December 24 - 30, 2015
Fa lls Chur c h, V i r g i ni a • ww w. fc np. c om • Fr ee
Fou n d ed 1991 • Vol. XXV No. 44
Falls Church • Tysons Corner • Merrifield • McLean • North Arlington • Bailey’s Crossroads
Inside This Week Simon Pushing for Student Loan Relief
Del. Marcus Simon has joined with State Sen. Janet Howell to sponsor legislation to address what they’ve called a “student debt crisis.” See News Briefs, page 8
Smiling OK Now for Virginia License Pics
The commissioner of the state Department of Motor Vehicles announced this week the official change of its policy in place since 2009 against showing pearly whites in its license mug shots.
Fairfax School Board Unanimous in Vote to OK School Name Changes Stage Now Set for Push to Rid Use of Pro-Slavery Names
by Drew Costley
Falls Church News-Press
don’t hang there all night or you’ll miss the music and fun. Attendees can catch a free ride on one of the shuttles, which will run every 30 minutes from the East Falls Church Metro station from 7 p.m. – 1 a.m. Barb Cram is the city volunteer extraordinaire and Watch Night chief organizer who has worked on the program every year since its beginning in 1998. She’s a big promoter of Sudden M Pac, a band whose leader, Andre
The Fairfax County School Board voted unanimously to revise its name changing policy at its school board meeting last Thursday, held at Luther Jackson Middle School in Falls Church. The vote to change the school system’s naming policy, which now allows the school board to consider a change in the name of a school or facility where some other compelling need exists, was a necessary step in a concerted community effort to change the name of J.E.B. Stuart High School. There is a compelling need, according to many members of the Falls Church area of Fairfax County, to change the name of Stuart. The school was named after a Confederate general when it opened in 1959, some say as a last gasp effort to intimidate black students poised to integrate the school at the end of Virginia’s massive resistance to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1954 decision in Brown vs. the Board of Education of Topeka. Several members of the local community who are organizing to get the school board to change the name of Stuart were present at the meeting, some of whom urged the school board to change its naming policy. Lidia Amanuel, a 17-year-old senior at Stuart and one of five students who founded the Students for Change organization to fight for a name change earlier this year, kicked off the public comment period of the meeting. “We’re all really excited,” Amanuel said moments after speaking to the school board.
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See News Briefs, page 8
Paul Krugman: The Donald & The Deciders
Almost six months have passed since Donald Trump overtook Jeb Bush in polls of Republican voters. At the time, most pundits dismissed the Trump phenomenon as a blip, predicting that voters would soon return to more conventional candidates. See page 14
Press Pass with Good for the Jews
Rob Tannenbaum of Good for the Jews and his bandmate David Fagin are coming through to Jammin’ Java in Vienna on Thursday, Dec. 24 for their annual pre-Christmas show. See page 25
FAIRFAX COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS Dan Storck (left) and Sandy Evans listen to comments of one of the other school board members at the meeting on Thursday, Dec. 17. Evans made a motion that the school board consider changing its naming policy, which is a necessary step in the process of renaming J.E.B. Stuart High School. (Photo: Drew Costley/News-Press)
Watch Night on New Year’s Eve in F.C. Will Be Warmer
by Patricia Leslie
Falls Church News-Press
Index
Editorial..................6 Letters....................6 News & Notes.12-13 Comment......... 14-17 Calendar.........20-21 Business News....22
Food & Dining......23 Sports..................24 Classified Ads .....26 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword...........29 Critter Corner.......30
Get out your dancing shoes! It’s almost time to rock and roll on New Year’s Eve in Falls Church to the tunes of nine bands who’ll play everything from big band sounds to Motown and Marvin Gaye to Steely Dan and Crowded House. Puppeteers, balloon artists, obstacle courses, indoor and outdoor events, tours, karaoke, interactive activities, food trucks and lots more will fill four blocks
starting on the 100 block at West Broad Street from 7 p.m. – midnight in celebration of Little City’s Watch Night New Year’s Eve party. The best part: it’s all free. It’s also car free. And, to counter the cold weather (although the latest forecast is that it will be 56 degrees that day dropping to the upper 30s that night), there will be heat. Who needs heat, though, when there will be dancing? Strategically placed fireplaces and fire pits will dispense warmth, but
PAGE 2 | DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2015
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
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DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2015 | PAGE 3
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Fairfax Co. School Board Revises School Naming Policy Continued from Page 1
people spoke very eloquently. It was really great to see that others were speaking in support of our cause and the cause of the community.” When Amanuel, Abby Conde, Marley Finley, Anna Rowan and Cassie Marcotty began organizing their fellow students and the surrounding community to get the school’s name changed, they were told in an initial meeting with Fairfax County School Board vice president and Mason District representative Sandy Evans to survey the community to gauge its feelings on changing the school’s name. That was over the summer. Now, there are several different stakeholders in the school’s community, including local community activists, residents who live in the Sleepy Hollow neighborhood where Stuart is located and current and former students – including Oscar-award winning actress Julianne Moore and Oscaraward winning producer Bruce Cohen, organizing in support of a name change. “It gives me hope that this is a step torward really erasing
the burden that America’s been holding. It’s been perpetuating even though these bills have been passing and these laws got passed and you see people neglecting this as an issue,” Amanuel said. “So to see the support from the school board and progress, it really gives you hope for the future. Hopefully we’ll be able to deal with different issues instead of dealing with the same issues that we’ve been dealing with for hundreds of years.” There was a long view, both into the past and into the future, in the comments of those who spoke in support of changing the school board’s naming policy, with an eye toward the ultimate goal of getting Stuart’s name changed. Roughly 20 people stood up each time a speaker who spoke in favor of the name change took the podium. “In the greater scheme of things like budget cuts and achievement gaps, we know it seems like it’s not an important issue,” said Tina Hone, a former at-large member of the Fairfax County School Board, during the meeting’s public comment period. “But these things matter. Symbolism matters. The name Stuart High School was
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chosen after Brown v. Board of Education. The anti-integrationists chose the name because they knew the symbolism. It is well past time to get the symbolism right.” Jessica Swanson, a resident of Patrick Henry Drive in the Sleepy Hollow neighborhood of Falls Church where Stuart is located, was one those who spoke in favor of changing the school board’s naming policy and, ultimately, changing the name of Stuart. She said that several of her neighbors are in support of changing the name. Swanson, Hone and several others in support of changing Stuart’s name want to rename the school after Thurgood Marshall, the first black U.S. Supreme Court justice, lead attorney for the plaintiffs in Brown vs. Board of Education and a former resident of Lake Barcroft, a neighborhood in Stuart’s school district. “It’s been an ongoing conversation of how the name is inappropriate,” Swanson said. “And as students started mobilizing around getting it changed, I think that’s going give it the momentum that we need. And then it’s pretty amazing that Thurgood Marshall
A VOTE BY THE FAIRFAX County School Board has paved the way to a possible name change of Falls Church’s J.E.B. Stuart High School. (Photo: News-Press) happened to live in our community, so to have this alternative that honors someone who lived among us makes the change even more possible.” Recent acts of racism, like the murder of nine black people in Charleston, SC in June, may have added momentum to the Students for Change movement, but the discussion about the controversial nature of Stuart’s naming has been
going on for several years. Georgie Jones, a sophomore at the University of MarylandCollege Park studying government and politics and a 2014 graduate of Stuart, attended the December 17 school board meeting in support of the name change effort. She said that students were discussing the history behind the
Continued on Page 30
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DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2015 | PAGE 5
Thank You for Believing! Macy’s is donating $2 million to Make-A-Wish®!
Thanks to all who participated in Macy’s Believe campaign and to our partners at Good Morning America on ABC for their support. To learn more, visit macys.com/believe Merry Christmas and may all your holiday wishes come true!
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Vol. XXV, No. 44 December 24 - 30, 2015 • 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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WWW.FCNP.COM The Falls Church News-Press is published weekly on Thursdays and is distributed free of charge throughout the City of Falls Church and the Greater Falls Church area. Offices are at 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church, VA 22046. Reproduction of this publication in whole or part is prohibited except with the written permission of the publisher. ©2015 Benton Communications Inc. The News-Press is printed on recycled paper.
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Our Area’s Huge ‘16 Election Year
Whoa! Not only is the region going to be in the 70s, weather wise, on Christmas Eve this week, but it is also forecast to have daily highs in the low 50s going into the New Year, and for Falls Church’s annual Watch Night celebration that shuts down traffic in the 100 block of W. Broad to anticipate the countdown to 2016. According to Weather.com, the most reliable forecasting entity on the Internet, the unseasonably warm temperatures will persist well into the New Year, as well. For not a single day, the website forecasts, will a daily high fall below 43 degrees in January, and 45 in February and above 50 every day heading into March. Of course, the accuracy of forecasts that far in advance is always suspect and with plenty of opportunities for it to be thrown off. But wouldn’t it be nice if it all just stayed as mild as they’re currently suggesting through the entire winter? There are a lot of reasons why this would be a great development, beyond holding heating costs down. It means that there will be little to prevent folks in the region to gear up for one of the most important election years of our lifetimes. Just look at how things are winding up this month going into the presidential election year of 2016! Donald Trump is appearing to be almost unstoppable among the candidates seeking the GOP nomination, and the better he does, apparently, instead of toning down his insults and rhetoric, he’s doing the opposite. This man is presenting all of us with the challenge to stand up to his bigotry, bullying, lying and hateful sexism. In this context, as has become the norm, Virginia will be a key swing state in the presidential election next November, and has also been the case more than a few times in the last 15 years, Northern Virginia, and even more specifically, the region that constitutes Eastern Fairfax County (the Mason, Providence and Dranesville districts) and the City of Falls Church, in combination with Arlington and Alexandria, will be most pivotal. Here, in other statewide races since Mark Warner’s successful election as governor in 2001, more than the margin of victory statewide was found to be right here. The same outcome occurred with Tim Kaine’s election as governor four years later, and with Jim Webb’s election to the U.S. Senate, and the first and second elections of President Obama, and the Warner and Kaine elections to the U.S. Senate. In all these statewide elections, the margin of victory, or almost the entirety of it, was achieved in these most pivotal areas. So in 2016 it comes down to the fact that while everyone will need to be mobilized to keep Trump or someone like him away from the White House, the challenge will especially be there for the readers of this very editorial. This is not campaign hype, this is hard demonstrable fact.
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Mason Row Views MisCharacterized By FCNP Editor, In the “New F.C. Council Sworn In” article of the last edition of the News-Press, my views were characterized as supporting Mason Row. In fact, those views, expressed as comments to City Council, were carefully limited to condition my support on resolution of pending and deeply concerning Mason Row issues. I raised longstanding issues including the great density
of this project and its huge traffic impact, both of which must be lessened prior to adoption. I also discussed the need to resolve new issues, arising from the most recent plans and changes, including the lack of any internal trash and loading area for the hotel (thereby placing the trash loading squarely on N. West Street and 18 wheelers directly in front of families, strollers and children on Mason Row Lane), the need for a
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
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safe theater drop-off area for the newly above-ground theater and better parking plans for residents with overnight guests and second cars (to avoid cars flowing out onto neighboring streets). There is much still to resolve. My comments reflected that recent changes indicate a likelihood we will arrive at a project I can support in the end. I commend the enormous effort and work of neighbors, Planning Commission, City staff, City Council and the developers in wrestling with and improving this huge project across two long years. Kathy Kleiman Falls Church
[ LETTERS ] Send us a letter and let us know what you think. Email letters@fcnp.com Fax 703-342-0347 Mail or drop off Letters to the Editor, c/o Falls Church News-Press, 200 Little Falls Street #508, Falls Church, VA 22046
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DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2015 | PAGE 7
Radical Teachings Need to Be Challenged B� J���� S�����
I can’t imagine what it feels like to be Muslim in America today, to have people look at you with suspicion and hate, as though you were a threat. However, along with my Muslim friends, I do know what it feels like to have your faith misrepresented by those who claim to speak for it. Much to my horror, Donald Trump regularly claims to be Presbyterian and then speaks and acts completely at odds with Jesus’ teachings. But at least Mr. Trump does not claim to be a Christian leader or to speak on behalf of the faith. The same cannot be said for Jerry Falwell, Jr. In the wake of the San Bernardino shootings, Falwell called on Liberty University students to get concealed-carry permits so they could “end those Muslims before they walked in.” He even joked about “what I have in my back pocket right now...” chuckling as he asked, “Is it illegal to pull it out? I don’t know.” In one of the most strained biblical interpretations I’ve ever heard, Falwell claimed that Jesus’ words, “Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s” somehow justify the use of deadly force. Falwell was talking about the same Jesus who stops his own followers from using swords (concealed weapon of choice in those days) to save his life, saying “For all who take up the sword will perish by the sword.” This Jesus who demands that
his followers love their enemies, yet Falwell imagines Jesus is fine with him armed and ready to kill. Worse, Christians who listen to Falwell can say to themselves, “Jesus approves of my gun and my hatred/fear of Muslims.” And some Muslims surely think to them-
“I’m all for retiring the term ‘Christian.’ It’s largely meaningless, a thin veneer implying little more than checking a box.” selves, “Jesus tells Christians to carry guns and hate me.” That is a lie and a gross misrepresentation of Jesus and his teachings, yet a lie that far too many embrace. And those of us who try to follow Jesus are terribly negligent in allowing such lies to go unchallenged. I regularly hear calls for moderate Muslims to do more to repudiate radical Islam. (No amount of repudiation satisfies such demands.) But American Christianity needs to take a long, hard look in the mirror.
We have our own “radical clerics.” They are not as extreme as some who claim to be Muslim, but that seems more a matter of cultural, political, and economic context than theology. A Muslim colleague of mine said this a few months ago while speaking to a Christian congregation. “If ISIS is Islam, then I am not a Muslim.” I’ll shamelessly borrow his quote and say, “If Jerry Falwell, Jr. is Christianity, then I am not a Christian.” In fact, I’m all for retiring the term “Christian.” It’s largely meaningless, a thin veneer implying little more than checking a box. “Jesus follower” might be a decent replacement if it rolled off the tongue better, but “Christian” is too easily applied to all manner or un-Christ like behavior. Jerry Falwell, Jr. may well be “Christian,” meaning he somehow “believes in Jesus,” but I am convinced he is not following Jesus. He certainly is sullying the Christ’s name. To these thoughts, which are mine alone, let me add the words of the Session (governing council) of the church I serve. I think them very much in keeping with following Jesus. We are grateful to worship God in a nation that explicitly protects our freedom to do so. We affirm the freedom of others to practice as they so choose, whether they profess different creeds, a different faith, or no faith at all. We know we are living
in a troubled world – we are angered by injustice, we are grief-stricken by senseless violence, we are heartbroken by cruelty. But we renounce attempts to use our anger and grief and heartbreak to stoke fear. We reject messages that tell us to be afraid of outsiders. We condemn the persecution of and discrimination against believers and non-believers around the world, regardless of whether such actions target and victimize Christians, Muslims, atheists, or those of other faiths. We further condemn the encouragement of and incitement to such persecution and discrimination whether initiated by politicians, the clergy of any faith, or violent sects claiming the mantle of religious authority. We remember that God says “Fear not, for I am with you,” (Isaiah 41:10). We remember that our God has given us a spirit of power and of love, not a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7). We remember that God’s perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18). We will, with God’s help, work to do as God commands, practicing forgiveness, standing up for those who are persecuted, and welcoming one another, as Christ has welcomed us, for the glory of God (Romans 15:7). James Sledge is the pastor at Falls Church Presbyterian Church.
Q������� �� ��� W��� Are you planning to attend Falls Church’s ‘Watch Night’? • Yes • No
Last Week’s Question: What are Rep. Comstock’s chances of being re-elected in the 10th District next year?
• Don’t know
Log on to www.FCNP.com to cast your vote
FCNP On-Line polls are surveys, not scientific polls.
[WRITE FOR THE PRESS] The News-Press welcomes readers to send in submissions in the form of Letters to the Editor
& Guest Commentaries. Letters to the Editor should be no more than 350 words and writers are limited to one appearance every four weeks. Guest Commentaries should be no more than 800 words and writers are limited to one appearance every four months. Because of space constraints, not all submissions will be published. All submissions to the News-Press should be original, unpublished content. We reserve the right to edit submissions for length, grammar and accuracy. All submissions should include writer’s name, address, phone and e-mail address if available.
Email: letters@fcnp.com | Mail: Letters to the Editor, Falls Church News-Press, 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church 22046 | Fax: 703.340.0347
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PAGE 8 | DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2015
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
NEWS BRIEFS Del. Simon To Push for Student Loan Relief
Del. Marcus Simon, who represents the 53rd District in the State House of Delegates that includes the City of Falls Church, has joined with State Sen. Janet Howell to sponsor legislation to address what they’ve call a “student debt crisis.” In a statement this week they said the state needs new laws to regulate student debt and let students refinance their loans under certain circumstances. They said that reviving the Virginia Education Loan Authority, a state body that was liquidated in the late 1990s, would help address the problem. “This is not a program that is going to forgive or erase anybody’s student debts,” said Simon. “But just like any other loan...when interest rates fall, we should have the opportunity as consumers to refinance that debt. I think student loan-holders ought to have that same opportunity.” Howell plans to introduce a similar but separate proposal for a “student loan navigator program.” It would “serve as a one-stop shop for students looking to finance college and borrowers trying to figure out how to pay back their existing loans.” The only people who benefit from a confusing and opaque student loan industry are corporations who make money off of student borrowers,” Howell said. One such borrower is Fairfax resident Meghan Blydenburgh, who owes more than $60,000 because of compounding student debt. Blydenburgh said that it would have been nice to have had such guidance when she was 18 and needed advice about funding her education. The General Assembly will convene Jan. 13 for a 60-day session.
F.C.’s Earman Appointed Fairfax District Court Judge Susan Friedlander Earman, who served on the City of Falls Church Planning Commission from 1993 to 1998 and on its Board of Zoning Appeals from 1999 to 2009, has been appointed a Fairfax County General District Court judge, according to State Del. Marcus Simon this week. Earman was selected by a panel of state legislators who represent Fairfax County on Dec. 16 following a series of interviews with that board. Since 2012 Earman has served as a substitute judge for the court. The appointment is subject to a final approval by the Virginia General Assembly. In total, the Fairfax County and Arlington Delegations to the General Assembly nominated three women and three men to be new judges. For the Fairfax Circuit Court, Thomas P. Mann and Richard E. Gardiner were nominated. For the Fairfax County General District Court, Michael H. Cantrell, Susan F. Stoney and Earman were nominated. For the Arlington County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Robin Robb got the delegation’s endorsement. Twenty-nine candidates were interviewed for the three courts, according to Del. Simon.
Smiling OK Now for License Pics at DMV
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The commissioner of the state Department of Motor Vehicles announced this week the official change of its policy in place since 2009 against showing teeth in its license mug shots. “We want to capture those smiles on your cards,” said Richard D. Holcomb this week. The anti-smiling policy adopted six years ago was because the DMV was contemplating the use of a new image verification software as a tool against identity theft. But the software was never implemented, as it turned out, and now the technology has advanced to the point that if such a software were to be used, there would be no need for expressionless mug shots. Because licenses are issued for eight-year periods, state officials estimate there are more than four million of the state’s 5.4 million drivers now who are carrying joyless mug shots on their license cards.
F.C. Woman’s Son Killed in Afghanistan Suicide Bombing Staff Sgt. Peter Taub, son of Falls Church resident Arlene Wagner, was among six U.S. soldiers killed this week by a suicide bomber in Bagram, Afghanistan. Ms. Wagner and another son, brother of Peter Taub, are co-owners of the popular Bub and Pop’s sandwich shop in Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C. Wagner announced the eatery closed for the remainder of this week. Receiving a visit from Food Network star Guy Fieri in October, the establishment is slated to re-open next Monday, according to a post on Borderstan.com.
Correction: Steeples Group Not Opposed to Mason Row Falls Church resident James Morrison, speaking for the Steeples Place Homeowners Association located near where the proposed 4.3-acre Mason Row mixed-use project may go if approved by the City Council next month, was reported speaking at last week’s F.C. City Council hearing, but he did not “reiterate opposition” to the development, as incorrectly reported in the News-Press. “We have not taken a position on it as a homeowners association,” Morrison said in a statement to the News-Press. The News-Press regrets the error.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2015 | PAGE 9
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PAGE 10 | DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2015
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
WATCH NIGHT LOCATOR 2015 (Venue, Shuttle, and Restaurant Keys) Venue to Venue to EFC Metro-Watch Night Shuttle Bus # 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
SHUTTLE STOP EFC Metro Park Avenue across from Grand FunAlley, beside Kaiser N. Maple Avenue at Clay Café Studio Parking Entrance W. Annandale Road near Parking S. Washington Street at The Historic Falls Church E. Broad Street in front of passageway at 106/104 E. Broad N. Fairfax across from The Falls Church Presbyterian handicapped entrance 8. E. Broad Street at the FCPC Fellowship Hall entrance 9. E. Broad Street just past Applebee’s Restaurant 10. N. Washington Street in front of Clare and Don’s Beach Shack before Park Place RETURN TO EFC Metro and begin route again.
o tt es tro W e . 7 M /W Rt FC 6 E W s. 6 E/W Rt 95 4
EAST FALLS CHURCH METRO
1
Shuttle Route
Indicated by NUMBERS on MAP J
Venue Key
K
Restaurant Key
29
A. Main Stage 7 pm to Midnight - Stop #3, #6, #9 Front of 134 W. Broad St.
D. Unity Club 10 pm to 1 am - Stop #2, #3 116 W. Broad St.
d
E. Clay Café Studios open to 11:30 pm - Stop #2 101 N. Maple Ave.
W. An na nd al
pl Ma
3
E A
P
Q
FREE PARKING
2
R T
B
St . gt on S.
Wa sh
in
4
G. The Historic Falls Church Tours 7 pm until 8 pm - Stop #5 Music 8 pm to 10:30 pm 115 East Fairfax St.
s Wa
• Falls Church Presbyterian • FC Episcopal (south side of Broad Street) • Kaiser Permanente (3rd Floor Only) • City Hall and Community Center
C
d. eR
F. Welcome To Watch Night Tent stop #5, #6 LOVE letters photo opp FCA Tent - Chalk Walk Actiivity West CornerofWashington&BroadSt.
St .
O N
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ro a
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N. Fa irf a
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Pa rk Av e.
S. Ma ple Ave .
C. Grand FunAlley 7 pm to 11:30 pm - Stop #2, #3 Between W. Broad and Park Ave. in pkg lot
eA ve .
7
on gt
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ro a
dS t.
H
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I . Family Medicine & Falls Church
Foot and Ankle Center
stop #6 Music 7 pm to 9:30 pm Children's Activities 7 pm to 9:30 pm 104 A East Broad Street
7
29
H. Falls Church Presbyterian Stop # 7 (handicapped entrance) and Stop #8
Rt. 29 South to
Yellow - Shuttle Bus Route See numbers on map Brown letters A to I Venues Orange letters J to U Restaurants
Koi Koi Sushi 450 W. Broad St.
K.
Mad Fox Brewing Company 444 W. Broad St.
L.
La Caraquena 300 W. Broad St.
hin
N.
B. Dragon 7 pm to 11:30 pm - Stop #6, #9 100 Block W. Broad St.
J.
M. Maneki Neko 238 W. Broad St.. N.
Pho 88 232 W. Broad St.
O.
Paisano's 244 W. Broad St.
P.
Dogwood Tavern 132 W. Broad St.
Q.
Hunan Café 126 W. Broad St.
R.
HOT & JUICY CRAWFISH 116 W Broad St.
S.
LIL CITY CREAMERY 114 W Broad St.
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Ireland’s Four Provinces 105 West Broad St.
U.
Argia’s 124 North Washington St.
V.
Clare and Don’s Beach Shack 130 North Washington St.
W. Applebee's Neighborhood Grill 127 East Broad St.
Rt. 7 East to Seven Corners Bailey’s Crossroads, Alexandria Annandale Road to Rt 50 E/W Annandale/Gallows Road
Ch e R o rr y S u t e tre 5 0 et to E/W
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DECEMBER 24 – 30, 2015 | PAGE 11
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SUDDEN M PAC, shown here performing at the Taste of Falls Church and Fall Festival in September, will be the main act at this year’s Watch Night New Year’s Eve Celebration. (Photo: Drew Costley)
Jackson’s Sudden M Pac Band to Headline Watch Night Celebration Continued from Page 1
Jackson, is “the whole package, gifted in many ways” with “a golden voice,” Cram attests. A popular man about town (“Everybody knows who he is,” said Cram), Jackson has worked for the city’s Recreation and Parks Department since 1998. He referees basketball and flag football, works at the Community Center and coaches football and softball at George Mason High School. On his way to a Watch Night rehearsal, Jackson stopped to chat with the News-Press on his cell phone. The band loves to play in Falls Church, he said. “It’s always a good crowd. Always fun. The crowd is receptive to what we do. They enjoy us, and we feed off them,” he said. The band tries to get the crowd involved. Jackson, a baritone who tours with the Temptations and does a Teddy Pendergrass tribute, said Sudden M Pac plays classical soul, popular and R&B with some Marvin Gaye. In 2000 he helped organize Sudden M Pac, which got its name because “we wanted to make a statement and wanted to really impact people. “We’re just a group of guys who love music,” Jackson said.
“We try to stand out above everything else. We really get along.” Sheldon Price, another vocalist in the group, said the first time he heard Jackson sing he was drawn to work with him. “[I thought] Oh my God – I would like to sing background behind him,” he said. Price, who sang his first solo in church at age 10 or 11, said the group will play for the young and the old. Then he corrected himself and said, they will play for the young and the older. “We’re a chemical-free band who like to play music we believe everybody wants to hear, hits from the 70s and 80s right up through 2015, without profanity or sexual lyrics so the whole family can enjoy us,” he said. Sudden M Pac will close the main stage shows in front of the CVS when it plays from 10:30 p.m. to the stroke of the New Year at midnight. A quartet of McLean teens, Out of Line, with their own brand of rock, funk and R & B will open at main stage from 7:30 – 8:15 p.m. Following them from 8:30 – 10:10 p.m. is Big Toe who plays covers of John Hiatt, Bo Deans, Crowded House, Steely Dan, Wilco and Steve Earle. Why does Cram spend count-
less hours on this massive undertaking each and every year? “I receive a lot of good feelings,” she said. Luckily for Falls Church, she retired from running a business in 2004 and became the Watch Night organizer in 2005. “It’s a great place to see your neighbors, teachers and people you work with,” she said, and, that “it’s just as easy to have fun without drinking.” Still, restaurants that serve alcohol will be open on the Watch Night strip. Until they run out, free refreshments will be offered at Karl’s Kafe, at Clay Café Studios from 6 – 11:30 p.m., Family Medicine and Falls Church Foot and Ankle Center from 7 – 9 p.m., Falls Church Presbyterian from 7 – 11 p.m. and the Unity Club from 10 p.m. – 1 a.m. For big band sounds and more dancing, Northern Lights Orchestra will perform from 8:30 – 10:30 p.m. at Falls Church Presbyterian Church at 225 East Broad Street. And there are lots more music venues. And places for selfies, like at the corner of Washington and Broad where the Virginia Tourism Office’s LOVE sculpture has returned on loan. For more information about the Watch Night New Year’s Eve celebration, watchnightfallschurch. com.
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Community News & Notes Cub Scouts Deliver Donations To Local Homeless Shelter Cub Scout Pack 657, which is based in Falls Church, recently delivered a Christmas tree and several other goodies to the Patrick Henry Family Shelter, located at 3080 Patrick Henry Dr., Falls Church.The Christmas tree was decorated with ornaments that were crafted by the scouts. The pack also donated Target gift cards and treats to the homeless shelter, which is operated by the non-profit Shelter House. Pack 657 is chartered by the Falls Church Presbyterian Church. For more information, visit pack-657.com.
F.C. Girls Book Club Inspired To Organize Food Drive The Falls Church City Girls Book Club, which is made up of students at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, recently read
Crenshaw, a book about a boy who is homeless and his imaginary gigantic cat, by Katherine Applegate. Inspired by the book, girls in the club organized a food drive. Elise Morris, Fiona Scheer and Julia Mineo made and delivered signs advertising the food drive to 125 houses in the Virginia Forest neighborhood in Falls Church. They collected and then delivered 276 pounds of food to the Arlington Food Assistance Center on Tuesday, Dec. 15. While at the food bank, the girls bagged 300 “backpacks” of food for kids to take home from school for the weekend in the instance that they have little to no food to eat at home.
$50,000 in Grants Awarded To Local Organizations The Falls Church City Council approved $50,000 in arts and humanities grants, which will
go to local organizations, at the December 14 council meeting, according to a press release from the City of Falls Church. The grant budget is part of the Fiscal Year 2016 budget approved by City Council in April 2015. The Arts and Humanities Council, formerly known as the City of Arts, Theater, Culture and History, recommended funding for ten applicants. The grantfunded projects include new equipment for the Village Preservation Society’s summer Concerts in the Park series, preserving local history materials to be used in a “Virtual Visitors’ Center” and increasing outreach and engagement for art classes, shows, lectures, musical performances and scholarships. Also, the Virginia Commission for the Arts matched the grants received for the City’s Watch Night New Year’s Eve celebration for street performers, musicians, caricature artists, puppet
shows and for Creative Cauldron for original musicals or plays. The grant-funded operational needs include office administration, utilities and facility overhead for Creative Cauldron, office space for The Little City CATCH Foundation and software, hardware, website support, rent, printing and mailing for Falls Church Arts.
F.C. Library Announces Annual Fund Drive The Mary Riley Styles Public Library Foundation Trusts announced on Thursday, Dec. 17, its annual fund drive and asked that members of the local community consider a tax-deductible donation to support the awardwinning library. Donations help supplement the funding received from the City government. In recent years, contributors have funded the wireless networking capability at the library, pur-
chased additional books, bookson-disc, eBooks, eAudiobooks and DVDs for the collection, paid for the prizes given to young adults who won the library sponsored poetry contest, funded a new selfcheckout station and helped start and continue the downloadable Freegal collection that allows patrons five free downloadable songs a week which they then own. Donations may be directed to immediate needs or to the endowment that has been established by the foundation to provide a future guaranteed stream of income for the library. Contributions can be mailed, with checks made out to the MRSPL Foundation Trust, to MRSPL Foundation Trust Treasurer at P.O. Box 321, Falls Church 22040-0321. All contributions will be acknowledged by latter which can serve as the donor’s receipt. For more information, visit fallschurchva.gov/668/ Foundation-Trust.
FALLS CHURCH CITY GIRLS BOOK CLUB members (l to r) Elise Morris, Fiona REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 2016 FALLS CHURCH Chamber of Commerce’s Scheer and Julia Mineo delivered 276 pounds of food they collected to the board pose for a photo at the Chamber’s networking luncheon on Tuesday, Arlington Food Assistance Center on Tuesday, Dec. 15. (Photo: Courtesy of Jessica Dec. 15. The new board was announced at the meeting and the full is on the Chamber’s website. (Photo: Courtesy of Brenda Schrier) Morris)
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
World Healing Meditation Slated for December 31
The Center for Spiritual Living Metro, which has a monthly meditation in North Arlington, is hosting a World Healing Meditation on Thursday, Dec. 31 from 6:45 – 8 a.m. at Blue Nectar Yoga at 513 W. Broad Street. The meditation is scheduled to coincide with other meditations being held around the world at the same time – organizers of the meditation ask that participants arrive at 6:45 a.m. because the meditation will start promptly at 7 a.m. Participants are asked to leave quietly if they must leave the meditation early. According to the organizers of the event, there will be more than 500 million people worldwide participating in the meditation, which has been held for almost 30 years, with the aim of healing the world and bringing forth sustainable peace. There is no cost for the event. For more information, visit cslmetro.org/event/world-healingmeditation or call 703-677-7102.
F.C. Resident Joins Faculty of Boston University Falls Church resident Peter Fox-Penner is joining the faculty of the Questrom School of Business at Boston University, effective Friday, Jan. 1. In his new role of professor of practice, Fox-Penner will take the lead in establishing a new Institute for Sustainable Energy, focused on increasing energy research initiatives throughout Boston University. Fox-Penner will maintain his association with Washington, D.C.based The Brattle Group as an academic advisor, continuing his focus on network industry economics and policy. “For 19 years, I have been privileged to work with some of the finest colleagues anyone could ever hope for, and to watch Brattle grow from a small regional firm
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to a leading global economic consultancy,” Fox-Penner wrote in an email to the News-Press. “As the firm celebrates its 25th year, and I assume my new roles, I look forward to staying connected.”
DECEMBER 24 – 30, 2015 | PAGE 13
Fairfax Firefighters Donate Toys and Coats to Local Kids The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, along with the county’s school, police and sheriff’s departments partnered with private corporations and local businesses to hold the 17th Annual Firefighters Holiday Rescuer’s Toy Distribution on Tuesday, Dec. 15. The toy drive helped several hundred children in the area. Special guests at the event were Santa and one of his elves, Flash Max and several therapy dogs.
McLean Rotary Club Reads to Students at Timber Lane ES Members of the Rotary Club of McLean visited Timber Lane Elementary School on Friday, Dec. 11 to read to students as part of the club’s reading program, which was started in September 2007. Twice a year members of the club read to students at a local school. Under the direction of Rotarian Kathleen Martin, McLean Rotarians spent the morning reading to the kindergarten, first grade and second grade classes and then presented each student with their own copy of the books that were read. The purchase of the gift books was made possible by a grant from the Rotary Club of McLean Foundation. The Rotary Club of McLean coordinated with school librarian and media specialist Lisa Russell in the selection of books. Kindergartners received The Hat by Jan Brett and Snowflakes are Falling and Cold Weather by Gilda and Melvin Berger, first graders received The Mitten by Jan Brett and Animals in Winter
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FALLS CHURCH ARTS president Barb Cram smiles for a photo at the organization’s 20th Anniversary/Noel Night celebration on Thursday, Dec. 17 at ArtSpace Falls Church. Devin Divecha & The No Preservatives Band rocked the night away as Falls Church City residents helped celebrate the local arts organization. (P����: C������� �� S���� ��� S����) and Polar Bears by Gilda and Melvin Berger and second graders received A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams and Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant.
McLean Community Center Announces Class Registration Registration for the winter and spring session is now open for classes at the McLean Community Center. The session will begin on Monday, Jan. 11. This session the center is offering more than 100 classes for infants through senior adults, providing a convenient and affordable continuing education resource for area residents. McLean Community Center tax district residents receive a discount on fees, as do seniors age 60 or older for classes that are more than $50. Classes for children include Art by Nature, The Weaving Experience, Chess Club, Parent and Child Pasta, Dramatic Kids, Ballet & Tap, Musical Theatre
Jazz, Music Together and Mad Science Experimentamania. Classes for adults include Intro to Interior Design, Contemporary Portraiture, Supervised Bridge Play, The Fish Workshop and a dance class called Beyoncé and Beyond. Classes for seniors include Estate Planning Made Simple, Appraisal Roadshow, Advance Care Planning, Protect Yourself from Fraud and Identity Theft and Fit for Life. Online registration for the classes is open 24-hours. For more information, call 703-790-0123 or visit mcleancenter.org.
Fairfax Co. Seeks Volunteers To Help Older Adults Fairfax County is seeking volunteers to help older adults in a variety of capacities, according to an email sent out by the Fairfax County Division of Adult and Aging Services on Thursday, Dec. 10. The Northern Virginia Long Term Care Ombudsman
Program is seeking volunteer advocates for residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Those who are interested can contact Lisa Callahan at 703-324-5861 or Lisa.Callahan@fairfaxcounty. gov or visit fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/ olderadultservices/ltcombudsman/. The county also needs Respite Care volunteers. These volunteers give family caregivers of a frail older adult a break so they can go shopping, attend a doctor’s appointment or just have coffee with a friend. Volunteers visit and oversee the safety of the older adult for a few hours each month. Support and training are provided to prospective volunteers. Those who are interested can contact Kristin Martin at 703-324-7577 or Kristin.Martin@ fairfaxcounty.gov. Also, the county is looking for volunteers to drive older adults to medical appointments and wellness programs. For these and other volunteer opportunities, call 703324-5406 or visit fairfaxcounty. gov/olderadults.
PAGE 14 | DECEMBER 24 – 30, 2015
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The Sidney Awards, Pt. 2
This second batch of Sidney Awards, given for some of the year’s best long-form essays, congregate, coincidentally, around a theme: the excessive individualism of American society, and the ways human beings try to create community for good or ill. The first winner is Sebastian Junger’s piece “How PTSD Became a Problem Far Beyond the Battlefield,” from Vanity Fair. Junger starts by stating the American military has the highest post-traumatic stress disorder rate in its history, and probably the world. But then he notes there is no statistical relationship between suicide and combat. Vets who worked far from the violence are just as likely to commit suicide. Over the decades, combat deaths have dropped while PTSD rates have risen. The Israeli army, which sees a lot of trauma, has a rate as low as 1 percent. NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE Junger concludes, “The problem doesn’t seem to be trauma on the battlefield so much as re-entry into society.” People in military service are surrounded by close comradeship. When they are thrust back into American society they are often isolated. The problem is with our lack of community back home. For centuries Americans have been reading the hyper-individualistic purity of Henry David Thoreau’s life on Walden Pond – the way he cut himself off from crass commercialism and lived on a pure spiritual plane. Writing in The New Yorker, Kathryn Schulz points out in “Pond Scum” that Thoreau was a misanthropic, arrogant, self-righteous prig. He was coldhearted in the face of others’ suffering. Highly ascetic, he sustained the shallow American tendency to equate eating habits with moral health. He tried philanthropic enterprises but found they did “not agree with my constitution.” Schulz accurately notes that Thoreau’s most famous sentence, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation,” is at once insufferable and absurd. Malcolm Gladwell wrote a series of pieces for The New Yorker, describing how community cultures influence our decision-making in ways we are unaware. His piece “The Engineer’s Lament” describes how engineers think. He retells an old joke about an engineer, a priest and a doctor who are playing golf, but held up by a slow foursome ahead of them who turn out to be blind firefighters. “I will say a prayer for them tonight,” the priest says. “Let me ask my ophthalmologist colleagues if anything can be done for them,” the doctor says. The engineer says, “Why can’t they play at night?” Gladwell’s piece “Thresholds of Violence” describes how school shootings are in some ways like riots, complex dialogues of violence between far-flung killers. In his piece “Starting Over” he notes that many of the people who left New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina for places like Houston did better than those who returned. That’s because one of the ways to stack the deck against your own social mobility is to live in a community with a transgenerational history of poverty. The people who left broke that pattern. The general conclusion is that people need community to live, but some communities nurture mobility better than others and sometimes it is necessary leave one community for another. Writing in The National Interest, Henry Olsen has an utterly convincing essay, “A New Homestead Act,” that asserts that for the past several decades American antipoverty policies have retarded this movement and entrenched poverty. During the Depression the unemployed moved, often to California. But that’s hard to do now. As Olsen writes: “Most welfare-state programs are awarded by states and localities. More crucially, their receipt is often tied to or complicated by continued residence in those places.” Anyone who wanted to move to a city with more opportunity would be putting his or her benefits at risk. Republican efforts to throw everything back to states and localities might make these perverse incentives worse. So communities can be good or bad. One of the most important essays this year was Graeme Wood’s “What ISIS Really Wants,” in The Atlantic. Wood demonstrates, among other things, how theologically rigorous ISIS is. Young men flock to this caliphate wannabe precisely because they want to be embraced in the tight legal strictures ISIS commands. Subtly communities can fall apart. There were many fine pieces this year about sex on campus. One factor is that old community norms governing decent behavior have fallen away and new ones have not yet come into being. Writing “The Meaning of Sex” in The Weekly Standard, the anthropologist Peter Wood describes the damage done when natural and social constructs like virginity, fatherhood, intimacy and romance are done away with or watered down. The result can be a sort of high-class savagery leading to brutal pain and victimization. This has been a great year for long-form journalism. I’d especially like to thank Robert Cottrell, of the great website the Browser, and Robert Atwan, who runs the Best American Essays series, for directing me to several of this year’s Sidney winners.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
David Brooks
The Donald & The Decider Almost six months have passed since Donald Trump overtook Jeb Bush in polls of Republican voters. At the time, most pundits dismissed the Trump phenomenon as a blip, predicting that voters would soon return to more conventional candidates. Instead, however, his lead just kept widening. Even more striking, the triumvirate of trash-talk – Trump, Ben Carson, and Ted Cruz – now commands the support of roughly 60 percent of the primary electorate. But how can this be happening? After all, the antiestablishment candidates now dominating the field, aside from being deeply ignorant about policy, have a habit of making false claims, then refusing NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE to acknowledge error. Why don’t Republican voters seem to care? Well, part of the answer has to be that the party taught them not to care. Bluster and belligerence as substitutes for analysis, disdain for any kind of measured response, dismissal of inconvenient facts reported by the “liberal media” didn’t suddenly arrive on the Republican scene last summer. On the contrary, they have long been key elements of the party brand. So how are voters supposed to know where to draw the line? Let’s talk first about the legacy of He Who Must Not Be Named. I don’t know how many readers remember the 2000 election, but during the campaign Republicans tried to make the election about likability, not policy. George W. Bush was supposed to get your vote because he was someone you’d enjoy having a beer with, unlike that stiff, boring guy Al Gore with all his facts and figures. And when Gore tried to talk about policy differences, Bush responded not on the substance but by mocking his opponent’s “fuzzy math” – a phrase gleefully picked up by his supporters. The press corps played right along with this deliberate dumbing-down: Gore was deemed to have lost debates, not because he was wrong, but because he was, reporters declared, snooty and superior, unlike the affably dishonest W. Then came 9/11, and the affable guy was repackaged as a war leader. But the repackaging was never framed in terms of substantive arguments over foreign policy. Instead, Bush and his handlers sold swagger. He was the man you could trust to keep us safe because he talked tough and dressed up as a fighter pilot. He proudly declared that he was the “decider”
Paul Krugman
– and that he made his decisions based on his “gut.” The subtext was that real leaders don’t waste time on hard thinking, that listening to experts is a sign of weakness, that attitude is all you need. And while Bush’s debacles in Iraq and New Orleans eventually ended America’s faith in his personal gut, the elevation of attitude over analysis only tightened its grip on his party, an evolution highlighted when John McCain, who once upon a time had a reputation for policy independence, chose the eminently unqualified Sarah Palin as his running mate. So Donald Trump as a political phenomenon is very much in a line of succession that runs from W. through Palin, and in many ways he’s entirely representative of the Republican mainstream. For example, were you shocked when Trump revealed his admiration for Vladimir Putin? He was only articulating a feeling that was already widespread in his party. Meanwhile, what do the establishment candidates have to offer as an alternative? On policy substance, not much. Remember, back when he was the presumed front-runner, Jeb Bush assembled a team of foreign-policy “experts,” people who had academic credentials and chairs at right-wing think tanks. But the team was dominated by neoconservative hardliners, people committed, despite past failures, to the belief that shock and awe solve all problems. In other words, Bush wasn’t articulating a notably different policy than what we’re now hearing from Trump et al; all he offered was belligerence with a thin veneer of respectability. Marco Rubio, who has succeeded him as the establishment favorite, is much the same, with a few added evasions. Why should anyone be surprised to see this posturing, er, trumped by the unapologetic belligerence offered by nonestablishment candidates? In case you’re wondering, nothing like this process has happened on the Democratic side. When Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders debate, say, financial regulation, it’s a real discussion, with both candidates evidently well informed about the issues. American political discourse as a whole hasn’t been dumbed down, just its conservative wing. Going back to Republicans, does this mean that Trump will actually be the nominee? I have no idea. But it’s important to realize that he isn’t someone who suddenly intruded into Republican politics from an alternative universe. He, or someone like him, is where the party has been headed for a long time.
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NATI O NA L
Women Are Walking Out on Trump
What is among the things most shameful about the media coverage of Donald Trump’s rapid public descent to sub-humanity is that their commentators remark that the only thing that matters about what he’s saying and doing is the extent to which likely Republican voters embrace it or not. As he’s now used the “schlonged” term against Hillary Clinton, it is only relevant, in the media’s eyes, delighting in this latest vulgar excess, if it causes his polling numbers to go up or down. We all can’t wait to find out! You see, no one is going to jump on a bandwagon to smash into smithereens basic notions of civility and decorum more than the media. If a presidential campaign descends toward mud wresFALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS tling and cage fighting, the major media are thrilled to elbow their way ahead of their competition to be there to report it, even if in the height of hypocrisy, they dutifully avoid repeating certain terms on the air, even as they can barely constrain their excitement (and as they and most viewers know they can readily be found on the Internet). On the civility question, Donald Trump is now sinking lower, given the high level of the office that he’s aspiring for, than even the late and most regrettable Morton Downey Jr. (1932-2001), who late in his pathetic life decided he could hold onto a TV show by being more rude, more foul mouthed and more violent than anyone else. The more salacious the better in his book, and he had the audacity to contend that there was socially redeeming value in what he was doing. If you don’t remember his show, you’re lucky. But this is Donald Trump now, and if he or anyone else thinks that this can translate into a serious presidential campaign, well, let the fantasy continue. In fact, Trump himself let his Achilles heel be known when he boasted in a Michigan rally this week about not having to spend any of his own money on his campaign, except for some radio ads in Iowa. This means, in fact, that he has no “ground game” going into the early primaries, beginning on Feb. 1 with the Iowa caucuses. That’s when reality is first going to smack him in the puss. Iowa is a very tough state for doing politics; just ask Howard Dean in 2004. If your campaign doesn’t have a tough-it-out ground game that can turn and hold onto hardened political grass roots activists to represent you, then you should avoid it altogether and go for states that have open primary elections, but not caucuses. It still remains, however, that the GOP presidential clown bus does not have anything much better to offer than Donald Trump, since he has succeeded in dragging the rest of them down to his level. An interesting report on Fareed Zakaria’s GPS show on CNN Sunday dealt with the fact that Trump’s base appears to be that segment of the U.S. white male population that is actually dying at a higher rate than ever. These white males, ages 40 – 60, are committing suicide, dying of drug overdoses or other lifestyle-related ailments such as sclerosis of the liver at an alarming rate that actually constitutes a decline in their overall population. This is Trump’s base, obviously troubled by any number of things that no one seems to know how they relate for sure: poor employment, troubled households, a decline in the quality of their favorite sports teams. One factor not usually discussed is the extent to which they are suffering from the effects of wives no longer willing to stay and be subjected to spousal abuse. The statistics show that until recently, wives would stay with their husbands through an average of seven seriously abusive incidents. But with more attention being given and access to the Internet, this number is now plunging. So, Trump is willing to show just how insensitive he is to this reality when he talks about being “schlonged” as if it was something his white male middle aged base would cheer. Go ahead Donald, keep it up, and watch your constituents’ death rate grow even faster.
DECEMBER 24 – 30, 2015 | PAGE 15
Nicholas F. Benton
Nicholas Benton may be emailed at nfbenton@fcnp.com.
The Year’s Biggest Social Justice Stories I have always been interested in social justice, and it has always been an integral part of this column. But from the time, nearly three years ago, that I first spoke with Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin, I knew that the tenor of the column was forever altered. I am still haunted by the ache in her voice on that first phone call, by the first time I interviewed her in person and saw how the grief draped over her body, and bent it. Since then, there have been too many stories like Trayvon’s, and this year the pace seemed to quicken. I covered so much pain that I nearly lost myself in it. Maybe I’m getting too close. So, to round up this year in social justice I asked other people who operate in that area to give me their top stories. Here are the results. Henry Louis Gates Jr., Harvard professor and scholar of African-American literature: 1. Massacre at Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston, South Carolina; the victims’ families’ willNEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE ingness to forgive the killer; President Barack Obama’s eulogy a few days later; and the consequential vote by the South Carolina Legislature to remove the Confederate flag from the State House as part of a large national debate over the flag as a symbol of heritage versus hate. 2. The death of Sandra Bland in Texas and the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement to curb police violence, including the launch of the political phase of the struggle with Campaign Zero. 3. Campus unrest, principally at the University of Missouri and the stand the football team took in refusing to play, a stand that led to the resignation of the college president. This is unprecedented in my experience, I have to say! I call this “The Revolt of The Talented Tenth.” 4. The Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, to guarantee the right to same-sex marriage under the Constitution. Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness: 1. The uprisings in Baltimore proved that the Black Lives Matter movement would not be contained to a handful of cities – nor would it be limited
Charles M. Blow
to situations in which unarmed black men were killed by white police officers in cities run by whites. 2. Fast-food strikes widen into social justice movement. As wealth inequality reached a new zenith and austerity programs were debated around the world, what may have been the largest ever demonstrations for fair wages in the United States occurred and the protests went global. 3. Supreme Court rules in favor of gay marriage. The triumph of an extraordinary human rights movement in the United States with ripple effects around the world. 4. Hunger strike and protests force resignation of president at Mizzou. The resignation of the president stunned the nation, focused public attention on old Jim Crow racism still prevalent on college campuses, and inspired national solidarity protests and debate about free speech and racial climate on college campuses. Dan Savage, author, columnist and co-founder of the “It Gets Better” project: 1. The Black Lives Matter movement. Democratic presidential candidates are responding with solid policy proposals, not platitudes, and some bad cops – homicidally bad cops – may actually face justice, all thanks to a new generation of activists, black Twitter, and cellphone video. But there’s still a long way to go. 2. The fight for the $15 minimum wage. Thousands of fast-food workers revive the labor movement by taking the streets to demand a fairer wage – and a bigger share of the profits their labor generates for giant corporations. 3. Obergefell v. Hodges. The Supreme Court’s 2013 decision in the United States v. Windsor – which overturned the odious Defense of Marriage Act – set the stage for the court’s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, which found that the Constitution protected the right of same-sex couples to marry. A one-two punch that secured the right to marry for all in the United States. 4. Caitlyn Jenner. At first it appeared that Jenner’s coming out as a trans woman would be both realityshowy and tabloid-y. But while Jenner herself has been “problematic,” as the kids on Twitter say, her surprisingly informative and sensitively produced reality show, “I Am Cait,” transcended both its genesis and its network, helping to educate millions of Americans on trans issues.
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
A Penny for Your Thoughts
News of Greater Falls Church By Supervisor Penny Gross
HELP NEPAL NOW
EARTHQUAKE IN NEPAL More than 1 million children need immediate aid. UNICEF is on the ground providing lifesaving supplies. Help now: Visit unicefusa.org
T: 5.25 in
the doctor will hear you now
OMAR HAVANA/GETTY IMAGES
Candy canes to Marty Faga and Terri Fox, Mason Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Weather forecasters tell us this won’t be a White Christmas, District’s Lord and Lady Fairfax this year. These two but the fairy tale images of Santa Claus, Father community-oriented business owners and volunteers Christmas. Pere Noel, Kris Kringle, or Saint Nikolaus add greatly to the quality of life we enjoy in Mason almost always include snow in the picture. Those District and Fairfax County. Candy canes to the Virginia Department of children’s fables also focus on good or bad behavior as the basis for Santa’s rewards, often with a lump of Transportation for much-needed paving of coal in the stocking instead of a gift. Using that as Annandale Road (now with bike lanes, too). Now, a theme, here are my recommendations for coal, or VDOT, please focus on Old Columbia Pike and Elmdale Road, or a lump of coal may be in that candy canes, this season: Candy canes for all the volunteers on vari- stocking next time! A lump of coal to trailer and boat owners who ous Boards, Authorities, and Commissions (BACs) appointed by the Board of Supervisors. These citizen continue to park on residential streets in Mason volunteers provide admirable research and recom- District after adoption of the Community Parking mendations to the Board about topics as diverse as District designation. There still are a few violators parks, libraries, human services, criminal justice, out there who will be ticketed. A lump of coal to predatory towing compachild care, and history of Fairfax County. Perhaps the most challenging this year was the Ad Hoc Police nies. One area in particular, near REI and Tuesday Practices Review Commission, whose report focused Morning on Carlin Springs Road, has targeted elderon improvements, already being made, in our police ly victims during this holiday season. Candy canes to Governor Terry McAuliffe for department. Candy canes also for those who exercised their including new state funding for K-12 education in right, and responsibility, to vote in the November his biennial budget unveiled last week. Now it’s up elections. The Virginia presidential primary is to the members of the Virginia General Assembly March 1, so there still is time to register to vote to approve that recommendation, or face their own lumps of coal next Christmas! next year. Finally, candy canes to Nick Benton, the Falls A lump of coal for all red light runners. The red light means STOP, not “gun it.” Similarly, a lump of Church News Press, and the readers of this column. coal to drivers who fail to stop, or barely slow down, Thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts, sometimes weighty and sometimes not, for nearly at stop signs in our neighborhoods. A lump of coal to drivers who insist on using their two decades, and counting... cell phones and gadgets, while driving. Especially frustrating are the folks who are first in the queue at Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in a signal and are so busy with their phone that they the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be T: 5.6875 in emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov. don’t move when the light turns green!
want better health care? start asking more questions. to your doctor. to your pharmacist. to your nurse. what are the test results? what about side effects? don’t fully understand your prescriptions? don’t leave confused. because the most important question is the one you should have asked. go to www.ahrq.gov/questionsaretheanswer or call 1-800-931-AHRQ (2477) for the 10 questions every patient should ask. questions are the answer. Before anything else, we are all human. It’s time to embrace diversity. Let’s put aside labels in the name of love. Rethink your bias at lovehasnolabels.com
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
A nyt hing
b ut
S traigh t
The New Atlantis?
Sen. Marco Rubio is the amoral presidential aspirant from Miami, who is denying climate change in exchange for right wing donations, even as the surf swallows his home turf. Earlier this year on CBS’s Face the Nation, Rubio toed the Party Line: “What I said is, humans are not responsible for climate change in the way some of these people out there are trying to make us believe, for the following reason: I believe the climate is changing because there’s never been a moment where the climate is not changing.” While the scripted political prostitute unconscionably parroted Koch Brother’s talking points, Miami Beach and neighborhoods in mainland Miami, are flooding due to the incipient affects of global warming. An article in The New Yorker, “The Siege of Miami” by Elizabeth Kolbert, lays bare the unquestionable treachery and criminal negligence of Republican leaders, like Marco Rubio, who deny the flood of evidence on climate change. Such men will literally sell their families and friends down the river (and ocean) for the solipsistic drive to attain political power. While Republicans love to claim they are for tax cuts, their shortsighted and self-centered policies are costing the taxpayers a fortune. The New Yorker reports that Miami Beach is planning to spend several hundred million dollars to counter the effects of climate change, including flooding that is already turning streets into lakes. The beautiful tourist destination has already spent roughly $100 million. While Rubio pockets tens of thousands of dollars in political contributions from Big Oil and the pollution lobby, Miami residents are left on the hook for tens of millions to fix the mess his politics of deliberate denial have left behind. How is flooding affecting real people in Miami? In the article, the author comes across an elderly woman leaning on a walker. As she rounds the corner, she realizes she is trapped by the floodwaters and wails, “what am I supposed to do?” Some good Samaritans in a truck rescue her. But as the entire peninsula begins to submerge in the future, there won’t be enough trucks to assist those who can’t survive in the increasingly unlivable conditions. If you thought Rubio was a science-hating troglodyte, Florida’s Republican governor, Rick Scott, is even worse. Scott commanded state employees to deny climate change, talk about it in euphemism (call it nuisance flooding), or say nothing at all. Jeff Goodell, a journalist penning a book on rising sea levels, told The New Yorker: “The level of disconnect from reality is pretty profound…in Florida there are real consequences. The water is rising right now.” The problem is the GOP has become a party based on greed. It’s multimillionaire masters don’t care about climate change, because they can profiteer short-term. When the day of reckoning comes, they can afford to pick up and move to a gorgeous new home in a fancy new town, while leaving the rest of us to foot the bill and suffer the consequences. Among the sobering passages in The New Yorker piece: “Globally, it’s estimated that a hundred million people live within three feet of mean high tide and another hundred million or so live within six feet of it. Hundreds of millions more live in areas likely to be affected by increasingly destructive storm surges. Against this backdrop, South Florida still stands out. The region has been called “ground zero when it comes to sea-level rise.” It has also been described as “the poster child for the impacts of climate change,” the “epicenter for studying the effects of sea-level rise,” a “disaster scenario,” and “the New Atlantis.” Of all the world’s cities, Miami ranks second in terms of assets vulnerable to rising seas – number one is Guangzhou – and in terms of population it ranks fourth, after Guangzhou, Mumbai, and Shanghai. “A recent report on storm surges in the United States listed four Florida cities among the eight most at risk. For the past several years, the daily high-water mark in the Miami area has been racing up at the rate of almost an inch a year, nearly ten times the rate of average global sea-level rise.” If there is a silver lining it is Miami Beach’s mayor Philip Levine. He won office in 2013 by addressing voter’s concerns about flooding. He aired commercials that showed him readying himself to paddle home from work in a canoe. “Some people get swept into office,” joked Levine, “I got floated in.” Unfortunately, the state may be doomed if foolish voters keep electing Republicans who float by with the destructive lie that climate change is an imaginary myth. I doubt Marco Rubio will see the light until he needs a snorkel to deposit his Koch Brother loot in the underwater bank.
Wayne Besen
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Our Man in Arlington By Charlie Clark
I have one thing in common with Joan Hitt, matriarch of the construction company family (that’s their name on Virginia Hospital Center’s Family Center for Radiation Oncology): We both spent our childhoods in Cherrydale. That deep-rooted but evolving Arlington neighborhood, she agreed with me, holds rich memories. Born in 1935 in a doctor’s office where Brown’s Honda stands, the former Betty Joan Davis reminisced about her 1947 tenure as Cherrydale May queen. A photograph shows her as a 12-year-old leading the parade on North Oakland Street. That got me thinking. If I walked around my own Cherrydale boyhood haunts from the late 1950s, how vivid might my recollections be? To be sure, I still visit this cozy corner of Arlington where century-old blue-collar Sears homes sit cheek-by-jowl with modern craftsman houses. Last week I enjoyed a Christmas party in the decked-out Quebec Street home of Kathryn Holt, Scott and Dakota Springston, every inch of whose 1890 house is lined with historical artifacts, antiques or fun decorations. (She and I did first grade together at long-gone Cherrydale Elementary.) But resurrecting ghosts from my formative years required more concentration. My walk began with our old
DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2015 | PAGE 17
homestead on Monroe Street, which brought to mind an impromptu ice cream party I begged my mother to throw in the then-open yard that now contains a house. The Stanton house next door was, in 1959, the site of a feud between current and previous owners over whether lumber stacked in the yard conveyed. Across the street, I peeked inside the Cherrydale Bible Church, where we made lanyards in crafts class (even though it wasn’t our Episcopalian family’s church). I can still hear Rev. Hazlett on his adjacent front stoop singing “He’s Got the Whole Wide World In His Hands.” Next door on Monroe stands the brown-shingled residence of the Holmes family – whose large brood of children required the mom to set up a Wonder Bread assembly line to make sandwiches. Further east on 20th Street is a corner house in which I played toy soldiers with a kid who taught me to shout “Bombs over Tokyo!” only 15 years after World War II. Down nearby Kenmore Street was the home of a first-grade girlfriend of mine who introduced me to a Danny Kaye recording of “Hans Christian Andersen.” (I had misremembered her house as being on Lincoln, but verified it in a 1960 directory at Central Library.) Also resurfaced was a memory of Saturday morning walks with my father all the way to the Clarendon Trust Bank. We had to clamber down the (pre-I-66) stairs
to Kirkwood Rd. Moving west, 1625 Quincy Street was the home of an older kid named “Conrad the magician.” He ripped me off by selling me a “magic wand” that was simply a pencil painted black and wrapped with adhesive tape. The most intense memories reverberated on Nelson Street, across from the Newman family’s (long-paved over) cornfields. At sleepovers with my friend Dennis Field, I recall watching the cowboy show “Sugarfoot” and hanging out in the aging garage with scary tools owned by his father, a plumber. On a recent afternoon I summoned the nerve to knock on the door, even though the Fields by now are probably several owners removed. Luckily, no one answered. Better to preserve my old Cherrydale as a private memory – intact. *** A holiday season’s congratulations to the staff of the One More Page bookstore, right at the Arlington-Falls Church line. Bestselling author James Patterson, who gives Christmas bonuses to booksellers nationwide, included a cool $2,500 to owner Eileen McGervey, book buyer Lelia Nebeker and the rest of the team on Westmoreland Street who’re in business more for love of literature than the bucks. I stopped by last week, as a grateful non-best-selling author, to shake the collective hands of this dedicated cabal of bibliophiles in a digital age. The owner plans to use some of the Patterson funds to launch a book truck next year.
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WE’RE DIFFERENT!
David W. Urban, DDS
Now available Fridays & Saturdays 313 Park Ave-Next to Library
Dentistry for Adults & Children
703-532-1712 • www.DrUrban.net
GEORGE MASON HIGH SCHOOL’S Jazz Ensemble traveled to the Falls Church Commnity Center on Tuesday, Dec. 15, to perform for the seniors gathered for the weekly bingo game and annual holiday merriment. (P����: C���� S��)
F.C. Fourth Graders Read Aloud to Second Graders Fourth grade students at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School used their reading ability to pay it forward last week as they read the book Tacky the Penguin to second grade students at Jefferson. Reading aloud for the enthusiastic audience gave the students practice in fluency and vocabulary while having some fun.
WE EXIST TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN’T Multiple sclerosis interrupts the flow of information between the brain and the body and stops people from moving. With the help of people like you, the National MS Society addresses the challenges of each person whose life is affected by MS and helps them stay connected to the great big moving world.
JOIN ThE MOvEMENT jointhemovement.org
Beverly, diagnosed in 2001
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
F.C. School Board Honors Cooper MS Employees The Fairfax County School Board has recognized eight Cooper Middle School employees for working as a team to save the life of a student last June. The employees – Heather Dorman, Dan Farney, Mike Hunter, Donna McAllister Long, DiAnn Park, Leslie Psaltis, Frank Stevens and Scott Worthington – were honored in a School Board resolution at the Board’s business meeting on Thursday, Dec. 17. The Cooper staff members worked as a team, using their training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and how to use defibrillation devices to save the student, who suffered a cardiac arrest during the school day. They immediately sought professional medical attention, com-
THE MOCK TRIAL COURT OF STORYVILLE in the State of Fable held two sessions Tuesday, Dec. 15 at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School. The sessions involved the trial of Jack Jones, accused thief of a goose and some golden eggs from one Mr. Giant. Students took the roles of defendant, prosecutor, witness, defense, inspector and jury. The trial concluded a unit of study on how the United States’ justice system works. (P����: C������� �� FCCPS P�����/B��� G����)
municated clear information and directions to those professionals, and engaged in crowd control to allow rapid access to the student while protecting others. Medical staff at the hospital who treated the student credited the quick and skilled actions of the staff members in averting what may have turned out to be a tragedy.
6 Local Yearbooks Named Crown Award Finalists Six yearbooks produced by staffs at five Fairfax County public schools are among sixty-five year-
book publications that have been chosen as finalists for the Crown award by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. All of the publications listed below will receive either a Gold or Silver Crown at the award ceremony at Columbia University on March 18, 2016. The Crown award finalists are Odyssey at Chantilly High School, Techniques at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, The Clan at McLean High School, The Lair at Lake Braddock Secondary School and Above and Beyond and Sentry at Robinson Secondary School.
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DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2015 | PAGE 19
Thank you to our Watch Night Sponsors LEAD SPONSORS
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CONTRIBUTORS Dr. William Dougherty III, D.D.S. Cue Recording, LTD Clay Café Studios
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CA L E NDA R
PAGE 20 | DECEMBER 24 – 30, 2015
Community Events
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24
Early Closure. Mary Riley Styles Public Library closes at noon for the Christmas holiday. Mary Riley Styles Public Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). Noon. fallschurchva.gov/Library.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25
Closed for Christmas. Mary Riley Styles Public Library will be closed from Friday, Dec. 25 – Sunday, Dec. 27 for the Christmas holiday. Mary Riley Styles Public Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). fallschurchva.gov/ Library. Christmas Day Breakfast. The Original Pancake House will be hosting a free Christmas Day Breakfast for the less fortunate, where it will give out coats, scarves, hats, gloves, toys and books to attendees. Original Pancake House (7395 Lee Hwy., Falls Church). 8:30 a.m. 703-6986292.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26
F.C. Farmers’ Market. Vendors offer fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables, cheeses, meats, baked goods, plants, and wine. City Hall Parking Lot (300 Park Ave., Falls Church). Free. 8 a.m. – noon. 703248-5077.
&
English Conversation Class. A place for non-native speakers to practice English. Central Library (1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington). Free. 10 – 11 a.m. 703-228-5996. Saturday Stock Talks. Get together with others who have an interest in investments and the stock market. Exchange ideas, network. Occasional guest speakers invited. No registration required. Central Library (1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington). Free. 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. 703-228-5999.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27
Invasive Plant Removal. Join community volunteers in protecting the local environment from invasive plant species. This is a ongoing project that to reclaim the natural area at Ft. Bennett Park. Ft. Bennett Park (2133 N. Taft St., Arlington). Free. 10 a.m. – noon. 703-228-1862. Arabic Conversation Class. Practice Arabic with new friends and neighbors. Central Library (1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington). Free. 1:30 – 2 p.m. 703-228-5999.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 28
French Storytime with Language Stars. A fun, interactive foreign language storytime with Language Stars. Mary Riley Styles Public Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Send community event submissions to the News-Press by e-mail at calendar@fcnp. com; fax 703-342-0347; or by regular mail to 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church, VA 22046. Please include any photos or artwork with submissions. Deadline is Monday at noon for each week’s edition.
Church). Free. 10:30 – 11 a.m. fallschurchva.gov/Library. English Conversation Class. A place for non-native speakers to practice English. Central Library (1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington). Free. 3 – 4 p.m. 703-228-5996. Paws to Read with Jam-Jam. Children ages 5 and up can get some reading practice with a trained therapy dog. Thomas Jefferson Library (7415 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). Free. 3:30 – 5 p.m. 703-573-1060. The Next Episode. A night full of great writers and fun filled antics, facilitated by host Slli’m Williams. Share your work or listen to others express themselves freely in a welcoming environment. Busboys and Poets Robeson Room (4251 Campbell Ave., Arlington). $5. 8 – 10 p.m. 202-642-2113.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29
One-on-One Computer/Microsoft Office Training. Learn basic computer and Internet skills and master Microsoft Office programs at one-on-one trainings with technology volunteers. Call for appointments. Free. TysonsPimmit Library (7584 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church). 703-790-8088. Kids’ Chess Club. Children between the ages 7 – 14 can learn to play
chess. All skill levels are welcome. Thomas Jefferson Library (7415 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). Free. 4:45 – 5:45 p.m. 703-5731060.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30 Fun for 2s and 3s. Children ages 2 and 3, accompanied by an adult, can gather at the library for stories and activities. TysonsPimmit Library (7584 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church). Free. 10:30 – 11:15 a.m. 703-790-8088. Holiday Jeopardy. If you have random knowledge about the holidays and are ready for some friendly competition, this is the program for you! Test your skills in this fun and interactive Holiday version of Senior Jeopardy Fun. Culpepper Garden Senior Center (4435 N. Pershing Dr., Arlington). Free. 11 a.m. – noon. 703-2284403. English Conversation Class. A place for non-native speakers to practice English. Central Library (1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington). Free. 1 – 2 p.m. 703-228-5996. Chinese Conversation Class. Practice speaking Chinese while discussing a variety of subjects. Central Library (1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington). Free. 7 – 8 p.m. 703-228-5996.
Theater Fine Arts THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24
“Madeline and The Gypsies.” While visiting a traveling carnival in town Madeline and her friend, Pepito, become trapped atop the Ferris wheel and separated from her classmates during a sudden rain storm. Soon they are swept away by the gypsies and become a part of the carnival themselves. A madcap adventure ensues as Madeline embraces the gypsy life in this delightful musical adaptation of Bemelman’s classic tale. Through Dec. 27. ArtSpace Falls Church (410 S. Maple St., Falls Church). $15 – $20. 7:30 p.m. creativecauldron.org. “Akeelah and The Bee.” Based on the beloved �ilm, “Akeelah and the Bee” tells the story of an independent 11-year-old girl whose razorsharp mind just might take her all the way from the Chicago projects to the �inals of the Scripps
National Spelling Bee. The production, featuring Johannah Easley in her Arena Stage debut, was adapted for stage by Cheryl L. West and is being directed by Charles Randolph-Wright. Through Dec. 27. Arena Stage at The Mead Center for American Theater (1101 6th Street SW, Washington, D.C.). $55 – $70. 8 p.m. arenastage. org.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26
“The Gospel of Lovingkindness.” This production, written by West Oakland poet and playwright Marcus Gardley, is a hymn-andhip-hop-tinged elegy, set on the South Side of Chicago in a time of rising gun violence. The play tells the story of Manny, a 17-year-old who sings for President Obama at the White House only to be held up weeks later for his Air Jordan sneakers. Manny’s mother retraces the trajectory
of her son’s fateful encounter with Noel, a fellow teenager with heartbreaking setbacks of his own, as she conjures the ghost of Ida B. Wells, the Civil Rights activist now 153 years old, who offers a challenging perspective for the family and our community. Through Jan. 3. Atlas Performing Arts Center (1333 H. St. NE, Washington, D.C.) $25 – $50. 8 p.m. atlasarts.org.
“Kiss Me, Kate.” It’s “another opening of another show” with “Kiss Me, Kate,” American musical theatre’s greatest tribute to the Bard. As they try to stage a musical version of Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew,” sparks �ly on and off stage between Fred Graham, the show’s director and star, and Lilli Vanessi, his leading lady – and ex-wife. Through Jan. 3. Shakespeare Theatre Company – Harman Hall (610 F St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $59 – $118. 8 p.m. shakespearetheatre.org.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
CA L E NDA R
live_music&nightlife THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24 G��� ��� ��� J���. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $20. 6 p.m. 703-255-1566.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25
I�’� � F��*�� SUPER ��� C��������. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $12 – $15 in advance; $15 day of the show. 7 p.m. 703-2551566. JR C���� ��� S����’� H������. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8:30 p.m. 703-241-9504. D���� A����� S����. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 10 p.m. 703-237-8333.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26
M��� P����� B���� B���. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 4 p.m. 703-241-9504. E���� ���� A��� S���� B��� ��� E��� ��� ��� W�������. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $15 – $18. 7 p.m. 703-255-1566. C���� C�������. Blues Alley (1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.) $35 – $45. 8 p.m. 202-3374141. B�� W������� � S���� E�����. Bohemian Caverns (2001 11th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $20 in advance; $25 at the door. 8 p.m. 202-299-0800. E� Q����� ���� H������ R�������, S����� E� ��� E������� T�����. Iota Club and Café (2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). $10. 8:30 p.m. 703-5228340.
S���� D���: H������ E������. Black Cat (1811 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $6. 9 p.m. 202-667-7960. 40 D����� F��� B���. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 9 p.m. 703-241-9504. #YASQUEEN: H��� ��� ��� H������� ���� DJ D����� ��� DJ M��. 9:30 (815 V St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $15. 9:30 p.m. 202-265-0930. D.C. F��� � EMS H������ E���� ��������� T��� F�������, B���� A���� ��� R����� D�������. The Howard Theatre (620 T St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $30. 10 p.m. 202803-2899. M��� B���� ���� M�. B������ ��� J������ R������. U Street Music Hall (1115 U St. NW, Washington, D.C.) $15. 10 p.m. 202-588-1889. D��� S������. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 10 p.m. 703-237-8333. G��/B���!. Black Cat (1811 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $10. 10 p.m. 202-667-7960.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27
T�� L������ ���� H�� R����. Iota Club and Café (2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). 3 – 6 p.m. 703-522-8340. A D��� S����� �� D����. The Howard Theatre (620 T St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $20 – $50. 6 p.m. 202-8032899. B�� W������� � S���� E�����. Bohemian Caverns (2001 11th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $20 in
advance; $25 at the door. 7 p.m. 202-299-0800. R��� �� G����� ���� D������� U��� ��� T����. Black Cat (1811 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $10 in advance; $12 day of the show. 7:30 p.m. 202-667-7960. K��� S����� C���� ���� L���, C���� H�����, S����� M���� ��� A������� C��������. Iota Club and Café (2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). $15. 7:30 p.m. 703-522-8340. C���� C�������. Blues Alley (1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.) $35 – $45. 8 p.m. 202-337-4141. H��� S���������� H������ P���� ��������� D����� F., R�� N����, DJ K-M���, M���� S������, S����� L����� L���, A��� C���, H���� S������ ��� M�� M����. U Street Music Hall (1115 U St. NW, Washington, D.C.) $7. 9 p.m. 202-588-1889. A���� D������ G���� ���� T�� B��� D��������. Galaxy Hut (2711 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). $5. 9 p.m. 703-5258646.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 28
D����� B����� B���. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $20. 6 p.m. 703-255-1566. L������ ���� G�������� ��� DJ� G���� T����� (G��� M�����), D�� S������ (W����) ��� A����� M���� (V������� G���). Black Cat (1811 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $12. 7:30 p.m. 202-667-7960. H��� ��� H�����. Iota Club and Café (2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). 8 p.m. 703-522-8340.
DECEMBER 24 – 30, 2015 | PAGE 21
T������� R������ P������� C����� C����, T��� L��� A����� ��� J����� C���� L��� M������. Galaxy Hut (2711 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). $5. 9 p.m. 703-525-8646.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29
R������� ���� C���� � T�� H���� L������ ��� W����� S�������. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $10 – $15 in advance; $13 – $15 day of the show. 6:30 p.m. 703-255-1566. T�� Q���� ���� B����� ��� W��� ��� P����. Black Cat (1811 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $15. 7:30 p.m. 202-667-7960. S���� J����� ���� B�� B�� L����� B���. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8:30 p.m. 703-241-9504. S� F�� G��� D���� N���� ��������� G��$ G�����, M�������� ��� S������. U Street Music Hall (1115 U St. NW, Washington, D.C.) $5. 10 p.m. 202-588-1889.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30
T�� W������’ P����. Black Cat (1811 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). 5:30 p.m. 202-667-7960. B��� �� ��� 90� ��������� RATM2 (R��� A������ ��� M������ T������), H������ A������� (311 T������) ��� E����! (I������ T������). Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $15 – $20. 7:30 p.m. 703-255-1566. S�. P��� ��� T�� B����� B����. 9:30 (815 V St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $35. 7 p.m. 202-265-0930.
P������� A����... Thursday, December 31 – Watch Night New Year’s Eve Celebration. Join in the annual free New Year festivities of Watch Night! There will be family-friendly
events, bounce houses, live music, free popcorn and more. Broad and Washington Streets, Falls Church. 7 p.m. – midnight. watchnightfallschurch.com.
Wednesday, January 6 – Early Release Wednesdays. Children in grades K – 5 can gather at the library to make their own drawings on scratchboards.
Registration required. Space is limited to 15 participants. Mary Riley Styles Public Library Conference Room (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). Free. 3 – 4 p.m. 703-248-5034.
Thursday, January 7 – Thursday Evening Book Group. The Thursday Evening Book Discussion Group meets on the 1st Thursday evening of each month in the
library’s conference room. Light refreshments are served. All are welcome. The group will be discussing Humboldt’s Gift by Saul Bellow. Mary Riley Styles Public Library Conference Room (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). Free. 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. mwebster@fallschurchva.gov.
C������� S���������� 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.
Email: calendar@fcnp.com | Fax: 703-342-0347; Attn: FCNP Calendar Mail: Falls Church News-Press, Attn: Calendar, 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church, VA 22046
LO CA L
PAGE 22 | DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2015
F� � � � C � � � � �
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
B������� N��� � N���� 2016 Business License Renewals Will Be Sent in January Businesses in the City of Falls Church will receive 2016 business license renewal notices from the Commissioner of the Revenue’s office in January. Current business licenses will remain valid until the March 1, 2016 renewal deadline. New businesses in the City of Falls Church are required to apply for a Business License within 30 days of opening. For more information, visit www.FallsChurchVA.gov. For your holiday gathering large or small let us handle that holiday lunch or breakfast. Banquet and event space available for larger parties.
Open Christmas Day serving our full breakfast menu and now
accepting reservations for our traditional Christmas Dinner 1-7pm.
Christmas Dinner: $17.99 Turkey w/ trimmings, ham, dressing, sweet and mashed potatoes, green beans, salad and rolls, choice of pumpkin or apple pie for dessert. (Children under 10, half price) Reservations Highly Recommended!
Santa is coming to Bentley’s restaurant! Come and Meet Santa and Get Your Picture taken with him!
Saturday, Dec. 19• 10 am-2pm 6654 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church, VA, 22042
Cost of $10.00 per pic goes to service dogs for American Heroes! Pictures available for pick up on Monday Dec.21
(703)532-4100
6654 Arlington Blvd. Falls Church, Va. 22042
www.bentleysfallschurch.com
Join us on facebook.
F.C.’s ‘Watch Night’ Helped by Local Businesses Plans are coming together for Watch Night thanks to volunteer event manager Barb Cram and a number of local businesses. Watch Night is the City of Falls Church’s free New Year’s Eve celebration which includes live entertainment, kids activities, refreshments, and more. 2016 sponsors include Atlantic Realty Companies, Burke & Herbert Bank, the City of Falls Church, Drs. Love & Miller, Falls Church Chamber of Commerce, Falls Church Economic Development Authority, Falls Church News-Press the Little City Catch Foundation, the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation, Rock Star Realtor Tori McKinney, and the Village Preservation & Improvement Society. Venue sponsors include Avalon Falls Church, the Falls Church Episcopal, Falls Church Foot & Ankle Center, Falls Church Presbyterian Church, Family Medicine in Falls Church, New Editions Consulting, Sislers Stone, and the Young Group while host supporters include Foxes Music Company, Oshinsky Family Limited Partnership and Viget. Additional contributors include Clay Café Studios, Drew Pelton of Tax & Retirement Solutions and William Dougherty III, DDS. For more information about Watch Night plans, visit www. watchnightfallschurch.com. 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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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
FO O D &D I NI NG
DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2015 | PAGE 23
Arlington natives Berenji and Becker want to be closer to home. “We really wanted to be a truly local roaster and share our enthusiasm [for] coffee with our neighbors,” Berenji says.
Rare Bird Coffee Roasters Coming to Falls Church Rare Bird Coffee Roasters, a small, specialty roastery in Washington, D.C., is coming to the City of Falls Church next year. Currently operating out of a warehouse in the District, Rare Bird plans to move its operation and open up a retail location in the former Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt Shop space on West Broad Street. Lara Berenji, Rare Bird manager and wife of owner Bryan Becker, tells the News-Press they hope to be open in the spring of 2016. The new location will be a change from its D.C. operation which sells wholesale and online. In F.C., Rare Bird will sell fresh coffee along with its specialty coffee roasts, baked goods and coffee making equipment. In addition to the expanded operation,
Rare Bird Coffee Roasters (coming 2016) 230 West Broad Street | Falls Church rbcroasters.com
LongHorn Steakhouse Signs Lease at F.C. Shopping Center Casual chain restaurant LongHorn Steakhouse has signed a lease to open in the Crossroads Place shopping center in the Bailey’s Crossroads section of Falls Church. LongHorn, which will occupy 6,200 square feet of space, join eateries Chipotle, CiCi’s Pizza, Einstein Bagels and Olive Garden in the shopping center. Known for steaks, seafood and appetizers like the Bloomin’ Onion/ Awesome Blossom clone, the Texas Tonion. Based out of Orlando, LongHorn is part of the Darden group of restaurants that includes Olive Garden, Seasons 52, The Capital Grille and several others. There are more than 350
CHASIN’ TAILS HAS OPENED a second location in Centreville. (P����: N���-P����) locations of the steakhouse chain operating in 35 states, including restaurants in Chantilly, Dulles, Largo and Manassas. LongHorn Steakhouse (coming) 556 South Jefferson Street | Falls Church longhornsteakhouse.com
Chasin’ Tails Opens 2nd Location in Centreville Chasin’ Tails, the veteran of the Falls Church area crawfish scene, has opened a second location in Centreville. One of
three restaurants serving New Orleans-style peel-and-eat crawfish within three miles of the City, announced the grand opening of its new store last Friday, which debuted Monday evening. Centreville location hours are identical to Falls Church, open from 5 – 10 .m. Monday through Thursday, 5 – 11 p.m. on Friday, noon – 11 p.m. on Saturday and noon – 10 p.m. on Sunday. Reservations will not be accepted until Monday, December 28. Chasin’ Tails 5805 Trinity Parkway | Centreville chasintailscrawfish.com – Jody Fellows
PAGE 24 | DECEMBER 24 – 30, 2015
SPO RTS
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Mason Girls Basketball Defeats Central 52-44 by Matt Delaney
Falls Church News-Press
As the season entered its fourth week, George Mason High School’s varsity girls basketball team continued to play a step above the rest as they went on the road to beat Central High School, 52-44 on Wednesday, Dec. 16. The win came against another Bull Run district rival and boosts their overall record to 4-1, but most telling is the Mustangs’ ability to win a game against an opponent whose approach to the game is different, yet just as effective as Mason’s. “Great learning experience playing against a good team on the road,” head coach Michael Gilroy said. “Central is a good team, with two very good post players. We got beat up on the boards, which was my fear going into the game, but we made plays in key moments and played great defense in 3rd quarter to give us the lead.” Central had started their season perfectly prior to last Wednesday’s loss to Mason, which dropped them to 5-1. Both teams demonstrated their parity throughout the night, scoring within three points of each other for three quarters during the game. The one outlier, as Gilroy mentioned, was the third quarter where Mason added 14 of their own to the scoreboard while limiting Central to eight.
“Second half we just talked about getting stops and really focusing on post defense with proper rotations off the ball,” Gilroy said. “We still struggled a bit but did enough to get the win, which I will take any day.” Individual standouts included freshman guard Raquel Dod with 12 points and sophomores guard Nicole Bloomgarden and center Kaylee Hirsch who dropped 12 and 16, respectively. The trio were responsible for 40 of Mason’s 52 points on the night. Hirsch and Bloomgarden frequented the free throw line as the two converted a combined 15-25 from the strike and gave Mason the offensive edge in a bout that was otherwise even. And, as intended, the transition game has served an increased role in the offense and helped the Mustangs get five of their first eight points. Starters controlled the scoring, but reserves logged some big minutes as well; a testament to the Mustangs depth. “We have a team of 15 athletes who can all run the floor,” Gilroy said. “I think the best is yet to come for a lot of the girls who don’t get their names mentioned much. [Sophomore forward] Jenna Short and [sophomore guard] Bella Ashton were able to provide some great post defense off the bench versus central frontline, gave us quality minutes.”
MASON SOPHOMORE GUARD Nicole Bloomgarden races down the court during the Mustangs’ 49-35 defeat of Warren County High School on Wednesday, Dec. 9. Bloomgarden scored 12 points against the Mustangs’ opponent a week later, when her squad beat Central High School 52-44. (Photo: Carol Sly) Short and Ashton holding off a team centered around their front court is noteworthy, but add in the fact that Ashton is listed at 5’7 on the team roster and the reality becomes even more eye-opening. This young Mason team has shown some moxie in the season’s first month and continues to make their case for being serious contenders in the postseason.
N oble J oins T he S crum
D’MONTAE NOBLE, a senior star athlete at George Mason High School, recently signed commitment papers to play rugby at Kutztown University in Pennsylvania. A large group of staff, students and family were on hand to see Noble sign and congratulate him. (Photo: Carol Sly)
And though they’ve been adamant about not looking ahead on their schedule, a winter break tournament next week boasting some out of conference teams like Loudoun County High School, Hylton High School and Robert E. Lee High School will be a good barometer for their postseason hopes. “We get to play three teams that
are gonna give us a lot of adversity,” Gilroy said. “All three teams play different styles, so regardless of the outcomes…these games get us battle-tested for our league games and especially for postseason play.” Until then, the Mustangs zero in on another district rival when they visit Strasburg High School for their next game on Wednesday, Dec. 23.
GMHS Robotics Wins District Competition The George Mason High School robotics team won the FIRST Tech Qualifying Tournament in Haymarket on Saturday, Dec. 12. The team’s win earned a spot in the state competition in February, which will be held at Meadow Event Park in Doswell, Va. The team also won the Rockwell Collins Innovate Award for the best design. The Mason team scored first in each of the qualifying, semifinal and final rounds. Approximately 40 teams participated in the competition at Battlefield High School. Each team built its own robot and developed the computer program to run it. The task with the highest point value for the robots was to climb a sharp incline labeled
“The Mountain.” Extra points were available for dangling from a bar atop the Mountain. Teams also scored points by pushing plastic debris out of the path of the robot. After successfully climbing the incline, the Mason robot used a large commercial tape measure fitted with a hook on the end to reach and hang from the top bar. Mason has sponsored robotics teams since 2004 under the tutelage of teacher John Ballou, who also began teaching a robotics course for credit at the school this year. “This is was an exciting win for the team,” Ballou said. “They worked very hard to analyze the challenge and develop a machine to meet it. It was great to see them be so successful.”
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
A RTS&E NTE RTA I NME NT
DECEMBER 24 – 30, 2015 | PAGE 25
Dec.
24 y
sda Thur
Good for the Jews Jammin’ Java 6 p.m. 227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna
703-255-1566 • jamminjava.com
26 day
Satur
Ben Williams & Sound Effect Bohemian Caverns 8 p.m. 2001 11th St. NW, Washington, D.C.
202-299-0800 • bohemiancaverns.com
Cyrus Chestnut Blues Alley 8 p.m. 1073 Wisc. Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.
202-337-4141 • bluesalley.com
28 nday
Mo
BY DREW COSTLEY
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
Rob Tannenbaum of Good for the Jews and his bandmate David Fagin are coming through to Jammin’ Java in Vienna on Thursday, Dec. 24 for their annual pre-Christmas show. The musical comedy duo’s show can be included on the list of holiday traditions for those Jewish people in the area who don’t celebrate Christmas and anyone else who wants to laugh. “What we found was that there is a huge opportunity to entertain Jews on what is otherwise the most boring day of the year for us,” Tannenbaum said. “There is a bit of a traditional aspect to it. There are some people who come to see our show every year. That’s what they do on Christmas Eve and it does create a sense of community. You’re sitting a room with a bunch of people who are similar to you and you’re celebrating a shared tradition. In a way, for our fans, it’s a little bit like going to temple, except at temple they don’t serve beer. So in some ways Jammin’ Java is better than temple.” The question of whether or not something is GOOD FOR THE JEWS. (C������� P����) good or bad for the Jewish community is something that was pervasive for past generations of people come see us and they feel that we’re Jewish people, but hasn’t been as ubiquitous good for the Jews, then they’re right and if they feel that we’re bad for the Jews then they’re for younger generations. Enter Tannenbaum, Fagin and their songs right. But at least because of the name if they like “They Tried to Kill Us, We Survived, Let’s say ‘Look, you guys are bad for the Jews,’ I can Eat” and “Reuben The Hook-Nosed Reindeer.” say, no we’re Good for the Jews....It’s the perThe songs’ lyrics simultaneously show rever- fect counter argument for anyone who thinks ence and poke fun at Jewish culture, all on the our show is obnoxious or offensive.” Tannenbaum said that he and Fagin will be group’s melodic canvas. “The name of the band is kind of mak- playing songs at Jammin’ Java from their 2012 ing fun of the idea. Our parents and parents’ album Songs Even the Goyim Might Like and at generation were obsessed with the question of least one new song. It’s a blues song about circumcision called whether something was good for the Jews or “Foreskin’s Lament” that was named in honor bad for the Jews,” Tannenbaum said. “I feel like everything is kind of good for of Shalom Auslander’s memoir by the same the Jews and kind of bad for the Jews. So, if name. Tannenbaum said that Good for the Jews
plan to release a new album, but couldn’t give a timetable for when fans can expect it. “It’s kind of different because this isn’t my fulltime job and it’s not David’s full-time job, either. And there are no deadlines. It’s not like Interscope Records is calling every day to scream at our manager and demand that we finish a new album,” Tannenbaum said. “We’re the record company, we’re the manager, we’re the band, so there is a new record in our future and there are new songs, we just haven’t gotten around to recording enough of them to make a new record yet.” • For more information about Good for the Jews, visit goodforthejews.net.
Deanna Bogart Jammin’ Java
These singles whet the appetites of the FCNP editorial team this week:
6 p.m.
Nicholas Benton – La Vie En Rose by Edith Pilaf
227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna
703-255-1566 • jamminjava.com
Jody Fellows – Oh No by Mos Def and Pharoahe Monch
Drew Costley – I Like It by Talib Kweli featuring Das Racist
PAGE 26 | DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2015
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Public Notice NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA The City Council will hear public comment and consider second reading for (TR14-29), (TO14-28), and (TR14-28) (items related to the project known as “Mason Row”) on Monday, January 11, 2016 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard. These items were previously advertised for the December 14, 2015 City Council meeting, but were deferred to January 11. The ordinance referenced below was given first reading on November 23, 2015; second reading and public hearing are scheduled for Monday, January 11, 2016 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard. (TO15-13) ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 48 “ZONING” OFFICE, MIXEDUSE, RETAIL AND BICYCLE PARKING,
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AND OTHER RELATED PROVISIONS This amendment would allow consideration of a reduced parking ratio for office and mixed-use development with approval of a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan, increase the minimum width of parking spaces from 8.5 feet to 9 feet, prohibit encroachments into required parking, permit conversion of some parking spaces to alternate uses, eliminate variances for parking, require a minimum of 4 spaces, or as follows, whichever is greater: Short-term Office – 1/20,000 sq. ft. or portion thereof, Long-term - Office 1/6,000 sq. ft. or portion thereof; Short-term retail – 2 /10,000 sq. ft. or portion thereof for the first 50,000 sq. ft. and 1 additional for every 12,500 sq. ft. or portion thereof, Long-term retail – 1/25,000 sq. ft. or portion thereof; Short-term multifamily – 1/50 units or portion thereof, Longterm multi-family – 1/2.5 units or portion thereof; Short-term hotel – 1/50 hotel rooms or portion thereof, Long-term hotel 1/10 hotel rooms or portion thereof, and other related provisions. All public hearings will be held in the Council Chambers, 300 Park Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia. For copies of legislation, contact the City Clerk’s office at (703-248-5014) or cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov. The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, call 703-2485014 (TTY 711). CELESTE HEATH CITY CLERK
We are pleged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing We are pledged to opportuthe letter nity throughout the Commonand wealth. spirit of Virginia’s We encourage policy and support advertising and housing for achieving equal marketing programs in which opportunity throughout there are no barriers to obtaining the housing because of We race, encourcolor, Commonwealth. religion, national origin, sex, age elderliness, and support advertisfamilial status or handicap. All real estate advering and marketing programs tised herein is subject to in which are Virginia’sthere fair housing law no whichbarillegal to advertise “any riersmakes to itobtaining housing preference, limitation, or discrimination becausecolor, of race,relibecause of race, religion, national origin, gion,color, national origin, sex, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap or intention to make elderliness, familial status any such preference, limitation, or handicap. All real estate or discrimination.” This newspaper will notherein knowingly advertised is accept subject advertising for real estate that to Virginia’s fair law. housing violates the fair housing Our readers aremakes herby informed that to law which it illegal all dwellings advertised in this advertise preference, newspaper“any are available on an equal opportunity basis. For more limitation, or discrimination information or to file a housing because of race, color, complaint call the Virginia FairreliOffice origin, at (804)sex, gion,Housing national 367-8530. Toll free call (888) elderliness, familial status 551-3247. For the hearing call (804)or 367-9753. or impaired handicap intention
Email: fairhousing@dpor.virginia.gov. to make any such preferWebsite: www.fairhousing.vipnet.org ence, limitation, or discrimination.” This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 367-8530. Toll free call (888) 551-3247. For the hearing impaired call (804) 367-9753.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2015 | PAGE 27
PAGE 28 | DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2015
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
速
A RTS&E NTE RTA I NME NT
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Crossword
ACROSS
By David Levinson Wilk 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
9
10
15
14 17
18
24
27
28 32
33
26 30
34
31 35
47
54
40
44 48
55
59
36 39
43 46
13
22
38
42
45
25 29
37
12
19 21
23
11
16
20
41
8
49 56
51
57 61
60
50 58 62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
© 2015 David Levinson Wilk
Across 1. Self-titled jazz vocal al_um of 1958
52
53
1. Self-titled jazz vocal al_um of 1958 6. Possessing many pesos 10. Turning point 14. You might play someone for this 15. Atop 16. Latina lass: Abbr. 17. 2014 #1 hit by 37-Across that can be spelled using (aptly!) the letters missing in ten of this puzzle’s clues 19. Wise off to 20. Body of water where the Ural Mountains extend to 21. Singer who appears first alphabetically in “The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits” 23. And others: Abbr. 24. Bubble bath spot 26. B_ue gemstone, for short 27. Himalayan legends 29. Director who suited Spike TV for using his name 31. Animal toxin 32. Place for a pedi 34. Tally (up) 36. “What was ____ was saying?” 37. Singer of 17- and 64-Across 41. Gaelic “Gee!” 43. Digits 44. Prefix with metric 45. Had tithe guts 48. Kind of p_rty 50. Second largest Great Lake 54. Composer of the opera “Rusalka”
DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2015 | PAGE 29
DOWN
1. It’s just left of Q 2. Recently 3. Find hilarious 4. It was reframed in 1951 5. Game with horns 6. 6’ 7” male reality show host in heels 7. Beer variety, familiarly 8. Andean stimulant 9. NBA star whose Twitter handle is @SHAQ 10. Judgment 11. Dental office fixture 12. “That’s expensive!” 13. Food often dipped in soy sauce 18. Place to bite quiet 22. Restroom, informally 25. Like two thirds of ZZ Top 28. Nathan Halite, notably 30. Actors Harris and Helms
CHUCKLE BROS BRIAN & RON BOYCHUK
6. Possessing many pesos
33. European pea_ 35. SADD concern 37. Ruby-____ hummingbird 38. Iowa’s _tate tree 39. Suffix with cartoon 40. Like to_ restaurants 41. Handyman’s tasks 42. Some early paintings 46. Physicist Mach and Surrealist M_x 47. Sex columnist Savage 49. Tree with fan-shaped leaves 51. What a couch potato probably holds 52. Five bu_ks, slangily 53. Having no charge 55. Kind of face 57. One of a jazz duo? 60. Craig who was defending Michael Jordan when Jordan made “The Shot” in the 1989 NBA playoffs 62. User-edited w_bsite 65. Arctic sea bird
56. Jazz trumpeter’s nickname 58. Nevada gambling city 59. 1960s sitcom title role 61. Blitzer and others 63. Bran muffi_ topping 64. 2014 #1 hit by 37-Across that provides a hint (aptly!) to solving this puzzle’s italicized clues 66. Poison lead singer Michaels 67. Hard punch 68. Holmes of Hollywood 69. The EPA issues them: Abbr. 70. John left Cynthia for her 71. The “you” in the lyric “I’ll see you in my dreams”
10. Turning point
Sudoku Level:
S A L A D
A L O H A
A S P S
G A L A
J I G S
I M O K
Last Thursday’s Solution
M I L A B N A R O Y A E B C R O I M M O V A
T C M A A A I T D H O O N A D N S E A A H N D A L C Y C H S O I S N L A N D
S C O O B Y D O O
I N A P E R F E C T W O R L D
R R E O L L S E N P E L E A Z Y E I G N U G A G R E A D A M U E
W A T E R M E L O N S E E D S
I C A M E
M A R Y S
S T L O R S S T R O H
Y E S N O
By The Mepham Group
1 2 3 4
14. You might play someone for this 15. Atop 16. Latina lass: Abbr. 17. 2014 #1 hit by 37-Across that can be spelled using (aptly!) the letters missing in ten of this puzzle's clues 19. Wise off to 20. Body of water where the Ural Mountains extend to
1
21. Singer who appears first alphabetically in "The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits" 23. And others: Abbr. 24. Bubble bath spot
LOOSE PARTS
26. B_ue gemstone, for short
DAVE BLAZEK
27. Himalayan legends Solution to last Sunday’s puzzle
NICK KNACK
1
© 2015 N.F. Benton
12/27/15
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 www.sudoku.org.uk. © 2015 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.
LO CA L
PAGE 30 | DECEMBER 24 – 30, 2015
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
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Falls Church News-Press Vol. V, No. 41 • December 28, 1995
Falls Church News-Press Vol. XV, No. 42 • December 22, 2005
10 Year s Ago
Thr ow it up. Pour it up It now is the time for all go od cows to go the to aid
Callahan Wants State Minimum Wage Hike; Kaine Will Visit F.C. for Town Forum Jan. 3
Council Retains Law Firm Until New Attorney Found The Falls Church City Council voted unanimously in a hastily-organized brief meeting Thursday morning to retain the Tyson’s Corner-based law firm of Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand to provide legal services to the City until a replacement for departed City Attorney Peter Maier is found.
Raising eyebrows all over Virginia, McLean Republican State Del. Vincent J. Callahan Jr., has prepared a bill for next month’s state legislative session in Richmond to raise the state minimum wage from its current level of $5.15 per hour to $8 within three years.
Stuart Name Change In Play After Vote Continued from Page 4
name of Stuart when she went to the school. She said that some of the teachers at the school integrated the history of the school’s naming into some of her lessons at the school. On Friday, Dec. 11, the University of Maryland Board of Regents voted to change the name of a stadium at the University of Maryland-College Park honoring Harry C. Byrd after students at
the school began organizing to get the name changed because of his segregationist history. Jones said that she is moved by the success of these movements at her current and former schools. “I mean I think it’s awesome. I’m very proud of the group that’s started working to make this change,” Jones said. “I’m starting to see this at my school, too, because Maryland just decided to rename its stadium and remove that name. It
will be interesting to see it not just happen here at home but on [college] campuses and seeing the two groups kind of parallel each other. “I think it’s kind of easy to get it done at a university, especially one in Maryland where it’s a progressive state…but to see a smaller group here work so hard to change it and be successful, at least getting the conversation going, I find it very inspiring.”
HERE IS CHE, a 5-year-old Colonial Cocker Spaniel, taking one of the several naps per day that she takes at her home in South Arlington. As you can see, she has completely marked the couch that she is sleeping on as her territory, complete with ripped fabric. When she is not napping, she likes to play “fight” with her human brother, pensively gaze out the window at her backyard and patrol the backyard for varmints. Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! Send in your Critter Corner submissions to crittercorner@fcnp.com.
“I don’t want to lose my house.” If you have mortgage problems, call 888-995-HOPE for one-on-one expert advice from this free government program.
Don’t give up.
Make Your Pet a Star! Critter
Corner
ADC23843_IsoC_4C_Eng_Mag7x4.875.indd 1
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Directory Listings: Call Us at 703-532-3267
n
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
ACCOUNTING
ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES
Falls Church Antique Company . . . . . 241-7074 Antique Annex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241-9642 n
ATTORNEYS
Mark F. Werblood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534-9300 Sudeep Bose, Former Police Officer. 926-3900 Janine S. Benton, Esq. . . . . . . . . . . .992-9255 n
AUTOMOTIVE
Beyer Volvo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237-5000 Koons Ford Outlet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533-3363 n
BANKING
Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust Co.. . . 519-1634 BB&T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241-3505 TD Bank/www.TDBank.com. . . . . . . . 237-2051 n
CLEANING SERVICES
n
Diener & Associates, CPA.. . . . . . . . . 241-8807 Eric C. Johnson, CPA, PC . . . . . . . . . 538-2394 Mark Sullivan, CPA. . . . . . . . . . . 571-214-4511 Hahn & Associates, PC, CPAs. . . . . . 533-3777 n
3 months - $150 6 months - $270 1 year - $450
BOOK BINDING
COLLEGES
n
American College of Commerce and Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 942-6200 n
DENTISTS
n
EQUIPMENT RENTAL/SALE
VA Outdoor Power Equipment . . . . . . 207-2000 n
n
n
n
n
FRAMES
n
PET SERVICES
Apex Pet Partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 532-8012 Feline Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 920-8665 n
PHARMACY
Broad Street Pharmacy . . . . . . . . . . . 533-9013
INSURANCE
n
LAWN CARE
n
PHOTOGRAPHY
Gary Mester, Event, Portraits. . . . . . . 481-0128 Mary Sandoval Photography . . . 334-803-1742
REAL ESTATE
Merelyn Kaye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .790-9090x218 www.helpfulmortgage.us . . . . . . . . . . 237-0222 Casey O’Neal - ReMax . . . . . . . . . . . 824-4196 Rosemary Hayes Jones. . . . . . . . . . .790-1990 The Young Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .356-8800 Tori McKinney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 867-8674 Shaun Murphy, Realtor . . . . . . . . . . . 868-5999
MASSAGE MEDICAL
Dr Gordon Theisz, Family Medicine. . 533-7555
OPTOMETRIST
Dr. Alison Sinyai, Family Eye Care . . 533-3937 n
www.healthybyintention.com.. . . . . . . 534-1321
Art & Frame of Falls Church . . . . . . . 534-4202 Stifel & Capra. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407-0770
HOME IMPROVEMENT
MUSIC
Academy of Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 938-8054 Foxes Music Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533-7393
Lawn Enforcement Services, LLC . . . 237-0921 n
GIFTS
n
Allstate Home Auto Life Ins. . . . . . . 241-8100 State Farm Insurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . 237-5105
Falls Church Florist, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . 533-1333 n
HEALTH & FITNESS
FC Heating & Air Service . . . . . . . . . . 534-0630 Joseph Home Improvement. . . . . . . . 507-5005 Picture Perfect Home Improvements 590-3187 One Time Home Improvement. . . . . . 577-9825
EYEWEAR FLORISTS
n
Vantage Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241-0565 Jazzercise Falls Church. . . . . . . . . . . 622-2152
Point of View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237-6500 n
HANDYMAN
Doug’s Handyman Service. . . . . . . . . 556-4276 Your Handyman . . . . . . . . . . . . . 571-243-6726
Family Dentistry, Nimisha V Patel . . . 533-1733 Dr. William Dougherty . . . . . . . . . . . 532-3300
n
BCR Binders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534-9181
n
Maid Brigade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 823-1922 Acclaimed Carpet Cleaning . . . . . . . . 978-2270 A Cleaning Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 892-8648
1 Line Maximum
(30 characters + Ph. #, incl. spaces)
n
TAILOR
Tailor Lee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534-8886
All numbers have a ‘703’ prefix unless otherwise indicated.
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