October 24 - 30, 2024
Fa lls Chur c h, V i r g i ni a • ww w. fc np. c om • Fr ee
Fou n d e d 1991 • Vol. X X XIV No. 37
The City of Falls Church’s Independent, Locally-Owned Newspaper of Record, Serving N. Virginia
In Election 2 Weeks Away, 1/3 F.C. Folks Already Voted
IT WAS A BALL, A REALLY BIG ONE!
Massive Early Voting Here Matches National Trend by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
The most happening place to be in Falls Church this month is at City Hall in the corridor in front of the Voter Registrar’s office, as over a third of the City’s registered voters have already shown up there to cast their ballots, or to mail them in, in this U.S. presidential and Senate/House and Falls Church City Council special election which culminates in less than two weeks. This is according to the City’s voter registrar David Bjerke, who was manning the polling spot in front of his office during the noon hour Wednesday. There is no indication the pace of the early voting will slow as the Nov. 5 final election day approaches. The trend here conforms with what’s going on nationally as over 17 million Americans across the U.S. have already voted in states where it’s allowed. While there are reports that more registered Democrats than
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Fall Real Estate Guide
Pages 9-22
NOW, THAT’S ONE BIG VOLLEYBALL! According to the Falls Church daily school announcements, third, fourth, and fifth graders enjoyed Oak Street Fall Fest Field Day last week as Nathan Greiner and Julie Huber organized a fun day for all. Classes worked together in games like crazy waiter, slime and this, well, oversized volleyball. The day wrapped up with a high-energy dance party, complete with a lively conga line that had everyone on their feet. (Photo: FCCPS)
End of an Era: Beyer Automotive is Sold
by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
It’s truly the end of a magnificent era in the history of the City of Falls Church. After 51 years, the Falls Church-based Beyer family’s automobile business, begun by Col. Donald S. Beyer, Sr., in 1973, and carried on by his two sons, Michael and current U.S. Rep. Donald Jr., has been sold. All six dealer-
ships around the region were sold in a two-part deal completed Oct. 10 by Mike, who had bought out Don Jr.’s share in 2019, to an entity known as Open Road Capital. Mike Beyer sold the dealership group’s eight stores in two separate transactions in a span of six weeks, according to Haig Partners, which served as Beyer’s advisor in the sales.
The deal was first reported in the Auto Remarketing website. The group’s five dealership locations in the Northern Virginia area — Land Rover Alexandria, Beyer Volvo Cars of Dulles, Beyer Volvo Cars of Falls Church, Beyer Kia Falls Church and Beyer Subaru — along with Smokey’s Garage in Falls Church, Va., were acquired by Open Road Capital
on Oct. 10. In the first stage, on Aug. 30, Jim Keffer and Jon Alcorn purchased Beyer Volvo Cars of Winchester, Beyer Mazda and Beyer Volkswagen, located in Winchester, Va. Beyer Automotive Group was founded in 1973 by Falls Church businessman Don Beyer,
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