12-4-2025

Meridian High’s ‘The Lasso’ in This Issue, p. 18-19 December 3 - 10, 2025

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Founded 1991 • Vol. XXXV N o . 43

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

F.C. Schools, WINTER WONDERLAND Council Mull Tough Times On Horizon As Area’s Economy Dips, Balancing Budget Woes

by Nicholas F. Benton

Falls Church News-Press

“The only certainty is uncertainty,” the City of Falls Church’s new chief financial officer David So told the annual early December joint meeting of the Falls Church City Council and School Board held in the new Meridian High School library Monday night.

While early projections indicate the schools will need a 5.02 percent increase in the transfer of funds from the City for the next fiscal year beginning July 2026, and while on the City side, a negative budget gap anywhere between $2.7 million and $5.4 million is anticipated, these projections remain estimates, with better indicators of where they may fall still a few weeks away in the form of October revenues

Continued on Page 3

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THE ‘WINTER WONDERLAND’ event in the center of Falls Church at its Founders Row this Tuesday drew a record crowd of hundreds to hear live music, enjoy hot chocolate from realtor Tori McKinney, play kids games and generally share in the spirit of the season.

The annual fete marks the holiday lighting of the trees along W. Broad and a kick-off to a wide variety of special holiday events in the Little City (see News Briefs). (Photo: Gary Mester)

Fairfax Co. Report: 2x More Sent to State Than Received

by Nicholas F. Benton

Falls Church News-Press

A new analysis by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia confirms a stark fiscal imbalance: for every dollar in state revenue generated by Fairfax County, Virginia, residents receive only about 50 cents back in state funding and appropriations. While the report was exclusive to Fairfax

County, and does not include Falls Church, it can be assured that similar net imbalance conclusions apply to the neighboring Little City.

The “Revenue and Returns” report, presented to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Economic Initiatives Committee last week, shows that in fiscal year 2024 Fairfax County generated an estimated $5.77 billion in state General Fund tax rev-

enues — constituting a whopping 20.7 percent of all state-collected revenue from localities across Virginia.

By contrast, state General Fund appropriations to Fairfax in that same fiscal year amounted to only $2.93 billion, representing just 11.1 percent of total statewide state-funding allocations.

Put simply: The county’s contribution to Richmond vastly exceeds what comes back.

The report concludes that “for every $1 contributed … Fairfax receives about $0.50.”

In the context of the uncommonly difficult economic conditions facing Northern Virginia, in particular, this year, and of such consequences for local governments throughout this region, the impact of this report is even more pronounced.

Continued on Page 4

PAGE 2 | DECEMBER 4 - 10, 2025

NE WS BR I E FS

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Falls Church News Briefs

Mark Warner Announces Bid For a 3rd U.S. Senate Term

Craft Show

Virginia U.S. Senator Mark Warner announced Tuesday that he is officially running for a third six-year term this coming year. He was quickly endorsed by U.S. Rep. Don Beyer of Falls Church’s 8th District.

In his announcing statement, Warner said, “I’ve always been focused on what’s next, on what’s on the horizon. I started a cell phone company back when everyone was still using landlines. When I was first elected governor, it was on the promise to move Virginia forward. And we did. And in the Senate, I’ve been focused on the challenges our country faces next: Expanding broadband and economic opportunity to rural America, preparing our intelligence communities for 21st-century threats in our increasingly interconnected world. and standing up to Trump’s policies that raise prices and gut health care while he hands massive tax breaks to billionaires.”

The annual Holiday Gift and Craft Show presented by Livewell Animal Hospital Falls Church, along with Children’s Holiday Shoppe, will be held at the Community Center, 223 Little Falls St., on Saturday, Dec. 6, and Sunday, Dec. 7.

Admission to both craft show days and the Children’s Shoppe is free, with 50 local crafters and merchants selling handmade items, baked goods, and unique holiday gifts.

The event is open on Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and on Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Live holiday performances from local Falls Church City Public Schools student musicians and singers, multiple daily raffles, and the Kids’ Corner with holiday crafts and treats are featured.

The Children’s Holiday Shoppe, hosted by the Friends of Cherry Hill, is a sweet holiday tradition open on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Located in the Community Center, volunteers help chi ldren select gifts for $6 or less for friends and family. Sales at the shoppe are cash and check only, with free gift wrapping available.

The Farmers Market will also be taking place Saturday, Dec. 6, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Major Holiday Events On Tap in F.C. This Week Starting Friday, a host of festive events are in store for Falls Church, kicked off by the start Friday of the Falls Church Volunteer Fire Department’s annual Santamobile tradition, where a firetruck with Santa atop, holiday music and volunteers handing out candy will proceed through neighborhoods during evening hours.

Then, there is the annual Treefest event outside at the Ireland’s Four Provinces Saturday and Sunday, run by the Village Preservation and Improvement Society, and the annual craft fair the same days run by the City of Falls Church at the Community Center.

Choir groups from Meridian High School will be roving the Little City to sing on Saturday morning, and the F.C. Chamber of Commerce has produced an online shopping guide. Rep. Don Beyer has published a list of food banks for families in need.

VPIS Tree Fest VPIS is hosting the 10th Annual Tree Fest at Ireland’s Four Provinces this weekend. The public can silent auction bid on 4 foot Christmas trees benefitting local non-profits and vote in the People’s Choice awards for the best decorated tree in several different categories.

The fest runs Friday, Dec. 5, from 5 to 9 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6 from 10 a./m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. when bidding closes and the trees are awarded to the winners.

VFD Santamobile The Falls Church Volunteer Fire Department’s Santamobile starts its rounds this Friday, Dec. 5, and proceeds each night starting at 6:30 p.m.

The Santamobile will be visiting neighborhoods in the City of Falls Church and the nearby areas of Arlington and Fairfax County.

During its visits, volunteers will be handing out winter safety tips and candy canes. The public is urged to stay on the sidewalk and greet our volunteers curbside.

The Santamobile Schedule: Dec. 5, south of W. Broad in St. James Cemetery and Virginia Forest neighborhoods up to and including Seaton Lane and S. Oak south of the Tripps Run Bridge; Dec. 6, north of W. Broad Street including Little Falls Street; Dec. 7, south of W. Broad in the Winter Hill and Virginia Forest neighborhoods south of Seaton Lane — also includes streets north of the Tripps Run Bridge (Hillier, S Oak, Lee, Rees, Chanel); Dec. 8, the Little Falls neighborhood and streets east of Washington Street including the Madison Park and Whittier Park neighborhoods; Dec. 9, Broadmont neighborhood and streets on the north side of Hillwood east of Cherry Street; Dec. 10, areas of Fairfax county; Dec. 11: Areas of Arlington and Williamsburg; Dec. 12, 13, areas of Arlington and East Falls Church.

Meridian High’s Belouad Named ‘Food Hero’ Adam Belouad, 19, of Meridian High in Falls Church, has been named one of Hormel Foods’ national top 10 under age 20 “food heroes.”

Adam serves as the executive director of Hand to Hunger, a nonprofit that works to combat food insecurity by bringing students and corporations together to provide meals for those in need. Together with some friends, he started a weekly tradition of cooking warm meals for a local homeless shelter. This weekly tradition grew from 30 bagged lunches to 4,000 meals by the third month and now has grown into a global community of tens of thousands of volunteers. Hand to Hunger has served over 220,000 meals and mobilized 62,500 student volunteers.

F.C. Based Levine Music Hosts Concert Saturday Levine Presents, a concert series showcasing the exceptional faculty artists of the new Falls Church-based Levine Music School takes place at its new West Falls campus. Sound and Fury is a powerful program of 20th-century works shaped by war, exile, and resilience, featuring music by Claude Debussy, Sergei Prokofiev, Poldowski, and César Franck.

Musicians include Holly Nelson, violin, and Luke Ratcliffe, piano. The program includes “Sonata for Violin and Piano in g Minor” — Claude Debussy, “Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1 in f Minor, Opus 80” — Sergei Prokofiev, “Tango” — Poldowski and “Sonata for Violin and Piano in A Major” — César Franck.

The Nutcracker Performed at Meridian H.S. This Weekend The Kintz-Mejia Academy of Ballet presents “The Nutcracker,” adapted from E.T.A. Hoffman’s story, “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” featuring music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and original choreography by Mark Mejia.

Performances are on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 7 at 2:00 p.m., at Meridian High School, 121 Mustang Alley, Falls Church, VA 22043. Tickets are $35.

VPIS Donates to F.C. Community Food Pantry The Falls Church Village Preservation and Improvement Society (VPIS) raised donations over the last few weeks for the Falls Church Community Service Food Pantry. VPIS matched all donations up to $500. As a result of this successful campaign, VPIS delivered a check on last Friday for $1,137.00.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

DECEMBER 4 - 10, 2025 | PAGE 3

Budget Gap Woes Surface in F.C. Joint Council/School Board

Continued from Page 1

to the City.

Many feel the numbers for October could prove even more daunting than expected, due to the effects of the month-long federal government shutdown on top of drastic federal and contractor layoffs and cuts throughout the region, and they could tip the projections further downward as the City gets the process underway to fashion its budgets for the next fiscal year.

But the anticipation of this figured into why on Monday night So showed not a fixed projection, but a range of outcomes from low, mid and high, for his projected budget gap. The best case scenario would show the City needing to figure out how to come up with $2.7 million more, and a worse case would figure it needing to come up with $5.4 million.

While these early estimates are of a 6 percent hike in real estate assessed values (the actual numbers for those will come out in February), a big factor in limiting projected City revenues has come from the fact that lower interest rates have significantly docked the

City’s investment income.

However, for starters, those numbers are based on a transfer of $55 million from the City to the schools, based on a 50-50 revenue sharing deal between the two entities in the context of So’s anticipated net revenues to the City (based on no tax rate increase).

But that $55 million number is the same as what the City transferred to the schools last year, last spring, actually.

With the schools saying they will need a 5.02 percent increase over that number to meet the terms agreed to in its collective bargaining agreement with their employees, for annual step and cost-of-living increases, that number would need to be closer to $57.5 million.

How these factors all play into what the new budget season starts with will take the form of a “budget guidance” resolution that the City Council will debate at its meeting this coming Monday night, Dec. 8.

(To put it in perspective, the City’s budget deficit projections should be compared to the $131.5 million deficit facing neighboring Fairfax County, as a combined

meeting of that jurisdiction’s Board of Supervisors and school board learned earlier this week.)

To the extent that a tax rate increase will be required for the City, So noted that a penny on the tax rate now amounts to $640,000.

The City’s current real estate tax rate for FY26 is $1.185 per $100 of assessed valuation, down from $1.355 as recently as FY21, the drop being due to the influx of revenues coming from the recent years’ commercial development boom here.

Some of the other concerns discussed by F.C. City Manager Wyatt Shields at Monday’s meeting were as follows: 1. The Falls Church Police Department is currently down 11 positions, or a full 25 percent below its budgeted staffing level.

This is due to problems recruiting across the U.S. and throughout Northern Virginia. The City was on the verge of adding officers to its force but some prepared to graduate from the training school made last minute decisions to take jobs in other regional jurisdictions due to their elevated salary levels.

Shields said that as a result, the force does not have the abil-

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ity to provide School Resource Officers to the schools, something he said will be corrected as soon as the City is able to correct the overall problem, probably through an effort to boost its own salary offers.

2. Plans for launching Phase 2 of the 10-acre West End project adjacent the HendersonMeridian secondary school campus include building an office building where the schools currently have access to surface parking. While the terms of the deal with the developers require it to include at least an equal amount of parking in their new

structure, it does not address where parking would be provided in the interim, during construction.

However, Shields said it is not clear when the new office building, or another residential building in Phase 2 of the project, would begin to be built, and that significant delays could occur, especially given the current economic environment.

3. The unemployment rate in the City of Falls Church has ballooned from 2.1 percent in December 2024 to 4.6 percent as of this August. That adds up to 200 people.

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Report Shows Fairfax Co. Sends 2x More to State Than It Gets

Continued from Page 1

The bulk of Fairfax’s revenue contribution comes from individual income taxes, with additional amounts from sales, corporate income, and other taxes.

As the largest single revenue contributor among all Virginia localities — producing more in state taxes than the next three largest regions combined — Fairfax’s fiscal contributions play an outsized role in supporting statewide programs and services.

At the same time, the lower rate of state reinvestment underscores a growing concern among local leaders. “Our local economy plays a vital role in supporting services and opportunities across Virginia,” said the County’s Board Chairman, noting that the structure of the funding balance has remained “largely unchanged even as costs and local needs have grown.”

The study comes at a pivotal moment, as Fairfax County and Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) prepare to present their joint FY 2027 budget forecast. Early projections suggest modest revenue growth ahead — but also mount-

ing pressure from increasing service demands and rising costs.

County officials say the findings will inform future efforts to engage state policymakers about funding equity and to seek reforms that ensure high-service jurisdictions like Fairfax receive a fair share of state support.

Fairfax Board of Supervisors Chair Jeffrey C. McKay emphasized that the gap directly affects local services and residents. In a statement, he said, “Fairfax County is proud to play a leadership role in Virginia’s economy, but the state’s return-oninvestment simply does not reflect the magnitude of what our residents contribute,” McKay said. “We shoulder the responsibilities of a major economic engine—high demand for public education, public safety, human services, and infrastructure— yet the state formulas have not kept pace with our needs or our growth.”

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), which serves more than 180,000 students, carries the largest share of the impact. School Board Chair Karl Frisch said the disparity places increasing pressure on local taxpayers. He said, “Our community is generous, but it isn’t sustainable

for local property owners to continue backfilling what the state does not provide,” Frisch said. “The state relies heavily on Fairfax County’s economic strength, yet our students benefit far less from the revenue they help generate. We need funding partnership—not dependency on local subsidies.”

Leaders in the region’s business community also highlighted the importance of reinvestment.

Victor Hoskins, President and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, said the findings should concern anyone focused on growth and innovation. He said, “Fairfax County is the economic powerhouse of Virginia— home to global companies, federal contractors, and emerging tech startups. But continued success isn’t automatic. If the state wants to maintain its competitive position nationally, reinvesting in the communities that generate its tax base is essential.”

Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Chair Tina Dale added: “Our workforce, our transportation systems, and our schools must remain strong for businesses to continue choosing Fairfax. The Weldon– Cooper numbers show a clear imbal-

ance that ultimately affects competitiveness.”

The Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia provides nonpartisan

research and analysis to inform leaders across the Commonwealth. Its fiscal studies are widely regarded as the most comprehensive examinations of Virginia’s state-local revenue systems.

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Dare Speak Its Name, Part 1: 3 Defining Things Nicholas F. Benton FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

Who could have predicted a backlash against the long-awaited establishment of equal rights for that last cohort of the population denied them?

A decade after the Supreme Court’s milestone Obergefell v. Hodges ruling declared samesex marriage a national right in the U.S., while a steady 68 percent of Americans support it, among Republicans, support has pummeled during the Trump years from a high of 55 percent to 41 percent now.

Opposition to such rights is a consistent aspect of totalitarian regimes through history, owing to their elevation of a male supremacy that asserts dominion and a demand for a crushing conformity over women, children, subjects and property. Same-sex relations under such conditions become limited to secretive privileges afforded closeted overlords that often take on their brutal characteristics.

The fight to assert the equal rights of self-identified LGBTQ persons has as its essential component the humanization in all aspects of their (our) lives. Only by living openly and without fear or shame can an internal integrity be attained that allows the full potential for love and creative work to flower.

Under such conditions, I’ve always contended that gay persons, those among us who experience same-sex erotic attraction, exhibit a preponderance of unique qualities that make their contributions to humanity not only a benefit, but essential to the survival and evolution of the species. Such persons have hardly been the sole carriers of these traits, but exhibit them at a higher rate than the general population, notwithstanding their too human capacities to internalize antithetical modes taken from a wider, brutal society.

As I spelled out in my first book, a collection of essays entitled, “Extraordinary Hearts, Reclaiming Gay Sensibility’s Central Role in the Progress of Civilization” (Lethe and BCI Books, 2015), there are three aspects to these unique characteristics that I explore in general society, in science, philosophy and among great figures of history and their works, including for some, their

achievements toward the American revolution.

The three defining features I identify as a heightened sensibility, an alternate perspective and a constructive non-conformity.

Humanity as a whole has been the beneficiary of these qualities, which, to repeat, are not exclusive to gay persons, but more prevalent, often more native, among them.

On the issue of the correlation between a heightened assertion of male supremacy and political tyranny and repression, for example, it is the gay male and his qualities that historically have stood between the oppressive male and his victims, through art, poetry and even physical and political activism blocking the savagery that would otherwise ensue. It is predominantly the gays, the gay sensibilities, who offer the pathway for social sustainability by tempering the rage of the supremacist male culture against women, children, subjects and property.

Taking up the causes of those cultural victims in myriad big and little ways has been the stuff of countless tales, paintings, poems and treatises down through history.

This counters the view of those like the notable Shakespearian historian A. J. Rowse, for example, when he finally got around to coming out of his closet in 1977 with his book, “Homosexuals and History, A Study of Ambivalence in Society, Literature and the Arts,” that “ambivalence” at all defines the subject matter, or that cites the Latin proverb, “homo homini lupus est” (“man is a wolf to man”), describing cruel, selfish and predatory behavior, to explain us. That is neither our essential nature, nor, minus exceptions, most anyone’s for that matter.

In the case of Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), it has always been fashionable to cast him as an unrepentant hedonist, citing his novel, “The Picture of Dorian Gray” as evidence. The reality is quite different, however. While there is no doubt this singular genius was gay and behaved in accordance with that under the severe restrictions of his time that drew plentiful pearlsclutching to the degree any of it leaked into the public domain, he was actually a highly sensitive and, of course, articulate humanist. This is reflected in his most thoughtful work, “De Profundis,” penned in prison after being found guilty of “the love that dare not speak its name.”

Much more on Wilde and others in future episodes. Stay tuned.

CO MME NT A Penny for Your Thoughts

DECEMBER 4 - 10, 2025 | PAGE 5

By Penny Gross Former Fairfax County Supervisor

The unprovoked deadly attack on two West Virginia National Guard members in downtown Washington, D.C. the day before Thanksgiving was both tragic and horrific. One National Guard member was just 20 when she died of her extensive injuries. Her compatriot, 24, is fighting for his life. The attacker is a 29-year-old Afghan national who was granted asylum in April 2025 after assisting American forces in the war against the Taliban, and remains in a local hospital. Three young people, all under 30 years of age, whose futures were forever changed on a city street corner.

The shock was magnified by a premature statement from West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey who announced that both victims had died. That error was quickly walked back, but demonstrates that, in today’s haste to be the “first” with a news scoop, incorrect information, rumors, and outright lies get a jump start on facts and truth. Retired Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger, who has overseen many critical incidents in the National Capital Region, pointed out that part of any law enforcement leader’s job is to ensure that information is verified and the victim’s family notified before any news is released to the public. That’s crucial to maintaining community trust in law enforcement.

Trust is not something we

can expect from the Trump Administration. Using the attack to order 500 more unneeded National Guard troops into Washington, D.C., Mr. Trump doubled-down by ordering a pause on any Afghani immigration applications and went even further by directing a re-examination of thousands of green-card holders from 19 different countries. He threatened to “de-naturalize” American citizens and used the incident to reinstate his demand that Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and others be thrown out of the country. Collective punishment of an entire group because of the actions of one person was occasional in my parochial school education but holding hundreds of thousands of people hostage because of their national origin is antithetical to the values of this nation.

Sadly, it’s happened many times around the world and continues to this day. An egregious example is the internment of 120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II. Before that, a congressional “investigating” committee was established in 1930 by Rep. Hamilton Fish (R-NY) to identify subversives and root out communism. Fiorella LaGuardia, a House member before he became Mayor of New York City, protested that “anyone who had a grudge would send in anonymous communications or make complaints against their neighbors, charging them with

disloyalty or being “Un-American.”

He was right – years later the notorious House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) destroyed lives and careers and captivated the nation in the 1950s with the Army-McCarthy hearings. In the 1930s, the committee characterized poor Americans and immigrants as “subversive plotters.” When the investigating committee became HUAC in 1938, racial equality movements were designated subversive. Antisemitism and the Ku Klux Klan were seen as good old American traditions, according to an ardent Georgia segregationist. By the 1950s, Joe McCarthy’s accusations of communists in the federal government were built on the foundation established 15 years earlier. He was aided in his hatred and insinuations by his chief counsel Roy Cohn, who later spent 13 years as Donald Trump’s personal attorney in New York before being disbarred.

Comparing this to the jigsaw puzzle I worked on during the Thanksgiving holiday, dozens of pieces would fit together. What the picture those pieces would make still is a puzzle, but the through-line might begin in the economically-challenged 1930s, move to WWII, the HUAC hearings, the cultural upheavals of the 60s and 70s, a more diverse population strengthened by immigration, 9/11 and the “see something, say something” admonition, the growth of social media and AI, and wind up in economically-challenged 2025. If, as Shakespeare wrote, “What’s past is prologue,” we must pay attention, work against abuses of constitutional rights, and reclaim respect for our democratic values through words and actions.

City of Falls Church Crime Report Week of Nov 24 - 30, 2025 Simple Assault, W Broad St, Nov 24, 3:33 p.m., a male, 18, of no fixed address, was arrested for simple assault.

Drunk in Public, W Broad St, Nov 26, 2:13 a.m., a male, 31, of Vienna, VA, was arrested for Drunk in Public.

Tampering with Auto, E Broad St, Nov 28, 4:39 p.m., unknown suspect, described as a black male wearing an olive-green North Face coat, riffled through several vehicles. Nothing reported missing. Last seen leaving the area in a white van.

Shoplifting, W Broad St, Nov 29, between 12:15 and 12:20 p.m., unknown suspect entered a business and removed a $1,200 item without paying. Suspect described as a 40–50-year-old, black male, wearing a black ski mask, black

top, red t-shirt, black pants and red shoes.

Shoplifting, Wilson Blvd, Nov 29, between 6:05 and 6:13 p.m., unknown suspect entered a business and removed items without paying. Suspect described as a Hispanic male, approximately 57`` and 165 lbs., wearing a black baseball cap, a black sweater with “Carrabbas We Deliver” printed on the back, gray jeans, and black-and-white tennis shoes.

Shoplifting, W Broad St, Nov 30, between 7:10 and 7:20 a.m., unknown suspect, described as a black or Hispanic male, 20-30 years of age, wearing a gray hoodie, light blue shirt, black pants, black shoes, carrying two green bags, entered a business and removed items of value without paying.

Graffiti, Mustang Alley, Nov 30, 11:36 a.m., graffiti was observed on scaffolding

protecting a sidewalk.

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E D I TO R I A L

Not the Best Of News

Nobody wants to throw cold water on the now-ongoing holiday season.

But it seems that with things so horribly wrong in Washington now, and so deeply impacting lives in our region, disproportionately in fact, bad news just heightens the desire to find joy in our holiday traditions.

So to be clear, what came out of Monday’s Falls Church City Council and School Board annual joint meeting to set parameters for the coming year’s budget cycle was not good news. Worse, the projections for the coming year did not take into account the first month, this October, when the fuller impact of the mass federal government and consequential contractor layoffs began being more fully felt. The data for October won’t be known for a few more weeks.

But the bottom lines for what the City’s schools will need and what the City expects to bring in are already showing a significant disparity. With the schools locked into new collective bargaining agreements, the necessity of meeting annual step and cost-of-living increases for all school personnel, lower than usual revenues overall, calculated on the present real estate tax rate, will confront our local lawmakers with some genuine challenges this spring. Holding the line on that tax rate will be the most difficult aspect.

With residential tax assessments expected to rise by roughly six percent, even with the present tax rate of $1.185 per $100 of assessed value, and even as that represents a 16 cent cut from an earlier level, taxes will not insignificantly go up for homeowners next year. The scissors crisis (to coin an economic phrase from 100 years ago) is the contrast between the rising costs of owning a home, on the one hand, and shrinking government revenues combined with a rising unemployment rate, on the other. On that score, although Falls Church is a very small jurisdiction, the unemployment rate here has spiked due to White House policies, and as the City’s new chief financial officer exclaimed at the meeting this Tuesday, with his federal employee wife furloughed until the month-long government shutdown ended, they never ate out in order to save money during the shutdown, adding to the problem of shrinking meals tax revenues.

The other big story is the Weldon Cooper study done for neighboring Fairfax County, reported in this edition, which shows that Fairfax sends twice as much money to Richmond as it gets back. It is similar for Falls Church and other Northern Virginia jurisdictions, too. On top of that, the City is burdened with making another large contribution to the Metro system. With the state and Metro themselves not looking at rosy situations, it is hard to see how much will be able to come from any revisions there.

So, thank heavens for the Little City’s recent years’ economic development push. But for the revenues coming, and expected, from this development, things would be far worse here. Therefore, as they say, let’s count our blessings.

www.fcnp.com The News-Press is certified by the Commonwealth of Virginia to publish official legal notices including probate, abc notices, small and foreign estates. We will provide the appropriate paperwork. A comprehensive book on the 36 year history of the News-Press, “The Life and Times of the Falls Church News-Press”: by Charlie Clark (History Press, 2023), can be purchased at local bookstores or online. 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 to over 140 locations. Offices are at 105 N. Virginia Ave., #310, Falls Church, VA 22046. Reproduction of this publication in whole or part is prohibited except with the written permission of the publisher. ©2025 Benton Communications Inc. The News-Press is printed on recycled paper. A searchable archive of all issues of the Falls Church News-Press since 1991 can be found at bit.ly/44kt6Sc.

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

‘Now You See Me: Now You Don’t’ Charms on Energy, Not Story

by Lisa Sinrod

As many movies are these days, this one is the third installment in a film series which started in 2013 and had a sequel in 2016. The franchise hovers around the world of magic, with both professional and wannabe illusionists comprising the plot. The film released on November 14, 2025 is rated PG, which is refreshing in that it accomplishes a lot of drama and action in a manner which those of all ages can attend during this holiday season. Seeing the earlier installments is not necessary for following the storyline. If you liked the earlier versions, it’s a good bet that you’ll enjoy the enhanced special effects along with the original and new cast members in this movie. The cast is enough to draw one in to a warm theater to partake in the hijinks, although the plot is hectic and unevenly presented. There are eight well-known actors in the line-up, including Jesse Eisenberg (who portrays the ringleader), Woody Harrelson (who is a mentalist), and Rosamund Pike (as a corrupt diamond and arms dealer).

All principal and supporting actors play their parts with gusto, which is enjoyable to watch.

The Four Horsemen are a famous magician troupe who are socially conscious. With each new trick or illusion, they are trying to right a wrong and benefit the public. In the current story, it has been ten years since they performed together. Several new illusionists appear on the scene, adding a younger generation to the activity while still featuring older master tricksters like Harrelson and Morgan Freeman (who plays a retired magician and mentor to the Horsemen). The newcomers start out by impersonating the Four Horsemen on stage, resulting in a joining of forces with the original Horsemen after their fraudulent performances are outed. The story centers around the magic shows and the efforts of the Horsemen and their new compatriots to redistribute wealth through sleight of hand, both during their shows and on special missions. If all this sounds fanciful, it is. A particular challenge is the presentation of illusion and magic on the big screen in a manner that is believable, because if not, then what is the point? This is hit or miss with a somewhat incoherent script, as the original Horsemen along with the newcomers try to use trickery to obtain a highly valuable diamond

owned by a company who launders money for criminals.

The first two “Now You See Me” installments were box office hits, likely explaining the series return.

Although the actors play off each other well in this densely packed and inane magic caper, the character development is thin. The English actress Rosamund Pike (“Gone Girl”) is well cast as the corrupt socialite and diamond magnate. She employs a very authentic sounding South African accent, which adds to the appeal. She uses her dazzling smile not as a sign of warmth but as a weapon, as she seeks to disarm and intimidate. With her hard blue eyes, which never soften, Pike balances elegance with cruelty to great effect. Jesse Eisenberg is also spot on as a presenter of smooth, polished magical showmanship. The actors and the fun they seem to be having performing in this superficial and over-the-top film are what makes it worth watching, far more than the tricks themselves. I left feeling entertained. If you are in the mood for something light and noncontroversial which also provides non-stop action, you may enjoy it. I give this film a B-minus.

If you love them enough to sit through their favorite movies, then surely you’ll check to make sure they’re in the right car seat.

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HO LIDAY FUN

DECEMBER 4 -10, 2025 | PAGE 11

Holiday Cheer Shines at Falls Church’s Seasonal Kickoff

Falls Church residents gather Tuesday night as singers perform holiday favorites, with children in Madeline costumes adding storybook cheer too. (Photo: Gary Mester)

PAGE 12 | DECEMBER 4 - 10, 2025

HO LIDAY FUN

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Gifts in 2025: From Virginia Adventures to Theme-Park Magic

by Nick Gatz

Falls Church News-Press

We’re heading to Florida over the holidays for the USSSA Softball All-Star Games with my daughter, and just knowing it’s on the calendar has me thinking about gifts in a different way. The games are the headline, but the real glow of it is everything we’re building around them: two days at Universal, stepping into Harry Potter World like it’s a portal, and then hitting the new Mario World because why not lean all the way into fun when you’re there. I can already picture that switch flipping in her from locked-in athlete to full-on kid wonder and it reminds me that the best gifts in 2025 aren’t always wrapped. A lot of them are planned.

They’re moments you aim toward, together.

Gift giving in 2025 feels like it’s finally grown up a little. Not in a boring way, more like we’ve all quietly agreed that the best presents don’t have to live on a shelf. People still love something tangible (a great coat, a smart gadget, the book they keep “meaning to buy”), but there’s this stronger pull now toward experiences. Time. Space. A reason to get out of the routine and feel your brain click into “oh yeah, life is happening.”

There’s also this low-key truth a lot of us are living with: we already have enough stuff.

We’re trying to keep our houses lighter, our calendars saner, our brains less cluttered. Experience gifts don’t add to the pile. They don’t need a storage bin. They show up, they happen, and somehow they stick longer than most things you can buy at a store. A good experience gift says, “I know what makes you feel alive.” Or, just as important: “You deserve a break.”

And what’s great is you don’t have to go far to do that. We obviously love a bigger trip, hello, Florida and theme parks and softball energy, but some of the best gifting opportunities are sitting right here in Virginia. This state is basically a gift catalog disguised as a map: adrenaline, calm, history, food, mountains, coast, little weird roadside magic if you want it. You can tailor an experience to almost anyone, and it still feels personal because it’s rooted in place.

Start in the “big kid joy” department.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg is one of those gifts that hits from age eight to eighty. It’s not just the rides (though, yes, the rides). It’s that full-body reset you get when you spend a day somewhere built for fun on purpose. You can gift tickets, sure, but the better move is gifting a mini-escape: two days, a nearby hotel, dinner in Williamsburg, maybe a little wander through the shops before the park opens. Suddenly your present isn’t a day, it’s a memory waiting to happen. And the best part is it’s flexible, spring weekend, summer break, whenever they need a hit of joy.

Kings Dominion is the sibling move here, especially if you want something closer to home or you’re gifting folks who can pop over more than once. A season pass is a sneaky genius present: it turns one gift into multiple days scattered across the year. It’s perfect for fami-

lies, teens, couples who still like to scream on roller coasters once in a while, or anyone who needs something to look forward to besides another weekend of errands. Pair it with a simple note, “first visit on me, funnel cake mandatory,” and you’ve basically gifted an entire summer.

Swing hard in the opposite direction and you’ve got the rest-and-recovery lane. The Homestead in Hot Springs is a Virginia classic for a reason. It’s historic and a little grand and tucked into the mountains like it’s hiding from the modern world. The mineral pools are the kind of thing you feel in your shoulders before you even realize you were tense. This is the gift for someone who’s been carrying too much. A partner. A parent. A friend who has been grinding all year and pretending they’re fine. You don’t have to lock in dates if that feels like pressure, just gift the idea and the support to make it happen. “Go take a weekend. I’ve got you.”

That’s the gift.

Williamsburg as a whole is another quiet slam dunk. Not just Colonial Williamsburg (though that is genuinely cool), but the whole triangle vibe, history, walkability, good food, cozy inns, shops you can actually linger in. This is a great gift for parents, history lovers, or people who like a weekend that feels slower in the best way. It reads as thoughtful because you’re saying, “let’s do something that isn’t the usual,” without needing a passport.

And then there’s Virginia wine country, which I’m convinced is one of the best 2025 gifts you can give. It scales perfectly: a single day trip with tastings and a long lunch, or a multi-stop weekend where the only schedule is “where are we sitting next?” Loudoun, Charlottesville, the Blue Ridge, little pockets near home, you can match the vibe to the person.

Some want sleek tasting rooms and live music. Some want a picnic blanket and mountain views. Some just want to try something new without thinking too hard. You can even gift a “wine trail” kind of plan: Pick three spots, write them down like you’re handing over a treasure map, and tell them to cash it in whenever the season feels right.

The thing that makes all of this work in 2025 is the framing. Don’t just give admission. Give a story. Give anticipation.

A tiny future you’re pointing at together.

“We’re doing this in March.” “Pick a weekend in May.” “When fall hits, we’re going.” Experiences become gifts when you attach meaning to them, when you make them feel like they were chosen for that person, not pulled off a generic list.

So yeah, give the sweater if it’s the right sweater. But maybe slide a note into the pocket that says, “Pack a bag, Virginia’s waiting.” Because right here at home we’ve got roller coasters, hot springs, old streets, vineyards, and a hundred easy ways to turn a normal weekend into something memorable. And that’s what gifting looks like now: less about what you can hold, more about what you can feel, together, on purpose, in real life.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

LO CA L

DECEMBER 4 - 10, 2025 | PAGE 13

This Week Around Falls Church

Thursday, Dec. 4 Winter Choir Concert (MHS/MEHMS Choirs) 7 p.m.

Meridian High School Auditorium.

Free and open to the public.

Blue Christmas Service 7:30 p.m.

Sleepy Hollow United Methodist Church, 3435 Sleepy Hollow Rd., Falls Church.

Friday, Dec. 5 Very Artful Holidays! — December at the McLean Art Gallery Opening Reception 5–8 p.m.

McLean Art Gallery, 6224B Old Dominion Dr., McLean (Chesterbrook Shopping Center, behind Starbucks).

December Holiday Show and Sale; Small Works exhibit; artful holiday gift items.

Wine and refreshments from local restaurants.

RSVP encouraged (free tickets via Eventbrite).

Santamobile Neighborhood Visit Begins (through Dec. 13) 6:30 p.m.

Tonight: South of W. Broad St. in Saint James Cemetery and Virginia Forest neighborhoods up to and including Seaton Ln. and S. Oak south of the Tripps Run Bridge.

Track in real time via nightly SantaTracker link on the City’s Facebook page.

Madeline’s Christmas 7:30–9 p.m.

Creative Cauldron, 127 E. Broad St.

Falls Church Community Center, 223 Little Falls St. Free indoor holiday shopping from 50 vendors, live holiday music, and kids’ activities.

Presented by Livewell Animal Hospital Falls Church. fallschurchva.gov/CraftShow.

Children’s Holiday Shoppe 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

Falls Church Community Center, 223 Little Falls St. (Part of Holiday Gift & Craft Show.)

Children shop for gifts priced $6 or less.

Cash and check payments only. fallschurchva.gov/CraftShow.

Carols by Choirs 9 a.m.–noon

Meridian High School choir students caroling in Falls Church neighborhoods to raise money for their spring trip.

(Choral Boosters fundraiser.)

Taster Tots: Raising Adventurous Eaters 9:30–11:15 a.m.

KiPS Family Gymnastics, 7395 Lee Hwy.

Madeline’s Christmas (matinee) 2 p.m.

Creative Cauldron, 127 E. Broad St.

Christmas with the Fairfax Choral Society 3 p.m.

Annandale United Methodist Church, 6935 Columbia Pike, Annandale.

Performances by Symphonic Chorus, Concert Choir, and Master Singers.

Santamobile Neighborhood Visit 6:30 p.m.

Runs Dec. 5–21 with weekend matinees/ evenings.

Tonight: North of W. Broad St., including Little Falls St.

Saturday, Dec. 6

Levine Presents: Sound & Fury 7 p.m.

Falls Church Farmers Market 8 a.m.–noon City Hall parking lot, 300 Park Ave.

Holiday Gift & Craft Show 8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

Levine Music VA Campus: West Falls, 255 W. Falls Station Blvd., Suite 160.

Levine Music faculty perform works by Debussy, Prokofiev, Franck, and more.

Tickets at levinemusic.org.

The Nutcracker (KintzMejia Academy of Ballet) 7:30 p.m.

Meridian High School.

Madeline’s Christmas (evening performance) 7:30 p.m.

Creative Cauldron, 127 E. Broad St.

Sunday, Dec. 7 Holiday Gift & Craft Show 10:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

Falls Church Community Center, 223 Little Falls St. Free indoor holiday shopping from 50 vendors, live holiday music, and kids’ activities. fallschurchva.gov/CraftShow.

Madeline’s Christmas (Sunday performances) 2 p.m. & 4 p.m.

Creative Cauldron, 127 E. Broad St.

SSL Super Soccer Cup 6–9 p.m.

Thomas Jefferson HS for Science & Technology, 6560 Braddock Rd., Alexandria.

Virginia Dream FC will compete for the final trophy of 2025

Santamobile Neighborhood Visit 6:30 p.m.

Tonight: South of W. Broad St. in Tyler Gardens and Virginia Forest south of Seaton Ln.; also includes streets north of the Tripps Run Bridge (Hillier, S. Oak, Lee, Rees, Chanel).

Messiah Sing-Along 7:30–9 p.m.

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 4250 N. Glebe Rd., Arlington.

32nd annual community sing of the Christmas portion of Handel’s Messiah.

Chorus, soloists, and chamber orchestra.

Free admission; donations and nonperishable food items welcome.

Monday, Dec. 8 Santamobile

Neighborhood Visit 6:30 p.m.

Little Falls neighborhood and streets east of Washington St., including Madison Park and Whittier Park neighborhoods.

City Council Meeting 7:30–11 p.m.

Council Chambers/Court Room.

The City Council meets the second and fourth Monday of the month, except in August and December when only one meeting is held.

Tuesday, Dec. 9 Chamber Holiday Mixer hosted by GrillMarx 5:30–7 p.m.

GrillMarx, 510 S. Washington St. (455 at Tinner Hill).

Santamobile Neighborhood Visit 6:30 p.m.

Broadmont neighborhood and streets on the north side of Hillwood east of Cherry St.

Jubilo Jubilo — A Celebration in Song 7 p.m.

Fairfax Choral Society Youth Choirs winter concert.

Annandale United Methodist Church, 6935 Columbia Pike, Annandale. Tickets/ reservations encouraged.

Wednesday, Dec. 10 Santamobile Neighborhood Visit 6:30 p.m.

Tonight: Areas of Fairfax County.

Children’s Class 7:15–8 p.m.

Church of Christ in Falls Church, 6149 Leesburg Pike.

Mission Update: Ethiopia 7:15–8 p.m.

Church of Christ in Falls Church, 6149 Leesburg Pike.

PAGE 14 |DECEMBER 4 - 10, 2025

Meridian Basketball With Doubleheader Sweep Over Mount Vernon The girls played first, winning 47-24. It was a slow start for both teams with a score of 19-9 at the half, and Meridian’s best offense was its turnover-forcing defense that provided the Mustangs with fast break opportunities aplenty.

The girls were able to start knocking down some shots in the second half, pulling away to the comfortable 23-point win.

The boys raced out to a big lead primarily courtesy of Davis, who hit six threes and had 21 of his 24 points in the first half.

They led 39-22 at the break and extended their advantage to 21 early in the third quarter, but Mount Vernon came fighting

by Ryan McCafferty

Will Davis had 24 points for the boys, Bridget Creed had 16 for the girls, and Meridian High School took a pair of wins from Mount Vernon on basketball opening night.

Hoops season started out with a bang for the Meridian Mustangs, with Jim Smith’s boys and Chris Carrico’s girls each playing host to 6A foe Mount Vernon on Tuesday night. Both squads figure to be Northwestern District heavyweights – they always are – despite severe roster turnover, and they hit the ground running with 1-0 starts.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

C ritter C orner

back and got as close as within four late. Jake Bryan and Marquis Myles converted a pair of clutch buckets to quiet the nerves, and the home team held on for the 64-59 victory.

Carrico was pleased with his girls’ performance. Smith noted some frustration with turnovers and missed free throws, but was proud of the way the boys pulled through in what figures to be a year of growth for a squad that lost four starters from last season.

Next up, both the boys and girls play Kettle Run. The girls will be on the road on Thursday and the boys will be at home on Friday.

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Facing Food Insecurity in Falls Church. We are Better Together!

by Marybeth Connelly

Why do you live in, work in, or visit Falls Church? There are hundreds of answers to this question that boil down to one answer – community.

The community spirit is strong, and together we can do even more. Although Falls Church has the reputation as one of the most expensive places to live, our community includes people of all income levels. The fabric of our community is stronger because of our unique strengths, vision, generosity, needs, expertise, talent, experiences.

For the past 10 years, Falls Church City Public Schools (FCCPS) food services team has been providing fresh food to school families.

The Federal Free and Reduced Priced Meals program (FRM) helps public schools provide breakfast and lunch during school days. The FCCPS weekend backpack program filled in the gap for students on weekends and holidays.

When this started, about 30 families were served. This number has grown to 100, and because of uncertainties in the job market along with cuts to SNAP and other food programs, more of our neighbors will need help in the future. With this level of need, it became unsustainable for the schools to keep running this program alone.

The schools’ call to the community was ”Can you help?”

The response was “We will help. Tell us what you need.”

A group of pastors, along with the people in your neighborhood who work every day to help kids and families – social workers, family liaisons, outreach and engagement specialists, food pantry volunteers, non-profit leaders – got together to talk about how to jointly address food insecurity. All of these leaders and organizations were already doing something, and by joining forces, we can increase the impact and help more of our neighbors.

Together we are launching a new program with a vintage name – “Better Together.”

You may remember the pandemic-era “Falls Church” t-shirts. It’s coming back because it’s a great way to signify how the people in this community can come together to help everyone get the food they need to thrive.

If you need help, and don’t know where to turn, there’s a new page on the FCCPS website with information about food, housing and emergency resources that anyone can access. fccps. org/o/fccps/page/student-family-food-support You can also go to the City of Falls Church’s page https://fallschurchva.gov/CivicAlerts. aspx?AID=1462 If you want to help, here are four things you can do. Follow this QR code in the graphic to get to links to all of these options.

Donate funds to the Falls Church Education Foundation (FCEF) Family Assistance Fund.

FCEF spent $60,000 so far to provide gift cards in November and December to 280 families.

Anything you donate to this fund will go to this direct support program, with no overhead.

Donate food or funds or volunteer at the Falls Church Community Service Council, which operates the food pantry at Knox Presbyterian Church. You could even run a neighborhood food drive and bring food to this pantry.

Volunteer to Adopt-a- Family This is new, and will be supported by Church communities and other groups. It will launch in January. Each Church has committed to participating and many hands are needed: shoppers, packers, and delivery teams to provide monthly groceries to the families. This can be a group from your Church, your neighborhood, your scout troop, your team. Sign up through your church or volunteer your group at this link.

Buy a brand new Better Together t-shirt or sweatshirt. Funds will go to the FCEF Family Assistance Fund, and by wearing it you can help promote the program.

Thank you to the Churches and groups involved in this campaign so far. We’d love to include your group on the list!

City of Falls Church Falls Church City Public Schools Christ Crossman United Methodist Church Columbia Baptist Church Dulin United Methodist Church Falls Church Community Service Council Falls Church Education Foundation The Falls Church Episcopal Falls Church Presbyterian Church Food for Others Galloway United Methodist Church St. James Catholic Church This is just the beginning, and there will be many more opportunities for everyone to get involved. If you have ideas about how to make this even better, please reach out to me at connellym@fccps.org.

Marybeth Connelly is the FCCPS Director of Strategic Planning & Community Engagement and was recently elected to her fourth term as a member of the Falls Church City Council.

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Senator Saddam Salim

DECEMBER 4 - 10, 2025 | PAGE 15

Richmond Report

Virginia’s 2025 Voters Usher in a New Era Virginia’s 2025 statewide elections are more than just a Democratic clean sweep. They confirm a powerful new progressive mandate from voters demanding bold action and fresh leadership. Every single locality in the state shifted left, making Abigail Spanberger’s election as governor a resounding call for change and a renewed commitment to progress.

The Democratic ticket, led by Spanberger, Ghazala Hashmi, and Jay Jones, won double-digit victories and flipped 13 House of Delegates seats.

Even strong Republican counties like Spotsylvania shifted decisively leftward. Spanberger’s coalition drew from energized young voters, revived Asian-American and Latino turnout, and “economy-first” citizens tired of policies that are making it harder every day for working families to stay afloat.

Voters sent a clear message: they want economic fairness, robust voting rights, and a government that answers to them. The new Democratic majority, now 64–36 in the House, is positioned to deliver transformational reforms in labor rights and tax policy.

The scale of this progressive mandate is unprecedented: every jurisdiction moved at least 4.7 points left, and some by over 20 points. This powerful momentum will reshape Virginia’s future and set a model for national change, and when voters ask for bold progress, leaders must deliver.

While Abigail Spanberger led the ticket as a moderate, the results suggest voters weren’t demanding moderation.

Delegate Bobby Orrock, a confirmed moderate Republican who represented his district without scandal for 35 years, lost to 35 year old Delegate-elect Nicole Cole. An electorate looking for moderation would have rewarded Delegate Orrock’s record, but his district chose Cole’s platform of affordable housing, environmental protection,

and protecting public schools from the Republican agenda.

All of this speaks to a new day for the Commonwealth, a future built on justice, opportunity, and the values of a diverse, energized electorate.

Richmond is buzzing with post-election energy as the General Assembly prepares for a transformative year. End-ofyear commission meetings are underway, including: The Commission to End Hunger and the Joint Commission to Oversee the Transition of the Commonwealth into a Cannabis Retail Market.

The Behavioral Health Commission is finalizing recommendations to address the surge in autism-related service needs, proposing expanded access and support for community providers.

The Commission on Electric Utility Regulation is expected to present on solar energy siting and how to balance clean energy targets with local land use needs to deliver reduced utility bills.

These commissions and many more will submit reports and legislative recommendations in December and January. Already topics such as increasing the minimum wage, increasing availability of low-cost broadband services, and maintaining access to healthcare in the face of federal cutbacks are taking shape in committee rooms. With the newly expanded progressive majority, these proposals are the beginning of an ambitious legislative agenda for 2026 and beyond.

As a senator, I look to the needs of my constituents to define the road ahead, and my constituents clearly articulated their needs with their votes. Virginians want equity, opportunity, a government that follows the law, and a democracy that answers to the people. Translating this mandate into policy will be our unifying theme in Richmond, and I am excited and honored to represent you as Virginia forges ahead into the future.

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PAGE 16 | DECEMBER 4 - 10, 2025

Our Man In Arlington organization serving the Arlington community (and the City of Falls Church as well). In response to a common question that I ask of folks (“what should I write about?”), a friend, Diane Greenlee, recommended that I write about the League.

Diane has been a supporter of the League in many ways over the years (as a member of the board of directors, and then as a volunteer.) Her enthusiasm for the League led me to take a look at the League.

First, I went through their website, which greatly impressed me. The League provides a remarkable range of services for the community, with a website that is easy to access. Their information on wildlife and animal control has a ton of information, including a helpful question-and-answer series. What should you do if you find a baby bird on the ground?

To find out that answer, you can check out their website at www.awla.org – where you can also discover their many other resources, such as an upcoming vaccine clinic, and a food pantry for pets (stocked by donations). And the League continues its partnership with the County in a number of ways. For example, it is the League that provides trained Animal Control Officers to help the public. If you are concerned about the welfare of an animal, you call the League and can rely on their staff for help.

I was able to tour their facilities with their CEO, Lauren Lipsey, which was an eye-opening tour for me (not being a pet person, I was not familiar with the site).

There was a lot of activity going on, supported not only by their dedicated staff, but also with the help of a strong volunteer base. It is clear that the League is a valuable resource for the community – for area residents, and for the animals (both pets and wildlife).

Many organizations strive to produce an effective mission statement. I have to say that the League’s mission statement is wonderfully succinct and effective: “To improve the lives of animals and people by providing resources, care, and protection”. Many thanks to Diane and Lauren for my introduction to the good work of the League.

Bill Fogarty

“Filling a community need”. This is a theme that describes the work of many of our local organizations in Arlington. “Filling a need” often starts with a few concerned citizens, and with hard work, it can evolve into an enduring organization. Writing this column has given me the opportunity to discover many organizations that fill a wide variety of needs. Today I want to turn your attention to the Animal Welfare League of Arlington (the “League”).

The origin story for the League begins in 1944, when a handful of women banded together with a mutual interest in animal welfare. As described in the archives of the League, it started with Mrs. Pearl Twyne, who had been trying to catch a frightened little dog near her home. She called the County dog catcher, who grabbed the dog by its scruff and tossed the dog into the trunk of his car, slamming the lid down.

This act of cruelty made Twyne decide that something had to be done.

Along with a few like-minded friends, Twyne planned a meeting to create a volunteer organization with folks who might have a similar interest in animal welfare.

She was able to get a short article published in the local newspaper in early 1944, asking for volunteers. The Animal Welfare League of Arlington was soon incorporated, with 14 volunteers. They started by supplementing the work of the public pound, and then they initiated investigations of cases of cruelty. By August of 1944, the League won its first court battle, with the prosecution of a case involving a charge of cruelty to animals (relating to a homeowner who had 30 dogs).

The League members realized that there was a need for a permanent shelter.

In 1949 the County awarded the League a contract to provide operations of the pound, with funds to cover operating expenses of a shelter located in the County property yard.

Over the decades, the League took on more and more responsibilities, and now, 81 years later, the League is an invaluable

Upcoming Issues: Eat ! Drink! Shop! & Be Merry Holiday Guides all December!

Promote Your Holiday Gifts, Christmas & New Year’s Eve Menus, Special Events & More & Also Advertise This December • Holiday Church Services, Caroling & Special Events

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Fa l l s C h u r c h Business News & Notes

Insights from Visits to Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs The VAAB Business Committee will be hosting a special virtual session titled “Lessons Learned from Around the Commonwealth” on Thursday, December 4th, at 6:30 p.m. This event will feature Secretary of Commerce and Trade Juan Pablo Segura, who will share insights from his visits across Virginia, highlighting the experiences of small business owners, entrepreneurs, and community leaders throughout the Commonwealth. The session will be moderated by Mel Ghani and Angelo Reyes, VAAB business committee leaders who continue to elevate business perspectives and community engagement across Virginia’s Asian American and business communities. Register at: https://link.edgepilot.com/s/0bb88242/PnMZanEa_0q8C77swYUNgg?u=h ttps://form.jotform.com/253206239444051

History of Virginia Wine - Fundraiser Village Preservation and Improvement Society (VPIS) joins with the Mary Riley Styles Public Library Foundation for this fundraiser tonight, December 4, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Andrew Painter, renowned author of “Virginia Wine: Four Centuries of Change,” will lead a exploration of Virginia’s wine story—from colonial vineyards to today’s modern wineries. Participants will sample authentic wines representing each era, complimented by cheese supplied by the Cheese Cartel. Register via the link. https://business.fallschurchchamber.org/events/details/history-of-va-wine-vpis-library-foundation-fundraiser-81825?calendarMonth=2025-12-01

Taster Tots: Raising Adventurous Eaters Powers Health and Wellness is offering two more sessions of this popular interactive workshop for kids and parents. It’s designed to turn mealtime meltdowns into positive food exploration.

Learn practical tips to manage picky eating. This will be held at KiPS Family Gymnastics on Saturday, December 6 with the first session 9:30 – 10:15 a.m. and the second running 10:30 – 11:15 a.m. Registration can be done via the link. https://business.fallschurchchamber.org/events/details/taster-tots-raising-adventurous-eaters2-sessions-81831?calendarMonth=2025-12-01

Psychic Saturday Saturday, December 6, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. – The Center for Spiritual Enlightenment has opened registration for the next Psychic Saturday. Visit the website to read about the readers who are participating in this event (https://www.thecse.org). Guests may register in advance through the link above or walk in.

Levine Presents: Sound and Fury: Music at the Edge of Silence Saturday, December 6, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. – Levine presents a concert series showcasing faculty artists of Levine Music, in the new West Falls campus. Sound & Fury is a powerful program of 20th-century works shaped by war, exile, and resilience, featuring music by Claude Debussy, Sergei Prokofiev, Poldowski, and César Franck.

The performance features Holly Nelson, violin, Luke Ratcliffe, piano. https://business.fallschurchchamber.org/events/details/levine-presents-sound-andfury-music-at-the-edge-of-silence-81837?calendarMonth=2025-12-01

Falls Church Chamber Holiday Mixer GrillMarx is hosting the Annual Chamber Holiday Mixer this year. Chamber members who haven’t yet visited will have the opportunity to meet owner Jackie Baker and her team while trying their popular appetizers. Members are welcome to bring a guest to this festive celebration on Tuesday, December 9, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. Guests are also welcome to dine afterwards.

The Casual Pint Advent Calendar Darren McClure has brought back a special advent calendar where a special selection of craft beers will brighten up each day of December. These can be purchased in the store or by ordering online while supplies last.

The Grinch Visits Dogwood Next Thursday, December 11, Dogwood Tavern will host the Grinch for two readings. He will read at 5:30 and again at 7:30 p.m. Kids are encouraged to wear their pjs or goofy holiday outfits and milk and cookies will be served at both readings. Tickets are on sale now and must be purchased in person, first come, first served.

 Business News & Notes is compiled by Elise Neil Bengtson, Executive Director of the Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce. She may be emailed at elise@fallschurchchamber.org.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA The following was given first reading at the October 27, 2025 City Council meeting. Public hearings, second readings, and possible City Council actions are scheduled for Monday, December 8, 2025 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard.

(TO25-17) ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CITY CODE OF THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH CHAPTER 2, “ADMINISTRATION,” CHAPTER 6, “BUILDINGS,” CHAPTER 5, “FEES,” CHAPTER 38, “SUBDIVISION,” AND CHAPTER 48, “ZONING,” TO REFLECT JULY 1, 2025 VIRGINIA CODE CHANGES REMOVING SITE PLAN APPROVAL AUTHORITY FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND ASSIGNING IT TO THE DESIGNATED AGENT; AND TO AMEND THE MAXIMUM REVIEW TIME OF (1) SITE PLAN, SUBDIVISION PLAT, AND PLAN OF DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS SOLELY INVOLVING PARCELS OF COMMERCIAL OR RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE, AND (2) RESUBMITTED PLAT, SITE PLAN, AND PLAN OF DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS All public hearings will be held in the Council Chambers, 300 Park Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia. All persons desiring to present their views on the items will be heard. Comments may also be sent to cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov. Remote participation information at www.fallschurchva.gov/publiccomment. For copies of legislation and other information, contact the City Clerk’s office at 703-248-5014 or cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov or visit www.fallschurchva.gov/councilmeetings.

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 703-248-5014 (TTY 711) or e-mail cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov.

CELESTE HEATH, CITY CLERK PUBLIC NOTICE The Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) of the City of Falls Church, Virginia will hold a public hearing on December 11th, 2025, at 7:30 PM in the Council Chambers, located at 300 Park Avenue, for consideration of the following item: Variance application V1673-25 by Frederick T. Barrett III, (Applicant and Owner), for a variance to Section 48-931(4) to allow a second driveway 14 feet wide to access the proposed accessory dwelling unit instead of the one driveway permitted at 906 Madison Lane, RPC#52-608-041 of the Falls Church Real Property Records, zoned R-1A, Low Density Residential.

Public comment and questions may be submitted to zoning@fallschurchva.gov until 4:30 pm on December 11th, 2025.

Agenda and application materials will be available the week prior to the scheduled hearing at: http://www.fallschurchva. gov/BZA Information on the above application is also available for review upon request to staff at zoning@fallschurchva.gov.

fcnp.com

DECEMBER 4 - 10, 2025 | PAGE 17

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Volunteers who live in the City of Falls Church are needed to serve on the boards and commissions listed below.

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Positions advertised for more than one month may be filled during each subsequent month.

Architectural Advisory Board Arts and Humanities Council of Falls Church Citizens’ Advisory Committee on Transportation Environmental Sustainability Council Board of Equalization Historic Architectural Review Board Human Services Advisory Council Public Utilities Commission Towing Advisory Board Urban Forestry Commission Regional Boards/Commissions Coordinating Council for the Aging and Adults with Disabilities Fairfax Area Disability Services Board Health Systems Agency of Northern Virginia Virginia Career Works Northern Region

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We are pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap. All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.” This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 367-8530. Toll free call (888) 551-3247. For the hearing impaired call (804) 367-9753.

PAGE 20 | DECEMBER 4 - 10, 2025

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