Opinion

Poll: Do you agree with reallocation of school resource officer funding?

By Vernon Miles

Earlier this week, the Alexandria City Council overrode the objections of the School Board and voted to reallocate funding away from the school resource officer (SRO) program — eliminating the program.

SROs are police officers stationed inside T.C. Williams High School, Francis Hammond Middle School and George Washington Middle School and specialize in handling kids with emotional and education issues, search and seizure on school grounds, and school shooting situations. The program started in 1997.

Go to Poll: Do you agree with reallocation of school resource officer funding? Read more

Most expensive homes sold in June

By ALXnow.com
1502 Ruffner Road (via Google Maps)

Throughout June, we highlighted a number of recently sold properties in Alexandria. Now, we’re taking a look back at some of the most expensive homes sold throughout the month.

But first: As of June 27, 466 homes are listed for sale in Alexandria, according to Homesnap. That includes 299 condos, 59 detached homes and 108 townhomes. The median list price is $485,000 and the median sales price is $682,500. In the past four weeks, there have been 256 homes sales.

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Poll: Are you planning to travel for 4th of July weekend?

By Vernon Miles
Traffic moves along Duke Street near N. Jordan St. (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

This coming weekend is the Fourth of July, and unlike last summer when — well, you know — travel is on the table for many Alexandrians.

Nationally, 47 million Americans are expected to travel this weekend, many of them by car, according to Travel and Leisure. It’s an estimate in line with pre-pandemic figures.

Go to Poll: Are you planning to travel for 4th of July weekend? Read more

Poll: Would transit improvements in Alexandria make you more likely to take the bus?

By Vernon Miles
A DASH bus in Old Town Alexandria (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A new Duke Street overhaul that aims to make the street more transit-friendly is starting its community outreach phrase.

The Duke Street in Motion plan aims to create a corridor of more reliable and frequent bus service along Duke Street between the King Street Metro station and Landmark Mall — where developers is in the early phases of redeveloping the site into a mixed-use corridor and hospital.

Go to Poll: Would transit improvements in Alexandria make you more likely to take the bus? Read more

Poll: Where should Alexandria prioritize its American Rescue Plan Act funds?

By Vernon Miles
Alexandria City Hall (staff photo by James Cullum)

This Saturday, the Alexandria City Council will vote on where it should allocate the first installment of its $59.6 million federal funding package.

Nine items round out the list of “Tier 1” priorities and nine additional items are listed as “Tier 2” priorities. All of these are considered projects and programs that will have the most immediate impact, are considered highly important, and are “shovel-ready.”

Go to Poll: Where should Alexandria prioritize its American Rescue Plan Act funds? Read more

Poll: Did you vote in Alexandria’s Democratic primary?

By Vernon Miles
Elizabeth Bennett-Parker casts her vote on primary day, June 8, 2021, at Matthew Maury Elementary School. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

Months of campaigning came to a head last night as Mayor Justin Wilson and three City Council incumbents held onto their seats despite opposition and the three new members of the City Council were among those most closely aligned with the incumbents.

The city also had relatively high levels of voter turnout for a non-Presidential election year, with 23% of registered voters showing up to the polls.

Go to Poll: Did you vote in Alexandria’s Democratic primary? Read more

Poll: Do you call it the ‘Parker-Gray’ or ‘Braddock’ neighborhood?

By Vernon Miles
A trail near the Braddock Road Metro Station in Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

Within the rather obscure confines of the Board and Architectural Review staff report this week resurfaced a long-simmering discussion: what is the cultural identity of the Parker-Gray neighborhood in 2021.

For years a historically Black neighborhood, Parker-Gray draws its name from the the Parker-Gray School that educated the city’s Black children when the the city’s school system was still divided by segregation.

Go to Poll: Do you call it the ‘Parker-Gray’ or ‘Braddock’ neighborhood? Read more
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