Gutter Politics
City Council candidates campaign on fixing Alexandria's flooding problem.
None of the candidates for Alexandria City Council are for flooding, which has swamped the city's aging infrastructure in recent years as a series of major storm events have repeatedly submerged parts of Alexandria.
City Election: Yo Yo Road Diet
Four Democrats support four lanes on Seminary Road.
The lingering resentment over Seminary Road bike lanes comes with a price tag, somewhere between $300,000 and $700,000 — a cost four City Council candidates say they’re willing to pay for returning four lanes of traffic to the street.
Departmental Progressive Club to Host Candidate Forum April 20
The Departmental Progressive Club will host a mayoral and city council candidates’ forum April 20th at 7 p.m. via Zoom.
Lucky Thirteen
June 8 primary will feature more than a dozen Democrats running for six seats
Recent years have seen a dramatic shift in city politics. Three years ago, the incumbent mayor was unseated in an election where two incumbent City Council members were turned out of office. Now three of the six seats on the council are open, and 13 candidates are running for six seats.
McAuliffe to Pick Up Support in Alexandria
Former governor to receive key endorsements from prominent city officials.
As the spring campaign season heats up, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe is about to receive endorsements from prominent Alexandria elected officials in the hotly contested Democratic primary for governor.
Absentee Minded
Lawmakers consider bill to assign absentee ballots to precincts where voters live.
On election night, Democrats were shocked by how well Donald Trump was performing in Alexandria. As returns were posted online, concerns were rising among supporters of Joe Biden as the incumbent was outperforming expectations at precinct after precinct.
Myth-busting the Vote
A look at how the election will really happen in Alexandria
For most Alexandria voters expected to cast a ballot this year, Election Day has already come and gone. The unprecedented spike in early voting comes at a time when the city is battling a deadly pandemic and a whirlwind of misinformation. Here are a few myths about the election this year and why they are wrong.
Alexandria’s Failed Experiment with Wards
Del Ray forced a ward system on Old Town. It didn’t end well.
Del Ray was furious. The Alexandria City Council was dominated by members from Old Town, and they took action in the interest of Old Town. People in Del Ray felt neglected and unheard. The elected members of council did not include one single solitary member from their neighborhood, and so people there were demanding the city abandon its at-large system of representation on the City Council and adopt a ward system similar to the one the city had before adopting the city manager form of government.
Crowds Gather for Early Voting in Alexandria
Absentee ballot requests increase across the state; Alexandria line moves well.
Voters across the state braved long lines and wait times in some places of several hours as early voting began Sept. 18 for the upcoming Nov. 3 general election.
Overlooked Primary for U.S. Senate
Three Republicans on the ballot this month.
Don’t look now, but Virginia is in the closing days of a primary. You might not have heard about it because of the global pandemic and the economic crisis. But buried beneath all the headlines about police brutality and racial injustice, Republicans are about to decide which candidate they want to appear on the ballot this November against incumbent U.S. Sen. Mark Warner.
Al Fresco Pandemic
Restaurants eye parking lots and sidewalks as potential outdoor dining spots.
In normal times, the parking lot behind the Del Ray Cafe gives the restaurant a competitive advantage. Drivers can turn off East Howell Avenue and pull into one of the dozen spaces behind the 1925 house that’s been repurposed into a thriving restaurant. These days, the parking lot is giving the restaurant a different competitive advantage, one that nobody saw coming a few months ago.
Potomac Yard: Before and After
Transforming a suburban strip mall into an Innovation District.
The strip mall at Potomac Yard is a placeholder, a temporary solution to a thorny question about the relationship between density and traffic.
A Tale of Two Neighborhoods
Del Ray has more voters than Old Town, and it carries more clout.
Del Ray can boast that it’s the center of power in Alexandria, the home of both Mayor Justin Wilson and Sheriff Dana Lawhorne. Old Town, on the other hand, doesn’t have as many voters or as much clout.