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Pandemic Patience: Counselor at NVFS Calms New Mothers

Tele-mental health during COVID-19 is the new normal for the Healthy Families Program.

Mental health counselor Bianca Molinari Anez knows what it is like to encounter postpartum depression; she experienced it herself. That’s one of the reasons she is so devoted to the group of women she counsels.

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Northern Virginia Family Service: More than a Safety Net for 100 Years

During the Great Depression, they handed out coal and coats. Now, it’s an array of services.

Ninety-five years ago, Northern Virginia Family Service handed out coats and coal in Alexandria. Today, the organization has a much broader mission and geographic reach throughout Northern Virginia and – in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic – an increased need for its services.

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Discussing Racial Injustice with Children

Books and visual art can help begin difficult conversations.

As horrific scenes of police brutality and images of passionate protesters fighting for racial justice are ubiquitous in a smartphone and social media obsessed society, parental control over information that children receive can be limited. Framing and discussing such issues can be equally as challenging.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Statement from the Mayors and Chairs of Northern Virginia

As the Mayors and Chairs of Northern Virginia, we raise our collective voices on behalf of the more than 2.5 million residents of our region to express our sorrow for the decades of injustices that have befallen the African American community in America.

The Other Alexandria: We Were Part of the Sunnyside Community: Lovell Arvid Lee

It was 1874 when junk dealer and real estate owner Charles A. Watson died in Alexandria, Virginia. He left his entire estate to his wife, Laura Ware (Wair) Watson. Together Laura and her three sons, Frank, Thomas Montgomery and Elbert turned their real estate into one of the first African American housing communities in Alexandria.

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Safely Celebrating Seniors in Alexandria

Commonwealth Academy holds drive-in graduation.

Alexandria’s Commonwealth Academy creatively celebrated its class of 2020 with a drive-in ceremony June 5 in the Potomac Yard parking lot.

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Twig Donates $100k to Inova Alexandria

Funds to be used in COVID-19 care.

The Twig Junior Auxiliary of Inova Alexandria Hospital presented a check for $100,000 to Dr. Rina Bansal for the Inova COVID-19 Emergency Preparedness Fund during a May 22 ceremony held outside the hospital’s entrance.

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‘Not Again’: Tavares Floyd Mourns Loss of His Cousin George

“Not again” is the first thing that went through the mind of Tavares Floyd, a local Civil Rights attorney, when an aunt called him with the news of the death of his cousin George while in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25.

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Phase Two in Alexandria

Indoor dining, retail operations can resume June 12.

Northern Virginia will begin entering Phase Two of the Virginia Forward plan June 12, with restaurants and retail operations able to resume indoor services under strict COVID-19 guidelines.

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Alexandria Protests Continue

Hundreds gather at Charles Houston for George Floyd rally.

One by one the names were read aloud. For eight minutes and 46 seconds – the time that George Floyd suffered with the knee of a police officer on his neck during an arrest in Minneapolis – the names of African Americans who died at the hands of law enforcement rang through the crowd gathered June 4 at the Charles Houston Recreation Center.

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Freedom of Speech or Zoning Violation in Alexandria?

Seminary Road debate resurfaces after sign violation.

The Alexandria Board of Zoning Appeals has rejected a request from an Alexandria homeowner to display a 4-foot-by-8-foot sign declaring his opposition to the controversial Seminary Road diet.

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Alexandria’s Week in Coronavirus

Quaranteens, nursing home holes, virtual boxing, rental relief and more.

BACKLOGGED TESTS: Starting on June 9, the Virginia Department of Health’s COVID-19 data dashboard will reflect 13,000 additional tests that were backlogged.

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Hundreds Come Out to Fight Racism and Police Brutality

Mount Vernon was ground zero for the latest incident involving Fairfax County Police.

Protest march

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Disproportionate Use of Force

African Americans are often targets of strong-arm tactics by Alexandria police.

Documents outlining use of force by the Alexandria Police Department show force is used against black males more than any other group. In the most recent report, which covers 2019, 54 percent of the instances of use of force was against African Americans. That’s significantly higher than the black population in Alexandria, which is 23 percent.

Opinion: Column: “The News of My Death...

…is greatly exaggerated." So said Mark Twain. So said W.C. Fields. And so said Kenny Lourie.

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