Politics

Neighbors Press Hybla Valley Walmart to Install Wheel Locks on Shopping Carts

Cleanup crews say carts clog Little Hunting Creek.

Betty Scutt pushes her shopping cart through a ragged parking lot of the Walmart on Richmond Highway in Hybla Valley.

Development Money At Issue As Arlington Prepares For Fiscal Year 2014

Residents say the county is too willing to accept density at their expense.

Hold your wallets. It’s that time of year again.

Beauregard Waiting Game: Half the Affordable Housing Units Are a Decade Away

Supporters of the plan praise set-aside units; opponents fear complacency and inaction.

For the thousands of people who live in low-slung garden apartments on the West End, the future is an ever-present worry.

Column: Good News on Medicaid and Redistricting

While I unfortunately usually alert you about troubling developments, I am happy to share some good news from the last week. Two promising developments— redistricting and the Medicaid expansion — give me optimism about the prospects for the remainder of the legislative session.

Hats Off to Democratic Women of Clifton

DWC celebrates eighth anniversary in style.

Fine millinery was on full display as the Democratic Women of Clifton gathered on Sunday, Feb. 10, to celebrate its eighth anniversary in style. The theme of this year’s party was “Hats Off to Democratic Women!” and members complied by donning an assortment of colorful chapeaus—from the classic fedora, brim snapped and businesslike, to the romantic cloche and the whimsical Victorian.

Column: Wrangling State Budget, Transportation

Crossover occurred last week — all remaining House bills went to the Senate, and all Senate bills went to the House. It was a busy week, with big topics discussed from SB 259 to budget and transportation.

Column: Expanding Health care Coverage

In Virginia almost one million men and women go without health insurance. That is one million people who cannot afford to get a check-up when they feel sick, who cannot fill prescriptions after injury or emergency treatment, and who are one serious illness away from bankruptcy.

Column: 500 Turn Out for Bryan Porter

Launching campaign for Commonwealth’s Attorney.

In one of the more memorable trials in Alexandria’s Circuit Court, the young lawyer was making his first major murder prosecution. In a blue business suit, power tie and sporting new cufflinks he cut the figure of a veteran trial lawyer.

Letter: Does VRE Need More State Oversight?

Two bills (SB 1210 and HB 2152) before the Virginia General Assembly would give the state two more votes on the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) Operations Board.

Column: Listen to the Other Side of the Argument

Last week I had the opportunity to spend two days in Richmond discussing legislation with our local delegation and other members of the General Assembly. Two of the leading topics being discussed were the transportation funding plans and State Senate redistricting.

Helping Parents Battle Social Media Giants

Parents demand access to son’s Facebook account after his suicide.

Ricky Rash, a self-proclaimed “country boy” and second generation Virginia dairy farmer, enjoyed his bucolic life in Nottoway County. He and his wife, Diane, a nurse, were content to raise their four children in the same house Rash grew up in. The world of social media—Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter—held little interest for the couple who considered faith and family the bedrock of their life. But after their 15-year-old son committed suicide on Jan. 20, 2011, social media became their focus.

Environmental Concerns Prompt Dissenting Vote

County Council approves spending for artificial turf at Wootton.

Councilmember Marc Elrich took an authentic stand against artificial turf. “I continue to be concerned with the health and environmental impacts,” he said. “I’ve talked with toxicologists and in the space of five minutes I get information that is reassuring and then I get information that is disconcerting. It’s hard to know where to come out.”

Wrecking Ball Budget Includes Four New Schools in the Coming Decade

Three elementary schools to be demolished; one new school at a site to be determined.

Over the course of the next decade, Alexandria school superintendent Morton Sherman wants to spend $357 million in an ambitious plan of demolition and construction - replacing existing facilities with new buildings and adding a new school.

Expanding the First Aid Battlefield Toward Mental Health

Legislators to consider $2 million for Mental Health First Aid.

The idea of first aid dates back to Order of St. John, a medieval society of knights that offered training in how to treat common battlefield injuries.

Huntington Residents Remain Unprotected in the Face of Flooding

$30 million floodwall is at least two years away.

Fairfax County voters may have approved a $30 million floodwall for Huntington, but neighbors in this working-class neighborhood don’t seem particularly satisfied.

The Connection