March 12 — 18, 2020
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 • V ol. XXX No. 4
Falls Church • Tysons Corner • Merrifield • McLean • North Arlington • Bailey’s Crossroads
No F.C. City, School Closures Ordered Yet as Coronavirus Spreads While Region Takes Steps to Mitigate Spread of Pandemic, City & Its Schools Have Not Announced Any Plans
by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
While numerous written and verbal cautionary statements have been sent out to date by the Falls Church city government and schools, and while there is
behind-the-scenes planning, so far no events have been cancelled or modified here as a result of what has now been declared as a global pandemic of the spread of the potentially fatal coronavirus. Just Tuesday, it was confirmed by the Virginia Department of
Shields’ New Budget Proposes No Tax Rate Increases in FY21 by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
Monday night at the Falls Church City Council meeting, City Manager Wyatt Shields unveiled his recommended Fiscal Year 2021 City and schools’ balanced operating budget calling for no tax rate increase while topping $100 million for the first time in the City’s history. The proposed budget grows by 3.3 percent, or 4.3 percent counting its draw from the City’s reserves, to $103.5 million. It includes $41,944,309 for the general government (up 2.8 percent), $44.791,527 as a transfer to the Falls Church City Schools (up 3.3 percent), $2,708,610 for WMATA (up 19.4 percent) and $14,726,532 for debt service (up 9.3 percent) to accommodate construction of the new high school and renovations of City Hall and the City library. With this budget, the real estate
tax rate will remain unchanged at $1.355 per $100 of assessed valuation, but with valuations up over 3 percent this year, the average household will pay $222 more in taxes (on a median value $725,000 home) this year. Shields said the formulation of this budget was “one of the calmest in years” because of the robust commercial revenue growth (including robust growth in revenues from sales, meals and business gross receipts taxes) that made it easier for the schools and City government, alike, to meet budget goals, including wage and salary increases, without pressing for any tax rate increases. He added, however, that $14 million needed for stormwater flood mitigation projects in the City would require an average additional $23 per year for the average home for next six years to fund.
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Health, an employee of the U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, located on Arlington Blvd. in the greater area of Falls Church, tested “presumptive” positive for the coronavirus. As of Wednesday, the VDH has confirmed nine positive cases in
Virginia. Health officials are insisting that “social distancing” is the key to stemming the spread of the virus, officially known as SARSCoV-2 (SARS standing for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which causes the disease COVID-
19, but no specific measures to achieve this result have yet come from the City’s or its schools’ leadership. A planned trip by the George Mason High band this weekend in
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On its Head
AN ACCIDENT IN FALLS CHURCH left a car upside-down on its roof outside of Hot N Juicy Crawfish on West Broad Street last Saturday night. According to Falls Church Police, the driver of the up-turned vehicle hit the gas pedal instead of the brake when attempting to slow down and drove into the curb to avoid an accident, resulting in the flipped car and a total loss of the vehicle. Authorities report the driver had no visible signs of injuries but complained of chest pain and was transported to a local hospital. (Courtesy Photo)
Inside This Week Beyer Self Quarantines After New Falls Church Business Contact With COVID-19 Carrier Looks to Keep it Old School US. Rep. Don Beyer, who represents the 8th District of Virginia that includes the City of Falls Church, on Tuesday announced that he will self-quarantine following a positive test for COVID-19 by a friend in Washington D.C., with whom he recently interacted. See News Briefs, page 9
While everything and everyone in The Little City seems to have an eye toward the future, Super Bit Video Games, opening this Tuesday on East Broad Street, looks to keep it retro in the heart of downtown Falls Church. See story, page 8
Press Pass with Rockin’ the Suburbs
Northern Virginia’s own “Rockin’ the Suburbs” podcast from Falls Church’s Patrick Foster and Ashburn resident Jim Lenahan will take their show to Jammin’ Java’s stage next Wednesday. See Press Pass, page 14
Index
Editorial........................................................ 6 Letters...................................................6, 22 News & Notes.....................................10–11 Comment........................................7,12–13 Business News..........................................14 Sports........................................................16 Calendar.............................................18–19 Classified Ads............................................20 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword..................21 Crime Report.............................................22 Critter Corner.............................................22