PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Alexandria, VA Alexandria Permit #482 Gazette Packet Attention Postmaster: Time-sensitive material. Address Service Requested To: 1604 King St., Alexandria, VA 22314 25 Cents Vol. CCXXIV, No. 37 Serving Alexandria for over 200 years • A Connection Newspaper September 11, 2008 Photos Courtesy of the Al Courtesy Photos exandria City Public Sch ools New Superintendent Morton Sherman and new School Board member Last week’s School Board meeting saw the debut of an electronic voting Marc Williams chat with staff members during a reception last week. format, shown here. What will the next chapter of the city school system say about Alexandria? New Beginnings By Michael Lee Pope division’s trajectory were a calculus equa- Folkerts presided over her first meeting, and Gazette Packet tion, according to the logic of the argument, “In my assessment the Williams took his seat as the newest mem- the downward concave of recent years will ber of the board. In a break from tradition, uring his summertime cam- soon become an upward arc. Williams and tail has been wagging the Folkerts invited Superintendent Sherman to paign for an unexpired term on his “inflection point” metaphor won the day dog. But now the dog is move from stage left to take a seat immedi- D the Alexandria School Board, during the special election, and his first ately to her left. Marc Williams often described School Board meeting last week certainly going to wag the tail.” “It’s a symbolic move,” Folkerts explained the Alexandria City Public Schools as being seemed to offer a new day. when asked about the new seating arrange- at an “inflection point.” As a metaphor, the Gone were the deep divisions that con- — School Board member Eileen ment. “It’s intended to demonstrate how we argument Williams was making on the tributed to a series of controversial five-to- Cassidy Rivera intend to work closely with the superinten- stump was that the city’s school system was four decisions last year Instead, the School dent.” in the midst of sweeping changes. If the Board members voted in unison on all the meeting was later posted on the division’s agenda items debuting their newfangled Web site, a first for the School Board. Newly See School Board, Page 26 Alexandria “electronic meeting” software. Video of the elected School Board Chairwoman Yvonne Gazette Packet Will Terry McAuliffe Arts ❖ Entertainment ❖ Leisure A Third Contender ruin Brian Moran’s By Michael Lee Pope chairman of the House Democratic Cau- campaign for governor? Gazette Packet cus and is currently engaged in a guber- natorial primary battle with Sen. Creigh he’s been approached by many Virginians ven though the presidential cam- Deeds (D-25). who are enthusiastic about the possibility paign seems to have sucked up all Yet another potential gubernatorial con- of him running for governor, and his re- Thespians This week’s issue has a review and upcoming E seasons of the local the political oxygen available in Vir- tender has emerged in the last few weeks: sponse is always the same — that he wasn’t Wanted theaters. ginia, next year’s race for governor has been former Democratic National Committee ruling it out.” quietly taking place behind the scenes. Del. Chairman Terry McAuliffe who has never If McAuliffe were to decide to enter the Brian Moran (D-46) is Alexandria’s favor- run for any elected office before. race, it could seriously complicate Moran’s ite son, representing the city’s West End “When asked in Denver if he was inter- path to victory. McAuliffe, who lives in since beating Republican Bruce Wilmot in ested in running for governor, he said he McLean, would bring considerable 1995. Over the last few years, Moran has wasn’t ruling it out,” said Tracy Sefl, an www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ September 11-17, 2008 ❖ 1E emerged into a leadership position as the advisor to McAuliffe. “Since the convention, See Contender, Page 4 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ September 11-17, 2008 ❖ 1 2 ❖ Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ September 11-17, 2008 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Alexandria Gazette Editor Mary Anne Weber Council Notebook News 703-917-6431 or [email protected] The Manilow Riot Concerned about the nexus between alcohol abuse and crime in Arlandria, City Council members tried to institute a voluntary alco- hol-sales limitation in the neighborhood before heading off for their summer vacations earlier this year. The proposal would have ended sales at 11 p.m. instead of midnight, as dictated by the Virginia Alco- hol Control Board. Yet over the summer the plan unraveled, and now elected leaders are trying a new tactic to target loitering. The logic behind the plan to voluntarily limit alcohol sales rested on retailers choosing to participate. Even though the Giant grocery store and the CVS drug store both signed on to the proposal, nei- ther Seven-11 franchises in Arlandria agreed to participate. So much for the voluntary proposal. “I think we said at the outset is that this would only work if everybody agreed to the voluntary limitation,” said Rich Joseph- son, deputy director of the Planning Department. “So we’re back to where we were before.” Back at Square One, Councilman Justin Wilson suggested that loitering is a problem at 24 Express — the Mount Vernon Avenue convenience store that was the original target of efforts to limit alcohol sales in the neighborhood. Now that the neighborhood al- cohol-sales limitation has floundered, Wilson suggested that anti- loitering language be added to the requirements laid out in the store’s special-use permit, which will be taken up at the next legis- lative meeting of the council. Just how does the City Council plan Clerk of Court Edward Semonian administers the oath to Alexandria Fire Department’s to accomplish this goal? two new assistant chiefs Andrew D. Snead, second from left, and Denise Pouget second “Maybe we could play Barry Manilow music in the parking from right, as Snead’s wife, Fannie, and Pouget’s mother, Marian, observe. lot,” joked Councilman Tim Lovain. “That might cause a riot,” added Councilman Ludwig Gaines. Assistant Fire Chiefs Sworn In Clearing the Air According to a recent inventory of the city’s greenhouse-gas emis- Two new Assistant Fire sions, government operations produce about 87,000 tons of emis- sions a year. That total includes fuel use, electricity use and waste Chiefs have 54 years production, primarily from fossil fuels and electricity consumption in city buildings and schools. It’s an inconvenient truth at City Hall, combined experience. but that figure would rise to 130,000 tons over the next 50 years if the city were to remain doing business as usual. By Chuck Hagee “We are looking to change business as usual,” said Metropolitan Gazette Packet Washington Council of Governments Executive Director Dave Robertson. “There’s a lot of talk about change in terms of the national elections, although that’s above my pay grade. But change fter an intensive search that garnered 122 is underway in the Council of Governments.” candidates from throughout the United Robertson was making a personal appearance at the City Council AStates and Europe, Alexandria Fire De- meeting to build support behind a plan to reduce greenhouse gas partment inducted its two new assistant emissions in the Washington region. The proposal, outlined in the fire chiefs Monday morning before a large audience Council of Governments document titled “National Capital Region gathered at the Nannie J. Lee Center. Both came from Climate Change Report,” suggested that Alexandria find ways to other local fire departments where they enjoyed long limit emissions 80 percent by 2050. City officials have already hired careers. “This is an auspicious day for us. We are here to an energy manager, established an Energy Conservation Commit- Alexandria Fire Department Chief Adam tee and purchased a fleet of hybrid vehicles Now they have com- swear-in our two new assistant chiefs,” said Alexan- dria Fire Chief Adam Thiel. Thiel welcomes the audience gathered at mitted themselves to dong more, and City Council members said the Nannie Lee Center for the induction Tuesday that they are ready to change business as usual — in large “It was a long and exhausting process. And, as it turned out we didn’t have to go across the ocean to ceremony of the department’s two new measures and also in small ways. Assistant Fire Chiefs. “I would like you to note that we are using recyclable materials find our new Assistant Fire-EMS Chiefs. They were here for out hot drinks,” Vice Mayor Del Pepper told Robertson, both right here in this area,” he said. national Association of Black Professional holding up her coffee cup. Assistant Chief Denise Pouget is a 27-year veteran Firefighters,Inc. of the Montgomery County Maryland Fire and Res- Snead holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Urban cue Service. She just officially retired as that Studies and Planning from Virginia Commonwealth In the Sunshine department’s safety officer at the beginning of this University in Richmond. In 2007, he completed the Ever since the Norfolk Southern Railroad Company quietly con- month. She was named “Safety Officer of the Year” in Executive Fire Officer Program through the National verted an old truck transferring operation into an ethanol loading 2007 by the International Association of Fire Chiefs. Fire Academy. facility, residents in Cameron Station have been outraged that City Pouget, an Emergency Rescue Technician-Para- Both Snead and Pouget have already started their Council members weren’t notified of the operation until a month medic, holds a Bachelor of Science in Fire Service employment with the Alexandria Fire Department.