Archive for 'Community'

Alexandria’s cabbies pan proposed credit card mandate

Alexandria’s cabbies pan proposed credit card mandate

By Derrick Perkins A measure that would require Alexandria-based taxicabs to accept major credit cards drew the ire of drivers during Saturday’s city council meeting. As written, the proposal lets cab companies pick the credit cards [...]

ACPS mulls ditching enrollment lottery for focus programs

ACPS mulls ditching enrollment lottery for focus programs

By Melissa Quinn  Alexandria City Public Schools staff contemplated ending the lottery system for focus programs during a board meeting April 11, but members expressed reservations about the change. Families can apply for focus programs through [...]

West End residents rise up in protest of ‘toxic’ project

West End residents rise up in protest of ‘toxic’ project

By Melissa Quinn As the Virginia Department of Transportation continues work on a new ramp to Interstate 395, West End residents have risen up in protest, worried the lanes pose significant risks to public health. Concerned [...]

Marathon tragedy hits close to home for Alexandria businessman

Marathon tragedy hits close to home for Alexandria businessman

By Melissa Quinn Chris Farley was standing in the security line at Boston’s Logan Airport when he learned the news. He’d signed into his Twitter account and faced a steady stream of 140-character accounts of the [...]

Winning lottery ticket sold in Del Ray

Winning lottery ticket sold in Del Ray

After a family friend won $500,000 playing Virginia Lottery’s Millionaire Mania scratcher game earlier this month, Tina Moultre gave it a shot. The city resident stopped by Alexandria Shell, along the 1600 block of Mount Vernon [...]

Alexandria City Council approves Beauregard zoning changes

Alexandria City Council approves Beauregard zoning changes

By Derrick Perkins Despite calls from residents and Vice Mayor Allison Silberberg for more dedicated affordable housing units, the city council voted 6-1 to approve rezoning of the Beauregard corridor. The vote came after hours of [...]

Local woman up for CNN iReport award

Local woman up for CNN iReport award

By Melissa Quinn When Elizabeth Lauten first saw actress Stacey Dash’s tweet supporting Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney last year, she knew it would be news. The city resident was just playing around on Twitter in [...]

Lawmakers hope to prevent Richmond from intervening at Jefferson-Houston

Lawmakers hope to prevent Richmond from intervening at Jefferson-Houston

By Melissa Quinn Legislators rejected Gov. Bob McDonnell’s tweaks to a bill creating the Opportunity Educational Institution, which could lead to a state takeover of Jefferson-Houston, during the General Assembly’s veto session earlier this month. McDonnell’s [...]

Former city employee wins whistleblower case

Former city employee wins whistleblower case

By Melissa Quinn A circuit judge has agreed a city employee lost his job for raising concerns about potential fraud during the police headquarters complex’s construction, the first case tried under the state’s new whistleblower law. [...]

Laboy case headed to grand jury

Laboy case headed to grand jury

By Melissa Quinn The case against Kashif Bashir — the man authorities believe shot police officer Peter Laboy — was sent to a grand jury Wednesday. Alexandria General District Court Judge Becky Moore heard testimony from [...]