Alexandria Gazette Packet

Alexandria Gazette Packet

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Educational Crisis

To the Editor: Reporter Michael Lee Pope’s two articles, “Historic Tax Hikes” and “Uncertainty Haunts Groundbreaking,” are inextricably linked. In the former Mr. Pope writes: “One of the leading drivers of the need for capital spending is the public school system.” In the latter he states: “when the new $45 million Jefferson-Houston School facility opens its doors, it may not be under the control of city leaders.” Jefferson-Houston School, my family’s failing neighborhood school, becomes the responsibility of the Commonwealth of Virginia in 2014.

Bookstores Abound

To the Editor: I would like to comment on two recent items in the Gazette Packet: a letter in the May 9 issue ("A City's Priorities" from Carl A. Posey), and the item in the May 16 "Business Matters" column headlined "Books Without Bookstores." I agree strongly with Mr. Posey's point that Alexandria's library system needs to receive high priority in Alexandria's budgets, but I take issue with his statement that "Alexandria is a community where no bookseller can survive." The "Books Without Bookstores" item stated that Alexandria is "bereft of a place to buy books." I disagree.

Alexandria Home Sales: April, 2013

In April 2013, 207 Alexandria homes sold between $4,656,000-$107,000.

Alexandria Home Sales: April, 2013

Ireton Softball Beats SSSA in State Quarterfinals

Cardinals pitcher Rhodes earns victory against Saints.

The Bishop Ireton softball team will face Bishop O'Connell in the state semifinals.

Editorial: Vote in Spite of Election Fatigue

Primary voting, absentee voting, Republican convention.

Absentee voting, including “in-person” absentee voting, is already underway for the June 11 primary, a statewide Democratic party primary for lieutenant governor and attorney general, plus one delegate race in Northern Virginia. Voters in the Democratic primary will choose between Ralph S. Northam and Aneesh Chopra for lieutenant governor; and between Mark R. Herring and Justin E. Fairfax for attorney general.

TC Baseball Secures First Regional Berth Since 2009

Titans beat Lee in Patriot District tournament quarterfinals

The T.C. Williams baseball team will travel to face top-seed Lake Braddock in the Patriot District semifinals on Friday.

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Celebrating ‘Everyday’ Heroes

Molina Healthcare honors local residents for making a difference in the community.

In the 1980s, Vienna resident John Horejsi and a “ragtag” group of social justice pioneers learned that Virginia was charging sales tax on food stamps. They discovered the sales tax boosted the state’s coffers by $9.5 million every year, money that they believed belonged to poor families for food or other necessary items.

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Miracles Continue in Mattie's Memory

A day of fun in honor of a brave boy raises money to help families battling cancer.

When Vicki Sardi-Brown sees a butterfly, she knows her son is near. Mattie, her 7-year-old son with husband Peter Brown, bravely faced an uphill battle with multifocal osteosarcoma, a rare and aggressive type of bone cancer, for 14 months, much of that time spent at Georgetown University Hospital.

Business Matters

Former Alexandria Mayor Kerry Donley is looking for a new gig. Ever since United Bankshares announced that it had entered into an agreement to acquire all the outstanding stock of Virginia Bancorp back in January, the writing has been on the wall.

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Uncertainty Haunts Jefferson-Houston Groundbreaking

Questions linger as officials prepare ceremonial shovels.

City leaders and school officials are about to break out the ceremonial shovels and turn the earth at Jefferson-Houston School, the long-troubled facility near the King Street Metro station.

Council Notebook

It's official. The Alexandria City Council is against expanding operations at a hazardous materials facility on the West End of the city near the Van Dorn Metro station and just a few hundred feet from Tucker Elementary School.

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Office Vacancy Hits Historic High in Alexandria

City officials blame Base Closure and Realignment Commission.

The crush of rush hour traffic at Mark Center is not the only headache caused by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission.

Schools?School Notes

Francis C. Hammond 1 Middle School Principal Benjamin G. Costa announced his resignation to pursue other career goals. Former Alexandria City School Board Member and ACPS Principal Blanche Maness will become the acting principal at Hammond 1, effective immediately.

People Notes

Steve Strobridge, deputy director of government relations for the Military Officers Association of America was named one of the 100 most influential people in U.S. Defense in Defense News and Military Times’ inaugural list of influential players from the worlds of politics, the military, business, government and academia. Strobridge, of Alexandria, was cited for his work in helping to shape legislation affecting issues of importance for military personnel and their families. Christine M. Candio, RN, FACHE, CEO, Inova Alexandria Hospital, and senior vice president, Inova Health System, has been nominated as the 2013–2014 Chairwoman-Elect of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), an international professional society of more than 40,000 healthcare executives.

Neighborhood

TAYLOR RUN

FRIENDS OF FORT WARD Friends of Fort Ward will hold its annual meeting May 18 at the museum at 5:30 p.m. Following the meeting there will be a reception and a concert by the Federal City Brass Band, playing music appropriate to the period and wearing their splendid uniforms which are also of the period.

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