It was another busy week in Alexandria. Here are some of the highlights.

This week, ALXnow profiled Mayor Justin Wilson and his opponent, former Mayor Allison Silberberg. The pair are facing off in the June 8 Democratic primary, and have vastly different ideas on city governance.

Alexandria Police released its 2020 crime data this week, revealing a 19% increase in Part 1 crime and 15% reduction in Nuisance crimes. ALXnow also reported a number of noteworthy crime stories, including the release of a video showing a chase suspect who died after his arrest in D.C. on April 12, and the indictment of a West End murder suspect.

This week also brought the unbelievable story of locals chasing down suspected shoplifters in Del Ray.

On the vaccine front, the Alexandria Health Department paused Johnson & Johnson vaccinations, following new concerns about potential side effects.

In school news, Alexandria City Public Schools will shift to three feet distancing in classrooms on April 26. Additionally, the School Board has started a conversation on reducing the number of members from nine to six.

Important stories

• ‘Dogs Of Del Ray’ mural to be finished next month
• Bullet strikes 7-Eleven door near Braddock Road Metro station
• JUST IN: Gubernatorial candidate Sen. Jennifer McClellan highlights race, women issues in Old Town
• T.C. Senior Sara Abbas surprised with $40,000 Titans In Tech Scholarship
• Spring2ACTion fundraiser sets $2.5 million goal for Alexandria nonprofits
• ACPS will go to 3 feet distancing in classrooms on April 26

Top stories

1. BREAKING: ‘Alexandria City High School’ chosen as replacement name for T.C. Williams High School
2. JUST IN: Dr. Stephen Haering suddenly retires as director of Alexandria Health Department
3. Southern Towers residents nervous as landlord steps up eviction proceedings
4. Man stabbed at Old Town intersection
5. NEW: Locals chase down suspected shoplifters in Del Ray
6. JUST IN: T.C. Williams JV football team walks off field after alleged racial slur, spitting incident
7. Man faces 10 years for DWI in horrific West End crash in Safeway parking lot
8. Planning Commission approves controversial subdivision, plants potential loophole for future denial
9. JUST IN: Video released of police arresting chase suspect who died in D.C.
10. JUST IN: Six Alexandria Police officers put on administrative duties after chase suspect dies
11. JUST IN: West End murder suspect faces life plus 13 years in prison

Have a safe weekend!

Photo via ACPS/Facebook

Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson doesn’t want to hold any other political office. He also wants to be elected at least once more in November, and in less than two months he’ll square off in a Democratic primary rematch against his political rival, former Mayor Allison Silberberg.

Wilson says the June 8 primary really isn’t about he and Silberberg, but more about the direction that the city wants to go. In fact, he never mentioned his opponent by name during a 45-minute conversation with ALXnow. He’s raised $90,000 to Silberberg’s $64,000, hired Henry Watkins (Sen. Adam Ebbin’s Chief of staff) as his campaign manager, and has a goal of knocking on more than 2,000 doors.

“We’re talking about the future of the city,” Wilson said. “I think what you’re going to hear me talk about in this election is policies designed to protect the city’s future, protect our residents and make sure that we build a more resilient city coming after this horrible shock of the last year.”

Still, Wilson — an admitted social media addict — has lately been posting about numerous 6-1 votes that went through during Silberberg’s tenure as Mayor. Wilson, who was vice mayor under Silberberg from 2016 to 2019, led most of Council’s opposition to the then-Mayor on such issues as development of the Silverado Memory Care facility, funding construction of MacArthur Elementary School, and approving The Spire affordable housing project. He does not mention Silberberg in the posts, only hinting that she made wrong decisions.

“If it’s unspoken, it’s gonna stay unspoken,” Wilson said. “I’m focusing on these efforts because they are benefiting our community.”

The 42-year-old Wilson is married with two children and lives in Del Ray. For his day job, he is a senior manager for Amtrak. He was elected in a special election to Council in 2007 after the resignation of then-Vice Mayor Andrew Macdonald. He lost reelection in 2009, was elected in 2012 and was elected as Vice Mayor in 2015. He then defeated Silberberg in the Democratic primary for mayor in 2018.

The last 13 months of the pandemic have brought historic change to Alexandria, and now Wilson wants to go back to in-person City Council meetings.

“I think we should be back already,” Wilson told ALXnow. “My colleagues (on Council) are uncomfortable, so it’ll be up to my colleagues to decide when we go back.”

Wilson said he will decide on a running for third term at the conclusion of his second.

“I have no desires for any other elected office,” Wilson told ALXnow. “This is the office that I wanted to serve in. This is the office that I suspect will be my last elected office.”

Read More

Former Mayor Allison Silberberg very publicly didn’t plan on running against Mayor Justin Wilson in the Democratic primary, but as weeks slipped by and no other challenger came forward — and Council Member Mo Seifeldein dropped out — Silberberg said she felt she needed to step up.

Three years after Silberberg lost her reelection bid to Wilson, she’s back to reclaim the position.

“I couldn’t just stand by and watch our city put at risk by destructive policies of our current mayor,” Silberberg said.

Wilson has racked up several endorsements from current and former members of city leadership, including other City Council members and state legislators, but Silberberg said she isn’t particularly worried by that. Silberberg said in the last week, her campaign has raised over $64,000, while Wilson recently announced that he raised $90,000.

“I’m not concerned,” Silberberg said. “In many cases, that’s the old guard. I’m honored to have support form people across our city. We’re at a crossroads in our city. I’m a person who gets things done and I listen to people.”

Silberberg’s list of objections to Wilson is, beyond a “greatest hits” of concerns that have emerged from local advocacy groups like Bring Integrity Back to Alexandria, an extension of many of the same battles Silberberg fought with Wilson on when the two were locked in opposition during her tenure as mayor.

Silberberg said some of the biggest issues fueling her campaign are:

• Reverting Seminary Road Changes — “Wilson took away vital travel lanes on Seminary Road,” Silberberg said. “I would restore them. It’s a major arterial road to our only hospital. It was one of the safest streets in the city, the data showed that, but in a distorted kind of way he said this is a vote about public safety. Thirteen civic associations banded together and said do not do this, it affects every resident in the city.”
• Opposition to City Stream Restoration Projects — “I’m fighting to save Taylor Run… saving the forest there, and Strawberry Run,” she said. “I would listen to environmentalists, scientists and experts who have come forward on their own to say that this is a disaster in the making, to destroy the forest. This is some of the last remaining forests in our city, you can’t just replant and wait 30 years, because it’s not just the trees but the environment around it.”
• School-Affordable Housing Colocation — “I’m committed to protecting limited school properties from housing,” Silberberg said.
• Opposition to Eisenhower Slaughterhouse — “He pushed through the slaughterhouse where the existing businesses a football throw away banded together and banded the Mayor not to do that,” Silberberg said. “There are no other slaughterhouses within the beltway, and not one in our city. The impact on environmental waste is really upsetting — not to mention the smell. It was dismissive of the fact that the business owner has had numerous code violations in other states. I would not have supported that.”

Some of the reversals could be a challenge. City staff recently laid out the costs to alternatives to the Taylor Run Stream Restoration the city could be required to pursue to keep up with its Chesapeake Bay Watershed credit requirements.

Silberberg  is dubious of staff’s claims.

“Staff, with all due respect, seems to be inflating or misrepresenting the costs for alternatives,” she said. “We need to have all that vetted openly and discussed.”

Silberberg said she was also surprised and frustrated that staff hadn’t tested the soil at Taylor Run before committing the city to funding the overhaul.

“Nobody on the city staff, and they admitted this, that they hadn’t tested the soils at Taylor Run,” Silberberg said. “Someone on their own volition hired a highly regarded laboratory, tested the soils, and it came back with negligible amounts of phosphorous, that’s one of the driving forces. So basically the city admitted that they were basing their analysis and conclusions on a generic version of soil samples in a whole other region. That’s not how we want to do analysis when it comes to a treasured spot in the city.”

Taylor Run, along with some of the other issues, go back to what Silberberg sees as a recurring problem with transparency and ethics in city leadership. Silberberg and Wilson have clashed over issues about ethics for nearly a decade, including a protracted battle over a proposed ethics pledge in 2016.

“We must restore integrity and transparency and adopt meaningful ethics reform,” Silberberg said. “That is certainly a top ethics reform, and we need a leader with demonstrated record of truth, transparency and ethics, and I am that leader. I led with an ethics initiative, and the person who led the effort to water that down was then Vice-Mayor Wilson. We did accomplish some goals, but didn’t go nearly as far as what I wanted.”

Silberberg argued that information that came to light from public Freedom of Information Act requests, and later printed by the Alexandria Times, not only showed that there were behind-the-scenes discussions on issues like Seminary Road and the Potomac Yard southern entrance that the public should know about, but also that there was too much information in those that was redacted.

“Some of the lines that weren’t redacted, which wasn’t very much, showed that he distorted the truth or lied and misled the public,” Silberberg said. Read More

Mayor gets vaccinated — “On Christmas Eve our Health Dept vaccinated 251 healthcare workers. Since that time, 51K+ Alexandrians have received at least a dose. Today, my name was called. I’m excited to receive the J&J vaccine. Thanks to our staff and volunteers!” [Twitter]

Council considers changes to taxi regulations — “Since the arrival of taxi network companies, TNCs, like Uber and Lyft in 2015, the taxi industry has been struggling to adapt to a rapidly changing market. The COVID-19 pandemic did not help the situation for an already challenged industry, and the city’s proposed code amendment aims to provide support for local taxi companies by easing specific regulations.” [Alex Times]

Wilson, Silberberg differ on stream restoration plans — “Wilson advocates moving forward with natural channel restoration; Silberberg wants to go back to the drawing board.” [Alexandria Living]

Alexandria Sportsman’s Club hosting famed sportswriter — “Len Shapiro, the Pulitzer Prize-nominated sportswriter, editor and columnist for more than 40 years for the Washington Post, will be the featured speaker for the April 21st meeting of the Alexandria Sportsman’s Club.” [Gazette]

Today’s weather — “Partly cloudy skies during the morning hours will give way to cloudy skies and rain in the afternoon. High 66F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%… Showers in the evening, then cloudy overnight. Low 48F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.” [Weather.com]

New job: Sushi helper — “The Handover is hiring sushi assistants willing to work hard and be open to learning new skills. We are a small restaurant looking for candidates with the ability to accurately prep, cut vegetables, prepare maki rolls and follow chef’s direction. Both full- and part-time positions are available. Competitive hourly pay commensurate with experience level.” [Indeed]

It was another busy week in Alexandria.

Our top story was on the dog found dead and wrapped in blankets at N. Armistead Street and Beauregard Street. The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria is offering a reward for information that can lead to the identification of the owner.

This week, the Del Ray Business Association announced that a mayoral debate between Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson and former Mayor Allison Silberberg will be held on May 12, and a council debate will be held on May 17.

On the coronavirus front, City Council will soon consider a temporary waterfront memorial to honor COVID-19 victims. This week, the city also received a surge of vaccine doses.

We also continued our conversations with City Council candidates by profiling Councilman John Taylor Chapman, Councilwoman Amy Jackson and Kevin Harris.

Other important stories

• Alexandria bringing back public events as governor’s guidance eases gathering restrictions
• City Council to consider temporary waterfront memorial to honor COVID-19 victims
• Pete Buttigieg visits Alexandria to sign onto Virginia rail expansion
• NEW: Police identify suspect who allegedly crashed car into Verizon store near Potomac Yard
• Alexandria City Council will need to find $13 million to fund body worn cameras for police

Top stories

1. Animal Welfare League of Alexandria seeks public help to identify dead dog
2. Suspicious voting patterns seen in ALXnow poll on mayoral race
3. COVID-19 update: Alexandria getting boost of vaccine doses this week
4. Just In: Man arrested for allegedly grabbing women in Del Ray
5. Teenagers arrested after 13-year-old girl jumped, gun pointed at her in West End
6. Council approves roadway conversion at George Washington Masonic National Memorial
7. Four arrested after juvenile robbed of shoes in West End
8. JUST IN: Halal slaughterhouse to open in two weeks
9. Poll: Which mayoral candidate has your vote?
10. Neighborhood Health vaccinating thousands at sites in Alexandria, Arlington and Fairfax County
11. Flight attendant Annetta Catchings running for Alexandria mayor as a Republican

Have a safe weekend!

Mayor Justin Wilson and former Mayor Allison Silberberg will debate via Zoom on Wednesday, May 12, the Del Ray Business Association (DRBA) announced today.

Both candidates have agreed to participate in the debate, which will be held at 7 p.m. and moderated by NBC4 Washington’s Northern Virginia Bureau Chief Julie Carey. They will face off in the June 8 democratic primary.

“We look forward to a wide-ranging discussion about the future of our City — including how we help our small businesses rebuild and thrive after the pandemic,” Del Ray Business Association President Lauren Fisher said in the event announcement. “There are few Alexandria residents who know the challenges facing our City better than Julie Carey. We’re thrilled that she’ll lead this important debate.”

Wilson defeated Silberberg by 1,259 votes in the June 2018 primary, and received 11, 442 votes, or 52.91 percent, to Silberberg’s 10,183 votes, or 47.09 percent. Wilson was vice mayor under Silberberg, who was vice mayor herself for a single term before winning a dramatic three-way primary between former Mayors Bill Euille and Kerry Donley in 2015.

DRBA will also host a virtual forum with candidates running for City Council on Monday, May 17, from noon to 1:30 p.m. Both debates will be posted on DRBA’s Facebook page and website.

The Alexandria Democratic Committee is also planning a virtual mayoral debate and council debate in late May, ADC Chair Clarence Tong told ALXnow.

“I have heard of various civic associations planning candidate forums, the ADC will ultimately have one but much closer to the election,” Tong said.

Last month, the West End Business Association conducted a virtual interview series with council candidates, and the Bring Integrity Back to Alexandria Facebook page is asking the candidates questions online.

It was quite a week in Alexandria.

Our top story this week was on a man who allegedly crashed his car headfirst into the Verizon store near Potomac Yard. The suspect was later arrested in North Carolina.

The week was full of big news. Former Mayor Allison Silberberg announced her candidacy against Mayor Justin Wilson for the June 8 Democratic primary, and ALXnow has learned that the Del Ray Business Association is planning a debate.

One of our favorite stories this week was on Tobi, the Alexandria dog without front legs who needed a new $2,350 wheelchair. Within a day of posting the story, Tobi’s GoFundMe goal was reached. The fundraiser has since raised $3,590, and Tobi’s owner says the excess funds will be donated to help another disabled pet get a wheelchair.

As of noon Friday, our unscientific poll on mayoral candidates had 1,111 votes, but only 537 views. Former Mayor Allison Silberberg trailed by a large percentage for the first several hours, but she later received a surge of votes that led to her getting 589 votes, or 53%, to Wilson’s 432 votes, or 39%. Republican candidate Annetta Catchings, who also announced her mayoral candidacy this week, got 90 votes, or 8%.

Other important stories:

• Bennett-Parker says Grandmother, not campaign for Delegate, behind move to 45th District in December
• Police review board moves forward, but questions about confidentiality remain
• School Board hopes for pool at Alexandria high school dampened by budget concerns
• New federal funding could help combat flooding, among other city priorities

ALXnow’s top stories:

1. BREAKING: Man rams car into Verizon Store near Potomac Yard
2. Waterfront Commission tries to avert ‘Disneyland-like’ development in Old Town
3. Flight attendant Annetta Catchings running for Alexandria mayor as a Republican
4. Chadwicks going double-decker on outdoor dining at upcoming BAR meeting
5. BREAKING: Former Mayor Silberberg rematch as she enters democratic primary for mayor
6. City Councilman Seifeldein quits meeting after argument with mayor
7. Three men tied up and robbed in West End
8. GoFundMe launched to get wheelchair for Tobi, an Alexandria dog with no front legs
9. Just Sold in Alexandria: March 23, 2021
10. Republican J.D. Maddox announces run for 45th District seat
11. Al’s Steak House to endure under new management

Have a safe weekend!

Former Alexandria Mayor Allison Silberberg says that Mayor Justin Wilson is a bully, and is taking him on for the June 8 democratic nomination.

“I was the mayor, and now I’m running for mayor again,” Silberberg told ALXnow. “I’m so honored that so many people have called and and some have tears in their eyes. I’ve been inundated with messages.”

Silberberg, who did not reach out to Wilson on her intentions, turned in her signatures to the city’s registrar of voters today (March 24), and plans on making a formal announcement in the coming days. She said that Wilson has been dismissive of the needs of civic associations on environmental issues, such as Taylor Run, and that he was rude to City Councilman Mo Seifeldein in Tuesday night’s meeting.

“He bullied him and he doesn’t calm down the situation as a mayor in that position should have done,” Silberberg said. “We will literally have to rebuild the public trust from the ground up… This is a pattern of behavior and I want to return civil discourse to our wonderful, beautiful city.”

Wilson welcomed Silberberg to the race, and said that he’s proud of the work that Council has accomplished in the last two years.

“I’m proud of the work we have done during the previous two years, including a new Alexandria Hospital at Landmark Mall, five new schools over the next decade, the largest infusion of money for storm sewers in our City’s history, redevelopment of the coal-fired power plant on our waterfront, expanded early childhood education, construction of a new metro station, advancing climate resiliency, a new racial equity plan and more,” Wilson told ALXnow.

Wilson continued, “We have done this in the face of a crippling pandemic that has challenged our residents and businesses. I look forward to speaking with voters about how the City will put COVID in our rearview mirror and ensure the success of our City residents and businesses long into the future.”

Wilson defeated Silberberg by 1,259 votes in the June 2018 primary, and received 11, 442 votes, or 52.91 percent, to Silberberg’s 10,183 votes, or 47.09 percent. Wilson was vice mayor under Silberberg, who was vice mayor herself for a single term before winning a dramatic three-way primary between former Mayors Bill Euille and Kerry Donley in 2015. Her tenure was marked by lone 6-1 votes, where she and council did not meet eye to eye. Much of the opposition during her mayorship was led by Wilson.

“The people know my heart, and they know that I’m about, ‘We the people,'” Silberberg said. “Our city deserves better, and we have to restore the public trust. We have to focus on ethics, transparency and accountability.”

ACPS In-Person School Called Off Monday, Virtual Learning Still Happening — “WEATHER ALERT: For Monday, Feb. 1, 2021, ACPS buildings are closed for all. Virtual learning to continue. Food distribution and child care at ACPS buildings canceled.” [Twitter]

Warming Centers Open in Alexandria Until Feb. 5 — “Due to forecasted cooler weather, the city of Alexandria will offer warming centers Friday through Feb. 5 to provide relief from the cold for community members who may not have access to a warm shelter during the day.” [Patch]

Former Mayor Allison Silberberg Not Running — “While the mayoral role is considered part-time, in my experience being Mayor is more than a full-time job. I have been torn between running for office or pursuing new opportunities that are before me now. While these new opportunities will allow me to continue to make a difference and serve others, they would not allow me to serve as Mayor in the way I believe our residents expect and deserve. And so, it is with a heavy heart and mixed emotions that at this time I have decided not to run for Mayor.” [Facebook]

Today’s Weather — “Cloudy with rain and snow in the morning, light snow in the afternoon. Temps nearly steady in the mid 30s. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of precip 70%. About one inch of snow expected. Variably cloudy with snow showers (in the evening). Low 32F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 50%. About one inch of snow expected.” [Weather.com]

New Job: Salon Coordinator/Receptionist — “PR at Partners in Old Town is seeking a part-time professional and motivated individual for our front desk receptionist position. This position is responsible for delivering exceptional client service while successfully managing this busy salon’s schedule. An ideal candidate would enjoy working with many types of people and provide service with a smile.” [Indeed]

Beyer Praises Biden’s Economic Relief Plan — “Soon we will have a president in the White House, and Democratic leaders controlling Congress, who understand what economists have told us from the beginning–that in order to recover and rebuild from this pandemic you must first control the coronavirus and that rent and food are not going to trickle down to millions of unemployed Americans.” [Beyer.house.gov]

COVID-19 Self-Testing Kiosks Closed Today — “Stay safe on January 20. To ensure the safety of the community and Curative employees, COVID-19 testing kiosks in Alexandria will be closed on Inauguration Day. Pre-register for testing on Tues, Jan 19 or Thurs, Jan 21.” [Twitter]

Polk Elementary Principal Announces Retirement — “James K. Polk Elementary School Principal PreeAnn Johnson will retire July 1, 2021… Johnson was honored last year by Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) Superintendent Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings Jr. as ACPS Principal of the Year.”[Zebra]

ACPS Minority and Special Needs Students Struggle With Virtual Learning — “The report, compiled by ACPS’ Department of Accountability and Research, shows that middle and high school students earned D’s and F’s in greater numbers across all demographic groups in the first quarter of the 2020-21 school year compared to first quarter of the 2019-20 school year.” [Alex Times]

Accessory Dwelling Unit Decision Coming Up In Alexandria — “Accessory dwelling units, defined as small apartment-style residences sharing a lot with a larger house, would be allowed citywide under the proposal from the Department of Planning and Zoning and Office of Housing. Units are considered accessory dwellings when they provide a separate kitchen, bathroom and bedroom from the main house. They could be located in an addition of an existing home or a within separate on a lot, such as a detached garage.” [Patch]

Former Mayor Recounts Taking Iconic Photo of Coretta Scott King — “Silberberg’s photo has been published extensively by many publications. The most memorable was after Mrs. King passed away in 2006, when the photo was used by Target for full-page ads the company took out in The Washington Post, The New York Times and other major metropolitan newspapers to commemorate King’s service to the country.” [Alexandria Living]

Today’s Weather — “A few clouds from time to time (during the day). High 44F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph… Clear skies (in the evening). Low 24F. Winds light and variable.” [Weather.com]

New Job: Experienced Tax Preparer — “The ideal candidate will have A MINIMUM of 5 years of Public Accounting experience, working in a tax environment. The ability to accurately prepare and review tax returns for various types of entities is a must! A desire to assist in expanding business growth and efficiency with fresh ideas is also highly desired.” [Indeed]