Alexandria’s City Council and Mayoral races are starting to heat up as new candidates throw their hats into the ring.
With Councilwoman Redella “Del” Pepper and Elizabeth Bennett-Parker announcing that they will not be running for reelection — with the latter running for the 45th District House of Delegates seat — there are at least two guaranteed new City Council members that will serve on the six-person body.
Alexandria’s DASH bus service is at 40% of pre-pandemic ridership, and near-term changes include bringing back fare collection and adding a partition protecting drivers from passengers, according to an annual presentation given to City Council by the transit system on Tuesday night.
“We have some exciting things going on,” DASH Board Chair David Kaplan told Council. “We have been creative, we have worked together with other departments, with the health department and others to ensure that it is safe to use transit.”
Beyer Says Images of Capitol Siege Should be Viewed by Everyone — “These images of one of the darkest days in our nation’s history are disturbing. But these things happened, and we cannot erase these events, their causes, or their meaning. Everyone should watch this.” [Twitter]
Pat Malone, Cancer Survivor to ‘Stand Up To Cancer’ for 24 Hours Straight — “Patrick J. ‘Pat’ Malone, a seven-year cancer survivor, and 20-year Air Force veteran will ‘stand up to cancer’ for 24-hours straight, during his Seventh Annual Stand Up To Cancer.” [Zebra]
Community activist and attorney Sarah Bagley just filed paperwork to run for City Council.
Bagley, who launched a campaign Facebook page and website, filed her paperwork to run in the June 8 Democratic primary with the city’s registrar on Feb. 5.
What was meant to be a fun, wholesome Super Bowl watch-party with City Councilman John Chapman this weekend was briefly derailed as the meeting was stormed by newcomers with Nazi profile pictures spouting racist slurs.
The meeting was hosted as part of Chapman’s reelection campaign. The event was open to the public and had fairly lax restrictions on who could speak.
What a news-filled week in Alexandria.
Things got off to a snowy start on Monday and Tuesday, as the city was under a winter weather advisory.
James Lewis, a longtime democratic staffer on Capitol Hill, has joined the race for the Alexandria City Council.
The 33-year-old democrat has lived in Alexandria for more than a decade and is the vice chair of the city’s Traffic and Parking Board. He filed his statement of organization on Thursday, according to the city’s registrar of voters. He will also soon launch a campaign website, he said.
Polk Elementary Crossing Guard Dies — “It is with a heavy heart that we share that our beloved Charlotte Mills Ross, passed away peacefully January 31, 2021 at the age of 95. Mrs. Ross served for 50 years as our school crossing guard. She welcomed and protected generations of Polk Owls at the same corner, rain or shine. How blessed we are to have been able to have her for 50 years as a treasured legend of our community. The walkway from our gym to our fifth grade wing was named ‘Ross Walk’ in her honor, upon her retirement.” [Facebook]
Beyer Thanks 11 Republicans for Voting to Remove Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from Committees — “My thanks to the 11 Republicans who joined us tonight to hold Marjorie Taylor Greene responsible for encouraging political violence against our colleagues. There should have been more. The resolution just passed with bipartisan support.” [Twitter]
Alexandria City Councilman Mo Seifeldein is running for mayor and he is not seeking reelection to Council. He tells us that he is planning to make a formal announcement in the next couple of weeks.
Seifeldein called Mayor Justin Wilson on Wednesday night to tell him that he would be his opponent, although Wilson was unclear when he spoke with ALXnow as to whether Seifeldein will challenge him in the Democratic primary or the general election.
The Planning Commission unanimously approved the controversial Heritage Old Town project on Tuesday, clearing a path for it to go to City Council for a vote on Feb. 20.
The decision was made after hours of public comments from more than 40 people in support and opposition to the project.
The city’s plans to overhaul Taylor Run to combat the erosion of the stream has generated some controversy as both local civic groups and some environmental activists have expressed concerns about the restoration’s impacts.
Criticisms of the city’s plan range from the simple — many of the trees and foliage in the forest will be torn down, though the city has committed to planting new growth and says the damage will be worse if erosion is left unchecked — to the more in-the-weeds concerns — like phosphorous levels in the water might not match the city’s models, meaning the levels of estimated pollution justifying the restoration could be lower than what’s currently speculated.
