March 16 – 22, 2017
Fa lls Chur c h, V i r g i ni a • ww w. fc np. c om • Fr ee
Fou n d ed 1991 • Vol. X X V I I N o. 4
Falls Church • Tysons Corner • Merrifield • McLean • North Arlington • Bailey’s Crossroads
Inside This Week F.C. Superintendent Search Progresses
Falls Church School Board chair Lawrence Webb said in a letter late last week that the School Board search for a permanent new superintendent is nearing completion, and will by April 8. See News Briefs, page 9
Campus Development Group Wants Max Use
Falls Church’s Campus Economic Development working group was spiced with impassioned talk of ensuring the maximum potential from the 36-acre George Mason High School campus site at its meeting last Friday.
Shields’ Proposed F.C. Budget Has 3¢ Set-Aside for New High School Snow Day
4¢ Tax Hike Overall Includes Penny for Schools’ Growth
by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
Ozderman was seen sitting inside the Falls Church Police Criminal Investigations Office with Clipp and may have had access to the department’s computers. The FBI has taken over the investigation, Falls Church Police Chief Mary Gavin said, to determine “how deep the compromise is” of the police department.
The icy weather conditions outside were matched by the icy response that the Falls Church City Council gave to City Manager Wyatt Shields’ proposed Fiscal Year 2018 budget that he unveiled Monday night. In this latest step toward adopting a budget by late next month, Shields called for a four-cent increase in the real estate tax rate, from $1.315 to $1.355 per $100 of assessed valuation. Three cents of the increase is based on a projected need for stash-away money in the event of a bond referendum for a new high school this fall that could have a price tag over $100 million. One cent of the proposed rate increase was presented by Shields as a direct pass through of a 3.7-percent increase in the request by the School Board for operating expenses to meet a 6.4 percent increase in enrollment. The Council had told the School Board that unless it held its request to a 2.7 percent increase, a tax rate increase would be required. But the biggest portion of Shields’ proposed budget came in the form of three cents, or $1.2 million, extracted from taxpayers to be put into a capital reserve fund to soften the blow of what may come as a huge new debt burden to pay for a new high school. This, however, comes prior to any decisions yet being made by the teams of City Council and School Board members concerning the cost of a new school, contingent upon decisions about the configuration of the new school
Continued on Page 5
Continued on Page 8
See News Briefs, page 9
Paul Krugman: Facts Are Enemies Of the People
We’re just supposed to believe the president if he says, falsely, that his inauguration crowd was the biggest ever; if he claims, ludicrously, that millions of votes were cast illegally for his opponent; if he insists, with no evidence, that his predecessor tapped his phones. See page 14
F.C. Welcomes New Businesses
Several new businesses opened in Falls Church over the past few weeks including a boutique, a children’s consignment shop and a dialysis clinic. See Business News, page 16
IT MAY NOT HAVE been much, but it snowed! A disappointing — for some — result from the winter storm that hit the east coast this week resulted in just a few inches of snow on the ground in Falls Church. Despite the underwhelming accumulation, with a day off of school and many other closures, residents of The Little City did their best to make the most of it. (Photo: Rosaly Kozbelt)
Gaithersburg Man Charged With Impersonating Police in Falls Church by Sam Tabachnik
Falls Church News-Press
Index Editorial..................6 Letters..............6, 22 News & Notes.10–11 Comment........ 12–14 Food & Dining......15 Business News....16
Calendar........18–19 Classified Ads......20 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword ..........21 Critter Corner.......22
A Maryland man, charged with impersonating a law enforcement agent, gained access to a City of Falls Church Police department office and conducted surveillance at the Eden Center with the help of a Falls Church police detective last September, according to reports and court records released last week.
Itai Ozderman, 35, of Gaithersburg, Md., convinced his girlfriend, Falls Church detective Jannie Clipp, that he was a Baltimore County Police Officer working on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement Task Force, a search warrant obtained by WUSA9 alleges. Ozderman, records show, has never been a law enforcement officer of any kind. The warrant also alleges that
PAGE 2 | MARCH 16 – 22, 2017
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
President: Virginia Dental Association Federal Employees: Let us help you maximize your dental benefits 200 Little Falls Street, Suite 506 Falls Church, VA 22046 We Are located across the street from city hall
703.532.3300 • www.DoughertyDDS.com
MAKE YOUR PET A STAR! Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! Snap a pic of your critter and email it to: CRITTERCORNER@FCNP.COM
Critter
or mail it to Critter Corner c/o Falls Church News-Press 200 Little Falls St. #508 Falls Church, Va 22046
Corner
AN ESTATE HOME IN McLEAN & AFFORDABLE LUXURY IN CLIFTON! Come see two very different homes in two very different areas.
March 18-19 from 12 to 5pm 1120 Marion Avenue, McLean VA
A stunning customized Middleburg II that you must see to believe! • • • • • •
8 bedrooms • 9 full baths • 2 half baths • 4 car garage • 12,300 sq.ft. Oversized foyer with 2 grand curved stairs and double arched overlooks 12 ft. family room ceilings with triple custom arch-top french doors Dramatic custom kitchen with two oversized islands Two story brick vestibule with multiple arched peek-throughs 300+ sq ft spa room with adjoining gym
March 18-19 from 12 to 5pm 13596 South Springs Rd, Clifton VA
Our beautiful Hampton II with new updates to our most popular home! • 4 bedrooms • 5 full baths • 1 half bath • Gorgeous home at a very affordable price • Wrought iron balusters, granite tops in all baths & kitchen and 4 piece crown moldings all included for free! • Stunning finishes, including an amazing kitchen countertop
BUILDING YOUR DREAM HOME ON YOUR LOT OR OURS 703.583.3500 BUILDWITHCLASSIC.COM ASK@BUILDWITHCLASSIC.COM
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
MARCH 16 – 22, 2017 | PAGE 3
JD Sold More Homes Last Year in Falls Church Than Any Other Agent!
Per MRIS
JD’s ANNUAL COMMUNITY CLEAN-UP!
*OPEN SUNDAY* 3/19 2-4pm!
When: Saturday, 4/1 8am-12pm
Where: Chesterbrook Elementary School, McLean
JD CALLANDER Top 1% of Realtors Nationwide
3019 Cedarwood Ln, Falls Church $1,150,000
1415 Lady Bird Drive, McLean
MAGNIFICENT 4BR/3.5BA home on over an acre of land! Updated kit w/ SS appliances, kit island & granite counters. Incredible hardscaping w/ pool & patio. Master w/ luxury BA!
PARADISE has been found in this nature oasis! 5BR/3.5BA contemporary home w/ updated kitchen. Open concept floorplan with dining & living room surrounded in windows &
#1 Agent, COMPANYWIDE
$1,589,000
Bring your unwanted oversized furniture/trash items and we’ll have them hauled at no charge! A great way to jump start your spring cleaning! *OPEN SUNDAY* 3/19 2-4pm!
*OPEN SUNDAY* 3/19 2-4pm!
703.606.7901 JD@newNOVAhome.com # 1 Listing Agent #1 Selling Agent #1 Total Volume #1 Total Transactions Weichert/Dolley Madison Office
1571 Maddux Lane, McLean
$1,795,000
ELEGANTLY styled, custom built 5BR/4.5BA colonial home! Gourmet kit w/
Weichert 1313 Dolley Madison Blvd McLean, VA 22101 703-760-8880
706 Highland Avenue, Falls Church City
$1,059,000
LUXURIOUS craftsman home featuring 4BR/4.5 BA! Chef’s kitchen w/ granite
Call Me Today for a Free Analysis of Your Home’s Value!
Falls Church trusts Stacy Hennessey and McEnearney Associates StacyH.com OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY, MARCH 19TH • 1-4PM
ROCK STAR Realty ... ROCK STAR Service
TM
Call ROCK STAR Realty when buying or selling your home ~ 703-867-8674
UNDER CONTRACT
UNDER CONTRACT
4 cts Contra ! ys a D In 6
1809 N Oakland St, Arlington 22207
1005 N TUCKAHOE ST | FALLS CHURCH CITY | $1,300,000
Beautiful 3 BR/2 full & 2 half BA renovated & expanded brick colonial boasts a 2BR + den/1 full bath Guest Cottage! $1,225,000
COMING SOON
This wonderful home is better than new! The inviting foyer leads to the formal living and dining rooms with custom built-ins, gorgeous wood floors, crown molding and two of the three fireplaces. The gourmet kitchen, with an oversized island, opens to the spacious and light-filled family room and casual dining area overlooking the beautifully landscaped yard. Five expansive bedrooms all upstairs include a true master suite with soaring ceilings, treetop views, spa-like bath and large closets. Lower level will wow you with a guest room and bath, diner-style entertainment room, a huge rec room, workshop and more! This ideal home is close to the Metro, has a 2 car garage and Falls Church City schools too!
STACY HENNESSEY | 703.395.4868
shennessey@mcenearney.com | StacyH.com Serving the Washington, DC Metro Area since 1980. 703.525.1900 | 4720 Lee Highway | Arlington, VA 22207
3118 Juniper Lane, Falls Church 22044
Huge, renovated 4 BR/3.5 BA, 3500 sq ft midcentury 4-level contemporary on nearly 1/2 acre. $795,000
Join Us TOMORROW — Friday, March 17th 4-8pm
201 W Greenway Blvd, Falls Church City
6th Annual
ROC STAR St. Paddy’s Happy Hour St. Paddy’s Homebuyer Happy Hour & ROCK STAR Irish Red Ale Tapping
Newly remodeled 4 BR + Den / 2.5 BA brick Cape with professionally landscaped yard. ®
REALTOR
703-867-8674
EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY
Proud Sponsor of 2101 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201
Housing Commission, Vice Chair
Lifetime Top ducer Producer
Tori@ToriRocksRealEstate.com 2016 2015 ToriRocksRealEstate.com 2014 2013 2012
© 2017 Tori McKinney, LLC
PAGE 4 | MARCH 16 – 22, 2017
LO CA L
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Campus Econ Development Group Wants to Max Use
Now Open
BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
A Caregiver’s Guide to Behavior and Communication Issues in Dementia Thursday, March 30, 2017 from 6:30pm-8:00pm at 700 West Broad Street, Falls Church, VA
I
RSVP to kakers@KensingtonSL.com or 703-992-9868
f you are caring for someone with dementia, then you already know that it significantly affects your life, too. The continual journey of adapting to ongoing changes in your loved one’s personality and abilities is stressful, frustrating and overwhelming. Please let us help ease the burdens for you. Spend some time with us to learn what happens as your loved one passes through each stage of dementia and how you can cope along the way. Two dynamic professionals will share their deep expertise in memory loss to help you: Susan Perry Vice President of Client Services at Care Options, a Lifematters Company and Licensed Clinical Social Worker in VA
• Understand changes in the brain as dementia begins and progresses. • Know how to address behavioral and communication difficulties that commonly occur. • Draw boundaries that enable you to honor your loved one and, at the same time, preserve your well-being. • Identify resources for support. • Discover important ways to care for yourself so you can stay strong, courageous and committed.
Diane Vance Program Manager for the Alzheimer’s Association National Capital Area Chapter, Caregiver and Advocate
7 0 3 . 9 9 2 . 9 8 6 8 | 7 0 0 We s t B ro a d S t , F a l l s C h u rc h , VA 2 2 0 4 6 w w w. T h e K e n s i n g t o n F a l l s C h u rc h . c o m
The third meeting of Falls Church’s Campus Economic Development working group composed of members of the City’s Planning Commission, School Board, City Council and Economic Development Authority, is slated for this Friday morning at the refreshing hour of 7:30 a.m. at City Hall. The group, formed to scope out the optimum economic development potential that could be extracted from the 36-acre George Mason High School campus, was spiced with impassioned talk of ensuring the maximum potential from the site at its meeting last Friday. Under terms of the agreement of its transfer to the City, economic development would be limited to 10 of the 36 acres with the rest to be devoted to education. A “draft prelude” document to assist in the crafting of a request for proposals to the development community is due to be ready for discussion this Friday, and the input for it provided last Friday was basically that there should be “no holds barred.” Mayor David Tarter said, “We have a chance to do something really unique to put Falls Church on the map, to create a sense of place that will be important for the future of the City.” He added, “It is the tax yield that we can take from this that is the key, both now and in 50 years.” Russ Wodiska, the new chair of the Planning Commission, weighed in forcefully, suggesting “something bigger to tie in with the universities” — (the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech Northern Virginia Center building being adjacent the land in question) — “for some sort of energy project or center for energy sustainability research.” It should be a “bigger concept,” he said, being as it is right next to the Metro. He added that Falls Church “community values” should be combined with “whatever the market can come up with.” He said, “We don’t want to limit, but to broaden the scope and to be open to creative scenarios.” Falls Church School Board member Phil Reitinger agreed that “the broadest possible approach” be taken to encompass “whatever wider visions
there are out there for the region.” Bob Young of the City’s Economic Development Authority said, “This represents a unique opportunity going beyond this generation.” Falls Church City Planning Director Jim Snyder said that one element to be included in seeking input from potential developers should be “where on the site the 10 acres for development should be.” He also suggested that a special taxing district be established to help with potential infrastructure costs, and he also suggested a phased development approach that takes in surrounding properties on a more gradual basis. Whereas it was an operating assumption to now that the best site would be that adjacent the intersection of W. Broad (Route 7) and Haycock Road, there have been others who’ve suggested locating the site nearer the West Falls Church Metro station, which is adjacent the property, might produce a higher yield. That might involve land that is now used for the high school football field, which might require finding temporary homes for the high school sports teams that use that field. On the other hand, as undeveloped land, it could be susceptible to immediate commercial development, whereas other scenarios (such as the Rt. 7 at Haycock) might require waiting for two years to be made available for development. City Manager Wyatt Shields added that a request for proposal include whatever the group decides it may want in the form of an aquatic or performing arts center to supplement the high school or multi-use campus concept. He also suggested a “full service hotel” might be a desired component. Planning Commissioner Lindy Hockenberry suggested a focus be on the development of an educational campus linking the university facilities with those of the high school and middle school. Meanwhile, the City’s Planning Department has scheduled a public meeting and forum for Saturday, March 25, at 8:45 a.m. at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School cafetorium to discuss commercial development on the campus site, part of its “small area plan” series.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Police Imposter Continued from Page 1
“[Falls Church citizens] have an expectation of public trust and this to me is a violation of public trust,” the chief said. “And I take that very seriously. It’s a top priority. “I work for the public and if they can’t trust us, then what are we? We’re not worth a darn.” Gavin confirmed that Ozderman did enter the Criminal Investigations office but could not verify that he had access to a computer. Clipp, a member of the department since 2004, has been suspended as the FBI continues its investigation, Gavin said. WSUA9 reported that Clipp claimed she was the Eden Center in Falls Church on September 30, 2016, “conducting surveillance on a target vehicle for an ATF Task Force.” Ozderman was there as well, wearing a ballistic vest with an “ICE” placard across the chest and was reported to be “enforcing or attempting to enforce criminal laws,” according to court records. Sergeant Sonya Richardson of Falls Church called the FBI and found that no such surveillance mission had been planned. On February 22, the FBI, a
Itai Ozderman. (P����: M��������� C����� P�����)
Montgomery County SWAT team and Falls Church police conducted a raid at Ozderman’s Gaithersburg home. Agents found ten firearms during the search, including seven handguns, two M4 style assault rifles and one shotgun. Agents also discovered an array of law enforcement gear in Ozderman’s car, including body armor, tactical vests, ammunition, a working police radio and Baltimore County police badge. Ozderman has been charged in Montgomery County with impersonating a police officer and transporting a handgun in a vehicle. Federal charges may be forthcoming. Court records confirm
LO CA L Ozderman has worked as an I.T. engineer at The Washington Post for around two years. Gavin indicated changes will need to be made in the department to ensure this does not happen again. “It’s not something that you’re proud of, so it is a gut check,” she said. “I’m all about, ‘We made a mistake, we need to fix it.’ We need to figure it out. And we need to talk about it. Our responsibility — let’s call it a public trust issue — is first to identify it, second is to investigate it, and then you need to take corrective action.” Gavin pointed to more thorough auditing of schedules as a new policy change, as well as tightening the inspection of credentials for anyone entering the department. Falls Church City Mayor David Tarter released a statement saying he is “unable to comment on a pending case. I appreciate the Police Department reporting this to the FBI for their thorough investigation.” Multiple members of the City Council said there has yet to be inperson discussion about the case. Councilmember David Snyder said he “plans to raise management and policy issues” and is “interested in what management will do to prevent issues like this in the future.”
MARCH 16 – 22, 2017 | PAGE 5
PAGE 6 | MARCH 16 – 22, 2017
One of the Nation’s Foremost Weekly Newspapers, Serving N. Virginia
(Published Weekly by Benton Communications, Inc.)
FOUNDED IN 1991
Vol. XXVII, No. 4 March 16 – 22, 2017 • City of Falls Church ‘Business of the Year’ 1991 & 2001 • • Certified by the Commonwealth of Virginia to Publish Official Legal Notices • • Member, Virginia Press Association •
N������� F. B����� O���� � E�����-I�-C���� �������������.���
J��� F������ M������� ������
�������������.���
S�� T�������� N��� E�����
���������������.���
N��� G��� A���������� S������� A������������ ����������.���
H���� W������ C����������
�������������.���
C������ C����, T�� W������ C��������� T�� W���� C��� E����� J���� I����� C���������� M������
�������������.���
T� C������ ��� N���-P���� �����: 703-532-3267 ���: 703-342-0347 �����: ���������.��� ������� ����������� ��������.��� ���������� ��� �������������.��� ������� �� ��� ������ ������������.��� ������������� ������������ � �������� �������������.���
WWW.FCNP.COM The Falls Church News-Press is published weekly on Thursdays and is distributed free of charge throughout the City of Falls Church and the Greater Falls Church area. Offices are at 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church, VA 22046. Reproduction of this publication in whole or part is prohibited except with the written permission of the publisher. ©2017 Benton Communications Inc. The News-Press is printed on recycled paper.
E D I TO R I A L
E��������
Don’t Impose a Tax, But Win a ‘Yes’
With the coming tough choices facing the City of Falls Church on its need for a new high school, it is of paramount importance to keep the eye on the ball, and not be diverted by secondary, special or selfish issues and interests. We must be focused like a laser beam. The reason is obvious. Voters this November will be asked to approve the largest bond referendum in the City’s history, regardless of the price tag that winds up being attached to it. Winning that voter approval, while at the same time seeking the best educational facility required to meet the core needs of our students, is the goal. There are three moving parts here. First, winning the support of the voters. Second, focusing the new construction effort on core educational needs. Third, finding new revenues to mitigate the cost to taxpayers through optimizing economic development on the 36-acre campus site in question. The good news is that there is solid support in the community for all three of these components. Especially useful has been the robust demonstration of commitment to the “highest and best use” of the economic component exhibited by the newly-formed Campus Economic Development Task Force (see story, page 4). If the development community becomes convinced that the City really wants something that is going to be a blockbuster, from the standpoint of density and revenue yield for the next 50 years, then there should be a serious response. We know there are developers out there in near orbit to the City looking for just this sort of thing. If the voting public can see the City and Schools making a determined effort to get those offsetting revenues, on the one hand, and to hold the construction project to core needs for quality education, and not superfluous ones, then we’re confident the project will enjoy a level of support to make passage of a referendum possible. In short, if the cost to taxpayers of the new school is over $100 million, then in our opinion it will, and should, fail. On the other hand, if the combination of promising economic development and avoidance of superfluous components for the new school can be demonstrated to bring the cost down to, say, under $70 million, then we’re confident it will pass. In this context, it is, to us, not helpful for the City Council to ask for a three-cent set-aside for the project in the current budget. It will only cause dissension in the ranks, so to speak, making the public potentially an adversarial player whose concerns will zero in on making sure the project cost stays low. You don’t want that. You want a happy voting public eager to join in the process of delivering a first rate high school at the most economical cost. Don’t forcibly commit them to it with a tax hike before they’ve been invited to join in the effort voluntarily.
L������
Why are F.C. Police Enforcing Tax Laws?
Editor, I have lived in the City of Falls Church, off and on, for going on 20 years. I have had a few occasions to contact our police department. I have had nothing but positive interactions with various officers, have always been communicated with respectfully, and always felt that my concerns, as minor as they might seem in comparison to violent crimes, were listened to.
That is why I am disappointed to learn that we are giving our police responsibility for enforcing tax laws. I discovered a ticket on my vehicle, parked in an apartment complex lot, for an expired city sticker. I had in fact paid my tax way back in October, as I have done every year, but inadvertently put the sheet of paper with the decal in my inbox, and forgotten about it. The ticket was more (a lot
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
P������� 1. Keep the news clean and fair.
2. Play no favorites, never mix business and editorial policy. 3. Do not let the news columns reflect editorial comment. 4. Publish the news that is public property without fear or favor of friend or foe. 5. Accept no charity and ask no favors.
6. Give “value received” for every dollar you take in. 7. Make the paper show profit if you can, but above all keep it clean, fearless and fair.
ADVERTISE IN THE
The News-Press is delivered to every household and many businesses in the City of Falls Church (22046), and to many homes and businesses (but not all) in the adjacent 22041, 22042, 22043, 22044 and 22205 zip codes. Its total circulation of 15,000 per issue is greater than any other newspaper in the distribution area, including dailies. For complete advertising information, call us or check out our web site.
Call 532-3267 x2274 or visit www.FCNP.com
All original and some syndicated content is accessible via the Falls Church News-Press online site, www.FCNP.com. FCNP.com also includes photos, stories, ads and more not appearing in the print edition.
For information on online advertising, please contact Nick Gatz at 703-532-3267 or ngatz@fcnp.com. ONLINE
more!) than a ticket for parking on the sidewalk, parking on the highway, and similar transgressions that would affect public safety or impede traffic! I could appeal the ticket and go to court, but if the judge decides to be strict, even when I show proof of having paid my tax, I would be on the hook for court costs that would more than double the fine. Is this what we want our small police department to be spending time on? And wouldn’t it make more sense to have a different process for demonstrating payment of tax than going through the court system? Chris Raymond Falls Church
F.C. Shopping Center Management is Acting Selfish Editor, It is a measure of corporate insensitivity or pure BS, but we now enter our city library past a warning notice on the door that the adjacent Broadale Village Shopping Center will tow patrons’ cars. Presumably, this notice was deemed necessary upon the new void of Famous Dave’s BBQ restaurant, which leaves a lot of
Continued on Page 22
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
CO MME NT
MARCH 16 – 22, 2017 | PAGE 7
G � � � � C � � � � � �� �� Invitation to the Falls Church Women’s History Walk B� M������� C�������
Sometimes an idea comes along that is so timely, so interesting, so right that everyone wants to be part of it. The upcoming Falls Church Women’s History Walk is one of those ideas. If you aren’t already involved, consider this your heartfelt invitation to be part of it. There are many reasons to gather to celebrate history-making women, focus on wellness, and build community right here in Falls Church. On Sunday, March 26 the mile-long walk will kick-off at 2 p.m., but participants can start later and enjoy the walk as they wish. The “Herstory Stations” will be set up throughout the afternoon, and afterwards we will be gathering for a Community Resource Fair in the Community Center until 5 p.m. Despite our small size, Falls Church looms large in American history. Some of our predecessors made history that is written “in the books.” Others provide a unique window into historic events. Some of the names on the Women’s History Walk will be familiar to Falls Church residents because streets, buildings and schools are named for them. Some aren’t as familiar, but they are worth getting to know! Women have been making history in Falls Church since before the 1600s. The first European settlement at Big Chimneys dates to 1699. We don’t know exactly who lived at the inn/trading post but we have to
assume that at least one woman lived in the log house with big chimneys. There was plenty of work to do at the important stop along the Rolling Road between Virginia tobacco plantations and the Alexandria port.
“We hope this walk puts a spring in your step and inspires you to make history.” Falls Church has been home to noted abolitionists, educators, visionaries. Women who persisted. Women who made a difference. Here’s a snapshot of some of the women we will recognize. • Harriet Foote Turner was a free woman of color who led 12 enslaved people to freedom in Canada by forging their papers and posing as their owner. • Pioneering educator Nancy Sprague’s vision influences Falls Church and Fairfax educators today. • Mary Ellen Henderson petitioned the Fairfax School Board for 20 years for a better school for her African American students. Her detailed study of the inadequacy of her facilities caught their attention. • Mattie Gundry founded and ran the
Virginia Training School, the only school in South for children with special needs. • Alixa Naff, an immigrant from Lebanon, is considered the Mother of ArabAmerican Studies in the United States. These are five of the 14 women whose stories we will tell. There’s a big question that each of us has to answer: What are you doing, today, to carry on the legacy of these women? What are you doing to make a difference in our local community and the world? How are you bridging the divide and getting to know people who aren’t in your usual circles? How are you making life better for others? Everyday life has a way of overwhelming our dreams of doing something big (or small), and our polarized society makes it difficult to bridge the gap between people. We hope that events like the Women’s History Walk will provide the opportunity to think about bravery, determination, health, purpose, community, sisterhood in a way that empowers each person to make a difference for others. While we discover history, we will also celebrate health and wellness. Taking a walk is one of the best things you can do for your body and mind. We hope this walk puts a spring in your step and inspires you to make history. Everyone is invited — old, young, women and men, visitors from afar and neighbors from around the corner. People in strollers and wheelchairs, those using
skates, scooters and canes are all welcome. The Women’s History Walk is presented by the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation and its board members Nikki Graves Henderson, Dr. Beverly PIttman and Rebecca Stotts, as well as the six women elected to office in Falls Church: Jody Acosta, Marybeth Connelly, Erin Gill, Letty Hardi, Karen Oliver, and Margaret Ward. It is sponsored by the American Council on Exercise and the Falls Church AAUW. The Community Resource Fair will have refreshments, as well as information shared by your neighbors who are part of AAUW, Corepower Yoga, Cultural Care Au Pair, Fit4Mom, League of Women Voters, Lethbridge & Associates, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense, Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation, VPIS and We Support the Girls. We are grateful to the City of Falls Church for logistical support. We are adding exhibitors and sponsors every day, so if you want to participate, we’d love to have you. Contact me at mbdoncon@gmail.com for information on being part of the Women’s History Walk. Sign up on the Facebook Event Page: Falls Church Women’s History Walk, to get previews, updates, maps and more. Marybeth Connelly is the vice mayor of the City of Falls Church and occasionally a tour guide of a popular Falls Church History Bus Tour.
Q������� �� ��� W��� Do you support the F.C. City Manager’s budget including a fourcent real estate tax increase? • Yes • No
Last Week’s Question:
Have you witnessed a rise in hate-related behavior over the past several months?
• Unsure
Log on to www.FCNP.com to cast your vote
FCNP On-Line polls are surveys, not scientific polls.
[WRITE FOR THE PRESS] The News-Press welcomes readers to send in submissions in the form of Letters to the Editor
& Guest Commentaries. Letters to the Editor should be no more than 350 words and writers are limited to one appearance every four weeks. Guest Commentaries should be no more than 800 words and writers are limited to one appearance every four months. Because of space constraints, not all submissions will be published. All submissions to the News-Press should be original, unpublished content. We reserve the right to edit submissions for length, grammar and accuracy. All submissions should include writer’s name, address, phone and e-mail address if available.
Email: letters@fcnp.com | Mail: Letters to the Editor, Falls Church News-Press, 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church 22046 | Fax: 703.340.0347
LO CA L
PAGE 8 | MARCH 16 – 22, 2017
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
F.C. City Manager Calls for Budget With 4¢ Tax Hike, Council Unhappy
Continued from Page 1
and the economic offsets that commercial development on the school site may bring. Decisions on those matters are not expected before June. Normally, the City Council merely receives without comment the City Manager’s recommended budget and his explanations on the night he first presents it. But Monday was much different, led by Council member Phil Duncan’s pronouncement that he “can’t support it as presented” because, he argued, “the key to the sustainability of the City is a competitive tax rate,” noting Fairfax County’s commitment to a level tax rate this year and the fact that Arlington’s remains below one dollar. Duncan pleaded with Shields to go back to the drawing board and provide a zero-growth budget, particularly criticizing the notion of having citizens begin to pay for the new school before having ratified it with a bond referendum this fall. Councilman David Snyder said he shared Duncan’s point of view,
although he said that while he would not like the tax rate to rise, “I won’t allow the schools and the quality of city services to deteriorate or suffer.” On the other hand, Vice Mayor Marybeth Connelly thanked Shields for “putting the reserve funds in there,” which Shields said was important to the bond market. Connelly wrote the News-Press Tuesday with a clarification, saying, “I was not unhappy with the budget. I approved of putting the capital reserve funding in the budget because it is key to the most important project we have facing us, a new high school. It is this project that everyone mentioned in the January issue of the NewsPress as the biggest thing we are facing this year. How are we going to pay for it without saving money for it? Economic development will help eventually but we’ve got a big gap to fill to get it started.” The grumpy mood of the Council toward spending money carried over into its discussion of a motion to appropriate $1.5 million in new money for the Mt. Daniel Elementary expansion and
renovation due to the unexpected 21 percent increase in the cost of the work that the opening of bids recently had revealed. Interim School Superintendent Dr. Robert Schiller expressed exasperation before the Council. “This threw us all for a loop,’ he said. “Now bad options are our only options.” Delaying the provision for the added funds could force another full year delay in the project, already delayed two years by hangups with the Fairfax County Planning Commission. So while Schiller said he’d press his board to look for alternatives as its scheduled meeting Tuesday night, the Council reluctantly gave a preliminary OK to the funds by a 5-2 vote Monday night, with Council members Letty Hardi and Dan Sze voting no. But while Schiller said the School Board would address the problem at its meeting set for this Tuesday night, the bad weather forced the cancellation of that meeting, with no make-up date set as yet.
WITH FALLS CHURCH City Manager Wyatt Shields at the podium addressing the F.C. City Council on his FY18 budget recommendations, vocal concerns arose over its inclusion of a three-cent increase on the tax rate to set aside funds to handle the prospective high cost of a new high school. (Photo: News-Press) The schedule for the budget season continues with a town hall and open house at the Community Center this Monday night, March 20, at 7:30 p.m. Table displays representing the different departments of the City government will be set up with staff from those departments to answer questions from the public, to be followed by a City Council work session at 8:30 p.m. for an initial budget review. On Monday, March 27, the Council will give a first reading
The Providence Players
An American Classic Opens Next Weekend!
Christopher Sergel and PPF bring Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize Winning Novel to Life Onstage
to the budget and hold a public hearing. On Sunday, April 2, a town hall on the budget will be held at 3 p.m. at the Council chambers of City Hall, and on Monday, April 3, the City Council will have a work session to review the budget, followed by meetings on the three following Mondays with public comment periods on April 10 and April 24 prior to the adoption of the budget by the Council on April 24.
Celebrating 19 Years Of Quality Theater Experiences
Performance Dates and Times
Thurs, Fri and Sat Evenings 7:30 pm Sun Matinees 2:00 pm
March 24 – April 8
An American classic based on the Pulitzer prizewinning masterwork and one of the best-loved stories of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird is a gripping and heart-wrenching tale of coming-of-age in the South.
PERFORMING AT
James Lee Community Center Theater 2855 Annandale Road Falls Church, VA 22042
FCNP Reader Discount
ALWAYS AFFORDABLE
$2.00 Off Each Ticket With Online Purchase Use Coupon Code:
Adults $20 Students/Seniors (62+) $17
At Online Checkout – Not Valid At The Door
Email: providenceplayerstickets@cox.net Phone: 703-425-6782
FCNPTKM
www.providenceplayers.org
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
LO CA L
F� � � � C � � � � �
NEWS BRIEFS F.C. Superintendent Search Progresses, Webb Reports Falls Church School Board chair Lawrence Webb released a letter late last week to the Falls Church community signaling that the School Board search for a permanent new superintendent is nearing completion, and will be finalized before spring break, or by April 8. According to Webb’s statement, a methodological search process began with contracting B.W.P. Associates last fall, following the departure of Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones, for a nationwide search and a month-long survey of local parents, staff and citizens. The search concluded on Feb. 24, Webb stated, with a pool of 38 candidates “representing a wide range of geographic, ethnic and gender diversity” presented to the school board. The board has since “selected and invited several of the top candidates in for personal interviews,” and “we will whittle this group further to our finalists who will then meet with a 13-member stakeholder panel that the board approved last Tuesday night.” After that, the board will make its final determination, and “it is our intent to announce the new permanent [Falls Church City Public Schools] Superintendent by Spring Break,” Webb said, adding “this is still a confidential process.”
Beyer Co-Sponsors Anti-Hate Legislation Following a national surge in hate crimes, U.S. Rep. Donald Beyer, who represents the 8th District of Virginia that includes the City of Falls Church, joined with U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Ct.) to introduce bicameral legislation this week to strengthen federal laws that combat hate speech, threats, and attacks. Beyer said, “As incidents of hate crimes continue to rise, the National Opposition to Hate, Assault, and Threats to Equality (“NO HATE”) Act would improve reporting and expand assistance and resources for victims of hate crimes. In a recent high-profile incident, two Indian men in Kansas were shot by a man who shouted “get out of my country” before opening fire. Meanwhile, Jewish Community Centers across the country have experienced a significant uptick in bomb threats and other attempts at intimidation.” Beyer added, “Police forces across the country should be focused on reducing hate crimes. We cannot allow the rise in anti-immigrant acts, acts of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and crimes against LGBTQ individuals since the election to metastasize into a culture of cruelty and intolerance. By tracking and reporting incidents of hate crimes nation-wide, we can know whether we are making progress towards their prevention.” He noted that the Southern Poverty Law Center, which supports the legislation, reported 701 acts of hateful intimidation and harassment in just the first week after the election. The FBI has also reported a nearly seven percent increase in the number of hate crimes in 2015 compared to 2014. This was driven by a 67 percent increase in the number of anti-Muslim crimes.
New ‘Small Area Plan’ Meet on March 25 The City of Falls Church Planning Commission announced this week that the Falls Church community is invited to participate in the kickoff event for the Small Area Plan of the high school and middle school campus. The event is set for Saturday, March 25 from 8:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School’s Cafetorium. The focus of the event includes community needs, open space, economic development, transportation, and urban design. Participants at this event will discuss best uses and options for up to 10.4 acres of the campus, not the school construction. According to Planning Department head Jim Snyder, “Redevelopment is being discussed as a possibility since the City gained ownership of the property as part of the boundary adjustment tied to the sale of the City’s water utility to Fairfax Water in 2013. This meeting is the first step in creating a Small Area Plan. These types of plans define a vision for redevelopment in a specific location, taking into consideration the history as well as current and future needs of residents, workers and visitors. Once the Planning Commission and staff create a draft plan, community members, boards and commissions, and the City Council will provide more feedback. Ideally, City Council will adopt the plan as recommended by the Planning Commission.”
F.C. Citizens Join Arts Advocacy Day in D.C. March 20 Falls Church and area citizens are planning to attend the Arts Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C. on Monday, March 20, and a lobbying day March 21. The effort is aimed at preventing cuts to the federal National Endowment for the Arts. Last year, $1.6 million of the endowment’s budget went to non-profit arts groups in Virginia, including over $200,000 to those in the Fairfax-Falls Church area. It is feared the Trump administration will advocate deep cuts in the National Education Association budget.
MARCH 16 – 22, 2017 | PAGE 9
LO CA L
PAGE 10 | MARCH 16 - 22, 2017
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
News-Press
Community News & Notes Grace Lutheran to Host Michigan Concert Choir The Concert Choir of Michigan Lutheran Seminary, Saginaw, Michigan, will present a concert of sacred songs at Grace Lutheran Church in Falls Church on Sunday, March 19, at 8, 9:30, and 11 a.m. The 37 voice traveling singers, under the direction of Professor Leonard A. Proeber, have toured annually since 1955, with appearances in more than 30 states, Canada and Europe. This choir, which will sing over 30 concerts during the 2016-2017 season, regularly visits congregations of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod in Michigan and adjoining states. There is no admission to the concert; however, since the group is self-supporting, a freewill offering will be received. The concert
is open to the public. For more information about the concert, call 703-534-1719.
AAUW Accepting Book Donations Through April 1 Looking for a new home for your gently used books? The AAUW is collecting books until April 1 at the book collection bin at the Community Center. Books are for the annual book sale to be held on April 7 and 8. The book sale benefits scholarship/grant programs for women, including local Falls Church high school girls. Deposit good, clean, saleable books in the book collection bin at the Falls Church Community Center (223 Little Falls Street, Falls Church) in March or contact (703) 941-5643, gjewell@cox.net for larger donations.
The AAUW needs all kinds of books: hard-covers, paperbacks, novels, non-fiction, children’s, cookbooks, etc. that are suitable for re-sale. Organizers have requested no magazines, encyclopedias, text books or damaged books.
Reston Public Art Film Series Set for Mar. 28 Public Art Reston, as part of its Public Art Film Series, will present three films by film director and Peabody Award recipient Rebekah Wingert-Jabi. The short films will be screened Tuesday, March 28, at 7:30 p.m. at CenterStage, Reston Community Center Hunters Woods in collaboration with and supported by Reston Community Center. The documentary films are titled “Emerge: The Making of
(FROM LEFT) DAVID SMITH, STACY HENNESSEY, Astrid Martinez, Gayle Berry and Diane Gelberd at the Homestretch Fundraiser at the State Theater last month. There were 321 attendees and nearly $100,000 was raised for Homestretch. Big ticket items were some great vacation spots, including Lake Gaston and Cazumel. (Photo: Stacy Hennessey)
a Community Public Art Project (2010),” “Fun, Beauty, Fantasy: Reston’s Public Art (2012)” and “A Bird in the Hand – Patrick Dougherty’s Sculptural Installation in Reston, VA (2015).” All celebrate the tradition of public art in Reston. Wingert-Jabi will attend the screenings and discuss how her films explore the legacy of public art in Reston since its founding and how Public Art Reston is advancing that tradition.
Falls Church Artist Opens Immigration Exhibit Falls Church resident, artist and Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation Vice President, Irena Chambers’ award winning exhibition “No Home To Go To: Baltic Displaced Persons, 1944-1952” will be on display at the Arlington Public Library (1015 N. Quincy St.,
Arlington) through April 17, 2017. The award-winning exhibit has been on display across the nation (NYC, Chicago, Washington, DC, Philadelphia and Illinois) as well as Lithuania and Canada. The exhibition uses the memories, documents, photographs, and memorabilia of families and individuals who lived through the experience of fleeing their homeland, living in displaced persons camps, and, finally, finding a new home in a new land. The exhibit examines the experience of fleeing battle fronts and fearing persecution, as thousands of civilians attempted to reach asylum in neighboring countries. Families, many with small children, sought safety and a better life. They lived in makeshift communities where food and accommodations were minimal and relief difficult to come by.
FORMER FALLS CHURCH RESIDENT CDR Wilbur A. Velarde will be promoted to the rank of Captain on April 1, 2017 in the US Coast Guard Reserve, and assigned to the USCG Office of International Affairs and Foreign Policy Advisor. (Photo: CDR Wilbur A. Velarde)
Send Us Your News & Notes!
The News-Press is always on the lookout for photos & items for Community News & Notes, School News & Notes and other sections of the paper. If you graduate, get married, get engaged, get an award, start a club, eat a club, tie your shoes, have a birthday, have a party, host an event or anything else you think is worth being mentioned in the News-Press, write it up and send it to us! If you have a photo, even better! Because of the amount of submissions we receive, we cannot guarantee all submissions will be published, but we’ll try our best!
Community News & Notes: newsandnotes@fcnp.com | School News & Notes: schoolnews@fcnp.com Mail: News & Notes, Falls Church News-Press, 200 Little Falls St. #508, Falls Church, VA 22046
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
LO CA L
MARCH 16 - 22, 2017 | PAGE 11
NEEDHAM MITNICK & POLLACK PLC 703-536-7778 400 S. MAPLE AVENUE, SUITE 210, FALLS CHURCH, VA 22046 WWW.NMPATTORNEYS.COM INFO@NMPATTORNEYS.COM
MASON, IN THE SLED, gets a pull from Joey “Substitute Reindeer” Cavada during the snow day Falls Church on Tuesday. (P����: L��� C�����) Chambers says that the experience of people from 1944-1952 bares a striking resemblance to today’s refugee crisis and immigration experiences. The exhibit shares what occurred more than 70 years ago, when displaced persons in Europe fled their homes and uprooted their lives in the last year of World War II, because of the approaching Soviet forces. Yet, Chambers says, it forces the viewer to examine more critically today’s current refugee crisis — the largest number of immigrants seeking freedom and liberty in America in more than 70 years.
Arlington Food Center Spring Garden Kick-off Set The Arlington Food Assistance Center’s Spring Garden Kick-off will take place on Saturday, March 18. This annual event gives new gardeners and old gardeners a chance to meet each other and share knowledge about gardening. There will be a full morning of demonstrations and presentations and free seeds. The event will be held at Arlington Central Library (1050 N. Quincy Street, near the Virginia Square metro) on from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. The library is the site of a vegetable garden for AFAC which utilizes several areas of the library property — a large raised bed, raised beds and containers on patios, and a tennis court berm site. Some of attendees are social workers at local community centers that have gardens. Some are home gardeners, some are teachers involved with school-age
populations, and others work with faith-based organizations who have gardens for AFAC. Whatever your background, the morning’s presentations are for gardeners and gardeners-to-be to learn more about gardening and to connect with others who are doing the same. In particular, there will be presentations on maximizing yields in raised bed gardens; succession planting for a four-season harvest; root-zone irrigation techniques to prevent plant diseases and save water; and safe environmental pest controls. Margaret Brown, head of Arlington Central Library, will talk about the library gardens and how they have helped “grow” a sense of community. For those who garden in urban spaces, these are useful topics. Today is the final day to register at afac.org/plot-against-hunger/pah-events.
St. Patrick’s Episcopal Hosts Concert of Harmony On Sunday April 2 at 4 p.m. St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church (3241 Brush Drive, Falls Church) hosts a Concert of Harmony, featuring music of bluegrass, jazz, Broadway, and classical. American music from many periods in our country’s history withh be featured including solos and harmony of “American Songs” from the Classical FX vocal ensemble. A “History of Jazz” will be performed by Washington area’s prominent jazz pianist, Wade Beach. The concert will open with local bluegrass band, Le Bonaparte’s,
with bluegrass standards and bluegrass gospel. Dancing Heart Ensemble (flute, trombone and piano) will also provide music by American composer, Eric Ewazen. Admission is free and a wine and cheese reception follows the concert. For more information, visit www.odeonchambermusicseries. org, or e-mail at marikohiller@ gmail.com or call (703)200-7489
• • • • • •
Wills & Trusts Special Needs Planning Medicaid Planning Guardianships Probate Trustee or Agent Services
Planning For All Ages & All Needs
Fairfax Genealogical Conference and Expo The Fairfax Genealogical Society’s annual spring conference, “Finding Elusive Ancestors – Tools and Techniques for the Search,” will run on Friday, March 31 and Saturday, April 1 at the The Westin Tysons Corner (7801 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church). The Keynote speaker is D. Joshua Taylor, host of the PBS series, “Genealogy Road Show.” The two-day conference will include over 60 sessions and workshops on topics including family research in Virginia, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Maryland, as well Irish, German, Canadian, New England, and African-America research. Sessions will explore tools and resources, migrations of settlers, Colonial America, and other topics of interest to family history researchers. Fees from $65 (one-day FXGS members) to $110 (two-day non-members). Registration at fxgs2017springconference.eventbrite.com.
Eye Exams By Independent Doctor of Optometry, Dr. Peter Ellis
701 W. Broad St. (Rte 7) Falls Church VA
703-237-6500
www.pointofvieweyewear.com
CO MME NT
PAGE 12| MARCH 16 – 22, 2017
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
A Penny for Your Thoughts
Delegate Marcus Simon’s
News of Greater Falls Church By Supervisor Penny Gross
Longtime Fairfax County Park Authority board member Frank Vajda recently announced his retirement after representing Mason District on the FCPA board for 16 years. Frank achieved many accomplishments through the years, including advocating the development of the Friends of Hidden Oaks Nature Center in 2003, when the center’s future was threatened by proposed budget cuts. Frank was extraordinarily helpful to me in getting the Mason District Park amphitheatre rebuilt following a devastating fire in 2004, and has been my cohost for the summer concert series there for more than a decade. During Frank’s service, parcels for additional parkland were obtained, including Hogge Park in Bailey’s Crossroads, and Monch Farm near Edsall Road. Succeeding Frank as Mason District Park Authority representative is Ron Kendall, who recently retired from the Environmental Protection Agency, and previously served in the Peace Corps in Haiti. Ron was a member of the Green Team, which advocated for the passage of the Park Bond on last fall’s ballot. In Mason District, the Park Bond garnered almost 68 percent of the vote; the countywide result was similar, and demonstrates that Fairfax County residents treasure their parks. I am pleased to announce the nomination of Barbara Peters, a longtime Annandale resident, to represent Mason District on the Fairfax County History Commission. Barbara recently retired as the branch manager of the Thomas Jefferson Library in Falls Church, and brings a wealth of background to her new volunteer position, including librarian positions in Paraguay and Venezuela. Congratulations to PFC Kathleen “Kat” O’Leary, who was selected as the Mason District Police Station Officer of the Year at last Tuesday’s Citizen
Richmond Report
Advisory Council (CAC) meeting. PFC O’Leary has served as the crime prevention officer at the station for the past 18 months, and has worked with various community groups to resolve neighborhood issues. Kat’s work on behalf of Mason District residents and businesses has been exemplary. Congratulations also to Maiss Mohamed and Deema Alharti, juniors at J.E.B. Stuart High School, and Vanessa Mae Avendano, a senior at Falls Church High School, for winning Student Peace Awards for 2016-2017. Student Peace Awards are offered in all 29 public high schools, as well as some private schools. Each school is invited to select a recipient, based on the student’s contributions for promoting peace and helping to remove the causes of violence, such as poverty, discrimination, and injustice. At a well-attended ceremony on Sunday, 24 individual students and three groups received awards for work ranging from reactivating the Model United Nations Club at Stuart to learn about settling international conflicts through peace and diplomacy, to developing training sessions for faculty to learn more about LGBT students and the issues facing them. These fine young students already are becoming leaders of tomorrow! As announced in last week’s column, I will be hosting a Mason District Town Hall about gang prevention, intervention, interdiction and suppression, on Wednesday, March 29, at 7 p.m. at the Mason District Governmental Center, 6507 Columbia Pike in Annandale. A question and answer session will follow the presentations from the police and county agencies. Please plan to attend. S:11.5”
Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov.
S:10.5”
Photo: Grant Delin
If you always store your firearm safely, no curious kids will put their fingers on it. And no gun will accidentally fire. Which means no screams of pain will be heard. And no 911 calls will be made. And no scars will be left. So please, always remember to keep your firearm stored safely. Visit ncpc.org to determine the best firearms safety solution for you.
NATIONAL CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL
200 Varick St. New York, NY 10014 : Phone 212-805-7500
ADC_SGS_731214_B
Client: AD COUNCIL
WO: Ad Council-Safe Firearm Storage scar face (1/2pg. Newspaper)
PATH: M.P_MECHANICALS:Volumes:M.P_MECHANICALS:Ad Council:ADC:SGS:731214:ADC_SGS_731214_B
SPECS L/S: None DOC SIZE: 11.5” x 10.5” B: None G: None
TEAM Creative: Andy Hirsch None Acct: None Prod/Traf: None Lynn Mathis Studio: Kevin Tinsley
MEDIA / PRINT INFO Pubs: None Media: Newsprint Line Screen: None Printed: 1-13-2014 5:37 PM @ None
COLORS Cyan Magenta Yellow Black
FONTS Helvetica Neue
IMAGES ADC_HalfPG_bkgd_Kn_300.tif (Gray; 100%; 300 ppi; SuperStudio:ART:MNH:AdCouncil:Lock Your Guns:ADC_HalfPG_bkgd_Kn_300.tif) ADC_LockGuns_Shot03_0848_Kn_200_EXT.tif (Gray; 58.97%; 339 ppi; SuperStudio:ART:MNH:AdCouncil:Lock Your Guns:ADC_LockGuns_Shot03_0848_Kn_200_EXT.tif) BJA2009_blue.eps (35.18%; SuperStudio:Logos:Ad Council:FirearmsSafety_Logos:BJA2009_blue.eps) NCPC_logo_horiz.eps (42.4%; SuperStudio:Logos:Ad Council:FirearmsSafety_Logos:NCPC_logo_horiz.eps) AClogo_blue.ai (19.39%; SuperStudio:Logos:Ad Council:FirearmsSafety_Logos:AClogo_blue.ai)
65 Medium, 45 Light
Now that I’m back from Richmond, I’ve been on the local legislative wrap-up circuit, speaking to civic groups, Boy Scout troops, and chambers of commerce about the recently concluded 45-day legislative session. Typically it’s a chance to recount the bills you passed, the bills that failed, and talk about the budget numbers. There is a real sense of urgency in these get togethers. Falls Churchers and Northern Virginians are ready to get involved and take positive action. So I’ve been trying something a little different. Given the increased level of energy and interest in government and politics that we’ve seen since the surprising result of the 2016 election, I’ve found audiences are anxious to dig a little a deeper. They are willing to get in the weeds with me on how things really work, what really happens in the legislature. Most of us learned how a bill becomes a law at some point during elementary school. Or if you weren’t paying attention in class, you learned it from a cute cartoon character named Bill on Saturday morning. It goes a bit like this. A constituent calls a legislator with a problem they’d like solved. The legislator thinks of a way to solve the problem and writes a bill. The bill goes to a committee, where folks debate it. Is this a problem that needs to be solved? Is this the right solution? Is there a better way to solve this problem? If a majority of the members of the committee agree this bill solves the problem well, it is reported. After a bill is reported, it goes to the floor of the house where it was introduced and everyone votes. If it gets enough votes, it goes to the other house, where the process starts all over again. If it makes it through both houses, it’s signed by the Executive (the Governor) and becomes law. That’s the way it’s supposed to work, but in the Virginia House of Delegates, where Republican’s outnumber democrats almost exactly 2-1 (66-34) it sometimes goes more like this: Locality reaches out to delegate with a good idea, Democratic Delegate works to get the language right with the department of legislative services and introduces bill. Representatives from the industry affected by the bill come to meet with the legislator, explain that this
bill might save the locality money, but will cost them money. At subcommittee, the delegate, the locality, and subject matter experts all testify in favor of the bill. Industry representatives, who have donated thousands to reelection bids of subcommittee members, briefly express opposition. Chairman asks for a motion on the bill...silence. Bill fails to report (dies) without a vote (HB 2170). Or like this: Military attorney reaches out to Democratic Delegate, who happens to be a veteran, and asks Virginia to join several other states in expanding the protections of the Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief Act to military spouses and other dependents. This would add to consumer protections available to military members who receive orders requiring them to move and terminate contracts early (HB 2147). Subcommittee chairman says to Democratic Delegate, your bill is sort of like another bill a Republican Delegate has introduced, but better. We are going to take the things that make your bill better, add them to the Republican bill (HB 1537) and kill yours. Or sometimes, if you’ve made a particularly partisan speech on the floor, they simply kill your bill later that afternoon, before you’ve had a chance to explain it (HB 2430). Or, if you are in a competitive election district, they may kill all your bills, and then campaign against you for failing to pass any legislation. That’s just how things go sometimes when you’re in the minority party, when you speak up a lot on the floor. When you make it your job to call out their nonsense when they keep pushing bills to license discrimination against same sex couples (HB 2025), or worry about what bathrooms people use (HB 1612), or have people bring their guns into schools (HB 1392), courthouses (SB 904), and even emergency shelters (HB 2077). Let me know if you think I’m taking the right approach. I’d love to hear from you about how I’m doing. Visit my website (marcussimon.com), my Facebook page or come to one of the many community events I’ll be attending over the next several months. I’ve never been shy about interacting with my constituents. Let’s talk soon. Delegate Simon represents the 53rd District in the Virginia House of Delegates. He may be emailed at DelMSimon@house.virginia.gov
CO MME NT
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
YO U DON T H AV E T O BE SO STRONG BUT IF I’M NOT, WHO WILL?
Being a caregiver takes a special kind of commitment. We know your strength is super, but you’re still human.
A A R P. O R G / C A R E G I V I N G 1 - 8 7 7 - 3 3 3 - 5 8 8 5
F I N D S U P P O R T F O R Y O U R S T R E N G T H.
Our Man in Arlington By Charlie Clark
Though I’m a card-carrying journalist, I occasionally rub tweedy elbows with Arlington’s more literary lights. My journalism colleague Burt Solomon, who writes from home in Westover, recently made the transition to novelist. A crowd of us gathered Feb. 26 at the independent bookstore One More Page to hear his confessions about his new title “The Murder of Willie Lincoln.” Arlington, of course, has a storied literary lineage. The 1950s novel and musical “Damn Yankees” was written at South Arlington’s Alcova house. And Margaret Leighton’s young adult classic “The Secret of the Old House” was inspired by her days in the 19th-century house near Virginia Hospital Center called Broadview. Poet Robert Frost’s daughter Lesley Lee Francis lives here and gave a reading last year at Central Library. Arlington government got bookish last summer when it named Katherine Young Arlington’s first poet laureate.” With that program, officials said, Arlington “becomes even more of a haven for the lyrical arts.” Among editors, I’m friendly with Arlingtonian Ruth Stewart, who is editor-in-chief of the artsy Northern Virginia Review. Businesswise, Arlington boasts Paycock Press, which publishes books and an annual Gargoyle Magazine of fiction and poetry
(including a title “31 Arlington Poets”), produced from a home on North 13th Street. And our county’s dateline also appears on the title pages of the Gival Press, “an independent literary press” run out of a home in Arlington Forest since 1998. I recently visited Gival’s publisher/editor Robert Giron to ask how a non-New York City publisher makes ends meet in the digital age. Gival has published dozens of novels, short story collections and poetry (including 27 e-books). “Being a literary press automatically means we’re not rolling in money, but our mission is making a contribution to the arts,” says Giron, who for 30 years has paid the bills teaching English at Montgomery College. Coming out of graduate school in Texas and Michigan in the early 1980s, he was determined “to make a living focusing on writing and publishing.” His fell for the Spanish language poetry of Mexican Jesus Gardea—who couldn’t find a publisher until Giron decided to translate and release the poems himself. His partner drew him to politically sympatico Arlington, where he threw himself into neighborhood potlucks and launched a literary salon. Arlingtonians, Giron said, are “down to earth,” not so snobby about their professions. Gival attracts authors through annual contests—for a $50 fee, authors can win $3,000 for a novel ($20 fee and $1,000 prize for short
C i t y o f Fa l l s C h u r c h
CRIME REPORT
MARCH 16 – 22, 2017 | PAGE 13 stories and poetry), plus contract royalties. “It’s not self-publishing,” says Giron, himself a published poet. “We incur all expenses and don’t charge for editing.” His husband does the artsy layout and cover designs for subject matter that varies from the academic to history to women’s issues to LGBT themes. One star author is nationally known radio host and comedienne Stephanie Miller, whose “Sexy Liberal: Of Me I Sing” came out in 2015. Gival Press put out a 2003 memoir of the 9/11 attacks by Ellis Avery titled “The Smoke Week.” One reason Giron published it, he said, was the vivid memory of the noise that shook his house when the hijacked plane hit the Pentagon. It takes commitment to keep a small press going. “With all the things a publisher does,” Giron told me, “Thank God I have a good-paying teaching job.” *** You recall the Arlington song? The one written in 1970 by Rev. Ernest Emurian and recorded last year by Arlington Independent Media. There are others, all addressing our world-famous cemetery. Country star Trace Adkins released “Arlington” in 2005, not as a political song but the true story of a soldier’s death. Country performer Jami Grooms released “What About Arlington” in 2007, and soulful folkie Lisa Nemzo recorded her award-winning “Arlington” in 2012. That same year, British rocker Graham Parker released his more pointed “Arlington’s Busy.” Driving Under the Influence, 100 block W. Broad St. On Mar. 11, an officer conducted a traffic stop for a motor vehicle violation. The driver, a male, 45, of Bethesda, MD, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence. Other Arrests
Celebrate the diversity that makes America, America. Add your photo to the true portrait of America at lovehasnolabels.com
Week of March 6 – 12, 2017
Mar. 6, sports equipment was reported stolen.
Sexual Assault, 300 block N. Washington St. On Mar. 6, police received a report of sexual assault occurring on Mar. 5 by a known acquaintance.
Brandishing a Firearm, 300 block W. Broad St. On Mar. 7, police received a report of an unknown male brandishing a firearm at the victim.
Identity Theft and Obstruction of Justice, 300 block W. Broad St. On Mar. 6, a male, 37, no fixed address, was arrested for Obstruction of Justice and for an outstanding warrant from Fairfax County for Failure to Appear in Court, Identity Theft, and Obstruction of Justice.
Disorderly Conduct, 300 block W. Broad St. On Mar. 7, a male, 25, no fixed address, was arrested and released on summons for Disorderly Conduct.
Defrauding an Innkeeper and Public Drunkenness, 306 Hillwood Ave. (Lesly’s Restaurant) On Mar. 6, a customer failed to pay a restaurant bill. After an investigation, a male, 35, of Gaithersburg, MD, was arrested for Defrauding an Innkeeper Larceny from Building, 7124 Leesburg Pike (George Mason High School) On
Larceny from Building, 701 W. Broad St. On Mar. 7, medical supplies were reported stolen sometime on Feb. 23. Larceny from Vehicle, 300 block Riley St. On Mar. 11, items were reported stolen from the victim’s vehicle sometime after Mar. 4. Trespassing, 201 S. Washington St. On Mar. 12, a male, 38, of Falls Church, was arrested and released on summons for Trespassing.
On Mar. 8, a male, 29, of Middle River, MD, was arrested in Vienna for Obtaining Money by False Pretenses and two counts of Forgery in the City of Falls Church committed in Dec. 2016 and Jan. 2017. On Mar. 8, a male, 34, of Falls Church, surrendered himself and was arrested for Failure to Comply with a Court Order of Restitution. On Mar. 9, a male, 23, of Alexandria, was arrested in Loudon County for Failure to Comply with a Falls Church General District Court Order. On Mar. 12, a male, 25, of the City of Falls Church, was arrested for an outstanding warrant from the Sheriff’s Office of Arlington County for Tampering with a Jail Fire Suppression Device. On Mar. 12, a male, of the City of Falls Church, was arrested for an outstanding warrant from Fairfax County for a Probation Violation.
PAGE 14| MARCH 16 – 22, 2017
NATI O NA L
Who Remembers George Lakoff?
The bottom line on the GOP alternative to the Affordable Care Act, as evaluated by the Congressional Budget Office this week, is almost too simple. In exchange for denying health coverage to 24 million Americans in the next few years, the federal government will enjoy a reduction in the budget deficit of over $300 billion. How it is possible for Republicans to call this a “shift to patientcentered from a government-mandate approach?” It’s the height of mendacity requiring a sequence of mental back flips that can only add to the opioid epidemic. The reality is simply this: the aim is to cut over $300 billion in funding for care from the public health line item, period. What could be more simple or self-evident? That $300 billion is coming right FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS out of the health services that Americans, under Obamacare, would otherwise have. Funnyman Bill Maher’s unfunny advice to Democrats on his HBO show last week was to stand up to Trump and the GOP by out-Trumping them. This would be unimportant except that it reflects a strong mindset now among the ranks obsessed with an almost panicky mandate to figure out how to undo what’s been happening the last few months. The range is from stampeding further into a leftist wilderness to mewling before a racist, xenophobic Trump Nation, begging forgiveness for not taking it more seriously in the election. Maher’s comments conformed to the latter option. In his view, if Trump won as the “alpha male” then Democrats need to man-up with alpha male candidates of its own, including the rehabilitation of many of its former leaders who were disgraced by sexual misconduct, and to ridicule Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine for being a “boring beta male.” Of course, it is always an easy out for comedians to claim they were “just kidding” if they say something stupid, as obviously Trump has done more than once. But Maher’s “editorial” was in the context of what he called “a battle for the soul of the country.” Forget that all the disgraced males Maher cited were guilty of degrading women in one fashion or another, such that his call was for Democrats to match the “male chauvinist pig” traits of Trump. Back in 2004, after George W. won re-election, Democrats rallied around a small book for which Howard Dean wrote an introduction, entitled Don’t Think of an Elephant: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate, by U.C. Berkeley cognitive linguist George Lakoff. The impact of that little book helped to frame the debate for Obama’s election in 2008. Lakoff, now trying to get his Citizens Communication Network organized around his insights, reiterated his basic, and timeless, themes in an interview on PBS’s Tavis Smiley show recently. He sees in Trump a salesman skilled in manipulating the 98 percent of human thoughts that are unconscious through the use of repetition, among other things, such as the relentless refrains of “Crooked Hillary” and “the lying press.” To the unconscious that is governed by moral world views (for better or worse) rather than basic logic, Trump represents the harsh morality of the “strict father,” he said, who uses tough love to demand discipline, and who insists that those who are poor, disadvantaged or otherwise down the ladder of a “moral hierarchy” are “losers” who deserve their fate because they’re lazy or inadequate in a variety of ways. But the answer to that framework is to opt out entirely in favor of one that focuses on care and nurturing, instead. The message of the historic women’s march following the inauguration in January, with its millions in D.C. and elsewhere, was one word, he said, “Care.” It spoke against Trump with the basic unifying notion that people need to care for each other. In politics, for example, he said, when Trump and the GOP use the word, “regulations” in a negative light, caring people need to substitute “protections.” While “regulations” are seen by the GOP as hamstringing business, for example, in reality they are protections against abuses in food, drugs, water and banking. Get the idea?
Nicholas F. Benton
Nicholas Benton may be emailed at nfbenton@fcnp.com.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Facts Are Enemies of the People
The U.S. economy added 10.3 million jobs during President Barack Obama’s second term, or 214,000 a month. This brought the official unemployment rate below 5 percent, and a number of indicators suggested that by late last year we were fairly close to full employment. But Donald Trump insisted that the good news on jobs was “phony,” that America was actually suffering from mass unemployment. Then came the first employment report of the Trump administration, which at 235,000 jobs added looked very much like a continuation of the previous NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE trend. And the administration claimed credit: Job numbers, Trump’s press secretary declared, “may have been phony in the past, but it’s very real now.” Reporters laughed — and should be ashamed of themselves for doing so. For it really wasn’t a joke. The United States is now governed by a president and party that fundamentally don’t accept the idea that there are objective facts. Instead, they want everyone to accept that reality is whatever they say it is. So we’re just supposed to believe the president if he says, falsely, that his inauguration crowd was the biggest ever; if he claims, ludicrously, that millions of votes were cast illegally for his opponent; if he insists, with no evidence, that his predecessor tapped his phones. And it’s not just about serving one man’s vanity. If you want to see how this attitude can hurt millions of people, consider the state of play on health care reform. Obamacare has led to a sharp decline in the number of Americans without health insurance. You can argue that the decline should have been even sharper, that there may be troubles ahead, or that we should have done better. But the reality of the law’s achievement shouldn’t be in question, and you should worry about the consequences of Trumpcare, which would drastically weaken key provisions. Republicans, however, are in denial about recent gains. The president of the Heritage Foundation dismisses the positive effects of the Affordable Care Act as “fake news.” In Louisville over the weekend, Vice President Mike Pence declared that “Obamacare has failed the people of Kentucky” — this in a state where the percentage of people without insurance fell from 16.6 to 7 percent when the law went into effect. And as for the likely impacts of Trumpcare — well, they literally don’t want to know.
Paul Krugman
When Congress is considering major legislation, it normally waits for the Congressional Budget Office to “score” the proposal — to estimate its effects on revenues, outlays and other key targets. The budget office isn’t always right, but it has a very good track record compared with other forecasters; even more important, it has always been scrupulous about avoiding partisanship, and therefore acts as an important check on politically motivated wishful thinking. But Republicans rammed Trumpcare through key committees, literally in the dead of night, without waiting for the CBO score — and they have been pre-emptively denouncing the budget office, which was likely to find that the bill would cause millions to lose health coverage. The truth is that while the office got some things wrong about health reform, on the whole it did pretty well at projecting the effects of a major new bill — and far better than the people now attacking it, who predicted disasters that never happened. And whatever criticisms one may have of its forthcoming score, it will surely be better than the ludicrous claim of Tom Price, the secretary of health and human services, that “nobody will be worse off financially” as a result of a plan that drastically cuts subsidies and raises premiums for millions of Americans. But this isn’t really about whose analyses of health policy are most likely to get it right. It’s about Trump and company attacking the legitimacy of anyone who might question their assertions. The CBO, in other words, is in the same position as the news media, which Trump has declared “enemies of the people” — not, whatever he may say, because they get things wrong, but because they dare to challenge him on anything. “Enemy of the people” is, of course, a phrase historically associated with Stalin and other tyrants. This is no accident. Trump isn’t a dictator — not yet, anyway — but he clearly has totalitarian instincts. And much, perhaps most, of his party is happy to go along, accepting even the most bizarre conspiracy theories. For example, a huge majority of Republicans believe Trump’s basically insane charges about being wiretapped by Obama. So don’t make the mistake of dismissing the assault on the Congressional Budget Office as some kind of technical dispute. It’s part of a much bigger struggle, in which what’s really at stake is whether ignorance is strength, whether the man in the White House is the sole arbiter of truth.
FO O D &D I NI NG
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Making Falafel at Home, Plus Pita to Put Them In BY MICHELLE STARK TAMPY BAY TIMES
I love falafel, but it’s not something I eat very often. Maybe that’s because the state and quality of falafel can vary widely depending on where you get it. Sometimes the crispy chickpea patties taste like nothing more than dense coating and oil. Over a plate of very solid housemade falafel at a vegan restaurant the other day, I found myself thinking about whether I could re-create the little orbs at home. The universe offered an additional nudge in the falafel direction a couple of days later. I signed up for the food delivery service Blue Apron for a week, and on the menu was a falafel-inpita dish served with greens and roasted sweet potatoes. With stepby-step help from the service, I ventured again to make my own version of the successful dish. Falafel is now in my weeknight dinner rotation. The beauty of the dish is that it’s pretty customizable once you have the falafel part down. I
retained the pita in the recipe here, but you could serve the falafel over spinach, topped with sliced red onion and a creamy dressing, or you could serve a big plate of them as a snack or appetizer. Eating them right out of the frying pan and seasoned generously with salt and pepper is most ideal. The reason I kept the pita is that I have also recently fallen in love with making my own. As with most bread products you can make in your own kitchen, it was surprisingly straightforward. And the flavor is shockingly fresh compared to the processed kind you buy in the store. Make or prep these the day before you make the falafel to make dinnertime easy. If you stored cooked ones in the fridge, a quick reheat in the oven will get them back in good shape. Pitas are made with a yeast dough, so start by adding 2 teaspoons active dry yeast to 1 cup lukewarm water in a large mixing bowl. Add about ½ teaspoon sugar and let that sit until frothing. This is a standard way to get yeast started for most bread products. Add 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour,
MARCH 16 – 22, 2017 | PAGE 15
Falafel Pitas • 1½ cups cooked chickpeas • 1 shallot • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar • 2 pitas, homemade or store-bought • 2 cloves garlic • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
• Olive oil • Salt • Pepper • Dill, optional • Parsley, optional • 1 tablespoon za’atar seasoning • 2 tablespoons tahini
1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. 2. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Transfer to a large bowl. Using a fork, mash until smooth. 3. Peel the shallot and mince to get 2 tablespoons; place in a bowl with ¼ of the vinegar to pickle them. 4. Halve the pitas. Peel and mince the garlic; using the flat side of your knife, smash until it resembles a paste (or use a zester). 5. In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, half the remaining vinegar, up to half the garlic paste and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you have it, a pinch of dill and some fresh parsley will help brighten things up.
a teaspoon of salt and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Stir until you’ve got a shaggy ball of dough, then turn the dough out onto the counter and knead for about 2 minutes. At this point, it should be smooth. Clean the mixing bowl, coat it with more olive oil, and put the dough back in it. Cover with plastic wrap and a damp towel and let the
6. To the bowl of mashed chickpeas, add the za’atar seasoning, remaining garlic paste, the tahini and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Stir to thoroughly combine; season with salt and pepper. Using wet hands, FALAFEL with pita. (P����: gently form the T���� B�� T����) mixture into eight ½-inch-thick rounds. Transfer to a plate. 7. Once the oil is hot enough that a falafel sizzles immediately when added to the pan, add the remaining falafel. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; immediately season with salt and pepper. Set aside in a warm place. 8. Carefully open the pockets of the warmed pitas. Divide cooked falafel, yogurt sauce and pickled shallots between the pitas. Serves 2.
bowl sit in a warm place for about an hour. It should double in size. After that time (you can also let the dough sit for much longer, if needed), punch down the dough, divide it into 8 equal pieces and form each piece into a ball. Place on a heavy-duty baking sheet covered in parchment paper and cover with the damp towel again. Let
Source: Adapted from Blue Apron
rise for 10 minutes, then form into flat, pitalike circles. Make them pretty thin. Place the circles on the baking sheet and bake in a 500-degree oven for 5 minutes. Pitas should puff up and become slightly crispy. Serve immediately or let cool and refrigerate, then rewarm in a 350-degree oven before serving.
$20 will get you a delicious and healthy dinner for two at any of Eden Center’s 25 restaurants.
the
presents
the 5th Annual
For a list of participating restaurants, visit FCRestaurantWeek.com
Little City. Big Eats.
LO CA L
PAGE 16 | MARCH 16 – 22, 2017
F� � � � C � � � � �
Better business for a better Falls Church!
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
B������� N��� � N���� Join us...
Falls Church Adds Children’s Consignment Shop on W. Broad
March Networking Luncheon
Rebecca Czarniecki of Tea with Mrs. B will give a valuable presentation on business etiquette. Tuesday, March 21st 11:30 am - 1:15 pm
The Italian Café - 7161 Lee Highway, Falls Church
Reservations are required email info@fallschurchchamber.org or register online at www.FallsChurchChamber.org. Tickets are $27 for Chamber members, $32 for non members. An additional $5 will be charged for walk-ins.
Lemon Lane, a new upscale children’s consignment shop, has opened at 926 W. Broad Street in the location formerly occupied by Brits on Broad. The shop will be open in the space for approximately three months after which it may move to more permanent space. Lemon Lane is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. For more information, visit lemonlaneconsignment.com.
CommuniKids Sponsors Creative Cauldron’s ‘Emperor’s New Clothes’ CommuniKids in Falls Church, which now offers Mandarin in its language immersion preschools, is sponsoring Creative Cauldron’s Learning Theater production of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” scheduled for weekend performances Friday, March 17 – Sunday, April 9. For details including ticket information, visit www.creativecauldron.org. The shows will take place at ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 S. Maple Avenue. For more information about CommuniKids, visit www.communikids.com.
St. Patrick’s Day Home Buyer Happy Hour Set for Friday Partner Plus
Partners
Silver
Gold
Bronze
Fairview Park Marriott Oshinsky Family Limited Partnership Tax Analysts
www.FallsChurchChamber.org
Guard your gold
Rock Star Realty is hosting its annual St. Paddy’s Day Home Buyer’s Happy Hour and Rock Star Irish Red Ale Tapping at Mad Fox Brewing Company on Friday, March 17 from 4 – 8 p.m. Attendees can learn how to submit winning offers, taste the Rock Star Irish Red Ale, and enjoy live music by Magnolia Blue. For more information or to RSVP, visit www. facebook.com/ToriMcKinneyRocksRealEstate.
Business Etiquette Tips Featured at Next F.C. Networking Luncheon Rebecca Czarniecki, founder and owner of Tea with Mrs. B, will present business etiquette tips to the business community at the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce networking luncheon on Tuesday, March 21 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. Tickets with advanced registration are $27 for members, $32 for nonmembers. An additional $5 will be charged for walk-ins should space be available. The luncheon will take place at the Italian Café, 7161 Lee Highway. For tickets or more information, visit www.FallsChurchChamber.org. .
U.S. Renal Care Holds Ribbon Cutting U.S. Renal Care opened its new dialysis clinic at 6541 Arlington Boulevard in Falls Church with assistance from the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, March 7. For more information about the clinic, under the direction of Abdul Wahab, MD, visit www.usrenalcare.com
New Boutique, Pursuing Vintage, Welcomed to Falls Church
32
days left…
call Diener & Associates
703-241-8807
City officials and members of the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce welcomed Falls Church’s newest boutique, Pursuing Vintage, with an official ribbon cutting on Friday, March 10. The boutique, owned and operated by Kristen Alcorta, is located at 260 W. Broad Street, with its door on the end of the building to the left of Zoya’s Atelier. The “chic boutique for the home” will be open on the second weekend of every month. At Pictured at the opening are F.C. City Councilmember Letty Hardi, Mayor David Tarter, Councilmember Karen Oliver, Pursuing Vintage owner/operator Kristen Alcorta, Vice Mayor Marybeth Connelly, Councilmember Phil Duncan and Commissioner of the Revenue Tom Clinton. For more information or to access the Pursuing Vintage Etsy shop, visit www.PursuingVintage.com. Business News & Notes is compiled by Sally Cole, Executive Director of Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce. She may be emailed at sally@fallschurchchamber.org.
your inner musician! STUDY WITH US! PRIVATE LESSONS•DEGREED TEACHERS ALL INSTRUMENTS•ALL STYLES•ALL AGES
416 SOUTH WASHINGTON ST., FALLS CHURCH
703-533-7393
LESSONS • SALES RENTALS • REPAIRS
PRIVATE LESSONS•DEGREED TEA
LO CA L
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
F� � � � C � � � � �
S����� N��� � N����
MARCH 16 - 22, 2017 | PAGE 17
Foxes Music
Free your inner
PRIVATE LESSONS • DEGREED TEACHERS ALL INSTRUMENTS • ALL STYLES • ALL AGES
musician!
STUDY WITH US! 416 SOUTH WASHINGTON ST., FALLS CHURCH
703-533-7393 LESSONS • SALES • RENTALS • REPAIRS
Transform 66 Inside the Beltway Eastbound Widening Project W&OD Trail Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge Over U.S. Route 29 Arlington County City of Falls Church THE 3RD ANNUAL LIP SYNC contest sponsored by the Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School Parent Teacher Association attracted a full house last Friday night. The audience was treated to great talent, like Hunter Hicks (left) and Ben Martin above. The largely student acts were entertaining, the judges’ comments often humorous, and the emcee duo of Mr. Kelly and Mr. Vu kept things moving with light-hearted patter and groan worthy jokes. (P����: C���� S��)
Mason Students Earn Scholastic Writing Awards
engineering, and math) activities at Longfellow.
Three students at George Mason High School and one student at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School earned awards for their writing, poetry and short stories. Mason students Annie Castillo earned gold keys for four poems, silver keys for five poems, and honorable mentions for two poems; Erik Donnelly received two honorable mentions, one for a short story and a second for a poem; and Annie Parnell received a gold key for a poem, silver key for two poems, honorable mention for four poems and a writing portfolio. MEH student Maryn Hiscott earned a silver key for her flash fiction.
Boosters Annual Golf Classic Tournament on April 27
Longfellow Finishes Second At Science Bowl regionals Longfellow Middle’s Science Bowl team finished second at the Virginia Regional Science Bowl held in Newport News. Team members are Kevin Zhang, Daniel Fu, Chris Kan, Bryan Zhang, and Owen Rollins; science teacher Jim Bradford sponsors the team. By finishing second, the team earned a trophy and a check for $500 to be used for STEM (science, technology,
The Falls Church High School Athletic Boosters Annual Golf Classic tournament will be held this year on Sunday, April 30, at the Penderbrook Golf Club in Fairfax. Teams of four are invited to register to enjoy golf, networking, a buffet lunch, drink tickets, prizes and much more. The price is $130 per person ($105 per person if you register by April 3). Several sponsorship opportunities are available as well. The registration and sponsorship forms can be downloaded at fallschurchsports.org/main/bfiles. For more information, contact Paul Bruning at bruning40@yahoo.com.
Middle Years Program Parent Info Meeting This Friday On Friday, March 17 at 9:15 a.m., parents can learn about the Middle Years Programme Personal Project that all George Mason High School freshmen will take on this year. Students will participate in the inaugural IB MYP Personal Project journey and parents can learn about the process, goals
and ask questions. The Personal Project is an opportunity for students to showcase any topic they are passionately interested in while demonstrating the skills inquiry, action, reflection, organization, time management, and communication that they have learned over the years.
Longfellow Students Earn Awards at Model UN Event The Longfellow Middle School Model United Nations (UN) club participated in the Sidwell Friends School Model UN conference in Washington, D.C., where Ishan Dogra and Amir Alkateb earned the Outstanding Delegate award for their representation of the United Arab Emirates delegation in the SPECPOL committee. Other winners were, in the SOCHUM committee, Jack Lannin and Alex Lin, who earned a Verbal Communication award representing the United Arab Emirates, and Jonghwa Kim and Peter Awabdeh, who were awarded the Honorable Mention award for their representation of Jordan. More than 30 delegates from Longfellow participated in the conference, which included resolutions for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and solving the Syrian refugee crisis.
Public Planning Workshop Wednesday, April 5, 2017, 6-8 p.m. Yorktown High School 5200 Yorktown Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22207 The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will host a planning workshop to gather input from the public on bridge options and design details for the W&OD Trail Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge over U.S. Route 29 (Lee Highway), which will be built as part of the Transform 66 Inside the Beltway Eastbound Widening Project. Stop by between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. to participate in the workshop and provide input. VDOT will hold a short presentation beginning at 6:30 p.m. followed by a public participation session. Provide written comments at the workshop or submit them by April 21, 2017 to Ms. Amanda Baxter, Special Projects Development Manager, VDOT Northern Virginia District Office, 4975 Alliance Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030. You may also e-mail comments to Transform66@VDOT.Virginia.gov. Please reference “W&OD Trail Bridge” in the subject line. For more information please visit www.Transform66.org. VDOT ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If you need more information or special assistance for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, contact VDOT’s Civil Rights at 703-259-1775 or TTY/TDD 711. State Project: 0066-96A-417, P101, R201, C501 Federal Project: NHPP-066-1(356) UPC: 108424
CA L E NDA R
PAGE 18 | MARCH 16 – 22, 2017
Community Events THURSDAY, MARCH 16 DMV Connect. Services available at the DMV Connect include applying for and renewing driver’s licenses, obtaining ID cards, ordering disabled placards or plates, purchasing E-Z Pass transponders, and more. No appointment necessary. American Legion (400 N. Oak St., Falls Church). 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. 703-248-5450 Play�me with the Early Literary Center. Explore educa�onal and manipula�ve items to teach early literacy through play. Ages birth to 5 years. No registra�on required. Mary Riley Styles Public Library youth services room (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. 703-248-5034. 1-on-1 Computer & Internet Tutoring. Learn how to download eBooks and eMagazines, search the internet, customize email, use social media, word process, and much more. Free personalized session. By appointment. Mary Riley Styles Public Library conference room (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. 703248-5035. Teen Advisory Board. For
Send community event submissions to the News-Press by e-mail at calendar@fcnp. com; fax 703-342-0347; or by regular mail to 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church, VA 22046. Please include any photos or artwork with submissions. Deadline is Monday at noon for each week’s edition.
the City of Falls Church Habitat Restora�on Team in restoring the local ecosystem in Isaac Crossman Park. On the agenda is removing damaging invasive plants. Enter park from Van Buren Street where the playground is located. You can also walk in from North Washington Street using the Gresham Place Street. Crossman Park (535 N Van Buren St. or next to 100 Gresham Pl., Falls Church). 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. fallschurchva. gov/511/Parks
volunteers in Grades 7-12, the Teen Advisory Board meets bi-monthly during the school year to give teens a voice in the library. Teens who par�cipate in TAB earn volunteer hours. Registra�on required. Mary Riley Styles Public Library youth services room (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 6:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. 703-248-5034. High School Book Club. A discussion group for teens grade 9-12. The group will discuss The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone by Adele Griffin. Limited copies of the book are available to borrow from the Youth Services Desk. Registra�on Required. Mary Riley Styles Public Library conference room (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 7 - 8 p.m. fallschurchva. gov/627/Book-Discussion-Groups. 703-248-5034.
Gardening for Kids at the Library. Build your own garden and more with Saxon Henderson. For children grades K – 5th. Registra�on at the Youth Services desk in person or by phone 703-248-5034. Limited to 15 par�cipants. Children must be present at 11:00 a.m to enter the room; at 11:05 a.m. spaces will be given to children on the waitlist. Mary Riley Styles Public Library conference room (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. 703-248-5034..
SATURDAY, MARCH 18 F.C. Farmers Market. Vendors offer fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables, cheeses, meats, baked goods, plants and wine. City Hall parking lot. (300 Park Ave., Falls Church). Free. 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. 703-248-5077.
MONDAY, MARCH 20
Falls Church Habitat Restora�on - Isaac Crossman Park. Join
&
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
ESL Conversation Group. English as a Second Language Conversation group for adults focusing on English language
and American culture. No registration required. Mary Riley Styles Public Library’s Conference Room (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). Free. 7 – 8:30 p.m. 703-248-5035.
TUESDAY, MARCH 21 Paws to Read. Children can come and read with a canine companion. Readers grades K – 5th. Registration Required. Register at the Youth Services Desk by phone 703-248-5034 or in person. Registration not accepted via email. Mary Riley Styles Public Library youth services room (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 5 – 6 p.m. 703-248-5035.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22 Feng Shui: Indoors and Out. Celebrate Spring by using the principles of feng shui to “spring clean” your home and your life. Free program led by Sharon Rusk. Registration required. To reserve a spot, call or stop by the library’s reference desk. Mary Riley Styles Public Library youth services room (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 7 – 8:45 p.m. 703-248-5035.
Theater Fine Arts FRIDAY, MARCH 17
“The Emperor’s New Clothes.” Grab your royal a�re and join the parade — the fashion conscious Emperor himself is spending his fortune on the most fabulous robe ever seen. However, some cra�y weavers claim that their beau�ful fabric is invisible to the hopelessly witless. Will you be able to see his new robe? Will the Emperor himself even see it? Will the swindling weavers be caught? This produc�on puts a fresh, musical spin on Hans Chris�an Andersen’s classic tale, hilariously illumina�ng how pride and vanity can make a leader a glorious buffoon. Crea�ve Cauldron (410 S Maple Ave., Falls Church). 7:30 p.m. $14 – $16. Crea�vecauldron.org
SATURDAY, MARCH 18 “Mrs. Miller Does Her Thing.” James Lapine’s
new play with music star Debra Monk as Mrs. Miller. Mrs. Miller can’t sing—but don’t tell her that. Based on the real life story of Elva Miller, this touching and funny portrait offers Monk the role of a life�me as the devoted, warbling songstress whose opera�c, off-key singing became an unlikely pop phenomenon in the 1960s. Take a delectable romp through hits like “Downtown,” “A Hard Day’s Night” and more. Signature Theatre, The Max (4200 Campbell Ave, Arlington). 8 p.m. $40 – $70. Sigtheatre.org
TUESDAY, MARCH 21 “Three Sisters.” Stuck in a backwater town, three sisters and their brother search for meaning amidst missed opportuni�es and misplaced dreams in the everyday clu�er of lackluster birthday presents, pushy in-laws, and underwhelming suitors. Three Sisters
pitches the sublime against the ridiculous, the roman�cized past against an idealized future, and the individual against the unknowability of life itself in Chekhov’s tragicomic masterpiece about life’s heartbreak and absurdity. Studio Theatre (1501 14th St NW, Washington, DC). $57 – $74. 7:30 p.m. studiotheatre.org
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22 “Midwestern Gothic.” A world premiere thriller with a musical twist. Not all is well in a li�le town in the middle of con�nental nowhere. With no op�ons of escape, the occupants seek other, stranger, diversions. With a bold, brash and gorgeous score, Midwestern Gothic is like nothing else you’ve seen before ― and will leave you breathless. Signature Theatre, The Ark (4200 Campbell Ave, Arlington). 7:30 p.m. $74. Sigtheatre.org
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
CA L E NDA R
MARCH 16 – 22, 2017 | PAGE 19
live_music&nightlife
THURSDAY, MARCH 16 K��������. 9:30 Club. (815 V St. NW, Washington, D.C.) $25. 7 p.m. 202-265-0930 U������� C����� ���� 3PM, B����� H����, M������ F����� ��� T�� B��������. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $10 – $18. 7 p.m. 703-255-1566. V������ C������ ���� T������ ��� S��� S�����. The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria). $29.50. 7:30 p.m.. 703-549-7500 T����������’�. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8:30 p.m. 703-241-9504
FRIDAY, MARCH 17 G��� S�����. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-237-8333. A����� A�����. Clare and Don’s Beach Shack. (130 North Washington St., Falls Church). 6:30 p.m. 703-532-9283 C���� K����� ��� W��� H���. The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria). $29.50. 7:30 p.m.. 703-549-7500 TGI90� P���� ���� DJ S��� R��. The State Theatre (220 N. Washington St., Falls Church). $5. 8 p.m. 703-237-0300 T�� R������ S�. P������’� H�� C����������. Jammin’ Java (227
Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $15 – $25. 8 p.m. 703-255-1566. G������� ��������� C���� N������. 9:30 Club. (815 V St. NW, Washington, D.C.) $30. 8 p.m. 202-265-0930 T�� C����� L������. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 9 p.m. 703-2419504 O��� ��� L���. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 10 p.m. 703-237-8333.
SATURDAY, MARCH 18 M������ B���. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 4 p.m. 703-241-9504 T�� R��� ���� M��� N����. The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria). $45. 7:30 p.m.. 703-549-7500 M��� L���. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $14 – $20. 8 p.m. 703-255-1566. W�� T����, T����������, H���� D�����, H������� H�����, S�� KN8 ��� H��� ��� K���� ��� 3�� G���� F������. Iota Club and Cafe (2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). $12. 8 p.m. 703-522-8340 G������� ��������� C���� G�����. 9:30 Club. (815 V St. NW, Washington, D.C.) $30. 8 p.m. 202265-0930 T������ K������� B��������. The
B�� H����������� B��� ��� D������. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $10 – $18. 7 p.m. 703-255-1566. C���� B����. The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria). $105. 7:30 p.m.. 703-549-7500 T�� B������� B���. Iota Club and Cafe (2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). 8 p.m. 703-522-8340. W��� B���� J��. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8:30 p.m. 703-241-9504.
State Theatre (220 N. Washington St., Falls Church). $12 – $15. 9 p.m. 703-237-0300 B�� I�������� B��� ���� M���� S�����. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 9 p.m. 703-241-9504.
SUNDAY, MARCH 19 J��� E����. Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd. Vienna). $25 – $27. 2 p.m. 703255-1900. T�� D���’� M�� �� Y���. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $10. 2:30 p.m. 703-255-1566. J��� A���� B���. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 4 p.m. 703-241-9504 T�����. 9:30 Club. (815 V St. NW, Washington, D.C.) $20. 7 p.m. 202265-0930 A��� S����� ��� T�� M�����. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $15 – $25. 8 p.m. 703255-1566. T�� R�� E������. Iota Club and Cafe (2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). $15. 8 p.m. 703-522-8340 D��� C������ ��� A������ P����. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8:30 p.m. 703241-9504
TUESDAY, MARCH 21 C���� B����. The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria). $105. 7:30 p.m.. 703-549-7500 A�����. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $20 – $35. 8 p.m. 703-255-1566. D�� H���� B���. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8:30 p.m. 703-241-9504.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22
MONDAY, MARCH 20 T�� S������ ���� R�� V������,
F������. 9:30 Club. (815 V St. NW, Washington, D.C.) $25. 7 p.m. 202265-0930 K����� B�������. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $25 – $30. 7:30 p.m. 703-255-1566. A����� C�������� S���. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8 p.m. 703-241-
P������� A����... Tuesday, March 30 – A Caregivers Guide to Behavior and Communica�on Issues in Demen�a – Join the Kensington in Falls Church to learn what to do when your loved one passes through each stage of demen�a. Topics to be covered: understanding changes in the brain; how to address behavioral and communica�on difficul�es; drawing boundaries that honor loved ones while preserving well-being and more. Wednesday, April 5 – Annandale NARFE mee�ng – Dr. Stephen Neabore, of the Barnard Medical Center, will discuss nutri�on and the brain at the monthly Na�onal Ac�ve and Re�red Federal Employees Associa�on mee�ng held at the Mason District Government Center in Annandale. Sunday, April 23 – Taste of Islam: Open House – Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center’s annual open house opens the door to people of all faiths to come enjoy Islamic culture and learn more about the faith including hijab fashion, Islamic arts, tradi�onal foods and drinks, mosque tours, and more.
C������� S���������� Be sure to include time, location, cost of admission, contact person and any other pertinent information. Event listings will be edited for content and space limitations. Please include any photos or artwork with submissions. Deadline is Monday at noon for the current week’s edition.
Email: calendar@fcnp.com | Fax: 703-342-0347; Attn: FCNP Calendar Mail: Falls Church News-Press, Attn: Calendar, 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church, VA 22046
PAGE 20 | MARCH 16 - 22, 2017
CLEANING SERVICES
House Cleaning Service
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
HOME IMPROVEMENT
PRO SERVICES
Robert Beatson II
Handyman Service All repairs, plumbing, drywall, doors, windows, rotted wood, siding, gutters, lighting + more FREE estimates, insured Call Doug (703)556-4276
Available 7 days a week Weekly - By Weekly - Monthly or by Time Move Out - Move In • 14 years Experience Good References • Senior Discount For Further Information: Call Susy • Cell (703) 901-0596
www.novahandyman.com
rbeatsonatty@netscape.com
ACCLAIMED CARPET CLEANING
JOSEPH HOME IMPROVEMENT
LAWN SERVICES
5 Rooms Deep Cleaned: $135 Carpet Stretching 24/7 Emergency Water Damage We Clean the White House AcclaimedWaterDamage.com
Call Mike 703-978-2270
Drywall • Paint Exterior / Interior, Bath & Kitchen Remodeling, Basements, Ceramic Tile, Deck, Fences. Patios, Electric, Plumbing, Clean Garage, All Kinds of Hauling. Joseph www.josephhomeimprovements.com Joselozada27@yahoo.com Licensed & Cell 703-507-5005 Insured Work Tel 703-507-8300
Attorney/Accountant, Former IRS Attorney All Federal, State, Local & Foreign Taxes Admitted to DC, MD, VA & NY Bars 703-798-3590 or 301-340-2951
Complete Lawn & Landscape Service LANDSCAPE RENOVATIONS
Get 10% off labor with this ad [must be presented at first consultation]
since 1985
fcnp.com classads@fcnp.com
703-892-8648
www.acleaningserviceinc.com
R
www.beatsonlaw.com
A Cleaning Service Insured, Bonded and Licensed Independently owned Commercial & Residential
OTHER SERVICES
Want a new look? It's a perfect time to add a little color to your LANDSCAPE with weeding, shaping, mulching, tree planting, transplants, and flowers. BUILD THE PERFECT LAWN This is the ideal month to build a thick and healthy lawn with aeration, reseeding, pre-emergent weed control plus fertiziler. Free estimate: Gabriel 703-691-2351
fcnp.com
EXPERIENCED DAY CARE PROVIDER NOW IN FALLS CHURCH
Small Freckles home day care for infants and toddlers County licensed and insured. CPR and First Aid trained: English and Spanish spoken. Home cooked meals and snacks. References available WE PROMISE TO TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOUR CHILD
Call Maria E at 703-731-2118 or email Ssmallfreckles@gmail.com
classads@fcnp.com
C L AS S I F I E DS For Sale
Public Notice
HOUSE FOR SALE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA PLANNING COMMISSION
5729 Norton Road Alexandria Virginia 22303 $472,740 Phone: 202-742-7290 or 703-582-7150 Senate Realty Corporation 909 U Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 FAIR HOUSING & EQUAL OPPORTUNITY REALTOR
For Rent FOR RENT 333 SF OFFICE space Falls Church, (lower level), $675 month full service. Two separate offices divided by wall with door; front office is 14’ x ’12 and back office is 15’ x 11’ and has above ground window. New carpet; and will paint to suit. Very nice, well maintained building with onsite management. Centrally located near I-66, 495, East and West Falls Church Metro, minutes from Tyson’s Corner, Arlington, Fairfax and Washington, D.C. Walk to restaurants, shops, State Theater and City Hall. Please contact Nick Kidwell at 703-409-3076
Help Wanted STONE HOT PIZZA, LLC seeks Director of Finance to determine and implement financial growth strategy plan for purposes of business expansion both locally and internationally, etc. Must have MBA with concentration in finance and international business. Position in Falls Church, Virginia. 1 year experience as director of finance required. Full-time, frequent domestic and international travel, approximately 15% of time. Mail resume to 3829 South George Mason Drive, Falls Church, Virginia 22041. EOE.
classads@fcnp.com
The Falls Church Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at 7:30 PM, or as soon thereafter as may be heard, on April 3, 2017 to consider the following:
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
PUBLIC NOTICE
The ordinance referenced below was given first reading by the City Council on March 13, 2017; and second reading and public hearing are scheduled for Monday, March 27, 2017 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as may be heard.
(TR17-03) RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE 2005 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO REPLACE CHAPTER 1 “INTRODUCTION AND VISION” WITH “FALLS CHURCH 2040”
(TO17-04) ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE [1963] REGARDING THE BUDGET OF EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES, AMENDING SECTION 2 AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017 FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM FUNDS
The City of Falls Church Comprehensive Plan serves as a guide for all aspects of planning and development. Chapter 1 of the Comprehensive Plan provides an overarching picture of what the City wants to be over the next 25 years. The Chapter was last updated in 2005. The updated Chapter will incorporate a vision statement for the City and will reflect community values and changes to the City and to the region that have taken place since the last update.
This ordinance would amend the FY2017 CIP to increase appropriation for the Mt. Daniel Expansion/ADA Renovation project by $2,653,000. Of the $2,653,000, $901,818 would be transferred from two School related CIP projects and $235,100 would be transferred from the School Board operating budget. The remaining $1,516,082 would be funded through the appropriation of new funds.
More information regarding the update of the Comprehensive Plan Chapter 1 and the public engagement process through which it was developed is available at www. fallschurchva.gov/vision or at the Development Services office in City Hall, 300 Park Avenue, Falls Church. All public hearings will be held in the Council Chambers, 300 Park Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia. The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, call 703-248-5040 (TTY 711). Debra Gee, Planning Commission Clerk
All public hearings will be held in the Council Chambers, 300 Park Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia. For copies of legislation, contact the City Clerk’s office at (703-248-5014) or cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov. 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).
In accordance with VA 15.2-1720, the public is hereby notified that the City of Falls Church Police Department has recovered the following bicycles: COLOR MAKE MAR/SILVER NEXT BRO/RED NEXT SIL/GRN MONGOOSE BLUE RALEIGH BLACK MTB BLACK BMX
MODEL POWER X POWER X LEDGE 2.2 M40DX GS82611
To claim any of these items, please provide proof of ownership to: City of Falls Church Police Department Property/Evidence Unit 300 Park Ave., G2 Falls Church, VA 22046 703-248-5060 (please call for appointment)
fcnp.com
CELESTE HEATH CITY CLERK
classads@fcnp.com
WET BASEMENT??? CRACKED WALLS??? fcnp.com
We Fix: Basements, Crawlspaces, Cracked/Settling Foundations, Bowing Walls
800 -772-07 04 FREE ESTIM ATES
Serving you since 1972 Call Now! 10% Limited Time Coupon Some Restrictions Apply
We are pledged to the letter andspirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap. All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.” This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 367-8530. Toll free call (888) 551-3247. For th e hearing impaired call (804) 367-9753.
A RTS&E NTE RTA I NME NT
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Crossword
ACROSS
By David Levinson Wilk 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
11
15
14 17
18
24
23 29
25
26
22
27
28
30
37
31
33
34
35
38
39 41
40 42
13
19 21
32
12
16
20
36
10
43
44
49
45
50
46
47
51 54
52
53
55
56
61
62
63
64
65
66
57
58
59
60
© 2017 David Levinson Wilk
Across 1. When repeated, a ballroom dance
48
1. When repeated, a ballroom dance 4. Accomplish 11. "____ for Activist" (2013 kids' book about social justice) 14. The "L" of UCLA 15. Eeyore's creator 16. Dude 17. Directions for finding the best swimming hole? 19. ____ Today 20. FaceTime device 21. South ____ 23. Characters created by Jules Verne and Disney 24. She "drank champagne and danced all night," in song 28. Land heavily 29. Navratilova rival 30. Took a chance 31. ____ Bridge, historic 1874 span across the Mississippi 32. "Lordy Lordy!" 35. Book jacket info 36. Reaction upon looking at Pete Rose's career statistics? 40. Sports org. with a five-ring logo 41. Bikini atoll, once 42. Ballet bend 44. Suffered a face-plant 45. E.g., e.g. 49. Teaching degs. 50. Bruce of "Nebraska" 51. Asteroids game maker 52. Karate schools 54. Encourage
MARCH 16 – 22, 2017 | PAGE 21
DOWN
1. Informing, with "in" 2. "Nighthawks" artist 3. Inhaler user's malady 4. Makes progress 5. Simplicity 6. Network owned by Showtime 7. Foundation exec. 8. Cheer at a fútbol match 9. SSW's opposite 10. Horror movie sounds 11. Where Etihad Airways is headquartered 12. Check of financial records 13. Rascals 18. Go by foot 22. Sport-____ (vehicle) 24. Sports star who lent his name to a clothing line 25. "... then again, it doesn't have to be this minute" 26. Ushers 27. Skillful 30. Remove plumbic traces from 33. "Can't Help Lovin' ____ Man" ("Show Boat" song)
CHUCKLE BROS BRIAN & RON BOYCHUK
4. Accomplish
34. Young amphibian 36. Erased 37. Retain 38. Relative of neo-soul 39. Intensify 43. Paul Anka's "____ Beso" 46. Least furnished 47. Any of three literary sisters 48. Finished, as dishes 51. Listings in a dr.'s calendar 53. Grounded trans-Atlantic fliers, for short 54. Suffix at a natural history museum 57. Ziering of "Sharknado" 58. Fight-ending letters 59. His counterpart 60. Soil-turning tool
55. Put ____ happy face 56. What a Jedi might say with a shrug of the shoulders? 61. Snack brand represented by Sterling Cooper on "Mad Men" 62. Pizza order, frequently 63. Sault ____ Marie 64. From A ____ 65. Ones who sleep soundly? 66. One of the Kennedys
11. "____ for Activist" (2013 kids' book about social justice)
Last Thursday’s Solution P R O D U C E
1
2
3
I M I N A W E
O N E W A L E M M T I T I S U T A T
Sudoku Level:
H I T U P O N
L A C K I W T O R S T B M A A J A O P R R
N O T N O W A I R C U E S
A V E D O N
S E T O F
I R O N
T T H R B U A S C T L E K I N E N T N D E T A R
M E A T N R A U T S K O Y S R U C K S I H O C A S T H E S E R A S S
Y O U E R S N G E I T E R U S A B E T U R B I N E
E L N O R T E
M A R X I S M
By The Mepham Group 4
14. The "L" of UCLA 15. Eeyore's creator 16. Dude 17. Directions for finding the best swimming hole? 19. ____ Today 20. FaceTime device 21. South ____
1
23. Characters created by Jules Verne and Disney 24. She "drank champagne and danced all night," in song 28. Land heavily
LOOSE PARTS
29. Navratilova rival 30. Took a chance
Solution to last Sunday’s puzzle
NICK KNACK
1
© 2017 N.F. Benton
DAVE BLAZEK
3/19/17
Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk.
© 2017 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.
LO CA L
PAGE 22 | MARCH 16 – 22, 2017
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
C������ C�����
BACK IN THE DAY
laz y The dog. c k q u i fox sly p e d jum e r o v lazy the g . d o is Now time the all for o d g o to cows
20 s Yearo Ag
e c o mthe to of aid i r t h e re. pastu w N o the is e t i m all for o d g o to cows e c o mthe to
20 � 10 Y���� A�� �� ��� N���-P���� Falls Church News-Press Vol. VII, No. 1 • March 20, 1997
It is no the timw e for g o all o cows d to go to the aid of the pa stu ir re. *** **
Falls Church News-Press Vol. XVII, No. 2 • March 15, 2007
10 Year s Ago
Thr ow it up. Pour it up It now is the time for all go od cows to go the to aid
State Theatre Buyers Announce They Can Show ‘Em The Money’
Jury Awards Cornejo Family $2 Million in ‘’Wrongful Death’
Two young entrepreneurs who have been working since last fall to find the financial backing for a project to revive the old State Theatre in Falls Church have come up with the needed funds, and are set to close on the deal within weeks.
A Fairfax County jury ruled in favor of the family of slain Jack Stephen “Steve” Cornejo of Falls Church yesterday, finding the man who shot the then 22-year old to death in June 2005 culpable for a “wrongful death.”
N���-P����
TO LETTERS THE EDITOR Continued from Page 6 empty, unneeded parking spaces available – but not courtesy of Broadale’s management. I suggest library users and everyone else let Broadale shopping center know how much their selfishness is appreciated. We love empty parking spaces we can’t use! Dan Lehman Falls Church
[ TALK TO US ] The deadline for Letters to the Editor and Guest Commentaries is 5 p.m. Monday each week of publication. Letters to the Editor should be 350 words or less. Guest Commentaries should be limited to 800 words. All letters printed in the News-Press become property of the Falls Church NewsPress and may be edited for clarity and length.
Trusting the Press Is More Important Than Ever Editor, Nicholas Benton raises a fair point about leaders of any nation dismissing as “fake news” any stories they don’t like being unhealthy. What’s just as unhealthy though, is a free press that validates those claims. I didn’t see any editorials in
the News-Press blasting any of the more egregious stories that we’ve seen in the last few months – does anyone remember otherwise reputable news outlets publishing stories about the removal of the MLK bust from the White House, the plans to use the National Guard to round up illegal immigrants or President Trump’s plans to invade Mexico? The only thing worse than a president dismissing the press as fake news is a press that validates those claims. Being able to trust our press is more important than ever, and for that trust to happen the press needs to not be blinded by their hatred for our president and give us honest reporting. Jeff Walyus Arlington
SHELTER PET & GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED PIANIST Amazing stories start in shelters and rescues. Adopt today to start yours.
FALLS CHURCH’S KASTNER, a Golden Retriever, and Canine Companions pup Brennan take a break during sunnier days on one of their walks along the W&OD Trail. Here’s to warmer walks returning real soon! Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! Send in your Critter Corner submissions to crittercorner@fcnp.com.
MAKE YOUR PET A STAR!
Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be!
KEYBOARD CAT 8M+ YouTube Views
Email letters@fcnp.com Fax 703-342-0347
Mail or drop off Letters to the Editor, c/o Falls Church News-Press, 200 Little Fallst St. #508, Falls Church, VA 22046 Include full name, address and telephone number with submission. Anonymous submissions will not be printed.
Snap a pic of your critter and email it to: CRITTERCORNER@FCNP.COM
OR mail it to
Critter Corner c/o Falls Church News-Press 200 Little Falls St. #508 Falls Church, Va 22046
Critter
Corner
NATI O NA L
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
MARCH 16 – 22, 2017 | PAGE 23
T � � G � � �� E � � � �� T � � � � � � � � �
Progress on the SunCell BY TOM WHIPPLE
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
For those of you coming late to this story, up in New Jersey there is a scientist, Randell Mills, and a small company, Brilliant Light Power, that have been working for the last 25 years to develop a new source of energy. This new source is based on a scientific principle that, while not as yet accepted by mainstream science, may be capable of producing virtually unlimited amounts of energy from water without producing any pollutants. It goes without saying that such technology has the potential to reshape civilization much as the steam engine, electricity, internal combustion, and several other discoveries have done in the past 250 years. The energy that could be produced by this new technology will be so inexpensive that there is little doubt that it will eventually not only replace all other sources of energy production in existence today, but will also greatly increase mankind’s use of energy for many tasks that are unaffordable today. Obvious examples of uses for cheap energy would be widespread desalinization and recycling of water, year-round growth of agriculture products, or the spurring of rapid economic growth. If this narrative sounds too good to be true, you may not have much time to wait for solid evidence of the technology’s viability. Demonstration of prototypes and outside testing will quickly overcome skepticism and begin the serious contemplation of the implications of such a technology. Should outside testing be successful, the demand for a technology that can produce electricity at a fraction of current costs would be one of the most significant, and yet disruptive, developments in the history of civilization, for the cost of energy could eventually shrink to insignificance. For many years, Mills and his organization have been remarkably open about the technology they have been developing and have been putting on presentations concerning progress that are posted to YouTube. It is interesting that a technology with the poten-
‘ I
t’s
tial to radically change civilization (hopefully for the better) has received so little attention by the media. This is mainly due to the aforementioned “too good to be true” perception of the technology and the fact that the theory behind the technology violates currently accepted science so that many say it cannot possibly work. In late February, Mills and an associate, Dominic Jones, gave presentations to a group in
interesting
that
that will convert its radiated light into electricity. The goal of the company’s current effort is to have a device ready for field testing in the facilities of outside companies who might be willing to produce or use large numbers of the SunCells once they are working to specifications. Brilliant Light is planning to have these devices ready for testing at cooperating companies by the second half of this year with units ready for commercial installation at customer locations in 2018. Given that Brilliant Light is working with a new and relatively untested technology, it would seem likely that there will be at least some delay in fine tuning the device into a reliable product. While 95 percent of the development cycle may have been completed, there is still room for problems in the coming year even though Mills, his associates, and outside contractors helping with the project seem confident they can meet the schedule of commercial production during 2018. Whether or not Mills eventually meets his current schedule is less important than when the world first recognizes that a new technology has been developed that has the potential of radically changing the global economy in a relatively short period of time. Delays of weeks, months or even years in getting a product to market will not be significant to the eventual impact of a technology of this importance. Think about the rate at which cell phones took over global communications in the last 30 years. The SunCell clearly has the potential to do the same thing. Once a continuously operating prototype is demonstrated and reported on by the mainstream media, insight into its meaning can begin. Brilliant Light says the current fossil fuel market is on the order of $8 trillion per year. Throw in other sources of energy – renewables, hydro, and nuclear — and we are looking at multiple industries currently generating sales in excess of $10 trillion per year that could disappear. Bring on what is likely to be an explosive growth in demand for energy at a fraction of current costs and and we are looking at a technology whose ultimate impact could be measured in the hundreds of trillions of dollars.
a
technology with the potential
”
to radically change civilization has received so little attention. California on the progress they are making towards finishing development and planning for marketing their “SunCell” energy producing device. For those of us who have been following this technology for many years, these presentations have given continuing insight into just how close Mills is to completing a working prototype and bringing his “SunCell” to market. The most recent presentation was no exception. When we last heard from Mills in December, he already had working a manually controlled prototype that did not yet fully enclose the energy production so that operators could see and control the reaction. An open cell allowed the vaporized silver used in creating the plasma to escape, thereby limiting the time of operation. The next step in the SunCell’s development, which is scheduled to be completed in the 2nd quarter of this year, is to add electronic controls allowing the cell containing the plasma to be sealed and the energy producing reaction to continue indefinitely. From the recent briefing, we learned that the control system has been designed, built, and is currently being installed on a prototype SunCell. When this is accomplished and tested, the device will create a plasma continuously radiating millions of watts of energy in the form of light. The final step in creating a commercially useful device is to wrap the radiating sphere in a geodesic dome made of concentrated photovoltaic cells
YOUR SON HAS
STUMPED YOU WITH A
CALCULUS QUESTION Do you: (A) Weep softly. (B) Create a diversion. (C) Hire a tutor. For yourself.
When it comes to being a parent, there are no perfect answers — just being there is enough. So don’t worry, you don’t have to be perfect to be a perfect parent. There are thousands of teens in foster care who will love you just the same.
888.200.4005 AdoptUSKids.org
PAGE 24 | MARCH 16 - 22, 2017
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Open Sunday 2-4pm
Open Sunday 2-4pm
Open Sunday 2-4pm
Open Sat & Sun 2-4pm
3309 Wyndham Circle #3178 | Alexandria
204 N Underwood St | Falls Church City
Fabulous 5 BD/3.5 BA home in Broadmont. Updates throughout, spacious rooms on 3 finished levels. Steps to Metro and FCC schools! Offered at $1,350,000
1736 N. Queens Ln, #196 | Arlington
Lovely 1 BD/1 BA condo located in Colonial Village! Walk to 2 Metros; close to shopping, restaurants, and entertainment! Offered at $276,000
More homes Coming Soon in Falls Church City and nearby. Call TODAY for more information!
Louise Molton Phone: 703 244-1992 louise@moltonrealestate.com
Lovely updated 1 BD/1 BA condo w/ balcony and covered parking. Condo features hardwood floors in living room, granite countertops and brand new washer/dryer in unit. Great location! Offered at $199,900
Falls Church City resident and local business owner. Real Estate expert right here in our community for more than 10 years. Call Louise for all your real estate needs!
Under Contract
3203 North 4th Street Arlington, VA 22201
Don’t miss this amazing 4 bedroom, 3 bath Ashton Heights original Sears bungalow just a few blocks from Clarendon Metro, restaurants and shops. Totally renovated (from the studs in) and added to 10 years ago by high-end architect/builder. Oversized, corner lot with mature plantings and detached garage. The perfect combination of old-world charm and modern amenities. Offered at $1,299,000
Lisa Young
10230 Confederate Lane | Fairfax
(703) 505-2626 direct lisayoung@cox.net LisaYoungHomes.com
Lovely renovated split level in Mosby Woods. Featuring 4 BD/2.5 BA, Updated kitchen and baths. Neighborhood Pool! Offered at $525,000
710 W Broad St, Falls Church VA 22046 ~ 703-596-5303 Each Office Independently Owned and Operated
EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY
ÂŽ
REALTOR
CONTACT BETHANY FOR ALL YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS.
Coming soon in Falls Church City Charming Cape Cod on quiet tree lined street. Three bedrooms +den and two full baths. Large family room, spacious dining room with door to deck. Master bedroom with huge closet. Beautiful hardwood floors. One mile to Metro. Price in the $700,000's. Call Merelyn for more info.
Licensed in VA & DC
1355 Beverly Rd Ste 109 McLean, VA 22101
Are you ready to buy or sell in 2017?
Contact Bethany for the answers to all of your real estate questions.
Serving all of Falls Church, Arlington, McLean, Vienna, Great Falls & Northern VA markets. Take a look at my website- where you can search for homes, view my new Falls Church & McLean videos, and more!
www.buyandsellwithBethany.com
1903 Westmoreland St. McLean VA 22101
3245 Rio Drive #715, Falls Church, VA
NEW PRICE
Excellent investment opportunity!! 3BR/2BA condo in Barcroft Hills. Needs updating. Beautiful setting. 2 large balconies. Swimming pool and tennis court. All utilities included in condo fee. Price perfected $213,999
3235 Valley Lane Falls Church 22044
FOR SALE
Fantastic New Price $719,000
Beautiful and classic 3 level cape cod. 5BR/2BA on 3 finished levels. Whole house has been remodeled in last 5 years! Including windows, roof and all systems. Fantastic New Price $719,000.
2230 George C Marshall #309 Falls Church VA 22043
SOLD STRICTLY AS-IS Lovely large lot. $749,000
2BR/2BA beautiful and open floor plan! Granite, SS, hardwood floors. Close to parking, year round pool & tennis courts. Super convenient to 495, 66 and Metro. Shuttle bus takes riders to WFC Metro from condo building front door! $358,900
Thinking about buying, selling, investing, moving up or downsizing? Get a jump on the market and talk to Bethany, your local real estate market expert, to get ready for 2017.
OPEN SUNDAY 2-4PM banner too please.