Help Keep The Lights On
To the Editor: I thought you would be interested in an update about the ongoing saga of the Christmas tree lights on King Street. They were all turned off April 15 and the short-run effort to keep them on through this spring did not work. Now The trees have been trimmed on King Street. It was a long overdue procedure to maintain the tree canopy over the city. As far as we know now the budget has been created and the lights will not be on again until Thanksgiving this year.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Making Learning Fun
The students chattered and compared paint colors as they strolled along the path at the Winkler Preserve on Friday, May 10, to launch hand-crafted model sail boats and play the cigar box guitars they had made over the past semester in their class through a joint effort by the Alexandria Seaport Foundation and Alexandria City Public Schools.
Rebuilding Together Day
Volunteers rebuild homes for those in need.
More than 700 local volunteers took part in National Rebuilding Together Day April 27 to provide critical repairs and upgrades for low-income homeowners in Alexandria.
Opposition Heats Up over City's Plans for Founders Park
Council to be asked to amend current restrictions on special events.
The proposed amendment to allow special events in Founders Park took center stage at the May 10 annual meeting of the Founders Park Community Association. “I can't believe the city is proposing this,” said one attendee who asked to remain anonymous. “There should be more respect for Ellen Pickering, Chuck Hamel and Patricia Golubin for saving this land. The park would not exist at all if it weren't for their efforts back in the '70s.”
Some Like It Haute
Old Town Theater hosts Boutique District Spring Style event
The Old Town Boutique District held a Spring Style party April 29 at the Old Town Theater to introduce media representatives from throughout the region to the retail offerings available in the historic district of Alexandria.