Alyia Gaskins | ALXnow

Alexandria’s presumptive Mayor Alyia Gaskins putting together a transition team

Published July 8, 2024 at 11:00AM | Updated July 9, 2024 at 9:09AM

Alyia Gaskins after winning the Democratic nomination for Alexandria mayor, June 18, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Fresh from her primary win on June 18, Alexandria’s presumptive mayor says she is starting to form a transition team and will continue campaigning until the Nov. 5 election to get the Democratic slate of six candidates elected to Alexandria’s City Council.

City Council Member Alyia Gaskins took a few days off after defeating Vice Mayor Amy Jackson and retired real estate developer Steven Peterson on June 18. She and her husband and two kids went back home to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for four days.

News

BREAKING: Alyia Gaskins wins Alexandria’s mayoral Democratic primary

By James Cullum

Published June 18, 2024 at 9:18PM | Updated June 27, 2024 at 12:56AM

Alyia Gaskins accepts the Democrat nomination for Alexandria Mayor, June 18, 2024 (via Eli Wilson)

Alexandria City Council Member Alyia Gaskins defeated her two Democrat rivals on Tuesday, effectively becoming mayor-elect as she faces no opposition in November.

The win makes Gaskins the first Black woman to be mayor of the city.

News

Gaskins leads in Alexandria mayoral campaign fundraising, O’Connell tops City Council candidates

By James Cullum

Published June 13, 2024 at 2:35PM | Updated June 13, 2024 at 3:06PM

Del Ray's Jesse O'Connell announces his candidacy for the Alexandria City Council at the Alexandria Democratic Committee meeting on Feb. 5, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

With the June 18 primary for Alexandria mayor and City Council around the corner, candidates have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars for what is anticipated to be a low-turnout election.

The only seats in contention for the Democrat primaries are Mayor and City Council, and there is also a single candidate running for Council in a Republican primary.

News

Alexandria Mayor admonishes Vice Mayor for using picture with former fire chief in campaign mailer

By James Cullum

Published June 12, 2024 at 10:30AM | Updated June 12, 2024 at 2:15PM

Mayor Justin Wilson speaks at the City Council meeting on June 11, 2024 (via City of Alexandria)

Outgoing Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson publicly criticized a mailer for Vice Mayor Amy Jackson‘s mayoral campaign that used a photo of former Fire Chief Corey Smedley with her at a city event.

Wilson said at the end of last night’s City Council meeting that the integrity of the city government is at stake, and that it should be insulated from the “vagaries of politics to the extent possible.” Without calling out Jackson by name, he described the mailer and said that former Chief Smedley did not give his permission to be in the ad.

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Alexandria mayoral candidates spar on Zoning for Housing, Potomac Yard arena and taxes

By James Cullum

Published June 5, 2024 at 2:45PM | Updated June 5, 2024 at 3:06PM

City Council Member Alyia Gaskins speaks at the Chamber ALX mayoral debate at the George Washington National Masonic Memorial, June 4, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

With less than two weeks until the June 18 primary, the city’s zoning overhaul, the failed Potomac Yard arena and residential taxes were among the top issues discussed by Alexandria’s mayoral candidates in the Chamber ALX‘s debate Tuesday night.

Vice Mayor Amy Jackson, Council Member Alyia Gaskins and former real estate developer Steven Peterson were cordial to each other as they were questioned by NBC4 Northern Virginia Bureau Chief Julie Carey at the George Washington National Masonic Memorial.

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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By ALXnow.com

Published May 17, 2024 at 3:43PM | Updated May 17, 2024 at 4:16PM

Chicken and waffles at Matt & Tony's (image via Matt & Tony's All Day Kitchen/Facebook)

It was quite a week in Alexandria.

Hungry? Our top story this week is about Del Ray’s Matt and Tony’s All Day Kitchen + Bar (1501 Mt. Vernon Avenue) making Yelp’s Top 100 Brunch Spots 2024.

News

Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson endorses in race for successor

By Vernon Miles

Published May 14, 2024 at 11:20AM | Updated May 14, 2024 at 12:13PM

Mayor Justin Wilson (center) sits with School Board Member Ashley Simpson Baird and in front of School Board Chair Michelle Rief at the Alexandria Democratic Committee's mayoral debate between Vice Mayor Amy Jackson and City Council Member Alyia Gaskins at Alexandria City High School on April 30, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Incumbent Mayor Justin Wilson has weighed in on the competitive race to replace him as the Alexandria’s mayor.

Wilson endorsed City Council member Alyia Gaskins, who is currently running against Vice Mayor Amy Jackson and Steven Peterson, a real estate developer.

News

After ‘freak accident’ Steven Peterson wants to get off the sidelines in Alexandria mayoral race

By James Cullum

Published May 3, 2024 at 1:30PM | Updated May 3, 2024 at 1:59PM

Alexandria mayoral candidate Steven Peterson with his wife, Martha (Courtesy photo)

After missing an important mayoral debate this week due to a “freak accident” while canvassing that led to his hospitalization, Steven Peterson says that he’s done sitting on the sidelines.

Peterson said that got 10 stitches in his nose and suffered a concussion after his 105-pound Golden Retriever chased a squirrel and he face-planted on a gravel path at the West End Farmer’s Market on Sunday. He said that the leash was wrapped around his legs and that he flipped over after the dog bolted.

News

Alexandria mayoral candidates Gaskins and Jackson reveal contrasting visions in ADC debate

By James Cullum

Published May 1, 2024 at 3:45PM

Alexandria City Council Member ALyia Gaskins (on left) and Vice Mayor Amy Jackson at the ADC mayoral debate, April 30, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Two of Alexandria’s three Democrat mayoral candidates sparred onstage Tuesday night, expressing vastly different ideas on how they would manage city affairs.

In the Alexandria Democratic Committee‘s debate hosted by Teo Armus of The Washington Post, Vice Mayor Amy Jackson and City Council Member Alyia Gaskins laid out their philosophies on governance, as well as some specifics on their visions.

News

ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By ALXnow.com

Published April 19, 2024 at 3:45PM

The proposed apartment building at 901 N. Pitt Street in Old Town (via City of Alexandria)

It was another busy week in Alexandria.

This week’s top stories focused on development projects all over the city, from Old Town North to Carlyle and in the West End. News of the mixed-use projects comes as affordable housing advocates are protesting against being priced out and are asking for greater assistance from the city.

News

Gaskins extends fundraising lead in Alexandria mayor’s race, Chapman outraises City Council opponents

By James Cullum

Published April 16, 2024 at 1:30PM | Updated April 20, 2024 at 11:50AM

City Council Member Alyia Gaskins kicking off her mayoral campaign at Indochen in Cameron Station, Jan. 28, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Council Member Alyia Gaskins has more than doubled the campaign contributions raised by her opponent Vice Mayor Amy Jackson and triple the amount raised by former real estate developer Steven Peterson.

As of March 31, Gaskins raised $149,107 with $69,425 on-hand. Jackson has raised $59,984 and has $22,682 on-hand, while Peterson has raised $44,700 with $14,019 on-hand.