Alexandria’s Mayor Alyia Gaskins is kicking off two new programs: the Mayoral Youth Forum and the Mayoral Interfaith Council.
The first Mayoral Youth Forum is happening on Saturday, March 29. It’s open to Alexandria teens between 14 and 18 years old, giving them a chance to share their ideas and advice with the mayor on important issues.
Northern Virginia legislators are decrying Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s recent veto of a bill to keep firearms from the homes of domestic abusers.
Youngkin vetoed 157 bills on Monday (March 24), including Sen. Barbara Favola’s (D-40) Senate Bill 744 and Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker’s House Bill 1960 — identical pieces of legislation that amend existing Virginia law by removing firearms from the hands of convicted domestic abusers.
Many people who look into estate planning ask, “What is the difference between wills and trusts?” While both wills and trusts deal with estate planning, they serve different purposes. In this post, the legal team of PJI Law, PLC, estate planning lawyers from Fairfax, VA, outline the key principles of wills, trusts, and their role in asset protection.
Here are the basic features of wills and trusts:
While we recommend that everyone have at least a will (whether or not you also have a trust), trusts aren’t strictly necessary for all individuals. Trusts are particularly helpful for individuals who have assets that are potentially going through probate, own property across several states, or have minor children.
A will, also known as a last will and testament, is a legal document specifying how the will maker wishes to handle asset distribution and other affairs after their death. A will typically includes all of the principal’s assets, such as real estate, vehicles, and other property, and usually a list of debts. A will may also provide directions for a funeral or memorial service.
Usually, every will must go through a probate court before execution. In some states, it may be possible to avoid probate under specific conditions. Certain assets, such as insurance policies and retirement accounts, may, if planned properly, pass directly to named beneficiaries without probate. (more…)
With enforcement at a trickle, the Alexandria Police Department has started seizing skill games machines.
That hasn’t stopped local businesses from carrying the illegal gambling devices. On a recent Saturday, two convenience stores and a restaurant in the city’s Arlandria neighborhood were packed with groups of mostly men playing the games.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) will host a live-fly air defense exercise in the National Capital Region today (March 25). The exercise, called FALCON VIRGO, will run from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, it will be moved to tomorrow (March 26) at the same time.
The National Capital Region is defined as the District of Columbia; Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties of Maryland; Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William Counties of Virginia; and all cities existing in Maryland or Virginia within the geographic area bounded by the outer boundaries of the combined area of said counties.
Come celebrate the 250th anniversary of America’s War for Independence with renowned music historians David & Ginger Hildebrand for performances of special period music. The Hildebrands will don period attire to discuss and perform music associated with Alexandria’s sister cities: Caen, France; Dundee, Scotland; Helsingborg, Sweden; and Gyumri, Armenia. Scottish music was especially influential in the American colonies, and once the French joined the Revolutionary cause there were musical celebrations for Generals LaFayette, Rochambeau and other French leaders. This concert event is part of the “Alexandria commemorates America’s 250” campaign. David & Ginger specialize in researching, recording, and performing early American music. Since 1980 they have presented concerts and educational programs throughout the country and abroad at museums, historic sites, schools and universities. Mount Vernon, The National Gallery of Art, The National Archives, and Colonial Williamsburg are among their many past sponsors.
Tickets are $20.
Alexandria is hosting an expungement clinic on Saturday, April 26, as part of Second Chance Month. The clinic will give residents a chance to clear their criminal records.
The event, which runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Charles Houston Recreation Center (901 Wythe Street), is designed to help people expunge court and police records that originated in Alexandria.
Good Tuesday morning, Alexandria!
🌧️ Today’s weather: Increasing clouds, with a high near 63 degrees. West wind 5 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Tonight, we’ll see isolated showers before 11 p.m. It will be cloudy, then gradually become partly cloudy, with a low around 40 degrees. West wind is around 6 mph and becoming light and variable. The chance of precipitation is 20%.
Think the decades-old food stamps program deserves to be in the callous, capricious cross hairs of Elon Musk, President Donald Trump and the latter’s spineless sycophants in Congress? Then you don’t know someone like Ndaneh Luseni.
The 34-year-old Alexandria woman, a single mother with three children, depends on the nourishment that food stamps provide. Luseni receives only $83 a month in benefits from what’s formally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Yet, that money allows her to help make ends meet on a regular basis. SNAP pays for essentials like eggs, milk, bread and juice in her household.
Alexandria’s Complete Streets program continues to spark debate among residents, with some praising its safety benefits while others criticize its impact on traffic flow. The issue took center stage at the Lyceum during an Agenda: Alexandria forum on Monday, March 24, where panelists representing various perspectives discussed the merits and challenges of the city’s approach to street design.
Complete Streets is a national movement adopted by over 1,500 communities across the United States, including Alexandria. The concept aims to design roadways that safely accommodate all users – pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, and transit riders.
A number of drivers were doing donuts in the middle of Arlandria on Saturday night (March 22) and eluded the Alexandria Police Department.
According to radio dispatches, APD officers reported multiple vehicles performing donuts and a large group of people blocking police from the scene.
