Every three years, Alexandria's local elections provide a spark of civic engagement. In this mostly one-party town, the Democratic primary tends to be the main
Justin Wilson would be the first to tell you that his term as mayor has not gone as planned.
When Wilson was elected in 2018, after defeating former Mayor Allison Silberberg in the 2018 Democratic primary by 1,259 votes, he did so assuming that the biggest challenge he would have to face was the planned shutdown of the city’s Metro stations in summer 2019.
“I think the good news is we handled the adversity of that well,” Wilson said. “… All of that was great, but then, obviously, there’s been a couple other things that have happened in the last two and a half years.”
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After a chlorine spill, residents are still advised not to consume
fish that have been caught in Lake Cook. (Photo/Cody Mello-Klein)
During the pandemic, Lake Cook has been a source of respite for West End resident Alexandra Petze. The artificial lake, which is regularly stocked with trout, is a boon for urban fishers and Petze said she has fond memories of holding a “kite party” for her child there.
But last week, on May 14, Lake Cook and the surrounding park were empty, after 60,000 gallons of chlorinated water from the nearby Great Waves Waterpark flooded into the lake and killed about 150 fish and several birds. The lake had recently been restocked with trout.
Inova Health System announced the opening of two new community clinics that aim to expand access to health care in Alexandria at a ribbon cutting event on Saturday.
At the event, Inova unveiled the Inova Cares Clinic for Women and the Inova Ewing FACT Department.
The women’s clinic will provide obstetrics and gynecological services, while the Ewing FACT Department will provide medical evaluations and forensic evidence collection for survivors of human trafficking, sexual assault, child abuse and domestic violence, according to a news release. Located at 4700 King St., both clinics sit next to the Inova Cares Clinic for Families and Inova Transitional Services.
Alexandria residents might be familiar with Patrick Moran’s last name, but the City Council candidate, entrepreneur and son of former Congressman and Mayor Jim Moran said he is ready to chart a new course for the city and himself.
“I see an opportunity and I know and understand that I have an ability to impact positive change, to bring about positively impacting our decision-making process that ultimately respects our communities, empowers our neighborhoods, protects our environment and looks forward to our future generations,” Moran said.
A Yale graduate with a degree in political science, a focus on climate change and a “dual degree with football,” Moran, who was born and raised in Alexandria, is no stranger to politics. His father served as mayor of Alexandria from 1985 to 1991 and as a Virginia Congressman from 1991 to 2015.