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Beyer Says Congress Needs to Pass COVID-19 Relief Bill — “Last week was the 44th week in a row in which more Americans filed new unemployment claims than in any week on record prior to 2020. Damage from delaying relief still hitting American families, which shows how important it is for Congress to move quickly on the next relief bill.” [Twitter]

Mayor Says Alexandria Needs More COVID-19 Vaccines — “My friend @JeffreyCMcKay is absolutely right. NoVa jurisdictions have been planning for administration of vaccinations for months. We have the staffing, volunteers, processes and community partnerships in place to vaccinate our population. We just need more vaccine doses.” [Twitter]


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Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson announced his bid for reelection to a second term this morning. He currently stands unopposed in the Mayor’s race, according to the city’s office of Voter Registration and Elections.

Wilson, who defeated then-Mayor Allison Silberberg in the democratic primary in June 2018, has presided over an unprecedented period in Alexandria’s history that has been marked by social strife and a pandemic.


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The Alexandria City Council has chosen a hybrid approach as its preferred option for a Community Police Review Board. It’s a contentious move that, if approved next March, will allow independent civilian oversight over multiple aspects of the police department.

In a 4-3 vote last week, Council chose option “C” out of the four alternatives presented by staff. Each of the options will now be presented to the community in a two-month-long public feedback process that will ultimately lead to a council decision in March. The dissenting votes were cast by Mayor Justin Wilson, Councilwoman Amy Jackson and Councilwoman Del Pepper.


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Outgoing Alexandria City Councilwoman Del Pepper received top honors from the Del Ray Business Association on Tuesday, as Pepper and a number of notable Alexandrians were virtually presented with the community’s annual Star Award.

DRBA ended up tricking Pepper by telling her that they wanted her to briefly speak to the association about Del Ray’s finer qualities. Instead, Pepper arrived at the virtual meeting to find herself the recipient of the neighborhood’s greatest annual honor.


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In an update to the City Council, Police Chief Michael Brown said many of the recent shots fired incidents in Alexandria are related.

It wasn’t exactly surprising news, given that many of the shootings took place in the same concentrated areas — two this month took place less than a block apart — but it was a rare glimpse into investigations where local police are keeping their cards close to their chest.


News

What a week in Alexandria.

With the region still reeling from the Jan. 6 siege on the U.S. Capitol, Alexandria Police are mobilized and prepared to respond to security threats in the run up to the inauguration in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 20. At this time it is not likely that a 6 p.m. curfew will be imposed on the city.


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Alexandria Sheriff Dana Lawhorne joined his neighbors in criticizing City Council’s plan to double the stormwater utility fee, and asked at last night’s meeting that the matter be deferred to give the community more time.

Lawhorne, who lives in Del Ray, said that his home flooded multiple times last year and is frustrated with what he called a lack of progress to solve the problem. A number of heavy rainstorms in 2020 resulted in dangerous flooding situations, revealing a besieged stormwater management system that left many homes damaged throughout the city. There were more than 500 requests for service through the City’s 311 system due to extreme rain events this year, according to a city memo.


News

Two members of Alexandria’s City Council have announced that they will not be running for reelection this year, paving the way for new faces in city leadership.

Accordin to Angela Turner, Director of Elections & General Registrar, three new candidates have filed their paperwork to run for City Council this year.


News

Alexandria Police are making preparations in case the unrest from the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden spills into the city.

Last night, Police Chief Michael L. Brown updated City Council on plans to keep Alexandria safe during inauguration week. Brown said that the siege on the Capitol on Jan. 6 was a tragic event where five people lost their lives, and that he has participated in conversations with his regional counterparts and the assistant director of the Washington field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


News

Alexandria City Councilman Mo Seifeldein wants the underutilized 60-year-old Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center to shut down.

Staff from the City of Alexandria, Arlington County and Falls Church will make recommendations over the next several months on how to proceed with the building at 200 S. Whiting Street in the West End, which houses youth with serious offenses and behavioral issues from the three jurisdictions.


News

Alexandria Vice Mayor Elizabeth Bennett-Parker will not seek reelection and is running for the 45th District seat currently held by Del. Mark Levine as he runs for Virginia Lieutenant Governor.

A political newcomer going into her election as vice mayor three years ago, Bennett-Parker said she is running to improve the environment and help area families struggling with the pandemic. A Democrat, she is the first person to announce a run for the seat.


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