All results / Stories / Michael Lee Pope
Up and Down Columbia Pike, Businesses are Divided by the Streetcar
Some believe it will bring more customers; others are worried about cost.
Up and down Columbia Pike, businesses have a variety of views about the streetcar that may be soon be trundling up and down one of Arlington's major thoroughfares.
14 Candidates Seek Six Seats in Historic Democratic Primary
Voters to determine if they like recent direction of city or not.
Are voters pleased with the direction of the city? Or are they looking for a new set of leaders? That will be the central question for the Democratic primary on June 12, when voters will select six candidates that will appear as the party’s slate for City Council in the November election.
Combat Veteran Takes on Former City Councilman in House of Delegates Race
First-time candidate challenges freshman delegate.
Jeffrey Engle is no stranger to combat. The Army veteran spent 11 years in the service, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Now that he has taken a medical retirement from the military, he's ready for a different kind of fight.
Rob Krupicka Wins Special Election In Landslide Victory
Councilman wins every precinct in special election for 45th District of House of Delegates.
Back in 2003, a former AOL executive named Rob Krupicka launched his campaign for Alexandria City Council at Fireflies — a popular Del Ray restaurant a stone’s throw from the Krupicka house on East Nelson Avenue.
Cloud Hangs Over Troubled Alexandria School As Governor Considers Takeover
Future of Jefferson-Houston is in doubt, even as state and local leaders strike new agreement.
Even as central administrators in Alexandria have finally entered into a memorandum of understanding with state leaders to turn around a troubled school, Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell is considering legislation that would seize control from local leaders.
Signs Point To Change: Arlington County makes some changes to sign ordinance
For Dan Magnolia, the headache of dealing with Arlington County government is a sign of the times. Visitors to his business in south Arlington are likely to see a four-foot by three-foot sign announcing the business
More Clang Coming to Del Ray
New free service along Mount Vernon Avenue to cost $1 million a year.
Del Ray is sometimes called the “little neighborhood that could,” a reference to its history as a home for railroad workers at Potomac Yard.
Northern Virginia Poised to Lose Influence
Democratic primary might shift power to Hampton Roads.
Democratic primary might shift power to Hampton Roads.
Thanksgiving Through the Years
From war and pandemic to claptrap and taffeta, the evolution of the holiday in Alexandria.
The story of Thanksgiving is fake news riddled with misinformation and fraud.
Republican Requiem
Democrats take General Assembly, sweep Fairfax School Board; Republicans hold Springfield.
It wasn’t all that long ago that Northern Virginia had its own breed of Republicanism. People like U.S. Rep. Tom Davis (R-11), U.S. Sen. John Warner and Del. Dave Albo (R-42). Now, after a series of stunning defeats since the election of Donald Trump to the White House, Northern Virginia Republicans are a dying breed, with moderates bowing out or being voted out.
School Board Chairwoman Confronts Governor During Alexandria Education Summit
City leaders hope to change school takeover rather than filing lawsuit.
Sitting face to face with Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell at T.C. Williams, Alexandria School Board Chairwoman Karen Graf challenged the sweeping education reform that threatens to remove Jefferson-Houston School from the city's public school system.
Off-Year Campaign Cash
Money from Alexandria will help shape Election 2019.
More than $3.5 million in campaign cash has an Alexandria mailing address this election cycle, a spending spree that reflects the stakes this year’s election. Control of the House of Delegates and state Senate is at stake, and partisans on both sides are trying to influence the outcome.
Alexandria Leaders Consider Lawsuit Challenging Takeover of Long-Troubled School
Unless courts intervene, new statewide division will take control of Jefferson-Houston next year.
Is Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell's effort to take over Jefferson-Houston School constitutional?
Uncertainty Haunts Jefferson-Houston Groundbreaking
Questions linger as officials prepare ceremonial shovels.
City leaders and school officials are about to break out the ceremonial shovels and turn the earth at Jefferson-Houston School, the long-troubled facility near the King Street Metro station.
Two independents and a Libertarian Offer Variety for Voters in City Council Race
Three candidates hoping to land seats at City Hall without major party labels.
Alexandria politics has long been dominated by Democrats, although Republicans have been successful from time to time.
Hunger Rising
Applications for food stamps skyrocket in Alexandria as local economy tanks.
Recent weeks have seen a dramatic spike in the number of people in Alexandria with no resources to put food on the table for their families, leading to a skyrocketing number of applications for food stamps as unemployment numbers climb and people in Alexandria suddenly find themselves in an awkward position — asking for help from the government just to buy groceries. Officials at the Alexandria Department of Community and Human Services say applications to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program have more than tripled since February, before the novel coronavirus pandemic prompted Gov. Ralph Northam to issue a stay-at-home order and shut down most of Alexandria’s economy.
Alexandria’s Failed Experiment with Wards
Del Ray forced a ward system on Old Town. It didn’t end well.
Del Ray was furious. The Alexandria City Council was dominated by members from Old Town, and they took action in the interest of Old Town. People in Del Ray felt neglected and unheard. The elected members of council did not include one single solitary member from their neighborhood, and so people there were demanding the city abandon its at-large system of representation on the City Council and adopt a ward system similar to the one the city had before adopting the city manager form of government.
Failing Alexandria School Waits for Turnaround
After years of failing test scores, Jefferson-Houston to select external turnaround partner.
More than a decade of failing test scores and a revolving door of administrators have taken their toll on Jefferson-Houston School, which the Virginia Department of Education was identified as a “priority school” back in August.
Education Issues Take Center Stage
Constituents tell lawmakers to increase teacher pay; ERA, $15 minimum wage and more.
Teachers deserve a pay raise, and Virginia desperately needs to hire more school counselors. These were two of the most prevalent concerns voiced by constituents to members of the Fairfax County legislative delegation, the largest in the Virginia General Assembly.
LeMunyon Seat May Be Democrats' Best Chance of Taking Out GOP Incumbent
House District 67 is one of the most hotly contested races of the year.
On paper, the 67th House District seems like solidly blue territory. Democrat Hillary Clinton won it with almost 60 percent of the vote. But Republican Del. Jim LeMunyon (R-67) has been in office for four terms, a time that this slice of Northern Virginia has been trending increasingly toward the Democratic Party. That puts this district in the spotlight as one of the most competitive House of Delegates races in Virginia, and it’s one reason supporters of Democrat Karrie Delaney say she's got a shot at ousting LeMunyon.