Alexandria Gazette Packet

Alexandria Gazette Packet

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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.

Herring Named Finalist For National Award

Del. Charniele Herring has been named as one of six finalists for the EMILY’s List Gabrielle Gifford Rising Star Award. Nominees came in from the public and around the country. Herring is the only nominee in the South or Mid-Atlantic regions.

Letter: What Do Seniors Need?

Letter to the Editor

In the debate over the proposed Woodbine expansion, I have heard some say that Alexandria “needs” a proposed memory care facility to be located on a small lot adjacent to the current Woodbine Nursing Home in the 2800 block of King Street. If by “need,” we are referring to a necessity or something we can’t live without, I respectfully disagree.

Letter: Opposition Based on Zoning

Letter to the Editor

There have been various views presented recently about the proposed memory care facility on the property that sits between Woodbine Rehabilitation and Healthcare and Ivy Hill Cemetery.

Thousands of Books Later

Couple owns Already Read Books.

Sweetie Pie, the black cat of unidentified origin, pads across the green- and beige-tiled floor to the Romance Section in the last aisle.

Letter: School Board Irresponsibility

Letter to the Editor

Our City of Alexandria possesses an inferiority complex, no matter what the city does, it just can't measure up to the National Harbor and Clarendon.

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Separate But Equal Amenities for Alexandria

Class-segregated pool at proposed housing complex dampens council enthusiasm for affordable housing project.

A proposal for a mixed-use housing complex in Alexandria swiftly became an argument on classism when the developer revealed the pool would be off-limits to residents of the affordable housing section.

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Working Toward Restorative Justice in Alexandria Schools

TC students take aim at suspension rates and new disciplinary policy.

A word of warning to students at T.C. Williams High School hoping to skip out on classes in the second half of their senior year: Don’t. A new policy implemented at the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year gives teachers at TC final say over whether a student can pass or fail a class regardless of the final grade.

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Fairfax County Goes Public with Geer Documents

FCPD report confirms John Geer was shot while unarmed, hands raised.

Of the seven eyewitness accounts of the shooting death of John Geer, only one describes Geer quickly bringing his hands down to his waist. That was the perspective of PFC Adam Torres, the officer who shot Geer in the chest, killing him in the doorway of his home on Aug. 29, 2013.

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Too Poor for Benefits in Alexandria

New advisory panel tackles lack of healthcare options for Alexandrians.

An estimated 5,000 people living in Alexandria are without access to healthcare. Without any assistance from the state, the struggle for many Alexandrians has potential to grow into a city-wide moral and financial crisis.

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Cartoon: Cavevolution

Cavevolution

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GMU Students Rally to Lower Student Debt

Members of GMU Student Power Travel to Richmond to voice concern over rising debt.

Twelve students from George Mason University traveled to Richmond with the Virginia Student Power Network, rallying and calling for debt-free education, and for increased educational opportunities for undocumented students. Rodrigo Velasquez, a junior at Mason from Springfield and GMU Student Power’s organizer, was one of the 12 from Mason who also went to Richmond.

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Local Prep Football Coaches React to End of Super Bowl XLIX

Majority say they would have called a run play from 1-yard line.

Lake Braddock football coach Jim Poythress sticks up for Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell.

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Fairfax County Supervisors Defer Decision on Salary Adjustment

How should a county supervisor be compensated for his or her service? That question continues to be up for discussion, as the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to defer voting on a compensation adjustment that would take effect Jan. 1, 2016.

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