November 13 - 19, 2025
Falls Church, Virginia • w w w . fc n p . c o m • Free
Founded 1991 • Vol. XXXV N o . 40
The City of Falls Church’s Independent, Locally-Owned Newspaper of Record, Serving N. Virginia
F.C. Eateries THANKING THEM ALL Step Up to Help Federal Workers Clare & Don’s, Harvey’s, 4 Ps Pitching In by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
Who knows when the federal government shutdown will actually end, and how long it will take furloughed employees to get the back paychecks they may actually wind up getting? No matter what, between the shutdown and brutal termination of federal government programs, this region is probably the most devastated from the impact in the entire U.S. Technically, the City of Falls Church has the highest percentage of federal employees as a portion of its total workforce than any other jurisdiction, but the impact is being felt by federal contractors and the wider retail economy, too. So, at least three locallyowned Falls Church restaurants with deep ties to the community here are stepping up to help in an extraordinary outpouring of generosity and concern. Clare and Don’s Beach Shack
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THE ANNUAL VETERANS’ DAY observance in Falls Church was moved from the Veterans Memorial in front of the F.C. Community Center to inside this Tuesday due to the spate of cold weather that hit. But that didn’t deter these folks from an exhibition of thanks to veterans they displayed at the entrance. F.C. Commissioner of the Revenue Tom Clinton was the keynote speaker at the event which was orchestrated by Harry Shovlin, second graders from Mt. Daniel Elementary sang the National Anthem, and the Falls Church Civic Band under the direction of Mary Jo West performed. (Photo: Gary Mester)
Where Are Sidewalk Upgrade Priorities Going First in F.C.?
by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
The City of Falls Church’s “Missing Links” program, designed to fill in places around the LIttle City where sidewalks are damaged or non-existent, was the subject of a spirited discussion during Monday’s F.C. City Council meeting, with a lot of back-and-forth between Council members and City staff on where the work should be done first. Amanda Stout Brain, the City’s new director of Public Works, and Uros Jovanovic pre-
sented an update on the effort, which has $569,579 left in the current fiscal year for its work. The cost of improvements range from $215 to $1,000 per linear foot, with an average of $400, meaning the City budget allows for roughly 375 to 420 linear feet of sidewalk improvements per year (or the length of one city block). The Department of Public Works’ (DPW) current goal is to improve sidewalks where either partial sidewalks exist but do not connect or no sidewalks exist on streets near public areas such as parks, trails, schools or
commercial areas. It also prioritizes locations that typically experience higher traffic volume and travel speeds posing a higher risk to pedestrians. Most recently a project on Hillwood Avenue, from Brook to Cleave and from Shady Lane to South Street, has been completed, covering 910 linear feet of sidewalk, 10 ADA ramps and 4 crosswalks. Prioritized for the remainder of the current fiscal year are Great Falls St. between N. Washington and Maple (500 feet), Lynn Place between Randolph and Roberts Park
(140 feet) and Madison Lane to Randolph (300 feet). To implement these, DPW staff is confirming right of way impacts, beginning public outreach on streets with high parking impacts, and starting design. Construction is slated for Summer 2026. The DPW developed lists of future priority efforts, with Tier 1 projects being segments with no existing sidewalk providing connectivity between collector or arterial streets (6 projects), Tier 2 projects being where no
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