Celebrating the Holidays with Alexandria Seaport Foundation
Staff, friends and supporters of the Alexandria Seaport Foundation gathered for a final holiday party in the Duke Street workshop at the Robinson Terminal South on Dec. 9. The boats in progress were decked out with festive greens as the work tables were laden with food and wine. The ASF will vacate the current premises later in 2015 when demolition for redevelopment begins at the terminal.
Ushering in the New Year in Alexandria
First Night fireworks light up Alexandria.
Fireworks lit up the sky over the Potomac River to usher in 2015 as part of the 20th anniversary of First Night Alexandria.
Alexandria Civil Rights Pioneer Ferdinand Day Dies
The force behind the philosophy of “Every Student Counts.”
When Ferdinand Day was born in 1918, Virginia had just passed its first compulsory school attendance law for children ages 8-12. But with legalized segregation, funding for the education of African American students was sorely limited, with only four black public high schools in the entire state. It would take decades before one existed in Alexandria.
Secret Santas in Alexandria
Departmental Progressive Club collects toys for Jefferson-Houston families
Members of the Departmental Progressive Club stopped by Jefferson-Houston Elementary School Dec. 15 to deliver more than 100 toys for students in need. “We are so thankful for what the Departmental Progressive Club has done,” said Jefferson-Houston principal Chris Phillips. “Each toy here means one more kid will wake up happy.”
Column: Down and Not Out, Yet
Thankfully (so far as I know, which isn’t very far), after a five-week interval between infusions, which included two additional weeks of pre-chemotherapy lab work and an out-of-the-ordinary 24-hour urine collection (“creatinine clearance”) to boot – to more accurately measure my kidney function in hopes of meeting a 1.6 threshold – muster was finally passed, and I was subsequently infused without any further adieu.
Overnight I-66 Closures in January
All lanes of Interstate 66 in one direction will close intermittently between midnight and 5 a.m. on several dates in January for the installation of gantries. Each closure will last up to 30 minutes.
Alexandria Budget Looms Over 2015 Plans
Alexandria city officials discuss goals and funding for 2015.
For Alexandria City Council, 2015 kicks off with a continuing discussion of the budget and the city’s priorities. With an anticipated decrease in federal spending, city officials are preparing for a difficult budget process.
Alexandria's Year of the Manhunt
Local law enforcement looks back on pursuing a killer and plans ahead for 2015’s goals.
For much of Alexandria’s law enforcement, 2014 was defined by a manhunt across state boundaries to catch a suspect in killings that haunted the city’s streets for 10 years. In 2015, the most immediate concern for the police and sheriff’s office is the no less complicated task of finding a way to maintain their efficiency with the prospect of a tightening budget from the city.
Column: Level Best
If I wanted to rationalize the benefit of delaying my heretofore every-three-week chemotherapy infusion from three weeks to four and now on to five, possibly six – and that’s dependent on improved results from a second/maybe even third retest upcoming (this retest a bit more involved than drawing blood) – I would say it’s only fitting that I should have a break/brake; after all, it is the holiday season when all good things; yada, yada, yada. If only it were that simple.
Arlington-Alexandria Coalition Moves Forward
Arlington-Alexandria Coalition for Homelessness undergoes transformation to “Bridges to Independence.”
At the end of 2014, the Arlington-Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless (AACH) will cease to exist. The organization, with its nearly 30 years of work transitioning homeless families into apartments and houses across Northern Virginia, will be going through a transition itself when it becomes “Bridges to Independence.”
Sharing Struggle Against Addiction in Alexandria Detention
Sober Living Unit Celebrates 26th Anniversary
A recurring theme of loss and hope for recovery weaved through the songs, poems, and presentations at the Sober Living Unit’s 26th anniversary. Inmates and alumni of the program shared their stories of addiction and the long road to recovery.
Column: The New Normal
Loosey goosey, I suppose. As much as one might prefer some predictability in their life (certainly a cancer patient would – I know I would), I may be entering a cycle of permanent unpredictability.
When Dad (or Mom) Is High School Sports Coach
Local coaches and athletes share their feelings about the relationship between parent/coach and child/athlete.
Column: A Level That’s Anything But
This is not a home improvement reference, but this is most definitely a do-it-yourself column.
Alexandria Home Sales: November, 2014
In November 2014, 133 Alexandria homes sold between $1,445,000-$122,000.
Alexandria Home Sales: November, 2014
An Essay To Remember
Local educators offer advice on acing independent school admission essays and interviews.
While many are knee-deep in wrapping paper and eggnog, some students are holed up with computer keyboards and books of quotations. In addition to driving to the mall for holiday shopping, some parents are throwing rapid-fire questions at their children to make sure they are fast on their feet.
Editorial: Holidays Are for Giving
In the scramble to finish Christmas shopping, remember tens of thousands of local children are short of food as well as presents.
The holidays are for giving. Christmas and Hanukkah are about children and family, about sharing, about joy, about being thankful and about faith and appreciation. Here in Northern Virginia, many of us see few signs of families in need as we go about our daily lives and holiday shopping. Our neighborhoods are largely segregated economically; we mostly see the people who are most like ourselves economically.