November 14 — 20, 2019
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 • V ol. XXIX No. 39
Falls Church • Tysons Corner • Merrifield • McLean • North Arlington • Bailey’s Crossroads
Inside This Week New High School Plan Meshes Security, Design Mass shootings nationwide have motivated school systems to improve security in its buildings, and Falls Church City Public Schools is no exception. See story, page 8
Stormwater Task Force Deadline Friday
This Friday is the deadline for applying to participate on a new City of Falls Church Stormwater Task Force that will prioritize the deployment of City dollars to mitigate the impact of storms on residences.
F.C. West End Developers Reveal Planning With Adjacent Properties Venerating the Veterans
Continued on Page 4
Continued on Page 5
More positive news was announced by the City’s Chief Financial Officer Kiran Bawa Tuesday when she reported that with the late sale of the bond, no debt service payment needs to be made during the current fiscal year.
George Mason High School fell to Independence High School in a hard fought five-set game, ending its season in the 3A region tournament semifinals. See sports, page 16
ON MONDAY IN the City of Falls Church, keynote speaker Beverly Donner, a former commander with the Public Health Service assigned to the surgical team in Dananz, Vietnam where she treated civilian casualties, addressed the crowd at a special ceremony at the Veterans Memorial in front of the Community Center. (Photo: Kevin Krisko/Images for Good)
F.C. Council Wrestles With New Scooter Policies & Sidewalks
by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
Index
Editorial................6 Letters.......... 6, 14 News & Notes.10,11 Comment.... 12,13 Business News.15 School News.... 17
Calendar..... 18,19 Classified Ads... 20 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword........ 21 Crime Report.... 22 Critter Corner.... 22
The Falls Church City Council took two votes on the issue of scooter policy Tuesday night, one a resolution to endorse a “Shared Mobility Devices Demonstration Project” in advance of a Dec. 31 deadline set by the state legislature, and the second one a preliminary OK to an ordinance that prohibits the use of scooters
on City sidewalks except on the main arteries of Washington and Broad Streets. That second policy awaits a final OK at the Council’s last general business meeting of 2019 on Dec. 9, and the split vote of 4-3 indicates that there will be modifications to the policy by the time it comes back for a final vote next month. A rare split 4-3 vote saw Mayor David Tarter and Council
Falls Church News-Press
members David Snyder, Dan Sze and Phil Duncan voting for the restrictive ordinance, and Vice Mayor Marybeth Connelly, Letty Hardi and Ross Litkenhous voting against. However, everyone agreed that some form of restrictions on the use of scooters is needed, and it is mostly a matter of degrees.
More Good News on School Bond Issue
Mason Volleyball Falls in Region Semis
by Nicholas F. Benton
Evan Goldman, spokesman for EYA, principal developer with Hoffman and Regency of Falls Church’s West End Economic Development project, told a joint work session of the F.C. City Council, Planning Commission and Economic Development Authority Tuesday night that plans advancing on that project are being done in the context of growing collaborative planning with two other major adjacent property owners, Virginia Tech and the Washington Area Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA). He said it is being done with an eye to a seamless development of more than 40 acres combined that will become an integrated “one big neighborhood” running from the West Falls Church Metro station over to Route 7. He noted that WMATA has just given the development duty for its land adjacent the Metro station to the same Rushmark and Hoffman teams that have hands in the Virginia Tech (Rushmark) and F.C. West End (Hoffman) projects. Goldman also reported that his firm has already held numerous “productive” meetings with representatives of Federal Realty, owners of another adjacent site, the West Falls Shopping Center (two blocks of strip malls including the Giant and Staples) adjacent the City’s 10.3 acre site. Another candidate for collaborative development is the Beyer Automotive property of more than 20 acres whose assemblage was recently completed across Route 7.
See News Briefs, page 9
See News Briefs, page 9
With Virginia Tech, WMATA & More, 40 Acres in Play
PAGE 2 | NOVEMBER 14 - 20, 2019
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
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PAGE 4 | NOVEMBER 14 - 20, 2019
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Council Mulls Scooters on Sidewalks
Continued from Page 1
Litkenhous, for example, said that while at first he was opposed to allowing use of scooters on sidewalks (“sidewalks are for walking” being the mantra), he’d come to change his mind, recognizing that safety concerns need to extend to the users of scooters as well as pedestrians. “We are being asked to craft an ordinance to address a problem that does not yet exist,” he said, and maybe a one-year demonstration project will provide the data needed to make a better judgment later. While he said he supports “a middle ground” on the issue, his vote Tuesday opposed the general sidewalk prohibition. Hardi also pointed out that the City should not have different rules that its neighbor, Arlington County, which has adjusted its ordinances to allow use of scooters on sidewalks. “There’s a reason they’ve changed their policy after a year,” she said, “and its probably because they’ve recognized the problems associated with a
sidewalk ban.” She suggested that maybe there could be “no scooter zones” at certain spots in the civic core in the City. Voting with Litkenhous and Hardi against the ban, Connelly said, “We have to presume that people are not complete idiots” and will be sufficiently courteous using sidewalks. She suggested there be language in the ordinance about scooter riders “yielding to pedestrians.” On the other hand, Snyder said that as one who works in downtown D.C. where scooters proliferate, that “it’s pretty hazardous” there. He also cited the need for scooters companies to have insurance to cover their users the way that Uber has insurance to cover its drivers. Councilman Sze drew some laughs when he said the reason streets in Falls Church are named “Great Falls” and “Little Falls” is because “I’ve fallen many times on them,” and that scooters “make me paranoid that they’re hunting me down.” Sze was among three on the Council, along with Hardi and Tarter, who confessed to have used scooters, themselves. Tarter, voting for the ban, said
that, working in the Clarendon area of Arlington, “I have almost been run over numerous times.” He said that whatever the final form of an ordinance takes, “it will take some fine tuning.” Duncan added that many of the sidewalks in the City are substandard now and would not be ideal for scooter use, and maybe encouraging use of scooters on streets would be a better approach. He noted surveys showing that scooter users’ least favorite place to ride is on sidewalks, anyway. It was evident to everyone, as indicated by the split vote, that Tuesday’s was not the final word on the subject, but that when it comes back for a final OK on Dec. 9, there will be modifications crafted in the meantime. Updates in the general policy noted by Kerri Oddenino, the City planner assigned the job of assembling relevant information on the policy, included the recommendation that licenses be limited to three companies for the year of the demonstration project with a maximum of 50 scooters per company. Also, it was recommended that
THE F.C. CITY COUNCIL will take up a vote next month to finalize a policy concerning electric scooters on sidewalks in the City. (Photo: Marco Verch/Flickr) evaluating applications from companies include interoperability with adjacent locality, that permit fees be $3,500. The overall policy applies to more than scooters, but all “shared mobility devices,” such as motorized skateboards, bicycles and electric-power assisted bicycles as well as scooters using a 1,000 watt or a gasoline engine that displaces less than 36 cubic centimeters, weighs less than 100 pounds and has a speed of no more than 20 miles per hour on a paved surface level (the speed limit on sidewalks would be
on the order of eight miles per hour). Arlington County’s 2019 evaluation report identified ten main operational challenges for shared mobility devices (SMDs) consisting of (1) inconsistent deployment, (2) problematic deployment sites such as bus stops and pedestrian right-of-way sidewalks, (3) high operating speed, (4) sidewalk riding, (5) broken SMDs, (6) stolen and vandalized SMDs, (7) idle SMDs, (8) incorrectly parked SMDs, (9) crashes and injuries and (10) data collection.
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
West End Developers Collab With Area Sites
Continued from Page 1
The West End team led by Goldman also presented its progress toward submitting a detailed site plan, due in January, to the F.C. School Board Tuesday and was scheduled to present it at a public forum for anyone wishing to attend at the F.C. Community Center last night. This morning, the same presentation was due to be presented to a meeting of NAIOP, a regional real estate developer organization, at the Fairview Marriott, with Goldman, Shawn Seaman of Hoffman, Rafael Muniz of Regency along with Falls Church’s City Manager Wyatt Shields and Director of Economic Development Services James Snyder. Much of the extensive update presentation Tuesday night dwelled on plans for the 1.9 acre “commons” area in the center of the West End project, which has been broken into five spaces: a “front door” area adjacent Route
7; a food and beverage area; a park area in the center; another food and beverage area; and then an adult play area. But most significant is the news Goldman presented that the commons, with the roads in both directions headed from Route 7 in the direction of the West Falls Church Metro station, will hopefully be connected to an extension on the Virginia Tech and Metro properties leading directly to the Metro station, and that, in the real blockbuster, the full length of this “yellow brick road” will be completed by the time the West End Project is fully completed, even as the full development of the Tech and WMATA properties will not yet be fully developed. The new EYA, Hoffman, Regency plans for the West End Project include a better face to the Federal Realty property across Haycock Road, with a new welcoming access across Haycock including a stairway, elevators and
LO CA L drive through options to lift the public from Haycock by 26 feet up to the projects’ Commons. Aspects of the architecture of the office, residential, condominium, hotel and “micro unit” buildings on the site were described as “warehouse model” with “factory-style” windows, with the exception of an ultra-modern designed micro unit building. The developers plan to submit their final site plan in January, leading to a six to nine month process for a final OK. If all proceeds according to plan, it will be all approved and set to go for the December 2020 completion of the new George Mason High School and subsequent demolition of the existing high school buildings, clearing the land for West End project to commence in January 2021. Meanwhile, the Virginia Tech and WMATA properties will be lagging somewhat but moving expeditiously toward a hopefully integrated 40 acres, with prospects for the Federal Realty and Beyer properties potentially folded in, as well. Comments from Council members stressed the need for the West End project to avoid the mis-
NOVEMBER 14 - 20, 2019 | PAGE 5
take of the recently-constructed Mosaic in Merrifield that creates a fortress sense, focusing inward and with something less than a welcoming facade to the surrounding neighborhood. Goldman said he was sensitive
to the concern, thus the effort to present a welcoming face across Haycock Road, including a major entrance to the planned new grocery store right on the Route 7 and Haycock corner facing outward to that intersection.
PAGE 6 | NOVEMBER 14 – 20, 2019
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E D I TO R I A L
Awaiting the New State Legislature
There is a lot of planning going on behind the scenes now to put together a sea change in the Commonwealth of Virginia’s legislative priorities once the new year arrives, swearings-in occur and Democrats take over both houses to complement their control of the governor’s mansion with the onset of the annual legislative session kicking off early next year. A lot of changes are in store, beginning with a decisive vote to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, becoming after all these years the vote to put the U.S. constitutional amendment over the top at last. It will be an occasion for great celebrations nationwide, and it will be especially satisfying in Virginia, where only a few years ago, some of the most egregious anti-woman legislation passed and made the state into a national laughing stock. Luckily, Gov. Terry McAuliffe was there to veto all the excessive bills the Republican majority legislature passed, having used his veto pen over 120 times, all of which were upheld when requiring a two-thirds legislative vote to override the vetoes. McAuliffe, in fact, deserves credit for a lot of which has brought Virginia to the point of a Democratic majority here. He eschewed a presidential run to focus his considerable energy on campaigning for scores of key Democratic races around the state. It paid off big time. So, in addition to passing the ERA and other important pro-woman bills, the Virginia legislature will tackle gun control in a meaningful way, ending the long and painful era when the GOP majority refused to entertain almost any bills restricting unfettered use of automatic weapons on streets and in public places in the commonwealth. Sane gun control measures will be passed and signed by the governor this spring, something that will bring a sigh of relief to a clear majority of Virginians. Equal rights will be another area for big gains in the law here, extending, for example, the Virginia slogan of “Virginia is for lovers” to “Virginia is for all lovers,” as LGBTQ rights will be extended to employment and housing, and jurisdictions like the City of Falls Church that have been frustrated by the state’s Dillon Rule from writing anti-discrimination measures, including for LGBTQ citizens, into its ordinances will now be fully enfranchised to do so. Employment law will also be reformed, perhaps to raise the minimum wage here to $15 an hour, and immigration reforms will also be enacted. It will be fascinating to see how far these measures can go this coming session, especially in the context of nay-sayers who will argue that pushing the envelope too far will generate a backlash. But we are convinced there will be no going back, that the state, and the American population as a whole, has changed forever to be more inclusive, more peaceful and more optimistic about a liveable future for all our citizens. We can’t wait to see what happens now!
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Scooters Will Negatively Affect Mobility-Impaired
Editor, Falls Church City is considering regulations to govern the use of electric scooters, bikes etc. within city boundaries. These modes of transportation often are used and parked on sidewalks. A drive around Arlington and D.C. provides an abundance of examples of the dangers posed by these devices in particular to sight
and mobility impaired individuals, especially when parked in a way that blocks a sidewalk or street corner. Perhaps those responsible for approving regulations in this regard, in addition to hearing from knowledgeable residents, should accompany individuals who are sight or mobility impaired along our sidewalks and
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crossing our streets to learn firsthand the issues that they need to consider. We should not make it even more difficult than it already is for disabled individuals to get around. David Mccloud Falls Church
Upcoming Scooters Should Be Allowed On F.C. Sidewalks Editor, Dockless scooters are coming to Falls Church and how we
receive them will say a lot about our values and priorities for the future. At issue is whether or not these and other electronic devices such as skateboards and e-bikes should be permitted on City sidewalks, as bicycles currently are by code. City staff performed a detailed review of the policies and experiences of neighboring jurisdictions and recommended e-scooters be permitted on sidewalks at speeds limited to 6 mph, with street riding encouraged. Despite this well-researched recommendation,
Letters Continue on Page 14
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
CO MME NT
NOVEMBER 14 – 20, 2019 | PAGE 7
G u e s t C o m m e n ta ry All Need to Work Together for Stormwater Solutions By Wyatt Shields
On Labor Day Weekend of 2018 and on July 8, 2019, the City experienced torrential downpours that caused widespread flooding and damage to many homes and businesses. These were two notable floods in a year of exceptional rainfall. Rainfall intensity exceeding 1 inch per 20 minutes will cause flooding in the City, and historically, this level of rain intensity is very rare. However, we are seeing an increase in frequency: in 2011, 2018, and 2019, the City experienced these “once in a 100 year” type of rain falls. Immediately after the July 8 floods, the City and residents worked together to recover. The City waived fees for debris removal and building permits associated with flood repairs. Like many homeowners, the City also undertook repairs to damaged property, such as the Tripps Run channel and Oak Street Bridge. After the immediate recovery, we shifted to planning on how to reduce the severity and frequency of flooding in the future. Staff from the City’s Department of Public Works met with many homeowners who experienced flooding and hosted a town hall in August to hear directly from those impacted. Where improvements are relatively simple and inexpensive, we are working to carry out solutions this year. Where solutions will require planning and engineering to determine the most cost effective solution, we will need to work together to prioritize how your Stormwater Fee dollars
are best spent. To that end, the City Council recently established a resident Stormwater Task Force to help guide this prioritization. The application deadline is Friday, Nov. 15 and can be found at www.fallschurchva.
“Residents can consult with City staff for advice on how they can better protect their homes against flooding.” gov/TaskForce. This Task Force will work with City staff and engineering consultants to review floodwater data and history, rank possible solutions alongside costs, and present recommendations to Council on a prioritized list of stormwater projects. The criteria for ranking projects will include such things as the frequency of flood damage to property, public safety, and cost effectiveness. The timeline of work for the Task Force is to hold an organizational meeting in December, conduct its work in January and February, and present recommendations in March 2020. Solutions may range from stormwater detention and increasing stormwater conveyance, to improved overland relief, bio
retention, and other low impact solutions. For each project, we will use hydrologic modelling to measure the effectiveness of proposed solutions, and to demonstrate that relieving flooding in one area does not worsen problems downstream. Due to cost (as well as federal and state regulations) it is not possible to expand the entire City’s stormwater system to deal with an extreme July 8 type of event. But with a focus on reducing flood damage from the more frequently occurring downpours, we can improve our resilience to flooding. Residents can consult with City staff for advice on how they can better protect their homes against flooding, such as positive drainage way from the home foundation, protecting window wells and basement stairs from surface water, and sewer backflow prevention. By the end of this year, the City Council will consider adoption of a new sewer backflow prevention cost share program for homeowners who have experienced repeated sewer backflows. This effort will be focused on relieving flooding. In addressing flooding, however, the City will not turn away from its long standing commitment to environmentally based low impact solutions to stormwater. Low impact solutions, like bioretention, swales, tree preservation and tree planting, and home cisterns all contribute to healthier streams and reduced flooding, particularly from smaller rain events. Regulations on land use, such as home lot coverage restrictions and impervious cover limits (25 percent and 35 percent respectively for
single family lots) will continue to play a crucial role in reducing flood damage. The City maintains 70 miles of stormwater pipes in the City. Most were installed by private developers in the period between 1940 and 1970 while the City grew, subdivision by subdivision. Important parts of the City’s stormwater system were formerly country streams running through farmland, and these streams, now flowing through underground in pipes, have names — the Coe Branch, Reagan Branch, and Pearson Branch — which refer back to names associated with former farms. It is along these historic stream-ways that the City continues to experience the most severe and recurring flooding during periods of intense rainfall. Over the past four years, the City has invested $4 million in your stormwater fees to improving stormwater detention, improving water quality to meet federal mandates, and improving the City’s natural streams. Now, with a warmer climate, which scientists say means these hardhitting local downpours will be more frequent, we will increase our focus on using stormwater fees to invest in flood protection. The Stormwater Task Force will help us work through difficult decisions on prioritization of projects, with strong community participation. For more information: www.fallschurchva.gov/stormwater. Wyatt Shields is the city manager of the City of Falls Church.
Question of the Week Should scooter use be allowed on City sidewalks other than Washington & Broad Streets? • Yes
• No
• Not sure
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Last Week’s Question:
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PAGE 8 | NOVEMBER 14 – 20, 2019
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
New School Design’s Take on Safety Raises New Questions by Matt Delaney
Falls Church News-Press
Mass shootings nationwide have motivated school systems to improve security in its buildings, and Falls Church City Public Schools is no exception. Both noticeable and covert protective features are being incorporated in the new high school under construction in the City’s west end. But the school’s new age design leaves some members of local law enforcement anxious over its suspected vulnerabilities as FCCPS explores different ways to address safety in the learning environment. “If there is any tension, the tension comes from the fact that we’re building a school, we’re not building a hardened castle,” FCCPS superintendent Peter Noonan said. “We’re building a place where kids can come and should be able to freely move about.” As Noonan stressed in an interview with the News-Press, the City is constructing a 21st century school. That means its open look and airy feel will be a stark contrast to the opaque template schools had previously relied upon, which are full of blind corners and tight corridors. Gone are the cinderblock walls and inlet windows providing a brief view into a classroom to go with the narrow hallways that serve as the lanes between one course and the next. Now, open “breakout” areas will dot the school’s interior and the number of exits in the new, five-story high school will also be trimmed down, reducing the 40 entrances into the current George Mason High School down to roughly 10 — with most of those being emergency exits — according to FCCPS director of facilities Seve Padilla. The new school will also have overhead doors that can cordon off levels to the school and prevent any serious incidents from spreading beyond where they started. Lastly, classrooms will sport glass walls to provide uninterrupted sightlines throughout the building. It’s the final mentioned change of transparent classrooms that gives City of Falls Church fire marshal Tom Polera pause. He’s seen how even the small windows peering into instructional areas have caused problems before, most prominently in the Parkland, Florida shooting of 2018 where the shooter fired through the glass
during his rampage throughout the school. In a recent trip to Frederick County in western Virginia, Polera shuddered while walking around a middle school that possessed much of the same design elements that Falls Church’s newest high school intends to have. Polera’s concerns aren’t something he weighs in on without experience. The fire marshal has trained nearly 1,000 people with his “The First 12 Minutes” active shooter response training. The program was conceptualized following the 2015 mass shooting in Charleston, South Carolina and is inspired by ALICE Training Institute’s active shooter training and preparedness solutions. Trainees in Polera’s program have included all of the City’s employees in the schools and government as well as at local areas of worship such as the Falls Church Episcopal and Columbia Baptist Church, to name a few. During the three-hour program, Polera teaches participants how to be proactive about an active shooting situation. That could mean barricading themselves in a space or distracting the shooter by throwing objects at them if they were to enter into their room. It’s a wholesale change from the old methods, which were locking the door, turning off the lights and huddling into a corner — a “target-rich environment,” per Polera. Trainees leave the program feeling empowered once the intensity of the subject matter is digested, a point Polera made and Noonan seconded. Noonan added that principles from the training are used during some of its required lockdown drills at the high school level to get the students actively involved. But the tactics’ utility is based on its physical surroundings. To Polera, the sightlines offer a strategic disadvantage for potential victims if an active shooter situation were to ever occur. For example, barricading would be less effective as would the ability to surprise and distract a shooter with glass walls. It’s a change that he’s wanted addressed in the fire code to no avail. “Fire codes are written in blood. You need a lot of people to die in a fire to make a change. That’s why [overhead] sprinklers exist and why exits are so far apart. I asked the [International Code Council] when they were going to do it for an active shooter; they said ‘It’s not gonna happen,’” Polera, who
MEMBERS OF THE FALLS CHURCH EPISCOPAL participate in “The First 12 Minutes” active shooter response training, designed by City of Falls Church fire marshal Tom Polera. The instruction emphasizes being proactive in these situations, such as throwing objects in a room to distract the shooter while someone attempts to disarm them. (Photo: Courtesy Tom Polera) can only enforce design changes when they go against the fire code, told the News-Press. “Our authority is a request, not a requirement. It’s tough when you teach the topic.” The focus on attaining the desirable LEED environmental rating — which glass walls are a big part of — has Polera believing that it has surpassed some basic safety instincts that were formerly acted upon. Noonan holds a different point of view. During the school’s research into what architectural elements are best suited for protecting students, he cites an American Institute of Architects paper that was done in conjunction with law enforcement that found transparency in buildings actually provides a better sense of safety and security. FCCPS also spoke with school systems that have adopted this modern mold and had to make the case that increased visibility benefits security to skeptical law enforcement officials. Furthermore, classrooms will have the option to drop shades over the glass, allowing teachers to break
the view from the main concourse. These enhancements are in addition to the current safety protocols already in place at George Mason High School. A school resource officer is a daily fixture at Mason, a closed circuit television network can be accessed by City of Falls Church police at any time and Securitas private security, which Chief of Police Mary Gavin said was contracted by FCCPS the week following the Sandy Hook shooting in Connecticut in 2012. She notes that having a human presence at the school’s main entrance to greet every visitor is one of its strongest security measures. Noonan takes it a step further by saying that having a pulse on its students socio-emotional health by way of staff-student relationships is its frontline to tending to any problems that could spiral into a hostile action. Neither Gavin or Noonan wanted to elaborate on what other security features will be a part of the final design for fear of jeopardizing its usefulness. But Gavin added that there is always a need to find the middle ground between the police’s inclination
toward safety and the schools’ toward being cutting edge. Polera hopes that some planned elements are still up for change. While he accepts that some of his suggestions won’t make the cut, such as making two-thirds of the walls solid with the upper third being glass, he believes others are worth considering, such as the removal of automatic light sensors which could spoil any defensive maneuvers in case an active shooting were to occur at the school. Primarily, he wants everyone to maintain the proper outlook when it comes to active shooting situations. “From the perspective of being complacent at a one or being overly fearful at a five, we want people at about a three — being vigilant and aware of their surroundings, but we don’t want them to stop everything they do or questioning everything,” Polera added. He acknowledged that the 800 or so deaths from active shooters from 2000-2017 is minute compared to more common causes of death, such as auto accidents. “Certainly there is a balance and how it’s delivered is very important.”
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NOVEMBER 14 – 20, 2019 | PAGE 9
Fa l l s C h u r c h
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The deadline is this Friday for applying to participate on a new City of Falls Church Stormwater Task Force that will prioritize the deployment of City dollars to mitigate the impact of storms on City residences. City Manager Wyatt Shields said at the City Council meeting Tuesday night that he hopes the Council will appoint a seven-person board representing different geographical sectors of the City, and noted that as of Tuesday, no less than 21 citizens had applied. He said he hoped the first meeting of the groups once it is formed will be next month. Again this week, a large contingent of citizens showed up at the City Council meeting to complain and appeal for swift action on stormwater-related programs, as well as traffic calming. “We should not wait until January to unclog the queue on taking action on some of these infrastructure issues,” Councoulwoman Letty Hardi said, reflecting expressions of frustration by others on the Council. Councilman Ross Litkenhous said that traffic safety issues are severe along S. Lee Street, for example, and that putting sidewalks there should be a top priority. Noland Street is another priority, and City Manager Wyatt Shields said that police have been meeting with neighbors there, begun patrolling the street (which has become a high-speed cut-through for traffic to the Metro encouraged by a popular Internet app that directs motorists that way).
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Last month, the City of Falls Church received the good news that its voter-approved bond for $124.4 million to build a new high school, renovate the library and other capital uses went for a record low interest rate of 2.71 percent, essentially saving $30 million over the 20 and 30 year life of its components below original projections. More positive news was announced by the City’s Chief Financial Officer Kiran Bawa Tuesday when she reported to the City Council that with the late sale of the bond, no debt service payment needs to be made during the current fiscal year, as had been planned, putting the City ahead by $4.6 million. The first debt service payment will not come due until next July after the start of the Fiscal Year 2021.
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The full-service DMV 2 Go bus originally scheduled to be in front of City Hall last week was been cancelled due to mechanical issues with the vehicle, the City of Falls Church announced. The DMV Connect service will still be at City Hall later this month. Meanwhile, the limited DMV Connect service conducts all DMV transactions except vital records and testing was at the Laurel Room in City Hall this week, continuing to Friday, Nov. 15 from 9 a.m to 4 p.m.
Beyer Impeachment Town Hall Nov. 21 U.S. Rep. Donald S. Beyer Jr., who represents the 8th District of Virginia that includes the City of Falls Church, will host a town hall next Thursday, Nov. 21, at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, 3330 King Street (Route 7) at 7 p.m. The subject will be the impeachment hearings underway now in the U.S. Congress.
F.C. Community Service Applications Due Applications for the City of Falls Church Community Services Fund for Fiscal Year 2021 are now available and will be accepted through Dec. 6. The total amount of funds available is expected to be about $84,000 and grant amounts vary. The Community Services Fund is an annual competitive grant program that provides funds to nonprofit organizations seeking support for human service programs and activities serving City of Falls Church residents. Applicants may apply for grants for either a specific program or activity and/or general administrative expenses. Previously funded programs include legal services, housing counseling, emergency assistance, services to the blind, and regional health planning. Organizations may access the application and information packet at www.fallschurchva. gov/HHS, or by contacting Housing and Human Services, 703-248-5153 (TTY 711) or hhsinfo@fallschurchva.gov.
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PAGE 10 | NOVEMBER 14 – 20, 2019
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Community News & Notes
TESTIFYING IN SUPPORT of an ordinance to expand the reach of anti-discrimination policies by the Falls Church City Council at its Tuesday night meeting were Erik Fessler, secretary of the Falls Church Young Democrats (left) and Patrick Cochran, chair of the LGBTQ Caucus of the Virginia Young Democrats (center) and supporter Chris Murden (right). The change, defining “sex” in an existing anti-discrimination ordinanance to include soxual orientation, gender identity and transgender status, was preliminarily approved 7-0 with a final OK coming Dec. 9. (Photo: NewsPress)
THOMAS JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GIVE Day ambassadors held a bake sale and hot chocolate stand at the Farmer’s Market in October and enjoyed a visit and the support of Mayor David Tarter. GIVE Days (Get Involved, Value Everyone) are opportunities for students to donate their time and talents in the community. TJ fifth grade ambassadors are raising money to support Food for Others and other community organizations. The elementary schools’ GIVE Day is January 20, 2020 and Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School’s GIVE Day is Dec. 2. (Photo: Courtesy Liz Weatherly)
Longtime Local Friends ‘Retire’ Annual Bike Ride
Washington Sinfionetta to Perform at Chamber Gala
Betty Howes and Delma Jo Prince recently retired from 40 consecutive years of an annual bike ride together. Both are former Fairfax County Public Schools teachers. Howes and Prince’s first ride together took place the summer after they taught at the same school. For each year after that, they continued the rides so that it became a tradition. Distance couldn’t affect the annual ride. When Howes moved to Virginia Beach, they chose to continue the rides. One year Prince would go to Virginia Beach, and another Howes would come to Northern Virginia. Even when Howes was expecting a baby and when Prince was undergoing chemotherapy treatments, they still managed to complete their usual 14-mile ride together.
Four members of the Washington Sinfonietta will perform as a string quartet at the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce’s annual gala, Friday, November 15, from 7 – 10:30 p.m. at The State Theatre (220 N. Washington St., Falls Church). The gala, “Bright Lights in the Little City,” will celebrate local businesses in Falls Church that contribute to the success of local schools, nonprofit organizations and the Falls Church community as a whole. Other highlights of the gala include an awards ceremony, a silent auction, and a live performance by local band The Grandsons. Steve Higley, president of the Washington Sinfonietta, noted “We greatly appreciate the Arlington Community Federal
Credit Union for sponsoring our quartet’s performance.” He added, “The Sinfonietta’s string quartet is excited to perform as the opening entertainment for the evening.” Tickets for the gala are $85 and can be purchased at bit.ly/32J0tf6. Founded in May 2006, the Washington Sinfonietta provides quality symphonic and chamber music performances throughout the Greater Washington, D.C. area as well as community outreach activities. The Sinfonietta regularly performs at The Falls Church Episcopal. For more information and additional concert dates, visit washingtonsinfonietta.org.
F.C. Democrats Hold Monthly Meeting on Nov. 20 The Falls Church City Democratic Committee’s monthly meeting will take place on
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
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
NOVEMBER 14 – 20, 2019 | PAGE 11
THE CUT-THROUGH immediately next to Hunan’s Cafe is no more, as the City of Falls Church makes good on its intention to close down the small strip of asphalt soon after the completion of Mr. Brown’s Park. Future plans could include using the space for vendors during events at the park, but for the time being new planters occupy the space. (P����: N���-P����) Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m. at the Falls Church Community Center (223 Little Falls St., Falls Church). For more information, contact fallschurchdems@gmail. com.
Poet Does Speaking Event At Local Book Shop Poet Kathleen O’Toole will be exploring her new collection, “This Far,” which offers a rich harvest taken from one season in the poet’s creative life on Nov. 20 at One More Page Books (2200 N. Westmoreland St., Arlington) at 7 p.m. Like movements in a musical composition, these poems share leitmotifs — grief and the desire to honor those “saints” who have passed on; the sacramental power of nature and how works of art illuminate and console as
they do. O’Toole is a Benedictine oblate of Emmanuel Monastery, and the current Poet Laureate of Takoma Park, Maryland.
Saxophone Quartet Performs At St. Patrick’s on Sunday The Washington Saxophone Quartet tailors and arranges music for the saxophone in pieces that were originally written for organ, string quartet or entire orchestras, to name a few, at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church (3241 Brush Dr., Falls Church) on Nov. 17 at 4 p.m. Interested attendees can also listen to witty commentary provided by Rich Kleinfeldt, founder of WSQ and a host on WETA radio. This program features pieces by English composers, two of which tell stories about the cit-
ies of Birmingham and London. Another is a Hoedown from a British perspective (coupled with the Copland Hoedown). The quartet will open the concert with Bach; the group’s favorite composer. Admission to the concert is free, but a $20 donation is suggested. A wine and cheese reception follows the concert. For more information, visit odeonchambermusicseries.org or e-mail at marikohiller@gmail. com.
Musical Ensemble Comes to McLean’s Alden Theatre The Alden, a division of the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean), presents Parent’s Choice Award Winners, LARD Dog and the Band of Shy
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FORMER FALLS CHURCH City Planner Loren Bruce visited his many friends at the F.C. City Hall and also stopped by the NewsPress of�ice Tuesday looking �it as a �iddle following his successful liver transplant surgery this summer. Bruce received the transplant from an accident victim though Falls Church Police Department’s Of�icer James Brooks had secretly volunteered to be a donor if needed. Bruce is now retired and lives in Reston. (P����: C������� G��� B���� H����)
for one performance only at 4 p.m. on Nov. 16. Tickets are $15 for the general public and $10 for MCC district residents. Life’s A Real Dream (LARD) Dog is an all-ages musical extravaganza that promotes positive messages of creativity, acceptance and frivolity — with massive amounts of absurdism thrown in. LARD Dog and his six-piece band invite audience members to their unique audiovisual universe, complete with catchy songs, multimedia graphics and interactive
props. Their song “I Like” has been number one on the Sirius XM Kid Place Live 13 Under 13 Countdown. Actor Mark Ruffalo called the show, “The best of Woody Woodpecker, the B-52’s, Ren & Stimpy meets cool 50’s pop music.” For more information visit aldentheatre.org or call 703-7900123, TTY: 711. For ADA accommodations, contact patron services manager Evelyn Hill at evelyn. hill@fairfaxcounty.gov or call 571-296-8385.
PAGE 12 | NOVEMBER 14 – 20, 2019
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A Penny for Your Thoughts
News of Greater Falls Church By Supervisor Penny Gross
After many years of declining turnout in what is termed an “off-off year” election, last week’s results were stunning, as thousands more people voted in local elections than in previous years. In Mason District, overall turnout was 41.7 percent. The top four precincts in turnout were Barcroft, at 60.9 percent; Camelot, at 56.8 percent, Ridgelea, at 55.5 percent, and Belvedere, at 55.3 percent. Total number of votes cast was about a third higher than in previous local elections. For comparison, in 2007, total votes cast in the supervisor race were 16,119; in 2011, total votes were 15,872; in 2015, total votes were 16,061. This year, total votes cast in the supervisor race were 25,636. Absentee votes cast were 2,794, nearly 11 percent of the total vote. Many of the absentee votes were cast in-person. The satellite polling site at the Mason District Governmental Center was steady every day, with nearly 400 voting on the last Saturday. That’s about one voter per minute! Across the Commonwealth, there were 403 supervisor seats up for election. There were 297 incumbents who sought re-election; open seats (no incumbent running) were 106. When all the votes were tallied, 249 incumbents won; 48 incumbents lost. That means there will be 154 new supervisors taking office on Jan. 1, including Walter Alcorn (Hunter Mill District), Rodney Lusk (Lee District), Dalia Palchik (Providence District), and James Walkinshaw (Braddock District) in Fairfax County. Party affiliations of winners across the Commonwealth were 194 independents (many candidates run without a party affiliation), 148 Republicans, and 60 Democrats. All supervisors, new and returning, are subject to the Virginia Conflict of Interest Act, which outlines prohibited conduct and personal interests, gifts, and travel, among other things. Training is required at the
time they take office and every two years thereafter. Supervisors also must file an annual Statement of Economic Interests with their county clerk, which is separate from the requirement to file campaign finance reports with the Virginia State Board of Elections. Those reports are open for public inspection. In Fairfax County, the School Bond referendum passed easily, with more than 77 percent of voters in favor. Bond questions in Loudoun County, Prince William County, and Stafford County all passed. Halifax County voters approved a ballot question allowing the county to levy a one percent retail sales tax for school capital projects, expiring in 2051. Four counties had meals tax (4 percent) referenda on the ballot; only Patrick County approved the referendum; Charlotte, Shenandoah and Sussex counties failed. Campaigning is fun; governance is hard. That’s the task facing newly elected and returning supervisors. Local elected officials make more decisions affecting everyday life than state or federal officials, and local officials are more easily accessible. Voters can meet them in the grocery store or running errands, at community events, and even in the dentist’s chair! Resolving local issues, providing needed public services, allocating tax dollars prudently, and a myriad of other responsibilities make the job challenging, exciting, satisfying and, sometimes, frustrating. It is an honor and a privilege to be elected to serve in local office, and I treasure the trust placed in me by Mason District voters and residents. Thank you. Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov.
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From the Front Row: Kaye Kory’s
Richmond Report Thank you, District 38 voters, and voters across the Commonwealth. Your votes have given Virginia an unparalleled opportunity and a challenge: to govern with both the executive and legislative branches of government under Democratic control. Elected Democrats at all levels have vociferously criticized the most egregious decisions made by the Republican Partycontrolled General Assembly over the past six years with a Democrat in the Governor’s office. But, we did make some progress following our show of strength in 2017. Of course, I’m thinking about Medicaid expansion. Still, I have a long list of legislative priorities that have accumulated over the past 10 years. I have never served in the House of Delegates with a Democratic majority! I continue to celebrate and acknowledge the hard work and generosity of the activists who volunteered for me and for Democrats across the State. But, now comes the hard part — governing effectively as we press our progressive agenda and at the same time remembering that we represent all Virginians — not just Democrats. As I’ve said, my list is long, and not surprisingly there are 54 (yea!) other bright, hardworking Democratic colleagues with their long lists of wrongs to right and positive changes to implement. Equally challenging, just outside, on the Capitol steps starting in January, waves of constituent activists who worked so hard to elect us will make their feelings clear: the issues are urgent, and our time in the majority may be shorter than we think. I am not advocating that we
should arbitrarily limit the big things we can achieve. What I believe is that we Democrats have to be smart enough “to play the long game.” I don’t know the origin of the phrase, but what it means to me as a politician is that we have to do a good job and be meticulous in how we roll out the changes we want to make. Virginians are lucky to have a state government that is much better than good. I think we Democrats have to work diligently to shift our political and legislative processes toward good governance. What this means to me is, first, to limit the strident partisan excess we have experienced in recent years. Second, we need to respect “the center” of the political spectrum where most citizens actually are. Finally, Democrats in the legislature have to come together in a strategic way and work to develop a long term change agenda that we can use to educate the public and reduce the jockeying for position of the numerous interest groups whom we vitally need to work with, but whom we can’t satisfy in a single session or even a single term. I’m sure you’ve heard the crack that a Democratic firing squad is circular. Playing well together is not something that comes easily to legislators or to interest groups. But, I believe we have to work this way if we are retain our majority long enough to legislate big change and see it become real. Delegate Kory represents the 38th District in the Virginia House of Delegates. She may be emailed at DelKKory@house. virginia.gov.
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A Traitor Faces Impeachment
Upon the completion of the truly historic first day of extraordinarily powerful public testimony before the House Intelligence Committee of two impeccable witnesses in the impeachment investigation of Trump, the stark reality of the abject treachery, the downright treasonous behavior of this criminal low-life in the White House could not have been more clearly on display. For all the Republicans on the committee who tried so hard to chip away at the testimony, there’s hardly a word that can better describe their desperate efforts than “fools.” History will not be kind to these sycophants. The witnesses, both lifelong, accomplished servants in protecting FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS the vital interests of the United States of America, William Taylor and George Kent, elevated themselves and their testimony so far above the muelling protestations of the Republicans on the committee, much less so far above the sewer rat they were trying so feebly to defend. Taylor and Kent couched their remarks in the context of the strategic interests of the U.S. and the threat to those interests that the live, shooting war in Ukraine represents. This is the reality that a lot of the media coverage of their contribution has tended to overlook or underplay. This puts the treasonous treachery of Trump’s withholding $390 million in vital military aid to the Ukraine in proper context. No, it wasn’t the threat of withholding the aid for months that was the issue for Ukraine and its new president Zelensky. Actually, it was the impact of that move on the war they are waging against Russian aggressors who currently occupy seven percent of that nation’s land mass. Trump was clearly moving to tilt the balance in that war in favor of Moscow against the U.S. ally attempting to stymie Russian aggression. Do any of the pathetic Republicans on the Intelligence Committee have an explanation for why the military aid, as approved by Congress, was withheld? Or do they simply argue that the president had a right to do it if he wanted to? Is that a sufficient answer? No. There is no explanation other than the one the preponderance of evidence suggests: Trump extorted Ukraine in order to get Zelensky to go to “a public box” and announce that an investigation “leaving no stone unturned” is being launched into the alleged actions of Trump’s strongest presidential rival, former Vice President Joe Biden and his son. It was also generally overlooked in the media coverage that Ambassador Taylor stated to the committee he was prepared to resign over this withholding, thinking to himself at the time, “The Russians will love this, Trump will get his statement about Biden and still withhold the military aid, and I quit.” These actions by Trump were described by Taylor as “crazy,” as “counterproductive to all the U.S. is trying to do supporting Ukraine as a front line state against Russia.” It was stated by Tim Morrison, Fiona Hill’s replacement at the National Security Council, that Trump’s position was that “he wanted no assistance to go to Ukraine, at all,” though Zelensky was led to believe that “everything,” the military aid and an Oval Office meeting with Trump, was dependent upon his announcing the investigation against the Bidens. The Russians launched a new aggressive military offensive in Ukraine beginning in 2014, and so far 14,000 Ukraine civilians have died at their hand fighting against the invasion. In addition, 298 citizens were killed when the Russian aggressors shot down a civilian airliner. The U.S. response was initially to put $1.6 billion into Ukraine to help shore up its defenses, including at a training facility near Lvov. When recruited into the Ukraine acting ambassadorship earlier this summer, Taylor said he showed up in Kyiv to find the situation “confusing and unusual,” with an irregular channel involving Trump loyalists like Giuliani, Sondland, Perry and Mulvaney on one track and the regular U.S. foreign service effort on another. Giuliani seemed bent on discrediting and smearing the existing Ambassador Yovanovich and she was eventually removed. This was despite the fact that for 30 years Ukraine had remained free and at peace. Nicholas Benton may be emailed at nfbenton@fcnp.com.
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Nicholas F. Benton
Our Man in Arlington By Charlie Clark
Arlington’s “Hippie High,” as the H-B Woodlawn Secondary program is sometimes dubbed, has broken much new ground in its nearly five decades. So it’s no surprise that it helped break ground for the first high-rise school in the Arlington system. The Oct. 26 ribbon-cutting for its new quarters in the not-quitefinished Heights Building in upper Rosslyn drew 300 parents, students and alums, I was told by Principal Casey Robinson. She conducted my tour of the modern (but still H-B funky) seven-story building with students and many teachers off for Election Day. I got a taste of its layout and special H-B adaptations accompanied by two members of the Arlington Planning Commission, plus a fellow former H-B parent, Robert Siegel, the retired on-air NPR stalwart. “The Heights,” which houses both H-B (grades 6-12) and the renamed Eunice Kennedy Shriver program for special needs students, is a far cry from the tentacled single-story Arlington schools built in the 1950s, when land was plentiful. Construction cranes loom on a commercial lot next door (the H-B kids will soon lose a north view) abutting a temporary fire station. In the lobby by the main office stands a rack of Metro SmartTrip brochures and a neighborhood map — very urban. H-B gave up some of the spacious athletic fields at the old Stratford building, and countywide bus service was reduced
from 100 stops to 42, requiring more walking. But Robinson is grateful the teenagers’ special start time — 9:25 a.m. — was preserved. Ten weeks after the faculty gathered wearing hard hats on Aug. 19 to warm up the white glassy building, some final wall touches remain unfinished, and they’re still buying furniture for the inviting outdoor decks. There was “a lot of camaraderie, since it’s emotional to move out and a lot of work to move in,” said Robinson, like many staff, herself an alum. “Now there’s renewed energy.” Robinson still meets regularly with architect, the Bjarke Ingels Group, on the structure housing 775 that resembles an immense stack of garment boxes. “It’s challenging when you get with a star firm with a vision,” says Robinson, who, like many staff, wears jeans and an H-B hoodie and is addressed by her first name. They negotiated the right for students to decorate the glass windows. “We had to get used to life with elevators,” which open to a view of TV screens with activity announcements. One adjustment: assuring mingling among students who conceivably could spend their days without visiting other floors. “Way finding” for newcomers is aided by floor-specific bright wall colors (purple, red, blue, yellow, orange, lime green and calming white) selected by the architect after consultation. “I’ll meet you on the blue floor,” is heard commonly. The gym area contains no bleachers (most H-B
athletes compete on teams at the main high schools). Twenty-firstcentury music and theater rooms provide improved acoustics. Nostalgic vestiges from the old building include a framed H-B logo from the center of the old gym and student art recalling the former address on “Vacation Lane.” Most dominating is a huge wall rendering of the student behavior motto Verbum Sap Sat (“a word to the wise is sufficient”) spread across color photos of the famous class-by-class display of senior philosophical graffiti. The biggest issue for parents, Robinson said, is security. The building does have the same postColumbine numbered exits as other schools, and visitors use a side entrance. But the kids enjoy an “open campus” (the new cafeteria seats only 100), and exits are unlocked for those already inside. H-B has grown by 100 students in the past six years, Robinson says, with rising interest among families who enter the lottery more for the choice school’s small size more than its student-centered philosophy. The unique community used to be “nicely off the radar,” she said. “Now we’re on the radar.” *** Middle school history teacher Dakota Springston is following in the footsteps of his mother, longtime Arlington historian Kathryn Holt Springston. That’s Dakota in the current Smithsonian Associates bulletin offering tours of Arlington Civil War sites. Among the gems: the location of famous photographer Mathew Brady’s studio — on today’s Wilson Blvd. near the TD Bank in Ballston.
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TO LETTERS THE EDITOR Continued from Page 6
some members of City Council are calling for scooters to be banned from sidewalks (except for on Routes 7 and 29). This would be a regressive change to our City code that would endanger City residents who ride e-scooters on busier roads like Annandale, Great Falls, West, Lincoln and Hillwood or in areas with limited visibility. At two square miles Falls Church is an ideal candidate for shared mobility devices such as e-scooters, which offer people the ability to make short trips without the use of a car. Our Council claims to support alternate modes of transportation. Let’s hope they make it safer and easier for people to choose to leave their cars at home by rejecting this amendment to our City code. Andrea Caumont Falls Church
City Should Improve Sidewalks to Increase Scooter Safety Editor, Thank you for the interesting article on scooters in the Falls Church News-Press in the Oct. 24-30 edition. I am a bike rider and have large wheels on my bike. Unfortunately, scooters have small wheels. Small wheels mean higher risk. When sidewalks are poorly constructed and maintained, the risk is even greater. I would suggest that Falls Church spend some of the surplus we have to improve the sidewalk infrastructure. None of us will be happy when scooters are crashing due to poor sidewalks. Pete Corbino Falls Church
LO CA L New Bump-Outs in Falls Church Are A Very Bad Idea Editor, In my humble opinion, the bump-outs that are being built at several intersections in Falls Church will be found to present a hazard and inconvenience without any benefit. By “bump-out” I mean the curb/sidewalk structures being built at intersections, narrowing the roadways. These bump-outs will make safe driving difficult for large vehicles such as school busses, fire engines, and emergency rescue vehicles. The problem is that, by narrowing the roadway, large vehicles that are making a right turn will have to intrude on the oncoming traffic lane, and if this lane is occupied traffic will be impeded. The handy solution, of course, is to keep the normal traffic from getting close to the intersection, and you can observe this at some of the already completed bump-out intersections where the “wheel stop line” has been painted well back from the intersection. This precludes right
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
turn on red because from the stop line a driver cannot see the crossing traffic. Drivers can be expected to move forward after stopping to see whether the way is clear, thereby interfering with any oncoming right turn traffic. Perhaps of less importance, the bump-outs will be an inconvenience to snow removal efforts for two reasons. It will be difficult to avoid collisions with the curbs, and the bump-outs will limit the space to deposit the snow (presuming that the intersection will be kept open to pedestrians). Lastly, building bump-outs is expensive, and if they must be removed later, when they are found to be undesirable, they will be even more expensive. John Transue Falls Church
promoted by Onevirginia 2021 would take redistricting out of the hands of the legislature and put it in the hands of a commission with eight citizens and eight legislators appointed by retired judges. Six citizens and six legislators would have to approve new maps and the legislature could not amend them. This plan passed the Virginia House and Senate in the last session. As per the Virginia constitution, it will have to be approved again in the upcoming legislative session. If approved, it will be placed on the ballot next November for approval by the voters. Roy Relph Via the Internet
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Editor, The Democrats may not be in control of redistricting in Virginia for 2021. The anti-gerrymandering constitutional amendment
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Business News & Notes Dine-Out at Pancake House to Benefit Recovery Program Solutions The Original Pancake House is hosting a dine-out day to benefit Recovery Program Solutions of Virginia on Nov. 14 during which 15 percent of the total day’s sales at the Falls Church store will be donated to RPSV to support adults with mental health, substance abuse, and homelessness issues.The Original Pancake House is open from 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. daily and is located at 7395 Lee Highway in Falls Church. For more information visit www. recoveryprograms.us or www.ophrestaurants.com.
F.C. Business Community Feted at Chamber Celebration Friday The Falls Church Chamber of Commerce will honor two businesses and three individuals at its Bright Lights in the Little City community celebration on Friday, Nov. 15 at The State Theatre. Karma Yoga and Wellness will receive the Chamber’s New Business of the Year Award while Body Dynamics, Inc. will be recognized with the Business of the Year Award. Becky Witsman, economic development chief for the City of Falls Church, will receive the Chamber Appreciation Award and Sharon Schoeller and Edward Saltzburg, long time volunteers for the Falls Church City Public Schools and the Economic Development Authority, respectively, will be honored with the prestigious Pillars of the Community Award. Residents and members of the community are encouraged to attend this salute to the business community and its contributions to the local economy. The event will include hors d’oeuvres, desserts, live music, and a silent auction. For more information about the event and ticket availability, visit www. FallsChurchChamber.org.
Guatemalan Trunk Show at Bedazzled This Weekend Beadazzled will host a Guatemalan trunk show this weekend. Diamanti Designs will bring a collection of beaded jewelry, ornaments, keychains and more as well as traditional and contemporary textile crafts including colorful pouches and leather handbags embellished with vintage handwoven textiles, all at direct-importer prices. The trunk show, which will include brief illustrated talks regarding the cultural and geographical context of the Mayan creations, will be held Saturday, Nov. 16 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday, Nov 17 from noon – 6 p.m. Diamanti Designs adheres to Fair Trade practices and has been helping support this beautiful Mayan community and its artists for years. Beadazzled is located at 444 W. Broad Street in Falls Church. For more information, visit www.beadazzled.com.
Dogfish Head Alehouse Raises $6K+ for Breast Cancer Awareness Dogfish Head Alehouse restaurants hosted events, conducted auctions, and sold t-shirts to raise funds for three breast cancer awareness organizations in October. The efforts raised $6,164 Life with Cancer, BREM and the Side Out Foundation. Known for its namesake beer, restaurant specialties include wood-fired “off-centered” burgers, pizzas and seafood, as well as fresh salads and sandwiches. Dogfish Head Alehouses are located in Gaithersburg, Fairfax, and at 6220 Leesburg Pike in Falls Church. For more information, www.dogfishalehouse.com.
F.C. Chamber to Hold Nonprofit Forum at Luncheon Next Thursday A nonprofit forum luncheon will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn Falls Church on Thursday, Nov. 21 from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. More than a dozen local nonprofit organizations working in the fields of human services, education, history, live theater and music and the visual arts will have information regarding volunteer and fundraising opportunities available. The event, co-sponsored by the Hilton Garden Inn Falls Church, is part of the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce’s monthly networking luncheon series but members of the community are welcome. Details and ticket information is available at www. FallsChurchChamber.org. 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.
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Big Plays Hurt Mason, Rematch Set in Nokesville by Natalie Heavren
Falls Church News-Press
George Mason High School Football fell 34-21 to Brentsville District High School last Friday in part one of two, as the teams will have a rematch in the first round of the playoffs tomorrow. Mason fell victim to the Tigers’ big plays several times throughout the night, and once the offense went cold and injuries started piling up in the second half, the Mustangs struggled to keep pace. Twenty-one unanswered points from Brentsville put the game officially out of reach. “[We lost sophomore two-way player] George [Papadopolous] and we lost [junior two-way player] Nate Jaramillo, so we lost two defensive starters for basically the entire second half,” said head coach Adam Amerine. “George [is] the general in the secondary and he makes our adjustments. So you can see we struggled a little bit with him off the field,” he continued. The Tigers showed their big play ability with a long touchdown pass just 28 seconds into the game. However, the Mustangs
good health to start the game allowed them to stay competitive. It would take some time, but the Mustangs were able to gain momentum towards the end of the first quarter. On a fourth and five with less than two minutes to go Papadopoulos took a direct snap on the punt and was able to pick up the first down. Mason capitalized on Brentsville’s penalties when Jaramillo ran the ball in for the Mustangs first touchdown of the night with 11 seconds left in the first quarter. Senior running back Connor Plaks ran the ball in for the two-point conversion to put the team ahead 8-7. On the next drive Mason stopped the Tigers on their first two plays. But on the third play of the drive the defense was torched on a long pass and catch that resulted in a big play touchdown for Brentsville. After a failed twopoint conversion, the Tigers took a 13-8 lead with 10 minutes left in the second quarter. The Mustangs would respond with a touchdown of their own two and a half minutes later. After a long pass from sophomore quarterback Evans Rice to senior wide
ROLLING OUT for a pass is sophomore quarterback Evans Rice, whose arm could help in Mason’s playoff rematch at Brentsville District High School tomorrow. (Photo: Carol Sly) receiver Enzo Paradiso put the team within the red zone Mason called a timeout. Coming out of the timeout Plaks ran the ball into the endzone for the team’s second touchdown. A failed two-point conversion gave the Mustangs a 14-13 lead. Brentsville poured it on with three straight touchdowns before the halfway point in the fourth quarter, effectively ending the
game. Despite the cold weather and the improbability of winning towards the end of the game the Mustangs never gave up. Mason would score their final touchdown on a pass from Rice to Paradiso with four minutes left to play. Even with the loss the team made the playoffs, something Amerine stressed to his players after the game. “I said ‘You guys are a playoff
team. You earned it. No one can take that from you, but now it’s the postseason and anything can happen. And we have the capability to win football games in the postseason, we just have to put it together for 48 minutes,’” he said. Mason heads to Nokesville to try and shut down Brentsville’s big play machine in the opening round of the playoffs tomorrow at 7 p.m.
Mustangs’ Season Ends in 5-Set Epic Vs. Independence High by Caitlin Butler
Falls Church News-Press
George Mason High School fell to Independence High School in a hard fought five-set game, ending its season in the 3B region tournament semifinals. “We came out tense. We don’t play well when we’re tense. Some teams play well serious, we don’t. We have to be having fun,” said Junior outside hitter Megan Boesen. The Mustangs season ended with a whimper after forcing a fifth and decisive set against the sixth-seeded Tigers. A strong start was overtaken by Independence, which built a lead that steadily grew into a 15-8 win for the road team and a season-ending loss for Mason on its home court. “We definitely gave it our all. Before the fifth set our coach said ‘I want you guys to leave 100 percent on the floor,’” Boesen added. “We definitely did that. Things just weren’t clicking tonight and that’s inevitable.” Independence’s competitive edge was clear throughout the
JUNIOR LIBERO Caroline Poley digs a ball to keep Mason alive, but the team couldn’t dig themselves out of a hole against Independence High School in its 3-2 loss. (Photo: Carol Sly) match as the visitors often traded blowout set wins with close losses to the Mustangs. The Tigers roared in first set, nailing down a 13-4 lead quickly over Mason. The Mustangs were able to loosen up toward the end of the set with a block from junior
middle hitter Vanessa George, but still trailed 22-13, a precursor to the 25-13 final score. Back-to-back aces from Boesen established a stronger tone to start the second set. The Mustangs continued to apply pressure at the net and with the serve to secure
a score of 25-20 win to draw that match even at 1-1. Once again, Independence quickly took control of the third set by accruing a 6-0 advantage. A messy fault and a block by junior middle hitter Roza Gal put Mason back in the mix at 7-2. But
things began to slip through the Mustangs’ fingers when the Tigers claimed three consecutive aces to lead 16-4 lead. Independence would go on to win the third set easily at 25-12. Set four was a neck-and-neck battle between the two teams seeking a state berth. The Mustangs broke away and found a gap in the Tigers defense with a swift point from junior right side hitter Alexis Holewinski, allowing Mason to lead at 15-11. Independence countered and eventually tied up the Mustangs 21-21 apiece. Mason head coach Derek Baxter called for a timeout to settle the Mustangs down, and the team was able to delay its eventual elimination with a 25-22 fourth set win. “From the beginning we had a different kind of bond than we’ve had in the last years, as a team on and off the court. There’s so much to look forward to for next season, we have amazing coaches. They show up for us and that’s important for us to have in our lives. We hope to come out even stronger next year,” Boesen said.
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GEORGE MASON HIGH SCHOOL’S theatre department will be performing “A Chorus Line — High School Edition” for its annual fall play next weekend. The story is centered around Broadway chorus members and their stories, which are unveiled over the course of auditions for a new show. As Mason’s theatre arts teacher Shawn Northrip told the News-Press, “It highlights the lives of those who usually just fill in the backgrounds of our favorite musicals, telling the childhood tragedies and triumphs that inspired them to pursue lives as dancers.” Performances are Nov. 21 – 23 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 for students, $10 for general admission. Tickets are available at the door. (Photo: Courtesy Shawn Northrip)
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Bailey’s Elementary Awarded For Excellence in Web Design Fairfax County Public Schools has recognized ten school websites for excellence in web design and use of web-based tools in the 2019 Best of the Web Awards. Winners were recognized at this year’s Web Curators conference. Bailey’s Elementary School won “Best Use of Photography.” The website’s curator is Sara Quesenbery. The school’s principal is Julie Easa. Bailey’s website features a number of photo galleries that tell the story of what’s happening in the classroom through photos. Partners in Print, teachers’ professional development and accomplishments, student artwork and project-based learning projects, and arts-related projects are depicted in photo form.
F.C. Band Boosters Host Fundraiser at Pizzeria Orso Interested attendees can celebrate the arts and support young musicians at Pizzeria Orso (400 S. Maple Ave., Falls Church) from 5 – 9 p.m. on Nov. 19.
For all customers opting to benefit Falls Church City Public Schools’ band students, Pizzeria Orso will donate 15 percent of dinein and take out sales to Falls Church City Band Boosters. The award-winning, familyfriendly city restaurant features authentic Neapolitan volcanic brick oven fired pizza, salads, sandwiches and pasta. The event is co-hosted by FCCBB, which runs the non-profit music lesson program, provides music scholarships, as well as funds music clinics and experiences for FCCPS students. For more information contact: Ari Autor at fccps.bandboosters@ gmail.com or visit bandboostersfcc. org.
McLean High School Yearbook & Newspaper Recognized Student journalists from nine different publication staffs at six different Fairfax County public schools have been named Crown Award finalists by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) for work produced during the 2018-19 academic year. All nine of the nominat-
ed publications will receive either a Silver or Gold Crown Award at an award ceremony at Columbia University on March 20, 2020. Crown Award finalists from local FCPS schools are: Yearbook category: Caledonia, McLean High School — Meghan Percival, adviser Hybrid News category: The Highlander, McLean High School — Lindsay Benedict, adviser.
Nominations for End-of-Year Awards Now Open Falls Church City Public Schools’ award nominating season has arrived and offers the community a chance to recognize outstanding FCCPS employees by submitting a nomination for one of our awards: Falls Church Education Foundation Teacher of the Year; Professional Specialist of the Year and Support Staff Employee of the Year. Nomination forms will be available online at fccps.org. The deadline for submitting nominations is Friday, Jan. 3. All nominees will be surprised in January. The winners will be announced in April.
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FALLS CHURCHCALENDAR COMMUNITYEVENTS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14 Community Meeting: Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center. The City of Alexandria, City of Falls Church and Arlington County will host community meetings in November to obtain public input for a study examining the future of the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center (Center). The facility, located in Alexandria, is operated by the three jurisdictions through a regional Juvenile Detention Commission. Juvenile incarceration rates across the nation have declined over the last decade, including in the three jurisdictions that use the center. An independent criminal justice consulting firm, The Moss Group (TMG), is conducting the study. TMG is evaluating what changes, if any, could
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be made to the center to make it more efficient while still meeting the needs of the juvenile population and communities at large; or whether the center should be closed due to underutilization, and youth detained in another center in Northern Virginia. The series of community meetings are part of TMG’s comprehensive analysis, study of the operations and costs of the center and development of recommendations. A librarian will coordinate the discussions. Laurel Room @ City Hall (300 Park Ave., Falls Church). 7 – 8:30 p.m. 703-248-5210.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15 The Teen Center @ The St. James. The Saint James is a new premier destination for sports, wellness and entertainment. On this bus trip to the complex’s Springfield location, interested attendees will explore the facility which
includes Trampoline Jump, Nerf Battle Zone, Climbing Structures, Ropes Course and a Ninja Warrior Course. For ages 10 – 14. $50 for registration. Participants must wear closed toed shoes. Attendees should bring money for dinner. Register in person at the Community Center or by calling 703-248-5027. Community Center (223 Little Falls St., Falls Church). 5:30 – 9:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16 Farmers Market. The year-round market is filled with fresh, local produce, meat and more. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Falls Church). 8 a.m. – noon. 703-248-5034.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18 ESL Conversation Group. A general conversation group (for adults) learning English as a second language. Walk-in. Mary Riley Styles
The BEST CONDO in the PREMIER PROFESSIONAL BUILDING in Falls Church • On the first floor (no steps and no elevator). • Has own heating and AC, plus the building’s. • Own private entrance from parking lot. • Zoned professional and retail (first floor) • Most beautiful condo in the building • Excess parking beyond code • Located across street from City Hall. • New Harris Teeter ½ block away • Very quiet (two outside + one lead lined wall) • Tax assessment of $213,900. 841 sq. ft. net • For Sale by owner $185,000. (principles only)
Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 7 – 8:30 p.m.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19 Paws to Read at the Library. Children can come and read with a canine companion. Grades K-5. Registration required. Registration opens two weeks prior to the date of every program at the Youth Services desk by phone 703-2485034 or in person. Registration not accepted by email. Mary Riley Styles Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 5 – 6 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20 Early Release Wednesday: Totem Pole Stories. For children grades K-5th, registration required. For more information or to register, contact the Youth Services desk by phone 703-248-5034 or in person. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Falls Church). 3 – 4 p.m.
THEATER&ARTS
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15 “Anything Goes.” A musical comedy set aboard the S.S. American on its voyage from New York to London. The play is set in the 1930’s and this comedy takes audiences on a journey full of laughter and romance. The production features songs such as “It’s De-Lovely” and “I Get a Kick Out of You.” This Cole Porter musical contains some adult themes and is recommended for adults of all ages and for children twelve and older. Justice High School (3301 Peace Valley Lane, Falls Church). $15. 7 p.m. wolfpacktheatre.org.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16 “Jungle Book.” Danger lurks everywhere for young Mowgli as he learns the “laws of the jungle” from his friends Akela, the wolf, Baloo, the bear, and Bagheera, the panther, who warn him that Shere Khan, the tiger, wants to eat him. But when Mowgli is forced to leave his friends and return to the village from which he came, he
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soon learns that man is the most dangerous creature of all. With sensitive themes about loyalty, honor, courage, and persistence, the “Jungle Book” stories have irresistible appeal for audiences of every generation. Creative Cauldron (410 S. Maple Ave., Falls Church) $20. 7:30 p.m. creativecauldron.org. “A Chorus Line.” Signature continues its tradition of big musicals in intimate spaces with one of the most iconic musicals ever written. Up close in the audition room, feel every heartbeat and heartbreak as hopeful dancers pour out their dreams, memories, loves, and why they dance in a breathtaking display of the tremendous talent it takes to be in a chorus line. With one of the largest casts in Signature history, “A Chorus Line” is the one singular sensation for the holiday season. Signature Theatre (420 Campbell Ave., Arlington) $40 – $103. 8 p.m. sigtheatre.org.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17 “White Pearl.” Clearday is a cosmetics company on the rise: Based in Singapore, launching a global skincare line, and bringing a start-up mentality to the big leagues. But a draft ad for their latest skin whitening cream surfaces on YouTube, gathering views and outrage. As morning nears in the U.S. market—19,643 views. 467,327. 654,398.—Clearday’s allfemale team hustles to contain the damage before Buzzfeed weighs in. Someone’s definitely getting fired. Studio Theatre (1501 14th Street NW, Washington, D.C.) $20 – $90. 2 p.m. studiotheatre.org.
LIVEMUSIC THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14 Randoll Rivers Elvis Show. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 5:30 p.m. 703-2419504. Judge Smith. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 6:30 p.m. 703-237-8333. Lucy Wainwright Roche. Jammin’
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Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $15 – $25. 7:30 p.m. 703-2551566. Trace Bundy. Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd. Vienna). $27. 8 p.m. 703-255-1900. Karaoke. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 8 p.m. 703-8589186. 19th Street Band. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8:30 p.m. 703-2419504.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15 Dreamsville Jazz by Jacque. Clare and Don’s Beach Shack. (130 North Washington St., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-532-9283. Happy Hour: Shartel & Hume Duo. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 5:30 p.m. 703-241-9504. VFW CULTFEST Preshow: The Mostly Dead; Lounge Lizard; Sex Worker; Dead End Lane. VFW (7118 Shreve Rd, Falls Church). $5. 7 p.m. 703-901-6786. The Silkroad Ensemble. Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd. Vienna). $62. 8 p.m. 703-255-1900. Allison Moorer (Moderated by Melissa Block). Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $17 – $49. 8 p.m. 703-255-1566. North American Comedy Brewery Tour. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 8 p.m. 703-858-9186. Smylin’ Jack with Doug Belford, Steve Bray and Pauline Ansondross. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 9 p.m. 703-241-9504.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16
HALF PINT HARRY will be at Dogwood Tavern on Saturday. (Photo: HalfPintHarry.com) Falls Church). 4:30 p.m. 703-2419504. VFW CULTFEST: olde tigers; RUIN by DESIGN; The XILES; Personal Crisis; The Donalds; Love Roses; The Ambulance Review; 3:33. VFW (7118 Shreve Rd. Falls Church). $10. 7:00 p.m. 703901-6786. Carter Farm Band. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 8 p.m. 703-858-9186. Saved by the 90s — A Party with The Bayside Tigers. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). $17 – $20. 9 p.m. 703-237-0300.
Trinity Christian School. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $5 – $10. 2 p.m. 703-255-1566.
Rust & The Lost Highway Band. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 9 p.m. 703241-9504.
Dirt Road with Bob Chew. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd.,
Half Pint Harry. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church).
10 p.m. 703-237-8333.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17 Bentwood Rockers. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 1 p.m. 703-2419504. The Successful Failures Rock N’ Roll. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 4 p.m. 703-241-9504. Open Mic. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 5 p.m. 703-8589186. All Together Now: A “LIVERPOOLooza” of DC Beatles Music Bands. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $30. 5:30 p.m. 703-255-1566. The Touche Funk Motown Band. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 9 p.m. 703241-9504.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18 Anna Tivel + Maya DeVitry. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $15. 7:30 p.m. 703255-1566.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19 Jesca Hoop. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $20. 7 p.m. 703-255-1566.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20 Angel Snow with Justin Wade Tam (of Humming House). Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $10 – $20. 7:30 p.m. 703-255-1566. Brian Newman. Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd. Vienna). $24. 8 p.m. 703-255-1900. Bob Hume Band — Open Mic. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8:30 p.m. 703-241-9504.
Calendar Submissions Email: calendar@fcnp.com | Mail: Falls Church News-Press, Attn: Calendar, 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church, VA 22046
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.
PAGE 20 | NOVEMBER 14 - 20, 2019
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C L AS S I F I E DS For Sale REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
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Services SERVICES
DIVORCE - UNCONTESTED $395+$86 court cost. WILLS $195.00. No court appearance. Estimated completion time twenty-one days. Hilton Oliver, Attorney (Facebook). 757-490-0126. Se Habla Espanol. BBB Member. https://hiltonoliverattorneyva.com.
Public Notice ABC LICENSE FAIRVIEW PARK LESSEE, LLC., Trading as: MARRIOTT FAIRVIEW PARK, 3111 Fairview Park Drive, Falls Church, Virginia 22042-4550. The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) for a Mixed Beverage Caterer license. Bret McLeod, Authorized Signatory of Lakeood FVP, LLC, the Operating Member of Fairview Park Holdings LLC, the sole Member of Fairview Park Lessee, LLC. NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.
Notice of Petition for Termination of Parental Rights G.L. c. 210, § 3 Docket No. MI19A0245CW Commonwealth Of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court In the matter of: Chloe Justiniano To: Any unknown or unnamed father,
parent(s) of the above named child. Middlesex Probate and Family Court 208 Cambridge Street Cambridge, Massachusetts 02141 (617) 768-5800 *A putative father will not have standing as a party to this case without a voluntary acknowledgment of parentage or an adjudication of paternity. A petition has been presented to said court by Adoptions with Love, Inc., Newton, MA 02464, requesting that the parent(s) of the child lack(s) current ability, capacity, fitness and readiness to assume parental responsibility for the child; that the petitioner’s plan for the child will serve the child’s best interests; and, requesting that this Honorable Court enter a decree under the provisions of the General Laws of Massachusetts, Chapter 210, Section 3, that shall have the effect of terminating the rights of the person(s) named herein to receive notice of or to consent to any legal proceeding affecting the custody, guardianship, adoption of other disposition of the child named herein. IF YOU DESIRE TO OBJECT THERETO, YOU OR YOUR ATTORNEY MUST FILE A WRITTEN APPEARANCE IN SAID COURT AT: Cambridge ON OR BEFORE TEN O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING (10:00AM) ON 12/10/2019 YOU ARE ENTITLED TO THE APPOINTMENT OF AN ATTORNEY IF YOU ARE AN INDIGENT PERSON. An indigent person is defined by SJC RULE 3:10. The definition includes but is not limited to persons receiving AFDC, EAEDC, poverty related veteran’s benefits, food stamps, refugee resettlement benefits, Medicaid and SSI. The Court will determine if you are indigent. Contact an Assistant Judicial Case Manager/Adoptions Clerk of the Court on or before the date listed above to obtain the necessary forms. WITNESS: Hon. Maureen H. Monks First Justice of this Court Date: October 10, 2019 Tara E. DeCristofaro, Register of Probate
CACFP Non-pricing Child and Adult Day care Centers Children of America announces the sponsorship of The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). The same meals will be available at no separate charge to all participants at each CACFP facility without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA. Persons with disabilities who require alter-
native means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at {800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a complaint complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr. usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call {866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 202509410 fax: {202) 690-7442; or email: program.intake@usda.gov. The center will receive free or reducedprice meal reimbursement based on the following income scales effective from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020. Family Size 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Eligibility Scale for Reduced Price Meals $23,107 $31,284 $39,461 $47,638 $55,815 $63,992 $72,169 $80,346
Each additional person: $8,177
ABC LICENSE
FAIRVIEW PARK LESSEE, LLC., Trading as: MARRIOTT FAIRVIEW PARK, 3111 Fairview Park Drive, Falls Church, Virginia 22042-4550. The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) Wine and Beer On and Off Premises and Mixed Beverage Restaurant license. Bret McLeod, Authorized Signatory of Lakeood FVP, LLC, the Operating Member of Fairview Park Holdings LLC, the sole Member of Fairview Park Lessee, LLC. NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.
AUCTIONS
Auction
DO YOU HAVE old stamps, coins, or
AUCTIONS ATTENTION AUCTIONEERS: Adver-
tise your upcoming auctions statewide or in other states. Affordable Print and Digital Solutions reaching your target audiences. Call this paper or Landon Clark at Virginia Press Services 804-521-7576, landonc@ vpa.net
AUCTION REAL ESTATE AUCTION THURS.
DEC 5 AT 4PM. 311 Acres offered in 6 large tracts and 10 one-acre building lots. The zoning offers great potential for commercial, industrial, residential, agricultural, and recreational uses. Long public road frontage. Land joins George Washington National Forest. Located on Magnolia Ave. (Rte. 501) across from Dickinson Ln. in Buena Vista, VA. Minimum bid $572,000 (plus 5% buyer’s premium). Contact Woltz & Associates, Inc. Brokers & Auctioneers VA#321. 800-551-3588 - woltz.com
AUCTION RVA TAX SALE Online and onsite
auction for 60+/- City of Richmond tax delinquent properties. Bidding begins Wed., Nov. 20 at 2 p.m. Preview properties online. Motleys, 3600 Deepwater Terminal Rd., Richmond, VA | www.motleys.com/ rvataxsale | 877-MOTLEYS. VAL16
documents? EV Stamps in Richmond is actively seeking consignments for our weekly auctions. Call Emerald Ventures 804-266-3071 or visit www.evstamps.com. AUCTION ONLINE AUCTION Construction Equipment & Trucks. Wayjo Co. Total Liquidation Auction includes Excavators, Directional Drills, Trucks, Trailers, Tools and Much More. Bid Tues., Nov. 19 - Thurs, Nov. 21 at 11 am. BID ONLINE @ MOTLEYS.COM. Motleys Industrial | 877-MOTLEYS. VAL16 AUCTIONS
GUN AUCTION! Online only guns,
ammo, and swords auction. Ending soon! Over 100 items. Rhoadesville VA. Bid now: wilsonauctionco.com. VAAF# 2908000769
Education/Career Training EDUCATION/CAREER TRAINING AIRLINES ARE HIRING Get FAA ap-
proved hands on Aviation training. Financial aid for qualified students - Career placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance SCHEV certified 877-204- 4130
fcnp.com
KIDS LOVE SCALLIWAG By Eileen Levy
Be good to those in need, Old, sick, we have to heed
A RTS&E NTE RTA I NME NT
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Crossword
ACROSS
By David Levinson Wilk 1
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Across
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1. Yearwood of country music 7. Scot’s headwear 10. Got ready to be photographed 15. Class for cooking, sewing, etc. 16. F1 neighbor 17. Animal that frolics in streams 18. Britain, Spain or France, once 19. Film director who was once told by Jack Nicholson “Just because you’re a perfectionist doesn’t mean you’re perfect” 21. Bel ____ cheese 22. Miniature racer 23. Physical, as a store 25. Novelists Shreve and Brookner 29. “... or ____ thought” 30. Actress Long 31. Defense grp. since 1948 32. Hammer-on-the-thumb cries 33. Rating for “Game of Thrones” 35. Modern lead-in to space or security 38. Neighborhood to get kimchi and bibimbap, informally 40. Look some homeowners achieve by stripping away drywall ... or what’s created in four places by the walls of this puzzle? 43. Dead duck 45. Diarist Nin 46. ____ ghanouj 49. Pantry pest 50. O’er and o’er 52. “Law & Order: ____” 54. Something to confess at a confessional
STRANGE BREW
1. Yearwood of country music
NOVEMBER 14 – 20, 2019 | PAGE 21
55. What Beyoncé decided to do in 2002 57. Making a faux pas 60. Animal in a Beatles ballad 62. Stand-up comedian’s prop, often 63. Neapolitan or Margherita, perhaps 66. Like some custards 67. Univision newsman Jorge ____ 68. ___ Lingus 69. Three-alarm events 70. Below 90° 71. Hosp. staffers 72. Most foxy
DOWN
1. People say you shouldn’t live in it 2. Russian czarist dynasty 3. Hindrances 4. Quake 5. This point forward 6. 1 or 11, in blackjack 7. Inventor with a coil named after him 8. The U.S.’s first multimillionaire 9. Exam for a future Rx writer 10. Roman in the movie business 11. ‘90s “SNL” regular Cheri 12. Digs for pigs 13. “A mouse!” 14. R&B’s ____ Hill 20. Elite Eight org. 22. Patronizes, as a motel 24. Puerto ____ 26. Napped 27. “That is sooo cute!” 28. W-2 info 31. “Only the Lonely” singer
JOHN DEERING
Sudoku
34. Guitar, in slang 36. Affleck of “Gone Girl” 37. Author LeShan 39. Getting stuff done, initially 41. Slide out of place 42. “Let us know if you’re coming” letters 43. Comedy bit 44. Dedicator of Iceland’s Imagine Peace Tower 47. Major natural disasters, slangily 48. Pro with a couch 51. Hubs 53. Try to induce a bigger purchase 56. “... but I could be wrong” 57. Bagel order, maybe 58. Jungle noises 59. “To whom ____ concern ...” 61. Industry mogul 63. “R.I.P.” singer Rita 64. Shop-____ 65. It’ll never fly 66. Dumbbell abbr. Last Thursday’s Solution P L U M L A S C U N H A Y E T P A R G R E A D D N A B E N J A L A I G E R M G A R Y A N A G O T E R E
J A N I C E N I N A H B O
O B L A D M E P O M I K E A A H Y T A S L A N Y C G U V E S S L U O F
I S A A C S K A T E A H A
M E N S C H
P A Y
A U E E R T A P L L A N Y A I T T
E M B R Y O S
O N T A S K E A S L E O S R I E N
T H I S O N E
C O L O N E L
P I N C H E D
I L L Y R S
By The Mepham Group
Level 1 2 3 4
7. Scot's headwear 10. Got ready to be photographed 15. Class for cooking, sewing, etc. 16. F1 neighbor 17. Animal that frolics in streams 18. Britain, Spain or France, once 19. Film director who was once told by Jack Nicholson "Just because you're a perfectionist doesn't mean you're perfect"
1
21. Bel ____ cheese 22. Miniature racer 23. Physical, as a store 25. Novelists Shreve and Brookner 29. "... or ____ thought"
Solution to last Sunday’s puzzle
30. Actress Long NICK KNACK
© 2019 N.F. Benton
1
11/17/19
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 sudoku.org.uk. © 2019 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.
LO CA L
PAGE 22 | NOVEMBER 14 – 20, 2019
dog. lazy ick qu The fox sly p e d j u m the over dog. lazy is the Now for all time cows good co me to aid to the the ir of t u r e . pas
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BACK IN THE DAY
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Falls Church News-Press Vol. IX, No. 36 • November 17, 1999
Falls Church News-Press Vol. XIX, No. 37 • November 18, 2009
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
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It is now the time fo r all good to go cows to aid of the the ir pas ture . * * * Throw * * Pour it up. it up
Fitzgerald Says She Won’t Seek Another Term
F.C. Council Mulls Election Shift From May to November
Two-term Falls Church City Council member Merni Fitzgerald, the City’s top individual vote getter of the decade, surprised a gathering of the Citizens for a Better City Sunday by announcing she would not be seeking a third term next May. Her announcement threw open one of the seats that was considered a sure thing for CBC-supported candidates.
A hot and controversial issue will come before the Falls Church City Council Monday night, as it will consider an ordinance to change the date of municipal elections in the City of Falls Church from May to November. A consistent pattern of a dramatic contrast in levels of voter turnout led Councilmen Lawrence Webb and Dan Sze to examine the subject.
There’s a time to check whether your kid’s in the right car seat. This isn’t it.
ZOE found a friend in the carved fox at Cherry Hill Park. Her Nonna captured the buddies and their blossoming affection for each other during a visit to the Little City in September.
Car crashes are a leading killer of children 1 to 13. Is your child in the right car seat? Don’t think you know. Know you know.
Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! Send in your Critter Corner submissions to crittercorner@fcnp.com.
C � � � � � F� � � � C � � � � �
CRIME REPORT safercar.gov/TheRightSeat
Week of Nov. 4 – 10, 2019
Make Your Pet a Star! Critter
Corner
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 OR mail it to Critter Corner c/o Falls Church News-Press 200 Little Falls Street #508 Falls Church, Va 22046
Larceny from Building, 400 blk Hampton Ct, between Oct 30 and Nov 4, unknown suspects(s) took items of Value. Driving Under the Influence, 900 blk Lincoln Ave, Nov 4, 3:22 AM following an accident investigation, a male, 23, of Arlington, VA, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence and Possession of Drugs/Narcotics. Drug/Narcotic violation, 1200 blk N Roosevelt St, Nov 8, 2:41 PM, Following a traffic stop a male, 22, of Washington, DC, was issued a sum-
mons for Possession of Marijuana. Strangulation/Assault, 600 blk Roosevelt Blvd, Nov 8, 3:56 PM, a male, 22, of Washington, DC, was arrested for strangulation and assault. Larceny from Building, 300 blk W Broad St, Nov 8, between 12:45 PM and 1:30 PM, unknown subject(s) took items of Value. Driving Under the Influence, 900 blk Hillwood Ave, Nov 9, 11:40 PM following a request for service, a male, 24, of Temple Hills, MD, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence. Bicycle Theft, 500 blk Little Falls St, Nov 10, 12:30 PM, unknown suspect(s) took an unattended bicycle.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
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NOVEMBER 14 – 20, 2019 | PAGE 23
‘Jungle Book’ Showcases Young Talent at the Cauldron BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
Falls Church’s remarkable Creative Cauldron has done it again, staging a new musical production based on Rudyard Kipling’s book, “The Jungle Book,” at its black box digs on S. Maple Ave. The Cauldron’s founding and producing director, Laura Connors Hull, joined Ellen Selby to craft the adaption of the play as part of the Cauldron’s Learning Theater. It’s mostly kids putting on the show, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t truly entertaining and a great portal into the feel-good glories of the holiday season. It runs through Nov. 24 (the Sunday before Thanksgiving) with shows on Fridays at 7:30, Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 and Sundays at 2 and 4 p.m. What makes this production so engaging, in addition to the Kipling story itself and the performances of the many youth involved, are the costumes and masks that transform the kids into wolves and panthers, and two-headed snakes, and bears and more, and the capti-
MOWGLI, played by Enola Danewitz (center), talks with Bagheera, played by Gabriela Simmons-Robles (left) and Baloo, played by Will Stevenson, in the Creative Cauldron’s musical production of “The Jungle Book.” The show will run until Nov. 24. (P����: C������� E���� S����) vating music, original numbers by the Cauldron’s peerless team of Matt Connor and Stephen Gregory Smith. Any time you see the names of Connor and Smith on a show marquee, it is worth heading inside for that alone. This show includes
13 original songs, from the opening “Law of the Jungle” ensemble number to a reprise of “The Fire Inside You” that wraps it up. The costumes, masks and puppets are the work of Margie Jervis, bringing vividly alive the world of the jungle. While adults Will
Stevenson and Gus Knapp add important elements to the cast, it is the Learning Theater students who are the heart of the show, bringing energy and a no-holdsbarred verve to their movements, songs and dramatic effects, owing to the direction of Selby and Hull,
the music and choreography of Connor and lyrics of Smith.. Singled out among the young actors is the young woman playing the featured role, Enola Danewitz as Mowgli, the human child who finds himself raised among the wolves of the jungle. Other youthful veterans of the Learning Theater with prominent roles in this production are Gabriela Simmons-Robles, Owen Thiebert, Miri Brooke, Mai Gabra, Carmen Ortiz, Libby Brooke and Sofia Marcus. All have been in numerous Cauldron productions of the last couple years, ranging from “Beauty and the Beast,” “Madeline’s Christmas,” “On Air,” “Charlotte’s Web,” “The Turn of the Screw” and “Christman Cabin of Carnaween.” For all its color and music, the performance has depth and more drama than maybe a few younger kids in the audience bargained for. Nonetheless, that gives it more of value to chew on for all the rest. In addition to the many local businesses involved in supporting the Cauldron, “The Jungle Book” is sponsored by the Goldfish Swim School.
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PAGE 24 | NOVEMBER 14 - 20, 2019
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