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A New Era for Affordable Housing in Alexandria
City moves from rehabilitating old apartment buildings to developing new affordable units.
Alexandria is falling behind its affordable housing goal, creating or preserving about half of the units that were anticipated five years ago. But now that that restaurant diners will be chipping in an extra $5 million a year, city officials are poised to move forward with an aggressive new slate of affordable housing development. Gone are the days when city officials could get their hands on a few 1940s garden apartments here and there to rehabilitate. These days the thinking at City Hall is developing new units as part of a grand strategy to build their way out of an affordable housing crisis.
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.
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.
Tea Party Ticket
Republican convention selects conservative slate of candidates for November.
Perhaps the biggest sign that the Tea Party has taken control of the Republican Party of Virginia was the yellow Gadsden flag emblem that appeared on placards distributed by supporters of Jeannemarie Devolites Davis, who was one of seven candidates vying to be the nominee for lieutenant governor last weekend at a raucous convention in Richmond. Davis, who represented Fairfax County for a decade in the General Assembly, has a reputation as being a moderate.
Establishment Wins Democratic Primary
State senators beat out first-time candidates for lieutenant governor and attorney general.
Two first-time candidates had a hard time beating back the establishment this week, as two state senators won the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor and attorney general Tuesday night.
The Safeway Four: Armed Robbers Sentenced
Three defendants sentenced to 35 years each; another sentenced to 12 years.
It was a crime that shocked Old Town, an armed robbery that rattled a neighborhood where most of the illicit activity is limited to petty theft from unlocked vehicles.
Empire Strikes Back: Establishment Beats Tea Party at Republican Convention
Party insider Ed Gillespie seizes nomination at convention in Roanoke.
When conservative preacher E.W. Jackson took the stage at the Roanoke Civic Center to introduce Tea Party favorite Shak Hill at the Republican convention last weekend, hundreds of conservatives from across Virginia took to their feet. They waved placards.
The Fighter
Longtime congressman celebrated by Alexandria Democrats.
During his first run for Congress, then-Mayor Jim Moran assembled a campaign team that was hungry to oust incumbent Republican Stan Parris. Mame Reiley ran the operation, which included a young communications consultant named Joe Trippi. As the race headed toward Election Day, Reiley and Trippi became concerned that Moran's campaign signs kept disappearing from Eisenhower Avenue. So they set up a sting operation with a video camera to catch the culprit, who turned out to be Jim Moran.
Council Notebook
Once upon a midnight dreary, while Alexandria Poet Laureate Amy Young pondered weak and weary.
Democrats Lead in Polls as Voters Head to the Polls for Election Day
Hotly contested race for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general.
Democrats have the wind at their backs heading into Election Day next week, as Republican gubernatorial candidates Ken Cuccinelli struggles to overcome a deficit in the polls.
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.
Alexandria School Board Members Approve Deal to Double Rent for Central Administration
School system to have a new lease on a larger central administration office.
Right now, the Alexandria City Public School system pays about $1 million in rent every year at three locations across the city — one central administration headquarters on Beauregard Street and two of satellite locations across the city.
Voters to Determine Republican and Democratic Candidates for House and Senate
Low turnout expected in June 12 primary.
Election officials are expecting an extremely low turnout for the June 12 primary, ranging from 3 percent in Arlington to 15 percent in Alexandria.
On the Campaign Trail
Turnout for Tuesday's primary was abysmally low, with only 140,000 participating in the voting.
Student Shots Required and Available
All incoming sixth-graders are required to get immunized before the first day of school.
Student Shots Required and Available
Where to Put Affordable Housing in Alexandria?
City Council candidates disagree about co-locating with schools, accessory dwelling units
When Alexandria housing officials first considered the idea of putting affordable housing over a new fire station in Potomac Yard, Housing Director Helen McIlvaine joked that her office would eventually become known throughout the region for putting “stuff on top of stuff.”
Following the Money
City Council candidates raise money from friends and supporters.
Running a campaign for the Alexandria City Council isn't cheap. Former Mayor Bill Euille says he often advises potential candidates they'll need to raise $20,000 to $30,000 just to get through the primary and then twice that for the general election.
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