Michael Lee Pope is an award-winning journalist who lives in Old Town Alexandria. He has reported for Connection Newspapers, WAMU 88.5 News, the New York Daily News and the Tallahassee Democrat. A native of Moultrie, Ga., he grew up in Durham, N.C., and graduated high school in Tampa, Fla. He has a master's degree in American Studies from Florida State University, and he is a former adjunct professor at Tallahassee Community College. Pope is the author of "Hidden History of Alexandria, D.C." (2011) and "Ghosts of Alexandria" (2010), both published by History Press in Charleston, S.C.
Recent Stories
Tea Party Ticket
Republican convention selects conservative slate of candidates for November.
Perhaps the biggest sign that the Tea Party has taken control of the Republican Party of Virginia was the yellow Gadsden flag emblem that appeared on placards distributed by supporters of Jeannemarie Devolites Davis, who was one of seven candidates vying to be the nominee for lieutenant governor last weekend at a raucous convention in Richmond. Davis, who represented Fairfax County for a decade in the General Assembly, has a reputation as being a moderate.
Business Matters
Former Alexandria Mayor Kerry Donley is looking for a new gig. Ever since United Bankshares announced that it had entered into an agreement to acquire all the outstanding stock of Virginia Bancorp back in January, the writing has been on the wall.
Uncertainty Haunts Jefferson-Houston Groundbreaking
Questions linger as officials prepare ceremonial shovels.
City leaders and school officials are about to break out the ceremonial shovels and turn the earth at Jefferson-Houston School, the long-troubled facility near the King Street Metro station.
Council Notebook
It's official. The Alexandria City Council is against expanding operations at a hazardous materials facility on the West End of the city near the Van Dorn Metro station and just a few hundred feet from Tucker Elementary School.
Mount Vernon Estate Wins $100,000
George Washington's home snags second place in Partners in Preservation contest.
After all the votes were counted, George Washington did not win — at least not this time.
Office Vacancy Hits Historic High in Alexandria
City officials blame Base Closure and Realignment Commission.
The crush of rush hour traffic at Mark Center is not the only headache caused by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission.
Will Arlington Food Trucks Be Able to Park Longer Than Two Hours or After 8 p.m.?
County officials to consider creation of vending zones that would allow more flexibility.
It's shortly after 1 p.m. on a beautiful spring day in Rosslyn.
School Board to Reconsider Middle School Reorganization
Members ask superintendent to evaluate four years of middle school data.
When students arrived at Hammond Middle School for the first day of classes in the fall of 2009, they were stepping into three different schools: Hammond 1, Hammond 2 and Hammond 3.
Alexandria City Council Approves Historic Tax Increase
After ousting two Republicans, all Democratic council hikes tax rate four cents.
Members of the Alexandria City Council unanimously supported a historic four-cent hike in the tax rate this week, raising the average residential property tax bill $314 to $4,888.
Business Matters
A quiet stretch of Eisenhower Avenue is about to get a new lease on life — nightlife, to be exact.