Falls Church News-Press 12-20-2018

December 20 — 26, 2018

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 • Vol. XXVIII No. 44

Falls Church • Tysons Corner • Merrifield • McLean • North Arlington • Bailey’s Crossroads

Inside This Week Kindred's Gingerbread House Returns Cafe Kindred's Jen Demetrio and Gary O’Hanlon are back with another epic holiday display, this year immortalizing D.C.'s Union Station in a gingerbread masterpiece.

See page 8

F.C.'s ‘Watch Night’ Plans Underway

Noonan Suggests 4 Classroom Staff Cuts to Keep Schools Within Budget

Class Size Cap Policy Will Not Be Violated, Superintendent Says

by Nicholas F. Benton

Falls Church News-Press

The City of Falls Church will host its 21st annual free, familyfriendly, fun Watch Night New Year’s Eve spectacular on Monday night, Dec. 31.

See News Briefs, page 9

2 Dead in Apparent Murder-Suicide

Two people are dead after an apparent murder-suicide at the Woodlake Tower condo building in the Seven Corners neighborhood of Falls Church on Tuesday.

See News Briefs, page 9

Manassas Park Halts Mustang Win Streak

George Mason High School’s boys basketball team’s three-game win streak screeched to a halt in a 64-51 loss to Manassas Park High School last Friday.

See Sports, page 20

EYA'S MASTER DIRECTOR in charge of its West Falls Church Economic Development Project Evan Goldman (far right) made three presentations in three nights this week to different Falls Church groups, including a public town hall meeting, the Planning Commission and the School Board. (Photo: News-Press)

'West End Gateway Partners' Issue Bid on Virginia Tech Site

by Nicholas F. Benton

Falls Church News-Press

Index

Editorial................ 6 Letters............6, 20 News & Notes.12–13 Comment...... 14–15 Business News.. 19 Sports................ 23

Calendar...... 26–27 Classified Ads.... 28 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword......... 29 Critter Corner..... 30

The team that won the bid for development of the City of Falls Church’s 10.3-acre sub-section of its high school/middle school campus designated for dense economic development continues to move aggressively to educate Falls Church citizens on its plans.

The group is also working to advance prospects for extending

the development area to subsume the adjacent Virginia Tech and WMATA properties, as well.

Composed of EYA, PN Hoffman, Regency and Torti Gallas, the team has adopted the name, Falls Church Gateway Partners, and its principal spokesman, Evan Goldman of EYA, and others were present for in-depth briefings on three successive days in Falls Church last Sunday (at a public town hall

meeting), Monday (at the Planning Commission meeting) and Tuesday (at the School Board meeting) to spell out their preliminary plans.

At the same time, the team is moving on developing opportunities to bid on the adjacent 7.4-acre Virginia Tech site, and on the other side of that, the 22-acre WMATA site at the West Falls Church Metro station.

Continued on Page 5

Falls Church City Schools’ Superintendent Peter Noonan presented a preferred option for keeping next fiscal year’s school budget within the constraints of a two-percent growth at the School Board work session Tuesday night by eliminating four positions in the system.

Noonan assured the Board that the cutbacks would still keep the schools within the parameters of its guidelines for small class sizes.

The option was not presented as the superintendent’s official recommendation, because that will not come until he presents his formal budget proposal to the Board on Jan. 8. Instead, this was presented in a set of talking points over options presented for discussion by the Board.

It came in the form of three “tiers” of options for keeping the next school budget, which would go into effect on July 1, within the constraints of the “guidance” the City Council outlined last week. The council’s guidance was for budget growth to be kept within the projections for overall revenue growth — projected at two percent — so as not to burden real estate taxpayers with any increase in the tax rate. That tax rate is currently $1.355 per $100 of assessed property valuation.

Noonan confirmed what he first said last week, that a reasonable cost for running the school system will be significantly greater than the number permitted by the twopercent “guidance,” by an amount

Continued on Page 4

PAGE 2 | DECEMBER 20 - 26, 2018

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DECEMBER 20 - 26, 2018 | PAGE 3

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PAGE 4 | DECEMBER 20 - 26, 2018

F.C. Superintendent Suggests Position Cuts to Make Budget

Continued from Page 1

of $730,000 to be exact.

Two percent revenue growth translates into $1.7 million, and if that is split in half for the City’s operating budget and the schools’ then that leaves each with $850,000. The schools get an additional $85,000 in state funds (based on the current year’s allocation, but it may be somewhat higher, to be determined).

So, as Noonan showed, that total of $935,000 in new revenue gets offset by a salary “step” for school employees along with a one percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) at a cost of $1.5 million, an expected $300,000 increase in the cost of health insurance, an additional $50,000 to compensate

substitute teachers and increases in material expense, or logistics, costs to create a gap between the guidance and reasonable new costs of $730,000, which would translate into almost two cents on the real estate tax rate.

It was noted that while projections anticipate 54 new students entering the system next fall, the flat growth of enrollment in the last year means that no new teachers need to be added to the system this year, keeping the pressure for added new revenues to a minimum.

So, minding the $730,000 gap between the two-percent guidance and providing for limited reasonable new needs could be addressed by what Noonan presented as three scenarios, or tiers, for reducing

school costs. All three hypothetical tiers reduce logistical costs by $100,000, some reduce the increase in substitute teacher pay below a $1 per hour increase and the cost of the COLA by half or more, and “position realignments” from $180,000 to $292,000 to $405,000.

“Position realignments,” Noonan clarified to the NewsPress after the meeting, involve realigning teacher assignments to keep all class sizes within the caps defined by school policy, but finding ways to do with less classroom staff, either teachers, paraprofessionals or assistants.

Noonan told the Board that of the three tiers presented, one was clearly “the best” option, a tier that calls for cutting the one-percent COLA in half, saving $200,000,

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

and cutting four staff positions, saving $405,000, halving substitute pay increases, reducing logistical costs by $100,000 and other savings.

Any new money that may come to the system, such as the potential for more from the state in the context of Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s proposed new state budget unveiled this week, or less than expected health care premium cost increases, would go to building back the COLA number, he said.

At any rate, the three tiers, with a fourth option being no cuts below the reasonable cost increases and a fifth being a budget with even more cost increases, will all be the subject of School Board deliberations and public hearings over the next two months.

While Noonan will present the board with his formal budget recommendations on Jan. 8, the Board will have until Feb. 19 to vote on its version of its proposed budget that will then be forward to the City Manager.

Under state law, the City

Manager Wyatt Shields will take that budget number and build the City’s overall annual operating budget around it with his formal budget recommendation to the City Council that he will present on March 11.

The final decisions will then be in the hands of the City Council which will adopt the Fiscal Year 2020 budget (July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020) on April 22.

If the Council’s budget alters the School Board request in any way, the School Board will then take that new number to adjust its budget on May 7.

This will all happen in the context of ongoing planning to commence with the construction of a new $120 million George Mason High School, work upon which is slated to commence the day the school year ends next June. It will be under construction for a year and a half adjacent the existing high school plant and will be paid for by leases issued for 10 acres on the site to developers for dense commercial development.

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West End

Continued from Page 1

Goldman has made it clear that the group wants to build a project that will integrate all three sites into a mega-development bigger than the Mosaic District in Merrifield and potentially far superior based, if nothing else, on its immediate access to the Metro.

From the standpoint of Falls Church, the integration of the sites, and their dominant uses, could explode the relevance of the area to the greater Washington D.C. Metro region and make it a preferred destination for commerce, jobs, educational opportunities and quality of life.

Responding to a preliminary site development request from Virginia Tech in October, the same team of players, adopted the name of “Discovery — West Falls Church” for purposes of its submission with the addition of academic development partners, Clark Construction and Edgemoor Real Estate.

Their vision is for a seamless extension of their Falls Church project, connected by the broad boulevard designed to go south-

to-north through the middle of the Falls Church 10.3 acres, and, if the WMATA site can also be joined, up to the West Falls Church Metro station, a highly aesthetic, commercially-dense link connecting West Broad Street/Leesburg Pike to that Metro station.

On the Virginia Tech portion, in the terms submitted by the team, the proposal is for “a new state-ofthe-art Virginia Tech campus that becomes the center of life for the university in the national capital region” inclusive of up to three new academic buildings totaling between 300,000 and 370,000 square feet, a student housing building with 530 beds as well as 23 townhomes for faculty housing, a one-acre “Tech Quad” and a public-facing park surrounded by 44,000 square feet of retail.

The hub of the new campus will be a 60,000-square foot Discovery Center that encompasses laboratories for research, incubator space, focus groups, conference space and a fitness center, all surrounded by an interactive commons that will be a draw for students, faculty, industry and the more than 35,000 Virginia Tech alumni living in the

LO CA L National Capital region.

The submission also included the identification of “a major leader in the technology industry who is interested in meeting with the leadership of Virginia Tech to discuss collaboration on four of Tech’s Identified Focus Areas — adaptive brain and behavior, creativity and innovation, data and decisions and policy,” noting that “With this lead partner on board, Virginia Tech will be able to develop the Discovery Center as the heart of the new Falls Church campus and attract additional partners to make the center thrive.”

In the cover letter for this submission signed by Goldman, Shawn Seaman of PN Hoffman and Rafael Muniz of Regency Centers, said that “While the team is proud of our accomplishments as developers, construction executives, designers, architects, planners, place-makers, operators and innovators, we are not educators,” but added, “The missions of the team’s partners are very consistent with Virginia Tech. We all focus on doing what is right and connecting to our communities. Many of us view our jobs as a mission to do good

DECEMBER 20 - 26, 2018 | PAGE 5

F.C. PLANNING COMMISSIONERS Melissa Teates, Andy Rankin and Russ Wodiska await completion of a report by Planning Department Chief Paul Stoddard at Monday’s meeting. (Photo: News-Press)

in the world, bringing positive change and to serve and enhance our communities.”

It noted that Virginia Tech’s motto, “Ut Prosim” (“That I May Serve”), “exemplifies the professionals you will work with.”

The submission is one of two that were made to Virginia Tech, the other by the Rushmark team that came in second in the City’s

West Falls Church bidding.

Goldman has made it clear that whoever wins the bid for the Virginia Tech site, his team will work closely to integrate the two sites, and also integrate with WMATA, whose board was due to act this week on whether or not to circulate a “request for qualifications” for the development of its site in January.

1 1 2 5 W. B r o a d S t . , Fa l l s C h u r c h , VA

7 0 3. 2 3 7. 5 0 0 0 • b e y e r k i a . c o m

PAGE 6 | DECEMBER 20 – 26, 2018 

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Vol. XXVIII, No. 44 December 20 – 26, 2018 • 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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E D I TO R I A L

‘A Mission to Do Good’

“We view our jobs as a mission to do good in the world, bring positive change, and to serve and enhance our communities.”

Who talks like that in our society anymore? Non-profit do-gooders?

Bleeding hearts? Religious missionaries? Probably...but real estate developers?

The quote is found in the middle of a letter to the vice president for operations of Virginia Tech signed by principal representatives of the groups the City of Falls Church has chosen to develop its 10.3-acre portion of the high school/middle school site — EYA, PN Hoffman and Regency Centers — collectively known as “the West Falls Church Gateway Partners.” It accompanied their initial submission to bid on development of the 7.4-acre Virginia Tech site adjacent the campus 10.3 acres.

In this time, when Trumpian is an apt synonym for dystopian, such confessions stick out and, in fact, the times call for more people and institutions to make such public affirmations in explicit contradistinction to the prevailing trend. Of course, it is in keeping with our times that such comments are met with derision and guffaws. It’s like our culture has become overrun with schoolyard bullies who smirk and trash any genuine expressions of good intentions.

The assumption is that everyone is governed by selfish self-interest and nothing else, and that in this context to suggest an altruistic motive is immediate cause for suspicion. Holiday sentiments, like schmaltzy carols and movies (“It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Elf”) are tolerated for a brief time like a reverse form of Mardi Gras before Lent, a fantasy time to blow off steam before returning to the unhappy rigors of a darker world.

It is sobering, indeed, to examine the trends responsible for a world that has become so cynical that it could elect Trump. Wall Street, for one, doesn’t give a hoot if he’s a lifelong corrupt organized crime tool, because it is full of people just like him, or trying to be, whose only motivating factors in life are two: 1. Bottom lines, without regard for how you get to them; and 2. Not getting caught.

This sentiment can be attributed to the modern curse of “postmodernism,” a worldview that rejects love as anything but a constraint for the stupid and acknowledges that only power and the pursuit of pleasure are legitimate forces to rule our lives.

It accounts for our editor’s oft-repeated observation of the shift in the national paradigm from Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech of 1963, where he affirmed that people should be valued for the content of their character and not the color of their skin, and the Gordon Gekko speech from the 1987 movie, “Wall Street,” about how “Greed is Good.”

America’s ruling class stunted the civil rights movement with hedonism, including the rampant proliferation of drugs and prison incarcerations.

Here’s to fighting back. Happy holidays!

L������

Kudos for F.C. Council’s New Gun Legislation

Editor, I was at the Falls Church City Council meeting on Monday, Dec. 10, along with other members of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and I applaud the council for passing common sense gun legislation that could save lives.

As you reported on Dec 13 in the article “F.C. Council OKs

New Gun Legislation” the new law prohibits the transporting of guns in Falls Church while loaded.

Not only is this an obviously safer way to handle a gun, this new regulation also allows for police to “ask” if the gun they can see during a traffic stop is being transported lawfully. This new law might seem small, but we can start with small safety regulations that

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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7. Make the paper show profit if you can, but above all keep it clean, fearless and fair.

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save lives and build from there — just like the Highway Traffic Safety Administration started doing in 1970.

When I was growing up, my family’s cars didn’t even have seat belts; now they are a regular everyday thing – not even thought about. But that didn’t come about without a long hard fight by the federal government in order to save our lives on the roads.

Guess what, thanks to this and many other laws, regulations and highway improvements (including a large part to drunk driving laws advocated for by Mothers Against Drunk Driving) traffic

fatalities now number less than gun fatalities.

So we can drastically reduce gun deaths through common sense gun laws & regulations like requiring: Universal Background Checks, Red Flag Laws, fingerprint firing, waiting periods, funding research by the CDC and the reinstitution of Virginia’s old law that restricted purchases to “One Gun A Month.” We Can Save Lives through regulation if we all work together.

Peggy Pridemore Vienna

Letters Continued on Page 20

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

CO MME NT

DECEMBER 20 – 26, 2018 | PAGE 7

G � � � � C � � � � � �� �� Virginia Must Close Its Payday Lending Loopholes B� B��� R���

For most Americans, it’s long past time for a real raise. For too long the average wage in our country, after accounting for inflation, has remained stagnant, with the average paycheck retaining the same purchasing power as it did 40 years ago.

Recently, much has been written of this trend and the larger issue of growing wealth inequality in the U.S. and abroad. To make matters worse, housing, healthcare, and education costs are ever rising.

Oftentimes many Americans bridge this gap between their income and their rising costs with credit. This is not new.

Expanding access to credit was a key policy tool for fostering economic growth and catalyzing the development of the middle class in the U.S. Yet, these policies were not undertaken fairly. As expounded in her seminal work “The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap,” University of Georgia professor Mehrsa Baradaran writes “a government credit infrastructure propelled the growth of the American economy and relegated the ghetto economy to a permanently inferior position,” adding that “within the color line a separate and unequal economy took root.”

In other words, not only do we have a larger issue of wealth inequality and stagnant wages, but within this issue lies stark contrasts of government fomented racial inequality.

So it is no wonder that many Americans

seek quick and easy access to credit through the payday lending market. According to the Pew Research Center, some 12 million Americans utilize payday loans every year.

Furthermore, Experian reports that personal

“There are two main areas of concern in Virginia regarding payday lending: internet lending and open-end line credit loans.” loans are the fastest form of consumer debt.

The problem with this type of lending is its predatory nature. Those who use these services often find themselves in an unnecessary debt trap – owing more in interest and other punitive or hidden fees than the amount of the initial loan.

Virginia is no stranger to this issue.

The number of underbanked Virginians is 20.6 percent and growing, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). And according to the Center for Responsible Lending, Virginia ranks sixth out of all states for average payday loan interest rate at 601 percent.

There are two main areas of concern in

Virginia regarding payday lending: internet lending and open-end line credit loans.

While Virginia passed much-needed payday lending reform in 2009, these two areas were left mostly unregulated.

Currently, internet lending is a vastly unregulated space, where lenders can offer predatory loans with interest rates as high as 5,000 percent.

Similarly, open-end line credit loans (lending agreements of unlimited duration that are not limited to a specific purpose) have no caps on interest or fees. Not only must this type of lending be restricted, but we must also expand access to credit through non-predatory, alternative means.

The Virginia Poverty Law Center advocates for legislation applying the Consumer Finance Act to internet loans, thus capping interest rates and reining in other predatory behaviors. The organization also calls for regulating open-end line credit loans in a number of ways, including: prohibiting the harassment of borrowers (e.g., limiting phone calls; banning calling borrower’s employer, friends, or relatives, or threatening jail time), instituting a 60-day waiting period before lenders can initiate lawsuits for missed payments, and limiting such lending to one loan at a time.

In addition, Virginia should pursue alternative means of credit lending for these underserved communities. These alternatives include supporting community development credit unions and encouraging larger banks to

offer small, affordable but well-regulated loans.

Thankfully legislators, such State Senator Scott Surovell (D-36), have taken initiative on this issue, introducing two bills last session. Surovell’s first bill would prohibit car dealerships from offering open-end credit loans and restrict open-end credit lending in general. The second would close the internet lending loophole, applying needed regulatory standards (e.g., capping annual interest rates at 36 percent, requiring these loans to be installment loans with a term not less than six months but no more than 120 months). Sadly, the Senate passed neither bill. But hopefully Surovell will introduce such measures again this coming session.

It’s also heartening to see candidates for office, like Yasmine Taeb, take a strong, vocal stand on the issue. Taeb, running for Virginia State Senate in the 35th District, not only attended Agenda: Alexandria’s event “Predatory Lending or Loans of Last Resort?” last month but also has wholeheartedly endorsed the reforms championed by the Virginia Poverty Law Center, saying “the open-end credit loophole needs to be closed and all lenders must follow the same laws.”

Although there are some clear measures that can be taken to limit the role of predatory lending in Virginia, there is still much to be done regarding the larger issues of economic inequality. Such lending reforms should be a piece of a larger effort by politicians and the community at large to address this growing issue.

Q������� �� ��� W��� Should the F.C. School Board keep its budget within the Council’s guidance?

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LO CA L

PAGE 8 | DECEMBER 20 - 26, 2018

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

A NEAR PERFECT iteration of Washington, D.C.’s own Union Station, complete with candied decorations and the classic green wreaths hanging over the stations’ three main entrances.

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

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It just isn’t the holidays without a gingerbread house sighting, and for those who’ve been deprived of that spectacle so far, a trip to Cafe Kindred to observe their annual masterpiece will satisfy your craving.

Each year, Cafe Kindred owners Jen Demetrio and Gary O’Hanlon choose a different building in the area to immortalize in gingerbread. This year’s construction honors Washington, D.C.’s own Union Station. The “house” comes complete with white-icing piped onto each angle of the structure, candy canes, peppermints and Hershey’s Kisses serving as everything from windows to architectural embellishments, and, of course, large green wreaths adorning the station’s entry ways.

“Union Station is such a great Christmas building,” Demetrio said. “We had some people come in and try to guess what it was, but as soon as we put on the wreaths, they knew it was Union Station.”

The cookie-fied iteration of Union Station is the grandest the pair have done so far. In Cafe Kindred’s fourth year of doing the gingerbread house, they’ve started small with The State Theatre in 2015, then upped the ante with the

12/14/18 5:54 PM

Capitol Building the next year followed by the Smithsonian Castle last Christmas. Each creation has gotten bigger and bolder as the two become more experienced heading the project up themselves.

Constructing a gingerbread house is a trick of the trade Demetrio and O’Hanlon learned during their time working in hotels where it was seen as a good way to really set the Christmas mood in the industry. And Demetrio and O’Hanlon’s dedication to the craft is evident in the 60-ish hours they pored into their finished product.

Demetrio says they start scouting out buildings to model in October, with a decision on which building to do by Halloween. This two-to-three week process is followed by making blueprints for the design (which includes researching aerial photos of the building as well). Then comes mixing the dough, which O’Hanlon typically leads. Following that is baking the sheets of gingerbread — Demetrio’s forte — that are eventually broken down and pieced together into the immaculate final form that stands right by Cafe Kindred’s entrance. Though just because the two have gotten more used to the process doesn’t mean it’s any prettier.

“We make an insanely long list of how many pieces we need and

then the dimensions. So we make really big sheets, and then just cut out whatever we need for the size.

It’s nonsensical list that all comes together in the end,” Demetrio added with a laugh.

Making the house is also no Hallmark movie-style romantic activity for the husband-and-wife duo that head up Cafe Kindred.

O’Hanlon typically works on the building while the restaurant is open, and Demetrio puts her time in once the store is closed for the day. They work in shifts, but they also get the job done — albeit, about a week and a half later this year, since they missed their original target date of the day after Thanksgiving.

Demetrio and O’Hanlon originally wanted to keep the annual project locally focused. After doing the State Theatre, however, they found a dearth of eye-catching buildings to construct. The only other Falls Church options were some of the City’s historic homes, but they don’t translate well to gingerbread form for a feature of this scale, per Demetrio.

The gingerbread house will remain up until the week after the New Year, so if you’re taking down the tree and putting it curbside, chances are you’ll have to wait until next year to see what Cafe Kindred unveils.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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DECEMBER 20 - 26, 2018 | PAGE 9

NEWS BRIEFS New Year’s Eve ‘Watch Night’ Plans Underway The City of Falls Church will host its 21st annual free, family-friendly, fun Watch Night New Year’s Eve spectacular on Monday night, Dec. 31. The event will take place from 7 p.m. to midnight at the intersection of Broad Street (Leesburg Pike/Route 7) and Washington Street (Lee Highway/Route 29).

The event is free and open to the public and includes live music, children’s amusements, restaurants open late, and a shuttle bus with 11 stops running from the East Falls Church Metro. (More details coming next week).

Sunday, Dec. 23 Fourth Sunday of Advent 10:00 a.m. A Service of Lessons and Carols in the Historic Church

Monday, Dec. 24 Christmas Eve 10:00 a.m. Holy Communion in the Historic Church

4:00 p.m. Children’s Christmas Eve Pageant with Holy Communion

2 Dead in Apparent Seven Corners Murder-Suicide Two people are confirmed dead of an apparent murder-suicide in the 3100 block of Manchester Street in the Seven Corners neighborhood of Falls Church, police report.

Fairfax County Police say officers responded to call in the Falls Church area of Fairfax County at 11:37 a.m. on Tuesday after a delivery driver reported a shooting. Officers arrived to find 30-year-old Christopher Brooks and 30-year-old Katherine Martell dead.

Preliminarily, according to the police, it appears Brooks struck Martel with a vehicle, a Nissan SUV. Police say Brooks shot Martel and then shot himself. Brooks and Martell had a child together, according to the police. The child was not at the scene and was safe with a family member, per the Fairfax County police. Martell lived in the Woodlake Tower condo building near where the shooting occurred.

Virginia Teachers Hail Northam’s Proposed Budget Fairfax County Federation of Teachers President Tina Williams joined Norfolk Federation of Teachers President Tom Calhoun and Hampton Federation of Teachers President Jeion Ward to issue a statement yesterday on Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s 2018-2020 biennial budget proposal: “Educators across the Commonwealth of Virginia have a champion in Gov. Northam, and this budget proposal shows he’s ready to invest in kids and make our public schools places parents want to send their kids and teachers want to work. Virginia has been spending a billion dollars less on public education than it spent prior to the recession. This proposal is an effort to move us in the right direction to make our schools safer, improve supports for our kids and help retain teachers. It provides resources for our students’ social and emotional well-being, including school counselors, school resource officer training, and funding focused on college or career educational guidance and affordability. It also gives Virginia’s teachers the resources they need to actually teach, helping to reduce class size and increase their wages so we can keep good teachers in the classroom without them having to take on second and third jobs to pay their bills. While Virginia is the eighth-wealthiest state in the nation, we still rank 43rd in public education spending. This budget is a down payment on the needs of our public school system, and we look forward to working with Gov. Northam to find even more ways to invest in the future of every kid in Virginia.”

182,000 Virginians Sign Up for Medicaid Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam yesterday announced that more than 182,000 Virginia adults are now enrolled in new health coverage that begins on Jan. 1, 2019. “I’m proud of the tremendous progress we’re making to enroll Virginians who are newly eligible for health coverage under Medicaid expansion, with more than 182,000 Virginians signed up to date,” said Governor Northam. “I encourage Virginians to visit CoverVA.org to find out if they are among the thousands now eligible under the new Medicaid rules, and apply for new coverage today.” The new coverage is available to men and women ages 19 through 64 who are not eligible for Medicare and who meet income requirements, which vary by family size. SNAP recipients and parents whose children are currently receiving Medicaid coverage have the opportunity to use a short-form application to sign up if they do so by Jan. 4, 2019. These individuals were notified by letter earlier this fall, and a follow-up postcard was recently mailed to potentially eligible adults in these categories.

in the Main Sanctary

8:00 p.m. Candlelit Service of Holy Communion in the Historic Church

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PAGE 12 | DECEMBER 20 – 26, 2018

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News-Press

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Community News & Notes

PASTOR DAVE KIRKLAND (right) and Director of Music Ministries, Ben Bugaile of Dulin United Methodist Church in Falls Church, ran in the Whitman-Walker Run to End HIV on Saturday, Dec.2 in Washington, DC. They raised over $7,000.

(Photo: Courtesy Dulin United Methodist Church)

J.E.B. (Justice) Grad Earns Rookie of the Week Honors Following her first collegiate victory in only her second career meet, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) student-athlete Maya Verma of Falls Church, a J.E.B. (Justice) High School graduate, has been selected as the Liberty League Women’s Track & Field Rookie of the Week, the conference has announced.

In the multi-divisional Utica College Pioneer Winter Classic, Verma won the high jump with a height of 1.68 meters to set a facility record and beat the field of 15 competitors. The runner-up, teammate Lauren Parker, also reached 1.68 meters but not as efficiently.

The host Pioneers won with 136 points and RPI was just 3.5 points behind (132.5). The University of Rochester was third with 129

points.

Verma, who jumped 1.55 meters to finish seventh in her first collegiate meet, was a four-year track & field and cross country performer in high school. A captain for five seasons, she earned numerous conference and regional championships in multiple years.

She was also All-State six times, including Second Team in indoor in 2017 and Honorable Mention in outdoor in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

An engineering major, Verma was a member of the National Honor Society who earned a National Merit Commendation.

New Express Lanes Entrance/ Exits Opened in McLean Virginia Department of Transportation and Fairfax County recently opened a few lanes on the Jones Branch Connector, bringing

AT THE ANNUAL meeting of the board of directors of the Falls Church non-profit theater group, Creative Cauldron, held at the Italian Cafe Monday night, (left to right) Margie Jervis, resident scenic and costume designer is speaking, with the group’s founder and CEO Laura Hull, Denise Perrino looking on. (Photo: News-Press)

new access to the 495 Express Lanes.

These new Connector lanes link Route 123, near the McLean Metro station, over I-495 to Tysons, just north of the Tysons Galleria.

Drivers can now get to Route 123 via the Jones Branch Drive exit on the 495 Express Lanes, as well as get on the northbound or southbound 495 Express Lanes via Route 123.

Or, drivers can just head straight across the bridge from Route 123 to Jones Branch Drive and back.

The exit name for Jones Branch Drive used on Express Lanes pricing signs has been renamed from “JONES BR” to “JB/RT 123” to reflect the new travel option.

Only two lanes are open today – one in each direction. The rest of the lanes and new sidewalks

are scheduled to open next year.

For more information, head to virginiadot.org/projects/northernvirginia.

Fairfax Co. Teachers Earn, Renew Certification Seven professional educators from Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) have earned certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). Each educator earned the profession’s highest achievement through a rigorous, performance-based, peer-review process, demonstrating their impact on student learning and achievement.

The new FCPS National Board Certified teachers from the local area are Lisa Choi (Haycock Elementary School) and Lauren Herr (Willow Oaks

Administrative Center).

Additionally, 32 FCPS teachers renewed certification from the NBPTS for an additional ten years, with local teachers getting their certification renewed being: Maria Diaz (Westlawn Elementary School), April Done (Shrevewood Elementary School) Kimberly Owens (Pine Spring Elementary School), Danielle Powers (Willow Oaks Administrative Center), Terry Quinn (Spring Hill Elementary School) and Heather Walnock (Beech Tree Elementary School).

McLean Community Center To Hold Open House Having recently completed an 18-month renovation, the McLean Community Center, or MCC, (1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean) is hosting a free Community Open

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

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

House from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 5. In addition to taking self-guided tours using a map and a “passport,” participants can take advantage of a mini health fair in the Center’s Community Hall.

Center staff will be situated throughout the building, and participants will be able to undertake the following: A sneak peek of The Alden Theatre’s 2019 Spring Season; learn what’s happening at The Old Firehouse Center; get information on Camp McLean and other summer camp programs; create art in the McLean Project for the Arts’ Duval Studio and discover new, upcoming classes, youth events and trips.

The Special Events Division will offer a “Preview of Upcoming Events’ with a free, smaller version of its BeFit McLean Health Fair.

Information on health care issues and preventive practices will be available as well as health screenings for vision, blood pressure, sleep health, stress management and nutrition, among others.

waste and compost – normally scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 26 and Wednesday, Jan. 2 will move to the Thursday of that week.

Upcoming Curbside Collection Days include Thursday, Dec. 27, Thursday, Jan. 3 and Wednesday, Jan. 9 (normal Wednesday schedule returns).

The first day of Christmas tree collection will be on Jan. 3.

Residents can place their Christmas tree at the curb after removing plastic bags, rope and all decorations, including tinsel. The remaining Christmas tree collection days will be on Wednesdays – the normal curbside collection pick-up day – during the remainder of January and February.

Residents who live in apartments and condominiums that receive private trash and recycling service may recycle trees by taking the trees to the brush collection facility at the Fairfax County Citizens’ Disposal and Recycling Facility (4618 W. Ox Rd., Fairfax).

Curbside Collection Dates Change in Light of Holidays

Interested attendees can meet documentary filmmaker and journalist Rebecca Samona and see her intensely personal movie, “The Island of Roses – Tragedy in

All curbside collections – including trash, recycling, yard

Next ‘Lox & Lecture’ To Take Place on Jan. 13

LO CA L Paradise,” as the latest installment of the Women of Temple Rodef Shalom’s (2100 Westmoreland St., Falls Church) “Lox and Lecture” series on Sunday, Jan. 13 at 11:45 a.m.

Interested attendees must RSVP by Thursday, Jan. 10 Through the memories of her mother, family, friends and additional archival material, Samona reconstructs the little known story of the life of the Jews of Rhodes, an Italian colony.

Following their deportation to Auschwitz in July 1944 and the destruction of the community, the handful of survivors kept alive the memories of this centuries-old culture and conveyed the stories to their descendants.

There will be a question and answer session after the movie.

Light bagel and lox brunch prior to the movie.

To RSVP for the event, visit wotrsloxlecturejan2019.eventbrite.com.

The cost to attend the ”Lox and Lecture” discussion and viewing is $7 for Women of Temple Rodef Shalom members and $10 for nonmembers.

For more information, or to list specific accommodations needed in order to participate in the event, contact Julie Krachman at juleskrac@aol.com or 202-321-5824.

DECEMBER 20 – 26, 2018 | PAGE 13

Administrative Assistant to the Associate Dean of Graduate Programs Pamplin School of Business The Pamplin College of Business at the Northern Virginia Center in Falls Church, VA is seeking an Administrative Assistant to provide support to the Associate Dean of Graduate Programs in the Pamplin College of Business at the National Capital Region.

This key position will serve as the key liaison between the Dean and Pamplin College of Business in Blacksburg.

Focused On Quality Vision Care For The Whole Family

Applicants must possess strong interpersonal and communications skills; ability to work with the public; ability to maintain confidentiality, prioritize multiple tasks, meet deadlines and work collaboratively with others, and be highly organized.

To apply for this posting please follow this link, https://listings.jobs.vt.edu/

Virginia Tech is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution.

A criminal background check is the condition of employment with Virginia Tech.

With warm wishes to our clients, friends and associates this holiday season! We value your trust and thank you for seeing us this past year!

We will be OPEN Mon. 12/24 from 9-1; CLOSED Tues. 12/25; OPEN 12/26 9-6. We will be OPEN New Year’s Eve 12/31 from 9-1; We will be CLOSED New Year’s Day 1/1 and Open 1/2 from 9-6

Have a Very Happy New Year!!

CUB SCOUT DEN #12 of Pack #657 were honored to have the opportunity to interview Falls Church Police Chief Mary Gavin on Thursday evening. The Chief sat down with the Den to thoroughly answer numerous questions about what it’s like to be in charge of the City of Falls Church Police. (From left to right) Elsa Brown, Evelyn Labukas, Police Chief Mary Gavin, Louis Brown, Rose Cobucci and Katie Johnson. (P����: C������� K���� B����)

701 W. Broad St. (Rte 7) Falls Church VA

703-237-6500

www.pointofvieweyewear.com

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PAGE 14 | DECEMBER 20 – 26, 2018

A Penny for Your Thoughts

News of Greater Falls Church

By Supervisor Penny Gross

Growing up, the threat of a lump of coal in one’s Christmas stocking might be all you needed to correct bad behavior. After all, a lump of coal just sits there. You can’t play with it, eat it, or walk it.

A lump of coal had just two purposes: instilling a sense of shame in a child, or burning it for heat. As many power plants in the nation transition from coal to renewable energy sources, that lump of coal may be fading away, but it’s still an appropriate item for this year’s holiday list. Good gets a candy cane; bad, that lump of coal.

• A candy cane for adoptive and foster families who bring love and safe surroundings to children in need.

• Candy canes for all the wonderful volunteers in our community, who serve in PTA, homeless shelters, service clubs, the Lincolnia Task Force, GrandInvolve (older volunteers working with elementary school students), coaching Little League, and so many more.

• A candy cane to the voters who supported, overwhelmingly, the 2018 public safety bond that included funding for the Mason District police station and local fire station renovations.

• Candy canes, too, for the Friends of Green Spring (FROGS), Tatiana Lisle, Nancy Wilson, and all the active park volunteers who were honored at the Elly Doyle Park Service Awards ceremonies in November. Park volunteers are the best!

• Candy canes to supporters of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and their efforts to make the Commonwealth of Virginia the 38th and final state to ratify the ERA. You can sign on to support ERA at www.varatifyera.org.

• And a candy cane to the Federal Highway Administration, which determined that the intersection of Ravensworth Road and Jayhawk Street in Annandale

was a good candidate for a pilot project to install a roundabout and improve traffic and pedestrian/cyclist access there. It seems to be working...

• A lump of coal to drivers who do not stop at STOP signs. An entire power plant could be operated if we had just one lump for each offense!

• A lump of coal, too, for drivers who forget, or fail, to turn on their headlights at dusk, or in the rain.

A dark-colored vehicle, as evening falls, is almost impossible for other drivers to see, and more than dicey for pedestrians, too.

• A lump of coal, too, for tree “murderers” and furniture “dumpers” who leave their detritus at the curb, expecting their trash hauler to carry it away on the next collection day. Tree trunks and limbs, sofas, mattresses, and other household goods are not regular trash, and thoughtful neighbors know it.

Please be considerate and call your local trash hauler for a special pickup.

• Finally, a lump of coal to Donald J. Trump, and his White House. It’s difficult to know where to begin, and where to stop, with Mr. Trump. Nasty tweets, vicious ad hominem attacks, repeated lies, lack of respect for just about anyone, and complete disregard for the law and our system of government is a start. An entire coal mine might not contain enough lumps for the current president!

It’s not difficult to qualify for a candy cane, or even a lump of coal, and lists can be as diverse as our community. May your holidays always be filled with family, friends, and candy canes — and renewable energy sources!  Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov.

before anything else, we’re all human rethink your bias at lovehasnolabels.com

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Delegate Marcus Simon’s

Richmond Report If Governor Ralph Northam’s address this week to the Joint Money Committees, still chaired by the opposite party, was a Beatles song, it would have started with “You have to admit it’s getting better, a little better all the time.”

In fact, the 2019 General Assembly Session presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make significant investments for Virginia’s long-term success including in education, broadband access, affordable housing and protecting our natural resources.

And it can be done while shoring up reserves, preserving our bond rating and providing targeted tax relief.

So, where is this money coming from? Virginia is on positive financial footing resulting in better revenues than anticipated and all indicators suggest that these positive economic trends should continue.

Internet Sales Tax State Governments are now able to charge and collect sales tax on all internet sales, regardless of whether online merchants have a physical presence in the Commonwealth.

Given the amount of conversation surrounding the internet sales tax, this is something that we all expect to address this session.

Federal Tax Conformity The Governor’s budget assumes that, as in previous years, the General Assembly will conform to changes in the federal tax code.

Conformity is usually a routine, straightforward action that comes before any conversation we have on tax policy. Because of changes to the standard deduction, fewer Virginians will itemize on state income tax returns. So, while the total tax burden for many in our area will decrease, Virginia’s income tax receipts are expected to rise.

Earned Income Tax Credit Refundability The Trump tax cuts are mainly benefiting high earners and corporations — that’s why Governor Northam proposes targeted tax relief that will let working Virginians in every locality and every region keep more of their paychecks. $216.3 million (one time, sunsets with Trump tax cuts) will make the Earned Income Tax fully refundable, which will provide an estimated 600,000 working Virginians with targeted tax relief.

Teacher Pay Every child in the Commonwealth deserves access to a world-class education. To compete with other states on attracting and retaining the best teaching talent, the Governor proposes adding $88 million to provide teachers a long overdue 5 percent raise effective July 2019.

Student Health and School Safety Virginia is a nationallyrecognized leader on school safety, but we need to take a more holistic approach when it comes to creating a safe learning environment for our students. $36 million will fund additional school counselors, the first installment of a three-year, phased strategy to hire enough school counselors to reduce caseloads across all grade bands.

Higher Education Affordability Although Virginia’s public higher education system is topranked and well-regarded, having best-in-the-nation colleges and universities won’t mean much if students can’t afford to attend them.

More than $20 million will go to need-based financial aid for public colleges and universities and the Tuition Assistance Grant Program.

Affordable Housing Virginia families should be able to count on stable housing.

The Housing Trust Fund, which supports local and regional efforts to address housing affordability would get an additional $16 million with $2.6 million going for expanded legal assistance for Virginians facing eviction proceedings.

Water Quality, Clean Energy and Environmental Protection The Governor proposes investments to improve water quality and to protect the progress we’ve made on restoring the Chesapeake Bay. This means $90 million to fund technical assistance for eligible farmers to prevent pollution from farm runoff and $50 million (onetime) to the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund to help urban and suburban areas reduce pollution coming off impervious surfaces.

Infrastructure Reliable, safe infrastructure is critical to our economy and quality of life. $75 million (onetime) will go to the Virginia Transportation Infrastructure bank to help fund infrastructure projects. $20 million (one-time) to develop build-ready sites.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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DECEMBER 20 – 26, 2018 | PAGE 15

‘Entanglement Theory’ & Things Unseen

“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” This famous quote by Shakespeare from “Hamlet” is frequently used to account for the unexplainable.

Surely, we live now in an “age of reason,” despite the fact that our current president is anything but reasonable in terms of policies or what constitutes reality to him. Irrationality is always an enemy of the people and it is a signature component of a bully’s insistence on obedience.

Fundamentalist Christianity is a prime example, far eclipsing the Roman Catholic Church on this score which for eons had a monopoly on the FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS practice, fighting relentlessly against the rise of science and reason during the Italian Renaissance and its successor, the French, English and American Enlightenment that produced the American Revolution and its establishment of the modern notion of democracy.

While Catholicism gradually gave ground to the compelling force of reason, fundamentalist Christianity superseded it in intensity, beginning with its deployment by the British in their so-called “Great Awakening” to curb the spread of the Enlightenment and its American Revolution with “hellfire and brimstone” preaching to lock the masses down with a fear of damnation for any action not specifically sanctioned by the crown and the ruling class.

The American founding fathers were united in their resolved opposition to the grip of fear and superstition over the lives of people, just as they touted science and reason as the keys to freeing them to live under the reign of democratic institutions. Fundamentalism, of course, denies this reality to this day, lying that the founders of America were irrational zealots like themselves. The greatest gains in securing the long-term sustainability of America’s constitutional democracy came with progress in the expansion of free, science and reason-based public education. America’s strongest cornerstones of its democracy are the classrooms that teach the fundamentals of “reading, writing and arithmetic” to its new generations. Today, the beautiful stories that are re-enacted during the holiday season are widely held to be poetic verbal and visual manifestations of the bonds of love and compassion that bind us, as a society, together. They are stories that a science and reason based culture values for their affirmations of the hopeful qualities of our human condition. They do not contradict, they complement humanity’s striving to elevate the most positive traits in the interactions and improvements among us as mortal beings.

They place us in a cosmic context, entirely in keeping with our actual role in this astonishing universe in which we play out our lives.

The confluence of the stars with the destiny of humankind is an affirmation of this, that the universe despite its incomprehensible vastness is not an indifferent backdrop, but our friend, in fact an advocate for us. Stories of the holiday season, in fact, point to more profound realities than a linear concept of the extensions of time and space permit us. While eluding attempts to explain “things unseen” that are the stuff of nature and the universe, they do place our human destiny in the lap of that universe. Still, science is only beginning to discover what have been mysterious realities of this universe, phenomena like “entangled particles” that Albert Einstein called “spooky action at a distance.”

“Entangled” photons can transfer states between them spontaneously despite great distances, according to science, “taking place at a speed of at least 10,000 times the speed of light, possibly even instantaneously, regardless of distance.” How much of our reality in this life is “entangled” with phenomena elsewhere, if you will, in this universe? How may action by one component of this entanglement be determinate of others in our current time-space experience?

The ancients didn’t know less of our universe insofar as long as they sensed and experienced cosmic nuances of our condition. Their poetry and their imagery were often acutely profound in ways we are no better at explaining now than in their time. Abraham’s sparing of Isaac made our modern western civilization possible, a holiday season thought worth contemplating.  Nicholas Benton may be emailed at nfbenton@fcnp.com.

Nicholas F. Benton

Our Man in Arlington

By Charlie Clark

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, a stone’s throw from Chain Bridge were stirrings of not quite joy.

I must have been about the sage age of 10 when our family gathered to sing carols ‘round the tinsel-shimmering tree bought at the Optimist Club lot, bedecked with ornaments purchased at Kann’s Department Store.

Butterflies tickled my belly as I anticipated my first electric guitar from National Pawnbrokers and a trendy madras shirt from Virginia Square’s Herbert’s Youth Fashions.

What I got, however, was a lesson that the season of joy doesn’t come without rules.

As the five family vocalists sat cross-legged on the floor to belt out the solemn hymns, I was hit with a brainstorm. To display my brilliance, I “edited” some lyrics.

“We three kings of orient are; tried to smoke a rubber cigar.”

Which prompted my almostas-brilliant brother to add his own improvement: “While shepherds washed their socks by night.”

Then I “adjusted” the hymn “Gloria in Excelcis Deo” to ask, instead of “Shepherds, why this Jubilee?, my own “Shepherds, basically, what’s the scoop?”

Without missing a beat, my sister chimed in, “Who, what, when, where, why and how?”

Dad and Mom, we quickly

perceived, were not amused. My mother, who was conserving her energy for the drive to sing in the midnight service at St. George’s Episcopal Church, wagged her finger and scolded. My father lectured us on our lack of maturity and sense of proper timing.

We had to stifle our giggles.

But the reprimand stung.

In retrospect a half-century later, I’d like to concede their point. The holidays are a time to cut loose — but only to a point. Some rules I’ve grown to respect since ignoring them as kids: Arrive for the extended family dinner on time. Don’t badmouth your neighbors for starting their Christmas decorating before Thanksgiving — it’s a free country.

Debating whether blue lights on white fluffy plastic Christmas tree branches reflect good taste is snobby. And when the whole clan sits down on Christmas Day to open the packaged loot beckoning under the tree, have whoever plays Santa pass them out one at a time. That gives others a chance to witness the recipient’s pleasure at unwrapping a welltargeted gift. The alternative is chaos and shouted thank-you’s that go unheard.

So it came to pass that on that Arlington Christmas I learned that love blossoms better with some rules.

Decades later, when I was singing around the tree with my

own young family, my daughters lapsed into a chorus of “Jingle bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg.”

My wife and I let it pass. Yes, Virginia, during both those memorable Christmases, there was still plenty of comfort and joy. *** Some tea-leaf readings from the Dec.15 County Board meeting’s affectionate send-off to five-year member John Vihstadt.

Before a full audience of purple-shirted Vihstadt fans, Chairman Katie Cristol praised the defeated independent as “an extraordinary listener.” Christian Dorsey said the detail stickler “encouraged me to be my best self.” Erik Gutshall thanked the record-setting “nice guy” for teaching him “how to work a room and get a laugh out of a crowd.”

Libby Garvey called Vihstadt “the real deal” who “puts community first.” She praised him again for helping cancel spending on big projects like the streetcar.

And she vouched that his “third way” is the future in our divided politics.

Vihstadt himself said, “You have to know when to hold ‘em, when to fold ‘em, and when to show ‘em” as he jokingly lived up to his reputation by pointing out a missing period in the board’s legislative platform. “I want to make sure there is written documentation of all this high praise from colleagues,” he added. “I’m not sure it will come in handy in the future, but we’ll see.”

PAGE 16 | DECEMBER 20 – 26, 2018

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Another Year, Another Festive News-Press Holiday Party

YOU CAN’T GO WRONG dropping in to the News-Press’ annual holiday shindig. Friends, musicians and even some friendly neighborhood politicians gathered around the Anthony’s Pizza last Thursday evening. (Photos: News-Press/FCCPS Photos — Courtesy Carol Sly/Courtesy Shaun Van Steyn)

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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DECEMBER 20 – 26, 2018 | PAGE 17

PAGE 18 | DECEMBER 20 - 26, 2018

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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DECEMBER 20 - 26, 2018 | PAGE 19

Fa l l s C h u r c h

Business News & Notes New To You Expands Inventory for the Holidays New to You has expanded its inventory this holiday season to include soy candles, caramel candies, reed diffusers, lip glosses, masks, scrubs, Out Of Print tees and sweatshirts, and “shadow” fairies in addition to their luxury consignment offerings which include Tiffany jewelry, vintage handbags, and designer clothing. Founded in 1992 by Christina Novak, New to You is located at 108 W. Broad Street in Falls Church. For more information, visit www.newtoyou.net.

F.C. Chamber Presents Annual Report to Members The Falls Church Chamber of Commerce held its annual report to the membership on Tuesday, Dec. 18 during which it announced new members and the 2019 slate of officers. Body Dynamics’ Barbara Benson will assume the chair role from John Marshall Bank’s Lisa D’Ambrosio-Irons while The Geller Law Group’s Emily Jenkins serves as vice chair. Irons will manage the membership committee while Joe Wetzel takes on the Program Committee. Continuing their leadership roles are Walsh Colucci’s Andrew Painter who will continue to oversee legislative issues, Sislers Stone’s Brian DeCelle who will continue to lead the communications committee, Diener & Associates’ Mike Diener who will continue to serve as treasurer, and Falls Church City Revenue Assistant Gary LaPorta who will stay on as secretary. Elected to the Board for the first time was Foundation Insurance’s Nate Herndon. The complete list of 2019 Board members will be posted to www.FallsChurchChamber.org.

Patient First Now Open on W. Broad Patient First has opened its new medical center in Falls Church. The new center, located on the ground floor at 502 West Broad Street, will provide area residents with walkin, non-appointment access to urgent and primary medical care services from 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. 365 days a year, including holidays. The Falls Church center is the eighteenth Patient First in the Washington, D.C., metro area and the first in the City of Falls Church. Patient First features a wide range of on-site services including an x-ray department, a governmentcertified lab, prescriptions for many common urgent care conditions, Nebulizer treatments for mild to moderate asthma attacks, intravenous hydration, and Electrocardiogram. Patient First physicians and their support staff treat urgent, but non-life threatening, injuries and illnesses and accept all major insurance plans. Falls Church City officials and the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce welcomed Patient First leadership, including CEO RP “Pete” Sowers, at the official ribbon cutting on Thursday, Dec. 13. For more information, visit www.patientfirst.com.

Mad Fox Hosting Festivus Party Mad Fox Brewing Company is hosting a Festivus Party and Glass Giveaway on Thursday, Dec. 20 from 3 – 9 p.m. The event will feature Mad Fox’s Festivus Ale and a holiday glass giveaway, while supplies last. Mad Fox is located at 444 W. Broad Street in Falls Church. For more information, visit www.madfoxbrewing.com.

NovaScripts Central, Safeway Helping Families Keep Vaccinated NovaScripts Central, a locally-based nonprofit dedicated to increasing low-income communities’ access to medications, is partnering with Safeway Pharmacy to help families stay vaccinated. The joint program will provide families without insurance a Safeway Pharmacy code to receive a significant discount on flu, pneumococcal, and other common vaccines. In addition to improving access to vaccinations, Safeway dietitians will work with the NSC Educate Before You Medicate health education outreach program to provide Healthy Aging cooking and tasting classes designed for the family. Participants will enjoy a one-hour class which includes a 42-page nutrition and cooking guide filled with shopping tips, quick fix recipes and more. This class received the Progressive Grocer 2018 Outreach Innovation Award. These programs align with both NOVAScripts Central and Safeway Pharmacy’s missions of expanding healthcare and education to those in the local community.  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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PAGE 20 | DECEMBER 20 – 26, 2018

N���-P����

TO LETTERS THE EDITOR Continued from Page 6

W&OD Changes Are a Win-Win For Everyone Editor, As both an avid cyclist and a frequent pedestrian on the W&OD trail, I strongly support the plans to improve the pedestrian access trail. The opportunity to improve the safety of this treasured trail with financial support from the state is one that should not be missed.

Anyone who regularly uses the trail should know how treacherous it can be, particularly on weekends. I am afraid to take our grandchildren on the trail at busy times. The possibility of avoiding serious injury to even one walker makes this plan imperative.

The plan for needed separation of walkers and riders is a win-win for all. Please proceed with the plan.

Lorine Coyle Falls Church

Plans for W&OD Support Goal for Alternative Transport Editor, The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority recently awarded $3.2 million to the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NOVA Parks) to widen the Falls Church

segment of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail and construct separate bike and pedestrian lanes. This grant is a demonstration project intended to be replicated on the busiest parts of the 45-mile long trail.

In Falls Church, the trail connects six roadways, including Route 7 and the planned bridge over Route 29. It links to Metrobus routes and the East and West Falls Church Metro stations. Connections are planned to George Mason High School and the West Falls Church commercial district.

Use of the W&OD has evolved in recent years. It is now both a recreational amenity and a transportation route that connects residential areas with public transit, employment centers, restaurants, and retail. Greater use has brought conflicts. Bike commuters share the trail with pedestrians, including children and recreational walkers of varying physical abilities. Concerns about bikes passing too close and weekend and rush hour crowding discourage even greater use.

Widening the trail and separating bikes and pedestrians will increase the trail’s capacity and improve user comfort and safety. This supports Falls Church’s goal of encouraging walking and biking as alternatives to motorized transportation.

As the City continues to urbanize, the W&OD Trail will become an ever more important element of our transportation and recreation resources.

Paul Baldino, Jeff Tarbert NOVA Parks Board of Directors

LE TTE RS Making Bike Trail Like I-66 is Not the Answer Editor, Regarding changes to the W&OD path, rather than expend all that carbon increasing the width of the bike path and consuming yet more land with impervious surfaces and increased run-off the answer is simple: Take up the blacktop. Make it more of a linear wildlife area, not less, with winding paths, seats and play areas. Put down a more sympathetic surface and expand the wild areas.

Making the trail more like the I-66 is not the answer.

James Oglethorpe Falls Church

F.C. Plans for W&OD Trail Should be an Example for Others Editor, I am a marathon runner and count myself fortunate to live in the City a mere half mile from the W&OD. I train on the W&OD constantly on all different sections of the trail — Herndon, Reston, Vienna, City of Falls Church and Arlington.

I’m shaking my head at the comments that don’t support the planned improvements to the City of Falls Church portion of the W&OD and I would like to explain why I (as someone who runs the W&OD constantly) think these improvements are a great idea!

First, the City section is among the most densely populated of the entire trail. There is a lot of congestion in our section and lots of folks going at very different speeds: dog walkers, kids

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

walking/biking to school, casual runners, bikers with kids in tow, serious cyclists/commuters, and runners of all abilities. I do not have the space here to explain the near-misses I see on a regular basis. Separating faster and slower traffic will be unquestionably safer for all of us, and will also serve to make the trail feel like a more accessible option for lessabled people, including kids.

Second, the Lee Highway intersection is dangerous and confusing. I cross it constantly and the lights/arrows are not optimized for pedestrians or bikes. This bridge will be hugely safer for all of us, and will help make the trail an even better commuter route for bicycles (which is absolutely what our City says we want to support, right?).

Third, my understanding is that other jurisdictions are looking at making these separate changes as well to their portions of the trail. The City will just be leading the way. Good! We have to start somewhere or we’ll never make any progress.

So, kudos to our dedicated City staff, who have the wisdom to understand how valuable this improvement will be, the savvy to procure state funding for it, and the foresight to set an example for other adjoining jurisdictions to follow.

Diane Bartley Falls Church

Less Regulation, Taxes Would Degrade Quality of Life Editor, Jeff Walyus, in the Dec. 13 Letters to the Editor, suggests “lessening government’s regulatory and taxing reach into everybody’s lives.”

Where should we start?

For the former, how about less efforts on aircraft safety, unrestricted marketing of new drugs, citizen-driven validation of water safety, free market solutions to air pollution, allowing raising livestock in Arlington, and no mandatory product recalls for safety? To reduce taxes, there’s always larger classroom size, fewer police officers, longer waits for fire & EMS response, self-service repair of potholes in front of one’s house, and fewer homeless shelters.

As I said, where to start? That is, without degrading everybody’s quality of life and eliminating services citizens demand.

Gabe Goldberg Falls Church

[ LETTERS ]

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Monday each week of publication. Letters should be 350 words or less.

Commentaries should be limited to 800 words.

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Mail or drop off Letters to the Editor, c/o Falls Church News-Press, 200 Little Falls Street #508, Falls Church, VA 22046 Include full name, address and telephone number with each submission.

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DECEMBER 20 – 26, 2018 | PAGE 21

A DOUBLE DOSE OF HOLIDAY CHEER from Mary Ellen Henderson’s musical performers. On Dec. 12, Henderson’s seventh and eigth grade bands (left) performed their holiday tunes while on Dec. 11, Henderson’s chorus students belted out all the hits in the cafetorium. (P�����: FCCPS P�����/ C������� C���� S��)

F� � � � C � � � � �

S����� N��� � N���� Suggested Ways to Donate To F.C. Education Foundation There are multiple ways for interested residents to contribute to Falls Church Education Foundation (FCEF) before the end of the year. All will have a significant local impact.

• Donations for the FCEF Family Assistance Fund will help with the $15,000 goal. The donations to FCEF, for the FAF, support students and families in our community who need temporary assistance with food, clothing, schools supplies, and necessities.

Donations may be made by check, to FCEF (800 W. Broad St., Suite 203, Falls Church) or online at fcedf.org.

• Academic Boosters donations are accepted all year long to support the FCEF Super Grants and Advanced Teacher Training Grants as well as programs for English as a Second Or foreign Language (ESOL) and Special Education students. Interested donors are advised to use the same donation methods as above.

• Federal employees may donate to FCEF via the Combined Federal Campaign open through Friday, Jan. 11.

• If any residents are shopping at Amazon.com for holiday gifts, they can use Amazon.smile and support FCEF or any other charity and use the opportunity to donate 0.5% of their purchases at no additional cost.

Henderson Students Become Certified Coders A group of 15 Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School students are officially coders, thanks to an innovative community partnership throughout the past couple of months.

Employees from the nearby Capital One headquarters visited the afterschool coding group for ten weeks, introducing students to the basics of coding and teaching students to create their own apps.

At a special event on Dec. 10, the students showed their work to parents and community and received feedback from the mentors who worked with them throughout the process.

2 Mason Students Make Finals in Speech Competition Two George Mason High School students, Grace Keenan and Elisabeth Snyder, traveled to Robinson High School this weekend for a Washington-Arlington Catholic Forensic League Speech competition.

Keenan placed first among 36 competitors in Original Oratory, and both girls qualified to compete at Metro Finals in February. Snyder will compete in Declamation and Grace in Dramatic Performance and Original Oratory.

Henderson Theatre Students Get New Gear from Grant Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School Theatre 7 students are using the brand new equipment from a Falls Church Education Foundation grant for their work on the silent film project.

The new equipment will also be used by Theatre 6 students

when they film a public service announcement about why the arts are essential, and Theatre 8 students are exploring the differences between acting on camera and stage acting.

Get Redskins Tickets Thru F.C. Ed. Foundation The last game of the stillpromising Washington Redskins football season is on Sunday, Dec. 30 against the Philadelphia Eagles at FedEx Field (1600 Fedex Way, Landover, MD) There are still a block of tickets for interested Falls Church families or students available for to attend the game.

Order discounted tickets, and a portion of the ticket price will go to the Falls Church Education Foundation.

To purchase tickets, go to fevo.com/edp/Falls-ChurchCity-Public-Schools-SpecialOffer:-Washington-Redskins-vsPhiladelphia-Eagles-uwazBBp.

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Mason Boys Falter Against Cougars

by Matt Delaney

Falls Church News-Press

George Mason High School’s boys basketball team’s three-game win streak screeched to a halt in a 64-51 loss to Manassas Park High School last Friday.

The Mustangs (3-2) just didn’t look like themselves on Dec. 14 against the Cougars. Two fast, athletic and evenly sized teams were squaring up with one another, but only one of them — the visitors — seemed to be in its element on the court. It led to Mason relying on Manassas Park’s lack of discipline to keep the game close; when the Cougars did tighten up, the game got away from the Mustangs.

“We kind of fell into their game.

We got pushed out to half court in our offense and just didn’t execute or hit easy buckets like we usually try to do,” senior guard Max Ashton said. Mason head coach Chris Capannola had a rawer take on what took place last Friday.

“We didn’t play much basketball at all. We let them dictate every single thing. We practiced for four days this week — not one minute of practice looked like that. We looked like deer in the headlights,

but for some reason, it was three and a half quarters of that.”

That half a quarter where Mason did seem to find their groove was coming out of halftime. Following a first half where the Mustangs scored one field goal inside the paint — a putback by senior forward Hollman Smith after senior guard Jay Nesson’s drive was fruitless — Mason hastily established a presence inside when Smith found a cutting Ashton for an easy two.

The bucket cut the Cougars’ lead to 29-25, with an Ashton drive, an elbow three from sophomore guard Robert Asel and fastbreak layup by Smith to tie the game at 32 apiece minutes later was Mason’s high point of the night.

But the game quickly deteriorated back into the erratic tendencies of the first half from there.

The Mustangs were only able to hang with Manassas Park to start the game because of hot shooting from beyond the arc, where four different players hit three’s in a 15-12 first quarter that Mason led by the end. Any time the Mustangs drove the lane, however, they often did so with little rhyme or reason, attempting to weave through the

Cougars’ length single-handedly and force a tough shot. It led to a lot of turnovers that, luckily, weren’t capitalized on earlier because of Manassas Park’s own problems on the offensive end.

The game’s flow kept Mason in an awkward spot. They never trailed by more than six points until the game’s closing minutes, so the approach appeared to keep them in it. But they weren’t using an effective enough strategy to put them over the top. Ashton’s three-pointer to start the fourth quarter gave the Mustangs their final lead at 41-39. When Mason scored next on Nesson’s baseline floater, the Cougars held a 46-43 advantage. The visitors found their groove after Nesson’s bucket and went on an 8-0 run that was a gut punch to the Mustangs’ morale and put the game out of reach with just over two minutes to play.

“It’s a non-league game. But if we want to do anything in the [Region B tournament] this is what we’re going to have to face so we’re going to have to be a lot better.” Capannola added.

The Mustangs will host Washington-Lee High School tonight.

DECEMBER 20 – 26, 2018 | PAGE 23

Swim & Dive

ON SATURDAY, Mason Boys and Girls Swim Teams continued their winning streak in their tri-meet vs. Clarke County and Central Woodstock. Mason Boys scored 60 points to Clarke County’s 33 points, and 75 points compared to 15 for Central Woodstock. Mason Girls tally of 54 points was enough to defeat Clarke County with 40 points and Mason achieved a higher margin of victory over Central Woodstock with 77-17. (Photo: Ari Autor)

Mustangs Heat Up By Winning 3 of Last 4

by Matt Delaney

Falls Church News-Press

After starting the season with four straight losses, George Mason High School’s girls basketball team has rebounded by winning three of its next four games, capped off by Tuesday’s 52-44 win over Broad Run High School.

Mason (3-5) looked like a team with a ton of underclassmen in the season’s first few weeks. The Mustangs couldn’t crack 40 points in a single game while struggling to seal off scoring lanes and secure rebounds on the defensive end.

But ever since last week’s inaugural win over John Paul the Great Catholic High School, Mason’s cleared the 40-point mark easily in its past two victories and has been stingy on defense to boot. Things are looking up for the young squad as of now.

“It’s just been momentum,” freshman guard Zoraida Icabalceta said. “We have a lot of freshman, so it took some time to gel as a team. And at first we didn’t know the plays so it took some time to learn those also.”

The win over Broad Run was on par with the win over John Paul the Great in terms of significance.

The Mustangs opened up the game without scoring a field goal until the last two minutes of the first quarter when senior guard Maddie Lacroix finally snapped the drought with a floater to put Mason within four at 10-6. It would get worse before it got better as Broad Run went on a short 7-0 run punctuated by a three pointer that came after the Spartans blanked two free throws before snagging the offensive board.

Staring down a 23-12 deficit, the Mustangs rallied with roughly five minutes to go in the second quarter to change the complexion of the game. Freshman forward Meghan Tremblay hit a corner three, Lacroix set up freshman guard Bella Paradiso’s layup on a fast break and Lacroix scored nine points herself, the last being a straightaway trey that rolled around the rim and in at the buzzer to head into halftime up 26-23.

Mason didn’t dawdle coming out of the break. Paradiso,

Tremblay and Icabalceta helped build the Mustangs’ advantage to 35-25 a few minutes into the third quarter, though Broad Run only trailed by two possessions thanks to an end-of-quarter sprint to sit at 37-33.

Lacroix buried a three at the 6:30 mark of the fourth quarter and Tremblay pushed the lead to 46-39 after a nice feed from Icabalceta.

But a high-arcing three-ball that banked in kept the Spartans close with three minutes to play. That’s when Icabalceta took command, going coast-to-coast for a layup and then hitting a stop-and-pop jumper from the free throw line to put Mason ahead 50-42. Tremblay finished a steal that Icabalceta started on the ensuring possession to put the Mustangs’ insurance bucket in the hoop and clinch the game.

“They’ve gotten accustomed to their roles,” Mason head coach Chris Carrico said. “I don’t want to hit our stride yet, but this past week and a half has definitely been a lot better for us.”

Mason travels to WashingtonLee High School tonight.

INDIVIDUAL EVENT WINNERS at the meet December 15th included Ellen Chadwick (top picture – Girls 200 Yard IM and 100 Yard Fly), Adam Janicki (bottom picture – Boys 200 Yard IM and100 Yard Back), Maddy Dubois (Girls 100 Yard Back) and Jack Lindly (Boys 100 Yard Breast). Mason Boys placed first in all three relay events while Mason Girls won the 200 Yard Medley and 400 Yard Free Relay.

(Photo: Ari Autor)

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

PAGE 24 | DECEMBER 20 - 26, 2018

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CO MME NT

The Great Energy Transition

New Sources of Energy

by Tom Whipple

Falls Church News-Press

Unless humanity replaces fossil fuels in the next couple of decades, it is almost certain that the latter part of the 21st century and beyond is going to be a very unpleasant era in which to live.

For the past 200 years, much of the world has prospered greatly from fossil fuels. Most of us have become so accustomed to the benefits of fossil fuels that few are anxious to give up the lifestyles that this energy has provided despite the dire implications for future generations. After three decades of grappling with climate change, it is becoming apparent that the only solution to slowing and reversing its effects is to develop new sources of energy that are so much cheaper than our fossil fuels and our current alternatives that a rapid transition to non-polluting energy will happen quickly and without too much economic damage.

Although considerable progress has been made in improving and reducing the cost of our current, non-carbon emitting energy sources, for a variety of reasons not enough progress is being made in substituting these alternative energy sources to stop catastrophic changes in our climate.

At present, there seem to be only two radically new sources of energy under development that offer hope of replacing fossil fuels soon. As I have discussed several times before in this paper, there are two technologies — Low Energy Nuclear Reactions LENR and hydrogen/hydrino reaction — under development that appear to be nearing commercialization.

Both of these technologies have been scientifically controversial for many years, but as their developers make progress, skepticism among those who have insight into the progress to these technologies is starting to wane.

The most prominent developer of the LENR technology, Andrea Rossi, said recently that he is installing a LENR heating system in a factory and that the first phase of this system has been in operation since mid-November. Rossi, however, releases information about his technology in such small bits and pieces that it is difficult to evaluate his technology or its prospects.

In contrast to the secretive

Rossi, Randell Mills of Brilliant Light Power is an open book.

For years, Mills has posted on his website periodic briefings outlining his progress and plans for the future. In recent years he has been issuing quarterly progress reports which are supplemented by the release of annotated video clips showing steadily improving prototypes of his devices being tested. In contrast to Rossi, some 95 percent of Mills’ technology and progress is available to anyone interested on the Brilliant Light Power website.

Mills has been working on his technology for over 25 years, and his laboratory is adequately financed by investors who believe he is developing a revolutionary technology. Mills produces energy by converting hydrogen atoms into a hitherto unknown form of hydrogen, which he calls hydrinos, which results in the release of unprecedented amounts of energy.

His reaction has been working for several years and seems to be well verified by outside scientists. However, a reaction on a laboratory bench is not the same as a device that can replace all types of fossil fuels worldwide.

There is still a lot of engineering to do before a plasma glowing on a laboratory bench is ready for mass production.

It has been two years since Mills last demonstrated his hydrogento-hydrino reaction and laid out a plan to build and market an energy producing device he calls a SunCell. During this period there have been important changes in Mills’ concept of how a commercial device that will reliably produce heat and electricity will work.

Plans to release a device that would convert the energy being produced by a high-temperature plasma into electricity by using photoelectric cells has been put aside in favor of more promising techniques. Mills is now planning to develop two devices, one to produce heat and the other to produce electricity, using a highly efficient technique known as magnetohydrodynamics (MHD).

Before a commercial energy producing device can be built, Mills first has had to develop what he calls an “automated cell” or subsystem in which the energyproducing reaction can take place under computer control. In the early prototypes, Mills’ reaction

was started and maintained manually, making it unsuitable for a commercial product. Judging from the videos showing various configurations of the SunCell that have been tested and the quarterly reports that have been released, he seems to be making progress.

Successful development of several subsystems for the automated cell has been announced, and the videos show the reaction can now take place inside various types of enclosed spheres.

The two commercial products under development that will incorporate the automated cell are the “Thermal SunCell” which is to deliver 500kW for boilers, hot air or hot water thermal systems.

As this device is far less complex than the “Electric SunCell,” it should reach the market first and demonstrate the potential of the technology. Brilliant Light Power plans to market this device initially to industrial firms which use heat in their processes. Although Mills says the SunCell theoretically can be scaled to produce anywhere from 10 kilowatts to 10 megawatts, the first device which incorporates an MHD subsystem is being designed to produce 150kW. By using MHD rather than photovoltaics to produce the electricity, Brilliant Light has lengthened the development time but, in the end, may have a better and far cheaper device.

With the changes taking place in plans for a commercial system, the path to non-polluting cheap energy from the SunCell technology has been lengthened, and BLP is no longer making forecasts of how long it will be before even a commercial-ready prototype can be developed. There was one clue in a recent BLP video of “Shakedown testing of our inverted-pedestal-electrode reactor before our planned demonstration for DOD scientists.” This could be a very significant development for if BLP can convince DOD scientists that they are looking at the energy source of the future, the technology could be in production a lot faster. It was scientists from DoD’s Advanced Research Projects Agency that was instrumental in developing the Internet — and look how that turned out! There may be some hope for the 22nd century yet if Rossi’s or Mills’ devices get into production in time.

DECEMBER 20 – 26, 2018 | PAGE 25 There’s a time to check whether your kid’s in the right car seat.

This isn’t it.

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.

safercar.gov/TheRightSeat

CA L E NDA R

PAGE 26 | DECEMBER 20 – 26, 2018

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

FALLS CHURCHCALENDAR COMMUNITYEVENTS THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20 Winter Solstice Cookie Party.

Interested attendees can come and customize the cookies with holiday themes while making winter decorations to adorn the library as area residents prepare for the longest night of the year. For grades 6-12, registration requested. Mary Riley Styles Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 7 – 8 p.m.

703-248-5034.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21 Tiny Tot. Tiny Tot programs provide opportunities to interact one-on-one with young children while discovering the wonders of nature. Each program will engage children with handson learning and may include a

variety of activities like songs, crafts, finger plays and minihikes. Adults must remain during the entire program. Ages 1 – 3. $5 fee due upon registration.Gulf Branch Nature Center & Park (3608 North Military Rd., Arlington). 10 – 10:45 a.m.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22 Farmer’s Market. The award-winning, year-round market is filled with fresh, local produce, meat, dairy, flowers & plants, honey, music and much more. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Falls Church). 9 a.m. – noon. 703-248-5034.

Yoga at the Nature Center.

Interested attendees will start with a short walk, return to the nature center to practice poses representing the plants and animals the group found, then end with a short relaxation. No prior experience needed; if any par-

ticipants possess a Yoga mat they are encouraged to bring it, but it’s not required. Ages 7 to 10.

Registration required. $5 fee due upon registration. Long Branch Nature Center at Glencarlyn Park (625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington). 10 – 10:45 a.m. 703228-6535.

Tree ID Hike. Interested attendees can learn to identify the trees of Arlington by their bark and shape. Wear weather appropriate clothes, participants will be outside the whole time. $5 fee due upon registration. Long Branch Nature Center at Glencarlyn Park (625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington). 11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. 703-228-6535.

Gifts for Wildlife. Interested residents can make edible garlands and ornaments to hang on trees outside. Participants can even make an ornament to take home

for the wildlife in their own backyards. The group will also learn other ways to help wildlife year round. Families ages 4 and up.

Register children and adults; children must be accompanied by a registered adult. Long Branch Nature Center at Glencarlyn Park (625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington). 2:30 – 4 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26 New Year’s Resolution: Vision Boards. Interested attendees can join recreational therapist Sidney Reid for a New Year resolution exercise focusing on one’s goals and purpose for the year. Vision boards are a collection of images and words that are used as helpful reminders when motivation lacks. All materials will be provided. Arlington Mill Community & Senior Center (909 S. Dinwiddie St., Arlington).

6:30 – 8 p.m. 703-228-7369.

THEATER&ARTS

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21 “Billy Elliot.” All 11-year-old Billy wants to do is dance. While the 1984 miners’ strike squeezes his family and splits his town, Billy’s passion for ballet first divides, then ultimately unites, the community—and changes his life in extraordinary ways. Based on the powerful and acclaimed film, “Billy Elliot” swept the Tony, Drama Desk, and Olivier awards for Best Musical, by combining a dynamic score by the legendary Elton John with sensational dance to create a heartwarming, inspirational and triumphant experience for the entire family.

Signature Theatre (420 Campbell Ave., Arlington) $40 – $80. 8 p.m. sigtheatre.com.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22 “Anything Goes.” Dubbed “musical comedy joy” by The New York Times, this rollicking maritime rom-com follows the adventures of Billy, a young Wall Street broker who falls head over heels

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

for a wealthy heiress, and stows away on the ship carrying her to London. All kinds of on-board antics ensue as Billy tries to find, woo and win back his true love, with the help of showgirls, sailors and even a gangster or two.

Arena Stage (1101 Sixth St. SW, Washington, D.C.) $92 – $125. 8 p.m. arenastage.org.

“A Civil War Christmas.” It’s 1864 and Washington, D.C. is settling down to the coldest Christmas Eve in years. “History lessons and holiday warmth sit cozily alongside each other” (The New York Times) in this pageant of carols

by Paula Vogel, the Pulitzer Prizewinning writer of “Indecent.”

Stories of many intertwining lives– spanning from the battlegrounds of Northern Virginia to the halls of the White House– demonstrate that the gladness of one’s heart is the best gift of all.

1st Stage Theatre (1524 Spring Hill Rd., Tysons) $39. 8 p.m. 1ststagetysons.org.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23 “Madeline’s Christmas.” After sold out runs in 2014 and 2017, the Creative Cauldron is reviving “Madeline’s Christmas” once more for the 2018 holiday season. In this musical adaptation, Madeline’s schoolmates and tutor are all sick in bed on Christmas Eve, unable to go home for Christmas to be with their families. So, it’s Madeline to the rescue. And with the help of a magical rug merchant, she takes her friends on a Christmas journey they will never forget. Creative Cauldron (410 S. Maple Ave., Retail 116, Falls Church) $16 – $26. 2 p.m. creativecauldron.org.

LIVEMUSIC THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20 Brian Franke. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church).

6:30 p.m. 703-237-8333.

Chris Pureka with Crys Matthews Live and In Concert. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $18 – $25. 7:30 p.m. 703-2551566.

CA L E NDA R

A John Waters Christmas. The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria). $55. 7:30 p.m.

703-549-7500.

DECEMBER 20 – 26, 2018 | PAGE 27

Hiss Golden Messenger. 9:30 Club (815 V St. NW, Washington D.C.) $20. 8 p.m. 202-265-0930.

Thrillbilly’s. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church).

8:30 p.m. 703-241-9504.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21 The Wing-Its. Clare and Don’s Beach Shack. (130 North Washington St., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-532-9283.

Happy Hour: Shartel & Hume.

JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703241-9504.

SWELL. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington St. A, Falls Church). 7 p.m. 703-858-9186.

Bill Kirchen & Commander Cody “Honky Tonk Holiday Show.” The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria). $29.50. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500.

Clauster Eve: Jammin Java Songwriters Circle Holiday Edition featuring Todd Wright, Anthony Fiacco, Luke Brindley, and Scott Simons. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $16.

7:30 p.m. 703-255-1566.

Big Something & Too Many Zooz with Electric Love Machine. 9:30 Club (815 V St. NW, Washington D.C.) $20. 8 p.m. 202-265-0930.

Pile O Rocks Show. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 9 p.m. 703-2419504.

The Zen Project. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 10 p.m. 703-237-8333.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22 Jimmy Coles Holiday Show. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 4 p.m. 703-2419504.

Two From the Heart. Clare and

ANDREW ACOSTA will be at JV’s Restaurant on Sunday. (Photo: YouTube.Com) Don’s Beach Shack. (130 North Washington St., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-532-9283.

“A Very MAYSA Christmas” featuring Maysa’s Jazz Funk Soul Orchestra. The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria). $69.50. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500.

Tango Demonstration and DJ VER1TAS Dance Night.

Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington St. A, Falls Church).

9 p.m. 703-858-9186.

Josh Christina Show. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 9:30 p.m. 703-2419504.

Brad Rhodes. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church).

10 p.m. 703-237-8333.

Church). 1 p.m. 703-241-9504.

The Mini-Clauster Family Holiday Happy Hour. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $10 – $30.

1 p.m. 703-255-1566.

Jumpin’ Jupiter. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 4 p.m. 703-241-9504.

Open Mic. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington St. A, Falls Church). 5 p.m. 703-858-9186.

Luther Re-Lives Holiday Concert featuring William “Smooth” Wardlaw. The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria). $45. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23

Bad Santa 2 featuring Backyard, Team Familiar, DJ Big John and Billy Da Kid. 9:30 Club (815 V St. NW, Washington D.C.) $40. 8 p.m. 202-265-0930.

Andrew Acosta. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls

Barry & The Back Alley Rhythm Cats. JV’s Restaurant (6666

Arlington Blvd., Falls Church).

8:30 p.m. 703-241-9504.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 24 Rookie Jump. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 3:30 p.m. 703-2419504.

Wolf Blues Jam Weekly Show.

JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8:30 p.m.

703-241-9504.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 25 Jimmie Smooth & The Hit Time.

JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26 Mommy and Me with Dotty Westgate – Music and Movement for babies & toddlers. Famille Cafe (700-A W. Broad St. Falls Church). 10 a.m.

703-570-8669.

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 28 | DECEMBER 20 - 26, 2018

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In accordance with the Virginia Self-Storage Act, section 55-419 F, notice is hereby given that the contents of the following rental storage spaces located at Fort Knox Self-Storage will be offered for sale: Tiffany Cave 727. Sale will be held online at storagetreasures.com. Pictures can be viewed at that site. Bidding will begin at 1:00 pm on December 20th and will conclude at 1:00 pm on December 26th winning bidder will be required to pay a $100.00 per unit refundable clean-out deposit (cash).

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We are pledged to the letter andspirit 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.

A RTS&E NTE RTA I NME NT

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Crossword

ACROSS

By David Levinson Wilk 1

2

3

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6

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9

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14 17

25

28

31

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32 35

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43

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© 2018 David Levinson Wilk

Across

1. “Oh, hogwash!”

6. Longtime Connecticut senator Christopher ____ 10. “____ homo” 14. Grammy category 15. One-on-one Olympics event 16. Letters before sigmas 17. Product that competes with Uncle Ben’s 19. QB Marino and others 20. MTV show once hosted by Carson Daly 21. Avian runner Down Under 22. Many a Lawrence Welk dance tune 23. “Rock-____ Baby” 24. Citrusy mixed drink 27. Brit’s washroom 28. Kvetchers’ cries 29. Boozehound 30. The ten in “first and ten”: Abbr.

31. Most-wanted group 33. Where watermelons grow 35. “Good Golly Miss Molly” singer 40. “____ Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” 41. Clear data from 43. Lays flat 46. Dr. with Grammys 47. Donkey 49. Old televangelism letters 50. It’s formed through the metamorphism of snowflakes 53. Reproductive cell 54. Oaf 55. Vintner’s tub 56. Relieved (of)

STRANGE BREW

1. "Oh, hogwash!"

6. Longtime Connecticut senator Christopher ____

DECEMBER 20 – 26, 2018 | PAGE 29

57. Kristoff’s pet reindeer in “Frozen” 58. He became the first AfricanAmerican U.S. Attorney General in 2009 ... or something you might call 17-, 24-, 35 or 50-Across 62. Mount, with “up” 63. “Beloved” author Morrison 64. Ceaselessly 65. Exuberant cries 66. Baseball’s “Slammin’ Sammy” 67. Little monsters

DOWN

1. Juice brand with a distinctive bottle 2. Classroom missile 3. The Wars of the Roses ended in his reign 4. As ____ (generally) 5. Cambodia’s Angkor ____ 6. Layer of skin 7. Poppy drug 8. 12th of 12: Abbr.

9. Actor Billy ____ Williams 10. Triage MD 11. Like milk of magnesia 12. Bopped on the bean 13. College application pieces 18. Hard to grasp 22. Tries to arouse interest in 23. Culinary phrase 25. Actor Morales 26. Campus military org.

28. German Expressionist who was blacklisted by the Nazis 32. Filthy dwelling

JOHN DEERING

Sudoku

33. Opposite of post34. Snarky laugh syllable 36. Angler’s fly, e.g.

37. At any time 38. 50 Cent piece 39. One with a 1.0 GPA 42. Common street name 43. Cold war mole 44. Singer Newton-John 45. In a Yoda-like manner 47. Tree favored by giraffes 48. “Family Guy” creator MacFarlane 51. Dairy Queen supply 52. “Molly ____ Can’t Say That, Can She?” (1990s bestseller) 53. DuPont fiber 58. UFO crew 59. Aussie hopper 60. Clip-____ (certain sunglasses) 61. Ways: Abbr.

Last Thursday’s Solution A S K M O M

O U I O U I

R E T U R N

E G A D

P A V E

E V A N

E T C G U R O T O

B R E T H O I M C O E E L O U D H E H U H

E R I T R E A

R A N O N

S H T O R E E A R D I O L N E

I C A M E

K E N O

A D D U P A T T T O A T G A V A A L M T T O S C O E O S A L E

F I G T H A T L C O I E L L Y A H E S T O

I B S D E A O G O E D A M

N O S H

T O T O

S O A K I N

S T R O K E

A S T R I D

By The Mepham Group

Level 1 2 3 4

10. "____ homo" 14. Grammy category 15. One-on-one Olympics event 16. Letters before sigmas 17. Product that competes with Uncle Ben's 19. QB Marino and others 20. MTV show once hosted by Carson Daly

1

21. Avian runner Down Under 22. Many a Lawrence Welk dance tune 23. "Rock-____ Baby" 24. Citrusy mixed drink 27. Brit's washroom

NICK KNACK

© 2018 N.F. Benton

Solution to last Sunday’s puzzle

1

12/23/18

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. © 2018 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.

LO CA L

PAGE 30 | DECMEBER 20 – 26, 2018

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

20 s Yearo Ag

is the Now for all time cows good co me to aid to the the ir of t u r e . p a s is the Now for all time cows good me to to coaid of the their.

BACK IN THE DAY

20 & 10 Years Ago in the News-Press

Falls Church News-Press Vol. VIII, No. 41 • December 24, 1998

It is now the time fo r all good to go cows to aid of the p a s their ture . * * * Throw * * Pour it up. it up

Falls Church News-Press Vol. XVIII, No. 43 • December 25, 2008

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Critter Corner 10 Year s Ago

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

Judge Rules Defectors Have No Claim on Endowment $

New Year’s Fetes Set for Downtown Middle Schoolers

Buoyed by the ruling of Fairfax Circuit Court Judge Randy Bellows last week that defectors from the Falls Church Episcopal do not have a right to the church’s endowment fund, Falls Church’s “Continuing Episcopalians” are now mulling their options of how to put the fund’s approximately $750,000 to its intended work of “furthering the Christian ministry in the area”.

Special events will be abounding in Falls Church on New Year’s weekend as the City prepares to launch its year-long celebration of its Tricentennial.

For the first time ever, the downtown crossroads of Rts. 7 and 29 will be closed on New Year’s Eve for a special celebration to kick off the Tricentennial Year.

Live music and good times are promised all between 8 p.m. and midnight.

BROTHER & SISTER, Eric (left) & Sookie Watkins posing with their most innocent looks so that Santa will bring them toys.

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 i t y o f Fa l l s C h u r c h

CRIME REPORT Week of Dec. 10 – 16, 2018

Destruction of Property, 200 blk Midvale St, between Nov 23 and Nov 25, unknown suspect(s) broke the headlight of a silver Ford parked on the street.

Smoking Violation, 6757-17 Wilson Blvd (Hoa Vien Quan), Dec 11, 11:39 PM, police issued a summons to a male, 37, of Alexandria, VA for Smoking in a Prohibited Area.

Narcotics

Violation/Stolen

Property Offenses/Weapons Violation, 7100 blk Leesburg Pike, Dec 13, 2:35 AM, police stopped a vehicle for traffic and equipment violations. A male, 18, of Canton, OH was arrested for Possess Stolen Firearm, Unlawful Concealment of Knife, Unlawful Concealment of Firearm, Possess Stolen Credit Card, and Possession of a Controlled Substance.

Threats to Burn, 700 blk Park Ave, Dec 13, 2:00 PM, an unknown suspect made threats via email. Investigation continues Hit and Run, 6793 Wilson Blvd (Eden Center parking lot), between 10:00 AM and 8:10 PM on Dec 14, a red Mercedes was struck by an unknown vehicle which failed to stop at the scene.

Fail to Return Bailed Vehicle, 1103 W Broad St (Zap Car Rental), Dec 15, 1:09 PM, police responded for a complaint of a rental vehicle that was not returned. Investigation continues.

Hit and Run, Hillwood Ave @ E Annandale Rd, Dec 16, 12:26 PM, a gray Toyota was struck by a blue Toyota which failed to stop at the scene. The suspect driver is described as a tall, middle-aged white male, wearing a tan hat and a gray sweatshirt. Investigation continues Hit and Run, 301 W Broad St (Harris Teeter parking garage), between 9:30 PM and 10:00 PM on Dec 16, 1:58 PM, a blue Mercedes was struck by an unknown vehicle which failed to stop at the scene.

F.C.’s Wurfel Dies at 81 Falls Church resident Walter W. Wurfel died suddenly on Nov. 29 at The Kensington of Falls Church, where he moved in early 2017. He was 81.

During his career, Wurfel served as deputy White House press secretary to President Jimmy Carter (1977-79); senior vice president/communications of the National Association of Broadcasters (1986-97), vice president/corporate communications of Gannett Co., Inc. (1979-84); press secretary to Democratic Sen. Richard Stone of Florida (1975-76); press secretary to the presidential primary campaign of Democratic Sen. Hubert Humphrey of Minnesota (1972), among other positions. As a journalist, he served as foreign editor and political editor of The St. Petersburg Times (1972-74); covered Fairfax County for The Washington Evening Star (196264), worked as a reporter and later as managing editor for the Northern Virginia Sun, as well as newspapers and broadcast outlets in Puerto Rico, New York City. and California.

He served on the boards of the National Press Foundation and the Arlington Symphony.

An Eagle Scout, he served on the Boy Scouts’ National Public Relations Advisory Committee (1979-83). He also chaired the Communications Advisory Committee of the national American Red Cross. After moving to Falls Church in 2004, Wurfel served on the Citizens’ Advisory Committee on Transportation and the Falls Church Democratic Committee.

As a member of the League of Women Voters of Falls Church, he

WALT WURFEL helped monitor City Council meetings and prepared paella dinners for their silent auctions. He played trombone for many years with the NOVA Band at Northern Virginia Community College’s Alexandria campus and in the Falls Church City Concert Band; he participated in that band’s tour of England in the summer of 2006.

Wurfel was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in early 2005, but continued to pursue many of his interests, including sailing, travel and ham radio.

He is survived by his wife, Sara Fitzgerald, sons Ted and Steve, daughters-in-law Missy and Gina, and grandchildren Jack, Sam and Lucy.

A memorial service and reception will be held this Saturday, Dec. 22 at 1 p.m. at Rock Spring Church, (5010 Little Falls Road, Arlington, VA 22046). In lieu of flowers, donations in Walt’s memory can be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation of the National Capital Area, the Carter Center, the Columbia University School of Journalism or the Rock Spring Congregational Church Endowment Fund.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

We reach some of the

DECEMBER 20 - 26, 2018 | PAGE 31

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