October 5 — 11, 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. XXVI I NO. 33
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I����� T��� W��� C����� H��� P��������� C����������� �� B���� The City of Falls Church Department of Public Works and Recreation and Parks Department will begin the construction phase of the Cherry Hill Park Playground Equipment Replacement project next week. SEE NEWS BRIEFS, PAGE 9
Warner Cautions Russian ‘Active Measures’ May Impact Virginia Elections Next Month
Senate Intelligence Committee Leader Hails Proactive Steps
BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON AND MATT DELANEY
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
Falls Church’s Citizen’s Bridge might be easy to take for granted to motorists down below and trail users walking on it but for Falls Church resident Craig Day, who spearheaded the proposal, it’s a different story.
benefits. But the numbers were better rehearsed this time, and presumably going forward. Should the referendum fail in the Nov. 7 election, then in the fact sheet developed by the schools, “FCCPS will need to spend money to purchase trailers and upgrade failing systems.” It explained, “An analysis of the critical improvement needs at the high school shows it would cost $40 million, probably in the form of a bond, to cover replacement of the past end-of-life HVAC and boiler systems, permanently replace the roof, as well as other updates to infrastructure.”
Virginia’s U.S. Senator Mark Warner, vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee investigating Russia’s role interfering in U.S. elections, confirmed at a Capitol Hill press conference yesterday that the Russians’ efforts remain active and could impact the Virginia gubernatorial and other state races on the ballot next month. Warner, and Senate Intelligence Committee chair Sen. Richard Burr, criticized the Department of Homeland Security for delaying until just last week the release of its findings that the Russians attempted to penetrate the electoral processes in 21 U.S. states, including Virginia. Warner praised the Virginia Department of Elections for acting proactively to decertify voting machines that failed to have “paper trails” in jurisdictions throughout the state, including in the City of Falls Church. The decertification order came just in time to allow for the substitution of new voting machines with such “paper trails” in advance of the beginning of absentee balloting last month. Insofar as Warner and Burr emphasized their committee’s objective to have a comprehensive report made public prior to the commencement of primary elections in 2018, yesterday’s press conference might have been motivated by a desire to address the November 2017 elections in Virginia and New Jersey. Warner and Burr stressed that the Senate Intelligence Committee investigation concurred with the
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SEE PAGE 8
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“God bless America,” our president said, dutifully, after the bloody Sunday in Las Vegas. It’s a wish worth repeating. It’s an intervention sorely needed in a country seriously lost. SEE PAGE 14
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Lazy Mike’s, the new, bigger version of Mike’s Deli at Lazy Sundae is now open and serving subs, sandwiches, ice cream and more in the former Long John Silver’s space on Leesburg Pike. SEE PAGE 17
INDEX
Editorial.................6 Letters...................6 News & Notes10–11 Comment ........ 12-14 Sports .................16 Food & Dining.....17
Calendar .......18–19 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword ..........21 Business News ...22 Critter Corner......22 Classified Ads .....23
VIRGINIA U.S. SENATOR Mark Warner (center) with Sen.Tim Kaine (right) spoke at a Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce event in Falls Church Monday prior to his press conference on Capitol Hill yesterday. (P�����: M��� D������)
Pro-Referendum Forces Refine Argument For Big Falls Church Election in November BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
A compelling narrative about why taxpayers should vote “yes” to authorize the issuance of a whopping $120 million for the construction of a new high school in the City of Falls Church began coalescing at last week’s joint meeting of the F.C. City Schools’ three PTA and PTSA organizations. Among the myriad presentations on why voters should support the bond measure, it was never presented at clearly as at that meeting in the George Mason High School auditorium, and the result was predictable. Of the three
groups — one representing the elementary school parent-teacher organization, one representing the middle school equivalent and the third, including student representation, representing the high school — there was only one vote against endorsing the referendum for passage. What was presented more clearly than before was the notion that failing to pass the referendum to build a new George Mason High School would actually cost taxpayers more than if they did. In fact, the case makes a lot of sense. Patchwork steps –which would be required if the referendum failed – are almost always more costly and bring far fewer