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Thousands of Families are Living with Uncertainty on the West End

City Council to consider plan that would demolish hundreds of low-end garden apartments.

On the windswept streets of the city's West End, many poor and Latino residents say they are living with a sense of uncertainty.

Grandest Congress at Historic Carlyle House

British flags fluttered against the façade of the historic Carlyle House as re-enactors set the stage for a living history dramatization of the meeting held here on April 14, 1755. Inside the house 258 years ago, Major General Edward Braddock, Commander of His Majesty’s Forces in North America met with governors of the five colonies, Massachusetts Bay, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia to plan and finance a military campaign to defeat the French forces at the forks of the Ohio River near Fort Duquesne.

60th Opening Day at Little Simpson Field

Alexandria Little League held its 2013 opening day ceremony on Saturday morning, April 6, at Little Simpson Field. In honor of the 60th anniversary of the Alexandria League, the Washington Nationals mascot Screech the Eagle was on hand to greet the players and coaches as they entered the field.

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Alexandria Real Estate: Top Sales for February 2013

In February 2013, 142 Alexandria homes sold between $1,900,000-$90,000.

Alexandria Real Estate: Top Sales for February 2013

Poem

Art Like That Of an Artist

An artist’s work - yet not known - Like the Little and Big Dipper stars above Throughout our Old Town Alexandria Trees of bright lights dispelling the darkness Like the sky’s far-flung stars that one can only wish upon Heartfelt of hope, vision and dreams within. — Geri Baldwin, Alexandria

Letter: Letters to the Editor-Overlooked Probation Office

To the Editor: Over the years, the Alexandria Gazette Packet has published many favorable articles about our Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office. They are both excellent agencies and certainly deserving of the accolades provided by the countless stories, editorials and letters to the editor. However, there is another law enforcement agency in the city that has labored in relative obscurity, the Alexandria Office of Probation and Parole.

Letter: Letters to the Editor-Practical Considerations On Tree Lights

To the Editor: There are compelling practical and aesthetic reasons to take the lights down from the trees on King Street at the beginning of April. First of all, once the trees have their leaves, the leaves will obscure the lights.

Letter: Letters to the Editor-Underspending On Capital Needs

To the Editor: The April 8 meeting of the Del Ray Citizens Association explored a major reason why the city’s tax rate and our taxes are going up again this year and why they will probably continue to go up in the future. The short answer is the city’s capital budget, or its investment in new and existing public facilities.

Letter: Letters to the Editor-Libraries, Parks And Bikes

To the Editor: The City of Alexandria intends to expand the Bikeshare program at the expense of libraries and parks that benefit all residents. It is expected that 960,000 people will visit Alexandria’s libraries in 2014; this is 53 times the number of Bikeshare members in the region. Yet, the city is cutting libraries by $93,000 and giving Bikeshare $120,000.

Letter: Letters to the Editor-Stand With Working Families

Saturday is “D” day for thousands of Alexandria residents living in the Beauregard neighborhood. In this case, “D” doesn’t just stand for “decision,” it also stands for “development” and “displacement.”

AM Calendar 4/10/2013

‘Pacific Pulse’ Nicholaus Aman attempts to express the nature of the Pacific coast through his solo exhibition, Pacific Pulse, at Alexandria's Artspace 109 Gallery. The Pacific Pulse exhibition will be on display through May 11. Artspace 109 is located at 109 North Fairfax Street, 3rd Floor Alexandria. Gallery hours are: Tuesday through Friday noon-5 p.m., Saturdays 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sundays noon-5 p.m.

Maestro Musings

The Red Violin Comes to the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra

On April 20 and 21, the Alexandria Symphony’s Be the Music...The Music of Empowerment concerts will features popular violin virtuoso Elizabeth Pitcairn. Ms. Pitcairn is famous not only for her ability to mesmerize audiences with her playing, but also for the instrument she owns and plays: the legendary Red Mendelssohn Stradivarius that inspired both the book and movie The Red Violin.

Risky Business

City taxpayers are about to assume financial risk for new Metro station.

Alexandria taxpayers are about to gamble on the future, rolling the dice on development at a former railroad yard to fund a new Metro station. City officials are expecting Potomac Yard to generate $1 billion worth of revenue in the next three decades, an expansion of the tax base that would help fund construction of a Metro station that could open its doors as early as 2018. But that plan comes with significant risk.

Hunting Towers Sold

New owners tell city leaders they will preserve affordable housing.

For years, people who live in the twin towers at the southern edge of Old Town have lived with a sense of dread. That's because their landlord is the Virginia Department of Transportation, which purchased the buildings during construction of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.

War on the Waterfront

Iron Ladies file another lawsuit challenging city's efforts to upzone three sites.

When the dispute between Old Town and City Hall was at its height last year, 20th Century Fox movie "Iron Lady" was in the theaters celebrating the life of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. So when Old Town residents April Burke, Beth Gibney and Marie Kux filed a lawsuit against the city, the trio was dubbed the "Iron Ladies" — a tip of the hat to the steely determination of the former prime minister.

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