Column: Building Windmills, Transforming Communities
I was amazed and inspired when I read "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity & Hope," written by Malawi-born author William Kamkwamba with journalist Bryan Mealer.
Letter: Invaluable Assist for Seniors
With all the talk about the rapid growth of the aging population, here in Alexandria there is an answer that benefits our community by supporting seniors who want to stay in their homes.
Letter: Manager’s Budget Lacks Vision
Alexandria's city manager's proposed budget reveals a flawed focus and vision. Instead of proposing major budget cuts in public safety and scaling back the major capital improvement projects, our city manager has instead preferred to cut jobs and reward the speculative metrics of more expenditures on public safety and priority development projects.
Letter: Displacing The Poor
I recently had the opportunity to attend the Beauregard Small Area Plan working session held at the Landmark Mall. As many of your readers may be aware, this plan is quite contentious — particularly to the residents of the West End neighborhood who will be most impacted.
Letter: Congressional Satirist?
Let’s not lose our faith in Rep. Moran’s ability to surprise. As background, he gamely decided to co-sponsor the STOCK Act which prohibits congressmen from buying or selling securities based on “congressional nonpublic” information.
Letter: Honoring George Washington
I commend Mayor Euille for proclaiming February 2012 as a month-long celebration to mark George Washington’s 280th birthday and the Birthday Committee for planning and facilitating the events and activities throughout the month.
Letter: Say Thanks in the Budget
Scott Gordon wrote a very moving tribute to our Alexandria First Responders in his Feb. 16 letter entitled "Say Thanks." He's right; the spirit of his letter and his recommendation to just say thanks are both spot on.
Voters to Have Final Say on Eminent Domain Amendment
Opinions are divided as to what kind of influence the amendment could have if passed.
This fall, voters across Virginia will be confronted with a hotly debated amendment to the Virginia Constitution that seeks to limit the ability of local governments to use the power of eminent domain.
Column: Marking Time
As much as I don’t want to be ever-mindful of today’s date – relative to when I first learned of my diagnosis, that Thursday three years ago this very week, when my Internal Medicine doctor called me with the results of the biopsy (confirming the malignancy); and of course all that had preceded it and all that has happened since.
Employment and Classified Ads Feb. 22, 2012
Classifieds Feb. 22, 2012: Job Opportunities, Yard Sales, Home Repairs and Handyman Services
Trust Deficit In FCPS
Once again, I would like to thank you all for your dedication to the students, parents and teachers of Fairfax County Public Schools. It
Letter: Unfulfilled Master Plan
To the Editor: Susan Palmer ["Valued Local Park," The Gazette, Feb. 9-15, 2012] responded to my suggestion that the Lamond Park, now named after former Mount Vernon Park Commissioner Gil McCutcheon be sold and the proceeds be used to fund creation of the proposed Park at North Hill
Letter: Fight To Save Waterfront Continues
Three citizens who filed a Protest Petition on behalf of over 200 waterfront homeowners and commercial property owners along the Potomac River have won their first victory. The Council was forced to delay a second required vote to rezone the waterfront at their meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 14 until an appeals board reviews the matter later this spring.
Letter: Concerned With Vacancy
On Tuesday, Feb. 14, , Alexandria City Manager Rashad Young presented his fiscal 2013 budget recommendations to City Council. Until Council approves the final budget on May 7, the City's Budget and Fiscal Affairs Advisory Committee (BFAAC) will be examining the budget, hearing the concerns of citizens and making it's own recommendations to Council.
Letter: In Need of A Statesman
To the Editor: Even as we examine the most iniquitous chapters of American history, even among those days and times characterized by the most reckless of evils, we find that hope has always prevailed over despair.
Letter: Say Thanks
Police officers chase criminals, walk up to dangerous situations without hesitation, fight crime and protect our families. Our firefighters and EMS do the same, they walk into burning buildings, save lives, risk their own every day and more often than not, they do all of this without the hand shaking and hand clapping of the citizens they serve.
Community Supports ‘Road to Nationals’
Additional support critical as team works to raise final $6,000.
Thanks to an outpouring of support from the Fort Hunt Community, the West Potomac Varsity Dance Team has raised almost 75 percent of their fundraising goal to pay for the team’s trip to the National Dance Alliance (NDA) National Championship in Orlando, Fla. next month
Letter: Focus on People In Beauregard
Recent diagrams by City of Alexandria staff used to explain the proposed Beauregard Corridor relies on dots and circles. What is overlooked in the maps, are realistic proposals or guidelines connecting the dots — people to destinations within the plan area.
Supporting Wounded Warriors
Ulysses S. James, music director and conductor, Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic Association, took center stage at the Kennedy Center once again recently as he conducted A Concert for Project Blessing and a Tribute to Wounded Warriors, a sold-out fundraiser for the Wounded Warriors at the Terrace Theater of the Kennedy Center.
Letter: Losing Battle For Education?
Decisions. When it comes to public policy, the decisions are never as simple as everyone would like and many times, you never really understand why people make the decisions they make. The Superintendent’s salary was increased salary increased to $244,080 ($44,380 more than what the U.S. Secretary of Education makes and $69,080 more than what the Governor of Virginia makes), and what has Alexandria gotten for that money?