Sunday, June 10, 2012
Alexandria City Council candidate Sean Holihan says he was unaware of Danny Barefoot's donation to Alexandria Democrats for Responsible Government until after he made it.
The partner of Alexandria City Council candidate Sean Holihan donated $3,000 to Alexandria Democrats for Responsible Government, the political action committee responsible for an attack ad against candidate Boyd Walker. Holihan and Walker are two of 14 Democratic candidates in Tuesday’s primary, where voters will select six nominees for the Nov. 6 General Election. Danny Barefoot told Patch he made the donation to Alexandria Democrats for Responsible Government because “as a private citizen” he agreed with the PAC’s platform, including its support of the city’s waterfront plan and for smart growth development practices in Alexandria. “Sean was not aware of my donation,” Barefoot said. Barefoot said he does not know of anyone involved in …
The Mount Vernon Chapter of The Sierra Club explains its choices for Alexandria City Council.
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Sunday, June 10, 2012
Dear Editor: In her recent letter to the Patch editor, Kathleen Burns criticizes the Sierra Club’s endorsements for Alexandria City Council in Tuesday’s Democratic primary. Ms. Burns’s objections center on the positions of the endorsed candidates – Donna Fossum, Sean Holihan, Tim Lovain, Del Pepper, Paul Smedberg and Justin Wilson – on development issues, particularly the Beauregard Small Area Plan, in which Ms. Burns has an active interest. The Sierra Club’s endorsements are based on the totality of candidates’ records on the environment. In addition, we evaluate candidates’ campaign viability, as required by Club guidelines. The Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club reviewed the evaluations of local Club volunteers and approved the …
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Alexandria City Council candidates Del Pepper, Paul Smedberg, Donna Fossum, Sean Holihan, Tim Lovain and Justin Wilson all receive nods from the Mount Vernon Group of the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club.
The Mount Vernon Group of the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club announced its endorsement of six candidates for Tuesday’s Democratic primary for Alexandria City Council. Incumbent Del Pepper picked up a nod from the group for her “strong environmental record working with the Sierra Club on local issues,” according to a press release sent out Wednesday. Incumbent Paul Smedberg also picked up an endorsement based on the answers to completed questionnaires and interviews with the executive committee of the Mount Vernon Group, as did candidates Donna Fossum, Sean Holihan, Tim Lovain and Justin Wilson. The questionnaire considered candidates’ views on the group’s environmental priorities for Alexandria, such as promoting walking, bicycling …
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
The 14 candidates debate for the last time before the June 12 primary.
Alexandria’s 14 Democratic candidates squared off once again shoulder-to-shoulder at the final Alexandria Democratic Committee debate before the June 12 primary. Candidates expressed concern with challenges faced by many jurisdictions in Northern Virginia—education, fiscal responsibility, transportation and traffic, density and development, infrastructure and affordable housing, among other topics. Sorenson Institute Executive Director Bob Gibson moderated the panel at George Washington Middle School before a packed house that spilled over into the auditorium’s balcony. Some of the questions were generated through a partnership with ACTion Alexandria, where participants could submit questions online in advance. Most candidates when asked …
Monday, June 4, 2012
Resident Lynn Hampton shows her support for local PAC Securing Alexandria's Future and encourages Alexandrians to vote June 12.
- OPINION
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Monday, June 4, 2012
To the editor, With the Alexandria Democratic Primary on the immediate horizon, it is important that we all think about our great City. Alexandria is well run. We have great city services. Our infrastructure is maintained. Our garbage pickup is amazing. Our schools do well and in a tough demographic population. Congrats T.C. Williams on your latest accomplishments. We have a low crime rate, we have excellent fire and EMS services. Public health is provided to all that need services. Yes, these are what it takes to have a great City. With this requirement, I encourage every Democrat to think about what is good in Alexandria as you vote Tuesday, June 12, and to vote for six candidates who see the broad needs of government. Securing …
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Group selects six it deems "most qualified to serve the city" along with two honorable mentions.
Local political action committee Securing Alexandria’s Future has thrown its support behind six of the 14 Democratic candidates for City Council, also naming two “runners-up.” The PAC, which is co-chaired by former Councilmen Lonnie Rich and David Speck, has selected John Chapman, Sean Holihan, Tim Lovain, Del Pepper, Paul Smedberg and Justin Wilson as “candidates most qualified to serve the city.” The group said: “We also feel that two candidates, Donna Fossum and Melissa Feld, are worthy of consideration. …Although not endorsed by SAF, both Fossum and Feld… exhibited a commitment to community involvement.” SAF leaders also include former Police Chief David Baker and current City Councilmen Kerry Donley and Rob Krupicka, both of whom are …
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Holihan for Council campaign criticizes Councilman Fannon for calling the issue of marriage equality "divisive."
The Holihan Campaign for City Council criticized incumbent Republican Councilman Frank Fannon for characterizing the issue of marriage equality as a “divisive issue.” Gay Democratic council candidate Sean Holihan, who works for NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia, said: “Alexandria is an amazingly inclusive community…to call equality a divisive issue” shows “I don’t know what city [Fannon’s] living in, but it’s not Alexandria.” The Holihan campaign sent a press release Thursday morning outlining that in April, national Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender advocacy organization Freedom to Marry asked Mayor Bill Euille to sign its statement supporting marriage equality for gay and lesbian citizens. In turn, Euille asked other members of council via email …
Thursday, May 10, 2012
All fourteen Democratic candidates participate in the first of two forums put on by the Alexandria Democratic Committee.
The Alexandria Democratic Committee held the first of two City Council candidate debates Wednesday night at Francis Hammond Middle School. Bob Gibson, executive director of the Sorensen Institute at the University of Virginia, served as moderator. The rapid-fire debate format gave all 14 candidates a chance to address a variety of topics and even ask questions to each other. The candidates are squarring off for six nominations that will be determined June 12 in a citywide primary. Here is some of what each candidate had to say on Wednesday night: John Chapman A lifelong Alexandrian and currently a school administrator in Fairfax County, Chapman said improving the city’s education system and making positive changes in affordable housing are…
Thursday, April 5, 2012
City Council candidate Sean Holihan says it's time for change in Alexandria's public school system.
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Thursday, April 5, 2012
To the Editor: Where there’s smoke there’s usually fire. Unfortunately, for Alexandria City Public Schools, too few people have pulled the alarm. During the last three months, I’ve gone out knocking doors in nearly every neighborhood in our city. Whether it’s Del Ray, Parkfairfax or Cameron Station, people are talking about schools. Almost every conversation I’ve had with voters at their doors has centered on their worry with the direction of our school system. This isn’t a coincidence. People are concerned. They’re concerned because they’re afraid their kids aren’t getting the education they deserve. They’re concerned because teachers are fleeing Alexandria Public Schools at an alarming rate. They’re concerned because every time they …
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Candidate also leaves Alexandria Republican City Committee citing incumbent Independent Alicia Hughes as the reason for his departure from the committee.
Republican Alexandria City Council candidate Scott Gordon abruptly resigned from the race for a seat in City Hall on Tuesday evening, citing a family medical issue and endorsed a Democrat for council. “This is 100 percent due to an emerging family medical issue,” Gordon told Patch. “There is no other reason. Family above all else comes first.” Gordon made the announcement on his website. “I urge you seriously to consider—as I make this endorsement—to fully support both physically and financially Mr. Sean Holihan, a member of the Alexandria Democratic Committee," Gordon wrote. "Sean is trustworthy, loyal, caring, sympathetic, intelligent and a real civics expert. I believe no other candidate, Incumbent or otherwise, is more suited to serve…
Drew Hansen
10:31 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
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