Port City Playhouse Stages ‘Shining City’
Set in Ireland, play tells of troubled human relationships and a ghost story.
Port City Playhouse in Alexandria is staging "Shining City," a story of troubled human relationships overlaid with a hint of a ghost story.
Interstellar
NASA Administrator gives Jefferson-Houston students a taste for science.
For many children, “astronaut” is one of the quickest answers when asked what they want to be when they grow up. A visit to Jefferson-Houston School on Feb. 13 from NASA Administrator Charles Bolden aimed to encourage those students to hold onto that answer.
LTA Stages ‘God of Carnage’
Parents behave badly as the gloves come off in this side-splitting free-for-all.
The Little Theatre of Alexandria is staging "God of Carnage" Feb. 28 to March 21. The Tony Award-winning play centers around a playground altercation between two boys which brings two sets of parents together for a meeting to resolve the matter.
Editorial: Managing Mental Illness in Jails
Natasha McKenna’s death provides window on national concern.
A national report released on Feb. 11 highlighted the prevalence of people with mental illness incarcerated in local jails.
Alexandria Home Sales: January, 2015
In January, 2015, 126 Alexandria homes sold between $2,700,000-$127,000.
Alexandria Home Sales: January, 2015
Alexandria School's Space Odyssey
NASA Administrator gives Jefferson-Houston students a taste for science.
For many children, “astronaut” is one of the quickest answers when asked what they want to be when they grow up. A visit to Jefferson-Houston School on Feb. 13 from NASA Administrator Charles Bolden aimed to encourage those students to hold onto that answer. Bolden and other NASA leadership spoke to adults on how to cultivate an interest in math and science, and showed how by fielding questions from Jefferson-Houston students on life in space.
Alexandria's George Mason Elementary Left Behind
Superintendent and parents clash over school modernization priorities.
For parents at George Mason Elementary School, all of the talk of modernization and improvements isn't resonating.
Alexandria: Tone and Tune Presents Concert
Sumitra Barua stood at the entrance of the Lee Center auditorium and handed out a rose to each guest who entered on Feb. 14.
Column: Staying Ahead of the Feds
The federal government is not always wrong. At the same time, the state government is not always right.
The Virginia House and the Senate have penned similar but competing mid-point versions to the 2014-2016 biennial budget.
Black History Month Celebrations
Local students learn about the history and accomplishments of African-Americans.
Fourth grade student Eli West crafted a poem this month that was modeled after Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous, “I Have a Dream” speech.
Stalled Labor Market Slows County Budget
Proposed budget calls for no real estate tax rate increase, but average homeowner would pay $184 more.
Supervisor Jeff McKay pointed out an irony in County Executive Ed Long’s proposed $3.8 billion budget. Three planning positions would be eliminated from the budget even though Long suggested the county needs more efforts to raise revenue from commercial and industrial venues.
Researching Alexandria’s African-American Ancestors
Two genealogists help African-Americans in Alexandria trace their families’ roots.
Tracing genealogies is not only impossibly frustrating for many African-American families, but many of the results they find are predictable and grim. But for two genealogists who hosted events at Alexandria’s Black History Museum, that idea obscures the powerful histories and proud legacies of many families.
Column: Real-Time, Really Late
I’m not a night owl. More of an early bird, worms notwithstanding. But given the contents of last week’s column, “Scantsy,” I find it difficult to write about anything else while waiting for the results of my CT Scan.
Matthew Charged In West Potomac Alumna Hannah Graham Murder
Suspect faces life in prison.
Nearly five months after the disappearance of University of Virginia sophomore and West Potomac High School alumna Hannah Graham, the primary suspect in her death investigation has been indicted by a grand jury in Albemarle County.
Fairfax County Judge Orders More John Geer Materials Released
Family’s lawyer’s motions supported.
Though extensive, the thousands of pages of documents, dozens of audio files and handful of videos released last month by Fairfax County, documenting the shooting death of Springfield resident John Geer, aren’t exhaustive.
Letter: Failing in Their Duties
Letter to the Editor
I applaud your editorial on the Geer murder (“No Justification for Secrecy, Delay on Geer Shooting,” Connection, February 4-10, 2015). The Connection has done yeoman’s work in keeping this tragedy in front of the public, unlike other newspapers which are johnnie-come-latelies.
Editorial: Not the First or Only Time
Secrecy around police shootings has been a problem for at least a decade.
The official position of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on the need for changes in policy after the shooting of John Geer by police in Springfield in August of 2013 appears to be that this is the first time police policies have been a problem: “Policies for handling police-involved incidents, which served us well for decades, were inadequate in this complicated situation.”
MidAtlantic Erg Sprints Yields New World Record
1,700 athletes compete.
A new world record in the half marathon by Olympic gold medalist Esther Lofgren capped the competition at the 2015 MidAtlantic Erg Sprints, hosted by T.C. Williams High School on Jan. 31.
Legacies of Two Presidents
Our February celebration’s official name is the George Washington Birthday Holiday, not Presidents Day. Although some people include both Washington and Lincoln among our best Presidents, Washington’s contributions are far more admirable. Sadly, even here in his hometown, many know relatively little about his achievements and are mistaken about Lincoln’s.
Addressing Health, Crime
This year I am proud to have sponsored several bi-partisan initiatives to make Virginia safer for our communities and families. I serve on the Virginia State Crime Commission, the House Courts of Justice Committee, and the Governor’s Taskforce on Heroin and Prescription Drugs.