November 3 - 9, 2022
Falls Church, Virginia • w w w . fc n p . c o m • Free
Founded 1991 • V o l . X X X II N o . 38
The City of Falls Church’s Independent, Locally-Owned Newspaper of Record, Serving N. Virginia
Election COMING FULL CIRCLE Tuesday & 20% Already Voted Beyer’s Race Only Ballot Measure in Falls Church by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
With still a week to go, over 20 percent of registered voters in the City of Falls Church had as of yesterday already cast their ballots in this year’s critical midterm election, according to City voter registrar David Bjerke. And, all of the headaches associated with errors in the mailing of redistricted voter information experienced in Fairfax County have not, Bjerke said, impacted City voters. So the City is going for yet another No. 1 ranking for highest voter turnout in Virginia, even as activists here are looking for ways to make a difference in three nearby races that will have crucial national significance, those in three Virginia congressional districts where first-time incumbent Democratic women are facing stiff challenges. Abigail Spanberger, Jennifer Wexton and Elaine Luria are all facing major challenges from
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EPISCOPALIAN BISHOP Gene Robinson (left) came to The Falls Church Episcopal last weekend in the City of Falls Church to celebrate that church congregation’s triumph over forces of division that voted in 2006 to defect from the denomination on grounds that Bishop Robinson had declared himself to be openly gay while being elected a bishop in 2003. He was joined in the pulpit at The Falls Church Episcopal last weekend by church rector The Rev. Burl Salmon (right). (Photo: News-Press)
Bishop Robinson’s Triumphant Day at Falls Church by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
It was an event for the ages, as they say, “of Biblical proportions.” The hero’s welcome afforded the openly-gay Bishop Gene Robinson upon his ascension to the pulpit at the historic Falls Church Episcopal
Church in downtown Falls Church last weekend. It brought with it a veritably cosmic significance, a magnificent closure to the almost 20 year struggle by the resilient faithful at The Falls Church Episcopal to hold onto their church and their faith when both
came under an historic assault by the enemies of all that Bishop Robinson stands for. It was a titanic spiritual and physical struggle to wrest the historic church property away from those defectors who voted in 2006 to resign from the Episcopal Church denomi-
nation in opposition to Bishop Robinson’s election by the national Episcopal church as an openly gay minister, and to subsequently illegally lay claim to the church property for almost a decade.
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Inside This Week 2022 Arts & Entertainment Holiday Preview Issue
The Falls Church News-Press presents its 2022 Holiday Arts & Entertainment Preview Issue! Take a look at upcoming holiday festivals/shows, and make your plans now! As well as two local productions of the classic ballet ‘The Nutcracker.’ See Pages 13-20
Index
Comment.................................5,8,22,23 Editorial.................................................6 Crime Report........................................8 News Briefs..........................................9 Sports.................................................12 Business News...................................21 News & Notes................................24,25 Calendar........................................26,27 Classifieds..........................................28 Critter Corner......................................30