Falls Church News-Press 12-19-2024

December 19 - 25, 2024

Falls Church, Virginia • w w w . fc n p . c o m • Free

Founded 1991 • Vol. XXXIV N o . 45

The City of Falls Church’s Independent, Locally-Owned Newspaper of Record, Serving N. Virginia

Beyer Hails IT’S MADELINE’S CHRISTMAS News of 1st Operational Fusion Plant Founder of Fusion Caucus Marks Historic Date

by Nicholas F. Benton

Falls Church News-Press

As the founder of the Congressional Fusion Energy Caucus, Falls Church’s U.S. Rep. Donald S. Beyer Jr. was ecstatic in his response to the news this week that the world’s first gridscale commercial fusion power plant is finally getting built, and it will be built in Virginia.

“I am thrilled to see a powerful step in fusion development undertaken in my beloved Virginia. Bringing clean, safe fusion energy to the grid is a longstanding dream that could dramatically boost standards of living in America and around the world, and I am so proud that our Commonwealth will help lead the way towards realizing that dream,” Beyer said in a statement issued this Tuesday.

Beyer’s statement came in the wake of the announcement that Commonwealth Fusion Systems, the nation’s largest private fusion company, will make a multi-billion dollar investment to build the world’s first grid-scale commercial fusion power plant at the James River Industrial Center in Chesterfield County, Virginia, on a site owned by Dominion Energy.

The project will create hundreds of temporary and permanent jobs in the region. “I look forward to continued efforts to support and grow American leadership on fusion in years to come,” he added.

“This is an historic moment for Virginia and the world at large,”

Continued on Page 3

A PERFECT HOLIDAY TREAT is in its final weekend at Falls Church’s Creative Cauldron. “Madeline’s Christmas” has become an annual tradition at the iconic Falls Church theater that is awaiting its move to new digs on E. Broad Street next month. Some tickets are still available for the charming and truly entertaining “Madeline’s Christmas” this weekend. (Photo: News-Press)

NVAR Predicts Stable Regional Housing Market

by Nicholas F. Benton

Falls Church News-Press

Despite the uncertainties surrounding the incoming new federal administration and other factors, the housing market should hold steady with some modest growth in the coming year, panelists at the presentation by the Northern VIrginia Association of Realtors held at the NVAR’s Greater

Falls Church offices said Tuesday. The event was run in conjunction with the George Mason University’s Center for Regional Analysis.

None of the key issues – the potential for a significant downsizing of the federal bureaucracy, the impact of new tariff policies on the national economy, the impact of data centers on the localities around

them, or policies on returning to the workplace versus continuing to work from home – are seen as having a significantly disruptive impact on the market here, they agreed.

The biggest pressures they identified concerned housing availability, affordable housing and cost factors impacting first time home buyers.

In addition to the moderator,

NVAR’s CEO Ryan McLaughlin, Dr. Terry Clower of Mason’s regional analysis center, NVAR incoming president Casey Menish and NVAR current president Thai Hung Nguyen took part in the discussion which was videotaped.

Clower said it is not yet known whether there will be

Continued on Page 4

PAGE 2 | DECEMBER 19 - 25, 2024

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DECEMBER 19 - 25, 2024 | PAGE 3

Fusion Energy Plant Announcement Signals a New Day

Continued from Page 1

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said upon learning the news Tuesday.

“Commonwealth Fusion Systems is not just building a facility, they are pioneering groundbreaking innovation to generate clean, reliable, safe power, and it’s happening right here in Virginia. We are proud to be home to this pursuit to change the future of energy and power.”

“Virginia offers a strong talent pool and the Chesterfield County site is excellent for fusion energy’s debut,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick.

“Commonwealth Fusion Systems will create hundreds of temporary construction jobs then full-time jobs once operations begin.”

Headquartered in Massachusetts, CFS conducted a global search for the site of its first commercial fusion power plant, known as ARC, which the company will independently finance, build, own, and operate.

ARC will generate about 400 megawatts of electricity — enough energy to power large industrial sites or about 150,000 homes. The project is expected to spur billions of dollars in economic development in the

region and create hundreds of jobs during the long-term operation of the power plant.

Virginia’s two U.S. Senators, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, also delivered major statements on the development Tuesday.

“This is a tremendous announcement for the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the future of clean energy generation across the globe,” said U.S. Senator Mark Warner. “As we continue to build a clean energy economy, fusion energy is poised to play a critical role in providing the firm, reliable, and clean power needed to support growing energy demands in Virginia and across the nation.

I’m incredibly proud Virginia will host this first-of-a-kind commercial fusion power plant and look forward to the continued development of this transformational technology.”

Sen. Kaine added, “I’m thrilled Commonwealth Fusion Systems is investing billions to build a fusion power plant in Chesterfield County, which will create hundreds of jobs.

The large-scale commercialization of this technology, which I saw when I visited a lab at Massachusetts Institute of Technology a decade ago, was

made possible by federal funding.

I’m proud of the federal legislation I’ve helped pass that enables Virginia to accelerate its leadership in clean energy, especially.”

“In the early 2030s, all eyes will be on the Richmond region, and more specifically Chesterfield County, as the birthplace of commercial fusion energy,” said CFS Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Bob Mumgaard. “Virginia emerged as a strong partner as they look to implement innovative solutions for both reliable electricity and clean forms of power. We are pleased to collaborate with Dominion Energy.”

“Commonwealth Fusion Systems is the clear industry leader in advancing the exciting energy potential of fusion,” said Dominion Energy Virginia President Edward H. Baine. “Our customers’ growing needs for reliable, carbon-free power benefits from as diverse a menu of power generation options as possible, and in that spirit, we are delighted to assist CFS in their efforts.”

“There could not be a more significant project for the first grant of Virginia’s Clean Energy Innovation Bank than the world’s

first commercial fusion plant,” said Virginia Department of Energy Director Glenn Davis. “Virginia Energy is excited about what this project could mean to the Commonwealth, our nation, and the world.”

CFS is currently completing development of its fusion demonstration machine, SPARC, at its headquarters in Devens, Massachusetts. SPARC is expected to produce its first plasma in 2026 and net fusion energy shortly afterward, demonstrating for the first time a commercially relevant design that will produce more power than consumed. SPARC paves the way for ARC, which is expected to deliver power to the grid in the early 2030s.

CFS was spun out of Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2018. Since then, it has raised more than $2 billion in capital.

In addition to this private capital, CFS has been awarded $16.5 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Energy. The most recent grant of $15 million was announced in June 2024 as part of the first phase of the DOE’s Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program.

The Virginia Department of Energy partnered with Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Chesterfield County, and Dominion Energy to secure this project. This project includes a $1 million grant by the Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank matched with a $1 million grant by Chesterfield County.

Virginia Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Barry DuVal released Tuesday the below statement in response to Commonwealth Fusion Systems selecting Virginia as the site for its multi-billion-dollar investment. The company plans to build the world’s first grid-scale commercial fusion power plant in Chesterfield County.

“This is a monumental day for Virginia’s economy. Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS)’s decision to build this fusion power plant in Chesterfield County demonstrates that Virginia is a leader in fostering innovation and cutting-edge technology. As the demand for energy continues to grow due to economic, employment, and investment growth, nuclear fusion technology has the potential to provide clean, sustainable, and reliable energy to Virginia businesses in all industries.

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Uncertainty, But Strong Housing Growth Still in Forecast

Continued from Page 1

“massive disruptions in the federal government” impacting job growth with the incoming new administration in Washington. “We don’t yet know how it will play out,” he said, adding that while “we need to adapt to the future, and there will be challenges, the situation is not dire.” Of greater concern, he said, is whether or not there is affordable housing available.

Concerning the controversies over data centers, while their aesthetic and energy demand issues are turnoffs in some communities, in others they are major economic drivers. Clower said that one study has shown their expansion in Loudoun County, for example, has lowered homeowner taxes by as much as $3,500 on average, while having no impact on the value of homes.

With or without data centers, though, “we are on the cutting edge of innovation, and must not be scared of the future,’ he added.

ACTIVE Factors surrounding pressure

on those in the workforce who are being told to return to their offices instead of continuing to work from home include lost productivity due to being stuck in rush hour traffic, where to live in that context, and, of course, the price of housing determining how close to the urban center one might choose to live.

Hybrid solutions may prevail, namely, a combination of both working from home and in an office. But meanwhile, there is no surge in housing inventory in closer-in locations like Arlington and Alexandria.

Compared to other areas of the country, like Charlotte or Orlando, “there is a tremendous pent up demand here,” Clower said.

More than job issues for federal employees going forward, a radical new tariff policy could have more of an impact on the cost of buying a home, driving inflation and interest rates both, he noted.

“We’ve seen Northern Virginia’s housing market improve during the last few

months, and we expect that trend to continue into 2025,” said McLaughlin. “In fact, monthly sales growth in our regional market have outpaced the national housing market several times this year. While it remains unknown how the new administration’s proposed policies might impact the local economy, overall we expect an improved housing market next year.”

Northern Virginia’s outlook is similar to the national 2025 housing forecast that predicts the worst of the housing inventory shortage is ending, mortgage rates are stabilizing, and job additions are continuing, the panelists at Tuesday’s presentation said.

“In the Northern Virginia region, working families are finding it increasingly difficult to find housing they can afford,” added Clower. “This November, a total of 1,168 homes sold in the region, a 10.8 percent increase from last year. That’s good news. But the region’s median home price also rose

6.6 percent, to $699,900, compared to what housing cost in November 2023.”

The forecasts presented Tuesday included the following: 1. Most markets will see more moderate price gains than in 2024, closer to 3 percent, with some higher levels of increases in tight markets — such as single-family homes inside the Beltway; 2. Sales activity will increase with modest improvements in the region’s inventory; 3. While still below prepandemic levels, most market segments in the region will see more homes for sale as move-up purchasers re-enter the market.

4. Stability in mortgage rates will support higher levels of sales, as the market acclimates to higher, but more historically normal mortgage rates.

5. But there are still some undetermined factors that may affect the region’s housing market. The promises made by the incoming administration during the presidential

campaign may have an impact on the Northern Virginia housing market, which is a large submarket of Washington, D.C. The timing and magnitude of any government policy changes are unclear at this time.

The NVAR’s 2025 Housing Forecast included Alexandria City and Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Stafford, and Prince William Counties. Data for the City of Falls Church was not separated out in the report, but subsumed by its immediate neighbors.

In the case of Arlington, the forecast shows a decline in single family home sales of 6.5 percent year-over-year, with median sales prices rising 5.3 percent and inventory growing by 1.8 percent. For condominiums, sales are projected to decline 1.5 percent, prices to rise 1.6 percent, and inventory to rise 3.5 percent.

For attached townhouses and row houses, sales are expected to decline 1.3 percent, prices to rise 8.1 percent and inventory to drop 4.3 percent.

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DECEMBER 19 - 25, 2024 | PAGE 5

PAGE 6 | DECEMBER 19 - 25, 2024

Editorial

Since 1991, an award-winning LGBT-owned general Interest community newspaper.

Vol. XXXIV, No. 44 December 12 - 18 , 2024 • City of Falls Church ‘Business of the Year’ 1991 & 2001 • • Certified by the Commonwealth of Virginia to Publish Official Legal Notices • • Member, Virginia Press Association •

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classified & Legal ads classads@fcnp.com letters to the editor letters@fcnp.com News & Notes newsandnotes@fcnp.com Obituaries obits@fcnp.com subscriptions distribution & delivery delivery@fcnp.com www.fcnp.com The Falls Church News-Press is published weekly on Thursdays and is distributed free of charge throughout the City of Falls Church and the Greater Falls Church area.

Offices are at 105 N. Virginia Ave.., #310, Falls Church, VA 22046. Reproduction of this publication in whole or part is prohibited except with the written permission of the publisher. ©2024 Benton Communications Inc. The News-Press is printed on recycled paper.

E D I TO R I A L

Notice: No Home Deliveries Next Week

Notice to Readers: Beginning next week, the Falls Church NewsPress, for the first time in 33 years, will not be carrier-delivered free of charge to every household address in the City of Falls Church.

However, abundant copies of the paper will be provided at over 40 locations in and around the Little City. Please check the list of locations printed elsewhere in this edition. An electronic version of the paper will also continue to be available online at fcnp.com, along with updates and website versions of key stories. Also, persons can receive mailed subscriptions by going to fcnp.com This announcement comes amid considerable and strong emotional tolls at our office. It is a difficult but unavoidable move in the effort to keep the paper solvent, and we intend it to be only temporary. We are engaged in an exhausting, pitched battle to keep the News-Press going, as we have informed our readers over time, and we appreciate the support we’ve received from those members of the Falls Church community who have stepped up so far to help out. But it should come as no surprise to anyone paying attention that we are not immune from the fact that print newspapers are facing their greatest challenge in these times. But we here at the News-Press are fully committed to staying in the game.

Print newspapers are vitally important components of a functioning democracy. Online sources simply can’t match what more traditional forms of the conveyance of information can do. Numerous studies have shown that people retain information they read in books or newspapers far more, and by orders of magnitude, compared to reading off an electronic screen. The recent pandemic certainly underscored this.

Learning and knowledge are social activities, as they are what we, as people, are: That is, social beings who learn in social ways far more than the one-on-one experience of facing a computer screen can. We all live in communities of one sort or another, too, that are not defined by a narrow slice of perceived special interest. We all live in the presence of others who do different things, have different life experiences and face all of life’s challenges from cradle to grave. We are better people when we are aware of these elements of our surroundings. A “community” can be defined in terms of a small town, or a nation, or, why not, a planet. What print newspapers do is to help bind and make these communities possible, and to thrive, by being instruments that digest the varieties of a community’s experience and make them the shared experience of all who read them.

We are physical beings with all that means, which includes pockets in our jackets into which newspapers can be folded and carried about, to be read at times of convenience, often over and over, or to be shared, clipped or mailed.

Falls Church has thrived because of its newspaper. It is not all, by any means, that has done this, but a pretty major part.

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Unmatched Exhibitions: Why Washington, D.C. Reigns Supreme

by Patricia Leslie

For museums and places to go, it’s hard to beat Washington, D.C. with its amazing exhibitions and free admissions to many venues which certainly include The Phillips Collection and the National Gallery of Art. With extra time over the holidays for adventures, families have plenty to see.

In addition to the major show of the “Vault” featuring its cornerstone collection, the Phillips has up a disquieting display of more than 40 works by artist-cartoonist, William Gropper (1897-1977) whom the Phillips calls, the “Artist of the People.”

It’s the first show in Washington devoted to Gropper who was blacklisted in the 1950s McCarthy hearings.

Less than three miles away, the National Gallery hosts a small but striking exhibition of 25 pictures by photojournalist Gordon Parks (1912-2006). Parks made these photographs from 1941-1970 and most of them are from the Gallery’s Corcoran Collection.

Several pictures are of famous Americans: Malcolm X, Leonard

Bernstein, Muhammad Ali, Eldridge Cleaver and Duke Ellington.

For freelance work, Life and Vogue magazines, Park made portraits of not-so-famous persons, too, who reveal glimpses of the times and cultures. A photograph of migrants he saw in a magazine when he was 28 drove Parks’s career in photography.

At Dupont Circle, the Gropper exhibition is filled with stimulating subjects and caricatures, radical depictions of labor and political events, a prescient display coinciding with the new Trump administration for many of Gropper’s cartoons evoke the McCarthy era of the 1950s and Richard Nixon’s and Trump’s pursuits of their “enemies.”

One of his works is titled “Our present foes are domestic foes, not foreign foes.”

Gropper was one of only two visual artists to be blacklisted by McCarthy (Rockwell Kent was the other) which severely impacted demand for his art, eliminating State Department work, and interest by museums and galleries.

The McCarthy hearings increased his zeal to illustrate extreme examples of corporate America and the fat cats in the U.S.

Congress who ignored the plight of marginalized Americans whose perspectives Gropper represented.

He drew a famous 50-print set, The Capriccios, eight which are owned by the Phillips, gifts and loans by Harvey Ross and Harvey-Ann Ross, and included in the show.

Both Parks and Gropper have links to murals at the U.S. Department of the Interior when Harold L. Ickes served as Interior secretary. One of Parks’s photographs shows Marian Anderson singing in 1943 at the dedication of a mural at Interior with Secretary Ickes in the background.

Secretary Ickes helped produce the Interior event and Anderson’s 1939 performance at the Lincoln Memorial after she was banned by the Daughters of the American Revolution from singing at its Constitution Hall because she was not white.

In 1938 also during Ickes’s tenure and on assignment by the Works Progress Administration, Gropper painted a mural for the Interior building, still up, “Construction of the Dam” adding a red handkerchief at the last minute to a worker’s back pocket. The Smithsonian American Art Museum labeled it “a subversive act” but no objections were raised

although red is usually associated with the Communist Party of which Gropper was a member.

The Phillips warns viewers that the Gropper exhibition may offend some, making it all the more alluring to visit and find out why! By the time he died, he had shown at most major museums across the country.

But not here.

“Gropper was a fierce, lifelong social justice advocate who used art to advocate for a better world,” according to Elsa Smithgall, Phillips’s exhibition curator.

The museum’s $35 soft bound Gropper catalog is sold out and not available at Amazon.

William Gropper ends Jan. 5, 2025 at the Phillips where hours

THE ENTRANCE TO GORDON PARKS: Camera Portraits from the Corcoran Collection, National Gallery of Art (Patricia Leslie)

­

­ ­

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and admission vary but the museum is free for members, for those under age 19 and after 4 p.m. The Phillips is closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year’s days and is located at 1601 21st St., NW. Parks’s photos are up through Jan. 12, 2025 in the West Building at the National Gallery, open seven days a week, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with free admission, but closed on Christmas and New Year’s days.

It’s located between Fourth and Seventh streets on the National Mall.

While at the National Gallery, a trip upstairs to see “1874 Impressionists in Paris” is a must.

The line moves faster than it looks.

Happy Holidays!

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DECEMBER 19 - 25, 2024 | PAGE 9

Kenton, Ellington Christmas Jazz at Alexandria’s Birchmere

by Mark Dreisonstok

On Monday night, audience members at Alexandria’s Birchmere enjoyed Christmas jazz traditions by the Capitol Bones “all brass” big band. Their program “A Christmas Brass Spectacular” featured Christmas arrangements of the classic Stan Kenton and Duke Ellington big bands, swing arrangements of songs from “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” and a special guest vocal star.

Capitol Bones (“bones” being “trombones”) was founded to foster the American jazz tradition of big bands, but especially the style of Stan Kenton, the innovative bandleader who added to the trumpets and trombones of a big band a section of mellophoniums. The mellophonium is not widely available, so the Capitol Bones settles for a mellophone, which is common in marching bands and has a similar sound. Christian Hinkle, Matt Byrne, E.J. Ramos, and Aaron Cockson, who come from trumpet and, in the case of Mr. Cockson, French horn backgrounds, took to the mellophone with verve.

In the early 2000’s, Capitol Bones

recorded “A Stan Kenton Christmas,” which featured nearly exact recreations of an album of Christmas carols Kenton recorded in 1961. The Birchmere program began with an assortment of these arrangements, including “Angels We Have Heard on High,” “O Tannenbaum,” and “Good King Wenceslas.” For most of these familiar Christmas pieces, Capitol Bones staked out the Kenton approach of what might at first be mistaken for a large traditional brass band, full in tonal color, with then segued gradually into crescendos and a fast swing pace. A particularly fun number was “The Holly and the Ivy,” as the band members whistled a couple of verses.

The band later moved over to several charts from Duke Ellington’s 1960’s album of Ellington-style arrangements of Tchaikovsky’s ballet Christmas staple “The Nutcracker.” The band played with true jazz feel the “Overture,” “Sugar Rum Cherry,” and “Peanut Brittle Brigade,” all familiar pieces from the “Nutcracker,” although with fun and unique titles. While Ellington employed a saxophone section in addition to trumpets and trombones, the Capitol Bones held steadfastly

with the Kenton approach, replacing the saxophones with mellophones, increasing the brassy sound of the original Ellington recordings in a novel and spirited manner.

Other Christmas classics were performed at the Capitol Bones performance, such as “Blue Christmas” in an exciting “shufflerhythm” arrangement by Matt Niess, trombonist and nominal leader of the Capitol Bones. Television Christmas specials were sampled in jazz arrangements of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” (with an exhilarating trombone solo by Jim McFalls) and “Linus and Lucy,” “Christmas Time is Here,” and “Skating” from “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” For “Christmas Time Is Here,” there was a notable trombone solo played by Jay Gibble and a reminder of the band’s Kenton approach to the song in a mellophone solo by Christian Hinkle. Pianist Tony Nalker, the amiable announcer for the evening, performed “Skating” in a lilting trio as the big band took a break.

Graham Breedlove and Josh Kaufmann were the virtuoso trumpet soloists on “My Favorite Things,” another arrangement by

Mr. Niess. When the two trumpet players performed in unison, it was somewhat reminiscent of another ”sixties band,” as the trumpets sounded at one point quite a bit like Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, who performed “My Favorite Things” on their Christmas album.

The Capitol Bones aggregation was joined at the Birchmere by vocalist Christal Rheams, who has performed on “America’s Got Talent.” Her powerful voice soared brilliantly above the Capitol Bones brass sections in Christmas favorites such as “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “Cool Yule,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,”

and “O Holy Night,” the last piece with outstanding drum work by Todd Harrison. “This is the only time I heard ‘O Holy Night’ and pictured people swing dancing!” said one enthusiastic audience member.

The Capitol Bones’ Christmas Brass Spectacular is a twenty-year annual Washington tradition, and we recommend readers keep an eye out for this program next December. As one audience member exclaimed: “It is the perfect thing to put you into the Christmas spirit!” After all, where else can one see a full-costumed Santa Claus take up a trumpet and play full force behind a mellophone section?

CAPITOL BONES MELLOPHONE players left to right: Christian Hinkle, Matt Byrne, E.J. Ramos, and Aaron Cockson. ( Photo: Mark Dreisonstok)

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Mark This Date! Fusion Has Finally Arrived!

Nicholas F. Benton FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

Amid all the doom and gloom of these genuinely scary times, maybe the b i g g e s t and most optimistic headline of our lifetimes has just lit up our lives.

“Fusion Energy Plant Announcement Signals a New Day” is the version of the headline in my Falls Church News-Press, being our lead story this week. It features the reaction to the news of Falls Church’s U.S. Rep. Don Beyer Jr., who is the founder of the Congressional Fusion Energy Caucus and who by virtue of his unique interest and role in the caucus, has provided my paper with many exclusive stories on the topic in recent years.

News-Press pages were also filled many times with reports by the late great Tom Whipple on the subject, although he focused on a different method.

My personal interest in “controlled thermonuclear fusion energy” dates back to the 1970s when it became obvious to me that this process was by far the most promising, and game changing, hope for major progress by the human species.

Most people are still unaware of the most basic realities involving this technology. First, it is what the sun is. That is, the sun is really only a gigantic fusion reaction. The heat it generates comes from the compression by gravity of hydrogen atoms. More than just our modest sun, it is the way the entire universe generates heat and light. Second, fueling it requires something of which we have in virtually limitless supply, namely, water. Third, the amount of energy, as in a conversion to electricity, that can be generated from a controlled reaction is also almost limitless. Fourth, it is safe and clean. By contrast to a nuclear fission reaction, which is the only form by which we have nuclear energy today, fusion does not harbor the risk of a plant meltdown since a malfunction would only shut down the compression of hydrogen atoms and render

everything harmless.

Fusion has never gotten the government or private sector funding that could have led to its development much sooner than now, and the reason is generally Big Oil. There have also been skeptics who didn’t believe the technology could be mastered, and they are being proven very wrong.

Visionaries like Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, crafted the Enterprise and other space travelling ships as being powered by onboard fusion reactors, and its true that once more fully developed, fusion reactors producing mindboggling amounts of clean energy can be fit into very small spaces, the size of a basketball floor, for example.

So, this technology can take us to an entirely new level of human development. It will be the precondition for, effectively, the end of shortages of virtually any kind, of an abundance of dirt cheap energy that can end lack as a human physical condition for good.

Insofar as the terrible economic conditions for human beings exist in this nation, much less the world, create the means by which the super rich can effectively drive divisions among the rest of us, they will disappear thanks to fusion. Humankind’s suffering for lack of a decent income, nutrition, housing, education or health care will be a thing of the past, and nefarious politicians and their overlords will no longer be able to sew division among us as a method of keeping themselves in power at the expense of others.

(How’s that for solving the problem of someone like Trump ever getting elected again!)

The political task we all face is getting us from where we are on this important date in world history to where we need to be in such a manner as this date will be recognized as the birth of a whole new era, perhaps of everything.

So we should all take heart as we look into the dark days immediately ahead. With the promise of much better days in our future, we can be the cheerful warriors that is our nature, the doers of good, the beacons of light, armed with the light of fusion reactions, just as Mom Universe uses them, for a better, more loving cosmos. After all, she gave us the brains to figure out how to do this!

CO MME NT A Penny for Your Thoughts

DECEMBER 19 - 25, 2024 | PAGE 11

By Penny Gross Former Fairfax County Supervisor

Most elected officials choose public service because of the rewards – developing trust, solving community problems, assisting constituents, making difficult governance decisions – not for the awards. Winning an election often is award enough, but recognition by one’s peers is a treasure enjoyed by a few local leaders. Each year, the Regional Excellence in Leadership Institute (RELI), at the Schar School of Public Service at George Mason University, selects an awardee from the Virginia General Assembly, a city/town council or Board of Supervisors member, and a school board for special recognition.

The RELI Board seeks nominees and selects awardees from those nominated, and Northern Virginia elected officials are invited to a December luncheon for the award presentations. A highlight of the event is a panel discussion about an item of interest. Last year it was the economy; this year it was a fascinating discussion about democracy and polarization by former Republican Governor Bob McDonnell and former Democratic Attorney General Mark Herring, moderated by Schar School Dean Mark Rozell.

The RELI award for General Assembly Member was State Senator Adam Ebbin, who has

represented Northern Virginia localities for two decades. The RELI award for local leadership was Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ chairman Jeff McKay, whose regional collaboration for improved transportation includes the Richmond Highway Corridor connecting Fairfax and Prince William counties and extending the 495 Beltway Express Lanes into Maryland. Jeff also serves on the DMVMoves Task Force, an initiative charged with improving regional transit. The school board awardee was Fairfax County At-Large member Ilryong Moon, the first Korean-American elected to the school board. He immigrated as a teen-ager, not knowing English, graduated from a county high school, earned a law degree after college, and has served multiple, but not consecutive terms on the school board as well as on the Fairfax County Planning Commission. In acceptance remarks, he noted that his favorite sandwich is a BLT and explained how that relates to our diverse community. Taken separately, he said, the bacon, lettuce, and tomato might not tempt you, but when put together on a favorite bread, those ingredients become an enjoyable taste sensation. BLT as metaphor? Yes! A special leadership award was presented to Robert Lazaro,

Week of December 9 — 14 , 2024

an unknown suspect stole the victim’s shoulder bag that was placed outside a business while locking up.

C i t y o f Fa l l s C h u r c h C R I M E R E PO RT Other Jurisdiction Warrant Service, Hillwood Ave, Dec 9, 11:57 a.m., a male, 45, of no fixed address, was arrested on an outstanding warrant from another jurisdiction.

Larceny from Building, S Maple Ave, between 12:00 PM on November 22 and 11:00 a.m. on December 9, an unknown suspect stole a purple Trek Lexa Road bicycle and a green Trek Hybrid bicycle.

Shoplifting, Hillwood Ave, Dec 10, 12:26 p.m., an unknown suspect stole merchandise without paying. The suspect is described as a young Hispanic male, approximately 18-25 years of age, wearing a black hoodie, blue jeans and black/silver shoes.

Larceny, Hillwood Ave, Dec 10, 7:22 PM,

Larceny from Building, Founders Ave, Dec 11, between 3:49 p.m. and 5:49 p.m., an unknown suspect opened a delivery package and stole various items.

Fraud – ATM, W Broad St, Dec 13, 8:13 a.m. victim reported an unknown suspect had withdrawn funds from their checking account at an ATM, while still having their debit card in their possession.

Theft of Motor Vehicle, W Broad St, between 12:30 p.m. on December 8 and 9:36 a.m. on December 13, a U-Haul tandem axle enclosed trailer, white and red in color and 6-feet by 12- feet in dimensions, was stolen.

Reckless Driving/No Valid Operator’s License, E Broad St, Dec 13, 3:13 PM, a male, 26, of Fairfax County, was arrested for Reckless Driving and No

executive director of the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, for his unstinting work to bring local governments together to address issues of regional importance.

Economy, environment, and education are hallmarks of Bob’s leadership, including an alliance of Northern Virginia economic development leaders working together, living shoreline projects in Prince William County, and the Community, Military, and Federal Facility Partnership that has seen important and improved collaboration and communication between local governments and commanders at Fort Belvoir, Quantico Marine Base, and Fort Myer-Henderson Hall.

Following the awards presentation, Governor McDonnell and Attorney General Herring reminisced about parties working together in Richmond to pass legislation. Both commented that they had friends on both sides of the aisle and, sometimes, bipartisanship worked, something that is rarer in Richmond today. A final question

by Mark Rozell asked why local governments seem to be at odds in the region. Local officials in the audience were perplexed by the question as localities in Northern Virginia work well together. Look at Amazon’s successful HQ2 relocation in Arlington, Metrorail expansion to Loudoun County, and the joint efforts to address affordable and attainable housing.

News media may highlight differences of opinion but fail to examine the many cooperative efforts that have improved Northern Virginia overall.

Valid Operator’s License.

Unlawful Entry, Grove Ave, Dec 14, 3:00 p.m., an unknown suspect entered the victim’s backyard through a gate and attempted to gain entry to a back door of the residence but was unsuccessful. The suspect is described as a black male, clean shaven, wearing a black driver`s hat, glasses, herringbone peacoat, and black pants, with a blue and black backpack.

Shoplifting, W Broad St, Dec 14, 3:01 PM, an unknown suspect stole merchandise without paying. The suspect is described as a black male, approximately 6`2” in height, wearing a black hoodie, jeans, and red shoes.

Fcnp.com

PAGE 12 | DECEMBER 19 - 25, 2024

C L AS S I F I E DS

LEGAL NOTICE

PET ADOPTION

AT&T Mobility, LLC is proposing to modify the existing 101-foot-tall (108foot overall height) building wireless telecommunications facility located at 3101 S Manchester Street, Falls Church, Fairfax County, VA 22044 (N38° 51’ 45.6” and W77° 08’ 6.8”). AT&T Mobility, LLC invites comments from any interested party on the impact the proposed undertaking may have on any districts, sites, buildings, structures, or objects significant in American history, archaeology, engineering, or culture that are listed or determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under National Historic Preservation Act Section 106. Parties interested in commenting on this Federal undertaking or with questions on the proposed facility should contact Eocene at 8951 Windsor Parkway, Johnston, IA 50131 or call 515473-6256 and reference project #NE 1275/ JC. Comments must be received within 30 days of the date of this notice.

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ABC NOTICE Honoo Falls Church VA, LLC trading as Honoo Ramen Bar, 153 W Falls Station Blvd. Falls Church, Fairfax County, VA, 22043, is applying to the VIRGINIA ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Mixed Beverage Restaurant; beer, wine, mixed beverages; on and off-premises consumption license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.

Fanghuang Lin, Member, Authorized Signatory, Honoo Falls Church VA, 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 2 required newspaper legal notices.

Objections should be registered at www. abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200 Little Beast FC LLC trading as Little Beast, 111 E Broad ST STE C, Falls Church, Falls Church City, VA, 22046, is applying to the VIRGINIA ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Restaurant, Wine, Beer, Mixed Beverages, Consumed On and Off Premises license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages..

Aaron Gordon, Member, Authorized Signatory, Little Beast FC 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 2 required newspaper legal notices.

Objections should be registered at www. abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200 Global Investment Management Company Inc, trading as Little Saigon Restaurant, 6218 B Wilson Blvd, Falls Church, 22044, is applying to the VIRGINIA ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Mixed Beverage Restaurant - Wine and Beer on and off Premises license.

James Chau Authorized Signatory, Global Investment Management Company Inc. 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 2 required newspaper legal notice.

Objections should be registered at www. abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200

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We are pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap.

All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.” This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 367-8530. Toll free call (888) 551-3247. For the hearing impaired call (804) 367-9753.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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News-Press

News & Notes

DECEMBER 19 - 25, 2024 | PAGE 13

Students parking off-campus are not permitted to access their vehicles during the school day.

Please plan accordingly to ensure compliance with school policies.

Thank you for your cooperation and flexibility as we transition through this change.

Open Press Wire to Support Newsrooms

A SEND OFF that included kind words from most of the Falls Church City Council accompanied the announcement of the departure of Sophie Kachur (left) who worked as a special assistant to City Clerk Celeste Heath (right). (Photo:News-Press)

Lil Maceo Band Announced for New Year’s Eve Watch Night Falls Church’s Watch Night plans for the New Year’s Eve now include the 20 KV Concert for Kids in the F.C. Presbyterian Church and the “No Better Off” Band (Americana) performing at Mr. Browns Park, it was announced this week.

The popular Rock Climbing Wall will return. Karaoke is being featured along with a Fun Alley behind the Dogwood Tavern (which will be open for the duration as well as Ireland’s Four Provinces, which is now taking reservations).

Lil Maceo (R&B and Funk) will be starring on the Crossroads Stage. A full listing of performances will be featured in the News-Press next week and on the Watch Night Falls Church website.

F.C. Education Group Announces ‘Noonan Award’ Falls Church City Public Schools’ Superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan was surprised at the Falls Church Education Association “Impact Breakfast”

AT A MEMORIAL RECEPTION for the recently-deceased Falls Church developer and community leader Bob Young held at the Tower Club in Tysons last week, members of the Young family led the event. Shown here (l. to r.) are Grant Young, Peter Young, Leah Young, Courtney Alston, Vernetta Alston and not pictured: Gillian Young. (Photo:News-Press)

last week by the announcement of a new “Noonan IB for All” prize. The new award was established to honor the legacy of Dr. Noonan, whose visionary leadership as superintendent of Falls Church City Public Schools championed the International Baccalaureate (IB) program as a transformative educational experience for all students.

This $2,000 prize will be awarded annually to a graduating senior at Meridian High School who demonstrates, through an essay or creative expression, the profound impact the IB program has had on their personal and educational journey.

provides.

Gibson’s experience ranges from non-profits to a number of government roles with organizations including the U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. District Court of D.C., the Welfare to Work Partnership, the Art Institute of Washington, and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

Most recently, Gibson served as the Human Resources Director for D.C. Courts.

F.C. Names New Human Resources Director

Clean Fairfax recently published a Plastic-Free Toolkit to help farmers markets – as well as holiday bazaars, craft and art markets – reduce or eliminate single-use plastic bags.

Single-use bags are rarely recycled, harm the environment, and impose hidden cleanup costs. Plastic bag policies work. Since a $.05 bag fee was adopted in 2021, littered plastic bags are showing up less frequently in Fairfax and Arlington Counties, according to the Ocean Conservancy’s TIDES database.

Falls Church City Manager Wyatt Shields yesterday announced the hiring of Sharon Gibson as the new Director of Human Resources for the City.

For more than 25 years, Sharon Gibson has lived in the D.C. Metro area and worked in Human Resources (HR) across many different roles and capacities which informs her understanding of HR across all the key functions that the team

Toolkit Available to Reduce Plastic Bags

The Plastic-Free Toolkit, funded in part by a grant from the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, is published on Clean Fairfax’s statewide partner website, Litter Free Virginia. It is a compilation of the best policies and practices for phasing out single-use plastic bags at the market.

Virginia Tech Parking Lot Closes on Jan. 2 Starting January 2, 2025, the Virginia Tech parking lot will permanently close as HITT Construction begins work on the site adjacent the Falls Church’s West End development and secondary schools campus.

Student parking options for students without parking permits for Meridian High School have the option to park at the West Falls Church Metro Station: Cost: $3.00 per day (payable via SmarTrip or credit card).

Distance: Approximately an 11-minute walk to the Secondary Campus.

Walking Route: From the Metro lot, students must walk to Haycock Road and then up Mustang Alley to reach Meridian.

A new OpenPress Wire nonprofit has been started this week to support newsrooms to provide access to reliable information not limited by cost. Recognizing the financial constraints that many newsrooms face today and wanting to ensure that essential news remains accessible to everyone, the service is now operational.

“As newsrooms face increasing financial pressure, many struggle to allocate resources to cover important stories. That increases the risk that large parts of the U.S. will become news deserts as local publications can no longer afford to cover local, national and global news in an adequate manner. Open Press Wire (OPW), a new nonprofit organization, launched this week to address this challenge by distributing high-quality, original content for free under a Creative Commons license to newsrooms across the country. The new wire service will empower news publications to cover events they could not afford to cover before, at no cost.

OPW is available with textonly news produced by a dedicated team of journalists and engineers. By leveraging software and AI, OPW can achieve broad coverage of local, national, and global events at a sustainable cost covered by donations alone. The resulting content — covering topics ranging from science and technology to health, politics and sports — will be accessible through openpresswire.org and partnerships with other media outlets.

• See Marcus Simon’s Column and Business News online at fcnp.com.

PAGE 14 | DECEMBER 19 - 25, 2024

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Meridian Girls Return Home, Beat Liberty-Bealeton 68-37

by Ryan McCafferty

The Meridian High School girls’ basketball team took a pair of tough losses against Heritage and James Madison during its road trip last week, snapping their 3-0 start. But they righted the ship by blowing out Fauquier before returning home Tuesday night to face Liberty of Bealeton, looking for a statement win.

A quick 8-0 burst got the Mustangs off to a good start, with Liberty struggling to take care of the ball and Meridian managing to convert on a number of easy layups on the break. The visitors were able to hit some shots when they didn’t turn the ball over, but then Ellie Friesen and Charlotte Lieu got the three-point attack going for the Mustangs, giving them a 24-10 lead after a quarter. It extended to 38-18 in the second frame as Nora Stufft took over, allowing Meridian to take a

commanding advantage into the break.

Liberty went on a brief run early in the third, but back-toback threes by Friesen and Lieu gave the Mustangs their largest lead of the night at 49-22, and the game was never in doubt the rest of the way. Meridian led 53-29 after three and then the reserves helped them pull away even

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

C ritter C orner

further in the fourth, winning by a 68-37 final score. Lieu led all scorers with 16, while Stufft had 15 and Friesen had 11.

The Mustangs have two more games this week, on the road at Millbrook and South Lakes on Thursday and Friday. After that they’ll be off for the holiday break, returning on January 7th at home against Manassas Park.

MERIDIAN GIRLS beat Bealeton 68-37. (Photo: Ryan McCafferty)

SADIE, IS A 2-YEAR-OLD puppy with a heart full of love and endless energy. Her friendly nature makes her the perfect companion for cuddles and adventures alike. She is ready for the winter. (Photo: Kathy) Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! Please send in your Critter Corner submissions to crittercorner@fcnp.com.

‘A Christmas Carol’ at LTA: New Life to a Familiar Tale

by Mark Dreisonstok

Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” is familiar to most and remembered fondly at this time of year. The tale, of course, follows the family of a clerk, Bob Cratchit (a jovial Mike Kroboth), who works for a very stingy and deeply selfish man, Ebenezer Scrooge (played to the hilt by Peter Fannon, who captures character’s every emotion in his journey from misanthropy to redemption). The sheer unimaginable selfishness of Scrooge creates a nastiness so palpable as to create an almost demonic sense about the soul of the character. Yet therein lies the crux of the story: Three spirits visit the character, namely, the Ghost of Christmas Past (Siena Butler), the Ghost of Christmas Present (Spencer Pilcher), and the Ghost of Christmas Future (Tony Greenberg), who explain and gesticulate to the main character through gripping visions, emblems, and Christmas magic several moral states, such as that the life he lives now, if unchanged, will have him die a

sad and lonely man. Of equal importance, they impress upon Scrooge that those in his circle are much the worse for Scrooge’s avaricious, unrepentant state.

The production at Little Theatre of Alexandria, in an eighty-minute performance without intermission, brings new life to this familiar tale.

Director Sarah Hardy tells Falls Church News-Press of this annual production: “We try to mix things up every year, to some degree. We have a good mix of people who come every year and those who are seeing it for the first time, so we are always looking for ways to make it an enjoyable experience for everyone. For those who come every year, we consider how to keep things fresh for them, such as using a different script or changing the overall look of the show through our use of costumes and set. However, we try to balance the changes by keeping certain elements the same from year.”

The production is notable for its use of spooky, convincing special effects and wonderful

lighting design by Ari McSherry, especially with the otherworldly appearances of the ghost of Scrooge’s deceased business partner Jacob Marley (Andrew Huff) and the entrance of the Ghost of Christmas Future. There are also some subtle changes from the Dickens novella, but none which feels out of place or obtrusive.

The production also stands out for the cast singing as well as on-stage musicians performing on instruments many carols of the season: “Deck the Halls” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” are among the well-known carols, with “Somerset Wassail” and “Sir Roger de Coverly” being much less widely known. The music thus underscores the production’s wonderful blend of the familiar and the new which marks the production.

The costumes of Isabella Taylor and her assistants help bring the audience back into the nineteenth-century time period of the tale, as do the excellent performances—among others— of Maria Ciarrocchi as Mrs. Cratchit, Judy Rolph Ebner as

Mrs. Fezziwig and Mrs. Dolber, and Robert J. Ryley as young Scrooge as well as Scrooge’s affable nephew, Fred.

A special touch in this production is the use of Christmas trees in the background through the production in the inventive set design of MYKE Taister.

Some trees are bedecked in multi-colored electric lights like modern Christmas trees, indicating that the 1800’s tale continues to have resonance

today. Yet other stylized evergreens are undecorated and seem to stand alone ageless in the forest, reminding us that tales of ghosts and happenings of long past in far-away places are far more ancient than Dickens and “A Christmas Carol.”

For more information on Little Theatre of Alexandria’s production of “A Christmas Carol,” which closes soon on December 21, please visit: thelittletheatre.com

SPENCER PILCHER as Ghost of Christmas Present and Peter Fannon as Ebenezer Scrooge. ( Photo courtesy of Little Theatre of Alexandria)

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

DECEMBER 19 - 25, 2024 | PAGE 15

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• Cinthia’s Bakery, 5860 Columbia Pike.

• City Hall. 300 Park Ave • Clare & Don’s Beach Shack, 130 N Washington St. • Crumbl Cookies, 1106A W Broad St • Cuates Grill 502 W Broad #5t.

• CVS, 1150 W Broad St. • CVS (Box), 134 W Broad St. • CVS (Box), 6404 N Williamsburg Blvd.

• Dogwood Tavern, 132 W. Broad St. • Dominion Hospital, 2960 Sleepy Hollow Rd • Dominion Wine and Beer, 107 Rowell Ct. • Don Beyer Volvo, 1231 W Broad St • Dude’s Doghouse. 7257 Lee Hwy • East Falls Church Metro (Box), 2001 N. Sycamore St • El Tio Restaurant, 7630 Lee Hwy. • Elevation Burger, 442 S Washington St. • Eaves Fairfax Towers, 2251 Pimmit Dr. • Exxon Gas Station, 400 W Broad St. • Falls Church Arts Gallery, 700-B W Broad St, • Falls Church City Public Schools, 800 W Broad St. • Falls Church City Public Utilities, Gordon Rd. • Falls Church Community Center, 223 Little Falls St. • Falls Church News-Press, 105 N. Virginia Ave. Suite #310 • Falls Church News-Press, 105 N. Virginia Ave. Lobby • Five Guys, 913 W Broad St • Flippin’ Pizza, 800 W Broad St. • Floyd’s 99 Barbershop, 8296 Glass Alley, Fairfax • Fox craft Design Group, 110 Great Falls St • Giant Food, 1230 W Broad St. • Goodwin House, 3440 South Jefferson St. • Happy Tart. 410 S Maple Ave. • Harris Teeter, 301 W Broad St. • Harvey’s, 513 W Broad St. • Meridian, High School, 121 Mustang Alley, Falls Church, VA 22043 • Hillwood Cleaners, 165 Hillwood Ave. • Hilton Garden Inn, 706 W Broad St. • Idylwood Towers Condominium, 2300 Pimmit Dr. • Idylwood Towers Condominium, 2311 Pimmit Dr. • Ireland’s Four Provinces, 105 W Broad St. • Islamic Center, Leesburg Pike and rio Dr Bus Stop • Java Loco Coffee & Tea. • Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do, 1136 W Broad St.* • Lazy Mikes Deli, 7049 Leesburg Pike • Ledo Pizza, 7510 Leesburg Pike • Liberty Barbecue, 370 W Broad St. • Lil City Creamery, 114 W Broad St. • Lincoln At Tinner Hill Apartments, 455 S. Maple Ave. • Long Foster Realtors, 4600 Cherry Hill Rd • Lost Dog & Cat Rescue, 6801 Wilson Blvd • Madison Apartments, 600 N Roosevelt Blvd.

• Mark’s Pub, 2190 Pimmit Dr • Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School, 7130 Leesburg Pike • Mary Riley Styles Library, 120 N. Virginia Ave.

• Medical Building, 405 N Washington St • Medical Building, 407 N Washington St • Merrill House Apartments, 210 E Fairfax St. • Metro Diner, 4711 Lee Hwy. • Moby Dick House of Kabob, 444 W. Broad St. • Modera Founders Row. 110 Founders Avenue.

• Mom’s Organic Market, 8296 Glass Alley, Fairfax • Multicultural Center. 701 W Broad St • Munson Hill Apartments, 6729 Leesburg Pike• N Virginia Av & W Broad St (Box), 105 N Virginia Ave. • N. Washington & E. Columbia St., 106 E Columbia St. • Northern Virginia Immigration Law, 180 S Washington St. • Northern Virginia Pediatric Associates, 107 N Virginia Ave • Northgate Apartments (lobby), 450 N Washington St. • Northside Social, 205 Park Ave. • Nue Vietnamese Restaurant, 904 W Broad St. • Falls Green Apartments (formerly Oakwood), 501 N. Roosevelt Blvd.

• Park Towers Condos, 200 N. Maple Ave. • Peach Tree Towers, 2042 Peach Orchard Dr. • Pearson Square Apartments, 410 S. Maple Ave. • Pete’s Barber Shop, 5847 Washington Blvd.

• Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library, 7700 Leesburg Pike • Pizzeria Orso (Tax Analysts building), 400 S. Maple Ave. • PNC Bank, 402 W. Broad St. • Point of View, 701 W. Broad St. • Post Office, 800 W. Broad St. • Preservation Biscuit102 E Fairfax St. • Professional Building, 313 Park Ave. • Quick Copy, 417 W. Broad St. • Rare Bird Coffee Roasters, 230 W. Broad St. • Read Apartments, 402 W Broad St. • Rembrandt Assisted Living, 6669 Gouthier Rd, • Roosevelt Towers, 500 N Roosevelt Blvd.

• Safeway, 5101 Wilson Blvd.

• Safeway, 2500 N Harrison St. • Safeway – Route 29, 7397 Lee Hwy. • Sfizi Café, 800 W Broad St. • Silver Diner, 3200 Wilson Blvd.

• Sislers Stone, 7139 Lee Hwy. • Shell. 7231 Arlington Blvd • Smokey’s Garage, 1105 W Broad St. • Solace Outpost. 444 W Broad St • Sonic Car Wash, 1050 W Broad St. • The Spectrum, 444 W. Broad St. • The Spectrum Cleaners, 444 W. Broad St. • Sturbucks, 244 W Broad St • Sturbucks, Loehman’s Plaza • Sunrise of Falls Church, 330 N. Washington St. • Super A Market, 2800 Graham Rd. • Super Giant. Loehmann’s Plaza • Taco Rock, 116 W Broad St • Target, 500 S Washington St. • Target – Skyline Mall (Box), 5107 Leesburg Pike • Tasty Dumpling, 112 W Broad St • Harris Teeter 301 W Broad St. • The Broadway Apt (in mailroom), 500 W Broad St. • The Byron Apartments, 513 W Broad St. • The Falls Church Episcopal, 115 E Fairfax St, • The Kensington Falls Church, 700 W Broad St. • The Neighborhood Barbershop, 417 W Broad St #103 • The Original Pancake House, 7395 Lee Hwy. • The UPS Store, 1069 W Broad St • Thomas Jefferson Library, 7415 Arlington Blvd.

• Towne Place Suites – Marriot, 205 Hillwood Ave. • Unity Club, 116-B W Broad St. • UPS Store Seven Corners, 6312 Seven Corners Ctr. • US Post Office, 2045 Wilson Blvd.

• Verso Founders Row, 105 Founders Row • Washington & S. Broad St. (Box) 101 W Broad St. • Westlee Condominium 2200 N Westmoreland • Wendy’s – Bus Stop, 7391 Lee Hwy. • West Falls Church Metro (Box) 7040 Haycock Rd. • Woodrow Wilson Community Library, 6101 Knollwood Dr • Yaila Bistro, 2201 N Westmoreland St.

PAGE 16 | DECEMBER 19 - 25, 2024

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