Falls Church News-Press 3-19-2020

March 19 — 25, 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. X XX N o. 5

Falls Church • Tysons Corner • Merrifield • McLean • North Arlington • Bailey’s Crossroads

F.C. Declares Local Emergency in Response to Coronavirus Schools Closed Until April, City Workers Sent Home, Governor Requesting Small Business Emergency Loan

THE MARQUEE AT THE ICONIC State Theatre, looming over an empty Falls Church street, displays an encouraging message to passersby as the City, and the country, hunkers down in the face of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe. (Photo: J. Michael Whalen)

by Nicholas F. Benton

Falls Church News-Press

Falls Church City Manager Wyatt Shields, in an exclusive interview with the News-Press Wednesday afternoon, confirmed

that the City and City schools are in full-scale mobilization to adhere with “social distancing” and other key elements aimed at stemming the spread of the deadly airborne coronavirus. It includes sending all employees at City

Hall to work from home with the exception of key law enforcement, public works and skeleton staff in the Treasurer, Commissioner of Revenue and building permit offices.

In another late-breaking

development yesterday, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s Office of Commerce and Trade, in response to an inquiry from the News-Press, reported that the governor is submitting a request to the federal Small Business

Administration to qualify small businesses in the state to receive assistance through the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program.

Continued on Page 14

Inside This Week F.C. Distillers to Produce, Distribute Sanitizer to Public

Falls Church Restaurants Rocked by Coronavirus

See story, page 5

See story, page 4

City of Falls Church distillery Falls Church Distillers is producing a hand sanitizer and has plans to distribute the first 5,000 ounces free to the public, in up to 5 oz. allotments, starting tomorrow evening and on Saturday.

The coronavirus pandemic is devastating the restaurant industry, in the City of Falls Church and beyond. Some of your favorite places in the area to eat, drink, gather and socialize likely won’t survive over the next few months.

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 News Briefs................................................. 8 News & Notes.....................................10–11 Comment........................................7,12–13 Business News..........................................15 Calendar....................................................19 Classified Ads............................................20 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword..................21 Crime Report.............................................22 Critter Corner.............................................22

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

PAGE 2 | MARCH 19 – 25, 2020

www.edencenter.com

An important message from Eden Center At Eden Center, most of our tenants launched their businesses in the aftermath of the Vietnam war. In the chaotic and dangerous escape from Vietnam there was a tremendous amount of fear and anxiety. Many refugees brought family recipes with them - they knew how to cook, and they introduced Northern Virginia to the best Vietnamese cuisine in the world, initially in Clarendon and ultimately in Falls Church at Eden Center.

Our tenants are facing crisis again, along with all other small businesses in Falls Church. One recently said to us, “We have all faced disaster before and survived. We are in this together and we will be there when it is over.”

We ask that when you are looking for ways to feed your family please remember all the small independent businesses in Falls Church including those at Eden Center.

Eden Center has two independent grocery stores that remain open for business: • Eden Supermarket - A specialty market with Vietnamese items that cannot be found elsewhere - delicious duck and pork is roasted fresh every day for carry-out.

• Good Fortune Supermarket – Features a large variety of fresh seafood and produce as well as an assortment of food staples from around the world. This large supermarket remains well stocked.

Eden Center has many restaurants and bakeries that remain open for carry-out. Many also deliver through DoorDash, Grub Hub and Uber Eats. Menus and additional information can be found at www.edencenter.com

OUTSIDE STORES

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Pho VA Vivi Bubble Tea/One Tea House (DD, GH, UE)* Rice Paper Restaurant TeaDM Lounge (GH)* Cajun Boil & Pho (GH)* Huong Binh Bakery and Deli (GH)* Huong Viet Restaurant Thanh Son Tofu (GH)* Lacay Cho Lon (GH)* Firepan Korean BBQ (DD, GH, UE)*

Mango Mango Desserts Hai Duong Restaurant (DD, GH, UE)* Kao Sarn Thai Street Food (GH)* Gom Tang E (DD, GH)* Kien Giang Quan Saigon Restaurant (DD)* Thanh Van Vegetarian Restaurant (GH)* Phuoc Loc Bakery & Deli (GH)* Banh Cuon Saigon Restaurant

SAIGON EAST MINI MALL Nha Trang Restaurant (GH)* Kung Fu Tea (DD, EU, GH)* Hoa Vien Quan Restaurant (UE)* Banh Cuon Thang Long

EDEN MINI MALL

Khisko Bolivian Authentic Cuisine Nhu Lan Sandwich Shop

SAIGON GARDEN STRIP MALL Banh Mi So 1 Little Sheep Hot Pot Restaurant

*Delivers Using DoorDash = DD; Delivers using Uber Eats = UE Delivers using Grub Hub = GH

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PAGE 4 | MARCH 19 – 25, 2020

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

FALLS CHURCH RESTAURANTS Clare & Don’s Beach Shack and Thompson Italian sit empty this week after owners of the popular establishments made the decision to close in response to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo: J. Michael Whalen)

Coronavirus Pandemic to Devastate Restaurants in Falls Church & Beyond

by Jody Fellows

Falls Church News-Press

As the coronavirus pandemic brings activity in the region to a veritable standstill, the hospitality industry in Falls Church and beyond is being hit especially hard with the public ramping up its social distancing effort and authorities implementing new restrictions on restaurant and bar service in an effort the prevent the spread of COVID-19.

After hedging on the issue earlier in the week, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam finally issued an order Tuesday night prohibiting the gathering of more than 10 customers in the state’s restaurants and bars. This followed Monday’s order by Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser shutting down all on-site service at district establishments and Maryland Governor Larry Hogan’s decision to close all his state’s restaurants.

The current closures and ser-

vice limitations will not only have a crippling effect on the owners of the region’s small, locally-owned businesses but on the thousands of workers they employ as well.

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the United States Department of Commerce, employee compensation for workers at restaurants and bars was $309 billion in 2018, far surpassing any other industry expected to be impacted by the coronavirus. On Wednesday, the National Restaurant Association said forecasts show the industry will sustain at least $225 billion in losses and will be forced to eliminate a minimum of 5 – 7 million jobs over the next three months.

Online reservation website Open Table reports Washington, D.C. restaurants have seen a dramatic decline in diners compared to one year ago. According to Open Table data, what started as a 10 percent dip in diners last Monday, steadily increased to a 55

percent decrease, year-over-year, on Sunday. Several Falls Church restaurants told the News-Press they’ve seen similar significant declines — as much as 70 percent — in business over the past week.

And this was all before the orders to essentially shut down dine-in service on Tuesday.

In advance of Northam’s declaration, Little City restaurants were already busy enacting new protocols and altering service in response to the novel coronavirus, with many converting to take-out and delivery operations in an effort to limit the gathering at their respective establishments. At least nine Falls Church restaurants reported they would close indefinitely.

News of the changes started trickling out at the beginning of the week with Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken, Taco Bamba and Liberty Barbecue all announcing Monday they would shift to delivery and takeout service only, while Audacious Aleworks, Spacebar,

Northside Social and Dominion Wine and Beer converted to carryout only. Starbucks, with three City locations, said Sunday it was instituting a to-go model for all of its stores nationwide.

On the eve of its biggest night of the year, Ireland’s Four Provinces announced it would postpone its much-anticipated St. Patrick’s Day celebration on Tuesday and shutter for at least the rest of the week.

“We have made the decision to postpone the 4Ps’ St. Patrick’s Day celebration to a time when it can be more heartily enjoyed,” the restaurant posted on Facebook. “While we will be closed on Tuesday, March 17th, we will continue to modify our offerings and practices to the changing recommendations surrounding public health.”

Last Thursday, the News-Press suspended its annual Falls Church Restaurant Week promotion scheduled to begin this Monday and on Sunday, longtime Falls Church establishment Clare & Don’s

Beach Shack announced it would shutter until at least next month.

“It was rough,” says David Tax, who, along with his sister Rebecca, owns and runs the popular restaurant and bar in addition to Lazy Mike’s Delicatessen. “The kitchen staff and my sister were in tears.”

But Tax tells the News-Press he knows it’s the right thing to do.

His top priority during this time, he says, is the well-being of his employees. “All gift card sales we make right now, they’re going directly to paying our staff,” says Tax. Just last weekend, the restaurants were set up with a new online system to purchase the cards.

“We told our staff to reach out if they need to,” he says. “We’re not going to let anybody starve.”

The Taxes are keeping their deli, Lazy Mike’s, open for the time being, providing delivery and take-out via its side service window. Tax says many of his customers are senior citizens and he’s told them to reach out via the restaurants’ Facebook pages or by cell phone (both he and his sister have given out their personal numbers to regulars) and told them to text or call if they need food.

Despite the disruption and damage it will cause his businesses, Tax said they’re in a pretty decent position, all things considered. “This isn’t a high time of the season, so if we can get this behind us, [we’ll be OK.]” He’s more concerned, he says, about some of the City’s other restaurants like Clare & Don’s next-door neighbor, the nascent Thompson Italian.

Opening to rave reviews and much fanfare last August, the locally-and-family-owned restaurant made the decision to shut down Monday until at least April.

Owner Katherine Thompson told the News-Press they were going to launch brunch next month, but now those plans are on hold.

“Supporting local businesses is beyond important during times like these. We all have employees and families that depend on [the] local economy,” Thompson says.

“Whatever the community can do, it is beyond appreciated.”

The Falls Church Chamber of Commerce has offered several ways for residents to support restaurants during the crisis.

Executive Director Sally Cole told the News-Press ordering takeout or delivery, purchasing gift cards and, if people do frequent a restaurant, using credit cards or electronic payments to prevent the potential spread of the virus can help during this time. She

Continued on Page 5

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Falls Church Distillers to Produce, Distribute Sanitizer Free to Public

by Jody Fellows

Falls Church News-Press

City of Falls Church distillery Falls Church Distillers is producing a hand sanitizer and plans to distribute the first 5,000 ounces free to the public starting tomorrow.

F.C. Distillers owner Michael Paluzzi said that the “Aim High” sanitizer, made with a high-alcohol content corn distillate along with palm-derived glycerin and an essential oil blend, is targeting a release of this Friday.

The distillery will set aside 5,000 ounces to be distributed free-of-charge, in up to 5 oz. allotments.

There will also be gallon and half-gallon amounts available for purchase below market prices, Paluzzi says.

It will be “bring your own container,” so Paluzzi urges residents to bring empty sanitizer bottles or milk jugs from home.

This is the first time F.C. Distillers had produced the sanitizer which will disrupt the distillery’s normal operation.

If there is need for more after the initial batch, Paluzzi says his operation will “definitely” produce more.

Paluzzi tells the News-Press everything is disrupted for everyone. “We are no exception,” he says.

If all goes as planned with the production, Paluzzi is aiming to have the hand sanitizer available starting this Friday, from 5 – 9 p.m., and on Saturday from noon – 5 p.m, though he’s still unsure if distribution will take place inside or outside of the distillery, located at 442 S. Washington St., at this time.

On Monday, Paluzzi told the News-Press he is shutting down the restaurant and bar portion of his distillery until at least Sunday. The onsite ABC store, however, will remain open.

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Virus Rocks F.C. Restaurants Continued from Page 4

also encourages people to like and share restaurants’ messages on social media.

Though gift card purchases can help with funds in the short run, they’re not a perfect solution and could pose a problem for restaurants down the line.

“While [gift card sales] can alleviate the immediate cash flow issue, it can have lasting effects if many people then try to redeem at similar times,” Café Kindred’s Jen Demetrio told the News-Press.

Demetrio, who’s seen her coffee shop’s business decline by more than 50 percent over the past two weeks, says people can help restaurants by visiting frequently while there are no quarantines or lock-downs in effect.

“Continuing to eat out helps the restaurants stay afloat, and helps to keep a healthy local economy, ” she told the News-Press. In an Instagram post Wednesday, the cafe wrote “We’ll stay open for as long as we can to serve our community and staff.”

Falls Church Distillers owner Michael Paluzzi says he saw a 60

percent decrease in business on Saturday which only worsened the next day. In response, the distillery is closed this week through at least Sunday. “We are watching it closely week to week and [I] am ever mindful of our employees’ and patrons’ health,” Paluzzi told the News-Press.

Asked about how the public can help local restaurants and bars in the meantime, Paluzzi says “When this is over, come on out!”

The Vietnamese shopping center Eden Center, which is home to more than 30 restaurants, has seen mixed consequences as a result of the outbreak, according to Graham Eddy, vice president of the center’s property management company.

“Our two well-stocked supermarkets are doing extremely well,” he wrote the News-Press in an email. “Eden Supermarket has plenty of Vietnamese specialties and Good Fortune continues to stock fresh fish and produce.”

He continued, “On the other hand, we expect our other family-owned shops to have a slow period.”

In an email to City officials, Eden Center management said it’s working with DoorDash on deliv-

MARCH 19 – 25, 2020 | PAGE 5

ery for its restaurants and would reimburse shops for delivery fees they may incur.

Jeff Bulman, owner and operator of The Original Pancake House on Lee Highway, had his two Maryland restaurants shuttered Monday due to the state’s mandate. He said he’ll keep his Falls Church location, which he reports has seen a dramatic decline in business during the past week, open as long as Virginia allows.

“If people are comfortable, I would hope they would come out for a meal,” he told the NewsPress in an email.

DC Steakholders’ Lilly Kaur and her husband were planning to celebrate their restaurant’s oneyear anniversary next month but now, after business dropped nearly 70 percent in the last week, they’re not sure they’re going to make it.

“We hope things will get better soon,” Kaur told the News-Press.

“Or we might have to close for good.”

The News-Press has an updated list with the operating status of Falls Church area restaurants, along with information on purchasing their respective gift cards, at fcnp. com/covid19fcrestaurantstatus.

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Vol. XXX, No. 5 March 19 – 25, 2020 • 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. ©2020 Benton Communications Inc. The News-Press is printed on recycled paper.

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E D I TO R I A L

Grace & Generosity In a Crisis

The stunning speed of events of the last week as, belatedly, the U.S. has begun to catch up to the unprecedented demands required to stem a horrifying coronavirus pandemic are very likely to escalate further. The requirement of “sheltering in place” for most citizens to avoid contracting and spreading the highly-contagious, airborne pestilence is looming now as the next public policy move to ramp up a full-court press defense.

It is remarkable how, at this stage, the pandemic appears, according to national polls, to follow political fault lines, with over 70 percent of Democrats sharing the alarm that the scientific and medical communities have been sounding, but still less than 50 percent of Republicans yet on board. That will change, probably very quickly, and it is not worth the energy to articulate why it hasn’t weeks or months ago, except to say that the blame falls squarely on the whole disgusting President Trump operation, and its attacks on science, facts and reason that have accelerated so much in the last decade.

But things have changed so fast nonetheless that it takes the breath away, and it is to the credit of almost everyone except the Trump operation that so much has been achieved just in the last week. Actions include the expansion of general awareness, implementing “social distancing” policies almost everywhere, mobilizing a medical treatment response, with testing that now is being set up at drive-through centers around the region and the country, the acceleration of research into a vaccine, which still must remain at least a year off. It brings to bear the full weight of local and regional responses that will increasingly be required to alleviate the pain and suffering of growing legions among us in social and medical ways, and to win levels of intervention by the federal government to alleviate the pain of sudden unemployment, loss of business functioning and related crises with emergency financial and other forms of public relief.

This has been accompanied by, at least at this stage, an uncommon sense of solidarity and camaraderie within the population, including of patience, forbearance and good will even as many of society’s most cherished forms of recreation, stress relief and reflection have been stripped away by bans on everything from sporting events of any kind to general public gatherings and celebrations, even just the relaxing restaurant meal with family or friends. Societally, the evidence is that we’re doing pretty well right now. The question will be how well our patience and good will can hold up over a protracted period, as will probably be required.

Still, when we get through this (and the use of “we” in this case is not only in the sense of the “editorial we” but the down to earth “we” of our shared destiny as humans on this planet) perhaps we will have rethought some cultural priorities to be more generally gracious and generous as a result.

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Must Think About Design Of Washington & Broad

Editor, While recent discussions about the proposed Broad and Washington project have rightfully focused on local businesses and parking issues, Falls Church leaders must also concentrate on how well this important project will be designed and built.

Because of its prime location, the project will serve as the city’s de facto architectural centerpiece

for generations to come.

A thoughtful design should be responsive to its location and its neighbors, including taking the time needed to seek and receive sufficient City and community input, time which some developers would prefer not to spend. Quality construction means using durable building materials that will age gracefully, which can add to the construction

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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2. Play no favorites, never mix business and editorial policy.

3. Do not let the news columns reflect editorial comment.

4. Publish the news that is public property without fear or favor of friend or foe.

5. Accept no charity and ask no favors.

6. Give “value received” for every dollar you take in.

7. Make the paper show profit if you can, but above all keep it clean, fearless and fair.

ADVERTISE IN THE

The News-Press is delivered to every household and many businesses in the City of Falls Church (22046), and to many homes and businesses (but not all) in the adjacent 22041, 22042, 22043, 22044 and 22205 zip codes. Its total circulation of 10,000 per issue is greater than any other newspaper in the distribution area, including dailies. For complete advertising information, call us or check out our web site.

Call 532-3267 x2274 or visit www.FCNP.com

All original and some syndicated content is accessible via the Falls Church News-Press online site, www.FCNP.com.

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For information on online advertising, please contact Nick Gatz at 703-532-3267 or ngatz@fcnp.com.

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costs but tend to lower operation and maintenance costs over time.

Falls Church has plenty of recent experience with large developments. Given developers’ continued interest in making the Little City even bigger, our leaders and residents must ensure that new developments create a positive future identity for our city by demanding quality design and construction.

Good architecture shouldn’t be for the sake of other architects, but rather to benefit the surrounding community — but that community must make its wishes known.

Not sure how you want the city to look in the future? Take a short walk

between two projects built at roughly the same time: West Broad (the Harris Teeter building) and The Lincoln at Tinner Hill (with the Target).

What aspects of each project do you feel will make a positive impact on Falls Church as it continues to transform? Ignore subjective concerns about color and style. Rather, ask yourself what you like about both projects and what don’t you like.

As a community, we are in the enviable position of being able to demand quality design and construction. Our leaders should not approve anything less.

Todd Friedlander, AIA Falls Church

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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MARCH 19 – 25, 2020 | PAGE 7

Coronavirus Highlights Importance of Public Warning Systems B� D���� M�������

Taking the globe by storm, coronavirus dominates news and business agendas while spreading fear and uncertainty in its wake.

As a citizen who grew up in the City of Falls Church, I worry about the safety of my friends and family in the area. As CEO of Everbridge, Inc. (Nasdaq: EVBG), I support a global team of “Bridgers” who provide Critical Event Management (CEM) solutions to help protect people around the world.

Everbridge operates as a mission-driven company to keep people safe and businesses running. The COVID-19 outbreak highlights the importance of that mission more than ever before. As the leader in CEM, Everbridge provides a software-as-a-service platform to protect the things we care about – people, business and government assets, supply chains, and reputation – from a world fraught with an increasing number of threats such as natural disasters, man-made attacks, cyber, IT disruptions and viral outbreaks, which collectively represent critical events.

Founded in the aftermath of the tragic events of 9/11, Everbridge originally focused on how to improve critical communications to better protect people during a crisis. Over the years, we expanded the reach of our critical event management customer ecosystem to include over 1,500 healthcare organizations, almost 4,000 first responder entities, blue-chip businesses like Goldman Sachs, Microsoft and retailer Tiffany & Co., some of the largest states like California, Florida and New York, as

well as entire countries including Australia, Singapore, Peru, parts of India and four countries in Europe.

Closer to home, Everbridge proudly serves the National Capital Region (NCR) which spans Washington D.C., and parts of Maryland and Virginia, including the City

“Getting accurate and timely information as the virus spreads unpredictably and indiscriminately across the globe can save lives.” of Falls Church.

As communities around the world grapple to collaborate in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, we’re all learning new phrases such as ‘social distancing’ – the idea of communicating while people stay at home, work remotely, travel less and avoid public spaces. As a result, we see impacts most have never experienced: in-person university classes cancelled for months; the National Basketball Association suspending its season; Disney World closing its theme parks; stores closed because they cannot verify employees are free of the virus; and manufacturing plants shuttered.

Ironically, coronavirus-inspired social distancing requires our communities to be more interconnected with accurate information curated and delivered in a timely manner. But, if we can’t be around people, how are we going to stay informed?

Critical Communications: The Right Message at the Right Time Getting accurate and timely information as the virus spreads unpredictably and indiscriminately across the globe can save lives, and a persistent multi-national critical event such as COVID-19 requires full-scale population alerting. The public must be kept informed with calm and clear guidance, plans and facts, rather than being left to filter through the overwhelming amount of sometimes contradictory data found on the Internet and other forms of media.

Public warning systems must reach everyone, thereby enabling first responders to effectively inform those in danger.

Authorities need the tools to quickly reach the broadest number of people in affected locations. Mobile phones are therefore integral to such systems, providing citizens the chance to opt-in to receive critical texts and updates, and allowing authorities to maintain registries of populations at risk medically who require special attention.

In serving the National Capital Region, the Everbridge platform provides multiple modalities for communicating important messages to citizens in a public safety crisis or even during special events like the Presidential Inauguration. Among other options, in order to make it easy for people to participate even

if they don’t have a smart phone or know how to use a mobile app, residents of the region can simply send a text message with a key word to be included in public alerting communications related to various topics of interest or urgency. For example, residents of greater Fairfax County including Falls Church can simply text FFXCOVID to 888777 to receive virus-related alerts and information directly from local government officials.

Effective public warning systems, whatever their form, also have other roles. One, through location-based two-way alerting, allows people to respond to the message saying whether they have been injured and need help, giving authorities the information to deploy an effective and appropriate response.

Another example relates to getting official authoritative advice which helps reduce panic and associated consequences, such as unnecessary stockpiling. While coronavirus offers a salient current use case, planning for any critical event should be carefully crafted by all relevant responders and stakeholders before an incident occurs.

I remember the City of Falls Church as a close-knit community where people care about and help each other. So, while we may be entering a period of ‘social distancing’ due to COVID-19, we can use technology to remain interconnected, stay informed, and support the safety of our most vulnerable citizens.

David Meredith is the CEO of Everbridge, specializing in critical event management and enterprise safety software applications.

Q������� �� ��� W��� Are City of F.C. and Virginia officials doing enough in response to the coronavirus pandemic?

• Yes they both are

• Only City of F.C. officials

• Only Virginia officials

• Neither of them are

Visit www.FCNP.com to cast your vote

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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

PAGE 8 | MARCH 19 – 25, 2020

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NEWS BRIEFS Metro Curtails Rail & Bus Service, Stresses Essential Travel Only Metro’s Pandemic Task Force has announced major service reductions during the ongoing pandemic response. In a statement, WMATA said that “the changes further draw-down service to protect frontline employees, while maintaining regional mobility for essential trips taken by hospital staff, government officials, and emergency responders. The reduction takes into account the urgent public guidance from regional leaders, along with emergency orders to cancel events, close schools and offices, and limit social gatherings across the nation.” New rail system hours are weekdays, 5 a.m. – 11 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. – 11 p.m. effective March 18 until further notice. Metro stresses these new hours are to support essential travel only. Trains will run every 15 minutes on each line at all times, including the Red Line. All trains will operate with eight cars, the maximum possible length, to help maintain social distancing between customers. Metro bus service will operate on a Sunday schedule with supplemental service on select routes. Again, customers are strongly encourages to travel only when absolutely necessary. Metro ridership was down nearly 70 percent across the board Monday, it was reported.

Virginia Hospital Center Begins Drive-Through Coronavirus Testing

EASY ACCESS MEANS EASY LIVING.

Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington has opened a temporary site for limited drivethrough COVID-19 testing, the County announced Tuesday. It is the second drive-through testing site in the Northern Virginia area with Kaiser Permanente offering testing for members at its Tysons location. All patients will need to have a referral from a doctor and an appointment, and they will need to be residents of Arlington County, employees of the county government or public schools, or patients of hospital staff. “Arlington County is appreciative of our partnership with Virginia Hospital Center to facilitate sample collection for our community at this drive-through center,” Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey said in the release. “This is an important collaborative effort at a critical time.” Only people exhibiting symptoms including fevers, chills, coughing or shortness of breath and who have received a written orders for COVID-19 testing from a licensed medical provider will be eligible for testing. Patients who aren’t showing any symptoms will not be tested, even if they were in contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus. The center, located at 1429 N. Quincy Street, will be open on weekdays from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Virginia Hospital Center says test results will be available within five to seven business days.

To schedule an appointment, patients should call 703-558-5766 between 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Virginia Supreme Court Stays Evictions

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The Supreme Court of Virginia Tuesday issued an order declaring a judicial emergency suspending all non-essential, non-emergency court proceedings for the next 21 days, including new eviction cases, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring issued the following statement, “It would be an absolute outrage for Virginians to be evicted from their homes during this emergency, especially as we are asking them to practice social distancing and stay home to prevent further spread of COVID19. This temporary eviction suspension is particularly important for hourly wage earners who are more likely to lose income and not be able to pay their rent because of business closures. I want to thank the Supreme Court of Virginia for making this important decision to protect Virginians during these unprecedented times.” Additionally, following Attorney General Herring’s request, the State Corporation Commission ordered a halt on disconnections by regulated utilities for 60 days during the state of emergency. Last Friday, Attorney General Herring filed an emergency petition requesting a freeze on disconnections.

F.C. Shelter Shuts Down 2 Weeks Early Over Coronavirus Concerns The Falls Church Homeless Shelter announced the decision to close the hypothermia shelter on March 16 in response to the growing spread of the coronavirus. Friends of Falls Church Homeless Shelter board of directors chair Robert Fletcher told the News-Press the unprecedented action was made in conjunction with the City of F.C. and shelter operator New Hope Housing. Staff worked on transitioning the shelter’s 11 guests to the Bailey’s Crossroads Shelter and Supportive Housing facility last weekend as the closure comes two weeks earlier than usual. Several of the shelter’s services will remain operational through March 31 as planned, including support of a case manager, bus passes and personal laundry. The shelter said although none of its guests, workers or volunteers contracted the virus or were exposed to anyone who has it, it opted for a proactive approach in order to curb COVID-19’s dissemination.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Community News & Notes Notice to Readers Receiving Delivery of News-Press Your safety, and the safety of our employees and delivery contractors, is critically important to us. In terms of receiving the delivery of our newspaper, the World Health Organization has stated it is safe to receive packages including newspapers. Our preparation, printing and delivery processes are guided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations. Our distribution team will be the first and only people handling the paper and each member wears disposable gloves during delivery.

We want to thank you again for your support for our journalism, especially at a time when our ability to provide reliable and credible information to every household in our community with our weekly print editions, and also in a real-time basis online, is so very important.

Your friends at the Falls Church News-Press.

F.C. Arts Cuts Current Exhibit Short Due to Pandemic The Falls Church Arts gallery (700B W. Broad St., Falls Church) announced that it would be shutting down its current show,

“A Woman’s Journey,” due to the concerns over spreading COVID19. There are currently no plans to reschedule.

Choralis Reschedules March & May Shows to Next Season The Choralis Foundation announced it is canceling and rescheduling programs slated for March and May in response to the continuing spread of the coronavirus.

The “Come and Sing with Bob Chilcott” workshop originally scheduled for March 21 will be rescheduled for Oct. 31 and the Choralis concert, “Move Him Into The Sun,” originally scheduled for March 22 will be rescheduled for

Nov. 1.

The concert performance “Jewels in the Choral Crown” by Choralis chamber choir, Ēchos, originally scheduled for May 3 will be rescheduled for next season.

Choralis will continue to provide updates on the remainder of the 2019-20 season, “The Language of the World,” which includes: Experiments in Music (June 7) featuring Carl Off’s “Carmina Burana,” Stravinsky’s “Symphonie de psaumes” and Gershwin’s piano concerto, “Rhapsody in Blue,” performed

by Todd Fickley, Choralis associate director and keyboard artist.

Complete program information and news is available at choralis. org/concerts/#tickets.

NOVA Community College Moves to Online Classes Northern Virginia Community College has canceled its in-person classes and shifted to online classes, which went into effect this past Monday. The college’s full statement is below.

“Out of an abundance of caution and in support of CDC guidance regarding social distancing during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) will shift to remote learning. Students should take precautionary measures and not return from spring break. NOVA classes will be canceled on March 16 and March 17 to allow for

KEEPING OUR WATERS SAFE are Falls Church natives, such as Ensign Veronica Sullivan (right photo, on left), the gunnery officer aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy, shown taking distance measurements between the guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy and the dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Amelia Earhart during a replenishment-at-sea. Navy Midshipman Marsden Davis (left photo), a fellow Falls Churchian, participated in the 2020 spring Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps ship selection draft as a future member of the Surface Warfare Officer community. More than 270 midshipmen from NROTC units around the country chose to serve as surface warfare officers. (Photos: Courtesy United States Navy)

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

the transition. Most classroom instruction will be conducted virtually from Wednesday, March 18 until April 4.

“Students taking courses that do not have a remote learning option (ex. clinical, labs, and internships) should check with their instructors for alternative plans.

“Consistent with CDC guidelines, students, faculty, and staff returning from travel, whether personal or professional, to any country for which the CDC has issued a Level 2 or 3 Travel Warning related to COVID-19 must self-quarantine for 14 days. The self-quarantine is required whether or not the individual is exhibiting symptoms.

During the quarantine, access to NOVA Campuses and participation in activities is prohibited.”

Providence Players Cancel Performance of ‘Picnic’ The Providence Players of Fairfax announced that they have canceled all scheduled performances of the William Inge play, “Picnic,” that had been slated to run from March 20 to April 4.

They announced that persons with tickets have an option of donating their tickets and receiving a tax receipt for their total value (a way to help Providence Players during the COVID-19 crisis), exchanging the tickets for vouchers for a future production, exchanging them for the upcoming production of “Enchanted April” scheduled to open June 5 without an exchange fee, or receiving a full refund for the price of the tickets

McLean Art Society Cancels March 27 Meeting The McLean Art Society meeting that was slated for March 27 is now cancelled

MARCH 19 – 25, 2020 | PAGE 11

due to current health concerns regarding the coronavirus outbreak and in consideration of its older members.

Brown’s Hardware, RainSmart Team Up for Barrel Discounts Brown’s Hardware and the RainSmart Program have teamed up to offer rain barrels at a discount to help fight stormwater in the City of Falls Church.

Brown’s Hardware is selling rain barrels normally priced at $125 for $100. City of Falls Church residents are eligible to apply for a grant from the RainSmart program for $50 each of up to two rain barrels. Brown’s has a rain barrel on display at its store.

The RainSmart program is managed by the Falls Church Village Preservation and Improvement Society (VPIS) and supported by the City of Falls Church. It is intended to help City of Falls Church residents implement practices that help rainwater soak into the ground where it falls to prevent local flooding and protect water quality locally and in the wider Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Funds for rain barrel grants are limited. Applications for grants will be considered on a continuing basis until available funds for the year are committed.

For more information about the RainSmart Program and for rain barrel applications, visit vpis.org/ environment/rainsmart-program.

Culmore Clinic Announces New Pandemic Procedures Culmore Clinic announced that it’s not able to provide in-clinic care for those with symptoms of COVID-19, but it does have new procedures in place to combat the spread of the coronavirus to its

THE MYSTERY ARTIST behind the utility box outside City Hall has been revealed! Richard McMurray’s work was carefully tended to around its metal canvas by Falls Church Arts’ Barb Cram (center) with the help from some friends from CSI recently. (Photo: Courtesy Shaun van Steyn) patients and staffers.

Despite not being able to treat the coronavirus, the clinic said it’s working to provide tele-medical visits (with interpretation services) and advising patients of the best and most current course of action advised by the Center for Disease Control and Fairfax County Health Department.

A crisis response team will be monitoring the spread and management of the virus and the impact it might have on its services to the community. The team has made the following recommendations to protect the staff and patients from possible infection, so those patients who depend on the clinic as their primary healthcare provider can still receive

GOOD CREDIT. GOOD JOB. GOOD REFERENCES. BUT THE LANDLORD DENIED HER THE APARTMENT BECAUSE OF HER DISABILITY. AND THIS HAPPENS EVERY DAY. It’s against the law for landlords to deny your application, give you the run around, charge you more rent, or steer you away from a rental complex or neighborhood because of your disability. If you suspect housing discrimination, file a complaint with HUD or your local fair housing center, so we can investigate it.

treatment.

• New cleaning protocols have been instituted for staff and volunteers as well, such as increased hand-washing, nurses wearing disposable gloves during patient contact and all staff and guests having their temperature taken prior to entering the clinic. The clinic is also urging those who are feeling unwell to stay home.

• All scheduled patients are being screened via telephone to ensure the patient does not have a cough, respiratory distress and/ or fever and that they have not traveled outside the U.S. in the last month. If patients answer yes to either of these questions, they will be instructed to not come in and will receive a follow-up

tele-medical visit from a provider (with interpreters as needed).

Accompanying children are also being asked to stay home to reduce the chances of exposure.

• Cleaning and disinfecting will increase in frequency between appointments and throughout the day in both exam rooms as well as public spaces within the clinic.

The crisis response team will continue to monitor this situation as it evolves, and will continue to update the community with new procedures and processes as they are put into place in effort to protect the community.

For more information, contact executive director Anne-Lise Quinn at anneliseq@culmoreclinic.org.

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To file a complaint, go to hud.gov/fairhousing or call 1-800-669-9777

FAIR HOUSING IS YOUR RIGHT. USE IT. A public service message from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in partnership with the National Fair Housing Alliance. The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status or disability. For more information, visit www.hud.gov/fairhousing.

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PAGE 12 | MARCH 19 – 25, 2020

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A Penny for Your Thoughts

News of Greater Falls Church

By Supervisor Penny Gross

Coronavirus may be the scariest word on the planet right now, but state and local efforts are underway to reduce the fear and bring calm to an uncertain situation. On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors held a nearly unprecedented emergency special meeting to adopt a resolution consenting to the declaration of a local emergency by the county’s Director of Emergency Management. In the esoteric legal structure for county government in Virginia, that meant the Board approved the declaration of an emergency by County Executive Bryan Hill. As with other emergency declarations for weather-related incidents, the County Executive, who also is the Director of Emergency Management, has the authority to declare an emergency, and the Board consents to the declaration.

A declaration of an emergency provides additional flexibility for the county to access potential federal and state emergency funds that may become available, as well as coordinating local actions “to prevent or alleviate the damage, loss, hardship, or suffering caused by the existence of” the coronavirus. The emergency declaration remains in effect until the Board takes a specific action to end the declared emergency, which may be weeks or months. For the first time that I can recall, the Board had to suspend its own Rules of Procedure to call the special emergency meeting. Under the Rules, notice of a special board meeting must be made at least five days before the announced meeting date and time, and served, on paper, to each member by registered mail or service by the Sheriff. Clearly, there was not the luxury of time to plan advance notice, as the situation changed almost hourly during the weekend.

Information about the coronavirus pandemic continues to change quickly. As the Board was in discussion, Governor Northam was holding another news conference to update Virginians about the virus. He urged folks age 65 and older to quarantine in place, and announced that Department of Motor Vehicles

His first football season, Isaiah told us, ‘Wear a jersey with my name on it. I want everyone to know you’re here for me.’

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offices across the Commonwealth would close to allow DMVs to be used as virus testing sites when enough testing kits become available. The governor also extended for 60 days the validity of expiring drivers licenses, car registrations, and ID cards.

DMV will continue to accept and process on-line applications and renewals.

In Fairfax County, residents facing difficulty relating to food, shelter, employment, health care, and other needs should call Coordinated Services Planning at 703-222-0880, between 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Assistance is available in multiple languages. Fairfax County Public Schools is providing grab-and-go meals at no cost for students at locations throughout the county. Adults may purchase breakfast and lunch meals for $2 each. Find an updated list of locations at www.fcps. edu/news/coronavirus-update-food-resources. Scroll down the page to find the updated list.

The county is providing meals to current Senior Center and Adult Day Health Care participants. Work continues to assess the opportunity for community child care programs to serve families whose parents also are deemed essential personnel. Tenant evictions at all county-owned properties are suspended. Courts are closed, and trials postponed, but real estate sales transfers, marriage licenses, filing of wills, and other routine business at the Clerk of the Court’s office will continue.

These are tough times for everyone, regardless of age, ZIP Code, education, or any of those data points we Americans like to calculate. Fortunately, in Fairfax County, we have the resources and the foresight to have plans to address and mitigate emergencies. Wash your hands, cough into your sleeve, stay home when sick and don’t panic!  Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Delegate Marcus Simon’s

Richmond Report Last August, I made some pretty big predictions about what a majority Democratic General Assembly would look like, specifically what kinds of legislation we’d pass. Here is an annotated version of what I wrote last year.

Here we go!

Come with me, to July 1, 2020, in a world where control of the General Assembly has flipped…

One of our first orders of business when we returned to Richmond for the 2020 Session was to pass common sense reforms related to gun purchases and ownership. Beginning July 1, every firearms transaction in the Commonwealth is subject to a background check available on a website operated by the Virginia State Police. Falls Church City and Fairfax County owned buildings are not only tobacco free, but local governments have voted to make them gun free zones as well.

We passed seven common sense gun violence prevention bills this year, requiring universal background checks for all gun sales (HB 2), reinstating one handgun purchase per month limit (HB 812), requiring proof of competency to obtain a concealed carry permit, requiring individuals to report stolen firearms (HB 9), creating extreme risk protective orders (HB 674), allowing local governments the authority to ban guns in public spaces (HB 421), limiting children’s access to firearms (HB 1083), and prohibiting gun possession for those subject to a protective order (HB 1004).

Voting in the upcoming 2020 election is expected to break records for voter participation, not just because it’s a presidential election year, but because Virginia residents are now automatically registered to vote when they go to re-register their cars, apply for government benefits, or have any other interaction with state government. For those who aren’t automatically registered on Election Day, they will be able to register on the spot, and voting will begin early for anyone who wishes to cast a ballot, no reason need be provided.

We’ve made Election Day a state holiday in Virginia (HB 108). And we’ve passed legislation to allow for no-excuse absentee voting (HB 1), same day voter registration (HB 187), and automatic voter registration (HB 235). Localities will even

be able to use ranked choice voting for local elections if they choose (HB 1103).

Virginia is now part of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and is committed to reducing our emissions while funding renewable energy programs and promoting green jobs. Expect to see rooftop solar panels dotting the landscape as the General Assembly removed regulatory barriers and added financial incentives for residential and community solar installation. We repealed the provision preventing us from joining RGGI and passed a series of bills (like HB 912) aimed at increasing our use of solar and wind energy.

The Virginia Clean Energy Act (HB 1526) made it through as well.

A comprehensive environment and energy bill, it will not only eliminate harmful carbon emissions by 2050 through strategic investments in solar and wind energy, but also require utility companies to significantly increase investment in energy efficiency programs and low-income communities.

Many Virginians will begin to see a more money in their paychecks each week as we begin the first step in a gradual increase in the minimum wage, which is on its way to $15 an hour. Those struggling with crippling student loan debt have new options to consolidate and refinance their loans, and those who suspect they’ve been overpaying can complain to the Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions which now has oversight authority. A major compromise bill to raise the minimum wage (HB 395) made it through both houses, providing for a gradual increase to $15 over the next few years. And my bill (HB 10) to require student loan servicers to register with the SCC and establish a Student Borrower’s Bill of Rights finally passed as well.

Virginia passed the Equal Rights Amendment, becoming the last state needed to add it to the U.S. Constitution. HJ 1 was the first big piece of legislation that we passed this session.

Well, look at that. In August 2019, that’s the column I hoped I’d get to write. And here we are in March 2020. So, how’d we do?  Delegate Simon represents the 53rd District in the Virginia House of Delegates. He may be emailed at DelMSimon@house.virginia.gov

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Can ‘Species Love’ See This Through?

These are times of biblical proportions. Surviving humanity will forever tell the stories of this sudden and overwhelming challenge to our existence on this planet represented by the coronavirus pandemic.

This has happened like being blindsided by a direct hit from some giant asteroid.

We will see what kind of behaviors and what kind of sensibilities work for our survival, and what kinds fail. Generally, compassion, empathy, love and human solidarity drive one approach and greed, selfishness, cruelty and oppression drive others. In this dramatic time, which do you think can see us through, and which not? I know what I think.

It is a foreboding thought to realize FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS there is nowhere to hide on this planet to avoid exposure to this virus. Ironically, it is like global warming in that regard, and if nothing else, if we make it through this, it may serve as a potent lesson about that.

If you survive this, dear reader, remember the challenges this is going to present in the coming weeks and months, and apply that seriously to fixing the global warming crisis if the chance still exists.

To some, it may be comforting, relatively speaking, to look up preferably from a rural area where you can see more of what’s there.

Up there are what NASA has recently estimated are no less than eight billion earth-sized planets spinning in “Goldilocks” (not too hot, not too cold) zones of planetary systems in our Milky Way galaxy alone, and there are billions of galaxies out there.

By one (linear) measure, whatever levels of the development of intelligent life are certainly out there, and we can only imagine what the more advanced ones may be like, they’re all so far away that we’ll never be able to know about them.

On the other hand, there’s this mysterious scientific reality of what Albert Einstein called “spooky action at a distance,” of “entangled photons that can transfer states between them spontaneously despite great distances, taking place at a speed of at least 10,000 times the speed of light, possibly even instantaneously, regardless of distance.”

It suggests a universe as a self-contained whole, subject to universal laws in principle knowable by science, whose cutting edge, so to speak, is the creative potential as we see it manifested in our very own human minds.

The current sudden challenge to life on this planet (the current pandemic contains within it the inherent potential to kill off our species) highlights the very real central components to the culture that our intelligence has created for us at this point that will or won’t contribute to our very survival.

Entomologist E. O. Wilson’s scientific work identified the “advantages of generosity” versus the “benefits of selfishness” in the success of species observed in nature, and found that the former trumps the latter when it comes to the ability of groups to “thrive and replicate.”

As author Jonah Lehrer reported in a 2012 New Yorker article, Wilson noted “group selection” over the Darwinist notion of “survival of the fittest (individual).” He studied cases of “cooperating microbes, plants and even female lions as clumps of cooperators who thrive and replicate, while selfish groups wither and die.” He observed that “selfishness beats altruism within groups, but altruistic groups beat selfish groups.”

Success of species, he found, was related to the ascendancy of what he called “species love” over self-love.

Interestingly, this is exactly what is being advanced by the health care professionals in this crisis in something as simple as the notion of “social distancing.” Properly understood, it is being utilized not so much to protect the acting individual from becoming infected, as it is to protect others this acting individual may come into contact with. Indeed, it is acts of “species love” that are being called for in this current situation.

Notably, it is the leaders of science and public health that are spearheading the social offensive against this virus, who are also those who are also working to find effective treatments and vaccines, combining with compassionate and people-oriented political leaders who’ve pushed from the bottom up to force the issue of effective relief actions beginning to come forth.

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MARCH 19 – 25, 2020 | PAGE 13

Nicholas F. Benton

 Nicholas Benton may be emailed at nfbenton@fcnp.com.

Our Man in Arlington

By Charlie Clark

Dominion Energy, which lights up 7 million customers in 18 states, has been paying special attention to Arlington.

Last month, our county signed a long-term agreement to purchase renewable energy from the Richmond-based company. That roof-top solar project in rural Pittsylvania County (Danville), in turn, will be carried out by our other corporate citizen known as Amazon. And the energy firm’s media and communications manager, Peggy Fox, hired last summer, has been cultivating Arlington’s green enthusiasts while standing ready to respond to some of her company’s vocal critics.

What set things in motion was Arlington’s decision back in September to aim high in its community energy plan — committing to carbon neutrality by 2050. Interim goals were set in for conversions to renewable electricity in government operations. In January, Amazon announced that its new Crystal City HQ2 would be powered by the new 120-megawatt solar farm, with a third of the renewable power generated, on the wholesale marketplace, to our county government for 17 years.

“To address the climate crisis and transition to a low-carbon economy, the majority of the world’s energy must come from zero-carbon power sources, but renewable energy buyers face regulatory and market hurdles,” said Patrick Leonard, senior manager of the renewable energy pro-

curement team for Amazon. “My role working with the team in Arlington County involved sharing perspectives on how to strategically assess a renewable energy project that is right for a business or a government and the environment.”

Present during the county board vote was newshound Fox, coming off of 24 years as a familiar face on local Channel 9. In her new role at Dominion, she recruited county board Chair Libby Garvey for a Channel 9 interview in February alongside Dominion’s business development director.

“With this agreement, we’re 80 percent to our goal,” Garvey said.

“One of our concerns was if we were harming the environment in Pittsylvania. We were reassured

by Dominion’s regulations” and planting of “vegetation around the solar farm.”

This month, Fox gave me a tour of Dominion’s regional HQ in Herndon. I met staff engineers at the 24/7 operations center, where they work in regional desk “pods” responding to outages.

When Yorktown High School went dark on Feb. 28, Arlington Public Schools did not call the hotline, Fox noted, so Dominion learned of it only when reporters called. (The problem was internal, and a delivered part allowed the school to reopen the same day.)

But Dominion wants to know, she said.

“It’s nice to work in Arlington and help meet renewable energy goals,” she said, pointing to a bulletin board photo showing Kenmore Middle School’s “solar for students” activities.

Dominion’s people “are not climate deniers.” Everyone wants environmental justice, Fox said, but there’s also economic justice — “affordable and reliable energy” which currently requires natural gas along with renewables.

Dominion’s engineers must ask, “Can we get there? Is this real?”

Dominion is helping Arlington and 15 other jurisdictions convert school buses from diesel to electricity. But controversy follows Dominion, from its campaign spending to its pipelines. The nonprofit Clean Virginia recently blasted Dominion, saying its Richmond lobbyists were “trying to ram through a deeply flawed bill that would significantly raise customer bills and handcuff public schools to its profit incentives.”

Fox’s response: “This electric school bus program will provide a wide range of benefits for the customers and communities we serve, including cleaner air, cost savings for school districts, and enhanced grid reliability. Dominion Energy is committed to lowering carbon emissions and helping our customers do the same.” *** Past as prologue offered as Arlington adjusts to the Corona shutdown: The famous 1918 flu epidemic hit us hard, as Professor Mark Benbow reported in the 2017 Arlington Historical Magazine.

On Oct. 1, Arlington closed six schools: Fort Myer Heights, Clarendon, Barcroft, Columbia Pike, Ballston, and Cherrydale.

On Oct. 3, 50 flu new cases were logged, a one-day record.

When buildings reopened in November, 54 Arlingtonians had died of the epidemic.

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PAGE 14 | MARCH 19 – 25, 2020

THE FALLS CHURCH CITY COUNCIL met for a work session in City Hall Monday night with desks rearranged so that each remained six feet apart from each other. (Photo: News-Press)

Falls Church Council Votes To Declare Local Emergency

Continued from Page 1

Decisions at Falls Church City Hall late yesterday have included canceling the town hall meeting scheduled for Sunday and to hold a “virtual” town hall meeting with City Council members Monday night that the public can watch online and call in questions. A decision on the status of the Farmer’s Market scheduled Saturday was scheduled to be made this (Thursday) morning.

Shields told the News-Press that, in fact, a pause in the City Council deliberations over the entire Fiscal Year 2021 operating budget, originally scheduled to be approved in late April, will be taken not only because of the difficulty of meeting the requirements for adequate public input into the process, but also because the current crisis will require a significant revision in revenue expectations.

Taking the extraordinary step of casting an official vote during a work session Monday night, the Falls Church City Council issued a formal Declaration of Local Emergency in response to the pandemic caused by the coronavirus and its COVID-19 disease. “The City of Falls Church is facing and will continue to face dangerous conditions of sufficient

severity and magnitude to warrant coordinated local government action to prevent or alleviate the damage, loss, hardship or suffering threatened or caused thereby,” the declaration stated.

“The condition of extreme peril of life and property necessitate the Proclamation,” it read, authorizing that “during the existence of said emergency, the powers, functions, and duties of the Director of Emergency Services and the Emergency Services Organization of the City of Falls Church shall be those prescribed by State law and the ordinances, resolutions and approved plans of the City in order to mitigate the effects.”

Falls Church Mayor David Tarter introduced the proclamation at the opening of last night’s work session and said of the declaration that “it follows actions by the federal and state governments and will provide maximum resources and flexibility to respond as quickly and fully as possible to this emerging crisis.”

Tarter’s statement was videotaped and posted on the City’s website and at other online locations.

“As of tonight,” Tarter reported in the statement, “We have no known cases of coronavirus in the City of Falls Church, but there are a growing number of cases in Northern Virginia,” adding, “This

situation presents significant difficulties for our community. The elderly and those with pre-existing conditions are most vulnerable to the virus, but all of us, hourly workers, local businesses, the self-employed, parents and children will all face challenges. Falls Church must pull together for the health and future of all our treasured citizens.”

The City Council declaration came hours before Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced additional steps to help Virginians impacted by the novel coronavirus, stop the spread of the virus in the commonwealth and protect public health. “Everyone must play a role to help flatten the curve and mitigate the spread of this virus, and that starts with social distancing,” Northam said Tuesday. “We know this will be a hardship for many businesses, and we are assisting workers affected by closures. Public health relies on every individual using common sense and making responsible decisions. We can and will get through this difficult time. But we must work together to do so.”

Falls Church Public Schools Superintendent Peter Noonan, who, in conjunction with Arlington County Public Schools, closed down the City’s school system until April 14 last Friday, also issued a lengthy memo Tuesday posted on the schools’ website in both English and Spanish. The memo, directed to the school community, including teachers, staff, students and parents, reported on

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

last weekend’s successful efforts to bring school lunches normally provided at the City’s schools to students at their homes. He also cited the fundraising efforts of the Falls Church Education Foundation providing $17,000 in emergency assistance to this task through its Family Assistance Fund.

That assistance came in the form of $50 per student grocery gift cards that were also provided to designated hourly staff in the school system.

Mayor Tarter, in his statement Monday, cited the recommendations of health experts to maintain a social distancing of six feet from others, to practice good hygiene by washing hands frequently. not shaking hands or making other physical contact, and staying at home if feeling unwell.

An extended discussion among F.C. City Council members preceded the unanimous vote noting that the President earlier in the day called on citizens not to gather in groups of over 10 people, a number that began at 100 a couple days ago, and adjusted to 50 just Sunday. But it was affirmed that this policy is a recommendation, not a mandate, at least for now. Still, it was noted that Falls Church businesses have begun to simply shutter until the emergency passes, with Clare and Don’s Beach Shack and Thompson Italian restaurants cited along with the Ireland’s Four Provinces, that paid an ultimate sacrifice by closing for St. Patrick’s Day Tuesday (an up-to-date list of City and area restaurant statuses is available on FCNP.com).

Falls Church City Manager Wyatt Shields reported that City officials have gone door-to-door to look in on senior citizens, in particular, noting that there was a meeting with all City employees with leaders of the Fairfax County Health Department Monday to share information about the virus and its highly infectious nature.

Another City Hall-wide meeting was held Tuesday to discuss the City’s response and whether some at City Hall will be assigned to work offsite. Teams have been formed in charge of vulnerable populations in the City, remote work, service counter operations at City Hall, human resources and long-term planning. Another tasked with public meetings is planning this weekend’s scheduled town hall on the City’s Fiscal Year 2021 budget that will be available to watch live online.

“This is a very stressful time that we’re in, and our focus is to be

gentle and kind with one another, to display empathy toward those who are reacting to the tension,” Shields said.

Councilman David Snyder urged a focus on the medical evidence, facts and science. This crisis will not be without costs to businesses and employees, and the harm to humans will be serious, he said, plunging the economy into a recession if not a depression. He said the choice in many cases may be between closing or adjusting to the crisis.

Councilman Ross Litkenhous offered that the Council may play a role in mitigating the economic impacts by urging a deferral of rent payments by landlords, who in turn, could receive a deferral of real estate taxes. He noted that two months of business can provide an entire year of profitability for many small businesses. He suggested the City develop a single phone number for citizens to call into during the crisis for information and support.

Council member Letty Hardi suggested that work be done to urge landlords to avoid evictions of tenants during the crisis.

“We’ve got to look out for the little guys,” she said.

Shields said that while a lot more tests for the virus are being made available, mass testing is “not imminent” and criteria remain strict for getting one. Late Tuesday, the report came of the first drive-through testing capability in Northern Virginia at the Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington and the Kaiser Permanente in Tysons.

Shields said that current plans are for the City’s parks to remain open (even as the community center and library are now closed).

Councilman Phil Duncan suggested converting the community center and Winter Hill center can be used for shelters to help citizens address the crisis, and Councilman Dan Sze noted the increasingly drastic steps taken in places like New Jersey, like its 8 p.m. curfew, and the “shelter in place” edicts in seven San Francisco Bay Area counties.

Vice Mayor Marybeth Connelly asked for the situation in the jails, and the impact of closing the City’s homeless shelter three weeks early.

Governor Northam, in his statement Tuesday, stipulated that steps are being taken at the state level to help citizens deal with the consequences of the steps being taken to limit the spread of the virus. They include the following:

Continued on Page 16

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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MARCH 19 – 25, 2020 | PAGE 15

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B������� N��� � N���� F.C. Chamber Urges Support of Business Community During Pandemic The coronavirus is taking a toll on the Falls Church business community as businesses opt to either change their operations or close altogether to help squelch community spread.

Business owners are worried not only for their families and friends but also for their employees, many of whom are hourly staff. To help support our business community, purchase items from retailers or food from restaurants online or over the phone for delivery or curb-side pick-up, purchase gift cards for use at a later date, and stay in touch via social media by responding, commenting, and sharing posts. Most businesses are providing updates via Facebook so check their Pages for recent news and consider joining the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce’s Live Local Falls Church Group as most updates are being shared there as well.

Local Tech Support Biz Offers Help During COVID-19 Crisis Businesses that are cancelling meetings and considering virtual meeting options may want to contact Falls Church Tech Support. Owner and Falls Church resident Marcin Żmudzki is offering to assist local businesses, organizations and home-based professionals with the selection of tools, configuration of the options, and hosting online meetings, selecting the right tools and platform for online meetings, configuring the various options etc. In addition, Falls Church Tech Support is offering local businesses a 12-month payment plan for any IT support or consulting expenses incurred with them during this COVID-19 crisis. For more information, visit www.FallsChurchTechSupport.com or contact Zmudski directly at 202-421-6172 or mz@FallsChurchTechSupport.com.

The Falls Church Sears location at 6211 Leesburg Pike in Seven Corners is set to close on Sunday, April 12. One of the few locations remaining in Northern Virginia, it is liquidating its inventory by offering 10 percent to 50 percent off the lowest ticketed price for the store’s entire selection of appliances, furniture, clothing and other items. All sales are final.

The store was open to the public as of Tuesday but the public should call the store to verify it is open and place orders for pick up at 703-531-6900.

GiftRocker Gives Restaurants Online Gift Card Solution Local restaurants and retailers that are not already offering gift card options online may want to consider signing up online gift card solutions. There are a number of companies that provide this service but GiftRocker is focused on small to medium sized stores and restaurants and appears to be the most popular among Falls Church businesses. Subscriptions start at $30 per month and include a branded page customized to match the business’s website and eco-friendly and economical physical gift cards. For more information, visit www.giftrocker.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

F.C. Emergency Continued from Page 14

• No waiting for unemployment benefits. Northam has directed the Commissioner of the Virginia Employment Commission to waive the one-week waiting period to ensure workers can receive benefits as soon as possible.

• Enhanced eligibility for unemployment. Workers may be eligible to receive unemployment benefits if an employer needs to temporarily slow or cease operations due to COVID-19. If a worker has been issued a notice to self-quarantine by a medical or public health official and is not receiving paid sick or medical leave from their employer, they may be eligible to receive unemployment benefits. In addition, a worker may be eligible for unemployment benefits if they must stay home to care for an ill family member and are not receiving paid family medical leave from their employer.

• Fewer restrictions. For individuals receiving unemployment insurance, Governor Northam is directing the Virginia Employment Commission to give affected workers special consideration on deadlines, mandatory re-employment appointments, and work search requirements.

Moreover, according to Supervisor John Foust of the neighboring Dranesville District of Fairfax County, the governor has “activated regional workforce teams to support employers that slow or cease operations such that they are not financially penalized for an increase in workers requesting unemployment benefits and is authorizing rapid response funding, through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, for eligible employers to remain open during this emergency, with funds avail-

able for cleaning facilities and supporting emergency needs.

Sally Cole, executive director of the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce, provided a list of things her organization is doing to help local businesses, including referencing Councilman Litkenhous’ push to defer rents by providing incentives for property owners.

She said she participated in a conference call with other Chamber leaders in the state about access to federal loans through the Small Business Association and said that progress on that will depend upon support from the governor. She said she’s working to make sure Falls Church gets included in any area relief plans.

While practicing social distancing, a list of volunteer opportunities for citizens wishing to help includes the following: 1. Signing up for school meals distribution support 2. Donating directly to services helping families in need, such as the F.C. Education Foundation’s Family Assistance Fund. According to Debbie Hiscott and Cecily Shea of the FCEDF, donations can be made directly through www.fcedf. org by clicking on “Donate Now.” 3. The National Domestic Workers Alliance points out that we especially need to “take care of the people who care for us.”

Nannies, housekeepers, and care workers are among the hardest hit by the pandemic and its effects on employment. Those who employ care workers and other support providers are urged to make sure that they are paid through this crisis to help them continue to take care of their own families and yours.

4. Support small businesses and family-run restaurants. Many small businesses do not have the resources to weather long-term closures. Purchasing gift cards and

Continued on Page 18

Postponed AAUW BOOK SALE In light of the presence of COVID-19 in our communities and the need for all of us to comply with social distancing and CDC guidance, the AAUW Falls Church Branch is postponing the April 17-18, 2020 book sale, and ceasing immediately all collection of books and book sorting activities at the Willston Community Center and other locations. The Branch intends to reschedule the book sale when the virus seems to be under control and national and local community officials believe it is safe for our community to gather together. For updates call 703-637-4488 or visit the fallschurchaareaaauw-va.net.

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BASIS INDEPENDENT MCLEAN pre-kindergarten students participated in Read Across America earlier this month with instructors Ciera Johnson (center) and Maria Paula Echandia (right) with BIM Head of School, Paul Geise. Geise read one of the “Elephant & Piggie” books by author Mo Willems to a class of three-year-olds and teachers. (P����: C������� M��� C���������)

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S����� N��� � N���� Spring Sports Season Delayed by VHSL The Virginia High School League (VHSL) announced it has delayed the start of the spring sports season statewide due to concerns around spreading the coronavirus. VHSL will re-evaulate its suspension on Wednesday and determine the next steps to take.

McLean Sophomore is Portrait Gallery Contest Finalist McLean High School sophomore Libby Eick, a Photography 2 student, was one of 15 finalists nationwide in the National Portrait Gallery’s 2020 National Teen Portrait Competition. Eick’s work was selected from among 629 entries around the United States..

Her artist statement reads as follows: “‘Fleeting Moments’ by Libby Eick, 10th grade, Virginia “There is constant movement in my house. Phones ring, ovens beep and people rush in and out of the house all day long. The moment captured in this portrait, quickly past, is insignificant in

my sister’s life and in mine. What makes this photograph special is that it captures and reflects who she is during a rare minute of stillness. Something as insignificant as putting on makeup to go to the mall can communicate both the mildness of everyday life and the extraordinary world that we live in now. It shows the chaos of our teenage years, and our slow formation as individuals. All of this is captured in a single moment, imprinted on film and brought to life by strokes of developer.”

Justice High Cancels Spring Play Production Wolfpack Theatre’s spring play, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” which was planned to run from March 19 – 21 at Justice High School (3301 Peace Valley Lane, Falls Church), has been canceled in light of the school closings to avoid the spread of the coronavirus.

McLean High Receives Press Freedom Award McLean High School is one of three Fairfax County Public Schools — and among only nine

schools nationwide — selected as a recipient of the 2020 First Amendment Press Freedom Award. This is the fourth award for McLean High.

The award is bestowed by the Journalism Education Association (JEA), the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA), and Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society.

The First Amendment Press Freedom Award recognizes public high schools that actively support, teach and protect First Amendment rights and responsibilities of students and teachers, with an emphasis on student-run media where students make all final decisions of content.

As in previous years, schools competed for the title by first answering questionnaires submitted by an adviser and at least one editor; those who advanced to the next level were asked to provide responses from the principal and all media advisers and one student editor per student media. Media staffs also submitted their policies.

The schools will be honored April 16 at the opening ceremony of the JEA-NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention in Nashville.

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

F.C. Response Continued from Page 16

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takeout meals and otherwise supporting their efforts can be vitally helpful.

In his communique Tuesday, FCCPS Superintendent Noonan stated that school days that are missed during the shutdown will not need to be made up. Additionally, there are some days “in the bank,” so if buildings must remain closed there is some flexibility.

He added, the SOL, AP and IB testing timelines remain uncertain. “If we are back in school and taking SOL exams, we will exercise the latest assessment window possible, but within our defined school year, to ensure we have the best opportunity for success,” he wrote, adding, the “Virginia Department of Education is actively seeking waivers from the U.S. DOE and we have been reassured by the State Superintendent that we should not worry about SOL testing at this point.”

He stated that graduation is still planned for June 10, but that if this changes due to circumstances from COVID-19, that will be communicated as soon as possible. To date, it has not been contemplated to extend the school year and June 17 will remain the last day of school.

He said that the principals at Mount Daniel and Thomas

Jefferson were slated Tuesday to send out a communication about plans to keep the learning going and yesterday Henderson and Mason principals were slated to send a similar document.

School sites will remain closed for cleaning and maintenance. If, however, a student must get something from a locker or classroom, they are advised to contact their school principal to make arrangements as of yesterday.

Student families with any food and nutrition or other needs during this time can reach out to your school’s social worker via email or phone. Their contact information can be found on our FCCPS website individual school websites.

The school system will be communicating about supporting special education students, students with 504 plans, and our ESOL students, Noonan added. Student case managers will be reaching out directly to families for details on the support that will be provided.

The School Board work session scheduled for Tuesday night was postponed until next Wednesday, March 25, and to ensure compliance with the open meetings laws, that meeting will be streamed on YouTube. Those wishing to speak at upcoming regular School Board meetings, can contact Marty Gadell at gadellm@fccps.org.

Noonan said he will provide thorough updates every Tuesday and Friday.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

CA LE NDA R

FALLS CHURCHCALENDAR In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic affecting the globe and policies enacted to avoid social gatherings, the News-Press will publish a list of virtual events weekly in lieu of its regular listings.

If you have a virtual event you’d like to see listed, please email calendar@fcnp.com.

Deadline is 5 p.m. Monday weekly.

VIRTUALEVENTS THURSDAY, MARCH 19 Virtual Class: Moderate Vinyasa Yoga Flow. This moderate vinyasa flow class will offer the practice of balance linking breath and movement while providing a boost of energy. 10 a.m. Visit facebook.com/pg/ekoehealth/ events to register and join the class.

TUESDAY, MARCH 24 Distance Learning with eMediaVA Webinar Series for Parents.

Learn more about how to use eMediaVA, Virginia’s premier digital content library, to support engaging, effective digital learning, during this virtual event for parents. eMediaVA is available free of charge for public, private and home educators in Virginia, including parents.

Led by WHRO Education staff, this webinar series will focus on effective skills, tips, and techniques to prepare for successful distance learning using eMediaVA. Registration required for this free event at www.whro. org/webinar.

SCHEDULED DAILY Lunch Doodles with children’s author Mo Willems. Learners

worldwide can draw, doodle and explore new ways of writing by visiting Mo’s studio virtually once a day for the next few weeks. Participants should grab some paper and pencils, pens or crayons and join Mo to explore ways of writing and making together. Daily at 1 p.m.

Visit kennedy-center.org/education/mo-willems to watch.

Home Safari Facebook Live.

The Cincinnati Zoo is offering a Home Safari Facebook Live each weekday where zoo staffers will highlight one of the animals and include an activity that viewers can do from home. Daily at 3 p.m. To join the live stream, visit facebook.com/61800120478/ posts/10158043843010479.

Virtual Museum Tours. Google Arts & Culture teamed up with over 2,500 museums and galleries around the world to bring anyone and everyone vir-

tual tours and online exhibits of some of the most famous museums around the world. The collection includes the British Museum in London, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Guggenheim in New York City and more. This collection is geared toward students who are looking for ways to stay on top of their studies while schools are closed. Visit .travelandleisure.com/attractions/museumsgalleries/museums-with-virtualtours to find out more about taking a tour.

Virtual Tour of the Great Wall of China. As China’s most famous attraction, the Great Wall of China is an essential stop on any trip to the country. Commonly considered a wonder of the world, the Great Wall boasts a history of over 2,000 years and stretches more than 3,000 miles across several provinces of northern China, making it one

MARCH 19 – 25, 2020 | PAGE 19

of the most impressive ancient structures on the planet. This is an activity targeted at students who may miss school for a significant amount of time. Visit thechinaguide.com/destination/ great-wall-of-china to start the tour.

Boston Children’s Museum Virtual Tour. Interested participants can walk through the Boston Children’s Museum thanks to Google Maps, This virtual tour allows kids to explore all three floors of this facility. To do so, visit bostonchildrensmuseum.org / museum-virtual-tour.

“Stars in the House.” Playbill correspondent and SiriusXM Broadway host Seth Rudetsky and producer James Wesley will produce a daily live streamed concert series, “Stars in the House,” to promote support for The Actors Fund and its services in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. New shows air daily at 2 and 8 p.m., featuring performances by stars of stage and screen and conversations with Rudetsky between each tune.

Stream at actorsfund.org/aboutus/news/stars-house.

PAGE 20 | MARCH 19 - 25, 2020

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5 miles from Town of Halifax. Original pine flooring, 10’ windows, most with original panes. 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, master bedroom bath and kitchen added in 1992. 2 barns, pond, fenced and crossed fenced. Shown by appointment. 434-476-4858. Leave message. Will return call.

AUCTIONS PUBLIC AUCTION In accordance with

the Virginia Self-Storage Act, section 55-419 F, notice is hereby given that the contents of the following rental storage spaces located at Fort Knox Self-Storage will be offered for sale: 699-Landscape Designs Inc, Simpson & Co, 730-Scott Peters, 661-Donna Shoulders. Sale will be held online at storagetreasures.com. Pictures can be viewed at that site. Bidding will begin at 9:00am on March 20th and will conclude at 9:00am on March 25th winning bidder will be required to pay a $100.00 per unit refundable clean-out deposit (cash).

Other Payments by Credit Card Only

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Crossword

ACROSS

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1. Sulu and Uhura on “Star Trek”: Abbr.

4. First and last black key on a standard piano 10. Locale of Charon’s ferry 14. Something to say to a doctor 15. Taiwan’s capital 16. New Mexico skiing mecca 17. Demoralized 19. What un desierto lacks 20. Folk singer Guthrie 21. Co. leader 22. Like a disciplinarian’s talk 23. Kvetch 24. Shook a fist at, e.g.

27. “South Pacific” song 29. Birth announcement abbr.

30. ____-wop 31. “Time is money,” e.g.

32. Fib 33. What an interviewer does 34. Unfinished sandwich, perhaps ... or a true statement about 17-, 24-, 50- and 58-Across 38. “Really?”

41. Muffin grain 42. Madison Ave. industry 46. Capitol Bldg. figure 47. “You da ____!”

48. Creator and star of “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl” 50. Internal combustion device 53. Creator of the GOP elephant 54. Ready for an on-air interview

STRANGE BREW

Across 1. Sulu and Uhura on "Star Trek": Abbr.

55. QVC sister channel 56. “____ consummation devoutly to be wish’d”: Hamlet 57. Actress Hathaway 58. Tidied 61. Prince Harry’s alma mater 62. Estadio ____ (Mexico City stadium) 63. 911 response letters 64. A ton 65. Put cash up front 66. “Agnus ____”

DOWN

1. Only song on Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” list that is not sung in English 2. 2006 novel for which Cormac McCarthy won a Pulitzer Prize 3. Clinton cabinet member Donna 4. Consumed 5. Holy places 6. Cab Calloway phrase 7. “That’s ____ excuse ...”

8. “<<” button: Abbr.

9. ATM entry 10. Utter 11. Final pieces 12. Reassuring words for a fallen tot 13. Love letters?

18. “West Side Story” duet 22. Bourbon and Beale: Abbr.

25. Director Kazan 26. Be a lookout for, e.g.

28. “Isn’t ____ bit like you and me?” (Beatles lyric)

JOHN DEERING

Sudoku

MARCH 19 – 25, 2020 | PAGE 21 32. Allow 33. Medium tempo 35. It generates interest 36. Canine’s canine 37. ____ in “elephant” 38. Third word of “Moby Dick” 39. Investigate 40. Tangled 43. In cornrows 44. “My guess is ...”

45. Fraternity founded in 1847 at New York University 47. ____ school 48. Foot part 49. Philosopher who tutored Nero 51. They start after 12 52. “____ to eat and run ... “ 58. 40 winks 59. Old Testament book: Abbr.

60. Thumbs-down vote Last Thursday’s Solution A T P A R

S E A L E V N E O L R S

W A R C L O U D S

L U C I A

W E N D Y

O V E N S

E L K P O A R L E T R S D O U C A A S E I A O U

S I B S A V O W L A C E N C A E V E R S A L Z O E E L R I V E I R B D I I B I S G E A U G L N O L

A S A N I V E R Y E

T S K E A T E A G R A T I N O E D U N Y E E S F I T I N S A N O L G A T E L C A N E H E A D O M I N E T

D R A N K O N E A S S T S

By The Mepham Group

Level 1 2 3 4

4. First and last black key on a standard piano 10. Locale of Charon's ferry 14. Something to say to a doctor 15. Taiwan's capital 16. New Mexico skiing mecca 17. Demoralized 19. What un desierto lacks 20. Folk singer Guthrie

1

21. Co. leader 22. Like a disciplinarian's talk 23. Kvetch 24. Shook a fist at, e.g.

Solution to last Sunday’s puzzle

27. "South Pacific" song 29. Birth announcement abbr.

NICK KNACK

© 2020 N.F. Benton

1

3/22/20

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 sudoku.org.uk. © 2020 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.

LO CA L

PAGE 22 | MARCH 19 – 25, 2020

dog. lazy ick qu The fox sly p e d j u m the over dog. lazy is the Now for all time cows good co me to aid to the the ir of t u r e . pas

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BACK IN THE DAY

25 � 10 Y���� A�� �� ��� N���-P���� Falls Church News-Press Vol. IV, No. 52 • March 16, 1995

Falls Church News-Press Vol. XX, No. 4 • March 25, 2010

It is now the time fo r all good to go cows to aid of the p a s their ture . * * * Throw * * Pour it up. it up

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

C������ C����� 10 Year s Ago

It is now the time fo r all good to go cows to aid of the the ir pas ture . * * * Throw * * Pour it up. it up

Lasso Submits Budget With 11.4% Hike In Taxes for Average City Homeowner

Long Time Coming, F.C. Council OKs Affordable Housing Projectl

The combination of a proposed 5.25% increase in the size of the budget and an average 3.3% increase in residential assessments will result in a one-year jump in the average homeowner’s tax bill in the City of Falls Church, if the budget proposed

by City Manager David Lasso at the City Council meeting Monday night is approved.

Bracketed by nationally historic developments on health care reform Sunday (when Congress passed it) and Tuesday (when the president signed it into law) this week, The Little City of Falls Church enacted its own historic legislation Monday night.

70-Year Falls Church Resident Dot Fernald Dies Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend, Dot Fernald passed away on March 14, 2020 at Powhatan Nursing Center in Falls Church, Virginia. Born in Anthony, Rhode Island on May 10, 1920, she was the only child of Dr. Graydon Smith and Myrtle Umphrey Smith.

Dot was raised in Rhode Island and Washburn, Maine. She attended Colby College in Waterville, Maine where she met Clarence Fernald to whom she was married for 46 years prior to his death in 1986.

Dorothy and Clarence raised two daughters in Falls Church City where she lived for 70 years.

She was a Sunday School teacher and church librarian at Columbia Baptist Church, and an active citizen with Citizens for a Better City and volunteer work with the PTA. Dot was an avid amateur genealogist who traced her roots to the prominent Brown and Smith families of Providence, Rhode Island and on her mother’s side to immi-

grants from England and Sweden.

She kept scrapbooks of family pictures and events that span her lifetime.

For many years Dorothy hosted every important family event. Even in her 99th year she was part of holiday gatherings of extended family. She is survived by her daughters, Linda Kangarloo and husband Ahmad of Middletown, Virginia and Carol Mallory and husband

C � � � � � F� � � � C � � � � �

CRIME REPORT Week of March 9 – 15, 2020 Drunk in Public, 300 blk Hillwood Ave, March 9 1:23 AM, following a call for service, a male, 38, of Sterling, VA, was arrested for drunk in public.

Driving Under the Influence, 1000 blk N sycamore St, March 9 4:00 AM, following a traffic stop, a male, 46, of Silver Spring, MD, was arrested for driving under the influ-

ence and unreasonable refusal.

Larceny From Building, 400 blk S Maple Ave, Between Nov 26 and Jan 6, unknown suspect(s) took items of value.

Auto Theft, 6600 blk Wilson Blvd, March 11 between 1:00 PM and 9:00 PM, unknown suspect(s) took an unattended motorcycle.

Larceny From Vehicle, 200 blk Jackson St, between March 11

Walt of Falls Church, Virginia.

Grandsons Jonathan Kangarloo and wife Andrea of Fairfax, Virginia, and Jason Kangarloo and wife Lauren of Potomac Falls, Virginia. Granddaughters Jennifer Kangarloo of Washington, D.C., Beth Mallory and husband Bill Harlow of Falls Church, Virginia, and Sara Mallory and husband Fred Shahidi of Hamilton, Virginia. Great-granddaughters Kaylin Kangarloo and Harper Kangarloo of Potomac Falls, Virginia. She is also survived by her nephews Glen Fernald of Richmond, Virginia, Ray Fernald of Midlothian, Virginia, Marshall Fernald of Alexandria, Virginia; her cousin Robert Umphrey and wife Donna of Presque Isle, Maine, and her devoted caretaker, Erlinda Nascimi.

Burial will be private in Falls Church, Virginia. A memorial service will be announced in the future.

Memorial remembrances may be made to Columbia Baptist Church, AARP or Colby College.

10:00 PM and March 12 8:00 PM, unknown suspect(s) removed part of a parked vehicle.

Larceny From Vehicle, 200 blk E Fairfax St, between March 11 9:00 PM and March 12 8:30 PM, unknown suspect(s) removed part of a parked vehicle.

Larceny From Vehicle, 1000 blk E Broad St, March 12 between 5:00 Am and 6:00 AM, unknown suspect(s) removed part of a parked vehicle.

Assault, 400 blk S Spring St, March 14 6:42 PM, following a call for service, a male, 35, of Falls Church City, VA, was arrested for strangulation, simple Assault and Battery, and Drunk in Public.

DON’T YOU HAVE SOMEWHERE TO BE? Finley is happy to have his humans around the house more thanks to the new social distancing policies, but even he likes his space sometimes. I mean, how is he supposed to get away with chewing up throw pillows and rogue socks with people home at all times? Just don’t tell him he’s immune to the coronavirus — he might get some even crazier ideas.

Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! Send in your Critter Corner submissions to crittercorner@fcnp.com.

MARCH 19 – 25, 2020 | PAGE 23

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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PAGE 24 | MARCH 19 – 25, 2020

At Beyer Auto, the health of our customers and staff is our top priority. We understand that the Coronavirus is a growing concern and we take this matter very seriously. That's why we are actively implementing processes to better serve you—without you needing to leave the safety and comfort of your home.

T6 MOMENTUM

In order to protect the immunocompromised population such as the elderly, pregnant women, children, and individuals with pre-existing conditions, we have taken measures to provide our services to best suit the public, including: • An established a process that brings our vehicles to your door with all transactions being performed digitally.

• Thorough practices involving frequent hand washing, use of sanitizers, and sterilization of surfaces at all locations.

Stock # 12420B MSRP $59,790 $4528 due at signing plus taxes, tag, title, acquisition, dealer processing fee of $799.No security deposit. Price includes all available incentives.

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We wish everyone the best during this difficult time.

Inventory is at an all time low.

We have buyers looking for homes so now is a good time to sell!

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Call ROCK STAR Realty Group when buying or selling your home: 703-867-8674

JOIN US at our Virtual Open Houses! Visit ROCKSTARRealtyGroup.com/Open-Houses VIRTUAL Open House

The federal reserve just cut interest rates so now is a good to to buy!

FOR SALE!

1013 Birch St, Falls Church City FCC Schools

5 Bed

Please contact me if you, or a family member or friend, need a caring, competent, and informed real estate professional.

Over 4,000 sq. ft

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2501 Crest Street, Alexandria City 3 Bed 2 Bath

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8518 Old Dominion Dr, Mclean, VA 22102 5 Bed 5 Renovated Baths REALTOR®

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

2101 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201

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2761 W George Mason Rd, Falls Church 3 Bed

Updated kitchen

2.5 Bath

Tremendous Location

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Tori@ROCKSTARRealtyGroup.com ROCKSTARRealtyGroup.com © 2019 Tori McKinney, LLC