Opinion

Letter to the Editor: Patron Saint Of Animals

I was delighted to learn that the newly elected pope chose for himself the name of St. Francis of Assisi, generally known as patron saint of the animals.

Letter to the Editor: How Many Do-Overs Needed?

I don't know what City Council was thinking when they rubber stamped the waterfront plan.

Letter to the Editor: Ignorance Is Not Bliss

My thanks to Michael Lee Pope for pointing out to readers in the March 14 issue the troubling ironies as the City of Alexandria again tries to juggle the budget and priorities for the upcoming fiscal year.

Every Drop Counts: Why Everyone Should Be a Water Sleuth

Each year, upwards of one trillion gallons of water are wasted due to leaks in homes across the United States. That’s equal to the water in 1.5 million Olympic-size swimming pools.

Column: Panel for Seniors Addresses Improving One’s Memory

On March 13, Senior Services of Alexandria and host, Westminster Presbyterian Church, welcomed more than 100 Alexandria seniors to SSA’s March Speaker Series event: “Maintaining Memory and Coping with its Loss.”

Column: Stand by Our Heroes

With the tragic shooting of Officer Peter Laboy and the subsequent outpouring of support from officers, citizens and businesses in Alexandria and the surrounding communities, the daily observances of Officer Laboy's “miraculous” recovery cannot be ignored.

Column: Miracles for Officer Peter Laboy

“Officer down. Officer down.” Those words shrieked a few weeks ago over police radio. Terror echoed in the hearts and minds of all law enforcement, especially those in Alexandria’s public safety agencies.

Letter: Transportation Bill: Possibly Unconstitutional

The Connection on February 27, 2013 reported that former State Delegate Margaret Vanderhye said she was “outraged” that some Northern Virginia legislators had voted ‘no’ on the $6.1 billion comprehensive transportation funding plan (HB 2313) because of an alleged no-tax-increase pledge. However, bipartisan opposition to the bill by Northern Virginia legislators was prompted by fundamental flaws in the bill. Vanderhye’s earlier letter to The Connection on January 22, 2013 (“Getting Back to Business”), shows she too was against the bill before she was for it, for some of the very same reasons.

Editorial: Say Yes to Health Coverage

Governor, state panel must accept coverage for 400,000 Virginians without health insurance.

More than 140,000 residents of Fairfax County have no health insurance. That’s more than 13 percent of the slightly more than 1 million people who live in the wealthiest county in the nation. Arlington and Alexandria have similar percentages of uninsured.

Column: Just Wondering

Having never attended medical school (and not really having had the grades or commitment to do so), and having only completed 10th grade biology and freshman year astronomy, and rarely even driven by a medical school growing up, my understanding and/or instincts regarding how a medical professional plans and/or prepares for his day is as foreign to me as sugar-free chocolate (if I’m going down, I’m going down swinging; in truth however, considering the anti-cancer, alkaline diet I’m following, I do need to swing a little less frequently).

Letter to the Editor: Advocating for Cleaner Air

What can we do to clean our air? Arlington has unhealthy levels of soot and smog, and we’re already experiencing consequences of climate change. This harms not only our natural environment, but also human health. The good news is, our communities are working for solutions.

The Connection