Letter: Ospreys Have Returned
To the Editor
Hog Wild
Sweet Fire Donna's opens in Carlyle neighborhood.
BBQ fans lined up Feb. 27 to sample the fare at the opening of Sweet Fire Donna's, the latest offering from “Mango Mike” Anderson, Bill Blackburn and Anderson's wife Donna.
LTA Stages "Proof"
Drama explores love and relationships, mental illness and mathematics.
The Little Theater of Alexandria is staging "Proof," a dense and compact drama/comedy written by David Auburn about mathematics and mental illness that starred Gwyneth Paltrow, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Anthony Hopkins in the 2005 film adaptation.
Why Not Recall Retired Homicide Detectives?
Since retired judges are always available for further bench duty, why aren't retired detectives and other officers accessible for recalled duty?
Alexandria Theater Companies Earn WATCH Awards
The Port City Playhouse, The Little Theatre of Alexandria and Aldersgate Church Community Theatre each took home honors from Washington Area Theatre Community Honors (WATCH) for artistic and technical excellence in community theater.
We’re (Almost) Done
State Budget Still Unfinished
The General Assembly’s 60-day legislative session adjourned on Saturday without a completed budget for the new fiscal year starting July 1.
Gala Raises $125,000 for Center
The Center for Alexandria’s Children, a public-private partnership that serves abused and neglected children, raised a record $125,000 in proceeds at its Fifth Annual Gala Benefit on Friday, Feb. 28, at Virtue Feed & Grain in Old Town.
Braunstein Retiring from CSB
He led agency through transformation, advocated for mental health services.
George Braunstein said he entered the field of mental health services almost accidentally. “My first college degree was in history and education. I was going to be a high school history teacher,” Braunstein said.
Editorial: Take the Money
No downside to gaining health care for 200,000 or more; 30,000 jobs and millions of dollars for hospitals from expansion of Medicaid.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe is right to make expansion of health coverage part of the budget process.
Debate Over Lorton Landfill Continues at Public Hearing
Decision on application deferred until March 13.
The debate over the future of the Lorton landfill continued as community members commented before the Fairfax County Planning Commission at a public hearing on Feb. 27.
Last Snowstorm of the Season?
St. Patrick’s Day brought a lot of white to the Northern Virginia area. All area schools were closed and school activities canceled. Different parts of Virginia and Maryland saw five to nine inches of snow. Snow began Sunday night and accumulated early quickly. St. Patrick’s Day was a more subdued affair since much of the area was a lot quieter. Along Collingwood Road in Alexandria, it seemed like only these male northern red cardinals were out surveying the effects of the storm while singing to other nearby birds.
Letter to the Editor: Re-striping Would Improve Safety
To the Editor: Re: Plan to re-stripe Sherwood Hall Lane to prevent it from appearing like a four lane highway.
Diabetes Research
Jake and his mother Jennifer Reilly, a dietitian, attended the 4th annual Type 1 Diabetes Research Summit on Saturday. March 1.
Letter to the Editor: Parking in District 1
To the Editor: In his letter of Feb. 22, Nate Macek offers a questionable set of recommendations on parking in Old Town, which begins with the faulty assumption equating Old Town’s street grid with that of Clarendon and the District. Referencing a Google map of Old Town and Clarendon shows extremely different systems, and simply citing “the District” is like comparing Old Town to Nebraska.
Stratford Landing Hosts Annual Science and Engineering Fair
Stratford Landing Elementary School students presented 304 projects at the annual Science and Engineering Fair on Tuesday, Feb. 25. Students displayed and explained their investigations to 25 visiting experts from West Potomac High School and the Geological Society of America. All of the visiting experts engage in teaching and studying advanced biology, chemistry, geology, and physics.
Beyer Wins Mount Vernon Democrats’ Straw Poll
Former ambassador Donald Beyer won the first straw poll battle for the outgoing U.S. Rep. Jim Moran’s 8th district seat on Saturday night, March 1 with 25 percent of the vote (105 votes). Community leader Lavern Chatman came in second with 20 percent of the vote, and Del. Patrick Hope of Arlington received 19 percent. 419 of those in attendance coast their votes in the primary straw poll and about 470 Democratic activists attended the event. Bruce Shuttleworth did not attend because of a previous engagement.
Letter to the Editor: Best Use Of Funds?
To the Editor:When I think of the money the city is spending to further the cause of bike riders in Alexandria I am appalled. I am particularly appalled because the city, in the name of inadequate funds, has cut staff and activities for other every-day citizen services.
Commentary: Take Care of the Unisured
As Session winds down, we turn our focus to the budget. House Appropriations Chairman, Del. Chris Jones said it best — we are so close, we could knock this out in a day or two. Sadly, the chairman and other Republicans are threatening to hold the budget, and the Commonwealth’s financial health, hostage unless the Senate caves to their demands that we give our hard-earned tax dollars up to other states and force 400,000 Virginians — many of whom are veterans and children — to continue to live in fear of getting sick because they don’t have health insurance.
Letter to the Editor: Test Road Re-striping First
To the Editor: VDOT will soon repave Sherwood Hall Lane from end to end. The county has planned to restripe it for bicycle lanes, and would like to decrease accidents by narrowing the travel lanes and providing a bi-directional left turn lane where possible. Planners called a meeting at the police station on Parker's Lane to discuss it, and the discussion was animated and passionate.
Commentary: Public Meeting To Discuss Health Coverage Gap
The 2014 General Assembly session has come and gone … sort of. While a great many things were accomplished this session, we adjourned on March 8 without a budget. Governor McAuliffe has set a special session for March 24. Details on this special session are still being hammered out.The sticking point is accepting federal dollars for Medicaid expansion, or purchasing private insurance through Marketplace Virginia. As I stated on the Senate floor and in previous articles, I am in favor of expanding health care coverage in Virginia and closing our coverage gap. I have heard from many of my constituents on this issue and the majority of you agree we must close the coverage gap and keep our tax dollars in Virginia, helping Virginians gain access to insurance. To those who want to separate this out from the budget, I say that is short-sighted and not practical.