March 28 - April 3, 2024
Fa lls Chur c h, V i r g i ni a • ww w. fc np. c om • Fr ee
Fou n d e d 1991 • Vol. XXXIV No. 7
The City of Falls Church’s Independent, Locally-Owned Newspaper of Record, Serving N. Virginia
G.I. Bill’s Role MUSIC TO THEIR EARS In Birth of F.C. as City 75 Years Ago When Tyler Gardens Was A Game Changer for City by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
As City of Falls Church officials struggle for the first time in more than a decade to make meaningful gains increasing its affordable housing stock in the face of a deepening regional and national housing shortage crisis, historians are coming forward to point out how the very existence of the Little City as an independent jurisdiction is owed in significant part to a huge affordable housing advance in the post-World War II era that coincided with its official establishment. While the City was being formally incorporated in 1947, an occasion being marked with numerous 75th anniversary events this year culminating in August, it was not a coincidence that the biggest housing project in the City’s history was being undertaken at the same time. It was the monstrous, by standards here then, Tyler Gardens housing project (now known as Winter Hill and Cherry Hill), with 472 rental units on 27 acres, by far the biggest undertaking in the history of Falls Church in its pre-independent city iterations as an agricultural waystation, summer getaway for DC’ers, pocket of post-Civil War Black dwellings and legally-designated “town.” It was in the works since 1942, intended to be what was called by the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration “war housing.” The “war housing” was needed to house the flood of persons moving into the region to take jobs as part of the war effort, and they were also for the planned return home of millions
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HENDERSON MIDDLE SCHOOL students show off their progress in Jonathan Mills’ band course, focused on performing techniques, music reading, terminology, and communication, according to the International Baccalaureate curriculum standards. (Photo: Chrissy Henderson )
F.C. Area’s Ilia Malinin Is Now World Champ
by Nick Gatz
Falls Church News-Press
Local Skating Phenom Ilia Malinin, a 2023 George Marshall High School Grad, leads Team USA at the 2024 World Figuring Skating competition. In what can only be described as the USA’s most dominate performance in more than 2 decades, Malinin the self-described “Quad God,” led the way as he won Gold. Malinin’s skating performance was set to the theme song of ‘Succession’ a popular
HBO series. He was able to land six quadruple jumps and a quad axel. The 19-year old is still the only skater to land the quad in competition. Malinin attends George Mason University in Fairfax Va. and is led by his coaches Tatiana Malinina and Roman Skorniakov, who also happen to be his parents. Skaters themselves who competed for their home country of Uzbekistan. Malinin completed the competion with a score of 333.76 — besting second place Yuma Kagiyama by 24 points.
It’s been a long time, since the Americans have seen this kind of success at the World Championships. In addition to Malinin, American ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates took home gold as well, which was their second consecutive world title. The last time the Americans were able to take home two gold medals at the World Championships was in 1996 in Edmonton. Malinin’s breakthrough comes on the international stage, where he captured the
hearts of audiences with his captivating performances. His elegant spins, gravity-defying jumps, and expressive choreography earned him acclaim from fans and fellow skaters alike. With each competition, Malinin continues to raise the bar, pushing the boundaries of what was thought possible in figure skating. The pinnacle of Malinin’s career came this year at the World Figure Skating Championship, where he delivered a performance for the ages.
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