Friday, May 17, 2013
City hosts three pit stops for bicycle commuters coming into, out of and through Alexandria.
Alexandria hosted three pit stops Friday as part of the region’s Bike to Work Day, giving commuters a chance to pick up free food and coffee, enjoy live music, receive free bike tune-ups and enter prize giveaways on their way to work. “It’s a great way to show support for a healthy lifestyle,” said Jim Durham of Alexandria’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, who was overseeing the bicycle block party in Carlyle. “Bicycle commuting in Alexandria has tripled in the last 10 years. … I’ve been pleased with the work the city has done in regards to riders.” Cyclists slid into to Carlyle from as far away as Oakton and Fort Belvoir to enjoy the festivities. At Market Square in Old Town, Councilwoman Del Pepper touted the city’s investment…
Monday, February 4, 2013
Planners now eye mid-2017 opening date for station.
Elected officials serving on Alexandria’s Potomac Yard Metro Implementation Work Group continued to express their commitment to building a Metro station at Potomac Yard during a meeting last week at City Hall. The group received an update on the progress of an ongoing Environmental Impact Study (EIS) required to build a station. The city will determine a locally preferred alternative between three station designs and locations later this year. A no-build option remains in play, but officials underscored the importance of a station in developing Potomac Yard and the city’s economy. “If we don’t make it happen here, [the development] is going to go elsewhere [in the region,]” said Mayor Bill Euille, who sits on the group with Councilman …
Monday, January 28, 2013
Potomac Yard Metro Tax Increment Bill was introduced by Del. Rob Krupicka (D-45th).
Alexandria city officials and members of the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce are scheduled to testify in a state committee hearing Monday in support of a bill to generate state funding for a Potomac Yard Metro station. The Potomac Yard Metro Tax Increment Bill (HB-1650), introduced by Del. Rob Krupicka (D-45th), provides that if an infill Metro station is constructed in a service district in a locality—in this case, the city of Alexandria—then the locality is entitled to retain the sales and use tax revenue generated in the district to pay bonds issued to construct the station. The bill would place a $1.25 million a year cap on the tax revenue retained. The state would support approximately 10 percent of the cost of the Metro construction …
Monday, December 31, 2012
Short-term recommendations approved; Shared-street concept draws skepticism.
Earlier this month, Alexandria City Council approved a series of short-term changes to Old Town’s Union Street corridor. The changes stem from a recommendation in the Waterfront Small Area Plan that the city review vehicular, pedestrian and other impacts along one of Old Town’s busiest streets between Jones Point Park and Pendleton Street. One of the more transformative recommendations is to design, with input from the community, a pedestrian plaza on the south side of the unit block of King Street next to Mai Thai and Starbucks. Other short-term recommendations include: Council also adopted an amendment to institute improvements at the intersection of Franklin and Union streets. Long-term recommendations of the plan call for pursuing a …
Monday, November 5, 2012
Alexandrian Paul Friedman says City Councilman Frank Fannon is a nice guy, but should not be re-elected.
- OPINION
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Monday, November 5, 2012
I have met City Councilman Frank Fannon and he is a nice guy. Unfortunately, he should not be taking up one of just six precious seats on our City Council. Frank actively opposes the interests of the people of Alexandria and should not be re-elected. While there are many, I offer three reasons. First, Frank has opposed funding needed to build and maintain the public schools we need. Second, Frank actually called for cutting a million dollars from our education budget in order to spend more money for the Alexandria Pipe and Drum Corps. No offense to the corps, but children should be our community’s highest priority. Third, even though Alexandrians had long been united in their desire to see the Mirant/GenOn plant close as quickly as …
Friday, November 2, 2012
Alexandria resident Linda Couture questions the Sierra Club's endorsement of four Democratic candidates for City Council.
- OPINION
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Friday, November 2, 2012
To the Editor: Are you kidding me! That was my reaction when I read the Sierra Club’s endorsements of four of the Democrat candidates for Alexandria’s election: Del Pepper, Tim Lovain, Justin Wilson and Paul Smedberg. That being said, this is actually not a laughing matter at all. These are the very four folks who did nothing to prevent the BRAC from being built in the Seminary area requiring hundreds of mature trees to be sacrificed and replaced by cars and noxious fumes arising from congestion. Obviously these “environmentalists” misuse the term “smart growth.” Smedberg and Pepper also voted for the Beauregard plan that again will cause the loss of hundreds and hundreds of beautiful and mature trees as well as destruction of the bucolic…
Monday, October 22, 2012
The group is supporting John Taylor Chapman, Tim Lovain, Del Pepper, Paul Smedberg, Justin Wilson and Bob Wood in their bids to win a seat this November.
The Mount Vernon Group of the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club has endorsed six candidates running for a seat on the Alexandria City Council in the November election: Democrats John Chapman, Tim Lovain, Del Pepper, Paul Smedberg, Justin Wilson and Republican Bob Wood. The environmental advocacy group made its endorsements after reviewing candidates’ answers to club questionnaires and interviews with members of its executive committee. The club said it makes its endorsements on a nonpartisan basis. The review included an evaluation of each candidate’s environmental record and “ability to run a viable campaign,” according to the Sierra Club. The questionnaire considered candidate views of top environmental priorities for the city; complex…
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Alexandrian Elizabeth Chimento, who was instrumental in helping permanently shutter the GenOn plan, says it happened through city and citizen cooperation.
- OPINION
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Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Last week, Alexandria’s GenOn (formerly Mirant) power plant permanently shut down. How did this happen? It happened because the city and its citizens were committed and persisted over 11 years to make it happen. And, yes, recent market conditions also contributed to the plant’s demise. Yet, the story is more complex. Early on, Poul Hertel and I brought to the City’s attention public health issues associated with the facility’s polluting emissions, including producing a report citing health effect studies from those emissions and likely dispersion problems at the plant. We first discussed our concerns with City Councilman Paul Smedberg. Throughout the years, Paul consistently led the issue with the Council as more scientific-based …
Monday, October 1, 2012
Coal-fired power plant ceased operations Oct. 1.
Alexandria officials lauded the closure of the Potomac River Generating Station on Monday, saying the plant’s retirement will bring an end to decades of harmful air pollution and health problems to the region. “Today is a great day,” said Mayor Bill Euille, calling the closure of the plant, which opened in 1949, “a community success” and a good example of how citizens and the city can work together. Democratic Rep. Jim Moran of Virginia, who was instrumental in championing the plant closure along with many Alexandrians, called the closure a “hard fought but well-won victory” that wouldn’t have happened without citizen engagement. He said the plant emitted 72 lbs. of mercury in a year and data showed that it was the catalyst for at least 3,…
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Foundation donated $40,000 for construction of Miracle Field.
Alexandria City Council moved on Saturday name the Lee Center softball field “The Kelley Cares Miracle Field.” Construction of a synthetic turf baseball diamond at 1108 Jefferson St. designed specifically for use by individuals with special needs is currently underway. The surface will be entirely covered in a rubber-like compound that allows a cushioned surface for wheelchairs, walkers and more. The main focus is to allow those with special needs to play diamond sports in an inclusive environment. Council approved naming the field after the Kelley Cares Foundation following a recommendation from the Miracle League of Alexandria. The Kelley Cares Foundation has raised thousands of dollars for the city’s therapeutic recreation program in …
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David Potomac Yard
12:32 pm on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
The metro station will be funded out of a special tax district and private contributions from developers. The city's bond ratings have recently been reaffired at AAA and the rating agencies know full well of the planned metro station. The contract with the developer even includes an early lump sum baloon payment to keep the city within its statutory limit. Also, the travel delay will be minor to … more ›