It’s been an intense week in Alexandria Here’s a look back on this week’s top stories. Our most-read post was on the shooting of three men in Arlandria on Sunday night (April 27) Police found the victims with gunshot wounds shortly after being called at around 9 p.m and the Alexandria Police Department is asking for help in the investigation Our number-two story was on an alleged abduction and assault of a woman by a naked man along the Mount Vernon Trail in Old Town North The victim suffered minor cuts and bruises and a 39-year-old Alexandria man was charged with abduction with intent to defile and assault Our third top story surprised us. It was the announcement that the City of Alexandria will host a job fair on Tuesday (May 6) highlighting a wide range of career opportunities available with the City outside City Hall in Market Square (301 King St.) with hiring departments and city representatives on hand to discuss open positions and answer questions from job seekers Turning to city government business, it looks like the lights will stay on and the grass will be cut in Alexandria for at least another fiscal year. On Wednesday (April 30), the City Council unanimously adopted the city’s FY2026 $956.5 million operating budget “We are passing this budget at a time of great economic uncertainty,” Mayor Alyia Gaskins said and so many in our community are navigating rising costs and they’re navigating uncertainty about what’s best for them and their families.” The budget passage also means residents can expect to continue paying the current real estate tax the city’s stormwater utility fee rates increased from $324.10 to $340.30 Are you getting hungry yet? Our weekly poll on the best Mexican restaurant in Alexandria received more than 1,200 votes. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The Vermont senator and the New York representative are rallying huge crowds with a message to reshape the Democratic party Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the courage to brawl for the working classThis article is more than 1 month oldThe Vermont senator and the New York representative are rallying huge crowds with a message to reshape the Democratic party But he is drawing larger crowds now than he did when he was campaigning for the White House with his shock of white hair and booming delivery is that his fears – a government captured by billionaires who exploit working people – have become an undeniable reality and people are angry “For years, I’ve talked about the concept of oligarchy as an abstraction,” Sanders, an independent who votes with Democrats and twice sought the party’s presidential nomination, said in an interview after a joint rally in Tempe, Arizona, with the New York representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez The Vermont senator recalled Donald Trump’s inauguration when the three wealthiest people on the planet – Elon Musk Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg – were seated in front of his cabinet nominees in what many viewed as a shocking display of power and influence “You gotta be kind of blind not to understand that you have a government of the billionaire class you’ve got Trump moving very rapidly toward an authoritarian form of society.” Two months after Trump was sworn in for a second term Democratic activists and an increasingly vocal chorus of voters say they are terrified the 83-year-old democratic socialist is stepping in to fill the void But his aim is not only to revive the anti-Trump resistance movement – he wants a bottom-up overhaul of the American political system Them just holding paddle boards up and staying quiet or wearing pink blazers is not enoughAlexandra Rodriguez, 20“It’s not just oligarchy that we are going to fight. It’s not just authoritarianism that we’re going to fight,” Sanders told an arena full of supporters at Arizona State University on Thursday night “We will not accept a society today in which we have massive income and wealth inequality where the very rich have never done better while working families are struggling to put food on the table.” voters have been showing up at town halls to vent their alarm and rage over the president’s aggressive power grabs and the Musk-led mass firings of federal workers But they are also furious at the Democratic leadership charging that their party spent an entire election season warning of the threat Trump posed to US democracy and yet now appeared either unable or unwilling to stand up to him “Them just holding paddle boards up and staying quiet or wearing pink blazers is not enough,” said Alexandra Rodriguez referring to the Democrats’ acts of protest during Trump’s address to Congress earlier this month “I think they do need to be willing to go to extremes.” The decision has unleashed a torrent of anger from his party’s base forcing him to postpone a book tour as he defends himself against calls to step down as leader On Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez’s western tour the New York representative was interrupted by intermittent calls to “Primary Chuck!” We need a Democratic party that fights harder for us She urged the crowd to help elect candidates “with the courage to brawl for the working class” Democrats “absolutely need to get stronger” said as she waited with her mother and aunt to enter the venue on Thursday night Robbie Lambert, 70, a retired special education teacher, said keeping up with the turmoil in Washington was beginning to feel like a full-time job. Just that afternoon, Trump had signed an executive order aimed at dismantling the Department of Education who was on vacation in Arizona and decided she had to attend the Tempe rally makes you feel like you’re doing something.” The Arizona representative Yassamin Ansari said she had been hearing similar calls for action from constituents across her district this week including at an event with LGBTQ+ business leaders and an at-capacity town hall where several people shared that it was the first political event they had ever attended “People are really fed up,” Ansari said in an interview makes you feel like you’re doing somethingRobbie Lambert Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez are the most prominent Democrats offering both a strategy to confront Trump and an alternative vision for the party In 2024, Democrats lost support among young people and Latino voters – core constituencies – and recent polling found that the party’s popularity is at an all-time low Few Democrats disagree that their party needs to course-correct but how and to what degree remains a topic of intense debate Supporters say the success of Sanders’ tour, which began last month in Omaha, Nebraska, is a clear sign that Democrats want the party to aggressivelyfight what they view as Trump’s encroaching authoritarianism – not “roll over and play dead”, as veteran strategist James Carville suggested in an op-ed They also view it as an endorsement of Sanders’ policy agenda arguing that his brand of economic populism is the right match for this turbulent political moment According to a memo by Sanders’ longtime adviser the senator has raised more than $7m from more than 200,000 donors since February and is drawing crowds 25% to 100% larger than at the height of his presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020 more than 30,000 people attended a rally in Denver – the largest audience Sanders has ever drawn “We’re living in an intensely populist moment right now,” Shakir wrote It’s ‘very top versus everyone else’.” The title of his memo: “It’s a populist revolt The joint appearance by the 35-year-old New York representative and the Vermont senator who she has said inspired her to run for office naturally raised the question: is Ocasio-Cortez the heir to the progressive movement Sanders has been building since before she was born Several rally-goers in Tempe believed she had the potential to lead the party – and perhaps even the country “I hope she’s the first woman president,” said Norman Ellison There was also a tinge of wistfulness in the arena Supporters dressed in old campaign t-shirts and hats and one person sported a pin that said who has all but ruled out a third run for president 50-minute critique of the “top 1%” with the moral ferocity that has long endeared him to legions of politically disaffected supporters being working class in America is a death sentence,” he bellowed Ocasio-Cortez’s opening remarks were no less visceral were “taking a wrecking ball to our country” and “screwing over” working people “We’re gonna throw these bums out,” she declared While both Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez share a political vision their double act showcased the distinct styles of two progressive leaders at opposite ends of their career arcs Ocasio-Cortez offered a more personal touch weaving elements of her biography into her speech – something Sanders is typically loath to do whose death from a rare form of cancer plunged the family into economic uncertainty labor and human dignity because I’m an extremist,” she said pushing back on the rightwing caricature of her “I believe in these things because I was a waitress.” She said she empathized with Americans who felt overwhelmed and demoralized and encouraged them not to give in to despair “We won’t do that,” someone in the crowd yelled Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez left the arena to address an overflow crowd that hadn’t been able to get in “This is where the future is,” said Sebastian Santamaria gesturing toward the empty podium adorned with a “Fight Oligarchy” placard “As a person who has supported Democrats in the past I don’t want to keep supporting you if it doesn’t look more like this.” What Happened: Trump announced a pause in the tariffs in a Truth Social post around 1:18 p.m the founder of Tolou Capital Management and Unusual Whales a popular social media commentator and online suite for data feeds and tools on options flows showed that call volumes for various contracts started spiking around 1:00 p.m said that “Any member of Congress who purchased stocks in the last 48 hours should probably disclose that now.” AOC added that “We're about to learn a few things It's time to ban insider trading in Congress.” Unusual Whales highlighted that SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY 509 calls expiring on Wednesday Series 1 QQQ 406 calls expiring on April 17 someone knew,” said Unusual Whales in its X post Join Plus500 today and get up to $200 to start trading real futures then jump into live markets with lightning-fast execution See Also: Ford, GM To Witness ‘Higher Demand’ As American Carmakers Set To ‘Reap The Fruit Of Protectionism,’ Says Expert: Here’s A List Of Potential Gainers And Losers From Trump Tariffs disclosed the purchase of several stocks that faced steep drawdowns last week The purchases were made on April 3 and April 4, according to the Benzinga Government Trades tracker and all trades reported in the filing have a reported value ranging from $1,000 to $15,000 Berkshire Hathaway Inc. BRK, Caterpillar Inc. CAT, Dell Technologies Inc. DELL, and FedEx Corp. FDX are some of the other 17 total stocks she purchased. Price Action: SPY rose by 10.50% on Wednesday, whereas QQQ advanced 12.00%. Nasdaq 100 rose to exit the bear territory and was down 13.85% from its previous record of 22,222.61 points. The S&P 500 was still in the correction zone, down 11.23% from its last high of 6,147.43 points. Whereas Dow Jones was 9.91% lower than its 52-week high of 45,073.63 points. On Thursday, the futures of Dow were down by 0.22%, and the futures of S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 index were 0.56% and 1.03% lower, respectively. Stock Score Locked: Want to See it?Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock – anytime Benzinga does not provide investment advice Date of Trade▲▼ticker▲▼Put/Call▲▼Strike Price▲▼DTE▲▼Sentiment▲▼Click to see more Options updatesOptions ActivityIdentify Smart Money MovesSee what positions smart money is taking on your favorite stocks with the Benzinga Edge Unusual Options board free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker “Unbelievable!” he declared upon reaching the microphone “There are people half a mile away!” Moments later he claimed 36,000 people were gathered before him which constituted “the largest rally that we have ever had.”  If I were forced to paint with a broad brush—and at 36,000 people a broad brush would be the instrument of choice—I’d say the crowd was a coalition of aging hippies and entertainment industry millennials but nobody in the throngs surprised me by their presence I did manage to find one woman who voted for Donald Trump in 2016 before voting for Biden in 2020 “I’m so thankful [Bernie] is doing this kind of thing.” This was a message I heard repeatedly from attendees: Those gathered were hoping for hope itself “I’m hoping for some answers about how to stay encouraged … I’m hoping this is a positive day and adds some clarity to the situation.” Moments later There were plenty of therapeutic aspects to the rally like Joan Baez crooning “Imagine” or Neil Young and Baez singing “Keep on Rocking in the Free World.” But despite Sanders’s promise that “we’re going to make our revolution with joy We’re going to sing and dance our way to victory,” it was hard to characterize the crowd as hopeful there was a determination among these 36,000 people A 32-year-old screenwriter named Brett told me: “The only way I know how to go on is to hope and believe—and certainly it won’t happen if we don’t come here and try to work together and listen to each other.”  And there was that other kind of determination as well—the determination to unite a left wing in the place of an official institutional party organ that feels incapable of much at the moment This was not the hardened Bernie crowd of 2016 I saw far more Harris-Walz shirts than Bernie 2020 shirts That determination to hope has seemingly expanded the tent there’s a precarious challenge that Sanders—and his younger protégés who will carry this movement into the post-Trump era—are going to have to face They have to unite a defeated half of the political spectrum and turn all of these determined sparks of hope into a structured movement “When something big happens in the country and people feel like something’s wrong they’ll pick one of two things—sometimes it drives them further into apathy We see this billionaire takeover of our country and now we have to stand at that crossroad and try to get people into something Because there’s also a lot of people in this moment who will fall more into apathy and our job is to make sure that doesn’t happen.” this crowd was far from apathetic; indifference isn’t a strong enough force to get the average person to stand in the Los Angeles sun all day the heat was punishing: Sanders had to stop his speech several times to call medics into the crowd the nurses’ union rushed off the stage to help And their assistance was limited to the people they could see: If there really were 36,000 people at this thing only about 10,000 of them were visible from the stage; the rest were on the other side of a treebank and the press riser.  That crowd stood in a dirt lot watching a Jumbotron The mood became more vague as you worked your way through the outer reaches; in the further orbit there was less of that sense of passion and determination even at the margins there was a consensus among the furthest-flung that this was Here on the periphery you’d encounter a hollowed-out dumpster with a younger group perched on the rim watching the event unfold on the big screen.  “This moment did not come out of nowhere,” she said “The destruction of our rights and democracy is directly tied to the growing and extreme wealth inequality that has been growing for years in America.” This was where the nerve was most visibly touched: Attacks against the encroaching oligarchy received noticeably louder responses even than attacks against Trump One union leader’s remark lambasting a “bone-spurred chicken-hawk commander in chief” didn’t receive quite the same boos as her line hitting the “one percent and the corrupt politicians who got richer out of the market manipulation we saw last week.”   as I did during the nascent stages of the Trump movement that enough of these people are pissed off about the same things that they might actually do something they might even do that radical thing where they all get together and vote there was a clear passing of the torch and a message taking shape Sanders’s argument was broad; he bashed “a corrupt campaign finance system” and Elon Musk generally Both of those were ripe objects of criticism but Ocasio-Cortez had a more finely tuned message While he criticized them for listening to “their billionaires,” she attacked specific practices like congressional stock trading and corporate lobbying Sanders attacked Trump’s billionaire coterie we must defeat the system that created him.” and if that movement becomes a tent big enough to win elections anti-corruption is the tentpole propping it up Our present shit show of a health care system can be tied to billionaire health care CEOs are corrupt by virtue of their obscene wealth alone The horror of the Gaza genocide can be tied to AIPAC’s influence in Washington which so often feels like naked corruption The housing crisis too can be blamed on billionaires—again corrupt by virtue of their wealth alone—buying up property just to drive up the price of living Corruption is quickly becoming the through line and the message from the Los Angeles stage hammered this home: Your life feels more difficult more stressful today as a direct result of a deeply entrenched plutocratic perfidy Jason Lemon is a Senior Politics Editor at Newsweek based in Brooklyn, New York politics and international affairs. He joined Newsweek in 2018 and had previously worked as an editor at a Middle Eastern media startup called StepFeed He also worked a year as a contributor to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and has bylines in The Christian Science Monitor Al Fanar Media and A Magazine. He is a graduate of the American University of Beirut in Lebanon and Andrews University in Michigan You can get in touch with Jason by emailing j.lemon@newsweek.com either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, has increasingly been discussed as a leading star within the Democratic Party with some suggesting she could be a 2028 contender for the party's presidential nomination While potential announcements for 2028 candidates are likely still a couple years off, a number of recent polls are already showing how voters are thinking about the upcoming primary—with Ocasio-Cortez emerging as one of the top few contenders Newsweek reached out to Ocasio-Cortez's office for comment on Sunday morning Democrats have largely struggled to respond to President Donald Trump and Republicans since their defeat in the 2024 election Analysts and activists have consistently highlighted that the party appears leaderless Ocasio-Cortez, however, has emerged as one of the Democrats many see to be pushing back in a way that resonates with the party's base The congresswoman has also been holding massive rallies in several states alongside progressive Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent. With thousands turning out for these events it suggests the progressive duo has a message that resonates with a significant constituency of voters A CNN poll carried out from March 6 to 9 showed that Ocasio-Cortez was the top politician among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents when asked which "one person best reflects the core values" of the party The New York progressive was named by 10 percent of respondents. That was narrowly ahead of former Vice President Kamala Harris adults with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percent While Ocasio-Cortez may be seen as best at representing the party's values a poll carried out by Morning Consult from March 14 to 16 showed her in third place when respondents were asked about who they would support in 2028 In that survey, Harris led the pack by a wide double-digit margin, with 36 percent support. In second was former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg Ocasio-Cortez had half of Buttigieg's support She was tied for third with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who was Harris' 2024 running mate, and California Governor Gavin Newsom. Billionaire Mark Cuban came in just behind at 4 percent The poll included 2,210 registered voters and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points Another recent Echelon Insights poll conducted from March 10 to 13 Harris was at 33 percent and Ocasio-Cortez was at 7 percent Buttigieg was in second place at 10 percent That poll surveyed 1,007 registered voters and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points carried out in late January among 414 likely voters behind Buttigieg at 9 percent and Newsom at 7 percent Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at a Las Vegas rally on Thursday: "This isn't just about Republicans We need a Democratic Party that fights harder for us But what that means is that we as a community must choose and vote for Democrats and elected officials who know how to stand up for the working class." who attended Ocasio-Cortez's Denver rally with Sanders on Friday told Newsweek: "The Democratic Party has not been taking strong actions for the working class and then laid out their plans for action which were met with strong cheers from the 30,000 people who showed up Those moments were when I felt the most empowered and ready to fight for my neighbors." Monica Crowley, a former official in the Treasury Department during the first Trump administration, told Fox News in November: "Just a word of warning to the Republicans Democrats interested in running in 2028 aren't expected to officially announce until 2027 although it's possible someone could announce sooner Buttigieg, Newsom and several prominent Democratic governors are rumored to be considering runs. While Harris is also widely speculated to be weighing a second presidential bid, she is also reportedly looking at a run to be California's next governor in the state's 2026 election Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsweek is committed to journalism that's factual and fair Hold us accountable and submit your rating of this article on the meter. Newsletters in your inbox See all Though American politics is conducted at the state and congressional district level polling and analysis are largely done at the national level and will use state-of-the art techniques in political science and data science to bring layers of nuance and depth to polling political science research has demonstrated that policy-makers don't understand the attitudes of their own constituents Our first project involves helping reporters politicians and commentators understand the geography of public opinion through multi-level regression and post-stratification Learning about the political climate is pointless unless we can use that information to bring about change so we'll be collaboration with social scientists and data scientists to bring the techniques they use every day in the office to advance common sense solutions that improve the lives of all Americans From March 26-31, Data for Progress conducted a survey of 767 likely Democratic primary voters in New York using SMS and web panel respondents The polling finds that Schumer is in a weak position to win a contested primary — he has the lowest favorability of all New York Democrats tested and loses a hypothetical 2028 matchup to Ocasio-Cortez by 19 points The most popular Democratic figures tested in the poll include Sen Schumer has the highest disapproval of all Democratic leaders tested New York Democratic primary voters consider “threats to democracy” to be the most important issue to their vote followed by “programs like Social Security and Medicare” and then “economy A staggering 84% of these voters also say that Democrats in Washington are not doing enough to stand up to Trump and the MAGA movement In a hypothetical matchup for the 2028 Democratic primary for the U.S Ocasio-Cortez leads Schumer by a 19-point margin Ocasio-Cortez leads with primary voters across racial and ethnic subgroups and she carries voters 45 and over by 8 points Ocasio-Cortez also leads with voters across gender and educational status while Schumer only leads among self-identified moderates The polling also indicates that the race is relatively static and does not move when voters are given additional information about either candidate.  voters were shown two biographical statements about Ocasio-Cortez and Schumer in a randomized order voters were given a statement that includes information about her background her unseating of an incumbent Democrat in 2018 and her support for progressive policies such as Medicare for All and the Green New Deal 82% of New York Democratic primary voters say they have a favorable opinion of Ocasio-Cortez Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx and witnessed firsthand the challenges facing working-class families and immigrant communities she worked as a community organizer and educator before unseating a long-serving incumbent in one of the biggest upsets of the 2018 election Ocasio-Cortez has been a leading progressive voice and is seen as a rare member of Congress willing to rock the boat and speak truth to power bold climate action through the Green New Deal and greater accountability for corporate power She has also fought to protect reproductive rights and to hold the Trump administration accountable for its abuses of power Ocasio-Cortez continues to champion policies aimed at creating economic opportunity and uplifting underrepresented voices across New York and the country do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez The biography for Schumer includes details about his background and support for mainstream Democratic priorities — such as lowering health care costs and defending Social Security and Medicare jumping from a +26 to +47-point margin.  Chuck Schumer was born and raised in Brooklyn where he learned the importance of hard work and public service at an early age Schumer began his career in the New York State Assembly before moving on to the U.S House of Representatives and then winning election to the U.S Schumer is seen as one of the most powerful officials in Washington and has delivered billions of federal dollars to New York He has championed efforts to lower healthcare costs He has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration's attempts to undermine democracy standing up for voting rights and pushing back against extremism Schumer remains committed to protecting Social Security and other vital programs that support working families across New York and the nation voters were once again asked whom they would vote for if the 2028 primary were held today with Ocasio-Cortez winning 56% and Schumer winning 36% of the vote Voters were also shown potential lines of attack against the two candidates The first statement describes Ocasio-Cortez as a polarizing figure who divides Democrats and pushes policies that are too extreme for the party Fourteen percent of New York Democratic primary voters say this statement is “very concerning.” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez may be able to energize more extreme elements in her party but she has proven to be a polarizing figure who often divides Democrats and alienates moderates Her confrontational style and social-media presence have overshadowed efforts to build consensus and achieve real legislative progress Instead of working effectively within the party to advance progressive causes Ocasio-Cortez has made headlines by clashing with other Democrats and pushing proposals that are seen as too extreme by many Americans critics say her approach is more about personal branding than delivering for her district New Yorkers deserve a representative who can unite people around shared goals and work productively in Congress rather than stoking division and controversy.  The second statement describes Schumer as a “career politician” who has cozied up to big corporations and voted with MAGA extremists instead of helping working people Thirty-three percent find this statement “very concerning.” Chuck Schumer is a career politician who has spent decades in Washington often prioritizing political calculations over the needs of New Yorkers he joined Trump and MAGA leaders in Congress to vote for their spending bill earning backlash for aligning with extremists Schumer has been criticized for cozying up to big corporations and failing to deliver tangible results for working families across the state At a time when Democrats need to stand firm against Republican threats to healthcare Schumer's willingness to accommodate Trump has called his judgment into question New Yorkers deserve a senator who is focused on fighting for middle-class families not clinging onto a leadership title in Washington.  with Ocasio-Cortez continuing to lead by 20 points The results indicate that Schumer has left himself vulnerable to a primary challenger in 2028 and that Ocasio-Cortez could be a strong candidate to defeat the incumbent New York senator New York Democrats — and Democrats nationwide — clearly want a leadership that fights harder to defeat Trump and the MAGA agenda Data for Progress conducted a survey of 767 likely Democratic primary voters in New York using SMS and web panel respondents The sample was weighted to be representative of likely Democratic primary voters by age The margin of error associated with the sample size is ±4 percentage points Results for subgroups of the sample are subject to increased margins of error For more information please visit dataforprogress.org/our-methodology Subscribe to our newsletter to get our latest updates This website is paid for by Data for the Social Good We respect your privacy and do not tolerate spam We will never sell or give away your information to anyone without your consent Emad El Nahas has announced the starting XI for our game against Haras El Hodoud in the Egyptian Premier League at Cairo International Stadium Shobier - Maaloul - El Aash - El Saaiy - Afsha - El Shahat - Ahmed Reda - Karim Walid - Gradišar Design and Developmentrobusta An Alexandria apartment complex along a narrow stretch between West Braddock Road and N Beauregard Street is about to get a little denser LLC wants to convert former laundry rooms into 11 new apartments at the three-building 122-unit garden-style property while keeping the number of available parking spaces for residents as-is at 152 The Planning Commission will review the proposal on Tuesday (May 6) and City Council will consider the matter at its hearing on May 17 This is the second project of its kind that KMF XII Alexandria, LLC, is bringing to the city for approval this month. The company bought this property, The Oliver, and The Alante Apartments nearby at 4800 Kenmore Avenue in 2018 added washers and dryers to the apartments and have proposed converting the old communal laundry rooms into apartments The applicant proposes to convert the former common laundry rooms into eleven new apartments (one studio ten one-bedrooms) for a new total count of 133 units The units would be entirely within the existing buildings and would not require any new square footage… The site currently has 122 apartments and 152 parking spaces with a parking ratio of 1.24 spaces per unit The complex was constructed in the late 1960’s and has maintained approximately the same number of parking spaces since that time and a parking ratio of 1.14 spaces per unit which is in line with what is being proposed with similar new residential developments in the West End coasters and canvases that Suzanne Williams She started watching YouTube videos on how to decorate coasters “I stepped out of my comfort zone and started doing it,” Williams said “I taught myself everything by watching videos and just trying.”  coasters and canvases are decorated with different themes a Christmas scene with an old red pick-up and steampunk scenes her favorite designs include those that have children in them The coasters she makes that have blue herons on them are a crowd favorite She tries to have different themes to grab someone’s attention What may not sell one week may eventually sell the next to someone who was looking for something just like it “You never know what people are going to be attracted to,” she said Willams started decorating cigar boxes because she wanted to see how they turned out “I try to make all sizes and anything I can think of to go in them,” she says  She also likes to use them because she can decorate them however she wants “And people really started liking them,” she said You could keep anything you want to in here,” Williams said “I just sit home in my little craft room and create,” Williams said She knows she won’t make a fortune selling her creations but making people happy is priceless to her She’s been a vendor at the the Cabrini Farmers Market for a little over a month “This is the only place I’ve ever been,” she said “I love it here because it’s like a community.”  to noon Saturdays in the back parking lot of St Francis Cabrini Church on East Texas Avenue Alexandria and Granville filed a plan with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency on May 1 outlining how it can provide water and sewer service to parts of western and northwestern Licking County Jersey Township officials sued the coalition filed the same day in Licking County Common Pleas Court claims “these entities conspired to take control of portions of Jersey Township through improper and unlawful closed-door meetings that violated Ohio’s Open Meetings Act” in a July 15 Jersey Township Trustee Dan Wetzel said in a release that the lawsuit is “about protecting our sovereignty No political subdivision has the right to override the will of another’s voters … Jersey Township has elected leaders for a reason and we will not allow outside officials to usurp our authority or speak for our residents.” Granville Village Manager Herb Koehler said May 1 that the coalition could supply water and sewer service to parts of Jersey Township — if property owners request it — but the coalition is not seeking to “take control” of the township the municipalities said they “vigorously deny the allegations in the lawsuit the City of Johnstown received a letter in early July 2024 from a Jersey Township trustee explicitly threatening litigation,” the release said Johnstown Mayor Donny Barnard said in the release: “We remain committed to transparency and serving the best interests of the residents of Johnstown We are confident in the integrity of our city’s leadership and governance and we trust that the court will dismiss this frivolous lawsuit.” Jersey Township is part of the rapidly growing area between New Albany to the west State Route 161 to the south and the city of Johnstown to the north and Platte and the township are seeking an injunction against coalition members Among the township's requests is for the court to invalidate some actions coalition members took after their July 15 meeting including the Johnstown City Council’s approval of a comprehensive development plan during the July meeting suggesting it is to get more customers for financial gain rather than growth management Platte referred questions to the township's attorney Tension among local government entities in western Licking County has been simmering for more than a year and is rooted in a debate over service areas for local utilities Members of the Johnstown-Alexandria-Granville coalition — known as the Municipal Utility Coalition of Licking County — have said for months that their goal is to offer an alternative to the Licking Regional Water District formerly known as the Southwest Licking Community Water and Sewer District and coalition members say they want to manage growth according to their comprehensive development plans They have concerns that a stand-alone utility will not fully consider development plans when installing lines “We’re not at all implying that Licking Regional doesn’t have a part in the future of western Licking County,” Koehler said We think our service can complement what they offer to the benefit of all customers.” But when the Licking County Commissioners voted in 2022 to expand the Licking Regional Water service area from about 8,000 acres in southwestern Licking County to 18,182 acres stretching to the north and east of its original service area leaders from the coalition communities and surrounding townships became concerned about losing their ability to manage growth to their plans Their concerns intensified when Licking Regional Water bought about 100 acres along State Route 161 in St. Albans Township and proposed a large sewage-treatment facility and a future water-treatment facility within a few miles of Alexandria and Granville That’s when the leaders began serious discussions about forming a utility coalition “Our Plan takes direct inspiration from the Licking County FRAMEWORK report,” Koehler said in a release businesses and residents developed to plan for future growth in western Licking County The report is full of recommendations “to maintain the values and sense of community that attracted our residents and is now attracting major businesses and investment,” Koehler said organic growth while ensuring that our local schools and other critical community needs are not neglected Our ‘inside-out’ approach will allow us to increase treatment capacity and construct centralized sewers as the need arises allowing us to keep sewer rates affordable.”   Alexandria Mayor Sean Barnes said in the coalition’s response to the lawsuit: “We value our partnership with Johnstown and Granville especially in light of the growth that is coming to Licking County Collaborations such as ours are necessary if we hope to positively shape the future of the region.” Granville Mayor Melissa Hartfield said in the release that she is disappointed in Platte and Jersey Township's actions: “I believe this is a deliberate attempt to distract us from working in the best interests of our constituents.” Wetzel said Jersey Township officials “hope that this lawsuit can be resolved amicably.”  Platte and Jersey Township are serious about a sustainable future Alan Miller writes for TheReportingProject.org, the nonprofit news organization of Denison University’s Journalism program, which is supported by generous donations from readers Here are five stand-out Airbnbs to consider for your next family vacation or girlfriends getaway Drive Time: Approximately 45–50 minutes from Alexandria Modern kitchen and open-concept living area Estimated Pricing: $750–$1,200 per night (varies by season and availability) Naval Academy and explore historic downtown Annapolis Enjoy sailing or kayaking on the Chesapeake Bay Dine on fresh seafood at local favorites like Cantler's Riverside Inn Link: Annapolis Waterfront Retreat Drive Time: Approximately 1 hour 45 minutes from Alexandria Private pool with expansive waterfront views Multiple outdoor seating areas for relaxation Close proximity to charming towns of Easton and St Estimated Pricing: $1,000–$1,500 per night (varies by season and availability) Visit the historic Avalon Theatre and Academy Art Museum in Easton Explore the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St Enjoy biking or walking tours through the scenic countryside Link: Waterfront Estate near Easton & St. Michaels Drive Time: Approximately 2 hours 15 minutes from Alexandria Proximity to the University of Virginia and local attractions Comfortable living spaces with stylish decor Estimated Pricing: $400–$600 per night (varies by season and availability) Stroll through the historic Downtown Mall with shops and restaurants Visit nearby wineries and breweries along the Monticello Wine Trail Link: Luxury 3-Bedroom House at UVA Drive Time: Approximately 3 hours from Alexandria Fully equipped kitchen and open-concept living space Estimated Pricing: $800–$1,200 per night (varies by season and availability) Walk or bike along the Virginia Beach Boardwalk Visit the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Explore the ViBe Creative District for local art and dining Link: Bayberry House – Virginia Beach Floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic forest views Fully equipped kitchen and cozy indoor fireplace Estimated Pricing: $300–$500 per night (varies by season and availability) including trails like Hawksbill and Stony Man Visit local wineries such as Wisteria Farm and Vineyard Link: The Gramophone – Stanley, VA Alexandria Living Magazine is your go-to source for exploring the past (Undated) -- Miss a recent edition of the full Alexandria Cardinal Sports Report on KXRA Radio The listing below includes the Alexandria Cardinal Sports Report programs airing on 1490 AM/100.3 FM/105.7 FM The most recent Cardinal Sports Report programs will be placed near the top of the list May 5th: Baseball discussion leads off the program JP Boline joined KXRA Sports Director Dave McClurg on Friday at Washington Park in Detroit Lakes to watch and call the Cardinal doubleheader on the diamond against the Lakers It turned out to be a productive Friday for the Cardinal Baseball squad along with some post-game reaction from Alexandria infielder Jackson Waltzing He led off the doubleheader with a solo homer and made some sterling defensive plays in the field at the Cardinal third baseman throughout the day A preview of Monday and Tuesday Alexandria Cardinal schedules is also highlighted Upcoming Alexandria Cardinal Sports play-by-play:  Games to air on KXRA Radio (1490 AM/100.3 FM and 105.7 FM) with live video streaming on TheVoiceofAlexandria channel on YouTube full presentations of the KXRA Cardinal Sports Report will air weekday mornings around 8:15 May 6th will be pre-empted for Alexandria Cardinal sports play-by-play the full presentation of the Cardinal Sports Report will air at approximately 5:35 PM Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: – A 15-year-old boy is recovering after falling overboard in Lake Miltona north of Alexandria Crews responded to the lake around 2:00 Saturday afternoon on a report of a person falling out of a moving boat Someone on a pontoon got the boy out of the water safely but the unoccupied boat was going in circles Members of a local dock and lift company were able to stop the boat The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office reminds you to always wear one when out on the water Studio: 701-293-9000Front Desk: 701-356-4220Email: Click Here to Email Us Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInALEXANDRIA (KALB) - One person was hurt in a drive-by shooting on May 4 according to the Alexandria Police Department to a hospital regarding a person suffering from a non-life-threatening gunshot wound It was determined that a shooting happened at Overton Street and Warshauer Street when someone opened fire from a vehicle The investigation is still ongoing at this time If anyone has any information about this incident or any other type of crime in the Alexandria area please contact the Alexandria Police Detective Division at the phone number (318) 441-6416 You may also email information to detectives at: APDDetectives@cityofalex.com For a cash reward, call Crime Stoppers of CenLa at (318) 443-7867. The Crime Stoppers P3 Tipster App can also be downloaded to leave tips and get a claim number for a cash reward at www.p3tips.com/community/mobile Click here to report a typo Please provide the title of the article in your email Mandy Taheri is a Newsweek reporter based in Brooklyn You can get in touch with Mandy via email: m.taheri@newsweek.com A pro-Palestinian activist and constituent heckled Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez during an event in Queens repeatedly calling her a "war criminal" over her stance on the ongoing Israel-Hamas war Newsweek has reached out to Ocasio-Cortez's press team for comment via email on Saturday Ocasio-Cortez is often considered one of the moreprogressive members of the Democratic Party. She has recently been touring the country with Senator Bernie Sanders' holding rallies to mobilize and "fight oligarchy" and oppose President Donald Trump The ongoing war in Gaza, which has resumed after a temporary ceasefire, remains a flashpoint in U.S. politics. Trump has voiced his strong support for Israel, floated the idea of taking over the Gaza Strip, and has condemned pro-Palestinian protests on school campuses. He has also supported the arrests of some protestors such as Mahmoud Khalil The Democrat has accused Israel of carrying out a "genocide," claims the country has dismissed, but hasn't consistently used this characterization. In the early months of the war, she called for "conditioning aid to Israel," as a "responsible course of action," to ensure that "public resources do not facilitate gross violations of human rights and international law." She has also called out a pro-Palestinian protest in New York City as "unacceptable and harmful" for alleged expressions of antisemitism Pro-Palestinian activists have confronted Ocasio-Cortez before, saying she's not doing enough for the Palestinian cause. Many progressive voters in the 2024 presidential election were frustrated with then-President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris over the issue did not do enough to halt Israel's military campaigns and provide humanitarian aid to Gazans and I want to know what you're doing about the genocide in Gaza." She continued by calling the representative a "war criminal." Kings has shared videos and images from the town hall on her social media account. Her account features several other pro-Palestinian posts and videos, and recent Instagram stories calling out Representative Ocasio-Cortez Newsweek has reached out to Kings on Instagram for comment and confirmation via email on Saturday "At least with the Republican Party we know what we are dealing with you're a snake," she can be heard saying in another video but not before she told the congresswoman to "stop the genocide Ocasio-Cortez said: "I more than welcome people who disagree or are super pissed off at me for any issue to come Please wait for the Q&A because we don't want to deprive all of our neighbors of the ability to have information and hear them respond to it." Kings' posted an Instagram Story of the town hall with the words "Do you notice how Gaza isn't even on the agenda??? Shame on these fascists." She has over 53,000 followers on the social media platform The most recent conflict in Gaza, which began after Hamas launched a fatal attack on Israel on October 7 killing about 1,200 people and taking 250 people hostage The war has since spread across multiple fronts in the Middle East The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza reports more than 52,400 people have been killed Israel has repeatedly bombed and blockaded the enclave and aid trucks have reportedly not entered the area since early March Israel has been repeatedly withheld and blocked humanitarian aid from entering Gaza Ocasio-Cortez wrote about the U.S.'s hold on ammunition to Israel "The United States has an obligation to uphold its own laws and to respect human rights globally withholding US military aid is a major development towards ceasefire." In November 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in part finding him guilty of "the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare." Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote in an X post on Saturday morning: "Thank you to all our neighbors who joined us for yesterday's town hall—it was our largest district town hall ever the United Nations under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and relief coordinator said in a statement on Thursday: "Aid It leaves them without basic medical support Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote on X on April 30: "Israel is waging a just war with just means against Hamas that murdered 1200 innocent people on October 7 and still holds 59 innocent people hostage." Ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas have stalled Israeli media has reported that the country's security Cabinet has approved plans for an expanded operation in Gaza Ocasio-Cortez's current term ends on January 3, 2027. She has emerged as a prominent figure within the Democratic Party She has not indicated whether a presidential run is in her future though early polling indicates she is among the top contenders for the Democratic nomination in 2028 Hold us accountable and submit your rating of this article on the meter. Alexandria’s curbside composting program officially launches on July 1 the program will now be offered as a voluntary subscription-based service for residents who receive City trash and recycling collections,” the City of Alexandria shares in a press release Residents who get city trash and recycling pickup can now join this optional service for $5 monthly or $55 yearly with the city covering about 75% of the cost the program offers weekly pickup of food scraps and compostable items you’ll get a starter kit with a 7-gallon bin and one free bag of finished compost each year if you want it you’re automatically enrolled in the full program—there’s no need to sign up again you can still drop off compost for free at local farmers’ markets on weekends Want to learn more about composting in Alexandria? Check out alexandriava.gov/FoodWaste for all the details Rep. Don Beyer is pushing for $5.9 million in Community Project Funding for Alexandria as part of his fiscal year 2026 proposals The requests focus on improving infrastructure is aimed at upgrading storm drains along East Howell and East Bellefonte Avenues This project is part of the broader Flood Action Alexandria program which implements both short and long-term flood prevention measures Another $1.5 million request is for an energy-independent emergency shelter system This would allow the shelter to operate off-grid for up to 72 hours during extreme weather events One is for enhancing technology and data management for the Alexandria Police Department The other would upgrade radio systems for both the Police Department and Sheriff’s Office These improvements would boost communication capabilities especially when assisting federal partners like the U.S with a $1.5 million request for The Square at 511 This money would help extend the lifespan of this affordable housing complex in the Arlandria neighborhood by modernizing elevators Beyer’s larger set of 15 Community Project Funding proposals for FY26 across his district The House Appropriations Committee will review all proposals before making final decisions on which projects to fund Alexandria’s road work schedule for May 5-9 is out the citywide street repaving project targets South Royal Street including ADA ramp upgrades and curb and gutter fixes Work areas include the intersection of South Van Dorn Street and Eisenhower Avenue The city says businesses and residents on streets set for repaving get advance notice They’ll also put up temporary “No Parking” signs before work starts to help people avoid tickets and towing Keep in mind that the repaving list and schedule might change or coordination with other city projects and utility work can affect the timeline concrete maintenance will be performed on Duke Street from Roth Avenue to Wheeler Avenue This work is preparation for future repaving Expect lane closures and delays as crews work to finish the job safely and efficiently For more info or to report issues, check out the city’s website or use Alex311 🌥️ Today’s weather: Showers and thunderstorms before 3 p.m. then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 3 p.m then scattered showers and thunderstorms after 4 p.m Light east wind becoming southeast 5 to 10 mph in the morning New rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch except higher amounts are possible in thunderstorms Showers and thunderstorms tonight before 2 a.m. Southeast wind 5 to 9 mph becoming calm after midnight The chance of precipitation is 80%—new rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch are possible Alexandria is rolling out a mix of free and ticketed events this month (May) to mark National Historic Preservation Month The city’s Office of Historic Alexandria is behind the lineup which spotlights local landmarks and ongoing preservation work Special tours at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum and Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site are on the agenda The Friendship Firehouse Museum will open its doors for free on May 17 the Alexandria Archaeology Museum offers free admission and features “A Community Digs Its Past: The Lee Street Site.” The Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum hosts an escape room-style event on May 30 Participants can uncover hidden artifacts while tackling preservation-themed puzzles If you prefer to explore at your own pace, self-guided tours are available for download at AlexandriaVA.gov/SelfGuidedTours The Office of Historic Alexandria oversees eight museums Good news for locals: Alexandria residents get free entry to all city-owned museums To book tickets or make reservations for any of these events, head to AlexandriaVA.gov/Shop Stay in the know about Alexandria! Join 8,700+ residents who rely on the ALXnow free newsletter for the latest news, restaurant openings, and essential information delivered straight to their inbox. Sign Up For Our Free Newsletter The following are the most-read ALXnow articles for May 4 Here’s what’s happening today in Alexandria Organizing an event? Submit your event to ALXnow’s Event Calendar 🌥️ Today’s weather: Scattered showers and thunderstorms Showers are likely and possibly a thunderstorm tonight before 2 a.m. The chance of precipitation is 70%—new rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch It’s a busy spring Saturday in Alexandria Let’s take a look at what’s happening out there Old Town is gearing up for its Spring Fling block party It’s an excellent chance for locals to get together and enjoy community fun Shop from more than two dozen local makers at a fun, family-friendly (and pet-friendly) spring sip-and-shop event at Port City Brewing Co. The Spring Makers Market runs from noon to 5 p.m There’s plenty more happening around town, too. Lost Boy Cider is hosting Bingo for Breast Cancer at 1 p.m., while Good Shepherd Lutheran Church is starting an Inova Blood Drive at the same time Art lovers have options as well. The 4th Annual Alexandria Springtime Art Festival is taking place at John Carlyle Square, and the Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden is putting on a Wine & Art Night Carlyle House Historic Park is getting in on the action with preservation tours and a Family Fun Day focused on garden activities you’ll also find farmers’ markets and live music performances scattered throughout various venues in Alexandria A complete listing of events, live music, and entertainment can be found below and here Stay in the know about Alexandria! Join 8,700+ residents who rely on the ALXnow free newsletter for the latest news, restaurant openings, and essential information delivered straight to their inbox. Sign Up For Our Free Newsletter The following are the most-read ALXnow articles for May 2 Here’s what’s happening today in Alexandria Planning ahead? Here’s what’s going on tomorrow Kate Plummer is a Newsweek reporter based in London and she is particularly interested in the impact of social policy decisions on people as well as the finances of political campaigns Kate joined Newsweek in 2023 from The Independent and has also been published in multiple publications including The Times and the Daily Mail in History from the University of Oxford and an M.A You can get in touch with Kate by emailing k.plummer@newsweek.com "Don't let them trick us into thinking we are enemies," Ocasio-Cortez told the packed Ford Idaho Center in Nampa The rousing message made it into a 90‑second video of the event—shared on X last week—which pulled in 8.5 million views and reignited an old question: Could the youngest woman ever elected to Congress become the youngest person ever elected president who has represented New York's 14th congressional district since 2019 told reporters it was "just a video," but 2028 noise is already buzzing among social media pundits and political analysts "She is running and she is going to be more formidable than some Democrats seem to think," said media commentator Chris Cillizza in a post responding to the viral X video Newsweek contacted representatives for Ocasio-Cortez by email to comment on this story If the former bartender from the Bronx does decide to run she will first have to convince Democratic voters in what is likely to be a crowded primary Pollster Nate Silver, founder of FiveThirtyEight, argued earlier in April that Ocasio-Cortez's youth and media savvy could make her a strong 2028 candidate although he cautioned that she might choose not to run the minimum age required to be eligible for president Recent polls reflect a growing appetite among Democrats for Ocasio-Cortez's candidacy. A Quantus Insights survey of 700 Democrats found her to be the second-choice candidate for 2028 with 14 percent support. She was behind former Vice President Kamala Harris who lost to Trump in November and got 30 percent in the Quantus poll The poll was conducted between April 21 and April 23 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent told Newsweek that Ocasio-Cortez poses a "serious threat" for the nomination citing her "huge rally turnouts" and strong poll numbers an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at the University at Buffalo noted that her prospects hinge on how Democrats interpret their 2024 defeat—whether they believe Harris being "too moderate" hurt the party or not parties tend to 'double down' on whatever strategy they had in the previous campaign," he said this means being more conservative or more liberal if the perception among insiders is that they weren't sufficiently 'pure' enough to excite the base It's not clear what Democrats are thinking on this dimension If the internal narrative is that Harris tried to be too moderate then someone like AOC might have some appeal I simply don't know where the party is in terms of the narrative that they are constructing surrounding Harris' loss." While there has been much soul-searching and analysis about Harris' election defeat according to polling conducted after the election by J.L the two main reasons the then-vice president lost was because of voter's reticence to elect a woman and because of economic concerns a political scientist who runs the Centre on U.S Politics at University College London (UCL) agreed and said Ocasio-Cortez was likely to come up against opposition similar to the opposition Sanders faced when he ran for the Democratic nomination In 2016, the Independent from Vermont garnered around 19 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary He dropped out in 2020 after receiving over 1,000 delegates "AOC is a celebrity with a near cult following," Gift told Newsweek. "However, the same problem that Bernie Sanders ran into is the one AOC will run into if she aspires for the White House It's hard for a quasi-avowed socialist to win a national election in the U.S it remains unclear whether she widen her circle of support and pick off a certain fraction of former Trump voters and moderate Democrats she'll be picked apart for fringe views on a litany of cultural issues and her big government approach to policymaking." If Ocasio-Cortez wins the Democratic nomination, she will then face the electorate at large and run for president against the Republican nominee—likely to be Vice President JD Vance A Siena College poll of 802 New York state voters found that 21 percent of Republicans now view her favorably—up from just six percent in 2019 Neiheisel said this "could just be a reflection of greater familiarity with her in the state" or because New Yorkers might "see her as one of the more reasonable" members of the so-called "squad", a group of progressives in Congress And a Gallup poll in January suggested she had a net favorability rating of -10 percent among Americans suggesting her popularity is far from assured told Newsweek Ocasio-Cortez was too progressive to win over the electorate "AOC has as much chance of winning the White House as the Las Vegas Raiders have in winning the Super Bowl immigration and healthcare will not appeal to swing voters in the battleground states especially more traditionally conservative suburbanites as two of the last three presidential elections have shown slightly left of center female nominees are not electable due to traditional culturally biased attitudes against women in positions of high authority an expert in American politics at the University of Surrey in the U.K. said Ocasio-Cortez doesn't play as well with "older more centrist Democrats" and is seen as radical by some states where "Democrats have to appeal to the center-right as much as the center-left." "The USA is an inherently conservative capitalist country and therefore it will always be hard for a true progressive to win the middle ground to a necessary extent to win the White House," he told Newsweek But some conservative voices are sounding alarms about Ocasio-Cortez's potential "Just a word of warning to the Republicans, to my party, do not underestimate AOC, she's young, she's vibrant, she's attractive," former Trump Treasury official Monica Crowley told Fox News last November. "I think she's wrong on everything And all the energy and activism in the Democrat party remains with the revolutionary left "She's going to run and her message of economic populism is more powerful than people are giving her credit for," conservative political commentator Meghan McCain predicted earlier this month Ocasio-Cortez raised approximately $15.16 million during the 2023–2024 election cycle for her 2024 congressional reelection campaign according to Federal Election Commission data The average for House members that year was $3.31 million Ocasio-Cortez achieved her strongest fundraising quarter to date bringing in $9.6 million from 266,000 individual donors she would become the first female president of the United States and the youngest ever person to hold the office A President Ocasio-Cortez would also beat the record for the U.S president with the longest surname in history That polysyllabic distinction currently belongs to former President Dwight D who served in office between 1953 and 1961 There are plenty of beautiful towns within driving distance of Alexandria to explore as a potential second-home getaway The reasons most people purchase a second home Some popular areas within driving distance of Alexandria (that include a range of home prices) include wine country both near Middleburg and Upperville as well as further south near Charlottesville Other getaway areas include Deep Creek Lake We'll take a look at these areas and others along with a variety of real estate options in those locations There are several options for home purchases in the area Set on an idyllic five-acre parcel and bordering a 400-acre private estate this extraordinary Neoclassical Palladian villa offers nearly 6,000 sq feet of interior living space with spectacular views of the iconic Blue Ridge Mountains Originally built in 1997 by esteemed architect Errol Adels the home finished a two-year renovation in late 2017 and continues to be well maintained a magnificent great room includes the gourmet kitchen dining room and two seating areas that overlook the terrace and swimming pool Each of the home’s five bedrooms - including two large ground level master suites - offer ensuite baths clad in floor to ceiling Carrara marble Additional noteworthy features include 10' custom doors 180-year-old reclaimed wide-plank flooring The 1,225 sq foot guest house has a spacious entertaining space with a concealed full kitchen outdoor spaces and gardens are inviting and well proportioned Completely private and in the middle of Virginia hunt country Lily Pad is an ideal weekend or full-time residence Listed by Laura Farrell• TTR Sotheby's International Realty •540-212-9993 (broker) •theplains@ttrsir.com (broker) Listed by Michael Rankin• TTR Sotheby's International Realty •202-333-1212 (broker) •georgetown@ttrsir.com (broker) Residences at Salamander: If you’re interested in living a resort lifestyle your home purchase comes with membership at Salamander Middleburg That includes concierge services to help with dining and spa reservations or tee times and horseback riding Each residence also includes a one-year membership to Creighton Farms Golf Club Current homes on the market are priced from $3,950,000 for a four-bedroom seven-bath home to $2.7 million for a four-bedroom If you’re looking for a home that might work as an Airbnb, how about a two-bedroom, one-bath cottage, on the market for $485,000? Known as “The Pink Cottage,” it sits on a half-acre lot just outside of Middleburg Co-Listing Agent: Curt Andrew Schaber 703-338-7300