Archive for 'Opinion'

Bucolic nature of Founders 
Park under threat by new policy

Bucolic nature of Founders 
Park under threat by new policy

To the editor: High-rise development on Founders Park was staved off in 1979 as the result of concerted efforts by nearby residents and Ellen Pickering, among others. Since then, Founders Park Community Association members have been [...]

Del Ray’s one-time love of cookie-cutter homes

Del Ray’s one-time love of cookie-cutter homes

The intense development of Del Ray as a streetcar suburb in the early years of the 20th century was aided by the mass production of building materials that could be produced elsewhere and shipped to almost [...]

Scouts need to blaze a trail to equality

Scouts need to blaze a trail to equality

To the editor: This month, the Boy Scouts of America will consider ending its policy discriminating against gay scouts. As an Eagle Scout and now a scouting parent and volunteer, I would very much like to [...]

When city residents get together, good things happen

When city residents get together, good things happen

To the editor: Perhaps you’re one of the 5,872 donors who contributed to Spring2ACTion, Alexandria’s giving day, on April 17. If so, you helped make dreams possible for thousands of children, families in need and low-income, [...]

What is a literacy coach? Our educational system has no idea

What is a literacy coach? Our educational system has no idea

To the editor: To combat illiteracy, American public schools employ literacy coaches. But it is nearly impossible to find a job description that is consistent across schools and districts, if at all. Why do I care? [...]

Changing Redskins to Redtails is no improvement for NFL team

Changing Redskins to Redtails is no improvement for NFL team

To the editor: Starting this year, the Washington Redskins mascot’s moniker has been under relentless siege. Slings and arrows have been aimed at it by D.C.’s mayor — while dangling a possible stadium deal — and [...]

Editorial: Council spending spree hurts city residents

Editorial: Council spending spree hurts city residents

Get ready, Alexandrians, because your tax bills are about to go up — a lot. Proving that last year’s tax and spending restraint was just election-year politics, this year’s newly elected, all-Democratic city council passed a [...]

Hobie and Monk: What to do when the kids aren’t all right

Hobie and Monk: What to do when the kids aren’t all right

Dear Hobie & Monk, I looked back through your columns, and I’m surprised that no one has written in about this topic considering the wealth of restaurants and children in Alexandria. When my son was young [...]

Bidding adieu to Vaucluse

Bidding adieu to Vaucluse

The West End site of Alexandria Inova Hospital, just off Seminary Road at North Howard Street, was once the location of one of the area’s most gracious plantations — Vaucluse, named for the French derivative of [...]

Adding more roads just 
feeds the congestion beast

Adding more roads just 
feeds the congestion beast

By Jonathan Krall Everybody wants to fix traffic congestion. “Our roads are congested! We should do something about it,” say otherwise-sensible adults all the time. And otherwise-sensible community leaders reply by saying they are working on [...]