January 19 – 25, 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 No. 48
Falls Church • Tysons Corner • Merrifield • McLean • North Arlington • Bailey’s Crossroads
Inside This Week Beyer, Connolly Won’t Attend Inauguration
U.S. Reps. Donald S. Beyer Jr. and Gerry Connolly announced they will join a list of over 60 Congressional Democrats who will not participate in the inauguration ceremonies for incoming U.S President Donald Trump Friday. See News Briefs, page 9
F.C. Company Sets Drone Flight Record
On Eve of Trump Tenure, First Ever March in F.C. Touts Racial Healing
Tinner Hill Foundation Leads 561 in Rousing March Through City
by Sam Tabachnik
Falls Church News-Press
Last month, a drone from Falls Church’s Vanilla Aircraft completed a 56-hour flight without refueling, breaking the world record for its class.
members David Snyder and Phil Duncan, raised serious questions on behalf of their constituents to Fairfax Water’s plans. Fairfax Water said the bigger tower will save it considerable money over other options, but would require easements to impose on parking in the City’s parking-limited Eden Center Vietnamese-American commercial hub. It would be to the predominant benefit of Fairfax County’s aggressive plans for the commercial development of the Seven Corners area.
Preaching racial unity, openness and collective responsibility, hundreds of protesters channeled the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday’s holiday, marching through Falls Church in a historic first for the 70-year-old city. Peaceful marchers, armed with signs reading “Love not hate” and “Unity is power” among others, began at the Tinner Hill Historic Monument, where 100 years ago the first rural branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People fought for equality against the segregated City of Falls Church. The eclectic group of protesters wound their way to F.C. City Hall, chanting “We need unity!” and “We want peace!” in a call and response that harkened back to King’s Civil Rights movement of the 1960s and ’70s. The official crowd total was 561 according to Curt Westergard of Digital Design & Imaging Service, Inc. While Ed Henderson, executive director of the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation, made it clear that the MLK Day march was not a reaction to the November election, there was no mistaking the impact of president-elect Donald Trump on the tone and tenor of the participants. “The days since November 8th have been among the most interesting and trying of my life,” U.S. Rep. Donald S. Beyer Jr., (D) who represents the 8th District of Virginia, including the City of Falls Church, told the crowd on the steps of City Hall. “I’m sure for many of you, too.”
Continued on Page 5
Continued on Page 11
See page 8
Nicholas Kristof: Missing Obama Already
Barack Obama’s legacy is being systematically unraveled even before he leaves office, with The Wall Street Journal scoffing that he “has been a historic president but perhaps not a consequential one.” See page 15
Mason Girls Pick Up 3 More Conference Wins
George Mason High School’s varsity girls basketball team emerged from a busy week with three key victories over Conference 35 opponents, defeating Madison County, Clarke County and Central high schools. See Sports, page 24
Index Editorial..................6 Letters....................6 News & Notes.12-13 Comment......... 14-17 Calendar.........20-21 Business News....22
Food & Dining......23 Sports..................24 Classified Ads......28 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword ..........29 Critter Corner.......30
TINNER HILL FOUNDATION Secretary Michael Everett leads marchers through Falls Church during the City’s first-ever Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day march Monday. (Photo: J. Michael Whalen)
F.C. Council, Fairfax Water Clash Again Over New Tank by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
The decade-long conflict between the City of Falls Church and Fairfax County’s water system was not resolved with the sale by the City of its water system to its giant neighbor three years ago this month. Tuesday night, an appearance by two leading representatives of Fairfax Water before a work session of the Falls Church City Council was characterized by some sharp exchanges and an unhappy departure by the Fairfax duo.
The last time representatives of Fairfax Water came before the Falls Church City Council in October 2016 with plans to replace their water tower behind Eden Center with one twice as big, the City Council did not greet the idea with favor. So when the same representatives came back to a Council work session Tuesday having changed nothing in their request, they should hardly have been surprised to get the same unfriendly reaction from the F.C. Council. It ended up a testy exchange, at best, when Falls Church Mayor David Tarter, joined by Council