Residents Value Waterfront, Old Town
Things to do, places to go.
Sitting on the western bank of the Potomac River, the city of Alexandria boasts of a variety of restaurants, retail establishments and historic sights.
Connect and Contribute
Service and citizen's associations lead community engagement.
Alexandria is home to many diverse neighborhoods, each with its own traditions. As each neighborhood has developed, so have the service groups and citizens associations that provide more than just an opportunity to meet and greet your neighbors.
There's No Place Like Home
A look at what makes Alexandria unique.
As the hometown of George Washington and Civil War General Robert E. Lee, the city of Alexandria attracts visitors from near and far to enjoy America's historic main streets.
Sign Me Up
These clubs are anything but traditional.
In a tale nearly as old as time, Groucho Marx famously resigned from the Friars' Club in 1949, saying, “I don't want to belong to any club that would accept me as one of its members.”
Getting Down to Business
Navigating the ABC's of Alexandria.
The acronyms run from ACBA to WEBA and represent various business associations from the waterfront to the West End. Whether you are new to the city or a long-time resident, following is a primer that explains the ABC's of Alexandria.
Out of Tragedy, a Foundation To Help Others
Alexandria Community Trust is family’s living legacy in honor of Norma Lang Steuerle.
Once there was an Alexandria family of four that regularly acted on an individual’s responsibility to serve others in need. Each member was well educated and appreciated the community’s “diversity of people — racially, financially, in thought and in socio-economic status, that for the most part embraced Alexandria’s potential.” They were givers.
Commentary: A Man (and Woman) About Town
In 1942, Cecelia and her husband, Floyd*, moved into a row home on Duke Street, promising to each other that it would be their last move.
Letter: Elect the Person, Not the Party
After plowing through David Speck’s nearly full-page defense of Alexandria politics status quo, I put down the Gazette Packet, closed my eyes and dared to dream of the day when citizens can elect a person because they share our goals and have the talent to achieve them; not because they cloak themselves in the robes of a political party.
Letter: Doesn’t West End Matter?
Four West End civic associations extended an invitation to Andrew MacDonald and Bill Euille to debate this fall to allow citizens to make an informed decision. As this debate is expected to focus on West End issues, the three dates available were based on Hammond School availability.
Letter: Don’t Minimize Citizens’ Anger
When David Speck (letter to the editor last week) says that if someone isn’t mad at you, you aren’t doing your job right, he implies that it was right for the city to have approved of BRAC-133. If one judges by the number of Alexandrians angered by the construction of this building so far from a metro stop, the city is doing a great job.
Letter: Get Beyond Debating Debates
Mayor Euille is ready and willing to debate his opponent one-on-one. During this busy 2012 election season, Alexandrians have been bombarded by political ads and activities, and Mayor Euille has been more than accommodating to Mr. Macdonald’s interest in debating him. Macdonald seems more focused on politicizing the debate issue rather than focusing on issues that Alexandrians care about.
Editorial: About the Gazette Packet, a Connection Newspaper
The paper you're reading, the Alexandria Gazette Packet is one of 15 papers published by the independent, locally owned Local Media Connection LLC, serving the suburbs of Metropolitan Washington in Northern Virginia and Potomac, Md.
Letter: Moderate Voices Exist
I write this letter in response to David Speck’s commentary here in Opinion (Aug. 16) regarding dominance of the Democrat party in Alexandria City.
Opinion: Mindless Slashing
Automatic cuts set to kick in January would harm Northern Virginia more than any other region.
While reducing the federal deficit is critical to the nation's economic health in the long run, the knee jerk, slash and burn method based only on cuts that is coming at us like a freight train will do immense damage to the economy nationally. But no place would feel the pain more intensely than Northern Virginia.
Voters to Have Final Say on Waterfront Plan as Legal Challenges Linger
Boat Club occupies the Strand as tensions mount over controversial small-area plan.
Last weekend, members of the Old Dominion Boat Club staged an annual ritual that’s something of a cross between a tailgating party and Occupy Wall Street. Every year, members shut down a section of the Strand for several hours to make sure everybody knows that the land is officially Boat Club property. The yearly affirmation usually goes without much notice.
Hidden History of St. Asaph Racetrack
Del Ray was once home to an infamous gambling operation creating by a double-dealing senator.
You’d never know it today, but Del Ray was once the capital of gambling in Northern Virginia.
Classified Advertising Aug. 22, 2012
Read the latest Home and Garden, Employment and Classifieds here!
Column: Life in the Cancer Lane
Having been there and done that now for three and a half years certainly helps. And however familiar it may be and/or has become, it doesn’t exactly help to pass the time or affect the results, unfortunately. Cancer sucks! That much is clear. Now and in the future.
$30,000 to Community Lodgings
Walmart funds after-school programs for teens.
No sooner had Community Lodgings Executive Director Bonnie Baxley been presented a check for $30,000 from Walmart store manager William Hunsucker, she asked for more. “Do you have any tents?” she queried.
Mayhem and Marathons
LTA performance raises $7,500 for local charities.
The madness and mayhem, not to mention the meat pies, were the theme of the night as Brooke Curran and ACT's Running Brooke Fund raised more than $7,500 for local charities including ACTion Alexandria, Community Lodgings, The Reading Connection, Child and Family Network Centers and Girls on the Run at a special benefit performance of “Sweeney Todd” Aug. 7 at The Little Theatre of Alexandria.