Archive for 'Politics'

Local federal employees prepare for furloughs

Local federal employees prepare for furloughs

By Melissa Quinn After kicking the sequestration can farther down the road, Washington officials let the March 1 deadline for enacting $1.2 trillion in budget cuts over a 10-year span — including $85 billion this year [...]

The face of Alexandria’s waterfront opposition

The face of Alexandria’s waterfront opposition

By Melissa Quinn For Bert Ely, it all started at a home along Prince Street. The house sat on the left side of the 900 block, and it had a big bay window in the front. [...]

Layoffs loom over commonwealth’s defense contractors

Layoffs loom over commonwealth’s defense contractors

By Kenric Ward | Watchdog.org Virginia Bureau FREDERICKSBURG – Virginia’s military-industrial complex keeps chugging along … for now, at least. Few defense contractors are among the companies announcing layoffs and plant closures in the Old Dominion. [...]

Alexandria officials take wait-and-see approach to Richmond’s education institution

Alexandria officials take wait-and-see approach to Richmond’s education institution

By Melissa Quinn Local lawmakers and education officials are taking a collective breath after Richmond embraced a measure that allows the state to take over struggling schools. The General Assembly last month approved legislation to create [...]

Are Alexandria’s massage laws out of touch?

Are Alexandria’s massage laws out of touch?

By Melissa Quinn For city residents, the comfort and convenience of an in-home massage remains far out of reach. Massage therapists looking to take their business mobile face multiple barriers — including coordinating with the police [...]

Planning commission approves waterfront plan – again

Planning commission approves waterfront plan – again

By Derrick Perkins After hours of renewed debate about the much-maligned waterfront redevelopment plan, longtime planning commissioner Stewart Dunn stepped down from the podium, grabbed a microphone and circled a model of the city’s future Potomac [...]

City Hall eyes hiking real estate taxes

City Hall eyes hiking real estate taxes

By Melissa Quinn Property owners may want to start thinking about tightening their belts with city officials weighing hiking real estate tax rates by 5.5 cents. City Manager Rashad Young unveiled the proposed $626.6 million fiscal [...]

Parents debate possible state takeover of Jefferson-Houston

Parents debate possible state takeover of Jefferson-Houston

By Melissa Quinn Parents and administrators at Jefferson-Houston are campaigning against an education bill that allows state officials to take over failing public schools — including the Cameron Street school. The bill, approved by the General [...]

Mayor: City council will vote on waterfront plan again, pass it with supermajority

Mayor: City council will vote on waterfront plan again, pass it with supermajority

Editor’s note, this article was updated at 2:58 p.m. Friday By Derrick Perkins Alexandria City Council will take up the waterfront redevelopment plan again — and approve it with a supermajority vote sought by the blueprint’s [...]

Alexandria’s Richmond delegation seeks change in wake of Sandy Hook

Alexandria’s Richmond delegation seeks change in wake of Sandy Hook

By Melissa Quinn As the nation continues to debate gun control in the wake of the Newtown mass shooting, Alexandria’s state lawmakers have joined in the fray, drafting legislation aimed at tightening firearm laws. State Sen. [...]