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Secret Service detail for JD Vance closes an Alexandria park
Secret Service detail for JD Vance closes an Alexandria park
Judy Lowe Neighborhood Park, frequented by toddlers, dogs and seniors, is now effectively part of the U.S. Secret Service setup. Some neighbors are bummed.
Judy Lowe Park in Alexandria, Va., is closed “until further notice” because of a request from the U.S. Secret Service. The park is located near the home of GOP vice-presidential candidate JD Vance. (Teo Armus/The Washington Post)
By Teo Armus
August 28, 2024 at 5:41 p.m. EDT
When the predominantly liberal residents of Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood learned last month that their neighbor JD Vance was joining the GOP’s White House ticket, most of them responded with a mix of acceptance and indifference. ... Then they lost their park.
Down the block from Vance’s five-bedroom house, concrete barricades have been erected to block off the small patch of grass named after Judy Lowe, a longtime civic activist in this corner of Northern Virginia. The labyrinth, small playground and prized benches frequented by toddlers, dogs and tai-chi-practicing seniors is now effectively part of the U.S. Secret Service setup. ... “It’s just very disruptive to the people who quietly enjoy the neighborhood,” said Debbie Olving, 70, a retired teacher who lives directly across the street.
Olving, who sat sipping ice water on her front porch Monday night, conceded that federal law enforcement officials have to protect Vance — particularly after an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania on his running mate, Donald Trump. In the Minnesota neighborhood home to Democratic vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz, she figured, neighbors probably felt the same way. ... But that didn’t make it any less of a bummer.
“I don’t want anybody else, regardless of politics, in danger,” Olving said as she looked over at the two police officers standing on the other side of the road. “But it’s really ripping a lot out of Del Ray.”
{snip}
By Teo Armus
Teo Armus covers people, issues and local government in Northern Virginia for The Washington Post. He joined The Post as a staff writer in 2019. Twitter
Judy Lowe Neighborhood Park, frequented by toddlers, dogs and seniors, is now effectively part of the U.S. Secret Service setup. Some neighbors are bummed.
Judy Lowe Park in Alexandria, Va., is closed “until further notice” because of a request from the U.S. Secret Service. The park is located near the home of GOP vice-presidential candidate JD Vance. (Teo Armus/The Washington Post)
By Teo Armus
August 28, 2024 at 5:41 p.m. EDT
When the predominantly liberal residents of Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood learned last month that their neighbor JD Vance was joining the GOP’s White House ticket, most of them responded with a mix of acceptance and indifference. ... Then they lost their park.
Down the block from Vance’s five-bedroom house, concrete barricades have been erected to block off the small patch of grass named after Judy Lowe, a longtime civic activist in this corner of Northern Virginia. The labyrinth, small playground and prized benches frequented by toddlers, dogs and tai-chi-practicing seniors is now effectively part of the U.S. Secret Service setup. ... “It’s just very disruptive to the people who quietly enjoy the neighborhood,” said Debbie Olving, 70, a retired teacher who lives directly across the street.
Olving, who sat sipping ice water on her front porch Monday night, conceded that federal law enforcement officials have to protect Vance — particularly after an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania on his running mate, Donald Trump. In the Minnesota neighborhood home to Democratic vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz, she figured, neighbors probably felt the same way. ... But that didn’t make it any less of a bummer.
“I don’t want anybody else, regardless of politics, in danger,” Olving said as she looked over at the two police officers standing on the other side of the road. “But it’s really ripping a lot out of Del Ray.”
{snip}
By Teo Armus
Teo Armus covers people, issues and local government in Northern Virginia for The Washington Post. He joined The Post as a staff writer in 2019. Twitter