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Piloting Food Trucks
Most of controversial food truck proposal placed on back burner.
The food truck craze is coming to a city park or a farmer's market near you, part of a 16-month pilot program that will allow the mobile vendors to set up shop and see what happens. City Council members approved the pilot program in a four-to-two vote with Vice Mayor Allison Silberberg and Councilman Paul Smedberg voting no. Disgruntled restaurant owners across the city are talking about creating a new association specifically to fight expanding the program to hot spots in Old Town and Del Ray, a move city officials have been pushing for more than a year. The pilot is scheduled to begin in July and run through October 2015.
Special Election Down the Pike for Arlington County Board
Democrat and independent to face off in April special election.
The special election to replace retiring County Board member Chris Zimmerman is the closest thing Arlington will probably have to a referendum on the streetcar.
Northern Virginia's Growing Debt Burden
Local governments use debt as a tool to build for the future.
Back in the 1920s, Harry Byrd became governor of Virginia on what he called a "pay-as-you-go" platform.
Supreme Court of Virginia Sides with Car-Title Lenders
TitleMax, LoanMax and Fast Auto Loans will be able to keep details about their business secret.
How many cars did TitleMax repossess last year? What was the average loan amount for LoanMax? How many judgments did Fast Auto Loans obtain against people who were so hard up for cash that they handed over the title to their automobiles? That’s all information that these companies handed over to state regulators last year. But according to a new ruling from the Supreme Court of Virginia, it’s also information that these companies can keep secret.
Opening the Floodgates
Northern Virginia Democrats struggle with power now that they have it.
When they were in the minority, Democrats were mostly united in their views about everything from gun control and reproductive rights to the Equal Rights Amendment. Now that they’ve seized power, though, members of the newly minted majority are hearing from opposite sides on everything from gerrymandering and labor rights.
Virginia House Whip Faces Democratic Primary
Spain criticizes Lopez's work on immigration, relationship with governor, presence in community.
If Democrats seize control of the House this November, Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-49) is poised to be in a leadership position helping to guide the agenda of a party that has not been in power since the 1990s. But that’s only if he makes it through the primary.
Uranium Money Spreads Across Virginia in Radioactive Debate
Upcoming General Assembly session to feature effort to lift ban on uranium mining.
The uranium deposits under the farmlands of Pittsylvania County are miles away from Northern Virginia, but the debate about what happens there is shaping up to be one of the hottest issues of the upcoming General Assembly session.
Two-Front Primary
Self-styled 'aggressive progressive' wages statewide campaign while defending House seat
Northern Virginia has one of the most competitive Democratic primaries for the House of Delegates this year, a race that's complicated by an incumbent who's seeking reelection while also seeking a statewide office. Del. Mark Levine (D-45) will be appearing twice on the ballot, once toward the top of the ticket for lieutenant governor and then again for reelection to the House seat that he's held since his first election in 2015.
Drawing the Line
Newly created redistricting commission zooms toward new maps in 2021
Now that voters have approved a constitutional amendment creating a new redistricting commission, the pieces have already started falling into place for how the commission will work and who will serve on it.
Pendulum Politics in Northern Virginia
House District 34 has swung to the left, the right and back again.
Northern Virginia’s wealthiest suburbs are also some of its most hotly contested battleground precincts, the House of Delegates district surrounding Great Falls that’s swung left and right and left again in recent years. What once was the home of legendary Republican Vince Callahan has become kind of jump ball after he announced his retirement a decade ago.
On the Ballot
A look at statewide candidates and where they get their money.
Voters across Virginia will be headed to the polls Tuesday Nov. 7. Here’s a look at what’s on the ballot.
Virginia Senate Minority Leader Faces Two Primary Challengers
Dick Saslaw hasn’t had a primary challenge since the 1970s; now he has two.
The last time Senate Minority Leader Dick Saslaw had a primary opponent, Jimmy Carter was in the White House and the Bee Gees were at the top of the charts. This year, for the first time since 1979, Saslaw has primary opposition. Not just one opponent, but two.
Longtime Arlington County Board Memer Chris Zimmerman To Step Down
January departure to open the way for special election in April.
After 18 years on the Arlington County Board, Chris Zimmerman announced last week that he is stepping down to take a position as vice president for economic development of Smart Growth America, a Washington-based advocacy group that promotes walkable neighborhoods near public transit.
Known and Unknown: What Would Candidates Do In Richmond If Elected?
Two candidates in special election say they don't know what bills they would introduce next year.
Voters in next week’s special election will be faced with a choice between the familiar and the unknown in the Sept. 4 special election.
Fairfax Board of Supervisors Considers Raising Stormwater Management Fee
One-penny hike on property tax could raise $35 million for projects throughout the county.
When it rains, it pours. That’s why Fairfax County taxpayers may have to fork over more money this year for stormwater management.
Virginia Voters Choose Firebrand
Corey Stewart to lead Republican ticket this fall.
Conservative firebrand Corey Stewart was denied an opportunity to be the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor in 2013. And then he came within striking distance of being the party’s standard-bearer in the gubernatorial campaign last year. Now, finally, the chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors has secured a spot at the top of the ticket, bringing his brand of anti-immigrant, pro-Confederate Trumpism to the race against incumbent U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine.
Cementing the Districts
Republicans try to lock in eight-to-three advantage in congressional redistricting.
Now that congressional redistricting has moved through the House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate, a picture of 2012 is beginning to take shape.
Lawmakers to Take Second Stab at Killing King's Dominion Law
Senate version may be dead, but the House version will be headed to the Senate.
For those keeping score, mark one for King’s Dominion.
Words With Frenemies
Pulitzer-prize winning historian outlines research at Lyceum.
The handwritten words of a former Virginia slave splashed across the screen at the Lyceum Tuesday night, part of a presentation by Pulitzer-prize winning historian Alan Taylor's War of 1812 Bicentennial Lecture. Taylor was explaining the research behind his new book, "The Internal Enemy: Slavery and War in Virginia, 1772-1832."
School Board Candidates Offer Perspectives on Failing Scores for Students with Disabilities
Incumbents defend record; challengers call for more action.
The last three years have seen test scores plummet for students with disabilities, a group that constitutes an expensive and vexing challenge for Alexandria City Public Schools.