Vol. 8, No. 33 Alexandria’s only independent hometown newspaper AUGUST 16, 2012 Debatable? Mayoral race may into a one-on-one session lack extensive between Euille and Mac- one-on-one policy donald. discussions between But with a herd of 12 Euille, Macdonald city council candidates jostling for six seats, time BY DAVID SACHS will be scarce for mayoral arguments during the Oc- Voters hoping to see tober 25 debate, co-spon- Mayor Bill Euille (D) sored by the Alexandria debate Independent chal- Chamber of Commerce lenger Andrew Macdonald and Northern Virginia As- may have to settle for a sociation of Realtors. De- half-hour duel less than a bate coordinator Shari Bo- week before Election Day. louri envisions 30 minutes The Alexandria Demo- for Euille and Macdonald cratic Committee released to spar, with an hour and a debate schedule Monday a half for council candi- outlining four city council dates. But she said conver- forums. At least one — at Andrew Macdonald most two — will dovetail SEE DEBATES | 6 Bill Euille LOWERING THE BAR Math scores plummet ACPS Standards of Learning Pass Rates, 2011-2012 Standardized tests don’t by about 23 percent, a dive re- tell the whole story, says flecting a more rigorous test, ACPS average State average Compared ACPS superintendent said Patricia Wright, state su- to ’10-11 perintendent of schools. BY DAVID SACHS Morton Sherman, super- intendent of Alexandria City ENGLISH HISTORY MATH * SCIENCE Alexandria public school Public Schools, said improve- students performed worse than ment is vital but tempered the their Virginia peers on stan- Virginia Standards of Learning dardized tests last academic results with cautious optimism year, according to figures re- Wednesday, citing outliers — 89.1% 84.9% 67.9% 90.8% leased Tuesday by the com- bright spots — around the dis- monwealth’s education depart- trict. 83.1% 76.1% 53.0% 82.0% ment. Concentrating on targeted Down 0.4% Down 0.6% Down 23.2% Down 1.8% Citywide, some schools grades, schools and subjects boasted higher scores, but on throughout the year paid off, * Scores reflect statewide initiative to make math tests more rigorous. average local pass rates fell he said. Cora Kelly elementary Source: VA Department of Education from the prior year in every IMAGE/ASHLEIGH CARTER subject. Math rates plummeted SEE SCORES | 8 LOOK INSIDE FOR YOUR ACVA RESTAURANT WEEK GUIDE! 2 | AUGUST 16, 2012 ALEXANDRIA TIMES Prudential PenFed Realty Old Town Alexandria ALEXANDRIA $1,550,000 OLD TOWN ARLINGTON $549,000 THE REPRESENTATIVE HISTORIC HOME IN SE QUADRANT PRICE! 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Conveniently located to bus lines, common area and trees. Great community amenities. Easy commute to will not last! Also located close to bus service, Bradlee Center and King I-395, Pentagon, shopping. MARC Center, Pentagon, Shopping, and NVCC. and Quaker streets. Get your real estate license in four weeks! Classes start soon… Call Maxine at 703-837-9895 to see if you qualify for our FREE Training Program. FOR INFORMATION ON THESE OR ANY PROPERTY FOR SALE, PLEASE CALL THE OUTSTANDING AGENTS AT PRUDENTIAL PEDFED REALTY. 703-836-1464 703-836-1464 • Maxine McLeod Miller, Managing Broker • 300 N. Washington St. • Suite 100 • Alexandria, 22314 An independently owned and operated broker member of BRER Affiliates, Inc. Prudential, the Prudential logo and the Rock symbol are registered service marks of Prudential Financial, Inc. and its related entities, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. Used under license with no other affiliation with Prudential. Prudential-PenFed Realty is an independently owned and operated member of BRER Affiliates, Inc. PenFed Membership is not required to conduct business with Prudential-PenFed Realty. WWW.ALEXTIMES.COM AUGUST 16, 2012 | 3 THE WEEKLY BRIEFING In Your Times SAIL ON A HISTORIC SKIPJACK! Identify the photo below and where it was taken for a chance to win two tickets on the Potomac Riverboat Co.’s Skipjack Minnie V. To enter, email [email protected] with your answer or write to 110 S. Pitt St., Alexandria, VA 22314. One winner will be chosen at random from the winning entries submitted be- fore noon Tuesday. A different photo and hint will be featured each week between now and the end of summer, so keep your eyes open as you meander around Alexandria! WHERE AM I? #10 PHOTO/STEVENSON OPOKU REMEMBERING A LIFE CUT SHORT: Yussif Thulla displays a shirt made to honor Alhaji “A.J.” Hassann, his cousin and former T.C. Williams High School soccer player. Hassann died last month from surgical complications at age 20. His friends, teammates and former coach held a me- morial soccer game earlier this month at T.C. to remember Hassann and raise money for his mother’s flight from Sierra Leone. Don Quixote chased windmills centuries ago Now contemporary turbines move when the wind blows Creating energy — this harnessed power Chris Yianilos drops out To make electricity for towns at all hours. Some places encourage folks to strive to be green. of Alexandria School Board race If you know where this is, then you know what that means. Citing family medical on the home front,” Yianilos Where am I? What am I? problems, Alexandria School wrote on his Facebook cam- Board candidate Chris Yiani- paign page. Congratulations to last week’s winner, Steve Mason, who los withdrew from the race Though he described with- correctly identified the clue as the Ben Brenman Park gazebo. Friday afternoon. drawing from the race as a Yianilos, a Beverly Hills “personal disappointment,” Sponsored By: resident and District B candi- the 10-year city resident left date, said several members of the door open for a future run POTOMAC RIVERBOAT COMPANY his immediate family suffered for elected office. bouts of poor health in the past Yianilos’ departure from three months. While he did not the campaign trail leaves five Chris Yianilos discuss specifics, the 40-year- District B candidates in the old director of federal rela- hunt for three seats on school Williams. Voters in the city’s tions for Virginia Tech said all board: Kelly Carmichael center-third segment com- are expected to recover. Booz, Michael Brookbank, prise the district. “At times like these, my Chyrell Bucksell, Justin Ke- energies and focus need to be ating and incumbent Marc - Derrick Perkins CORRECTION An article from the August 9 edition titled “Anonymous donor has campers Now Departing from Alexandria City Marina Purchase Tickets online or visit our ticket booth singing” erroneously stated that an anonymous donor gave $15,000 to Community Lodgings, a local nonprofit organization. The donor actually underwrote the Kid Pan Alley musical edu- 703-684-580 - www.potomacriverboatco.com cation program. The Times regrets the error. 4 | AUGUST 16, 2012 ALEXANDRIA TIMES CRIME The victim immediately Second arrest alerted police at 12:02 p.m. POLICE BEAT made in Rose- August 3, but the burglars stole The following incidents occurred between August 8 to August 15. mont burglaries jewelry and electronics before exiting the home, said Ash- Police made a second arrest ley Hildebrandt, department in a string of burglaries in Rose- spokeswoman. THEFTS mont on August 9, charging She did not specify what DRUG CRIMES Bitaywork Debebe with a single pieces of jewelry or electronics count of receiving stolen prop- were taken but said nothing else erty. 22 was reported missing. 6 Authorities took Debebe, a There are no other known 25-year-old city resident, into witnesses to the incident, and custody after searching two buildings on the 800 block of authorities do not have suspect Pendleton St. about noon. In- descriptions. vestigators were going over Authorities did not put a VEHICLE evidence on the scene August 9, price tag on the stolen goods or THEFTS said Ashley Hildebrandt, spokes- the damage to the back door. The woman for the Alexandria Police suspects remain at large, Hildeb- ASSAULTS 3 Department. randt said, and the incident is un- Officers arrested another der investigation.