Friday, January 29
Alexandria/Mount Vernon Weekend Fun: Jan. 29-Feb. 7
Entertainment
Events in Alexandria and Mount Vernon, Va.
Thursday, January 28
Snowstorm Q&A: Episcopal’s Blair-May Enjoyed Late-Night Walk
Snowstorm Q&A with Episcopal running back Eli Blair-May.
Snowstorm Q&A: TC’s James: Titans Won’t Be Affected by Storm
Snowstorm Q&A with T.C. Williams guard Tavaris James.
Alexandria: TC Gymnast Lager Wins All-Around
Junior is last remaining competitor from championship team.
T.C. Williams gymnast Caitlyn Lager won the all-around at a meet on Jan. 20 at West Potomac.
Alexandria Letter: Praising Treatment of Staff
As an Old Town resident, it is always enjoyable to walk around during and after a snowstorm. My wife and I had dinner on King Street and a few warm drinks at places that stayed open.
Alexandria Letter: Vote in Primary
Letter to the Editor
There is an important election coming soon, on Tuesday, March 1, the primary election for President of the United States.
Alexandria Letter: Helping Homeless Cats
Letter to the Editor
The feral cats, homeless cats, stray cats, wild cats, street cats, and alley cats among others are members of the same species of cats. Because these cats lack food, shelter, and water, it prompts them to hunt and scavenge t
Alexandria Letter: Why Develop Small Area Plans?
Letter to the Editor
The City of Alexandria invests thousands of dollars, in the form of employee man-hours and contractor fees, to develop the small area plans.
Alexandria Column: Maintaining Memory
Commentary–Senior Services of Alexandria
If you are a fellow baby-boomer, does an occasional lapse in memory sometimes make you wonder if it is something more serious than a momentary distraction? A
Alexandria Mentor of the Month
Reading Buddies: Yahia and Sharon
I have been working with Ms. Sharon for about three years and it is a lot of fun. My favorite moment was when we went to IHOP and shared stuff about ourselves.
Alexandria: The Accidental Mentor
Commentary-Community Lodgings
Mentoring a teenage girl was the last thing on Dana Gilbertson's mind in 2013 when she visited Community Lodgings, an Alexandria nonprofit that offers transitional and affordable housing and youth education to low-income, predominantly Latino families. Gilbertson had intended to start a birthday program for the Community Lodgings youth, something that she had seen in her native Wisconsin.
Alexandria: Tragedy and Charity For Deputy Sheriff
Hardships continue for deputy sheriff, while family and coworkers help.
People at the Alexandria Sheriff’s Department say good things about Sergeant Chris O’Dell, but one of the most telling stories about O’Dell is when he saved an inmate’s life in August 2014.
Alexandria: Achieving ‘Passable’ Roads
On Wednesday morning, Jan. 27, the city announced that all streets in Alexandria were passable for emergency vehicles, but warned that “passable” may mean only one lane is clear.
People at Work: Keeping the City Safe in Snowstorm
Team works 24/7.
It is Thursday before the big snowstorm predicted to hit the D.C. area with up to two feet of snow.
Alexandria Snapshot: New Deputies
The Alexandria Sheriff's Office welcomes three new deputies to it ranks. From left: Dwayne Rogers, Emily Morris and Morgan Garner were sworn in at the Alexandria Courthouse on Friday, Jan. 22, shortly before the courthouse closed early in advance of the blizzard. The three received their badges and Edward Semonian, Clerk of the Circuit Court, administered their oath of office. The recruits begin training this week.
FCPS Award Nominations Sought
The nomination deadline is Feb. 3.
Neighbors: Taylor Run
Forty-eight years ago was the first time a group of children from three families on Shuter’s Hill went caroling during the Christmas break. They needed something to do because so much Christmas activity happened before Christmas when youths were still in school.
Alexandria Brief: Join in 8th Annual Cherry Challenge
The 8th Annual Cherry Challenge will be held Jan. 28 through Feb. 11.
Alexandria Digs Out From Epic Snowstorm
"Obviously this was a historic event that pushed us to the brink."–Yon Lambert
After days of being at a standstill, Alexandria is slowly recovering after nearly two feet of snow paralyzed the city in the worst single storm to hit the area since the Knickerbocker Storm of 1922.
Alexandria Neighborhood Outlook: Developments Underway for Oakville, Eisenhower, Landmark
Incremental steps require time and negotiations.
With the approval of the Oakville Small Area Plan by the City Council in late 2015, that small corner of Alexandria is receiving a major facelift. The area referred to in council discussions as the “Gateway to Alexandria” will see expanded density and retail as the city braces for the opening of the nearby Potomac Yard Metro Station.
Appetite: 3 Tables to Reserve for Alexandria Restaurant Week
Do Alexandria’s many restaurant deals have you stymied? Here are three menus to consider.
As Alexandrians dig themselves out from their recent string of snow days, Restaurant Week arrives at the perfect time to provide a respite from the shoveling. Here are three eateries worthy of saving a spot for in the coming week.
Wednesday, January 27
Editorial: ‘Disappointing, Not Surprising’
Bills to rein in predatory lending die in Senate committee.
Have you ever paid 36 percent interest on a loan or credit card?
Positive 2015 Real Estate Market Spurs Upbeat Outlook for New Year
Experts predict continuing positive trend.
The final figures are in, and it looks like the 2015 local housing market was a modest winner.
Building for the Future
School Board approves five-year $777 million Capital Improvement Plan.
While the rest of Fairfax County hunkered down in preparation for Winter Storm Jonas’ Friday arrival, members of the School Board held their business meeting as scheduled on Jan. 21 and approved a five-year Capital Improvement Plan requiring $777 million.
McAuliffe Visits Fairfax County Post-Blizzard
Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) visited the Fairfax County Emergency Operations Center on Sunday, Jan. 24, following the worst of Winter Storm Jonas to be updated on the state of the county in the blizzard’s wake.
Fairfax County Suspends Trash Collection for Blizzard Week
Fairfax County announced on its Emergency Information website Saturday night, Jan. 23, during Winter Storm Jonas that trash and recycling collection services would be suspended for the week of Jan. 25-30.
Classified Advertising January 27, 2016
Read the latest ads here!
Friday, January 22
Lorton Brewer’s Wife Dies from Cancer
One week after a special ale was brewed to support her medical and other related costs, Kerri Rose of Alexandria died from cancer.
Thursday, January 21
Alexandria/Mount Vernon Weekend Fun: Jan. 22-31
Entertainment
Events in Mount Vernon and Alexandria, Va.
Alexandria Home Sales: December, 2015
In December, 2015, 214 Alexandria homes sold between $1,762,500-$110,000.
Alexandria Home Sales: December, 2015
Wednesday, January 20
Cabrera: Automobile Detective of Alexandria
The case of the blinking AVS light.
Blink. Blink. The hood of the 2007 Toyota Highlander is propped open. Cristoper Cabrera, certified technician at Jack Taylor's Alexandria Toyota Scion, is sitting in the driver's seat, a bulky black machine on his lap, scanning the codes for a blinking AVS light. "It will give me some ideas on where to look."
Alexandria: Family, Friend Mourn Loss of Gordon Pickett Peyton, Jr.
Attorney, Commissioner of Accounts dies after long illness.
Gordon Peyton had a secret, a skeleton lurking in the closet of the proud, lifelong Virginian: He was actually born in Washington, D.C.
Little Theatre of Alexandria Hosts Area Actors Showcase
LTA to host D.C.-area actors showcase.
The Little Theatre of Alexandria, whose productions have starred the likes of Dermot Mulroney and Academy Award winner Marcia Gay Harden, will play host to the Washington area’s first actors showcase Feb. 12-14, providing the opportunity for local talent to be seen by top casting directors and industry professionals from New York City.
Alexandria: Murders Spotlight Gang Presence
MS-13 gang members in custody over Beverley Park and Four Mile Run homicides.
After months of investigating, two of Alexandria’s 2015 homicide cases may have been solved. Police announced on Jan. 13 that suspects were in custody for the murders of Jose Luis Ferman Perez and Eduardo David Chandias Almendarez.
Alexandria: T.C. Williams Overcomes Double-Digit Deficit to Beat Woodson
Senior Robinson comes through at free-throw line.
The T.C. Williams boys' basketball team defeated Woodson 79-76 in overtime on Tuesday.
‘Muted’ Now On Display
New exhibit at Torpedo Factory emphasizes subtleties.
“Muted,” a new art exhibit showcasing the serene and subdued, hangs this month in the Art League Gallery. The works on display range from photography to painting to sculpture and were selected by Allison Nance. Nance, curator of the Hillyer Art Space in Washington D.C., chose 93 art pieces from 485 submissions. She explained her decisions during a reception at the Art League gallery on Thursday night, Jan. 14. “I thought a lot about subject matter and the way the pieces personally made me feel,” said Nance.
Alexandria Column: SSA Gala To Honor Members of the Community
Commentary–Senior Services of Alexandria
Senior Services of Alexandria (SSA) announced that this year’s annual Generation to Generation Gala will recognize two Alexandria families for their long-term commitment to giving back in the local community.
Alexandria Letter: Regulating Tour Buses
Letter to the Editor
The Alexandria city manager is about to release his appointments to the newly reconstituted Tour Bus Task Force.
Alexandria Letter: Keep Open Little Longer
Letter to the Editor
I lament the closing of small, boutique shops in Old Town like Why Not. But there is one element that wasn't mentioned that I believe contributes to the failure of these little places: their hours.
Alexandria Letter: Best Use Of $6 Million?
Letter to the Editor
Reflect back to November 2013, Mayor Euille had just won a 4th term in an uncontested mayoral election — a landslide victory and his agenda had been totally embraced by the populace.
Alexandria Letter: Preserve Local History
Letter to the Editor
This week began with the 44th Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a day set aside to remember the man, the mission and the history.
Tuesday, January 19
Victor Not Victim
Leading by example.
A tall, striking figure in red, Nyrisha Beckman stands in front of a room of recent Fairfax County high school graduates; not as a cautionary tale, but rather a true inspiration.
Commentary: Transportation Improvements Will Bolster Economy
Northern Virginia Business Transportation Coalition 2016 policy statement.
We, the undersigned Northern Virginia organizations representing the vast majority of businesses and employees of Northern Virginia’s private sector and nonprofit workforce, believe that a strong, efficient regional transportation network is essential to our region’s future economic competitiveness, security, and quality of life. W
Editorial: Pay Attention
General Assembly action matters more in Virginia.
The Virginia General Assembly began its 60-day 2016 session on Wednesday, Jan. 13.
Calls to Widen American Legion Bridge
Each weekday, nearly 300,000 vehicles cross the American Legion Bridge, and each day traffic backs up into McLean, Great Falls and beyond.
Monday, January 18
Swords, Sorcery and Laughs
Port City Playhouse presents “Medieval Story Land.”
Red Knight Productions and the Port City Playhouse in Alexandria are presenting "Medieval Story Land" now through Jan. 30.
Meet the Chef: Virtue Feed & Grain
Energy, camaraderie, chaos personify Duncan’s kitchen.
"Corner," Corporate Executive Chef Graham Duncan calls as he heads down the stairs and makes the sharp turn to the kitchen at Virtue Feed & Grain on Union Street. It is a bustling Friday lunchtime, and he squeezes by the line cook grilling Virtue and lamb burgers.
Thursday, January 14
Alexandria: TC Grad Schedler Sets Susquehanna 3-Point Record
T.C. Williams graduate Angie Schedler set a Susquehanna University record by making seven 3-pointers in a game.
Wednesday, January 13
Mount Vernon: A Farewell to Ruth Ann Harvey
Family, friends recall her life of faith.
Ruth Ann Harvey died on Jan. 8, at the Mount Vernon Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Fort Hunt. She was 92 years old.
Alexandria: Big Trouble in Little Businesses
Why Not closing, Old Town Coffee Tea and Spice hanging in the balance, and questions surround future of small business in Old Town.
Within the next few months, Old Town Alexandria will be losing one of its small business institutions and a second one remains at risk for closure.
Alexandria Letter: Honoring Robert E. Lee
Letter to the Editor
After the despicable murders in Charleston, S.C. by a mentally unbalanced youth, the City Council, as it should, wanted to express its condemnation of that heinous act. The appropriate action would have been a resolution to that effect.
Alexandria Letter: Cap Number Of Residents
Letter to the Editor
The Gazette Packet’s front page article [“Neighborhood Subdivided,” Dec. 24, 2015] about our City Council’s wrong-headed approval allowing a developer to cram an infill house betwixt two properties he owns in Clover-College Park was disheartening for many reasons.
Alexandria Letter: Tremendous Resource
Letter to the Editor
A community with good parks and adequate sports fields signals a city's strong values and commitment to the health and welfare of its citizens, both young and old. Never before has this been more important in Alexandria than now, as the School Board prepares to move forward the Parker-Gray Stadium project at T.C. Williams High School.
Alexandria Letter: Wishing New Board Success
Letter to the Editor
Congratulations to the returning and newly elected members of the Alexandria City Public School Board. Winning a local election takes a lot of time, effort, and money — yours as well as your supporters’ — and marshalling all those resources towards positive effect is hard work.
Alexandria Letter: Schools Face Growth Crisis
Letter to the Editor
I feel compelled to write to you to correct your headline "Minnie Howard Miniaturized Improvement Budget" in the Dec. 23 addition. This led your readers to believe the School Board cut the Minnie Howard project. This is not the case.
Alexandria Letter: Support Police in Budget
Letter to the Editor
Several Alexandria crime reports for essentially the entire month of December show that besides one recorded homicide, we had 105 assaults, 9 robberies, and 115 thefts/break-ins (includes 17 car thefts) during that very short time span.
Alexandria Letter: New Trail Needs Repair
Letter to the Editor
The new trail at Four Mile Run Park looks to be a nice addition for birders, fishermen, and a new hangout area for loiterers and their trash.
Alexandria Letter: TC Stadium Project Overdue
Letter to the Editor
This year T.C. Williams High School is celebrating its 50 year anniversary. In 1969, I was a member of the freshman football team at T.C. Williams. Our school colors were Red and Gold then, but we were still the original Titans. My parents would come and sit in the same bleachers that are on our field today. The tops may have gone through replacements, but the existing structure has never been upgraded or reconfigured.
Alexandria Letter: Improve Ethics Rules
Letter to the Editor
The Virginia state ethics requirements are extremely lax, almost non-existent in fact.
Alexandria Letter: In Praise of Sunlight
Letter to the Editor
Mayor Silberberg’s proposal to improve the way Alexandria addresses city government ethics has merit.
Alexandria Letter: Racism–The 8th Deadly Sin
Letter to the Editor
At one time or another, we all have come across references to the 7 deadly sins. Doing some research revealed they were referenced back to the 4th century.
Alexandria Remembers ‘Shadow’ Sebele
EHS plans memorial for standout player, coach.
Soccer fans on two continents are mourning the loss of Abel “Shadow” Sebele, a 2009 graduate of Episcopal High School who was killed Jan. 7 when he was struck by a vehicle while crossing a street in San Diego.
Alexandria Sportsman’s Club to Host Nats’ Scialabba
Director of Player Development to preview upcoming season.
Mark Scialabba, director of Player Development for Major League Baseball’s Washington Nationals, will be the featured speaker at the Alexandria Sportsman’s Club meeting Jan. 19 at the Old Dominion Boat Club.
Alexandria: Arch Campbell Delights Crowd at Beth El Synagogue
Speck’s finance lecture includes movie reviewer’s retrospective.
David Speck, managing director of Speck-Caudron Investment Group, can’t predict exactly what the stock market will do and Arch Campbell can’t predict which movie will win next year’s Oscar. However, as experts in their fields — finance and movie reviews, respectively, they can speak with confidence and authority about their subjects.
Alexandria Commentary: A Fan for Life
Column–Rebuilding Together Alexandria
Robert Morrison’s been waiting and hoping. It’s been a long time since he’s seen his beloved Redskins perform so well. Sadly, the playoff loss ended their season, but then he’s used to the team’s ups and downs. When he first moved into his Alexandria home with his wife, it was an up year, as the Redskins went to the Super Bowl led by Quarterback Bill Kilmer and Coach George Allen.
Alexandria Commentary: Participate in MLK Community Summit 2016
The Annual MLK Community Summit is an opportunity for people of Alexandria and surrounding communities to come together to honor the contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by performing community service projects.
Classified Advertising January 13, 2016
Read the latest ads here!
Tuesday, January 12
Alexandria: LTA Stages Docu-Drama, ‘Grey Gardens’
Story of Jackie Kennedy's relatives and the American Dream gone wrong.
The Little Theatre of Alexandria (LTA) is staging "Grey Gardens" from Jan. 16 to Feb. 6, 2016. Based on a true story and the 1975 cult documentary, it is an exploration of the American Dream gone wrong and what it means to become a social pariah.
Alexandria Appetite: 3 Healthy Eats to Start the Year Off Right
Trying to balance a new year’s resolution with reality?
It’s a new year, and your willpower to maintain your fitness goal is still going strong. With one eye on the scale and the other on your social calendar, it can be tough to find a middle ground. Here are three restaurants that make keeping your resolution a little easier.
Pet Photos for the Pet Connection
The Pet Connection, a twice-yearly special edition, will publish on Feb. 24, and photos and stories of your pets with you and your family should be submitted by Feb. 17.
Editorial: Budget Season Trainwreck?
County looks at “lines of business,” schools call for full funding.
Karen Garza didn’t move to Fairfax County from Texas to preside over the decline of Fairfax County Public Schools.
Design Trends for 2016
Local style gurus predict the elements that will be popular this year.
The start of the year offers an opportunity to ring in new trends, particularly when it comes to a home’s interior.
Color of the Year
Pantone honor bestowed on two colors for 2016
Two colors, Serenity (light blue) and Rose Quartz (pale pink), were recently named the Pantone Color of the Year selection for 2016.
Above a Cut
FCPS Superintendent Garza calls for no additional cuts in $2.67 billion FY 2017 budget
For Fiscal Year 2015, Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Karen Garza oversaw $96.5 million in cuts made from the school system’s annual operating budget. For FY 2016, it was $55.4 million, she said.
Residents List Priorities for General Assembly
Residents tell legislators of priorities ahead of the 60-day session of the General Assembly.
Barbara Quesada, parent of a Franklin Sherman Elementary School student, reminded the General Assembly delegation from Fairfax that Nova Firearms opened its new store right next to the McLean elementary school.
Monday, January 11
Alexandria/Mount Vernon Weekend Fun: Jan. 15-24
Entertainment
Events in Alexandria City and Mount Vernon, Va.
Friday, January 8
Alexandria Home Sales: November, 2015
In November, 2015, 156 Alexandria homes sold between $3,450,000-$91,500.
Alexandria Home Sales: November, 2015
Thursday, January 7
Remodeled Home Tour Set for Jan. 9, 2016
After multiple attempts, cramped split-level grows to generously-sized neoclassical design.
A circa 1960s split-level enhanced by a 300-square-foot addition, a reconfigured main level floor plan and a seamlessly remade front elevation will be featured in a “Remodeled Home Tour” sponsored by Sun Design Remodeling on Saturday, Jan. 9.
Alexandria/Mount Vernon Weekend Fun: Jan. 8-17
Entertainment
Events in Alexandria City and Mount Vernon, Va.
Wednesday, January 6
People: 2016 Nominees for Living Legends of Alexandria
Living Legends of Alexandria announced this year’s nominees on Dec. 10 at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center at Northern Virginia Community College, Alexandria. Music by the NOVA Community Chorus, Alexandria Band and Jazz Ensemble set the stage for a tribute to the 2016 Living Legends of Alexandria nominees. Dr. Jimmie McClellan, Dean of Liberal Arts and 2012 Living Legend of Alexandria, introduced the 2016 nominees.
Alexandria Snapshot: Archaeological Find
Francine Bromberg, city archaeologist, is on hand to answer local citizen’s questions on Jan. 5 about the latest archeological find.
Letter: School Project Lacks Vision
Letter to the Editor
The Patrick Henry School and Recreation Center Project time clock has begun in earnest.
Alexandria Letter: Expensive Visit
Letter to the Editor
As much as I enjoy patronizing downtown Alexandria, I will never again spend my money or plan any events in the city.
Alexandria Letter: Be Nice to One Another
Letter to the Editor
As we kick off another New Year, let us abandon some of the negative practices of the Old Year regarding the interactions of the mayor and City Council.
Column: A New, Shared Sense of Purpose
I thank you for this great honor of serving as your mayor. This is a time for a new, shared sense of purpose, to paraphrase Senator Robert F. Kennedy.
Middle School: Launching Pad to Success or Pipeline to Failure?
Commentary
Per recent studies, our middle schools nationwide are often overlooked, frequently allocated secondhand resources and habitually saddled by low expectations, yet it is the critical period in a child's education and development.
Alexandria Snapshot: ‘Installation Celebration’
Parkfairfax Brigade with Mayor-elect Allison Silberberg at her "Installation Celebration” at the George Washington Masonic Temple on Sunday, Jan. 3.
Alexandria People at Work: Helping in Bird Count
It was Saturday, Dec. 19 at Monticello Park on Beverly Street. Tom Albright has just joined the team recording the birds in part of Subsector 4 for the Christmas Bird Count. The Audubon Christmas Bird Count is held nationwide each year from Dec. 14-Jan. 5. It serves as an early census on the winter birds. Albright has been participating in this annual event at Monticello since 2004.
Alexandria Viewpoints: New Year’s Resolutions Aren’t for All
New Year’s Resolutions are a tradition most common in the Western Hemisphere in which a person makes a promise to himself for some kind of self improvement or act of kindness to others in the upcoming year.
Alexandria City Council Gears Up for New Year
City officials look at challenges and opportunities in 2016.
The Alexandria City Council brought in 2016 with a roar of bagpipes. The City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums played in the auditorium of T.C. Williams High School for the council’s Jan. 4 installation, but soon, it was right back down to business.
Alexandria Welcomes the New Year
First Night fireworks usher in 2016.
Revelers from throughout the region descended on the Alexandria waterfront to watch fireworks light up the sky over the Potomac River and usher in 2016 as part of the 21st annual First Night Alexandria celebration.
Tuesday, January 5
Commentary: A Workable Solution for I-66
There was a great deal of concern about “$17 tolls” inside the beltway on I-66 during the recent election. I shared those concerns as I did not want to set a precedent of tolling a road that we were not adding infrastructure to.
Editorial: New Year’s Goals
A few wishes for the Virginia General Assembly, more coming ...
Issues and elections in 2016.
Mason, Inova to Collaborate on Personalized Medicine Research
Partnership expected to develop treatments, grow economy.
Researchers and doctors from George Mason University and Inova Health System will collaborate on a series of personalized medicine research projects under a new partnership between the two institutions.