Virginia Briefing

ALEXANDRIA

Violent Crime Declines Almost 6% in 2008

Violent crime in Alexandria dropped last year, while overall serious crime rose slightly, according to data released yesterday by city police.

Four homicides occurred last year, down from eight in 2007, police said. The rise in overall crime, which was about 2 percent, was due in part to an increase in thefts of cars and of items such as GPS devices from cars.

Although violent crime was down almost 6 percent, the number of rape cases increased from 18 to 35, police said.

-- Allison Klein

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S RACE

Arlington Democrat Kicks Off Campaign Tour

Mike Signer (D), an Arlington lawyer and national security analyst who is running for lieutenant governor, kicked off a week of campaign stops across Virginia yesterday with a promise to make the job "more than just a placeholder."

"The whole argument of the campaign is that the seat should be more than just a placeholder," said Signer, 36, who was foreign policy adviser to John Edwards's presidential bid, later advised President Obama's campaign on veterans issues and served as deputy counselor for former governor Mark Warner. "It should be a public advocate."

Three other Democrats -- Jody Wagner, a former secretary of finance; Pat Edmonson, a member of the Virginia Beach School Board; and Jon Bowerbank, a member of the Russell County Board of Supervisors -- are running for the state's No. 2 seat, as is the incumbent, Bill Bolling (D).

Signer wants to create a volunteer corps of mental health advocates for veterans and reform the Dillon's rule, which tightly limits the powers of localities, by launching an advocacy campaign among voters and in the legislature, he said.