Alexandria Opinion

Alexandria Opinion

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Column: Consider a Sleep Study To Improve Your Health

If you’re like me, a poor night of sleep can wreak havoc on your day. The occasional sleepless night is no big deal. But for the 40 million Americans who suffer sleep disorders, the havoc can be far greater: lack of sleep can result in health problems like impaired concentration, memory loss, headaches, depression, and emotional and social problems.

Letter to the Editor: Tattered Ensign

The American Flag flying on the front of the U.S. District Courthouse is, and has been for at least the last month, in a very sad condition.

Letter to the Editor: Play Ball!

Baseball continues to be one of America’s favorite sports, and games are everywhere in the D.C. area, with the Nationals being a favorite. To bring the wooden-bat flavor up close and personal, come see the Alexandria Aces play during June and July at the Frank E. Mann Memorial Field at Four Mile Run Park.

Letter to the Editor: Nothing Like Haig

The May 30 Gazette Packet describes how Councilmember Justin Wilson jokingly addressing Vice Mayor Allison Silberberg as “Alexander Haig” while she was presiding at a Council meeting during a short absence by the Mayor. Wilson then turned to the audience and continued to joke that he was old enough to remember Haig.

Protecting Against Identity Theft

Thanks to the generosity of BB&T Bank, Senior Services of Alexandria will end its 2012/2013 Speaker Series with a special event focusing on “Protecting Against Identity Theft and Fraudulent Schemes.” This event will be held on Wednesday, June 12 from 9:30 a.m. – noon at the Charles Beatley Central Library at 5005 Duke Street in Alexandria.

Column: Full of Bread Pudding Memories

Mary* has lived all her life in Alexandria; as a child on Madison and West Streets and when she married, she simply “moved around the corner” to Payne Street. As the eldest sibling of eight, Mary fondly remembers family gatherings at home, especially when those gatherings included indulging in her mother’s homemade bread pudding.

Column: Dealing with Violence and Its Aftermath

In the aftermath of Tucson, Aurora and Newtown, there was an explosion of interest in keeping our citizens safe by somehow having better mental health care, and providing reasonable gun control.

Letter to the Editor: Fight for Healthy Air

Every day, residents of our region are subjected to air quality that has received an F rating from the American Lung Association. As the representative of approximately 63,000 people in Alexandria, Arlington and Fairfax, I am concerned about the impact of poor quality air on you and your family's health and longevity.

Letter to the Editor: Best Use Of Police?

Mayor Euille, Chief Cook, City Council Members, the wonderfully warm and sunny Memorial Day weekend is over. It is time to answer a few questions. How many officers were committed to “traffic enforcement” at the intersection of King and Union Streets on each of the holiday weekend days?

Letter to the Editor: Tale of Two Controversies

Recent angst about doubling Norfolk-Southern Railroad’s ethanol storage tanks and building a gigantic Jefferson-Houston School suggests folks’ textbook understanding of civics doesn’t jibe with how our city government really functions.

Letter to the Editor: Thank Those in Military Service

For some, Memorial Day meant a weekend of shopping, catching sales, BBQ cookouts and gatherings of families, friends and neighbors.

Editorial: Don’t Be Among the Missing

Last time Virginia elected a governor, 1.7 million voters failed to vote after voting the previous year.

In 2008, 74.5 percent of Virginia’s registered voters turned out to vote in the presidential election. In 2009, the last time Virginians elected a governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and members of the House of Delegates, just 40.4 percent of registered voters came out to vote.

Column: Airing on the Side of Caution

I don’t think I’m asking too much. I’m not asking for a pony or long life; just a typical life. Unfortunately “typical” might be more statistical than realistic – at least for someone with an incurable disease, which was how my oncologist originally described my lung cancer diagnosis.

Failing To Help J-H Students

To the Editor: West Old Town Citizens Association members were honored to have District A School Board members Bill Campbell, Karen Graf and Stephanie Kapsis attend a special meeting earlier this month to discuss Jefferson-Houston School’s academic dilemma. They were joined by Justin Keating, the District B Board member who serves as the School Board’s liaison to our PK-8 school. We appreciate their shared commitment of time.

Board Attitude Found Rude

To the Editor: On May 15, Amy Smith, a resident of the Nethergate community, located at the intersection of Bashford and Abingdon Roads, attended a meeting of the Board of Architecture Review (BAR) in order to petition the Board for a Certificate of Appropriateness, allowing her to retain the new windows she had installed which in part were made of vinyl. I attended this meeting and was stunned by the rudeness of this board.