Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.
Alexandria residents living in the West End and Arlandria have shorter life expectancies, more health problems, and are more depressed than their neighbors living in more affluent areas.
That’s according to the city’s 2025 State of Health report, which found residents in those areas are disproportionately living below the poverty level and are more likely to be depressed, suffer from chronic conditions, have bad teeth, and more.
