Protestors calling for a ceasefire in Israel’s war with Hamas repeatedly interrupted a reelection campaign event for U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) today in Old Town.
Virginia’s junior senator spoke before a packed house at Augie’s Mussell House (1106 King Street), and was interrupted five times by protestors, who were escorted out of the restaurant.
“Call for a full ceasefire now,” one protestor shouted before being led from the room.
In February, Kaine, who is a member of Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, wrote a letter to President Biden urging a deescalation to the conflict, which started last October when Hamas launched an attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip and killed an estimated 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages.
Jonathan Krall of Grassroots Alexandria was one of the protestors who interrupted Kaine.
“The political landscape has changed,” Krall told ALXnow after being escorted from the event. “The majority of people want a cease-fire. Many, many people have woken up to what’s going on with national-scale ethnic cleansing of Palestine, and so we’re speaking up. On top of all that, there’s an area-wide starvation of Gaza. People are starving and they’re dropping bombs on them, and we’re funding it. And he refuses to acknowledge that this is a genocide and they refuse to stop the money or weapons going to Israel, like 500 pound bombs. Those are only meant to kill lots of people.”
Kaine has spent the last two days opening campaign offices throughout Northern Virginia as part of his “Standing Up For Virginia” tour — his first official launch week of his 2024 Senate campaign.
Today’s incident echoes a speech he made yesterday in Charlottesville that was also beset by protestors seeking a ceasefire in Gaza.
Kaine did not respond to the protestors today or take questions from reporters after the event. In Charlottesville yesterday, Kaine reportedly spoke with protestors after his speech and said that he does want a ceasefire, but only when Israeli hostages are released.
Kaine asked Biden to support sending defensive weapons to Israel, and said that the war has resulted in nearly 30,000 Palestinian deaths, two-thirds of whom were women and children.
“Tens of thousands have been wounded and over 1.7 million people displaced,” Kaine wrote. “The facilities to deal with an injured and desperate population have been dramatically weakened. The amount of humanitarian aid allowed into Gaza has been grossly insufficient and starvation for thousands is a real threat. Hospitals in Gaza have been badly damaged and most are no longer functioning. These harsh consequences are tragic and are stoking escalating violence in the region.”
Kaine was preceded in his remarks by his wife, Anne Holton, as well as State Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-34), Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-39), House of Delegates Majority Leader Del. Charniele Herring (D-4) and Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5).
Kaine was Hillary Clinton’s Democratic vice presidential running mate in 2016, and railed against former President Donald Trump.
“At the federal level, we stand up,” Kaine said. “There’s a battle going on in this country, but around the world, between those who stand up for others and stand up together and those who will tear us down and tear us apart.”
Kaine continued, “We are up against the greatest tear-down artist in the history of American politics in the disgraced ex-President Donald J. Trump. He tears down our basic values… like honesty, patriotism, fidelity, respect for others, kindness, tears down rights that we’ve counted on for generations, like the rights of people that make their own reproductive healthcare decisions, tears it down and brags about it. Tears down alliances like NATO, tears down basic concepts like the right of alternative health care.”
There are currently eight Republican candidates in the running to face Kaine this November.
Kaine said that the country needs to coalesce around “meaningful immigration reform that respects our roots as a nation,” with legislation that provides “moral order rather than chaos.”
Kaine also said that he’ll never forget when Republicans attempted to get the Affordable Care Act overturned in 2017, but that the effort was stopped by one Senate vote — by former Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain who voted in opposition.
“We saved healthcare for Virginians and Americans by one vote,” Kaine said. “Sometimes all it takes is one person willing to stand up.”
Alexandria voters overwhelmingly chose President Joe Biden and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley in Super Tuesday’s dual presidential primary, according to unofficial results from the Virginia State Board of Elections.
Biden won the Democratic nomination with 10,079 votes (90.5%), followed by Marianne Williamson with 676 votes (6.1%) and Dean Benson Phillips with 377 votes (3.4%).
Haley, who is expected to suspend her campaign following a string of primary losses against former Republican President Donald Trump, won in a crowded Republican contest with 6,764 votes (71.5%), followed by Trump with 2,437 votes (26%), Florida Governor Ron Desantis with 120 votes (1.3%), former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie with 105 votes (1.1%), Vivek Ramaswamy with 27 votes (0.3%) and Ryan L. Brinkley with 14 votes (0.2%).
There were 11,199 Democratic ballots cast in Alexandria, or 9.8%, out of the 113,956 registered voters in the city. There were also 9,469 Republican votes cast, or 8.3% of registered voters. In all, 20,668 voters cast ballots, or 18.1% of registered voters.
Biden and Haley also won their respective primary elections in Arlington and Fairfax Counties. In Arlington, Biden got 14,637 votes (89%) and Haley got 10,957 votes (73%). In Fairfax County, Biden won with Democrats with 51,612 votes (85%) and Haley won with 48,007 votes (53%).
Statewide, Biden overwhelmingly won over Virginia Democrats with 306,478 votes cast (about 89%), followed by Williamson with 27,075 votes (8%) and Phillips with 12,009 votes (3.5%).
Trump won the Republican nomination in Virginia with 435,061 votes (63.3%), followed by Haley with 238,055 votes (35%), Desantis with 7,391 votes (1.1%), Christie with 3,314 votes (0.5%), Ramaswamy with 2,494 votes (0.4%) and Brinkley with 828 votes (0.12%).
In the last Democrat presidential primary in March 2020, Biden won with nearly 50% of ballots cast, followed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) with 18.33% and then Sen. Bernie Sanders with 18.23%. Republicans did not hold a primary that year, and chose Trump as their nominee in a convention.
Alexandria will next conduct its Democratic primary for City Council on June 18.
Virginia’s dual presidential primary is Tuesday, March 5. Here’s what you need to know about Super Tuesday in Alexandria.
Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Unofficial results will be posted with the Virginia State Board of Elections after polls close. Virginia is one of 15 states conducting a presidential primary on Tuesday.
The Democrat ballot features three names — President Joe Biden, Rep. Dean Benson Philips (D-MN) and Marianne Williamson. Williamson had dropped out of the race but has since un-suspended her campaign.
There are six candidates on the Republican ballot, including a number who suspended their campaigns. Republican frontrunner former President Donald Trump is on the ballot with former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.
The ballot also includes New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Vivek Ramaswamy, Ryan L. Brinkley and Florida Gov. Ron Desantis, though all of them have dropped out of the race.
“In Alexandria, the ballots will contain a contest for either the Democratic or Republican nominee for President of the United States,” notes the Alexandria Office of Voter Registration and Elections. “In Dual Primary Elections, qualified voters may vote in either Primary, but not both. They must indicate their choice to the Pollbook officer and may not be challenged on their choice.”
In the last Democrat presidential primary in March 2020, Biden won with nearly 50% of ballots cast, followed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) with 18.33% and then Sen. Bernie Sanders with 18.23%.
Early voting started on January 19, and the in-person early voting deadline is March 2 at 5 p.m. at the city’s Office of Voter Registrations and Elections (132 N. Royal Street).
There are a number of polling place changes for the primary.
According to the city registrar’s office:
- The former South Port Apartments Precinct will vote at Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School (435 Ferdinand Day Drive)
- The Masonic Temple Precinct has been relocated to Douglas MacArthur Elementary School (1101 Janney’s Lane)
- Two new precincts (Del Pepper Center and The View Alexandria) have been brought on-line in the West End. Affected voters have been notified via mail, but we encourage all West End voters to double check their polling place
Voters are asked to show identification — anything from driver’s licenses to voter confirmation documents, a U.S. passport, employee identification or student identification. Unregistered voters can also register on Tuesday at their correct polling precinct.
Alexandria’s Reggae band FeelFree is back on the road, and their latest single “Big Shot Man” is a political statement that took years to write.
What system are they rebelling against? The presidency of Donald Trump, which inspired musical creations that garner millions of listens.
Andrew Pfeiffer, the band’s lead singer and trombonist, said that the song’s not so much about complaining as it is an expression of what he and his bandmates felt for a while.
“It was just a response from living the last four years,” Pfeiffer said. “I mean, the chorus just says it all — ‘We love what you hate, we build what you break.'”
It’s FeelFree’s second single of 2021, and the band plans to release three or four more songs before the end of the year. The COVID shutdown meant shifting from playing 90 or so live performances a year (mostly local, with some tours) to no gigs whatsoever for the band that won the 2019 Whammy Award for Reggae Album of the Year.
“We were playing almost 90 dates a year, and we’re trying to get back to that now that the great awakening is upon us,” guitarist Evan Hulehan said. “I think it was a good reset for me. I got to take a step back and build up parts of my studio and get a little more creative and experimental.”
FeelFree will play on Friday, July 2, at Hammerheads Dockside in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware; On July 3 at Riptide Pool Bar in Ocean City, Maryland; and a ticketed show at Union Stage in D.C. on Saturday, July 17.
Beyer Says Trump Defense Weak During Senate Impeachment Hearing — “The House Managers established that Trump lied about the election, inspired the attackers to come to DC, directed them to the Capitol, and did nothing for hours to stop their violent attack. Senate Republicans objected, strenuously, to details of a phone call. And nothing else.” [Twitter]
CVS Starts Offering COVID-19 Vaccines in Alexandria and Fairfax County — “People interested in a vaccine are allowed to register through both the city or county health departments and through CVS at the same time, but local health department officials are pleading with people who get their vaccine through CVS to remove themselves from the health department waiting lists so others can get vaccinated faster.” [Alexandria Living]
ALIVE! Free Food Distribution Canceled — “The ALIVE! Trunk to Trunk Food Distribution scheduled for February 13 has been CANCELED due to forecasted weather conditions and the safety of residents, staff and volunteers. Instead, the distribution events will take place on February 20 at the same locations and times.” [Twitter]
Stracci Pizza Truck Brings Roman-Style Pizza to Del Ray — “Thomas Cardarelli, chef and owner of Stracci Pizza, (pronounced stráh-chee) always wanted to start something of his own — a high-tech, casual pizzeria. Then, the pandemic hit. His friend asked: ‘Why not get a food truck?'” [Alexandria Living]
Travel + Leisure Profiles Manumission Tour Company — “Explore different stories in Alexandria Virginia’s history of slaves who ran away to freedom using the underground railroad. Join us as we walk around Alexandria Virginia with John Chapman from Manumission Tours and explore some of these historical moments.” [Youtube]
Casa Chirilagua Revamps Food Pantry — “Casa Chirilagua brings access to non-perishable food items and cleaning products to the community through our pantry. With new shelving and reorganization, we can now hold hundreds of pounds of food and cleaning products. So far we’ve distributed 2,241 grocery bags of pantry items, valued at over $196,000. This could not be possible without your support!” [Facebook]
Today’s Weather — “Cloudy with a mixture of rain and snow in the morning. Temps nearly steady in the mid to upper 30s. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precip 70%… Cloudy (in the evening). Low 26F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.” [Weather.com]
New Job: Real Estate Photographer — “Shoot anywhere from 2 to 4 properties per day.Deliver consistently excellent images up to company standards.Upload raw images to development services. Additional opportunities and pay are available for shooting night photography and weekends.” [Indeed]
The 14th Street Bridge going into Washington, D.C. has been completely shut down, and the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office and Police Department are among the law enforcement agencies that have blocked traffic on the bridge since 6 a.m. this morning.
“We’ve never been asked to do anything like this before,” Captain Sean Casey of the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office told ALXnow. “We’re at the bridge right now. It was quite a sight this morning, because there was still plenty of traffic. We started at just before 6 a.m. securing and shutting down the bridge. You now cannot cross the 14th Street Bridge, with very few exceptions.”
It’s all part of the heightened security around the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, a direct result of the Jan. 6 siege on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump.
Alexandria is just a participant in the U.S. Secret Service’s joint transportation plan surrounding the inauguration. Supporting agencies that have shut down bridges into the District include the Virginia State Police, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Arlington County Police, the Herndon Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police.
“We want to help and be a part of a regional response when it’s necessary,” Casey said. “We want to be a part of whatever we can to make the region safer.”
There are about a dozen Alexandria Sheriff’s deputies assigned to the detail, and until ordered to leave are planted at the exit for the bridge along the George Washington Memorial Parkway going northbound.
Casey said that the department could spare the deputies, as the Alexandria courthouse will be closed over the next several days.
According to the Chief Judges of the Alexandria Courthouse:
“Due to potential threats to safety of employees and the general public due to the possibility of environmental and/or transportation disruptions, and due to Sheriff’s office personnel having to assist with maintaining security in the D.C. Metropolitan area on January 19 and 20, 2021, the Chief judges declare a judicial emergency pursuant to Va. Code Section 17.1-330, and, therefore, it is hereby ordered that the Alexandria Courthouse shall be closed to the general public on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 and Wednesday, January 20, 2021. Normal court operations will resume on Thursday, January 21, 2021.
Photo via Alexandria Sheriff’s Office
Alexandria Police are reporting no known threats to the city in the run up to the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on Wednesday, Jan. 20, and the city is not planning to impose 6 p.m. curfew that night.
Mayor Justin Wilson told ALXnow that he sees no reason that a curfew will be necessary, as the Alexandria Police Department has been working closely with federal and regional law enforcement partners.
“At this point, we see no reason that will be necessary,” Wilson said. “Our police have been working closely with federal and regional partners for months to prepare for this period and I am confident they will keep our community safe.”
The city will activate its Emergency Operations Center on Jan. 20, and residents are asked to virtually observe the swearing-in of President-elect Joe Biden.
The governor imposed a 6 p.m. curfew on Alexandria and Arlington on Jan. 6 after the siege at the U.S. Capitol. The District will remain in a state of emergency until the day after Biden and Harris are inaugurated.
On Tuesday night, Police Chief Michael Brown briefed City Council on preparations in the run up to the inauguration, and said that the department’s civil demonstration unit is ready to be deployed.
Also this week, Alexandria Vice Mayor Elizabeth Bennett-Parker asked Alexandria hotels to cancel reservations for any members of the Proud Boys, an aggressive group that supports outgoing President Donald Trump.
The City’s EOC will be activated to monitor for any issues and coordinate response activities as needed. @AlexandriaVAPD is evaluating intelligence information and preparing necessary staffing for a variety of potential security scenarios. https://t.co/QvIbii40U8
— Justin Wilson (@justindotnet) January 15, 2021
See the full release from the city below the jump.
Virginia Lieutenant Governor candidate Del. Mark Levine has joined legislators in calling for the resignation of Republican State Senator Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield) over her involvement with the Jan. 6 siege on the Capitol.
“She should resign,” Levine told ALXnow. “She is saying things that aren’t true and she’s inciting violence. She’s basically attacking the foundations of our democracy, and it really disappoints me because we work together. We had a good personal relationship. I’m just very disappointed in what she’s done.”
Chase attended the rally that preceded the riot but did not participate in the attack on the Capitol building.
Chase, who is seeking the Republican gubernatorial nomination, is accused of committing insurrection by the Senate Democratic Caucus and faces multiple calls for her resignation. Her Facebook account was briefly shut down after she said publicly in a video that the incident at the Capitol was the fault of Black Lives Matter and Antifa protestors, a claim that has since been disproven.
We’re not going to take this anymore. Get your popcorn folks and tune into the Senate tomorrow. I have a few surprises of my own. https://t.co/TxZTdYkwG3
— Senator Amanda Chase (@AmandaChaseVA) January 14, 2021
Amanda Chase encouraged the Trump-led deadly insurrection against the United States. She is a stain on our Commonwealth. pic.twitter.com/kurtHYwlfe
— Terry McAuliffe (@TerryMcAuliffe) January 14, 2021
Levine, 54, announced his intent to run for Lieutenant Governor last month, and if he loses the democratic primary says that he will run for reelection for the 45th District seat that he has held since 2015. His only opponent for the 45th is Alexandria Vice Mayor Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, who announced this week that she is running for the seat.
Levine said that Bennett-Parker did not call him about her entering the race for the 45th District.
“It’s not like the vice mayor called me and told me she was running. She didn’t,” Levine said. “I’m gonna run for lieutenant governor, because I think, frankly, what I’ve done for the 45th has been so positive that I think I can deliver for the entire state, the whole Commonwealth of Virginia, including Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax. But should I not prevail in the governor’s race, I think I’ve got a very good record to run for reelection as delegate, and obviously I hope to prevail.”
Less than a week before the presidential inauguration of Joe Biden on Jan. 20, Alexandria’s Vice Mayor Elizabeth Bennett-Parker is asking hotels in the city to cancel reservations for the Proud Boys.
In a letter to the Holiday Inn Alexandria-Carlyle, Bennett-Parker said that it rented rooms to members of the Proud Boys before the Jan. 6 siege on the U.S. Capitol.
“It is my understanding that members of the Proud Boys, which has been designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, stayed at your hotel during their insurrection attempt earlier this month,” Bennett-Parker wrote. “These anti-democratic groups are inciting violence and must not be welcome in our city.”
On Jan. 4, a protest at the Holiday Inn was canceled for security concerns after a notification was posted on the pro-Trump site thedonald.win and a commenter said that if any Trump supporters arrived early to the hotel that “it’s time to give them a show of force.”
Bennett-Parker asked that Alexandria hotels cancel reservations with anyone associated with the group. The hotel is located one block from the Eisenhower Avenue Metro station, and reservations can be made online.
“There is another planned armed militia insurgence from January 17, 2021, through January 20, 2021,” she wrote. “Please join me in condemning these right-wing terrorists by denying them lodging at your hotel. Your actions will send a message that there is no place for hate in Alexandria. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.”
Hate has no home here. Alexandria hotels, please don't do business with violent white supremacists. pic.twitter.com/7OjFSDoBAw
— Vice Mayor Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (@EBP4Delegate) January 13, 2021
Photo via Grassroots Alexandria/Facebook
Beyer Urges Senate to Remove Trump After House Impeachment — “Donald Trump is a clear and present danger to the United States, and a menace to the Constitution. The events of the past week, my conscience, my oath of office, and my duty to the people of Northern Virginia allow no other course than to vote for his impeachment. I urge the Senate to remove him from office as swiftly as possible.” [Beyer.house.gov]
Police Seeking Alexandria Man For Assaulting Woodbridge Boy — “Ian M. Simpson is wanted after police said he attempted to strangle an 8-year-old boy during after two arguments between the two relatives.” [Patch]
Police: Business Robbed on N. Quaker Lane Wednesday Morning — “The Alexandria Police Department is investigating a robbery from a business in the 1600 block of N. Quaker Lane. It happened around 5:45am. Expect police activity in the area.” [Twitter]
WATCH: Governor Northam Gives State of Commonwealth Speech — “My 2021 State of the Commonwealth address is starting–watch live.” [Twitter]
Poll Opens to Select New Names for T.C. Williams High and Matthew Maury Elementary Schools — “Between now and Jan. 27, we are asking everyone to help us whittle down names that have been suggested by our students over the last month. Don’t like any of the options you see? The community will also be given another chance to make suggestions at this time.” [Zebra]
Casa Chirilagua Gets Desk Donations from Building Momentum — “Casa Chirilagua, a non-profit serving the Arlandria neighborhood in northern Virginia near Reagan National Airport, has been one of the largest recipients and distributors of the desks. Adriana Gómez Schellhaas, executive director of Casa Chirilagua, said the non-profit has distributed over 50 desks to homes and learning centers in their community.” [USChamber.com]
Today’s Weather — “Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. High near 55F. Winds light and variable… A few clouds from time to time in the evening. Low 31F. Winds light and variable.” [Weather.com]
New Job: Experienced Servers at Mia’s Italian Kitchen — “We are searching for Experienced Servers to join our Team at Mia’s in OLD TOWN” [Indeed]
