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, November 9, 2012
Frank Fannon says it has been an honor and a privilege to serve on Alexandria City Council.
- OPINION
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Friday, November 9, 2012
To the editor, It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as your City Councilman since July 2009. Unfortunately that will come to an end on December 31, 2012, as the votes did not go my way in Tuesday's election. While the outcome was not what we had hoped, I have been so fortunate over the past 3.5 years to serve the citizens of Alexandria. I have met so many kind and wonderful people from all walks of life in every part of our City over the past few years. I am grateful to the hundreds of campaign donors and volunteers who worked tirelessly on the campaign over the past six months. Despite the ongoing enthusiasm and energetic campaign, the numbers were too much to overcome. The shift from the traditional 15 percent voter turnout for …
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, October 26, 2012
Alexandrian Mark Coombs says local Republican candidates as well as one independent have his vote this election.
- OPINION
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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 …
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Resolution works as a policy statement from the city governing the rents of current tenants.
Alexandria City Council approved a resolution Tuesday establishing the city’s voluntary rent guidelines at an increase of not more than 5 percent in situations where a tenant pays utilities and not more than 7 percent where a landlord pays utilities. The guidelines were the recommendation of the city’s Landlord-Tenant Relations Board, which analyzed rent data, market forecasts and vacancy surveys. The resolution works as a policy statement from the city governing the rents of current tenants, Vice Mayor Kerry Donley said. Virginia does not allow rent control and he doesn’t think it ever will. The rent increase guidelines are largely followed by landlords in the city, officials said. The resolution has been annually revised for about 30 …
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…
38.82726
-77.1099
4646 Seminary Rd, Alexandria, VA
Francis C. Hammond Middle School
/articles/brac-decision-is-focus-of-candidate-debate-in-west-end
/locations/7829612
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Alexandrian Sarah Shellock seeks to ensure the delegate representing the state's 45th District is nonpartisan.
To the editor: Congratulations to Rob Krupicka for winning the nomination in the Democratic Primary for the 45th District House of Delegates. It is widely anticipated that he will win the Sept. 4 election against his Republican opponent in this heavily Democratic district. As a voter in Alexandria, I am disappointed with Krupicka’s early attacks on his future Republican colleagues and Governor Bob McDonnell for having the Special Election on Sept. 4. There are two special elections that day in Virginia, and due to the fact that the delegate in Norfolk should win the nomination for the Senate, his delegate seat will need to be filled on the Nov. 6 ballot. That is the reason Sept. 4 is the statewide date. If Krupicka goes to Richmond with a …
Thursday, July 26, 2012
New project at 500 Madison St. will include a Harris Teeter grocery store, affordable housing improvements and other public contributions.
Development and city officials gathered Wednesday for a ground-breaking ceremony at the Old Town site that soon will house a mixed-use development project, including rental units and a full-service grocery store. The 51,500-square-foot site at 500 Madison St. will include 175 rental units in a new building called The Kingsley and a Harris Teeter grocery, among other amenities. “Old Town is magic,” said Robert Buchanan, principal at developer Buchanan Partners. “A lot of people were pleased to be involved.” He noted that Harris Teeter’s presence on the site marks the first time since the 1960s that a full-service grocer agreed to move into Old Town. Construction begins Thursday, Buchanan said, and is scheduled for completion in early 2014. …
38.812712
-77.043028
500 Madison St, Alexandria, VA
/articles/mayor-lauds-new-madison-street-development-as-uplifting
/locations/7484389
Michael Josef Basl
5:30 pm on Sunday, December 23, 2012
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