Falls Church News-Press 11-9-2023

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November 9 - 15, 2023 Founded 1991 • V o l . X X X III N o . 39

The City of Falls Church’s Independent, Locally-Owned Newspaper of Record, Serving N. Virginia

A Sweep, For Women That Is, In F.C.

BIG WINS FOR THE WOMEN

Hardi, Flynn & Underhill Win F.C. Council Election

by Nicholas F. Benton

Falls Church News-Press

According to Falls Church’s Voter Registrar David Bjerke, there were still 461 ballots outstanding as of yesterday, the day after the polls were open for voting this Tuesday, which if they were mailed by yesterday and received at City Hall by next Monday could still be counted when the final canvass of the votes occur next Monday, Nov. 13.

Therefore, the numbers he provided following election day he has described as “preliminary unofficial results,” being the best that can be offered to our readers at this stage.

But according to Bjerke, even 461 more votes wouldn’t change the net outcomes from the votes counted after the polls closed Tuesday.

So, it is the case that Falls Church has had an election with three important results: at 46 percent a higher than average turnout for an “offoff” year election (with only state and local elections on the ballot, no national ones), a split outcome with two of the three candidates backed

by Falls Church Forward, the Falls Church chapter of the Sierra Club and the News-Press: Letty Hardi and Justine Underhill, and a third elected in Erin Flynn, in an astonishing sweep for women on the ballot here, winning all three contested slots to bring an historic number onto the City Council of six out of seven.

The only candidate in the Falls Church City Council election who did not win (as of our publication date) was the only male, Planning Commission chair Tim Stevens.

With a projected six out of seven

Continued on Page 3

THE BIGGEST VOTE getter in this Fall’s F.C. City Council election, Letty Hardi (l.) won a third four year term and greeted her fellow Council election winner Justine Underhill (r.) at a rousing victory party Tuesday night at Harvey’s Restaurant. (News-Press Photo)

Epic Wins Give Dems Control of State Legislature

by Nicholas F. Benton

Falls Church News-Press

“Virginians sent a clear message last night: we don’t want the government banning books, and interfering with our personal freedoms, whether it’s our reproductive rights, the right to breathe clean air, the safety of our communities from gun violence, or the sanctity of our democracy.”

State Sen. Adam Ebbin said this Wednesday in light of the nearsweep by Democrats on Tuesday to take control of the House of Delegates in addition to the State Senate, and as Republican efforts to stir up the schools in this region were also thwarted.

Victories were sweet in this region, as Saddam Salim won hand-

ily to become the first BangladeshiAmerican heading to a State Senate seat in Richmond, the son of proud parents who worked for years at Falls Church’s Haandi Restaurant.

Salim won a huge upset win over an institution, Democratic State Senator Chap Petersen, in June after Petersen’s district was reconfigured after the 2020 Census to incorporate Falls Church.

Salim said at a victory rally in Tysons Tuesday night that “over and over at the doors I heard concerns over mass shootings across the nation. Grandparents concerned about their grandkids, teachers concerned about active shooter drills and their students and parents saying their last goodbyes. Innocent

school children are the victims of mass shootings in this nation. I will always work to do what’s right for the Commonwealth and Senate District 37, and be a Democrat for Virginia’s future.”

Indeed, Virginia’s elections this Tuesday were in a national and international spotlight, and a tremendous amount of money was raised from outside its borders to impact the critical issues of abortion rights and ballot access. Democrats raised $76.5 million and Republicans $50.3 million, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. The money included several million dollar donations from out of state billionaires interested in seeing if Gov. Glenn Youngkin could succeed in an effort to push a more

moderate form of Republicanism, which failed.

He advocated a ban on abortion not 100 percent but after 15 weeks.

The move reflected a lack of ability to see that the issue for women is not one of degrees, but of the claim of the state to have control of any kind over their bodies. So Youngkin and his Spirit of Virginia political action committee was a big loser in Tuesday’s election.

In Fairfax County, recent efforts

by Republicans to impose their will on the schools was also resoundingly rebuffed, as Democrats won all the seats up on the School Board.

Providence District’s member Karl

Continued on Page 4

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NEWS BRIEFS F.C. Elected Officials to Be Honored at City Hall Monday Outgoing public officials in the City of Falls Church will be honored at a reception open to the public this coming Monday night, Nov. 13, at 6:30 p.m. in the lobby area of the F.C. City Hall. The public is invited to the event. The reception precedes the meeting of the Falls Church City Council at Council chambers in City Hall at 7:30 p.m.

Magazine Hails 4 Restaurants Among Regional Best in F.C. The Northern Virginia Magazine has ranked four Falls Church restaurants among its Top 10 in the entire region in its latest issue. While little Falls Church makes up a tiny portion of the region, but the proliferation of top-ranked restaurants here is extraordinary. Of the Top 10 best restaurants in the wider region, four are either in the City, with its 15,000 residents, proper or right on its borders.

The No. 1 ranking goes to 2941 just outside the city. The magazine says of it, “The 2941 odyssey — a delicious marriage of nature and art — begins on a winding, tree-lined road that leads to a modern building with a sculptured view of a koi pond and an artificial lake.

Inside the soaring space, a talented contemporary American kitchen staff transforms top-flight ingredients into culinary art.”

Ranked fifth is the new Ellie Bird in Founder’s Row, while another restaurant in that same space ranked seventh is the new Nue, and No. 10 goes to the Trio Grille, in Merrifield.

In a longer list of unranked fine restaurants in the region, Pho 75 in the Lohmann’s Plaza area, Rice Paper in the City’s Eden Center and Thompson’s Italian right in the Little City are also singled out.

Biden Proclaims Nov. 9 ‘World Freedom Day’ U.S. President Joe Biden signed a proclamation yesterday marking Nov. 9 as World Freedom Day. He called upon the people of the U.S. “to remember the hope symbolized by the fall of the Berlin Wall and reaffirm our dedication to freedom and democracy.”

The proclamation stated, “On World Freedom Day, we remember that the hammer blow that brought down the Berlin Wall and the might that lifted the Iron Curtain were not sparked by the words of any single leader — it was the people of Europe who spent decades fighting to free themselves and defend democracy. Together, we recommit ourselves to this cause — knowing that the darkness that drives autocracy is no match for the flame of liberty that lights the souls of free people everywhere.

“Around the globe, we are seeing a revival of the forces of autocracy, which are once again demonstrating contempt for the rule of law, democratic freedom, and the truth itself. Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine is another battle in the long struggle between liberty and authoritarianism, one that compels us to remember that the fight for democracy is perennial and that we must stand up for our values each and every day.”

Developer Employees Pitch In To Elect Pro-Casino Delegate Fourteen current or former employees of the giant Reston-based Comstock Development Company have donated $29,525 to the re-election campaign of Virginia Del. Wren Williams (R-Stuart), who won this Tuesday with 77 percent of the vote, according to campaign finance reports as reported by Patch.

Williams is looking to build a casino near the Wiehle-Reston East metrorail station. Earlier this year, Williams introduced HB 2499 in the House of Delegates that would’ve set up the process to build a casino near one of the seven Silver Line stations outside the Capital Beltway in Fairfax County.

Sen. Dave Marsden (D-Burke) introduced a similar bill, SB 1543, in the Virginia Senate. Marsden won Tuesday with 67 percent of the vote. While both the Williams and Marsden bills were withdrawn last spring, both indicate that, however re-elected, they will reintroduce them this coming session.

But also this Tuesday, voters in the City of Richmond once again overwhelmingly rejected the proposed Urban One Casino. Voters also rejected the proposed casino in 2021. Approximately $11 million was spent by pro-casino forces to sway voters.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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NOVEMBER 9 - 15, 2023 | PAGE 3

In F.C. Council Election, Women to Have 6 of 7 Seats

Continued from Page 1

women on the City Council come their swearing in the first week of January, a truly historic majority of women will then be tasked with tackling the Little City’s issues for at least the next two years, when another election for four seats will be held.

Statewide and nationally, this election featured a stunning triumph for the Democratic Party over a Republican Party that had become more extremist than the mainstream of voters wanted due to the influence of Donald Trump. In Virginia, one of the few states with a significant election this fall, the designs of Gov. Glenn Youngkin were repudiated by voters, dashing any hope he might have had to be a presidential candidate.

Youngkin sought to moderate the GOP’s anti-abortion frenzy with a call for a ban on abortion only after 15 weeks. But that was slapped down by a result that, with all state senate and House of Delegate seats on the ballot statewide, gave Democrats control of both the House and the Senate.

Democrats decided coming into this fall to throw their whole weight

into the abortion issue, and they were not wrong. TV ads in this region found them hammering away while the GOP candidates tried to revert to old fashion fear tactics around crime.

So, not only did Falls Church gain a new state senator-elect, Saddam Salim, who had upset veteran Sen. Chap Petersen in the June primary, and achieved a landslide victory Tuesday, but other key bellwether races went their way as well, including the election to the Senate of transgender delegate Danica Roem in Haymarket. Now, the House of Delegates should find Del. Don Scott becoming its first ever black Speaker of the House.

Tuesday night, the biggest party in Falls Church was at the new Harvey’s Restaurant on W. Broad.

The winning candidates Hardi and Underhill were the centers of attention, even as their losing fellow candidate Tim Stevens was also present the whole time and engaged in animated conversations, seemingly unbothered by news of his election loss.

Veteran State Sen. Dick Saslaw, who will continue to serve Falls Church until Salim is sworn in January, was present to congratulate

the winners present, as was current Falls Church Mayor David Tarter and scores of Falls Church movers and shakers, including Council members Caroline Lian, Marybeth Connelly and Phil Duncan. Underhill enjoyed the company at the event of her aunt, Pamela Kigron, who came over from D.C. As they did not seek reelection this time around, Saslaw, Tarter and Duncan will be out of office come January, and it appears that current Vice Mayor Hardi will be elected the City’s new mayor in January, bringing an end to Tarter’s record eight years (four terms) in the job. Hardi had been considered in line for the job before, but insofar as this week’s election saw her tally up more votes than any other candidate, that helped assure her of being elected by her colleagues to the position.

Among Hardi’s staunchest supporters at the event Tuesday night was local developer Bob Young, who when asked to comment about the outcome, said of Flynn’s victory, “All it means is that critical votes on the Council will now be 5-2 instead of 6-1.”

Flynn was not present at the Tuesday event. Also not present

STATE SEN. DICK SASLAW (l.) showed up at Harvey’s last night to join in the celebration of wins by Letty Hardi and Justine Underhill. He’s shown here with F.C. Council members Marybeth Connelly and Caroline Lian. (News-Press Photo)

was Council member David Snyder, who had endorsed Flynn in a letter to the News-Press last week. There was a slight confusion as to what the location would be at first when Falls Church Democratic Committee chair Cindy Cunningham sent out an

email saying it would be somewhere else. But that was soon remedied.

According to Registrar Bjerke, 37th Senate District outcome in the three Falls Church precincts saw

Continued on Page 6

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PAGE 4 | NOVEMBER 9 - 15, 2023

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Salim, Dems Win Handily, Take Control in Richmond

Continued from Page 1

Frisch, an openly gay member of the board, said at Tuesday’s victory party, “These results show people are fed up with the political attacks targeting our world-class public schools and teachers. Fairfax County residents have made it clear: they want safe and inclusive schools with exceptional educators and equitable access to the opportunities every student needs to succeed. I am grateful to have earned voters’ trust for another term and eager to advance these priorities with my new colleagues.”

In races for the Fairfax Board of Supervisors, Democratic chair Jeff McKay was reelected handily and new candidates running to fill seats of retiring supervisors in districts immediately adjacent Falls Church both won handily.

Taking Supervisor Penny Gross’ position in the Mason District, Andres Jimenez won with over 70 percent. Taking Supervisor John Foust’s position in the Dranesville District, Jimmy Bierman won with 60.8 percent.

Dalia Palchik won reelection as supervisor for the Providence District. Also for school board, Ricardy Anderson won in the Mason District and Robyn Lady won in the Dranesville District.

In all of Fairfax County, with over 2 million residents, only one Republican, veteran Pat Herrity the Springfield District, won.

Susan Swecker, Chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Virginia, issued the following statement in response to this monumental victory: “This victory marks an historic moment for the people of Virginia. Our Democratic candidates, representing the diversity and strength of our great Commonwealth, have secured a majority in the Virginia House of Delegates. With the addition of the House of Delegates to our success in the State Senate, it is clear that Virginians have chosen a path of progress, unity, and common-sense governance.

“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all Democratic candidates who tirelessly campaigned, embodying the values

and aspirations of the people they represent. This victory is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our candidates, the Democratic Senators, and members of the Congressional delegation who crisscrossed the Commonwealth to champion our cause. “ Our gratitude extends to the incredible volunteers, activists, and voters who stood up against the tide of right-wing extremism.

The blue brick wall in Virginia not only stands stronger than ever, but has expanded to protect Virginia from a governor who is working to take away our rights, our freedoms, and put the middle class at risk.

“As we celebrate this victory, we recognize the responsibility bestowed upon us by Virginians.

With the mandate given by the voters, Democrats are committed to protecting abortion rights, enacting responsible gun control measures, and working towards lowering costs for Virginia’s families.”

In a statement last night, the Biden-Harris team issued the following statement: “Donald Trump can’t run

SENATOR ELECT Saddam Salim (D-Falls Church) addresses an excited crowd after his winning results were announged at the Fairfax Democrats Victory 2023 party in McLean. (Photo: Brian Reach)

from being responsible for, in his words, ‘killing Roe v. Wade’ the same way Republicans in Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, and across the country could not run from Trump and his anti-abortion extremism. As he’s said many times, no one did more to pave the way for abortion bans than Trump, and he was proud and

honored to do it. Republicans across the country are tied to Trump’s losing MAGA agenda of ripping away Americans’ fundamental freedoms and voters will hold Donald Trump and his MAGA buddies accountable next November.”

Brian Reach contributed to this report.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

What Prince Eddy’s Impact On WWI Could Have Been Nicholas F. Benton FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

These chapters dedicated to the legacy of Prince Eddy, aka Alfred Victor, who as heir to the English throne died at age 27 in 1891, are produced not so much to chronicle his personal biography and times, but to step back and draw a much broader inference concerning how a gay man, which he was, instead of being the typical brute that his younger brother became, could have dramatically altered the course of history, namely, to have prevented, or mitigated the horrible impact of the Great War and the overall horrors of the 1914-1945 period.

Surely, he was terribly misunderstood and underappreciated within his inner circles in his time, despite his popularity with the English public who found him to be particularly endearing as a young prince and future monarch. He was akin to a Princess Diana or Prince Harry in that regard. Although adored by his grandmother, Queen Victoria, he was considered a liability by official circles around the throne for his relatively gentle and effeminate demeanor, and this became for them a particular problem when he was caught up in London’s Cleveland Street male brothel scandal of 1889, which was barely kept out of the papers.

Eddy’s lifelong mentor, John Dalton, assigned to him from his pre-teen years, was a man who was best friends with Edward Carpenter, considered the founder of the modern gay movement, and there was a well-established underworld for gays in London at that time that generally advanced political views markedly far more progressive certainly than those of the official crown.

Biographies of Eddy produced in the wake of his premature demise failed entirely to do justice to the kind of gay man he was, superimposing on him a cruelly prejudiced view as seen from the standpoint of the prevailing white male chauvinist culture.

So, it is entirely plausible that

poor Prince Eddy was, in fact, done in by nefarious forces causing him to contract the flu in 1892 and to die quickly at age 28.

Eddy’s premature death seems innocuous enough, except when viewed from the standpoint of what unfolded in the first decades of the 20th century, when he should have but did not take the throne.

In short, all hell broke loose with the outbreak of war in the summer of 1914.

Had Eddy been alive, could he have prevented what then transpired? It is not a hypothetical question, but one of history.

I believe that somehow nature put Eddy into the position as the incoming monarch of a great world power, not unlike the way in which gays somehow tend to show up in history when there is a social need for the particular gifts they bring. It’s a matter of evolution.

But it is not like some supernatural force is involved that could have intervened to keep Eddy alive. It is an entirely natural process, in my view, and failing to produce the natural outcome for the best result, simply means that life goes on without it.

So, this treatise is unique, as far as I can tell, for the way it juxtaposes the life of a gay person against the backdrop of a horrible war. It blurs all the conventional lines to dare assert that war and gayness are interrelated, but in a reverse sense.

It has been gays who have done most to expose the horrible realities of war, as gay Walt Whitman in his Civil War poems did during the U.S. Civil War and as the gay poet Wilfred Owen during World War I, among others.

They were the ones that ripped off the lies and coverups that attempted to glorify the war experience to tell the real accounts of how awful it was. The fluid German Erich Maria Remarque, in his “All Quiet on the Western Front,” and fluid Ernest Hemingway in his “A Farewell to Arms, ” found receptive audiences in the post-war Weimar Germany a decade after the Great War, did so as well, especially contrasting prevailing illusions about the nature of war and its actual realities. So it was for Virginia Woolf and Vera Brittain who chronicled the lasting impact of shell shock back at home.

End.

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NOVEMBER 9 - 15, 2023 | PAGE 5

U.S. Rep Beyer Women’s Conference Wows Crowd With Appearance by Nancy Pelosi

by Patricia Leslie

It was no surprise that Nancy Pelosi wowed the crowd at U.S. Rep. Don Beyer’s Annual Women’s Conference Saturday morning.

The magic that was and is hers brought the 150 or so attendees at the George Mason University Arlington campus to their feet when she was ushered in, before she could even sit down.

Pelosi, 83, talked about 45 minutes about her rise in the halls of the U.S. Congress and how she got there, urging those present to grab opportunities which come along and “just be you; know your power. Know your inventory. There is only one of you in the whole world,” she exclaimed.

She was a rising star in California’s Democratic Party when she was asked to run for Congress in 1986, never before having given the race a moment’s thought.

After all, she said, she was a mother of five and a volunteer but she went to her youngest child and the only one still at home, Alexandra, 16 at the time, seeking her daughter’s advice.

Alexandra told her mother to “get a life.” Pelosi paused and to audience laughter, said, “I had never heard that expression before,” but “get a life,” she did.

Rep. Beyer reeled off legislation passed during Pelosi’s tenure as speaker of the House of Representatives, the first and only woman to be elected speaker (2007 — 2011 and 2019 — 2023) and asked her what has happened to Congress during these past nine months of “chaos.”

Pelosi smiled and turned to the audience: “an election.” They matter, she said, joining Rep. Beyer to urge those present to get out in the last weekend before Virginia’s election Nov. 7 and knock on doors, canvass and work to elect Democrats who, they both enthusiastically agreed, will take back the House of Representatives next year.

She thanked voters in Rep. Beyer’s district for sending him to Washington, “one the best prepared people to come to Congress with public and private experience.”

Throughout her remarks, she touted the achievements of President Biden.

She’s rather enjoyed being the target of Republican criticism for it shows she is effective, she said. You have to be able “to take a punch.”

Also, the “No Label” party is full of labels, don’t kid yourself.

At the beginning of the event, a handful of Palestinian supporters shouted a question at the speaker emerita and held signs before police

escorted them out.

Pelosi said she would treat the protesters with more respect than they showed the audience, saying, “Hamas is a terrorist organization.”

She lamented the 1,400 murders of Israelis October 7 and the ongoing conflict. “Free the hostages!” Pelosi hurled back at the demonstrators: “Why aren’t you saying ‘free the hostages’?”

“There has to be a path to peace,” she said. “It cannot happen without respect on both sides... . A ceasefire is a gift to Hamas.” She praised U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken who “has made us all so proud” of his efforts, noting that in Tel Aviv Blinken stressed the need for “a humanitarian pause so we can get the hostages out” which is policy of President Biden “who cares deeply about the loss of life on both sides.”

The audience applauded.

Before Pelosi spoke, Rep. Beyer brought to the stage Tanya J. Bradsher, the recipient of his Clara Mortenson Beyer Women and Children First Award, named after his grandmother. Bradsher was Beyer’s former chief of staff and the first woman of color nominated by President Biden to be the Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs. She was sworn in September 20, 2023.

Due to illness, Charlie Clark’s weekly Our Man in Arlington column will not be appearing until further notice.

PAGE 6 | NOVEMBER 9 - 15, 2023

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E ditorial

E D I TO R I A L

Ah, Democracy!

By all accounts, this Tuesday’s election has been critical for America, both for democracy and the future of rationality and just good sense. Still, it cannot be ruled out that it will be lost on a majority of Republicans nationally, who are caught in the grips of a nasty bit of cultish behavior modification driven principally by one factor alone: fear. This is a kind of fear, fear of crossing the big bully in the ‘hood, Donald Trump, that is piled on top of other fears, such as of a loss of identity, of a gainful livelihood, of a decent legacy, in the context of a genuinely worrisome decline in the life expectancy of middle aged white males.

Backing a milquetoast alternative like Glenn Youngkin or other Republican presidential candidates is not a viable option for them under these circumstances. Until they break free from the existential fear that keeps them under Trump’s sway they will not act for the greater good, much less even on behalf of their selfish self-interest. Anyone who is not a party to this was able to see that the more the abortion issue, for example, was being pushed to extremes, the more the general public would react against it, as Tuesday’s election demonstrated all across the land, from red to blue places and in between. But as with any cult of this nature, it is not rational thought that governs behavior, but the rush to go farthest to escape the wrath of the cult leader, even if the objective result is an electoral disaster.

Democrats were able to exploit this terrible disability within Republican voter ranks, at least for this go-around. The temptation for them will be to encourage the same kind of reaction among Republicans going forward. But that would be a big mistake because it is through the advancement of this cultism which is the sinister objective of overt enemies of democracy, including authoritarian regimes around the world like the Russians, the Chinese, the Iranians, Hungarians or other varieties of fascist entities make gains. It may seem far-fetched for thinking people to realize that what may seem to them to be so wacky is in fact a proven formula for the creation of anti-democratic thinking and irrational behavior, overall.

So, the only real way to address the current ongoing crisis of civilization is to elevate the conversation overall by advancing the power of reason and dumping the growing obsession with anti-rational trends in our culture. This includes the use of analogies of mindless sporting competitions to evaluate important political choices in life, to put more emphasis on win-win outcomes, for example.

For now, congratulations to all the winners in this election cycle. Falls Church has leaders now who can convert potentially divisive issues into productive discourse, and it will be the challenge facing all of us to make that work. We look forward to seeing how this leadership majority will move us in that direction.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

L etter to E ditor

Longtime Fan of the News-Press Editor,

I am proud to be a longtime fan of Falls Church Newspaper which I have been readingly rigiously since my landing in Falls Church in 1998.

As a media person, I have been

picking the newspaper from groceries, and often wondered if the paper is economically safe and sound in this age of paperless online communication.

I sincerely hope and pray that this Local Newspaper continues to serve Falls Church City and beyond.

Falls Church has become a Home Away From Home for a very small number of Tibetan-Americans.

A Sweep for Women in F.C Continued from Page 3

Salim win with 4,032 vote to 1,031 by the Republican Ken Reid, and in the 13th Delegate district incumbent Marcus Simon won with 4,1145 votes to 838 for Libertarian Dave Crance Jr. In the Falls Church City Council race, Hardi garnered the most votes with 3,190 to 3,087 for Flynn, 2,989 for Underhill and 2,583 for Stevens.

In uncontested races, Falls Church

School Board members Bethany Henderson, Jerrod Anderson and Amie Murphy call pulled in over 3,000 votes, as did Commonwealth Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti and Clerk of the Court Paul Ferguson. In the school board race there were 515 write-in votes, and it can be assumed (until official results are released) that Mike Donovan, who announced his candidacy with a letter in the News-Press just last week, gained the majority of them.

We have time for our loved ones.

Not the flu.

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A RTS & E NTE RTA I NME NT

NOVEMBER 9 - 15, 2023 | PAGE 7

Fall Theater Productions Around F.C. Offer Talent, Tears and Timelessness

by Kylee Toland

Falls Church News-Press

The month of November is normally a time when high school theater students get to show off their acting and performance skills to the general public, and this year’s local productions bring various stories of humor, tragedy and love.

For theater teacher Bernie DeLeo’s final production at Marshall High School, the theater company will be performing “The Laramie Project,” a somber production about the community response and reaction to the murder of Matthew Shephard 25 years ago due to his sexual orientation.

“For my final play, I wanted to do something that had some lasting value,” DeLeo said. “I have been growing more and more frustrated and incensed over the LGBTQ erasure that’s been happening across the country in a lot of red states.”

“The Laramie Project” is a “docu-drama,” with DeLeo saying the cast will portray characters based on the hundreds of interviews conducted by the original playwrights with townspeople where the murder took place, published news reports and more. The play will take place from Thursday through Saturday, November 9 — 11.

“This play is very enlightening and educating our viewers about a tragedy,” DeLeo said.

“If there are students or young people who don’t know about this, I think it’s really important

that they try and come see [the play] if they can.”

The well-known love story “Beauty and the Beast” is Justice High School’s fall theater production, with cast members Nora Abbas and Habib Kamara saying that the classic fairytale was chosen due to it being a “family-community show” and a way for the theater company to bring the community together.

Showing on Thursday, November 9 through Saturday, November 11, Abbas said the choice of performing “Beauty and the Beast” was also a way to “return to life” after the pandemic and bring “life” back into the theater program. “[Audiences] can expect a lot of magic and fun,” Abbas said.

“No matter what age or demographic you’re a part of, you will look at the show and be like ‘Wow, everyone’s having so much fun.’”

McLean High School’s theater company will be performing a unique show called “Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play,” a dark comedy about six apocalypse survivors trying to remember a classic Simpsons episode. The show was chosen by McLean’s theater arts teacher and director Phillip Reid after seeing a production of it at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in D.C. “I really wanted to try my hand and direct the show,” Reid said. “The show is really strange [because] it is basically a commentary on what happens to pop culture and entertainment through the years done under the

LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS are gearing up for their fall productions, including Justice High School which will be performing “Beauty and the Beast. (Photo: Habib Kamara) scope of a traumatic experience.”

Performed on Thursday, November 16 and Saturday, November 18, Reid said audiences should expect another “true-toform seat-on-a-plane” show in terms of telling the story in a “vibrant, pushing-the-boundaries” kind of way.

“I just like pushing the boundaries in terms of what it means to tell a story,” Reid said. “McLean prides itself in doing that.”

The theater company at Falls Church High School will be performing the classic Broadway

musical “Annie” on Thursday, November 16th through Sunday, November 19th. The story provides a “hope for tomorrow,” as it follows an orphan living with a wealthy tycoon during the Great Depression. “‘Annie’ is one of those shows that has a large ensemble and the ensemble has to be strong,” the high school’s theater arts director Elizabeth DeMarco said. “It lends itself to recruiting freshmen and sophomores into those roles, and then those existing students who have really grown in their tal-

ent could fill the lead roles.”

A few highlights with this year’s production include the hiring of a professional dog named Whimsy Cheddar who is taking on the role of Annie’s beloved pooch Sandy, as well as the talents of student assistant director McKenna Cobb, who DeMarco said has shown amazing “observational skills and the ability to see and give direction.”

“We are an open community and we’re just hoping that this is going to be a wonderful evening or afternoon entertainment,” DeMarco said.

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

‘Titanic’ Steams Full Speed Ahead at Good Shepherd in Burke, Virginia

by Mark Dreisonstok

Among one of the bestknown disasters in the past one-hundred fifty years is that of the RMS Titanic, the colossal luxury ocean liner that sank on its maiden voyage. The year 1912 itself is often remembered as being “the year the Titanic sank.”

This story has become something of a modern fairy tale due to the 1997 film directed by James Cameron. Unjustly overlooked is the Broadway musical of the same year that was also inspired by the legendary ship’s sinking. “Titanic: The Musical” is being staged through November 12 by the Good Shepherd Players of Burke, Virginia, in a wonderful and moving production directed by Nancy Lavallee.

As the play begins, live orchestral music suggests a rapture ocean waves in an overture reminiscent of Richard Rodgers’ “Victory at Sea.” Edwardian hats and chest-like suitcases serve as effective props to suggest the time period in apparel brilliantly executed by costume

designers Donna Sisson and Jennifer Caldwell.

We soon meet a variety of characters, ranging from the wealthy and powerful ship owners and aristocrats, down to the working-class passengers and crew members. Among these are the stories of three third-class passenger Irish girls Claire Aziza, Megan Fisher, and Lizzie Bartlett, all named Kate, who perform as a splendid trio in resonant voices their simple wishes to be a “Lady’s Maid” and thus improve their lot in life.

There is also the upper-class Lady Caroline (Shelby Young), who is eloping to the United States with middle-class husband Charles Clarke (Cristian Bustillos). The two performers duet beautifully and powerfully in the romantic “I Give You My Hand.” There is an elderly couple, Isodor and Isa Strauss (portrayed earnestly

by Bill Robinson and Margaret McGarry), who do not want to be separated even in the face of the inescapable sinking of the ship. The ship’s stoker, or coal furnace tender, Frederick

Barrett (a wonderfully voiced Shakil Azizi in his “Barrett’s Song”), sends a marriage proposal from the telegraph station on the Titanic.

Also present are the ship’s owner J. Bruce Ismay (Chris Dockins), ship’s builder Thomas Andrews (Chris Gray), and Captain E.J. Smith (Kevin McCormack). There is much talk at first of the marvelous wonders of technology of the twentieth century. Then fate takes its course, and the owner, ship builder, and captain variously blame each other and take the blame for the fate of the Titanic.

They are also confronted with even greater ethical choices when they realize that the decisions they make on the sinking ship will determine which guests will live and which will die.

The play, in short, is a thrilling revival of the Titanic tragedy with new life stories recalling the dreams and fates of the passengers of the illfated ship. While parts of the play and its music are somber, there are many moments of life as well, embodied by en-

ergetic musical numbers such as “The Latest Rag,” replete with 1910s-style ragtime dancing. Choreographer Kathleen McCormack handles such moments well as the ship passengers fluctuate between exuberance and panic. Similarly, the dots and dashes of Morse Code (used for the Titanic’s S-O-S distress signals) are cleverly mimicked to match the rhythm of song. In an experimental touch, set designer Bob Hall has placed the twenty-six musicians of the orchestra in an orchestra pit shaped like the front of a ship.

The show is performed extravagantly and yet with commendable restraint, featuring actors who effectively portray both the hope of new life and new vistas as well as the tragedy of the ship’s sinking. The message of the danger of misplaced faith in human technology remains as relevant in our own time as it was in 1912.

The Good Shepherd Church has well-maintained its role as a venue presenting high-quality Broadway fare for the community, a virtual Broadway on

SHELBY YOUNG and Cristian Bustillos star as Lady Caroline and Charles, eloping to America.

(Photo: Karen M. Geier-Smith)

Braddock Road!

“Titanic: The Musical” runs through November 12, 2023, at Church of the Good Shepherd, 9350 Braddock Road, Burke, Virginia. For more information, please visit: good-shepherd.net/players/.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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NOVEMBER 9 - 15, 2023 | PAGE 9

No, No, No Ozempic: Semaglutide Surge Causes Shortages

by Brian Reach

Falls Church News-Press

In America, processed foods are nearly unavoidable — especially when eating on a budget — and a nearly one trillion dollar food industry has quite a bit to lose if Americans start losing weight.

New treatments for Type 2 diabetes have been found to cause significant weight loss, causing a surge in off-label use of the drugs, and posing a potential threat to the behemoth industry.

Though the posturing of food manufacturers — especially those that sell confections and snacks — has been confident, a recent report from Morgan Stanley estimates that this could cause a significant decline in sales of sodas, alcoholic beverages, and food in general.

As obesity and diabetes rise, a recent push for Health At Any Size (HAAS) — said to approach health in a way that destigmatizes being overweight — seems curiously timed, leaving some wondering whether the food industry is pushing the narrative.

Just six years ago, a new

drug — semaglutide, known by the brand name Ozempic — was approved by the FDA to treat Type 2 diabetes. Developed by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, Ozempic can reduce blood sugar and appetite, often resulting in substantial weight loss — between ten and 20 percent of body weight within one year. The drug also saw a 20 percent reduction in cardiovascular events.

In 2011, Novo Nordisk received FDA approval for use of Wegovy — a higher dose of semaglutide otherwise identical to Ozempic — to treat obesity in adults and children over 10 years old.

Tirzepatide, developed and manufactured by American pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, has been found to cause similar weight loss, though the FDA has only approved the drug — sold under the brand name Mounjaro — for use in treatment of Type 2 diabetes.

Both semaglutide and tirzepatide are taken through weekly self-administered injections.

The drugs mimic GLP-1, a gut hormone that controls blood sugar levels and reduces ap-

petite. This prompts the body to produce more insulin, and interacts with brain signals that affect appetite and a feeling of fullness.

In America, an escalating obesity epidemic has contributed to a rise in Type 2 diabetes, a condition where insulin resistance is developed, resulting in blood cells not being able to convert blood sugar into energy.

The pancreas, which produces insulin, cannot keep up with the increased demand, resulting in uncontrollable blood sugar levels, which damages the body and can cause heart and kidney diseases, vision loss, poor blood circulation, and myriad other ailments.

Today an estimated 15 percent of Americans have diabetes — more than 37 million, 25 percent of whom are yet undiagnosed — 90 to 95 percent of whom have Type 2 diabetes.

Though most common in those over 60 (an estimated 30 percent), an alarming number of children and youth under 20 are now being diagnosed — and increasing by nearly five percent each year. The biggest risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes are being overweight and a

lack of exercise.

Diabetes has a disproportionate effect on different populations. 21 percent of Hispanic, 19 percent of Black, and 18 percent of Asian populations in America are diabetic, compared to 12 percent of White Americans. Low income Americans and those with less than a high school degree are at least twice as likely to have diabetes.

A stunning estimated 42 percent of American adults are obese, and an additional 31 percent are overweight — 73 percent of the adult population. An estimated 20 percent of children are obese. Though about 40 percent of Americans aged 20-39 are obese today, it is estimated that 57 percent of current children will be obese by age 35.

Once a patient is prescribed semaglutide or tirzepatide, treatment must continue for the effects to be sustained. If treatment is stopped, the drug fully leaves the body within two months, appetite returns to previous levels, and the weight — and its negative health effects — can quickly return.

Over the last five years, demand

for semaglutide has surged by 4,000 percent, and for the last year shortages in both Ozempic and Wegovy have made it increasingly difficult for patients to find the drug. Because Wegovy is more expensive than Ozempic, physicians are often prescribing Ozempic for off-label use for patients seeking to lose weight. This has caused a disruption in treatment for patients with Type 2 diabetes, who are competing with those seeking to lose weight with the drug.

Novo Nordisk says shortages of its semaglutide products are expected to continue through at least 2024, though they are increasing production, opening additional production sites, and contracting with additional manufacturers.

“Demand continues to outpace our increasing production of Wegovy,” their website advises, “as a result, we anticipate ongoing supply disruption, and are aware that some patients will continue having difficulty filling Wegovy prescriptions.” They recommend patients seek refills from their pharmacies much earlier than normal, and be specific about the dose strength to ensure pharmacies are able to order what they need.

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

George Mason Basketball Opens Season With Win Against Monmouth

by Ryan McCafferty

It’s a new era for men’s hoops at George Mason University, with 2006 Final Four team member Tony Skinn taking over head coaching duties following Kim English’s departure to Providence, and a batch of transfers highlighted by Darius Maddox (formerly of Virginia Tech) joining the lineup. Mason played host to Monmouth University on Monday night to open its season in front of an enthusiastic crowd at Fairfax’s EagleBank Arena, looking to start off the 2023-24 campaign 1-0.

Things got off to a slow start as neither team scored until more than two minutes into the game, when Jack Collins hit a three-pointer for Monmouth.

Mason immediately answered with a triple of its own from Keyshawn Hall, and then another basket from senior standout Ronald Polite III to give the Patriots their first lead. They ended up going on a 13-0 run before Monmouth scored again, with Maddox hitting two threes during the run. The lead stayed around ten for most of the half,

with Mason taking its biggest lead at 23-12, but Monmouth went on a 10-2 run late in the period to cut it to three. The Patriots took a 29-23 lead into the half, with Maddox leading the way with eight points.

The teams began the second half trading baskets, before an 11-3 Mason run – capped off by back-to-back Maddox triples – extended the lead back to double digits at 46-35. But Monmouth came right back with a 9-2 run of their own to cut it down to four, with the last four of those nine points coming from Collins as he converted an and-1 on a three-pointer. Thankfully for the home team, that would be the final scare they’d get, as minutes later another series of buckets put the Patriots ahead 59-47, and Monmouth wouldn’t get any closer than within seven from that point on. There was a moment of concern in the closing minutes, though, as big man Malik Henry took a hard fall on an unsuccessful alley-oop attempt, but he was able to walk off under his own power as his teammates closed out the 72-61 victory.

PATRIOTS PICK UP first victor of the year, giving Tony Skinn his first victory. (News-Press Photo) Maddox and Amari Kelly led the way with 17 points apiece, while Polite and Newton also got into double figures with 10. The team shot 45 percent (9 of 20) from deep and outrebounded Monmouth 44-32, with Hall earning ten of those boards to lead the team.

Skinn, who made his head coaching debut in the game, was all smiles in his postgame presser. “The goal was to be 1-0 after tonight… a lot of teams played today, and not all of them go 1-0,” he said, acknowledging that the victory would be the

“first of many.” Skinn also gave an update on Henry, who he says is fine.

Mason’s next contest is this Friday, November 10th at 7 p.m. inside EagleBank Arena where they will take on 1-0 Austin Peay.

A hot bowl of pho at Eden Center.

Voted best shopping center in the DMV!

2023 Holiday Arts & Entertainment Coming November 16th

Contact Sue today Sue Johnson: sjohnson@fcnp.com 703-587-1282

SCHO O L

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

NOVEMBER 9 - 15, 2023 | PAGE 11

Meridian Field Hockey Set for States, Football to Play Brentsville Again

by Ryan McCafferty

Another week of playoff action has gone by at Meridian High School, with a few squads still alive in their respective sports.

Field hockey, which has been the headliner all season, remained without a blemish on its record as the girls took home the Regional Championship by holding serve at home against Maggie Walker on Tuesday and then Western Albemarle on Friday, both by a score of 1-0. Now 19-0, they need just three more wins to capture the State Championship, and they’ll begin setting their sights on that trophy with their final home game of the year as they host Grafton.

Football, meanwhile, fell 21-13 at Fauquier in its regular season finale, dropping to a 4-6 record. On the bright side, they did qualify for the regional playoffs, but they did not earn a home postseason game, and will travel

to Brentsville this Friday where they’ll look to fare better than their 34-14 defeat at the hands of the Tigers back in late September.

The cross country unit competed in the Region 3B Championship, and saw some positive results. The girls’ team finished third, qualifying for the State Meet this coming Saturday, with Molly Moore’s 10th place individual result leading the way.

The boys unfortunately did not qualify as they placed fourth, but Tucker Albaugh’s 12th place individual finish was enough to earn him a trip to Salem this weekend to represent the Mustangs.

Finally, despite a late season surge, girls’ volleyball saw its season come to an end this past week as they fell in five sets to Fauquier on Monday. They finish with a record of 11-13, and will look to build on their strong ending next Fall.

MUSTANG FIELD HOCKEY secures their first Regional Championship Trophy. With a commendable 19-0 season record, they achieved a narrow 1-0 win against Western Albemarle (18-2) in a highly competitive match held at home. (Photo: MHS Athletics)

Fa l l s C h u r c h School News & Notes

MHS Band Students Ready to Work As part of the MUSIC Days fundraiser through December 3, Meridian High School musicians will be out in the community working to earn money for their once-ina-lifetime trip to play at Carnegie Hall in New York City in April.

All proceeds from these jobs goes directly to help pay for their spring trip to the Big Apple where they will play on stage at Carnegie Hall and in a band exchange program with an arts high school in Brooklyn, NY. Let the capable, hardworking NYCbound musicians help with odd jobs this fall.

For more information or to place a job request, visit: forms.gle/ JqoAvJXJzwHDF8Ww5 or email musicdaysgmhs@gmail.com.

their building or department nominee for each award.

Those selected as building/department nominees will be announced in November, and a more robust nomination packet will be assembled by the school community.

The division-wide selection process will follow. The winner of each award will be announced in January 2024. Contact awards@fccps.org with questions.

Meridian Cheer Team Shines at Regionals Meridian Cheer had their best performance yet at Regionals on Saturday, October 28. The team is looking forward to finishing the season by cheering for the Mustangs on the football field and getting ready for the winter cheer season.

Nominations Open for Employee Awards

Dimock Auditions into Prestigious Jazz Ensemble

The nomination calendar and process are changing in 2023, but the awards remain the same. The initial nomination packet requirements are shorter to reduce the burden on nominators. Following initial nominations, school employees will select

Casey Dimock, Meridian High School trombonist, has auditioned into the All Virginia Jazz Ensemble, featuring the Commonwealth’s finest high school jazz musicians. Virginia Music Education Association announced the event will be held at

the Richmond Convention Center from November 14 to 16. It will include a variety of opportunities, including sectionals, masterclasses, and workshops from top-tiered internationally recognized performance gurus.

OSE Parenting Book Club Returns The OSE parenting book club is back for a second year. The book they will be reading this month is called, “The Family Firm: A DataDriven Guide to Better Decision Making in the Early School Years”

by Emily Oster. They will meet on Wednesday, November 15, from 6:00 p.m. — 7:00 p.m. to discuss.

There is both an in-person and virtual option to participate. Please complete this form at docs.google. com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScM2RC DBnOpdqF0DJKnz7KAd0_9wW cztMVuB49Ln3mkDApi4Q/viewform by November 10 to plan to attend the book club.

MHS Student Best Actor in Theater Competition Meridian High School came in third place at the VHSL

CASEY DIMOCK, MERIDIAN High School trombonist, has auditioned into the All Virginia Jazz Ensemble, featuring the Commonwealth’s finest high school jazz musicians. (Photo: MaryJo West) Theater competition.

Ben Kline won First Place for Best Actor for his performance of The Thesmophoriazusae by Aristophanes, a classic comedy about abuse of power. Ben played the role of Cleon, the evil ruler of Athens (a real public figure that Aristophanes enjoyed to lambast in his plays).

Tia Moore Inducted into Sports Hall of Fame Meridian High School physical education teacher Tia Moore, a native of Arlington County, was inducted into the Arlington Sports Hall of Fame last month.

From 1994-1999, she was instrumental in laying the foundation for the Wakefield High School girls basketball program and earning All-National District, All-Region, and All-Met honors alongside beginning the team MVP in her junior and senior years. After graduating from Wakefield High School, she attended Christopher Newport University, where she played basketball while majoring in Education. Tia is a Christopher Newport University legend with many other career school records. She makes a difference by being a positive role model for students, faculty members, and the community.

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

THIS WEEK AROUND F.C. THURSDAY

NOVEMBER 9 Chamber Networking Breakfast

Stop by for an informal gathering to meet fellow Chamber members.

No agenda and no cost other than your breakfast. The Original Pancake House (7395 Lee Hwy., Falls Church), 8:00 a.m. — 9:00 a.m.

City Employee Review Board Meeting

The City Employee Review Board meets to determine the 2022 Employee of the Year Award. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Oak Room, Falls Church), 5:00 p.m. — 6:00 p.m.

Retirement Board Meeting

Quarterly meeting of the Retirement Board. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Dogwood A-B, Falls Church), 6:00 p.m. — 9:00 p.m.

Housing Commission Meeting

Regular monthly meeting of the Housing Commission. This meeting discussion of some exciting changes taking place, including (for the first time this year) calling the Affordable Housing Fund Workgroup for the CCAU, finalizing the list of folks for the Affordable Living Policy and coordinating next month’s joint Planning and Housing Commission Meeting and/or winter season debrief. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Laurel Room, Falls Church), 6:30 p.m. — 8:30 p.m.

The Laramie Project

George C. Marshall High School’s Statesmen Theatre is proud to open its 2023-2024 season with a powerful production marking the 25th anniversary of the death of Matthew Shepard, a 21-yearold gay college student whose murder sparked a global conversation about hate crimes and LGBTQ+ rights. George C. Marshall High School (7731 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church), 7:30 p.m.

NOVA Nightsky Theatre: Collapse

Hannah is trying desperately to hold the façade of her perfect life together as her husband, David, mysteriously calls in sick to work.

Will they — or their relationship — survive? Tickets at bit.ly/ FCNP1123nn.

Vienna Baptist Church (541 Marshall Rd. SW, Vienna, VA), 7:30 p.m.

Mason Jazz Ensemble Fall Concert

The Mason Jazz Ensemble, directed by Jim Carroll, performs its Fall 2023 concert. Tickets at bit.ly/FCNP1123mj. GMU Harris Theatre (4471 Aquia Creek Ln., Fairfax, VA), 8:00 p.m.

FRIDAY

NOVEMBER 10 Veterans Day Observances

City government programs and services, including City Hall and Mary Riley Styles Pub-

lic Library, are closed. FCCPS schools are closed. F.C. Community Center remains open.

Throughout Falls Church (City Buildings, Falls Church), all day

The Adventures of Pinnocchio

This tale begins with Pinocchio as a real boy in the throes of a nightmare where he is being chased by a giant shark. His cries awaken the other puppets in Gepetto’s workshop.

Tickets at bit.ly/FCNP1123pi.

Creative Cauldron (410 S. Maple Ave., Falls Church), 7:30 p.m.

Fuego Flamenco Festival: Lo Preciso

Part of the Fuego Flamenco Festival, November 4-19. Lo Preciso delves into the realm of idyllic and perfect relationships, exploring our relentless pursuit of flawlessness while leaving no room for error. Tickets at galatheatre. org. Gala Theatre (3333 14th St. NW, Washington, DC), 8:00 p.m.

Signature Theatre: Ragtime

Stories of three American families intertwine against the backdrop of a towering slate of historical figures. Together, through a dazzling array of musical styles from the era, they weave a stunning tapestry that reveals both the promise and prejudice of the American experience. On stage through January 7. Tickets at sigtheatre.org. Signature Theatre (3200 Campbell Ave., Arlington, VA), 8:00 p.m.

Part of the Problem Live Podcast

Live recording of "Part of the Problem," a podcast hosted by comedians Dave Smith and Rob Bernstien where they dissect the chaotic state of American politics, culture and media from a liberty perspective. 21 and older. Tickets at bit.ly/ FCNP1123pp. Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA), 9:00 p.m.

SATURDAY

NOVEMBER 11 Veterans Day Observances

Center remains open. Throughout Falls Church (City Buildings, Falls Church), all day

Falls Church Farmers Market

Shop the award-winning market every Saturday, year round! City Hall Parking Lot (300 Park Ave., Falls Church), 8:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m.

McLean Antiques Show & Sale

Discover fine antiques, art and collectibles from scores of reputable dealers at this highly celebrated show of almost 50 years. Saturday and Sunday. $10 admission covers both days; free for children 17 and younger. McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean, VA), 10:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m.

Kensington Veterans Day Ceremony

Annual Veterans Day Ceremony at The Kensington F.C., with opportunities to socialize and share experiences, and speeches and individual acknowledgments and thanks for residents who served, topped off with a live music performance. Refreshments will be served. The Kensington Falls Church (700 W. Broad St., Falls Church), 10:30 a.m. — 11:30 a.m.

Falls Church Veterans Day Ceremony

The Recreation and Parks Department honors all those who served in the armed forces with a ceremony at the Veteran's Memorial in front of the Community Center. Presented by the Greater Falls Church Veterans Council. Falls Church Community Center (223 Little Falls St., Kenneth R. Burnett Bldg., Falls Church), 11:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m.

JV 76th Anniversary Party Weekend

Friday and Saturday, celebrate the 76th anniversary of JVs with performances by Josh Allen Duo (4:00 p.m. Friday), The Magic Trio (8:30 p.m. Friday), RJCB Duo (4:00 p.m. Saturday), and Wicked Jezabel (8:30 p.m. Saturday).

JV's Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church), 4:00 p.m.

Air Play at Strathmore

DISCOVER FINE antiques, art and collectibles at the McLean Mary Riley Styles Public LiAntiques Show & Sale, this weekend at MCC. (Courtesy Photo) brary is closed. F.C. Community Umbrellas fly, fabrics soar over

the audience, balloons swallow people, and snow swirls, filling the stage. With stunning images and gales of laughter, "Air Play" bounces on the edge of definition: part comedy, part sculpture, part circus, part theater. Tickets at bit. ly/FCNP1123ai. The Music Center at Strathmore (5301 Tuckerman Ln., N. Bethesda, MD), 5:00 p.m.

SUNDAY

NOVEMBER 12 Shop Judy's Place Pop-Up

Shop Judy's Place, a pop-up holiday store for kids in the community to do their own holiday shopping. Volunteers help young shoppers pick out items for the people on their lists, while sticking to their pre-approved budgets from parents who wait outside. Gifts are secular and already wrapped in generic wrap! Something for everyone in the family, including pets. Temple Rodef Shalom (2100 Westmoreland St., Falls Church), 8:30 a.m. — 2:00 p.m.

Last Chance: The Alchemy of Metal

Final day to view The Alchemy of Metal: Repurpose and Re-Use. By re-using metals in art, the artist gives them a second life. For this all-media exhibit, artists were invited to create artworks that incorporate metal. Falls Church Arts (700-B W. Broad St., Falls Church), 11:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m.

Virginia Opera: The Barber of Seville

Showing Saturday and Sunday; presented by Virginia Opera. “Bravo Figaro, bravo, bravissimo!” Get ready to laugh and cheer for everyone’s favorite barber in this beloved masterpiece. Figaro, wily barber and wingman extraordinaire, is determined to help the lovestruck Count Almaviva woo the beautiful Rosina away from her lecherous guardian, Dr. Bartolo. Tickets at bit.ly/FCNP1123vo. GMU Center for the Arts (4373 Mason Pond Dr., Fairfax, VA), 2:00 p.m.

The Winter's Tale

Folger Theatre opens its 202-2024 season with Shakespeare’s astonishing romance — an exhilarating journey filled with emotional depth, extreme behavior, complex

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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NOVEMBER 9 - 15, 2023 | PAGE 13

EVENTS, LIVE MUSIC, & ART relationships, and a bear in pursuit. Tickets at events.folger.edu.

Folger Theatre (201 E. Capitol St. SE, Washington, DC), 2:00 p.m.

Extraordinary Cinema: War Pony

Free film screening in the Justice Forum at the REACH. War Pony follows the interlocking stories of two young Lakota men on the Pine Ridge Reservation as they grapple with a world built against them and navigate unique paths to manhood. The REACH at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St. NW, Washington, DC), 3:00 p.m.

MONDAY

NOVEMBER 13 Legislative Committee Meeting

Legislative Committee meets.

City Hall (300 Park Ave., Oak Room, Falls Church), 10:00 a.m. — 11:00 a.m.

Electoral Board Meeting

Electoral Board meets. City Hall (300 ParkAve., DogwoodA-B, Falls Church), 12:00 p.m. — 5:00 p.m.

Family Movie Night: Home

Screening of Home, a movie about friendship and aliens. Free registration required at mrspl. org. Mary Riley Styles Public Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Lower Level Conf. Rm., Falls Church), 6:00 p.m. — 7:30 p.m.

City Council Meeting

The City Council meets the second and fourth Monday each month.

The public is welcome to sign up to speak at fallschurchva.gov/publiccomment. Watch the meeting live or on-demand at fallschurchva. gov/CouncilMeetings and FCCTV (Cox 11, RCN 2, Verizon 35).

City Hall (300 Park Ave., Council Chambers/Court Room, Falls Church), 7:30 p.m. — 11:00 p.m.

Transgender Awareness Week

City Council presents proclamations for Transgender Awareness Week (observed November 13-19)

and Trans Day of Remembrance (observed November 20). Stop by City Hall at the beginning of the meeting to speak/receive the proclamations, or submit a virtual public comment at bit.ly/FCNP1123pc.

City Hall (300 Park Ave., Council Chambers/Court Room, Falls Church), 7:30 p.m. — 11:00 p.m.

Reception for Elected Officials

Join city council, board, and commission members for a public appreciation reception celebrating out-going elected officials. City Hall Lobby (300 Park Ave., Falls Church), 6:30 p.m. — 7:30 p.m.

TUESDAY

NOVEMBER 14 F.C. Chamber Annual Nonprofit Forum

F.C. Chamber nonprofit members share their mission and how you can support them. Lunch will be catered. Tickets $30-$35 at bit.ly/ FCNP1123nf. The Falls Church Episcopal (115 E. Fairfax St., Falls Church), 11:30 a.m. — 1:15 p.m.

Library Board of Trustees Meeting

Library board of trustees meets.

Mary Riley Styles Public Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Upper Floor Conf. Rm., Falls Church), 6:00 p.m. — 8:00 p.m.

Aurora House CAC Meeting

Aurora House Girls Group Home Citizens' Advisory Committee meets. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Laurel Room, Falls Church), 7:00 p.m. — 8:00 p.m.

FCCPS School Board Meeting

Regular meeting of the Falls Church City Public Schools (FCCPS) school board.

City Hall (300 Park Ave., Council Chambers/Court Room, Falls Church), 7:00 p.m. — 10:00 p.m.

Comedy at Lincoln's Cottage

Enjoy a comedy show, "Riding the Circuit," at one of DC's coolest historic homes, bringing live entertainment to Abraham Lincoln's

favorite retreat. In a time of few courthouses, judges and lawyers circled around from town to town, year after year to bring the legal system to the people. Lincoln built his legal and political career in Illinois as a traveling lawyer, a life not unlike a traveling stand-up comic. $10 tickets at bit.ly/FCNP1123lc.

President Lincoln's Cottage (140 Rock Creek Church Rd. NW, Washington, DC), 7:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 15 Collaborative Ecologies

Free exhibit featuring two bodies of work, focused on honeybee colonies and microbial communities, representing visual explorations that highlight the power and aesthetics of science imagery. National Academy of Sciences, East Gallery (2101 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC), 9:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m.

Care. Cure.

Prevent.

Lauren Miller Rogen of Hilarity for Charity (HFC) leads a dynamic panel as they share the latest breakthroughs in Alzheimer’s research and treatment options. Virtual (Registration required at bit.ly/FCNP1123kf), 6:00 p.m. — 7:00 p.m.

Planning Commission Meeting

Planning Commission meets.

City Hall (300 Park Ave., Council Chambers/Court Room, Falls Church), 7:30 p.m. — 10:00 p.m.

Urban Forestry Commission Meeting

Urban Forestry Commission meets.

City Hall (300 Park Ave., Dogwood A-B, Falls Church), 7:30 p.m. — 9:30 p.m.

Diana Ross at MGM National Harbor

Diana Ross holds an unrivaled place among R&B's rich history of legendary divas. Featuring her greatest hits, Motown-inspired backup singers, and all the costume changes you'd expect from a diva's diva. Tickets at bit.ly/FCNP1123dr. The Theater at MGM National Harbor (101 MGM National Ave., Oxon Hill, MD), 8:00 p.m.

VIRGINIA OPERA performs The Barber of Seville at GMU Center for the Arts this weekend. (Photo: David Pearson Photography)

PAGE 14 | NOVEMBER 9 - 15, 2023

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News-Press

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Community News & Notes

“PAY IT FORWARD,” began by FCC local Joel Block, has helped 17 students from FCCPS with math tutoring in exchange for them to participate in acts of community service. Held at Starbucks 4 days a week, the program wants to thank the coffee shop for advertising the program and providing free drinks. (Photo: Joel Block)

Shepherd’s Center Seeks Additional Volunteer Drivers

Temple Rodef Shalom to Host Two Upcoming Events

Shepherd’s Center of McLean-Arlington-Falls Church (SCMAFC), an all-volunteer organization, is seeking additional volunteers to support its mission of providing free transportation to seniors for medical and dental appointments or run errands to grocery stores and pharmacies.

There were 2,362 rides in 2022 and 2,758 rides have been provided thus far this year. Of the rides provided this year, 57 percent were medically related, 17 percent grocery, and 21 percent for physical therapy.

Volunteers are free to choose when and how often they drive. They can choose rides that are one-way or round trip. The best part is not only do drivers help those in need, they also get to meet wonderful folks, often with very interesting backgrounds and stories to tell.

For detailed information or to apply, please visit the Center’s website https:// scmafc.org/volunteer or call (703) 506-2199 and leave a message.

On Sunday, November 12, Sunday November 19 from 8:30 a.m. — 2:00 p.m., as well as on Sunday, December 3 from 10:00 a.m. — 2:00 p.m., Shop Judy’s Place, a pop-up holiday store for kids in the community to do their holiday shopping, will be held at Temple Rodef Shalom (2100 Westmoreland Street, Falls Church).

On Sunday, November 19 and Sunday, December 3 from 8:00 a.m. — 2:00 p.m., Temple Rodef Shalom’s Chanukah Bazaar will be held at 2100 Westmoreland Street, Falls Church.

PVW Fall Show at St. Andrews Coming Soon The 25th Annual Potomac Valley Watercolorists Fall Art Show and Sale turns the spotlight on many of the region’s most highly-skilled and wellknown watermedia artists.

This fine art show, which will run on Saturday, Nov. 11 and Sunday, Nov. 12, will feature more than 500 original framed and unframed works on

LITTLE CITY CONCERTS is a new musical series that seeks to present musical performances of depth and distinction in the City of Falls Church. Started by composer Stephen Gorbos, the first concert in the series was held on Saturday, November 4 at The Falls Church Episcopal. (Photo: Edgar Steele)

exhibition and available for purchase. An Artists Reception and Awards Ceremony will take place on Saturday, November 11 at 2:30 pm.

The exhibit will be held at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Arlington.

Local Breast Cancer Non-Profit Empower Ball Returns International nonprofit organization Tigerlily Foundation, known for its advocacy to empower women diagnosed with breast cancer between ages of 15-50 announces a two-part event to celebrate and gather patients, providers, and supporters for a day of education, celebration, and to raise funds. The events taking place on Saturday, November 11, at the Grand Hyatt Washington, will start with the Beacon Symposium: “Transformation with Patients Leading in Healthcare,” from 8:00 a.m. — 3:00 p.m., followed by the return of Tigerlily’s EmPOWER Ball, from 6:00 p.m. — 11:00 p.m.

Annual Veterans Day Ceremony This Weekend Honor and thank veterans and

active-duty service members on Saturday, November 11 at 11 a.m. at the City of Falls Church Veterans Memorial in front of the Community Center.

The Annual Veterans Day Ceremony is presented by the Greater Falls Church Veterans Council.

McLean Project for the Arts to Host Inaugural MPA Inspires Art enthusiasts, collectors, and jazz lovers alike are invited to join McLean Project for the Arts (MPA) November 18 and 19 for MPA Inspires: A Weekend of Collecting and Connecting.

This inaugural weekend-long celebration will take place at MPA Downtown, the organization’s hoped-for new supplemental space located in The Signet building at 6910 Fleetwood Road in McLean, VA. The Alumni Art Exhibition Showcase will feature work by more than 60 MPA alumni artists.

Joseph’s House Appoints Goodwin’s Nana Sarpong Goodwin Living has announced that Nana Sarpong, Goodwin Hospice administra-

tor, was recently appointed to the Board of Directors at Joseph’s House, a nonprofit medical respite facility located in Washington, D.C. that provides care and support to unhoused individuals who suffer from HIV/AIDS or terminal cancer.

A graduate of D’Youville University, Sarpong has a master of science degree in health services administration. In 2023, he was selected to participate in the Leadership Alexandria Class of 2024 of the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce.

Welcoming Falls Church Literacy Center Call for Volunteers Welcoming Falls Church reports that the Adult and Family Literacy Center has 59 students in the English language program, supported by dozens of adult and high school volunteers. Classes are on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at Oak Street Elementary, 6:30 – 8:30 pm through December 14. Registration for the spring semester will be in January. Volunteers may contact WFCLiteracy@gmail. com to learn how to become involved.

CO MME NT

NOVEMBER 9 - 15, 2023 | PAGE 15

A Penny for Your Thoughts

CLOG-FREE GUTTERS

News of Greater Falls Church

 Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov.

C i t y o f Fa l l s C h u r c h

C RIM E RE PORT Week of October 30 - November 5, 2023 Larceny from Building, Founders Ave, Oct 28, an unknown suspect stole a package. (Delayed report) Destruction of Property, Grove Ave, Oct 30, graffiti was reported Shoplifting, W Broad St, Oct 30 an unknown suspect took items of value without paying. The suspect is described as a male wearing light-colored pants and a black hoodie.

Shoplifting, W Broad St, Oct 31, an unknown suspect took items of value without paying. The suspect is described as a female wearing a black and yellow winter coat.

Simple Assault/Destruction of Property/Public Intoxication, Wilson Blvd, Nov 1, a male was arrested for simple assault, destruction of property, and public intoxication.

Urinating in Public, Wilson Blvd, Nov 2, a male was arrested for urinating in public.

Stolen Automobile, N Washington St, between November 2nd and November 3rd, unknown suspect(s)

stole a blue Chevy Corvette.

Fraud, W Broad St, Nov 3, an identified suspect fraudulently withdraw money.

Larceny from Building, Hillwood Ave, Nov 3, unknown suspect(s) took a wallet. The suspects are described as male, wearing a light colored jacket, blue jeans, and a black beanie, and a female, wearing a teal and green striped jacket with blue jeans.

Commercial Burglary/Destruction of Property, Wilson Blvd, Nov 4, an unknown suspect forced entry to a secured door and took money and items of value. The suspect is described as a male, wearing a red jacket and New Balance sneakers.

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Commercial Burglary/Destruction of Property, Wilson Blvd, Nov 4, an unknown suspect forced entry to a secured door and took money and items of value. The suspect is described as a male, mid-twenties, wearing dark clothing.

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Driving under the Influence/No Valid OL, Falls Ave, Nov 5, a male was arrested for driving under the influence and no valid operator’s license.

Larceny from Building, N Washington St, between November 2 and November 5, unknown suspect(s) stole a secured bicycle. The bicycle is described as a gray Diamondback Metric 2 bicycle with orange bolts on the side.

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I do the same.” Blood supplies in the area are low; donating blood is the most life-giving offer you can make. For more information, log onto inovablood.org/donateblood/ Veterans Day is Saturday, November 11; the federal holiday will be observed on Friday, November 10, and county offices will be closed. My father and grandfather were World War II veterans, and my father also served in the Korean War. Neither spoke much about their wartime experiences, but their service was formative in their later lives.

Northern Virginia is home to thousands of veterans and their families; some of them may be readers of the Falls Church NewsPress. We all should thank a veteran (and especially their families who make sacrifices, too), fly the flag, and always appreciate that their service reflects the values of our nation and its democratic ideals.

N

thing reflective, white, or light-color on it, so they can be seen by passing motorists. Pedestrians should walk facing traffic when walking on the shoulder of the road. It is everyone’s responsibility to keep themselves safe; in so doing, you help keep others safe, too. Last fall was deadly for Fairfax County pedestrians. Let’s not let that happen again!

Have you ever considered donating blood? According to INOVA Blood Donor Services, only 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood, but less than 10 percent actually do. More than 200 units of blood and blood components are required daily to support the diverse communities in Northern Virginia. There is no substitute for human blood; blood used for transfusions in hospitals only comes from generous volunteer blood donors. If you donate whole blood, you can donate up to six times per year.

Donating a pint of blood takes only about an hour, the same time it might take for weekly grocery shopping, a trip to the dentist, quick charging an electric vehicle, or doing a few errands on your “to do” list. A recent INOVA blood donor Wrote “I hope I never need it, but if I ever do, someone donated for me to use. So

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Does anyone pay attention to the flashing yellow lights in school zones? By my recent observation, not many drivers slow down; in fact, when I tapped my brakes to slow to 25 mph on Gallows Road, two vehicles behind me moved into the next lane and kept going at regular speed, followed by others who ignored the flashing beacons. The City of Alexandria recently instituted a 15 mph limit in school zones; on Beauregard Street, I noted that most vehicles headed north slowed; the speed camera on the south side flashed repeatedly. Looks like some drivers will receive surprise notices in the mail soon. It shouldn’t be a surprise, though; the Beauregard route has clear warning signage and speed counters in several places.

The return to standard time this past weekend means that darkness will arrive earlier now. A trip home from work, or from after-school activities, may happen in dimmer light, requiring more careful attention to surroundings, whether as a driver or a pedestrian. Drivers should turn on their headlights (not the brights, please) and be aware of pedestrians and cyclists near their travel space. Pedestrians and cyclists should wear clothing that has some-

FOREVER TH

By Supervisor Penny Gross

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PAGE 16 | NOVEMBER 9 - 15, 2023

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF AN APPLICATION BY VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PILOT PROGRAM FOR ELECTRIC POWER STORAGE BATTERIES AND FOR CERTIFICATION OF A PROPOSED BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM CASE NO. PUR-2023-00162 On September 18, 2023, Virginia Electric and Power Company d/b/a Dominion Energy Virginia (“Dominion” or “Company”) filed with the State Corporation Commission (“Commission”) an application (“Application”) to participate in the pilot program for electric power storage batteries (“Pilot Program”) pursuant to § 56-585.1:6 of the Code of Virginia (“Code”), the Commission’s Guidelines Regarding Electric Power Storage Battery Pilot Programs and Rule 80 A of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (“Rules of Practice”). Through the Application, the Company presents three battery energy storage systems (“BESS”) projects (designated BESS-4: Evaluation of Two Co-Located Nonlithium-Ion Technologies; BESS-5: Outage Mitigation and Grid Support Through a Microgrid Capable BESS; and BESS-6: Long Duration Energy Storage in a Behind-the-Meter Application) for deployment as part of the Pilot Program.

Dominion requests the Commission issue an order granting permission to participate in the Pilot Program by March 31, 2024.

The Application states that the Grid Transformation and Security Act of 2018 (“GTSA”), among other things, directed the Commission to establish the Pilot Program, a program under which the Company must submit proposals to deploy electric power storage batteries. The GTSA established permissible objectives of the Pilot Program; established a five-year duration for the Pilot Program; set the size of the Pilot Program; and provided for recovery of the Company’s reasonable and prudent costs incurred under the Pilot Program through base rates.

Through BESS-4, the Company proposes to install an 8.94 megawatt (“MW”) BESS-4 pilot facility comprised of two nonlithium-ion technologies. The Company states that BESS-4 seeks to accomplish the following statutory objectives: (ii) improve integration of renewable resources; and (iv) reduce the need for additional generation during times of peak demand. The projected cost for BESS-4 is approximately $70.6 million.

Through BESS-5, the Company proposes to install a 1.9 MW / 3.8 megawatt-hours (“MWh”) alternating current (“AC”)-coupled BESS. The Company states that BESS-5 seeks to accomplish the following statutory objectives: (i) improved reliability of electrical transmission or distribution systems; (ii) improved integration of different types of renewable resources; (iii) deferred investment in generation, transmission, or distribution of electricity; and (iv) reduced need for additional generation of electricity during times of peak demand. The projected cost for BESS-5 is approximately $6 million.

Through BESS-6, the Company proposes to install a 1.5 MW / 15 MWh AC-coupled BESS. The Company states that BESS-6 seeks to accomplish the following statutory objectives: (i) improved reliability of electrical transmission or distribution systems; (iv) reduced need for additional generation of electricity during times of peak demand; and (v) connection to the facilities of a customer receiving distribution service from the utility. The projected cost for BESS-6 is approximately $14.4 million.

To the extent required by the Commission, the Company also requests a certificate of public convenience and necessity to construct and operate BESS-4 as a generation asset at the Company’s Darbytown Power Station, pursuant to Code § 56-580 D and the Commission’s Filing Requirements in Support of Applications for Authority to Construct and Operate an Electric Generating Facility. The Company states it is installing BESS-5 and BESS-6 to address ordinary distribution grid operational issues and considers these improvements to be “ordinary . . . improvements in the usual course of business” under Code § 56-265.2 A 1.

Interested persons are encouraged to review the Application and supporting documents for the details of these and other proposals.

The Commission entered an Order for Notice and Hearing in this proceeding that, among other things, scheduled public hearings on the Company’s Application. On January 24, 2024, at 10 a.m., the Hearing Examiner assigned to this case will hold a telephonic hearing, for the purpose of receiving the testimony of public witnesses. On or before January 17, 2024, any person desiring to offer testimony as a public witness shall provide to the Commission (a) your name, and (b) the telephone number that you wish the Commission to call during the hearing to receive your testimony. This information may be provided to the Commission in three ways: (i) by filling out a form on the Commission’s website at scc.virginia.gov/pages/Webcasting; (ii) by completing and emailing the PDF version of this form to SCCInfo@scc.virginia.gov; or (iii) by calling (804) 371-9141. This public witness hearing will be webcast at scc.virginia.gov/pages/Webcasting.

Beginning at 10 a.m. on January 24, 2024, the Hearing Examiner will telephone sequentially each person who has signed up to testify as provided above.

On January 24, 2024, at 10 a.m., or at the conclusion of the public witness portion of the hearing, whichever is later, in the Commission’s second floor courtroom located in the Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, the Hearing Examiner will convene a hearing to receive testimony and evidence related to the Application from the Company, any respondents, and the Commission’s Staff.

To promote administrative efficiency and timely service of filings upon participants, the Commission has directed the electronic filing of testimony and pleadings, unless they contain confidential information, and required electronic service on parties to this proceeding.

An electronic copy of the public version of the Company’s Application may be obtained by submitting a written request to counsel for the Company: Jontille D. Ray, Esquire, McGuireWoods LLP, Gateway Plaza, 800 East Canal Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, or jray@mcguirewoods.com. Interested persons also may download unofficial copies of the public version of the Application and other documents filed in this case from the Commission’s website: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Information.

On or before January 17, 2024, any interested person may submit comments on the Application by following the instructions found on the Commission’s website: scc.virginia.gov/casecomments/Submit-Public-Comments. Those unable, as a practical matter, to submit comments electronically may file such comments by U.S. mail to the Clerk of the State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2118. All such comments shall refer to Case No. PUR-2023-00162.

On or before December 7, 2023, any person or entity wishing to participate as a respondent in this proceeding may do so by filing a notice of participation at scc.virginia.gov/clk/efiling. Those unable, as a practical matter, to file a notice of participation electronically may file such notice at the address listed above.

Such notice of participation shall include the email addresses of such parties or their counsel, if available. The respondent simultaneously shall serve a copy of the notice of participation on counsel to the Company. Pursuant to 5 VAC 5-20-80 B, Participation as a respondent, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (“Rules of Practice”), any notice of participation shall set forth: (i) a precise statement of the interest of the respondent; (ii) a statement of the specific action sought to the extent then known; and (iii) the factual and legal basis for the action. Any organization, corporation, or government body participating as a respondent must be represented by counsel as required by 5 VAC 5-20-30, Counsel, of the Rules of Practice. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-202300162. For additional information about participation as a respondent, any person or entity should obtain a copy of the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing.

On or before December 21, 2023, each respondent may file with the Clerk of the Commission, at scc.virginia.gov/clk/efiling, any testimony and exhibits by which the respondent expects to establish its case. Any respondent unable, as a practical matter, to file testimony and exhibits electronically may file such by U.S. mail to the Clerk of the Commission at the address listed above. Each witness’s testimony shall include a summary not to exceed one page. All testimony and exhibits shall be served on the Staff, the Company, and all other respondents simultaneous with its filing. In all filings, respondents shall comply with the Rules of Practice, as modified herein, including, but not limited to: 5 VAC 5-20-140, Filing and service, and 5 VAC 5-20-240, Prepared testimony and exhibits.

All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-2023-00162.

Any documents filed in paper form with the Office of the Clerk of the Commission in this docket may use both sides of the paper. In all other respects, except as modified by the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing, all filings shall comply fully with the requirements of 5 VAC 5-20-150, Copies and format, of the Rules of Practice.

The public version of the Company’s Application, the Commission’s Rules of Practice, the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing, and other documents filed in the case may be viewed at: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Information.

VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE

The Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) of the City of Falls Church, Virginia will hold a public hearing on November 16, 2023 at 7:30 PM in the Council Chambers, located at 300 Park Avenue, for consideration of the following item: a. Variance application V1644-23 by Jeff and Susan Henrikson, applicant and owners, for a variance to Section 48-263(3)a to allow a side yard of 7 feet 11 inches instead of the 10 feet minimum to construct a new addition at premises known as 916 Park Avenue, RPC #51-203-008 of the Falls Church Real Property Records, zoned R-1B, Medium Density Residential. Public comment and questions may be submitted to zoning@ fallschurchva.gov until 4:30 pm on November 16, 2023. Agenda and application materials will be available the week prior to the scheduled hearing at: http://www. fallschurchva.gov/BZA Information on the above application is also available for review upon request to staff at zoning@fallschurchva.gov.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA The following was given first reading at the October 23, 2023 City Council meeting. A public hearing, second reading, and City Council action is scheduled for Monday, November 13, 2023 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard.

(TO23-13) ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE 2062 REGARDING THE BUDGET OF EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 FOR THE GENERAL FUND, SCHOOL OPERATING FUND, AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND, AND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FUNDS The proposed amendment to the FY2024 budget to appropriate a portion of the FY2023 surplus, carryforward of prior year unspent ARPA appropriations, and certain grants and donations.

The City Council will hold a public hearing on the following matter on Monday, November 13, 2023 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard.

AN APPEAL TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO REVERSE THE HISTORIC ARCHITECTURAL ADVISORY BOARD’S DENIAL OF AN APPLICATION TO RAZE A PROTECTED STRUCTURE AT 1011 FOWLER STREET All public hearings will be held in the Council Chambers, 300 Park Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia. Remote participation information at www.fallschurchva.gov/publiccomment.

Comments may also be sent to cityclerk@ fallschurchva.gov. For copies of legislation, contact the City Clerk’s office at (703-2485014) or cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov or visit www.fallschurchva.gov/councilmeetings.

The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, call 703-248-5014 (TTY 711).

CELESTE HEATH, CITY CLERK

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NOVEMBER 9 - 15, 2023 | PAGE 17

C L AS S I F I E DS

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE PLANNING COMMISSION NOTICE: On Wednesday, November 15, 2023, at 7:30 p.m., the City of Falls Church Planning Commission will hold a public hearing and meeting on proposed changes to the Zoning Ordinance. These are minor amendments that are intended to: (a) clarify meaning where ambiguity has been identified in the course of administering the ordinance, (b) reflect recent changes to Virginia State Code, and (c) remove general errors.

Public comments can be submitted ahead of time to jtrainor@fallschurchva.gov or delivered in-person at the time of the public hearing. The Planning Commission will consider the following item and recommendation to City Council: (TO23-14) ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 48 “ZONING” OF THE CITY CODE OF THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH AS FOLLOWS: ARTICLE 1, “IN GENERAL,” SEC. 48-2, “DEFINITIONS;” ARTICLE II, “ADMINISTRATION,” DIVISION 3, “AMENDMENTS,” SEC. 48-86, “PROCEDURE,” AND DIVISION 4, “OFFICIAL DESIGNS,” SEC. 48-112, “PROCEDURE;” ARTICLE III, “BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS,” SEC. 48-172, “POWERS;” ARTICLE IV, “DISTRICTS,” DIVISION 13, “O-D, OFFICIAL DESIGN DISTRICT,” SEC. 48-585, “INTENT,” AND SEC. 48586, “PRINCIPAL USES PERMITTED BY RIGHT;” ARTICLE V, “SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS,” DIVISION 6, “HEIGHT, LOT AND YARD REGULATIONS,” SEC. 48-1101, “GENERAL REQUIREMENTS,” AND SEC. 48-1102, “ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS, EXCEPTIONS AND MODIFICATIONS;” AND DIVISION 8, “LANDSCAPING,” SEC. 48-1184, “DESIGN CRITERIA” TO: CHANGE ADVERTISING REQUIREMENTS AND VARIANCE CRITERIA IN CONFORMANCE WITH STATE CODE; REMOVE REFERENCE TO T-1 PRINCIPAL USES WITHIN THE OFFICIAL DESIGN DISTRICT; CHANGE FRONT YARD SETBACK DEFINITION SYNTAX FOR CLARITY; REMOVE OUTDATED REFERENCES TO STREET SIDE YARD AND INTERIOR SIDE YARD; AND ADDRESS CODIFICATION ERRORS The public hearing meeting agenda and materials will be available on the following page prior to the meeting date: http://www. fallschurchva.gov/PC. This location is fully accessible to persons with physical disabilities and special services or assistance may be requested in advance. (TTY 711).

FOR SALE Six (6) cemetery spaces at National Memorial Park, 7482 Lee Highway, Falls Church, VA. 22042-1725, located in desirable Block II, Lot 38, Spaces 3 & 4, and Lot 39, Spaces 1, 2, 3 & 4. The cemetery list price is about $12,000 each space and our price is $5,995 each space. Please contact cfsmith@cfaith.com

AUCTIONS ATTN. AUCTIONEERS: Advertise your upcoming auctions statewide and in other states. Affordable Print and Digital Solutions reaching your target audiences. Call this paper or Landon Clark at Virginia Press Services 804-521-7576, landonc@vpa.net

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NOVEMBER 9 - 15, 2023 | PAGE 19

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

The LGBTQ+ Reach

by Brian Reach

rights to erode LGBTQ+ youth rights, and creates a culture of discrimination, bias, and violence,” the report says.

Amidst Massive Anti-LGBTQ+ GOP Push, A Sigh of Relief in Virginia On Tuesday, voters in Virginia spoke, and Democrats gained a majority in the Virginia House of Delegates and retained control of the Virginia Senate, in part driven by promises from Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) that, if Republicans gained control of both legislatures, he would promptly enact a 15-week abortion ban.

Youngkin continues to claim that 15 weeks is when a fetus can feel pain, even though “the science conclusively establishes that a human fetus does not have the capacity to experience pain until after at least 24-25 weeks,” according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

For LGBTQ+ Virginians, this is a massive relief. Republicans in both chambers introduced a total of 12 bills targeting LGBTQ+ citizens — in particular trans youth — just this year.

All 12 bills were defeated by a narrow Democratic majority in the Senate.

If Republicans had taken the Senate and retained the House, most believe the 2024 legislative session would have seen Republicans double-down on their efforts to marginalize and demonize queer people, with more success.

Sec. Pete Buttigieg Targeted by Homophobic Lawmakers On Tuesday, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) introduced an amendment to the 2024 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development spending bill, which must be passed by November 17 to avert a government shutdown. The amendment, approved unanimously by House Republicans, would reduce the salary of Sec. Pete Buttigieg to one dollar. The Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate will certainly block the bill if it passes the House.

One of the main pushers of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric in Congress, Greene blatantly lied about both the effect of her amendment and its justifications.

On X, formerly Twitter, Greene posted: “BREAKING: I’m proud to announce my amendment to FIRE Pete Buttigieg just PASSED the House. Pothole Pete staged fake bike rides to the White House and used private planes funded by taxpayers to receive awards for the way certain people have sex. American taxpayers should not be on the hook for paying for his lavish trips or his salary.”

Her amendment would not remove Sec. Buttigieg from office, Snopes has found the claim of staged/faked bike rides to be false (Buttigieg was seen on camera putting his bicycle on a storage rack of an SUV during a cabinet meeting, which he indeed biked to and from), and he flies coach.

Republicans have gleefully mocked Buttigieg for, frankly, anything — jumping on any opportunity, regardless of fact, to blame him for any transportation-related event during his time in office, whether a delayed flight, a derailed train, or apparently potholes.

They have repeatedly denigrated Buttigieg and his family with an onslaught of homophobic or otherwise hateful falsehoods, from accusing him of wearing breastfeeding devices to feed his twin babies (he feeds them with a bottle), to spreading photoshopped newspaper stories attaching photos of a young Buttugieg to a story about a child killing puppies, to a false claim that President Biden accidentally called him “secretary booty juice.”

Falls Church News-Press

Study Shows Children with LGBTQ+ Parents Discriminated Against at School A September study released by GLSEN, COLAGE, and Family Equality showed that children of queer caregivers experience extensive discrimination in schools.

455 students with an LGBTQ+ parent/caregiver participated in the study.

In the past year, 96.6 percent reported feeling excluded in school for having a queer parent/caregiver. 86.8 percent heard negative comments about LGBTQ+ parents in general, 80.25 percent heard negative comments about their family in particular, and 68.6 percent were discouraged from talking about their family by school faculty.

70.4 percent had been verbally harassed, and 64.5 percent had been physically harassed.

Anti-LGBTQ+ legislation was cited as a major contributor. In the 2021-2022 legislative session, over 350 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced, which was recordsetting. For the 2022-2023 session, over 550 bills were introduced. This includes 45 “Don’t Say Gay” and trans bills introduced across 12 states, and over 200 bills specifically aimed at making schools less safe for LGBTQ+ students — or, as the study shows, students whose families include an LGBTQ+ person.

“This anti-LGBTQ+ landscape restricts young people’s autonomy in schools, narrows the definition of family, uses parental

Falls Church Business News & Notes New Restaurant Opens in Eden Center

Truong Tien has opened in Eden Center and specializes in Hue royal cuisine. The Vietnamese restaurant is named for the ancient imperial city of the Nguyen dynasty. A Washington Post food critic cites he has had “nothing like the food at Truong Tien.”

Nonprofit Forum: Partnerships Help Small Businesses Too The Falls Church Chamber is hosting the annual Nonprofit Forum on Tuesday, November 14, 11:30 a.m. — 1:15 p.m. at Falls Church Episcopal. Matt Gayer, executive director of Spur Local, previously known as the Catalogue for Philanthropy, is the speaker. He will share the current trends in giving, staffing and focus areas which include opportunities for small businesses and nonprofits to work together. This is a prime opportunity to learn more about the organizations doing good work in the community and how to become involved as a small business, volunteer, sponsor, or board member. Nonprofit members may reserve a table to display materials by contacting the chamber.

Register for the luncheon on the Falls Church Chamber website. business.fallschurchchamber. org/events/details/chamber-event-annual-nonprofit-forum-luncheon-11-14-2023-66003?calendar Month=2023-11-01

Entrepreneurship Workshop The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) is holding its Entrepreneurship 101 session on Tuesday, November 14, 7:30 – 11:30 a.m. A panel of small business experts will lead an interactive in-person workshop on how to start your business. Participants will receive informative step-by-step information sessions that will cover registering your business, permitting requirements, business feasibility and business plan basics, business certifications, financing options and government resources. This session includes an Entrepreneur Spotlight featuring Donnell E. Johns, Sr., the Founder of Veterans Growing America.

Register via the link: fairfaxcountyeda.org/event/entrepreneurship-101-starting-a-business-in-fairf a x - c o u n t y - 2 1 / ? u t m _ c a m p a i g n = E - B i rd % 2 0 F Y 2 2 & u t m _ m e d i u m = e m a i l & _ hsmi=281109161&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_exWfrErxzXEO6x1az-K5V1FeNHv3u_ EmCqt0ovO5EMVjVxmgztUeaA2kAdgQ2JfxsiuVBJxKrGNDS_l0a-8OgCg2ZRowy0RiZ8jw7eJZBb7OW_Zk&utm_content=281109161&utm_source=hs_email

Fortune Includes Cognosante Fortune Magazine has published its list of the 2023 Best Workplaces for Women and the local company, Cognosante came in at number 78 in the large company category. The information technology company is located in Falls Church and partners with healthcare, civilian, and defense agencies. Among the criteria, at least 20 percent of the non-executive management must be women, and at least one C-Suite executive must be a woman. Employee surveys, industry, revenue and employee demographics are all considered.

New GDIT Vice President General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) division has named Christopher Brooks, a U.S. Air Force veteran, as vice president of enterprise information technology solutions for business. He has previously served as chief of the Air Force’s network integration division and head of operations division at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois, deputy chief information officer and chief of U.S Strategic Command’s IT enterprise and plans division.

Sec. Pete Buttigieg, at White House with husband Chasten and their two children.

(Pete

Marovich/The

New

York

Times)

 Business News & Notes is compiled by Elise Neil Bengtson, Executive Director of the Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce. She may be emailed at elise@fallschurchchamber.org.

PAGE 20 | NOVEMBER 9 - 15, 2023

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Enjoy the Fall Colors!!

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