real property to support infrastructure, safety and other public purposes.” Just before councilmembers exited the City Hall chamber for the closed session, Hughes, who …
Friday, October 26, 2012
Alexandrian Mark Coombs says local Republican candidates as well as one independent have his vote this election.
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Friday, October 26, 2012
To the Editor: I am a 26-year-old Alexandrian. Like many who call Alexandria home, I did not always have the privilege; it took but one trip into Old Town a few years ago, however, for my wife and me both to fall hopelessly, head-over-heels in love with the city cited by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as “one of the most culturally rich destinations in the country.” Alexandria is a community, simply stated, with singularly inimitable character. Of the 12 candidates running for City Council, three rise above the rest in their appreciation for — and commitment to conserving — this character: Frank Fannon, Alicia Hughes and Bob Wood. Together with former Vice Mayor Andrew Macdonald, who is running to replace the incumbent Mayor …
Thursday, October 11, 2012
At a City Council candidate forum in Old Town on Wednesday night, the first question asked was predictably about the city's plans to develop its riverside.
The issue of riverside redevelopment saw some lively debate at a forum attended largely by Old Town residents and hosted by the Old Town Civic Association at Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy on Wednesday night. Candidates debated citizen engagement and the possibility of rezoning some portions of the city’s waterfront to allow hotels. The city in January passed a plan to redevelop its waterfront, but it has not approved a proposed zoning change permitting development such as hotels there. “I would not rezone the waterfront. You do not need to rezone to gain amenities,” said Republican candidate Bob Wood, who lives near the city’s riverside. “Council can exercise leadership over the process,” adding that council members shouldn’t constantly…
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Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy
530 S Saint Asaph St, Alexandria, VA
/articles/old-town-debate-tackles-waterfront-redevelopment
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Monday, October 1, 2012
The candidates, incumbents and issues that will be affecting Alexandria.
As we look ahead to November’s elections, Old Town Alexandria Patch, Del Ray Patch and West End Alexandria Patch are devoted to bringing you the information you need about every race in town. Here's our start on the candidates and issues we'll be covering as November draws near. Bookmark this page for updates. Voting Information For complete information on voting on election day, including information on the new Virginia voter ID laws, see the election section on the city's website. Not sure of your polling place? Fill out your voter information on the Virginia Election and Registration Information System website. Alexandria Mayor, City Council and School Board Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille, a Democrat, is seeking a fourth term in the …
Thursday, September 13, 2012
The 12 candidates for Alexandria City Council shared a stage for first time Wednesday night at Francis Hammond Middle School.
The 12 candidates for Alexandria City Council shared a stage for the first time Wednesday night at Francis C. Hammond Middle School, tackling questions in a forum organized by members of several citizens associations from the city’s West End. Sitting in the shadow of the new location for the Washington Headquarters Service called BRAC-133, discussion of how it was decided in 2008 that the massive office complex would be built away from transit just off Interstate 395 became the biggest point of contention in a forum that aimed to help voters decide who will represent the city in 2013. First-time candidate Bob Wood (R) drew the earliest and one of the larger applauses of the evening when he called BRAC-133 “the biggest planning failure” in…
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4646 Seminary Rd, Alexandria, VA
Francis C. Hammond Middle School
/articles/brac-decision-is-focus-of-candidate-debate-in-west-end
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Friday, August 3, 2012
Councilwoman Alicia Hughes calls for more mentoring throughout the city to help organizations such as A Space of Her Own and others.
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Friday, August 3, 2012
We all know that our children are our future. As a result, we wisely invest vast financial resources into efforts we hope will benefit them. But money does not replace the value of time. I write “our children” as a single, childless woman to underscore to others like me that the children of Alexandria belong to you, too. As the African proverb goes, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Please actively engage in our village by mentoring a child. Few people will argue that their individual success in life is not correlative to the presence of an adult, be it a parent, extended family member or community member who has encouraged and supported the best in them. While our community outpaces the state and the nation in terms of education …
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Friends and supporters gather to re-elect Councilwoman Alicia Hughes in Crystal City.
Friends and supporters of Councilwoman Alicia Hughes gathered in Arlington's Crystal City neighborhood Tuesday night holding a fundraiser to re-elect Hughes. Hughes, currently an independent on Alexandria City Council, made a short appearance at Memphis Barbeque in Crystal City thanking supporters and friends for their continued support. Yolanda George Turman, a partner at Memphis Barbeque and supporter of Hughes, said this was the first political fundraising event at her family-owned resturant. "Tonight was about a native Memphian who wants to do good for the greater Alexandria community and that’s just the bottom line," she said. "We were thinking about having fundraising opportunities for her and there was no way that we would say no to…
Friday, June 15, 2012
Republican Bob Wood says the city needs better guidance, direction, planning and communication.
Republican candidate for City Council Bob Wood called for a “reset” to City Hall on Thursday night before a packed courtyard at Gadsby’s Tavern. “We all love this city, its neighborhoods, its diversity… its history… its educated community. … We rally around issues that are important to us,” he said, adding that there’s been enough of city planning that “makes us not neighbors but enemies.” Wood, a graduate of West Point and a retired military leader who holds an economics degree, said he has worked on putting communities together in Bosnia, Germany and other areas and it can be done in Alexandria. “We see plans without citizen engagement and analysis,” he said. “Why are we rushing to failure?” He cited the installation of the controversial…
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Alexandria City Councilwoman Alicia Hughes attempted to file for School Board candidacy at the Tuesday deadline.
Alexandria City Councilwoman Alicia Hughes told Patch Wednesday evening that she will not protest a decision by Voter Registrar Tom Parkins that prevented her from filing for School Board candidacy. “There’s not going to be a challenge,” said Hughes, adding that her energy needs to be focused on her family after her father was recently diagnosed with cancer. Hughes, already a Republican nominee for re-election to council this year, was turned away from the city’s Voter Registration and Elections Office just after the 7 p.m. Tuesday deadline for citizens to file for candidacy for School Board. She knocked on the locked door of the registrar’s office but was not allowed to file any paperwork by Parkins, who said the time was 7:01 p.m. Hughes…
Michael Josef Basl
5:30 pm on Sunday, December 23, 2012
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