Alexandria Gazette Packet

Alexandria Gazette Packet

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Letter: Streetlight Outages

Dominion Virginia Power has a convenient way to report streetlight outages and track the progress of repair: just call Dominion customer service center at 1-866-366-4357, wait 10 minutes or more for a person. You will need the street address of the nearest house or building and the streetlight's 9-digit utility pole number found on a metal plate on the pole.

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For Fallen Heroes

Post 24 hosts newest Medal of Honor recipient.

The Medal of Honor is the U.S.’s highest military honor, awarded for personal acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty. On Aug. 26, Army Staff Sgt. Ty Carter became one of only 79 living recipients of the award during a whirlwind day that began at the White House and ended at American Legion Post 24 in Alexandria. “It’s an honor and privilege to have a Medal of Honor recipient at our Post,” said Commander Jim Glassman at a private dinner welcoming Carter, his family and members of his unit to the historic Old Town American Legion building. “We not only welcome Sgt. Carter but also his fellow soldiers whose bravery during the Battle of Kamdesh kept the outpost from being overtaken.”

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All in the Family

Trio rocks Hard Times Café.

After a 20-year absence in Alexandria, the female trio of Huxtable, Christensen and Hood took to the stage Sept. 8, performing to a capacity crowd at Hard Times Café in Old Town. Cheering on the group were Hard Times founders and brothers Jim and Fred Parker, husband of vocalist Carol Christensen, along with their sons Ned and Jonathan Parker. “I think I'm the only Parker without any musical talent,” laughed Ned Parker, whose brother Jonathan is a professional jazz saxophonist. “I guess that's why I'm taking the tickets at the door.”

Column: Timing Is Everything

If the hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m., Judge William D. Hamblen is enrobed and on the bench. Prosecutors, defense lawyers, the defendant, security and visitors are in their respective places. All quiet. Hamblen is the retired chief judge of the 31st judicial district of the Commonwealth, Prince William County. He is well-respected and expects nothing but the best in courtroom manner, this includes the attire for brothers and sisters at the bar, defendants and anyone just watching.

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Big Ideas for Small Spaces

Local designers offer ideas for decorating small rooms.

Whether one is sprucing up a small powder room or decorating a studio apartment, space limitations often pose a design challenge. However, local designers say that no matter how a small space’s square footage or how awkward the layout, there are plenty of decorative cures for small spaces. Whether one is sprucing up a small powder room or decorating a studio apartment, space limitations often pose a design challenge. However, local designers say that no matter how a small space’s square footage or how awkward the layout, there are plenty of decorative cures for small spaces.

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Like Magic

New plan in built-out 1940s colonial gains vital square footage as young family looks ahead.

In the end, a skillful spatial reconfiguration is like a deft magician's trick — you've seen it with your own eyes, but you still can't figure out how they did it. “Really, I don't know how this plan created so much more usable space,” Alexandria resident Alice Goulet said, discussing a recent reconfiguration to several rooms in the family's 1,800-square-foot center-hall Colonial.

Editorial: Small Steps to Fight Homelessness

Efficiency apartments would serve 20-somethings, service workers, retirees and more.

One way to prevent homelessness is to think small. It doesn’t take much space to house one person. Sure, many houses in our area have 1,000 square feet and sometimes two or three times that much per person, but that’s really not necessary.

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Uneasy Easement: 1789 Deed at Issue as City Hall Takes on Boat Club

Virginia Supreme Court justices say city is putting one private interest ahead of another.

John Adams was president of the United States when two land owners on Wales Alley secured a deed that gave them private use to a 30-foot easement in the alley.

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Incendiary Remarks in West End Fire Investigation

No arrests yet, but fire chief says investigation puts one individual in the hot seat.

Alexandria Fire Chief Adam Thiel stopped short of calling it "arson." But the chief was clear that city officials believe that the person of interest identified by the investigation into last week's six-alarm fire on the West End started the fire on purpose.

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Annual Ride Raises Funds for Lymphoma Research

Alexandrian patient among the participants.

On Sunday, Sept. 22, the Lymphoma Research Foundation will hold its seventh annual Lymphoma Research Ride. Hundreds of present and former lymphoma patients, as well as families, friends and supporters, will embark on a fundraising bike ride

Update on Tree Lighting Fund

Letter to the Editor

Gold company asures readers that Alexandria's spring tree lights will be on this coming season.

Going Beyond A-F in Virginia

One reader urges for as much needed time as possible to be taken when constructing a new school evaluation scale.

Sherman: A Vision to Close the Achievement Gap

What Sherman Did Accomplish

Yvonne Folkerts Discusses Mort Sherman's Educational Legacy

Sherman Resigns — Finally

It's good that Mort Sherman Resigned from Alexandria County Public Schools, says a reader, but that doesn't mean that the school board itself will improve over night.

‘Iron’ Versus ‘Golden Age’

A Letter to the Editor

An Alexandria citizen says citizens aren't being heard in issues involving development.

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