Old Town is an historic corner of Alexandria, Virginia, rich with historic homes inhabited by many of Washington, D.C. s managing class. Alexandria voted.
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Barbershops like Another Level Hair Studio have partnered with the health department on vaccine
efforts. (Photo/Cody Mello-Klein)
As Alexandria attempts to hit its 80% vaccination target by the end of the summer, the health department and various city partners are encountering some challenges to overcoming barriers among the local Black community.
In Alexandria, 67.5% of adults age 18 or older have received at least one vaccine dose as of Tuesday, according to the Alexandria Health Department. But the city’s Black residents have received the vaccine at a lower rate than other race and ethnic groups relative to their proportion of the total population: Just 17% of those who have been vaccinated in the city with a race or ethnic designation identified as Black, though Black residents make up 21% of the city’s population.
Alexandria Police Department Chief Michael Brown announced last week that he would be retiring at the end of the month, citing ongoing family issues. Brown’s retirement marks the end of the law official’s 45-year career, the last four of which were spent helming APD.
Brown leaves the department after a challenging year, as the city and nation have started to rethink the role police play in communities across the country in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd. He also leaves a complicated legacy behind, with support for his focus on community-based policing and increased transparency in the APD and criticism for his approach to discipline.
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Justin Wilson gives his victory speech after winning the 2021 Democratic primary nomination for mayor. (Photo Olivia Anderson)
The result of Tuesday’s Democratic mayoral primary looked similar to 2018, as Incumbent Mayor Justin Wilson defeated former Mayor Allison Silberberg in a rematch, though by a considerably wider margin than three years ago.
Wilson won the 2021 Democratic mayoral nomination with 13,005 of the total 22,734 votes, or 57.21% as of press time. Silberberg received 9,729 votes, or 42.79%. Ultimately, 23.03% of the city’s 98,728 total registered voters cast votes in the primary.
Wilson will go on to face Republic mayoral nominee Annetta Catchings in the Nov. 2 general election.