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Alexandria City Council Poised to Rezone Waterfront

City manager declines to talk about developers interested in the waterfront.

Can City Manager Rashad Young name any developer who is interested in the waterfront?

Council Notebook

Once upon a midnight dreary, while Alexandria Poet Laureate Amy Young pondered weak and weary.

Mount Vernon Estate Moves Closer to Opening Indispensable Library

$40 million facility to open in September.

Drivers zooming along Mount Vernon Memorial Highway are seeing history in the making.

Alexandria School Board Selects Interim Leader to Head Division

Alvin Crawley to take control of city schools at critical time.

Turns out, the national search for a new superintended wasn't able to find a candidate as good as the guy who is already sitting in the chair.

New Leadership for Democrats

Clarence Tony elected chairman of the Alexandria Democratic Committee.

Only a few weeks ago, Democrats swept all five of Virginia's statewide offices — largely with the help of organizations from Northern Virginia.

Governor's Mansion, Confidential

Defense team in corruption case to detail crumbling McDonnell marriage.

When he takes the stand in his own defense, former Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell will read jurors an email that he wrote to his wife as their marriage was said to be crumbling.

Wiggle Room on the Alexandria Tax Rate

Council members advertise half-a-penny increase in tax rate, allowing more flexibility.

Although Alexandria City Manager Rashad Young issued a proposed budget that keeps the current tax rate, members of the City Council voted this week to advertise a tax rate that's half a penny higher.

Alexandria Schools See Rising Poverty In the Classroom

City has the highest rates of students who qualify for free or reduced price lunch in region.

In the last decade, the percentage of Alexandria students who live in poverty has grown from 50 percent to 56 percent. That's the largest percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced price lunch in the region, according to a recent analysis by the Washington Area Boards of Education.

Despite Advances, Many Virginians Remain Uninsured

Affordable Care Act expands coverage, but more than 800,000 still have no health insurance.

What is the state of the uninsured in Virginia?

Funding Plan Emerges for Streetcar Project

County Board forgoes federal funds to expedite Columbia Pike project.

When federal officials denied Arlington County's request for a Small Starts grant, advocates for the streetcar project went back to the drawing board. Now the three Arlington County Board members who support the $300 million project say they will forgo federal funds altogether, using state money set aside for transportation.

National Park Service Shutters Mount Vernon Trail Amid Budget Crisis

Parts of trail are barricaded;; parking lots closed/ Park Service Police issue parking tickets.

Woody Guthrie observed "This Land is Your Land." But that apparently does not apply to federal land during a government shutdown.

Office Vacancy Hits Historic High in Alexandria

City officials blame Base Closure and Realignment Commission.

The crush of rush hour traffic at Mark Center is not the only headache caused by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission.

Business Matters

Del Ray is known as the place where Main Street still exists. Now it's also a place where adults can eat sushi without the threat of hearing a crying baby.

New Approach to Mental Health

Reforms in wake of tragedy involving state senator's son.

Advocates for mental health services have been calling for improved services and increased funding for years, although the issue has been pushed aside year after year.

Week in Alexandria: June 4

Slip Displeasure

What is the future of pleasure boats on the waterfront? That's a question that has yet to be resolved. It's an uncertainty that's leaving pleasure-boaters, well, displeased.

May 28: Council Notebook

News briefs from the city council on May 28.

June 18: Council Notebook

City Council in brief from June 18.

Killing the Death Penalty

Lawmakers consider bill to abolish capital punishment in Virginia

Virginia has executed people longer than any other state, a tradition that stretches back into colonial days when Captain George Kendall was executed for treason. Over the years, the commonwealth has executed more than 1,300 people. Now, Virginia may be about to join 22 other states that have abolished the death penalty.