March 1 – 7, 2018
FA LLS CHUR C H, V I R G I NI A • WW W. FC NP. C OM • FR EE
FOU N D E D 1991 • VOL. XXVIII N O. 2
F���� C����� • T����� C����� • M��������� • M�L��� • N���� A�������� • B�����’� C���������
I����� T��� W��� S������������� S��� N� M���� D��������
In light of the latest mass killing at a high school in Florida on Feb. 14, Falls Church School Superintendent Peter Noonan reiterated his opposition to the use of metal detectors at entrances to City schools. SEE NEWS BRIEFS, PAGE 8
M���� R������� T��� R���� T� E����, A����
Requests for Proposals Out the Door Today for West End Economic Project Transparency of F.C.’s Process is Unprecedented
BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
Fall Church’s George Mason High School may not be the biggest in the area, but when it comes to robotics, its size is no impediment. SEE PAGE 17
P��� K������: T�� F���� �� D������ A������
A funny thing is happening on the American scene: a powerful upwelling of decency. Suddenly, it seems as if the worst lack all conviction, while the best are filled with a passionate intensity. SEE PAGE 14
M���� F���� �� R����� F����, N�� �� �� S����� George Mason High School’s girls basketball team came oh-soclose, but couldn’t clinch the Region 2B title last Saturday. The squad now heads to Williamsburg to play Poquoson in the quaterfinals of the state tournament this Friday. SEE SPORTS, PAGE 15
INDEX
Editorial.................6 Letters...............6, 9 News & Notes10–11 Comment ........ 12-14 Sports .................15 Calendar .......18–19
Classified Ads .....20 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword ..........21 Critter Corner......22 Business News ...23
GEORGE MASON HIGH School senior Clara Matton testi�ied before the F.C. City Council Monday about the formation of a new chapter of “Students Demand Action” against gun violence prior to the Council’s adoption of a gun control resolution. (P����: N���-P����)
F.C. City Council Adopts Strong Anti-Gun Violence Resolution
BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
A standing room only crowd overflowing the Falls Church City Council’s temporary meeting space at the Community Center Monday night cheered and applauded when the Council voted 7-0 to adopt a stronglyworded resolution “In Support of Gun Violence Prevention.” In the aftermath of the latest mass killing at an American high school on Feb. 14, the F.C. Council’s move followed a rally of over 300 at F.C.’s George Mason High School and drew a strong turnout of citizens of
all ages organized by “Moms Demand Action” and a new, justformed Mason High chapter of “Students Demand Action.” Resolution co-author Councilwoman Letty Hardi said, “I’m a mom, and my son said to me, ‘Mommy, why can’t you make a law to stop this.” She said despite the severe restrictions under state law to make any local policy in opposition to state law, she worked with Councilman David Snyder to craft the resolution. (The City, and all county and independent city jurisdictions in Virginia are hamstrung by the Dillon Rule in Virginia that pro-
hibits them from adopting legislation that is contrary to state law made in Richmond). Nonetheless, the resolution states the City of Falls Church “calls on the United States Congress and state legislatures, including the Virginia General Assembly, to prioritize to protection of students and local government employees by passing legislation that more effectively regulates access to firearms in the interest of public safety, funds public health research on firearms-related issues, advances mental health support and allows
Continued on Page 4
The City of Falls Church’s invitation to the regional and national developer community to come in and fill up 10 acres with dense economic development, including buildings of 14 stories and possibly higher, by the West Falls Church Metro station is due to be dropped into the mailbox today. Remember when you put all those wedding invitations into the mail, and the profound thoughts associated with a pause you took before you let them actually drop? That’s kind of what this is like, involving a combination of excitement and understandable dread associated with notions of possibilities and very long-term commitment. The City is literally looking for a development partner that will transform 10 acres of the 36-acre George Mason High School campus into something that will enhance the already-formidable quality of life for all 14,300 City residents. Along with that, the development should generate a bucket-full of new tax revenue that will help pay for a brand new high school and major renovations of City Hall, the library and other projects. What’s going into the mailbox today is a 22-page “Request for Conceptual Proposals for the West Falls Church Economic Development Project,” (RFP) that is, as stated in its opening paragraph, to “identify qualified teams and solicit project concepts to redevelop and commercialize approximately 10.38 acres of real property adjacent to the replacement site of the existing George
Continued on Page 5