Politics

Personality Conflict on the Richmond Highway Corridor

Do residents want to be suburban, exurban or urban?

This summer, residents in Mount Vernon will welcome a new Costco to the Richmond Highway corridor — a big-box retailer with a huge parking lot that will exemplify the kind of suburban and exurban development that has dominated far-flung reaches of the metropolitan region.

Absentee Voting Starts Now for Democratic Primaries

Primaries held for lieutenant governor and attorney general.

The State Board of Elections reported Monday, May 6, that absentee voting began for the June 11, 2013 primary and all localities met the required 45-day deadline for mailing absentee ballots to voters.

Governor McDonnell Endorses Springfield Site for FBI Headquarters

In letter to FBI director, McDonnell says Fairfax County site will advance “national security mission.”

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has publicly endorsed the Springfield warehouse site for the new FBI building headquarters. In an April 30 letter to FBI Director Robert Mueller and Dan Tangherlini, the acting administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration, McDonnell said the federally owned warehouse is the best choice for a number of reasons.

McLean Forum Highlights Sex Trafficking

Area officials host human trafficking forum.

Del. Barbara Comstock (R-34) and Del. Tim Hugo (R-40) joined Rep. Frank Wolf (R-10) and others at the McLean Community Center Friday, May 3, to discuss the facts of human trafficking. The U.S. State Department estimated that human trafficking is the third largest source of profits for international organized crime, behind firearms and narcotics.

Should Some Businesses Be Taxed at a Higher Rates Than Others?

Lee District Supervisor clashes with his own advisory group over BPOL taxes.

Why should consultants be taxed at a higher rate than contractors? Is it fair to hit up businesses that do research and development for twice as much as retail merchants?

Federal Officials Audit T.C. Williams to Follow $6 Million in Federal Funds

Three-year program dubbed school 'persistently lowest achieving.'

For two days this week, a team of federal officials from the U.S. Department of Education were in Alexandria to follow the money.

Horse Trading at City Hall as Council Members Approach Budget Deadline

Warwick Pool to remain open for the short term; holiday lights to stay dim during the summer.

The Warwick Pool is likely to stay open for another year, although what happens beyond that is a mystery. But the holiday lights along King Street will likely go dark during the summer months, despite one councilwoman's longtime quest to persuade her colleagues otherwise.

Fairfax County Union Officials Say Board’s Budget Fails Staff, Residents

Supervisors maintain cuts necessary to eliminate projected $169 million shortfall.

On the day the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors adopted the FY2014 budget, the leaders of Fairfax County’s four public employee unions issued a joint statement saying the budget “failed” staff and county residents.

Community Center Expansion Discussed

Open forum on April 23 solicited viewpoints and needs from community.

If you had an unlimited budget—or a magic wand—what would you turn the Vienna Community Center into? Most of the more-than 35 attendees at the Department of Parks and Recreation April 23 forum on the proposed expansion of the community center shared a consensus of what they hoped to see an expanded community center look like (from a large indoor swimming pool with retractable walls to a well-equipped fitness center and regulation-sized gym).

Council Notebook

Once upon a midnight dreary, while Alexandria Poet Laureate Amy Young pondered weak and weary.

Alexandria Set to Exceed Debt Ceiling, Raising Concerns About Bond Rating

City leaders say borrowing is necessary to finance future of Alexandria.

Alexandria is about to hit the roof, literally.

Newly Elected School Board Members Clash Over Raises for Teachers

Now budget heads to City Hall, where council members will determine appropriation.

School Board members traditionally try to present a unified front to City Hall, where members of the Alexandria City Council have the final say over how much money is transferred to the Beauregard Street headquarters of Alexandria City Public Schools.

Fairfax County Budget Reflects ‘Increasing Needs, Decreasing Revenues’

"We as a board spend a lot of time talking about helping people in need, I can only say that when it came time to tax them, they were sadly forgotten." —Supervisor Pat Herrity (R-Springfield)

Comstock, Wolf to Host Human Trafficking Forum in McLean

Delegate Barbara Comstock (R-34) will host a town hall meeting on Friday, May 3, with U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-10), Del. Tim Hugo (R-40), the Richmond Justice Initiative and a panel of local experts, federal and state officials to educate the community about human sex trafficking in Virginia and both how the commonwealth is cracking down on this growing crime and how residents can further increase awareness of the threat posed in the area.

West End Rezoned

Council approves plan to demolish thousands of garden apartments.

Like many of the residents who live along Beauregard Street, Salam Jawad is unsure about the future. Since he came to America last year, he's been trying to find his way in a new culture and a new environment.

The Connection