December 5 - 11, 2024
Falls Church, Virginia • w w w . fc n p . c o m • Free
Founded 1991 • Vol. XXXIV N o . 43
The City of Falls Church’s Independent, Locally-Owned Newspaper of Record, Serving N. Virginia
F.C. Council, A WINTER WONDERLAND School Board Together Mull New Budget Uncertainty Factors Loom Large in Forecasts So Far by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
While a lot of variables and as-yet-unknown factors prevail for now, the Falls Church City Council and School Board got together for their annual early-December launch of a new annual budget cycle at City Hall Monday, and learned that, at least for now, to meet current projections will require about a 4 cent increase in the real estate tax rate next year. But that is as yet a long way from certain, with Mayor Letty Hardi getting the final word when she said, “The big unknown is what happens across the river.” She was referring to the arrival of the new president and administration in January. The other major unknown is what enrollment in the Falls Church School system will look like come next September. The current enrollment in the five schools in the Falls Church system is at a record high this school year at 2,714, having grown by 80 students from the year before, Superintendent Peter Noonan reported at the combined work session. While the projection of the Weldon Cooper Center at the University of Virginia has an additional 49 students enrolling next fall, that of the Steven Fuller Institute at George Mason University, whose representative Dr. Keith Waters attended the work session, is much higher at 283 new students.
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NO, IT WASN’T REALLY COLD Tuesday night for the City of Falls Church’s new annual tradition called “Winter Wonderland” at the plaza in Founders Row 2 complex. It was cold, just not really cold! The fact that so many people showed up there was proof. Lots of things to do, and Mayor Letty Hardi was there to hit the switch to officially turn on all the lights hugging the trees all along West Broad Street. (Photo: Gary Mester)
Beyer Hosts Panel Warning Vs. RFK Jr. at HHS
by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
U.S. Rep. Donald S. Beyer Jr., who represents the 8th District of Northern Virginia that includes Falls Church, participated in an online press conference and panel presentation yesterday sponsored by Protect Our Care Virginia. The focus was on the danger that the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy
Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services would represent. “The future of health care is under threat from one of Donald Trump’s most extreme Cabinet nominations,” Beyer said at the event yesterday. “I won’t mince words, RFK Jr. is an existential threat to our health care.” In addition to Rep. Beyer, the panel of speakers consisted
of Katie Baker, State Director of Protect Our Care Virginia, Nurse educator and Medical Reserve Corps vaccinator Mary Wright Baylor of Springfield, Community health specialist Pablo Moulden of Arlington, and cancer survivor Laura Packard of Alexandria. Baker, who moderated the forum, said, “To say RFK Jr. is a threat to our health care
would be an understatement. He is a threat to the many years of scientific progress made in our country.” Rep. Beyer added, “RFK Jr. is not qualified to lead an agency or workforce of the magnitude of HHS. In fact, he’s already said that on Day 1 he’s planning to fire 600 National
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