voting | ALXnow

Morning Notes

Published October 25, 2021 at 5:00AM

A fall wreath on a door in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Second Alexandria early voting site opens for November election — “An additional in-person early voting site for Virginia’s general election in November opened in the City of Alexandria on Friday and will remain open through Oct. 30.” [Patch]

Nominate Alexandria schools staff for teacher and principal of the year awards — “It’s that time of year again. Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) is once more participating in The Washington Post’s Principal of the Year and Teacher of the Year Awards.” [Zebra]

News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published October 5, 2021 at 5:00AM

A rather large cobweb at a base for the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, seen from Jones Point Park (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Local teen with cancer knits blankets to raise awareness — “West Potomac High School senior Jessica Foss should have been thinking about prom, graduation and heading off to college in the fall. Instead, in May 2020, in addition to missing out on typical senior year activities because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Foss received a diagnosis that would turn her world even more upside down – cancer.” [Alexandria Living]

Deadline nearing to register to vote in November election — “Oct. 12 is the deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 2 General Election. Any eligible US citizen who will be 18 by 11/2/21 can register to vote. Questions about your registration status? Call us at 703.746.4050. vote.elections.virginia.gov” [Twitter]

News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published September 30, 2021 at 5:00AM

Aslin Beer Co. opens new scratch kitchen in Alexandria — “For the past two years, Chef Taylor Gates has been learning about pizza and dough — and now the taproom at Aslin Beer Co. in Alexandria’s West End is ready to serve it up. Aslin is opening a new scratch kitchen concept this week called Knead.” [Alexandria Living]

City Council approves additional eviction prevention resources — “City Council’s decision funds $457,000 for two service navigator and two housing relocator positions; storage assistance for household belongings; and additional legal services provided by the Legal Aid Justice Center to assist people at risk for eviction due to the COVID-19 pandemic.” [City of Alexandria]

News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published September 14, 2021 at 5:00AM

Alexandria chooses historic trolley as 2021 holiday ornament — “The City of Alexandria is now taking orders for its 2021 Trolley ornament, depicting Car 303 of the Mount Vernon Alexandria & Washington Electric Railway. The fleet of art deco cars were purchased in 1918 for the essential trolley line that connected Del Ray commuters to DC and tourists to Mount Vernon. Car 303 ran until the railway’s closure in 1932. It became a diner in 1936.” [Zebra]

Missing 83-year-old West Ender found safe — “Mr. Navia has been located.” [Twitter]

News

Voting for competitive Democratic Primary underway across Alexandria

By Vernon Miles

Published June 8, 2021 at 9:50AM | Updated June 11, 2021 at 4:39PM

City Councilman John Taylor Chapman in the voting booth with his son at the George Washington National Masonic Memorial on primary day, June 8, 2021. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

(Updated at 12 p.m.) After months of debating, campaigning and posting, the Democratic primary in Alexandria is finally here.

Polls across Alexandria are open today until 7 p.m., and anyone in line by then will be permitted to vote.

News

Wilson keeps fundraising lead over Silberberg in mayoral primary, McPike leads City Council candidates

By James Cullum

Published June 3, 2021 at 3:30PM

The June 8 Democratic primary is next Tuesday, and the latest fundraising totals show that Mayor Justin Wilson has still outraised his opponent, former Mayor Allison Silberberg.

Kirk McPike is also continuing to lead financially among City Council candidates.

News

City Council candidates talk Seminary Road Diet, transparency and ward representation (Part 3)

By James Cullum

Published May 25, 2021 at 11:00AM | Updated May 25, 2021 at 1:33PM

Voting at Temple Beth El Synagogue (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Monday night was a clinic in anti-establishment thinking, as the final group of City Council candidates opined on such issues as transparency, the Seminary Road Diet, the elimination of school resource officer funding and shifting from an at-large to a ward system.

It was the third and final Council forum with the Seminary Ridge Civic Association, which last week featured two virtual panels with the other candidates.

News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published May 24, 2021 at 5:00AM

Waiting in line for frozen custard outside The Dairy Godmother at 2310 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

Suit alleging admissions discrimination at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology moves forward — “More than 70 percent of the student body at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is Asian American; Black and Hispanic students have been woefully underrepresented there for decades. At a hearing Friday in Alexandria, lawyers for the Fairfax County School Board urged a judge to toss out the lawsuit. They argue that the new admissions policies are race-neutral. But the judge ruled that the parents’ group made a compelling claim that the board’s true motivation was to increase Black and Hispanic representation at the expense of Asian Americans.” [WAVY.com]

Alexandria Symphony Orchestra extends contract for Maestro James Ross — “The Alexandria Symphony Orchestra (ASO) announced that Music Director James Ross received a contract extension through the 2023-24 season. Ross has been at the helm of ASO since 2018. He is the fifth music director in ASO’s 78-year history.” [Zebra]

Opinion

Poll: Do endorsements in local elections matter to you?

By Vernon Miles

Published May 4, 2021 at 1:00PM

Voters participate in the Super Tuesday primary at Mount Vernon Community School, March 3, 2020 (Staff photo by James Cullum)

With the Democratic primary underway, candidates for the city council, mayoral, and state seats are putting together lists of endorsements from organizations and other notable locals.

As a local voter, how much do endorsements matter to you?

News

Here’s the order that City Council candidates will appear on the ballot for the June 8 democratic primary

By James Cullum

Published March 31, 2021 at 2:15PM | Updated March 31, 2021 at 6:34PM

After a random selection process this morning (Wednesday), the Alexandria Office of Voter Registration and Elections has the order that candidate names will appear on the ballot for the June 8 democratic primary.

The first 11 candidates filed at the same time, and their order was determined by the Alexandria Electoral Board. The names were put in separate film canisters, which were put in a bowl and mixed around. The last two candidates were listed in the order that they filed their paperwork.

News

Officials Debunk Conservative Study on Registered Alexandria Voters

By James Cullum

Published November 30, 2020 at 2:30PM

Mayor Justin Wilson says that a study by a conservative activist group alleging that 105% of the city’s voting population is registered to vote is “BS”.

Wilson wrote that a Judicial Watch study incorrectly calculated U.S. Census data from the American Community Survey (ACS) when it listed the city’s citizen voting age population at 105%, with 109,889 total registered voters and a total of 104,975 eligible voters. The study was picked up by Republican gubernatorial candidate State Sen. Amanda Chase, who said on social media that there needs to be “absolute integrity in our state electoral system.”