Alexandria Politics

Alexandria Politics

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Northern Virginia Lawmakers Push for Menstrual Equity

General Assembly to consider bills providing feminine hygiene products in schools and prisons.

For one Alexandria woman who was booked into the Fairfax County jail a few years ago, the stress of the criminal justice system wasn't just about prosecution and detention. It was also about shame. Deputies confiscated her underwear because it wasn't white, the only color inmates are allowed to wear at the Fairfax jail. So she started worrying about what would happen when she started menstruating.

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From Medicaid to Broadband, Northern Virginia Lawmakers Prepare for Raucous Session

Democrats plan to use new numbers to accomplish wide-ranging agenda.

This year’s General Assembly will be like no other. For starters, members walking the halls of the Capitol will look different. The crop of freshman includes the first transgender woman to serve in the Virginia General Assembly, the first lesbian, the first Asian-American women and the first two Latinas. Gone are the 12 Republican members who were unseated, all white males. Also gone are the three members who got out before the bloodbath that flipped their seats from red to blue, also all white males. In their place is a diverse and young group of new members who are eager to make their mark on the commonwealth.

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Democrats Line Up in Alexandria

Three newcomers seek nominations for council.

Alexandria Public Comment Kerfuffle Revisited

Procedural change reopens old City Council wound

Procedural change reignites old City Council public hearing discussion.

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Following the Money from High-Interest Lenders to Virginia Lawmakers

Campaign cash helps undermine efforts to create consumer protections.

Recent years have seen increased scrutiny of high-interest lenders, businesses that offer a variety of loans at interest rates that often exceed 300 percent. Now campaign finance disclosures show the industry is spreading its influence across the political spectrum with about $800,000 in political contributions this election cycle according to data from the Virginia Public Access Project.

On the Ballot

A look at statewide candidates and where they get their money.

Voters across Virginia will be headed to the polls Tuesday Nov. 7. Here’s a look at what’s on the ballot.

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Shifting Political Battlefield for Virginia General Assembly

Solid blue urban areas separated by political beltway from solid red exurbs.

Northern Virginia has more competitive seats than any other part of the commonwealth, a ring of districts that forms a beltway of sorts separating the inner solid blue in Arlington and Alexandria from the solid red in rural and exurban seats in Loudoun and Prince William. That puts Fairfax County squarely in the driver’s seat this November, when Democrats hope to pick up seats in an election that has balanced local issues like schools and roads with the ongoing reaction to President Donald Trump.

New High School for Alexandria?

Discussion of overcrowding leads to new high school

Alexandria's School Board is beginning to look at the prospect of a second high school.

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Rorschach Politics

Candidates for governor present inkblots on everything from the economy to Confederate statues.

The campaign for governor is a bit like a Rorschach test as the candidates close in on the final stretch toward Election Day. Democrat Ralph Northam and Republican Ed Gillespie are presenting a series of inkblots to voters about everything from the health of the economy to the value of Confederate statues.

Adjusting Shortfall in Alexandria

School Board struggles to close operating and capital budget gaps.

Before Superintendent Dr. Alvin Crawley leaves in the summer, there’s still one major hurdle at Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS): the budget.

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Era of the Iron Fist: How Did Democrats Rule the House of Delegates?

Democrats complain about Republican heavy-handedness, but were they any better?

Democrats complain that Republicans are sidelining their bills without much consideration. But were Democrats any better when they had control of the House of Delegates?

False Prophets

Dr. Larry Sabato assesses where polling and analytics went wrong in 2016 election.

Dr. Larry Sabato and the election.

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New Lines, Old Problems

School Board approves redistricting plan 9a.

For the first time since 1999, the Alexandria Elementary School boundaries are shifting.

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Belmont to lead DRBA

Dennis Belmont, a resident and small business owner in the Del Ray community, was elected president of the Del Ray Business Association at the organization’s Jan. 16 meeting.

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Kaine Among Boys and Girls Club Gala Honorees

Benefit to be held February 10

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine will be among those honored Feb. 10 at this year’s Dunbar Alexandria-Olympic Boys and Girls Club annual fundraiser.

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