Ma rc h 3 1 - A p r i l 6, 2016
Fa lls Chur c h, V i r g i ni a • ww w. fc np. c om • Fr ee
Fou n d ed 1991 • Vol. X X V I N o. 6
Falls Church • Tysons Corner • Merrifield • McLean • North Arlington • Bailey’s Crossroads
Inside This Week F.C. Arts All Member Show This Friday Over 70 artists will be participating in the 13th annual Falls Church Arts All Members Show opening this Friday, April 1 at 7:30 p.m.
See News Briefs, page 8
A Brief History of the Falls Church News-Press On the week of its 25th birthday, News-Press founder and owner Nichola F. Benton chronicles the first 25 years of Falls Church’s newspaper of record.
F.C. Council Nixes Shields’ Plan to Add 2-Cent Buffer to Budget Talks O n the H unt
Most Speak Out For No Rate Hike At All This Time
by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
sure, forbidding parking in the evenings to anyone who hasn’t been granted a pass. All residents in the Winter Hill Community Association area will be given passes for each of the vehicles they have registered at City Hall, as well as a booklet of temporary visitor passes. Signage announcing the restricted parking on Annandale Road, James Street and Gundry Drive behind the 280-unit West
In an unexpected move, the tax-conscious Falls Church City Council split a pair of critical votes Monday night by 5-2 margins to constrain its options for raising revenues for the coming fiscal year budget. The routine pattern is for the city manager to propose his budget — which Wyatt Shields did two weeks ago at $87 million with a 2.5-cent increase in the real estate tax rate (from $1.315 to $1.34 per $100 of assessed valuations) — but then to tack on a symbolic extra two cents to the tax rate as a formality by the Council to give itself proverbial “wiggle room” in crafting the new budget. That’s done because state law prohibits a governing body from raising the tax rate above its advertised rate. But this City Council was in no mood to signal anything about even a symbolic gesture to allow for unexpected developments, and abruptly voted down the suggestion from Shields that the twocent added cushion go into what the Council will now advertise as the budget proposal that it will deliberate on between now and April 25. Following a vigorous debate, the vote was 5-2 against Shields’ suggestion, with only Karen Oliver and Vice Mayor Marybeth Connelly voting yes, and Mayor David Tarter, Phil Duncan, Dan Sze and Letty Hardi voting no. A subsequent motion was made to max out the advertised tax rate at $1.34, and it passed, 5-2, with
Continued on Page 4
Continued on Page 5
See pages 19-22
David Brooks: The Sexual Politics Of 2016
These days we’re living through another great redefinition of masculinity. Today, both men and women are called upon to live up to the traditional ideals of both genders. See page 14
Press Pass with Judah and the Lion
The Nashville quartet Judah and the Lion entered the studio to make their sophomore album Folk Hop ‘N Roll, which was released on March 4, with the desire to remain artistically uninhibited. See page 32
EGG-CITED YOUNGSTERS by the hundreds raced for Easter eggs at the City of Falls Church’s annual hunt on the ground of Cherry Hill Park last Saturday. See more Easter egg hunt photos, page 28. (Photo: Claudette Brown)
Restricted Parking Plan Behind New West Broad Project OK’d by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
Index
Editorial..................6 Letters....................6 News & Notes.12-13 Comment......... 14-17 Sports..................18 Business News....29
Food & Dining......30 Calendar.........34-35 Classified Ads .....36 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword...........37 Critter Corner.......38
It will be a matter of weeks, instead of months, before Falls Church City Hall will begin to implement a new residential parking permit program for residents behind the nearly-completed West Broad Apartments. F.C. City Manager Wyatt Shields promised this following a 6-1 vote of the City Council Monday night to amend the City code to establish
neighborhood-specific residential parking permit programs in the City. Some residents have already moved into the large-scale mixed use West Broad structure, and the Harris Teeter on its ground floor is due to open July 20. As the project is completed, pressure on available on-street parking options for the already parkingstrapped Winter Hill Community Association will escalate. The new parking permit policy will hopefully alleviate that pres-
PAGE 2 | MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2016
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PAGE 4 | MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2016
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Winter Hill to Get Parking Permits Continued from Page 1
Broad announcing the restricted parking policy will go up quickly, Shields told the Council. In passing the new ordinance Monday, the City Council dismissed the recommendation of Shields that the matter be deferred until some sort of a “quid pro quo” with the community association be negotiated. The City is wanting to get an agreement from the association to permit police officers to enter the private parking areas behind the condos to check vehicles for expired personal property tax decals. Only Council member Phil Duncan held out for the City’s ability to cut the deal with the association by voting “no” on the passage of the ordinance Monday. The other six Council members voted in support of the request of numerous residents of the area to not delay moving ahead. Diane Bartley, vice-president of the community association, told the Council that she would work to win approval of the City’s request at its next board meeting in mid-April. However, one resident spoke up saying he was not convinced he should support such
a policy since it would amount to a prejudice against anyone living in the small Winter Hill condos with their common space parking. Single family home owners would not be faced with the same invasion of their private property, he said. Council member David Snyder also questioned the policy of “leveraging” the adoption of the on-street parking restriction policy with the unrelated matter of allowing police on to the private parking areas of Winter Hill residents. Shields said it has been City policy recently to negotiate proffers on new multi-family development projects that include permission for the City police to patrol their parking lots to check for expired decals. But it was pointed out that there is not an equivalency between people going into a new development where the policy has been arranged in advance and those who have lived for years in existing residences who will be subject to the new terms for the first time. “Each party in this has something they want,” Duncan argued as the only vote for a delay. “The City wants to go onto the private property and the residents want on-street parking passes.”
Under the new policy, it will be at the discretion of the City Manager to determine what neighborhoods and streets in the City will be subject to parking restrictions. For example, the Winter Hill Condominium Association, which is different than the community association and includes residences somewhat further from the new West Broad apartments on S. Virginia, James Court and Hampton Court, has not yet agreed to a restricted parking agreement with the City. Council member Karen Oliver noted that the new policy will now “move the City down the path of Arlington,” where neighborhood parking restrictions are common throughout that county. Shields said the new policy will follow the model of Arlington in that residents will not be charged for their parking permits and that the hours when the restrictions will be in effect are the overnight hours. The fact that the West Broad apartments are charging its residents for parking spaces in its onsite parking garage has added to the need for the nearby neighbors to have a way to protect their few on-street parking spaces, he added.
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Council Rejects Buffer Rate Continued from Page 1
Duncan and Oliver voting no and the rest of them yes. Oliver voted no on the second motion because she was the strongest advocate for the Council allowing itself some flexibility, saying it “is only a starting point before any hearings or deliberations to learn more about the City’s needs” and “we have to ensure the long-term health of the City,” while Duncan voted no because he was adamant that not only Shields’ proposed 2.5-cent increase should be entertained. Tarter, Sze and Hardi expressed hard line positions with Duncan that no tax rate increase should be included this year, while Snyder said he’d agree to a little flexibility but not to $1.36. With four of the seven Council members talking of no rate increase, period, before even starting their deliberations this spring, Falls Church Schools Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones was sitting wide-eyed in the back of the chamber. The component of the schools’ proposed budget this spring is driven by continued record rates of
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enrollment growth and teacher pay hikes designed to make the City’s schools competitive with neighboring Arlington for retaining the best teachers. Sze was among those adamant that the tax rate be kept at zero growth this year. “We need to give the citizens a break for a year,” he said. He cautioned that “there are breathtaking increases in front of us,” including $4 million for the acquisition of new school property, while the City is saddled with $485,000 in annual debt service payments on a bond for the renovation and expansion of the Mt. Daniel Elementary School that has already been sold even as the Mt. Daniel project is stalled in the hands of Fairfax County officials. The Council gave unanimous preliminary first reading approval to other tax increase components of Shields’ recommended budget, including for the personal property tax, the cigarette tax, the sewer rate, and the stormwater utility rate. It gave a preliminary OK to Shields; proposed budget for capital improvement projects by a 6-1 vote, with Hardi voting no.
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MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2016 | PAGE 5
PRIOR TO MONDAY’S Falls Church City Council meeting, a ceremony was held to dedicate a “Pinwheel Garden” across from the public library at the edge of Cherry Hill Park, an initiative of Council member Letty Hardi as part of the Council’s recognition of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. A sign posted at the site reads, “This pinwheel garden represents what we want for every child, a happy, safe and carefree childhood.” (Photo: News-Press)
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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. ©2016 Benton Communications Inc. The News-Press is printed on recycled paper.
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In the Name Of Privacy
Falls Church City officials and residents of the Winter Hill neighborhood should move cautiously toward an agreement that the City is pushing for to allow police to enter common-area parking lots of the Winter Hill Community Association members to check for delinquent vehicle decals. No one is questioning the motives of the City in making this request, since it is only in an effort to make sure everyone is paying their fair share in local taxes. Yet no one is suggesting that owners of free-standing homes in the City be asked to allow police to make the same kinds of inspections on their private property. That, as one Winter Hill resident suggested to the City Council Monday, is just not fair. Why should someone who has chosen to live in a smaller condo with shared common-area parking be subjected to a police search on his or her private property, and other citizens in larger homes not? Also, the City is now in the practice of including police access to garages in new mixed-use projects for the same purpose. But such agreements are in place prior to a tenant leasing or renting a unit so that the tenant knows about this in advance. However, the proposed new agreement would suddenly change the rules for residents who may have been living in their homes for decades. The other question goes to safeguards that should be established against police searches going beyond the limited examination of cars for decals, once an invitation to enter the private property is granted. In the case of the interior of a home, once a resident invites a police officer inside, that officer by law then has the legal right to search anything and everything in that home. Would the same apply to inviting police onto private property in a common-area parking lot? Surely, there is no reason to believe the police would want to do this, except that there may be things that appear in an officer's plain sight once on the property that he or she would not otherwise see. It would be an officer's duty to act on suspected illegal or criminal activity or circumstances if that officer sees it, no matter what other constraints a formal agreement may provide. Isn't this a good thing, though, to expand the police's ability to smoke out crime? It is a touchy question when it involves private property and privacy, more generally. We are not against allowing the police to look for delinquent car decals on private property. But first, it is wrong to arm-twist residents with a quid pro quo involving an entirely unrelated matter. Second, all residents (and not just board members) should be informed in advance and be given a chance to weigh in on the new policy before it is adopted. And third, written into the agreement should be safeguards, to the extent possible, against police probing beyond the limited scope of the policy's intent.
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Developers in it for Profits, Not the Common Good
Editor, I am heartened to see the increasing number of opposing letters to the editor and negative comments on the ever-increasing number of new commercial projects in our city. Sadly, it seems many of our Falls Church City Council members are immune to the increasing discontent of the residents. I am not against progress but the new Broad, Washington
and Mason Row projects are the wrong type of design for our quiet, small neighborhoods. They are massive, monolithic warehouse style designs. Each of these complexes will be up to 75 feet high, with over 320 apartment units in each, several floors of underground parking, yet another grocery store and a movie theater. It seems it’s open season for developers to build up every cor-
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ner of our City. Height limits are breached, the interests of residents trampled while developers are reaping rewards from colossal buildings bordering residential neighborhoods. We’ve arrived at a position, where developers are dictating our urban planning – not for the common good, but for their profits. Did you know that developers expect preferential treatment if they offer proffers to the City? All projects in our city are being granted variances (permission to ignore some zoning rules) in return for dubious financial benefits for the city. For securing zoning changes and special exception heights the developers
promise economic contributions to the local authorities. Vastly inflated density, a few extra floors and smaller buffer zones from residential areas are politically justified as being in the public interest, if it means a handful of trees will be planted on the street or a few extra dollars to the public schools. It is a system that is all too open to political pressure, given that any city official who advises against a new development will be tagged as “antigrowth.” Any new zoning changes can be contentious and need to involve community input. Robert Turner Falls Church
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MARCH 31 - APRIL 6, 2016 | PAGE 7
Candidates Could Learn from Local Robotics Team B� S�� N�������
Our presidential candidates could learn a thing or two from local high school robotics Team 1418. The team is also known as Vae Victis (“Woe to the Vanquished” in Latin). Unlike our presidential candidates, this team is not interested in slaying enemies, but rather, in mastering the art of science and technology. Founded by students at George Mason High School, Team 1418 recently marked its 12th year with the only double win at the district level, bringing home the trophies for both the Northern Virginia and Greater D.C. districts in hotly contested competitions. The tournaments are part of FIRST Robotics, founded by innovator Dean Kamen. With strict regulations, limited resources and limits, teams are challenged to hone technical and teamwork skills and build and program industrial-size robots to play a competitive field game. So what can front-runners Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton and the rest of the gang learn from a high school robotics team? First, build a strong record, based on hard work (not rhetoric). Team 1418 has consistently placed in the top three teams regionally. They started their career with the Rookie All Star Award and have won awards for Gracious Professionalism®, Industrial Design and the Innovation in Control Award. Team mentor John Ballou won the Woodie Flowers Finalist Award,
recognizing his dedication to STEM education. There are no tricks behind these achievements. Just hard work, good ideas, calculated risks and teamwork. It pays off. Next, offer an inspirational vision. “Our
“What can front-runners Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton and the rest of the gang learn from a high school robotics team?” team and school have achieved an excellent hands-on education…We build prototypes, explore a concept, tear the design apart, rebuild in new configurations, and test a wealth of ideas in an extremely enjoyable arena filled with like-minded enthusiasts,” says Ballou. Imagine a national agenda based on these ideas instead of one based on building walls, marginalizing people and dismissing other people’s ideas? No insults. A key (and copyrighted) principal of FIRST is Gracious Professionalism®; a mandate the candidates should adopt. Throughout competitions, FIRST teams are polite, share equipment and ideas, shake hands before compe-
titions and give standing ovations to those they lose to. The kids learn their victories are real, built not on putting others down, but by ensuring an even playing field. Promote opportunities for all. Team 1418 can be spotted around the D.C. region, encouraging people from all walks of life to explore STEM. You’ll see the robot at community runs, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, a DC United Soccer match and even the annual Center for Energy Workforce Development summit. Last year, a team member organized a robot demonstration for students not already part of a STEM initiative, including those in the English as a Second Language program. Invest in the next generation, not just today’s voting base. Team 1418 teaches STEM skills at middle and elementary schools, and last year, awarded children Robot Driver’s Licenses at Virginia Tech’s Maker’s Festival. They support younger teams at regional FIRST Lego League (FLL) competitions. And it all pays off. A team alumnus serves as the FLL Tournament Director, and in the past two years, 90 percent of team alumni are pursuing careers in STEM. Don’t just talk, make a difference. Team 1418 has enhanced their school with new STEM opportunities. With a grant from the Falls Church Education Foundation and the leadership of Ballou, the team established and manages their school’s Maker Space and Studio, open to the school community and equipped with cutting-edge technologies.
Based on the success of Team 1418, the City of Falls Church School Board approved the first Robotics elective high school class. You can’t do it alone. Team 1418’s success lies in its hard work and tenacity. It also benefits from the dedication of mentors and parents, the support of their school district, the generosity of donors and the enthusiasm of the Falls Church community. Engage government on both sides of the aisle. Team 1418 presents their robot annually to our School Board and City Council. The 2014 Team Captain testified to the Congressional Subcommittee on Research and Technology. In 2015, Vae Victis members demonstrated the robot to senators and members of Congress during the second Annual FIRST National Advocacy Conference. In the current context of ugly presidential politics, Team 1418 offers a lesson in how to consistently win without compromising on quality and principles. Last week, Congressman Don Beyer sent a message of congratulations to Team 1418, acknowledging, “For many, March Madness is all about basketball. But for thousands of students across the US, March is the battleground for qualifying for the (robotics) world championship in St. Louis in April. Vae Victis has sparked enthusiasm for STEM education. They are the real March MVPs, making a difference in their community.” Sia Nowrojee is a Team 1418 Robotics Competition mentor.
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MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2016 | PAGE 8
Need More Space? NEWS BRIEFS
Falls Church Arts All-Member Art Show Kicks Off Friday Over 70 artists will be participating in the 13th Annual All Members Show opening on Friday, April 1 at 7:30 p.m. A gala reception is being prepared and is open to the public at no charge. The All Member Show features one artwork from each artist and includes a reception with entertainment and refreshments. Falls Church Arts welcomes all visitors to attend the FCA Gallery at ArtSpace Falls Church. Regular hours are from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and the Meet the Artists openings allow guests to meet and talk with the participating artists. FCA is pleased to announce that member Seth Haverkamp who will be teaching Still Life and Backgrounds on April 9 and 10 is a Finalist in the International Portrait Competition and his wife Kat Haverkamp received Honorable Mention in the same competition. Winners will be chosen on in mid-April.
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Khan Voted New F.C. GOP Committee Chair
Restrictions, taxes and fees may apply. Call for full details.
On March 17, Matt Khan was elected as the new Chair of the Falls Church City Republican Committee. Khan is a long-time resident of Falls Church City who is the principal owner of Falls Realty. He is also a director of the Virginia Association of Realtors. He served several years between 1995 and 2013 as a member and chair of the Falls Church City Board of Equalization. Khan is a former U.S. Air Force jet pilot. He is married and has long experience as a mortgage loan officer with different financial institutions. He succeeds Ken Feltman, who retired after four years as chair of the Falls Church City Republican Committee.
Gov. McAuliffe Vetoes Key Legislation
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Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe yesterday vetoed Senate Bill 41, which would shield from civil liability those who actively discriminate against same-sex couples. In a statement the governor said, “I veto Senate Bill 41, which would shield from civil liability those who actively discriminate against same-sex couples. Although couched as a ‘religious freedom’ bill, this legislation is nothing more than an attempt to stigmatize. Any legitimate protections afforded by Senate Bill 41 are duplicative of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States; Article I, Section 11 of the Constitution of Virginia; and the Virginia Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Any additional protections are styled in a manner that prefers one religious viewpoint – that marriage can only validly exist between a man and a woman – over all other viewpoints. Such a dynamic is not only unconstitutional, it equates to discrimination under the guise of religious freedom.” McAuliffe also vetoed House Bill 1090 which would have prohibited the Virginia Department of Health from entering into contracts or providing funds to any entity that performs or maintains a facility providing non-federally qualified abortions.
New Pre-School Open House Announced Parents seeking an affordable, full-time, high-quality early education program for their children who will be age 2 thru 4 years by July 1 are invited to tour the Falls Church-McLean Children’s Center, 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 6. The nationally accredited, early education program enrolls 75 children each year. In classrooms with a low student/teacher ratio, children learn through play and teacher-guided activities based on a bilingual curriculum. Children build vocabularies in English and Spanish and the full range of skills identified by the Virginia Foundation Blocks for Early Learning as essential to be ready for kindergarten. They include social, critical thinking, pre-math, pre-science, literacy, and physical skills. The program includes Successful Start that offers support services for children with developmental delays. The Children’s Center is located at 7230 Idylwood Road, Falls Church, VA 22043, in a dedicated wing of Lemon Road Elementary School built for the early childhood education program.
Institute Says New State $ Steered Away from Poor “The budget recently agreed to by the Virginia House and Senate boosts support for pre K-12 schools after many years of significant cuts made during the recession. Unfortunately, the investments restore proportionately less funding for school divisions in high-poverty areas compared to divisions in better off areas.” So said the Richmond-based Commonwealth Institute. “Recent per-pupil reductions in state aid were almost three times larger in school divisions with the highest percentages of students living in poverty compared to those with the fewest students in poverty.” According to the institute, the budget restores just 26 percent of the cuts for the highest poverty school divisions after adjusting for inflation. By comparison, it restores 40 percent of the cuts for the lowest-poverty divisions. “That means school divisions in the poorest areas of Virginia saw only about a quarter of their funding restored, while school divisions in wealthier parts of the state fared substantially better,” it stated.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2016 | PAGE 9
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Nick, 20, on being a server at La Caraqueña: “It’s good. I really like it. I’ve always been around people and talking to them and making them laugh.”
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Falls Church Works to Fix Sanitary Sewer System BY DREW COSTLEY
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
for this plumbing inspection’ and then come around behind them and say ‘Oh great, now you’ve got to do something about this.’ We got the information we were interested in. We learned a fair amount about what is happening. “We’re hoping that the residents will learn something and address some of the problems that they found.” Dennis Szymanski, a resident of the City’s Hillwood neighborhood, was one of the residents dealing with issues related to the sewer system. He told the News-Press that water from the sanitary sewer system was backing up into his basement. “There was a problem up the line, up near where South Street and Hillwood [Avenue] meet,” Szymanski said. “And once the City repaired that problem, our problem went away.” The Department of Public Works has been dealing with the City’s portion of the sanitary sewer system by rehabilitating it by lining the old pipes with a fiberglass material, which is then pressurized to press against the old pipe.
CITY EMPLOYEES LINE the piping of the sanitary sewer system on Linden Lane on March 30. (P����: C������� �� L����� M��������) After the lining sets in the old pipe, City employees go and cut holes in the lining where the sewer laterals were connected to the old pipe so that wastewater flows into the lining as it did before. The City has actually been doing this work since 1999 and, according to the Department of Public Works, 36 percent of the sanitary sewer system has been rehabilitated in this way.
Collins said that the sanitary sewer system rehabilitation project also involves repairing manholes and sealing them in order to eliminate or reduce infiltration of water into the sanitary sewer system. In all but one of the past four years there has been between $400,000 – $550,000 budgeted for
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Nearly two years after the City of Falls Church Department of Public Works convened a meeting with residents to discuss problems with the City’s sanitary sewer system, some residents are still dealing with sewage backups and flooding. But it is not for lack of the City’s Department of Public Works trying to resolve issues with the sanitary sewer system. The task of repairing a citywide infrastructure problem and building more infrastructure in order to deal with the City’s growing population can not be completed overnight, as evidenced by how long the City has been working to deal with the issue. Since the 2014 meeting, the Department of Public Works has been reaching out to residents in the City’s Oak Haven and Hillwood neighborhoods – where there were the largest number of reported problems with the sanitary sewer system – in order to work toward solutions to the problems they have been having. This included a period of time
when the City arranged for residents to receive plumbing inspections in order to give residents an understanding of how the their homes were plumbed and provide a condition analysis of their sewer laterals, which is a common area of concern of infiltration. As of August 2015, the City budgeted $35,000 for 50 plumbing inspections around the City. Because the portions of the sanitary sewer system that were being inspected were on private property and the condition analyses revealed, in some cases, that thousands of dollars of repairs were needed on a home’s plumbing, the City was was hesitant to compel residents to make repairs that would remove deficiencies which allow for infiltration of their sewage system. “We were interested in learning what was happening in this private portion of this system,” said Michael Collins, the City’s director of public works. “One of the things that [we] were cognizant of with this program was we wanted people to feel open and interested in this program, so we were very cautious that we weren’t going to...say ‘Hey, we’re going to pay
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Community News & Notes F.C.’s MaryEllen Davis Wins Horsemanship Competition MaryEllen Davis, a Falls Church resident and 2014 graduate of George Mason High School, won the Intermediate Horsemanship Class at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association Semi Finals on Saturday, March 19 in Galva, Ill. Davis, who is a member of the Slippery Rock University Western Equestrian Team, will move on to compete in the 2016 Intercollegiate Horse Show Association National Championships at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky. in May. For more information, visit ihsainc.com.
Local Organization Receives $35,000 Grant from Avon The Vietnamese Resettlement Association, located in Falls Church, has been awarded a $35,000 grant from the Avon
Breast Health Outreach Program to increase awareness of the life-saving benefits of early detection of breast cancer. It is the 14th year that the program has received funding from the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade to support its work on this important health issue and in recognition of the program’s excellence. The Breast Health Outreach Program at the Vietnamese Resettlement Association will educate women in Northern Virginia and refer them to free mammograms and clinical breast exams in their own community. The program also helps women with any needed follow up where breast cancer is suspected, provides free screening for cervical cancer and advises about healthy eating and lifestyle. “We are proud that the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade shares our mission and has chosen to support our program,” said Kim
O. Cook, executive director of the Vietnamese Resettlement Association. “With these funds we will be able to provide more education and support to low income women in one of the most ethnically diverse communities in the nation.” For more information, call 703-532-3716.
F.C. Garden Club Meeting Features Local Publisher The Falls Church Garden Club will host Kathy Jentz, publisher and editor of Washington Garden Magazine, for its monthly meeting on Monday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m. at American Legion Post 130 at 400 N. Oak Street. Jentz will give a talk titled “Regionally Adapted Plants,” about tried and true low maintenance plants. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 703-533-1945.
FALLS CHURCH’S MARYELLEN DAVIS POSES with her horse Bosco following their win in the Intermediate Horsemanship Class at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association Semi Finals on Saturday, March 19. Davis, a member of the Slippery Rock University Western Equestrian Team, is moving on to compete in the 2016 Intercollegiate Horse Show Association National Championships at the Kentucky Horse Park in May. (Photo: Courtesy of Ilka Davis)
Discussion on Interfaith Families Slated for April 6
Carrillo at 202-531-4261 or email her at dulcesam@verizon.net.
The Women of Temple Rodef Shalom will host a discussion with Rabbi Stephanie Bernstein and other leaders immersed in the topic of interfaith families and Judaism on Wednesday, April 6 at 7 p.m. at Temple Rodef Shalom at 2100 Westmoreland Street. Participants in the discussion will have the opportunity to learn more about Temple Rodef Shalom’s community and available resources and will have an opportunity to share their thoughts about integrating interfaith families into temple life. Light refreshments will be served at the event. The event is free, but the Women of Temple Rodef Shalom request that those planning on going RSVP for planning purposes. To RSVP, visit integratingfaith.eventbrite.com. For more information, call Dulce
F.C. Branch of Stratford University Wins Accolade The Falls Church branch of Stratford University, located at 7777 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, was recently ranked number five on SR Education Group’s list of the 2016 Top Yellow Ribbon Online Colleges, according to a press release from SR Education Group. The group, which is an education research publisher, researched military friendly online schools across the nation that support veteran students through the Yellow Ribbon Program for their list. For more information or the full list of Yellow Ribbon Online Colleges, visit guidetoonlineschools.com/online-schools/military-friendly.
CELEBRATING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH, (l to r) local authors MaRita Teague, Michelle Morgan Spady, Dionne Peart, and Dee Lawrence each spoke about their books, publishing process, writing techniques and more this past weekend at Art and Frame of Falls Church. (Photo: Courtesy of Tom Gittins)
Send Us Your News & Notes!
The News-Press is always on the lookout for photos & items for Community News & Notes, School News & Notes and other sections of the paper. If you graduate, get married, get engaged, get an award, start a club, eat a club, tie your shoes, have a birthday, have a party, host an event or anything else you think is worth being mentioned in the News-Press, write it up and send it to us! If you have a photo, even better! Because of the amount of submissions we receive, we cannot guarantee all submissions will be published, but we’ll try our best!
Community News & Notes: newsandnotes@fcnp.com | School News & Notes: schoolnews@fcnp.com Mail: News & Notes, Falls Church News-Press, 200 Little Falls St. #508, Falls Church, VA 22046
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Local Vegan Pledge Program Starts on April 2
The Peace Advocacy Network has organized a Vegan Pledge Program for local residents who are interested in leading a crueltyfree lifestyle. The program, which starts on Saturday, April 2, guides people through 30 days of being vegan with the program’s handson support. The support includes five weekly meetings consisting of cooking demonstrations, speakers addressing environmental, ethical, health, and practical issues, a personal mentor (experienced vegan), optional social events for even more support and a care package to ease the transition to becoming a vegan. The program is free, but the organizers require those taking the pledge to take a pre-pledge phone conversation before the program starts with pledges agreeing to consume only vegan items for the full 30 days. The Vegan Pledge Program kicks on Saturday, April 2 at Walter Reed Community Center, located at 2909 S. 16th St., Arlington, from 1:45 – 4:45 p.m. For more information, contact Deb Durant at deboradurant@gmail.com or visit peaceadvocacynetwork.org/find-a-city/ dc-nova.
Whole Foods Vienna Hosts Benefit for Shepherd’s Center The Whole Foods grocery store in Vienna is hosting a benefit for two nonprofits in the area, Shepherd’s Center of Oakton/ Vienna and Community for Helping Others, on Wednesday March 30. The local grocer will donate 5 percent of its net proceeds from the entire day to Shepherd’s Center of Oakton/ Vienna and Community for Helping Others. The store, which is located at 143 Maple Ave. E., Vienna, will
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be open from 7:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. on March 30. For more information, visit scov.org.
D.C.’s First FPV Drone Race & Show Slated for April 2 Rugged Sky Media and Drone Racers have partnered to host Race X, the Washington, D.C. region’s first first-person view drone race and show, on Saturday, April 2 from 2 – 11 p.m. There will be a team and solo competition at the event, which will take place at Dulles SportsPlex, located at 21610 Atlantic Blvd., Sterling. The companies hosting the event have invited local and national vendors to demo and sell hobby drones and supplies at the event. Registration for the event has started. Tickets can be purchased for $8 online and $10 at the door. Those who purchase their tickets online will have their name entered into a raffle to win a drone. For more information, visit ruggedsky.com/racex.
NoVa Community College Summer Registration is Open Registration for summer session classes at Northern Virginia Community College began on Tuesday, March 29. Students must register by 11:59 p.m. on the day before a session begins. Classes in the 12-week summer session begin May 16 and end August 7. There are also two six-week summer sessions, which start on May 18 and June 29. For help with registering, visit a campus in Alexandria, Annandale, Loudoun, Manassas, Springfield or Woodbridge during regular business hours. Students can register early to lock in their classes without paying tuition until April 25. Starting April 25, tuition is due by 5 p.m. on the next business day after enrolling.
IN A SURPRISE VISIT to Falls Church’s Ireland’s Four Provinces restaurant recently, U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (center), whose annual St. Patrick’s Day events are famous, shared some laughs with (left to right) Falls Church’s Bob Young, Hal Lippman, Tom Clinton and Eric Clinton. (Photo: News-Press) College students home for the summer can earn credits at Northern Virginia Community College that transfer to their fouryear residential colleges. Most colleges and universities accept credits from Northern Virginia Community College, but students should consult their residential college before registering. For more information or to register, call 703-323-3000 or visit nvcc. edu.
Local Plant Clinics Open for The Spring Season Plant clinics staffed by the Virginia Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardeners were opened on Wednesday, March 15 and will remain open through the fall season. The first plant clinic that opened this season meets every Wednesday through October from 6:45 – 8:45 p.m. and is located at the Arlington Central Library at 1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington. Another plant clinic opens on Saturday, April 16 at 8 a.m. at the
Arlington Farmers Market at 14th Street and North Courthouse Road and will be open every Saturday from 8 – 11 a.m. through September. A special plant clinic will be held in conjunction with the Carlyle House Annual Garden Day Herb Sale on Saturday, April 23, at Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax St., Alexandria. The clinic will run from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Two other Virginia Cooperative Extension plant clinics in Alexandria will open on Saturday, May 7. The Del Ray Farmers Market Plant Clinic at East Oxford and Mt. Vernon Avenues will be open from 8:30 – 11:00 a.m. every Saturday through September. And the Old Town Alexandria Farmers Market Plant Clinic at 301 King Street will be open from 7 – 9:30 a.m. every Saturday through September. Volunteers staffing the clinics can answer general gardening questions as well as questions about plant pests and diseases. They can
also identify plants and provide soil test kits on request. For more information, visit mgnv.org.
LeeLee Hunter Performs at Lewinsville Presbyterian LeeLee Hunter, a classical guitarist, will perform in recital on Sunday, April 10 in the sanctuary of Lewinsville Presbyterian Church, located at 1724 Chain Bridge Road, McLean. Her concert will be the second in Lewinsville’s 2016 performance series Live at Lewinsville. Hunter grew up in the congregation of Lewinsville Presbyterian Church. She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at the Peabody Conservatory in the studio of Julian Gray. In addition to solo performances, Hunter collaborates extensively with other musicians, including soprano Chelsea Buyalos, who will be singing with her on April 10, and harpist Anna Odell. For more information, call 703-3567200.
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The Sexual Politics of 2016 In the middle of the Civil War a colonel named Robert McAllister from the 11th Regiment of New Jersey tried to improve the moral fiber of his men. A Presbyterian railroad contractor in private life, he lobbied and preached against profanity, drinking, prostitution and gambling. Some of the line officers in the regiment, from less genteel backgrounds, rebelled. They formed an organization called the Independent Order of Trumps. In sort of a mischievous, laddie way, the Trumps championed boozing and whoring, cursing and card-playing. In her book The Gentlemen and the Roughs, Lorien Foote notes that this wasn’t just a battle over pleasure. It was a contest between two different ideals of masculinity. McAllister’s was based on gentlemanly chivalry and self-restraint. Trumpian masculinity was based on physNEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE ical domination and sexual conquest. “Perceptions of manliness were deeply intertwined with perceptions of social status,” Foote writes. And so it is today. These days we’re living through another great redefinition of masculinity. Today, both men and women are called upon to live up to the traditional ideals of both genders. So the ideal man, at least in polite society, gracefully achieves a series of balances. He is steady and strong, but also verbal and vulnerable. He is emotionally open and willing to cry, but also restrained and resilient. He is physical and also intellectual. Today’s ideal man honors the women in his life in whatever they want to do. He treats them with respect in the workplace and romance in the bedroom. He is successful in the competitive world of the marketplace but enthusiastic in the kitchen and gentle during kids’ bath time. This new masculine ideal is an unalloyed improvement on all the earlier masculine ideals. It’s a great achievement of our culture. But it is demanding and involves reconciling a difficult series of tensions. And it has sparked a bad-boy protest movement and counterculture, currently led by a group we might once again call the Independent Order of Trumps. Donald Trump’s presidential campaign is a revolution in manners, a rejection of the civility codes of the educated class. As part of this, he rejects the new and balanced masculine/feminine ideal that has emerged over the past generation. Trump embraces a masculine identity – old in some ways, new in others – built upon unvarnished misogyny. Trump’s misogyny is not the historical moralistic misogyny. Traditional misogyny blames women for the lustful, licentious and powerful urges that men sometimes feel in their presence. In this misogyny, women are the powerful, disgusting corrupters – the vixens, sirens and monsters. This gynophobic misogyny demands that women be surrounded with taboos and purgation rituals, along with severe restrictions on behavior and dress. Trump’s misogyny, on the other hand, has a commercial flavor. The central arena of life is male competition. Women are objects men use to win points in that competition. The purpose of a woman’s body is to reflect status on a man. One way to emasculate a rival man is to insult or conquer his woman. Writing for Slate, Frank Foer has one of the best (and most disgusting) compilations of Donald Trump’s history with women. Most of the episodes are pure dominance display. For example, A.J. Benza was a writer who confessed that his girlfriend had left him for Trump. Trump called into a radio show he was appearing on to brag. “I’ve been successful with your girlfriend, I’ll tell you that,” Trump said. “While you were getting onto the plane to go to California thinking she was your girlfriend, she was some place that you wouldn’t have been very happy with.” When the commentator Tucker Carlson criticized him, Trump left voice mail bragging about how much more sex he gets. He told an interviewer that you have to treat women like dirt. It’s not quite right to say that Trump is a throwback to midcentury sexism. At least in those days negative behavior toward women and family members was restrained by the chivalry code. Political candidates didn’t go attacking their rivals’ wives based on their looks. Trump’s objectification is uncontrolled. It’s pure ego competition with a pornogrified flavor. In this way, Trump represents the spread of something brutal. He takes economic anxiety and turns it into sexual hostility. He effectively tells men: You may be struggling, but at least you’re better than women, Mexicans and Muslims. I’ve grappled with understanding how much to blame Trump’s supporters for his rise. Many of them are victims of economic dislocation, and it is hard to fault them for seeking a change, of course, even if it is simplistic and ignorant. But in the realm of cultural politics, Trump voters do need to be held to account. They are participating in a descent into darkness. They are supporting a degrading wrong. This is the world your daughters are going to grow up in.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
David Brooks
Trade, Labor and Politics There’s a lot of things about the 2016 election that nobody saw coming, and one of them is that international trade policy is likely to be a major issue in the presidential campaign. What’s more, the positions of the parties will be the reverse of what you might have expected: Republicans, who claim to stand for free markets, are likely to nominate a crude protectionist, leaving Democrats, with their skepticism about untrammeled markets, as the de facto defenders of relatively open trade. But this isn’t as peculiar a development as it seems. Rhetorical claims aside, Republicans have long tended in practice to be more protectionist than Democrats. And there’s NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE a reason for that difference. It’s true that globalization puts downward pressure on the wages of many workers – but progressives can offer a variety of responses to that pressure, whereas on the right, protectionism is all they’ve got. When I say that Republicans have been more protectionist than Democrats, I’m not talking about the distant past, about the high-tariff policies of the Gilded Age; I’m talking about modern Republican presidents, like Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. Reagan, after all, imposed an import quota on automobiles that ended up costing consumers billions of dollars. And Bush imposed tariffs on steel that were in clear violation of international agreements, only to back down after the European Union threatened to impose retaliatory sanctions. Actually, the latter episode should be an object lesson for anyone talking tough about trade. The Bush administration suffered from a bad case of superpower delusion, a belief that America could dictate events throughout the world. The falseness of that belief was most spectacularly demonstrated by the debacle in Iraq. But the reckoning came even sooner on trade, an area where other players, Europe in particular, have just as much power as we do. Nor is the threat of retaliation the only factor that should deter any hard protectionist turn. There’s also the collateral damage such a turn would inflict on poor countries. It’s probably bad politics to talk right now about what a trade war would do to, say, Bangladesh. But any responsible future president would have to think hard about such matters. Then again, we might be talking about President Trump.
Paul Krugman
But back to the broader issue of how to help workers pressured by the global economy. Serious economic analysis has never supported the Panglossian view of trade as win-win for everyone that is popular in elite circles: growing trade can indeed hurt many people, and for the past few decades globalization has probably been, on net, a depressing force for the majority of U.S. workers. But protectionism isn’t the only way to fight that downward pressure. In fact, many of the bad things we associate with globalization in America were political choices, not necessary consequences – and they didn’t happen in other advanced countries, even though those countries faced the same global forces we did. Consider, for example, the case of Denmark, which Bernie Sanders famously held up as a role model. As a member of the European Union, Denmark is subject to the same global trade agreements as we are – and while it doesn’t have a free-trade agreement with Mexico, there are plenty of low-wage workers in eastern and southern Europe. Yet Denmark has much lower inequality than we do. Why? Part of the answer is that workers in Denmark, two-thirds of whom are unionized, still have a lot of bargaining power. If U.S. corporations were able to use the threat of imports to smash unions, it was only because our political environment supported unionbusting. Even Canada, right next door, has seen nothing like the union collapse that took place here. And the rest of the answer is that Denmark (and, to a lesser extent, Canada) has a much stronger social safety net than we do. In America, we’re constantly told that global competition means that we can’t even afford even the safety net we have; strange to say, other rich countries don’t seem to have that problem. What all this means, as I said, is that the Democratic nominee won’t have to engage in saberrattling over trade. She (yes, it’s still overwhelmingly likely to be Hillary Clinton) will, rightly, express skepticism about future trade deals, but she will be able to address the problems of working families without engaging in irresponsible trash talk about the world trade system. The Republican nominee won’t. And there’s a lesson here that goes beyond this election. If you’re generally a supporter of open world markets – which you should be, mainly because market access is so important to poor countries – you need to know that whatever they may say, politicians who espouse rigid free-market ideology are not on your side.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
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Obama Assails Media’s ‘False Equivalencies’
President Obama’s latest step into the current maelstrom that is the current presidential campaign took the form of extended remarks this week on the importance of the role of the media in a democracy, indirectly chiding many for failures to hold candidates to a sufficiently high standard. That standard, of course, should be defined by one word: truth. But we live in a time when fairness is touted as more important than truth. The most twisted pseudo-news network out there, Fox, has as its slogan, “Fair and balanced.” Note the word “truth” is missing. The cultural forces that have caused truth to be subordinated to such a fuzzy notion as “fairness” go back to the evil world view called “postmodernism,” a philosophical poison that was foisted FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS upon our culture by its ruling class in its massive counterinsurgency against the civil rights and anti-war movements of the late 1960s. “Postmodernism” sees the enemy as authority, any authority, and the only good is power. It touts anarchistic power and anger against authority, including against any “establishments.” This has become the wider cultural framework in which a preponderance in society views politics and discourse. Where does “truth” fall in this, or “reason”? They are just other authority figures, enemies of an angry people. This sentiment reflects the sorry cynicism of Pontius Pilate when he encounters Jesus of Nazareth. “What is truth?” the pathetic Pilate answers Jesus, as he forfeits any interest in truth with a resort to the will of the angry masses. Obama’s remarks this week were at a ceremony honoring the memory of the late New York Times journalist Robin Toner. (It is sad that pioneering White House correspondent Helen Thomas is not remembered in a like manner). The challenge that Obama said confronts responsible journalists is to pursue and report the truth, to hold candidates accountable for inconsistencies and lies. But in an era when the truth itself is so suspect, this is a daunting task. Moreover, it is not helped when corporate overlords of the major media organizations delight at seeing truth obfuscated and abused in the minds of the masses. Truth in the Trump Versus Cruz primaries is somewhere in the complicated assessment of which candidate is actually worse for the nation from a public policy standpoint. To the establishment scions operating the Republican brand, Trump has become a Frankenstein monster. But in hysterically preferring Cruz, they are embracing an obsessive ideologue and liar in his own right. How are honest journalists to sort all this out when their establishment masters and partisans from all sides are pummeling them with spins and threats? It was heartening to hear the president give a pep talk to reporters about the criteria for doing a good job. “A job well done is more than just handing someone a microphone,” he said, and “false equivalency” in the name of “fairness” is “all too often these days can be a fatal flaw.” He said, “If I say that the world is round and someone else says it’s flat, that’s worth reporting, but you might also want to report on a bunch of scientific evidence that seems to support the notion that the world is round. And that shouldn’t be buried in paragraph five or six of the article.” “The electorate...would be better served if billions of dollars of free media came with serious accountability, especially when politicians issue unworkable plans or make promises they can’t keep,” he added. “Without a press that asks tough questions, voters take them at their word.” But the problem is not primarily with the press, but with the disease of “postmodernism” among candidates and the public. Neoconservative columnist Michael Gerson hates Trump because “none of his ideas or proposals is placed in the context of ideals or ideology,” and “he does not reason from first principles.” But by placing ideals, ideology and first principles ahead of truth, Gerson degrades the primacy of truth by subordinating it to these overlays. So from the standpoint of truth, is Trump really any worse than Gerson, Cruz or Kasich?
MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2016 | PAGE 15
Nicholas F. Benton
Nicholas Benton may be emailed at nfbenton@fcnp.com.
Obama’s Last Tango WASHINGTON – Barack Obama is tangoing into history, and there’s something perfect about that. The tango has been described as vertical solitude. And this president is all about vertical solitude. Republicans are frothing and comics are tweaking about the baseball diplomacy in Cuba and the tango diplomacy in Argentina, juxtaposed with the terrorist attack and manhunt in Brussels. Comedy Central’s Larry Wilmore mocked Obama’s “spring break world tour.” He chided the president for doing the wave with Raúl Castro and remarked on Obama’s sinuous, take-charge tango partner. “OK, Republicans, now he’s leading from behind,” Wilmore said. Rush Limbaugh accused the president of flamenco dancing and “doing the tango with women not even his wife.” Yes, that outrageous sin of being polite to your foreign hosts at a state dinner. Obama started off as a man self-consciously alone on stage and that’s how he is exiting. He is, for better and worse, too cool for school. His identity is defined by his desire to rise above the fray. NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE Unfortunately, he is in politics, which is the fray. Obama shot to prominence at the 2004 Democratic National Convention with a rousing speech about boldly moving past our barriers. But those divisions are more pronounced than ever. So now he brings people together and gets things done when he can. The president has a bristling resistance to what he sees as cheap emotion. That has led him, time after time, to respond belatedly or bloodlessly in moments when Americans are alarmed, wanting solace and solutions. The Christmas bomber; the BP oil spill; James Foley beheaded by ISIS, the Paris attacks, the San Bernardino attacks, and now Brussels, which he discussed rationally and briefly with ESPN at the baseball game between the Tampa Bay Ray and Cuban national team. He feels that fanatics who are not an existential threat to us want to disrupt our lives and we should not let them; that more people die slipping in their bathtubs than in terrorist attacks. That anthropological detachment may keep him from being a Mount Rushmore president. Obama went to a baseball game with Castro just 15 months into their working relationship. It took him six years, with his trade bill on the line, to go to the congressional baseball game, toting some White House home brew. If he were up for
Maureen Dowd
re-election, the president probably would have forced himself to appear more emotionally responsive to the terrorist attacks, urged on by his staff. But he clearly feels liberated in the homestretch, relishing what he can do alone. Once he read about FDR’s legislative prowess. Lately, he has been buffing up on Teddy Roosevelt blowing a raspberry at Congress and expanding executive power. I traveled with the president to Havana to watch as he did the logical thing, bypassing the inane and antiquated congressional embargo to help move Cuba past its sepia arrested development. There was a muted excitement in repressed Havana around the low-risk trip, a precursor to opening the Cuba wing in the Obama presidential library. Obama, with his elegant family along, deftly maneuvered in the chaos of communism, charming the 84-year-old Raúl Castro even though the White House did not know which bits of historic pageantry the Cuban would play along with. After months of intense negotiations, the dictator told the president at the last minute that he would do a news conference, but clearly Castro had not been briefed that the two American journalists’ multipart questions would include tart ones for him. Standing at a lectern flanked by plush burgundy drapes with “RP” embossed in gold on them in the Revolutionary Palace, Castro bridled when Andrea Mitchell asked him about human rights. When the Cubans bobbled a photo op at the José Martí memorial in Revolutionary Square, Obama took over and directed the group to its picture in front of a Che Guevara mural. He was a long way from 2008, when a Fox TV channel in Houston blew up a story about an Obama volunteer who had the unpatriotic temerity to have a Cuban flag with a picture of Che at her desk. Conservatives then were trying to smear Obama as a socialist. Now many Democratic voters, especially young ones, are disappointed that Obama wasn’t liberal enough. Obama is trying to untangle the Gordian knots in a Middle East shattered by his predecessor; it was W.’s unwarranted invasion of Iraq that unwittingly created ISIS, as the veteran war correspondent Michael Ware points out in his new movie, “Only the Dead.” While Republicans who would succeed Obama talked loco last week, Obama’s military leaders announced that they had killed two top ISIS leaders. The president can go to a ballgame and still keep his eye on the ball.
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PAGE 16 | MARCH 31 - APRIL 6, 2016
A Penny for Your Thoughts
News of Greater Falls Church By Supervisor Penny Gross
Spring finally seems to be upon us, and local calendars are reflecting an increase in community activities. As the weather warms, attention turns from boots and firewood, to spring cleaning, as well as other activities. Some opportunities in Mason District include: • Culmore Multicultural Day is this Saturday, April 2, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., at the Woodrow Wilson Library, 6101 Knollwood Drive in Falls Church. Free live entertainment, games, face painting, and many other fun activities can be enjoyed by the whole family. • The Vienna Arts Society, in collaboration with my office, will host an open house on Friday, April 15, for the current art exhibit at the Mason District Governmental Center, 6507 Columbia Pike in Annandale. Come and enjoy pastels, watercolors, oils, and fused glass, and meet some of the talented local artists. The Open House will be held from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Most of the art on display also is for sale through the individual artist. • The Fairfax County Animal Shelter, in partnership with my office, the Pender Veterinary Clinic, and the Mason District Police Station, will host a lowcost rabies clinic on Sunday, April 17, from 12 noon – 2 p.m., also at the Mason District Governmental Center. All dogs must be on leashes; cats and ferrets must be in carriers. Fairfax County dog licenses, sold separately, cost $10, cash or check only. • The Fairfax County Division of Solid Waste will provide Document Shredding on Saturday, April 23, from 8 a.m. – 12 noon, at the Mason District Governmental Center. This free event is open to Fairfax County residents, as well as Vienna, Herndon, Clifton, Fairfax City, and Falls Church
City. There still is plenty of time to gather those old documents that may contain sensitive personal information. Put them in a cardboard box or paper bag for easy transport to the shredding site. For more information about what should be shredded, visit the Web site at www.fairfaxcounty,gov/dpwes/recycling/ intro-programs.htm. • The same day, April 23, you can join your neighbors for the Culmore Clean-Up and/or the Annandale Clean-Up. Both events will be held 9 a.m. – noon. Culmore Clean-Up volunteers will gather at the Woodrow Wilson Library, 6101 Knollwood Drive in Falls Church. More info is available at www.facebook.com/culmorecleanupday. The Annandale Clean-Up will begin at the George Mason Regional Library, 7100 Little River Turnpike in Annandale, same hours. For both locations, adult and youth volunteers will pick up litter along local streets. Be sure to wear appropriate clothing and footwear. Gloves and trash bags will be provided at the gathering sites. Finally, a note of congratulations to Nick Benton and the Falls Church News-Press on its 25th anniversary as the local hometown newspaper, serving Greater Falls Church. Nick and his staff have provided news, opinion, laughter, tears, and a historical context to our community that few can replicate. A local small business is hard enough to maintain, but 25 years as the voice of the community is even harder to do. FCNP has many readers, and many voices, and for that, Nick deserves a huge community Thank You! Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov.
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Rejecting Sarandon’s Message Actress Susan Sarandon hit a raw nerve last night, even among some Bernie Sanders supporters, when she appeared on MSNBC’s “All In with Chris Hayes.” Acting as a Bernie Sanders surrogate, she blasted Hillary Clinton and said that she might not vote for Clinton if she wins the Democratic nomination. A few weeks ago, I proudly cast my vote for Sen. Bernie Sanders. I think he is what this country needs to correct itself after decades of ceding ground to corporate interests at the expense of the middle class. However, when I cast my vote I did not cast aside my sanity. If my first choice, Sanders, does not win, for the good of the nation, I will campaign and vote for Hillary Clinton in the general election. In this instance I will be proudly pragmatic because the alternatives are catastrophic: Sen. Ted Cruz or Donald Trump. Yet, Susan Sarandon believes that it may be necessary to place the nation in peril and jeopardize our future. She apparently believes that we should let the perfect be the enemy of the good and that we may need to take our country to the brink of ruin before we can usher in a golden age or renewal. As someone who loves Bernie Sanders, I want to offer some cheerful advice to my fellow travelers. Those of you who say Bernie or bust are doing a real disservice to the campaign. The Vermont Senator can only win the nomination with the help of Clinton supporters. There are many would-be Clinton voters who prefer Bernie, but are leaning towards voting for the former Secretary of State because they believe she has the best chance to win the general election. The way to woo this large voting block is to talk about Sanders momentum and viability. Instead, these overzealous Sanders supporters are offering contradictory messages. On one hand, they are correctly highlighting the polls showing that Sanders outperforms Clinton in general election matchups. But they undercut their point by then saying that winning the White House is not their first priority. This incoherence targeted at people who desperately want to win for the sake of controlling the Supreme Court, is a huge turnoff and is unpersuasive to the very people needed to get the nomination. They are essentially saying that Sanders is a winner, but they are okay with losing. People like me are not okay with losing, given the dire consequences. Furthermore, supporters like Susan Sarandon play into stereotypes. Right wing extremists like Rush Limbaugh refer to Sanders as “Crazy Bernie” and dismiss his supporters as hopelessly naïve. So, what do some of his most ardent supporters do? They play right into the hands of Bernie-bashers by acting irrational and loopy. It is time they get out of the Bernie Bubble and into the world where decisions have ramifications that can last generations. There is a certain solipsism and arrogance to those who would not vote for the eventual Democratic nominee. I fought for more than 20 years for marriage equality and finally won. There are many people who have fought for decades to ensure women have the right to choose. African Americans and their allies are now fighting to stop police abuse and racial profiling. Environmentalists are desperately trying to save the earth before the GOP destroys it though inaction on climate change. All of gains we have made on these issues and so many others are in serious jeopardy if Donald Trump or Ted Cruz moves into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. But apparently, some of these privileged Sanders supporters don’t give a damn about the fate of their gay or black friends. They are willing to let Roe v. Wade vanish and harm women. Finally, electing Trump or Cruz will not bring the revolution. Instead the trauma caused to our citizens will have the opposite effect. It will likely make voters risk averse. Voters will be hungry for a calm existence, which would usher in a period of staid politicians who promise serenity, security and stability. As the actual candidate, Bernie Sanders, has stated, the Revolution is not about one man. If Bernie wins in Wisconsin, New York and California he may yet be the nominee. But if he comes up short, his fervent followers should, ironically, follow the lead of televangelist Pat Robertson. He lost his bid for the presidency in 1988. He took his mailing list and formed the Christian Coalition – a true revolution that turned the Religious Right into a perennial powerhouse. These are the elections that matter and determine if the Sanders campaign is a revolution or a trendy fad.
Wayne Besen
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Our Man in Arlington By Charlie Clark
If you were alert before the start of this February’s Super Bowl, you might have watched an Arlingtonian honored at the pre-game 50th anniversary ceremonies. Waving a rare hello on current national television was retired NFL star Jake Scott, a veteran of the 1970s Miami Dolphins and the Washington Redskins who honed his pass interception skills at our own Washington-Lee High School. Scott, a five-time Pro-Bowler who wearing number 13 helped the famous 1972 Dolphins achieve an undefeated season, was a safety and punt returner with a personality of southern nonchalance. Today Scott, 70, helps run a charter fishing business in Hawaii. I reached him by phone in Georgia where he was visiting his elderly mother – a teachers union employee who brought teenaged Jake to Arlington in the early ‘60s after she and his father divorced. “I was just a kid from Georgia who didn’t know much,” said Scott, who lived in two apartments in the Buckingham neighborhood when he arrived as a 10th-grader. “It was a great, central area to live because you got exposure to so many different types of people, and because during high school the drinking age in Georgetown was only 18.” Under W-L football coach John Youngblood, Scott played cornerback, first on J.V. and then varsity, though a broken arm caused
MARCH 31 - APRIL 6, 2016 | PAGE 17
him to miss six weeks. He participated in the legendary Old Oaken Bucket game against Alexandria rival George Washington High. “We had pretty good teams, Northern Virginia champions,” he recalled. Pressed to dredge up memories, Scott recollected dating cheerleader Pam Ashton and killing time with Charlie Baker of W-L’s Class of ’63. More vivid are his remembrances of skipping homeroom and whiling away hours at Friendly’s Billiards on Washington Blvd. at Glebe Road. “More time with a pool cue than a book,” as he put it. The result: his grades sunk so that he was no longer eligible for senior-year football. Hence his transfer to Bullis prep school in Potomac, Md. From there, after flirting with the Naval Academy, he won a football scholarship to the University of Georgia, where he would set records for interceptions and be inducted in its hall of fame. Scott’s break into the NFL came after a stint in Canadian football and within three years, he would be named Super Bowl Most Valuable Player. During three years (197678) with the Redskins – he lived first at a Holiday Inn and then in quarterback Billy Kilmer’s basement in Reston. Scott got tangled in shaky investments with some in the Koons auto dealer empire that went south, and his post-football career also included a four-month marriage. In the early 1980s, friends lured him to the beauties of Hawaii, where he was “adopted
C i t y o f Fa l l s C h u r c h
CRIME REPORT Week of March 21 - 27, 2016 Larceny from Building, 6763 Wilson Blvd. Suite 9 (Café Thien) On Mar. 22, a video game machine was reported stolen from the business. Smoking Violation, 6757 Wilson Blvd. On Mar. 23, a male, 58, of Annandale, was cited for Smoking in a Non-Designated Area. Driving Under the Influence and Obstruction of Justice, 6700 block Wilson Blvd. (Eden Center) On Mar. 23, a male, 58, of Annandale, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence, Obstruction of Justice, and Refusal to Submit to a Blood or Breath Test. Larceny from Building, 358 W. Broad St. (Chipotle) On Mar. 23, an unattended wallet was reported stolen.
Assault, 6700 block Wilson Blvd. On Mar. 25, a man was assaulted during a motor vehicle altercation. Larceny from Vehicle, 300 block Gundry Dr. On Mar. 26, small change was reported stolen from five unlocked vehicles sometime overnight. Larceny from Vehicle, 200 block Gundry Dr. On Mar. 26, small change was reported stolen from three unlocked vehicles sometime overnight. Larceny from Vehicle, 100 block W. Annandale Rd. On Mar. 26, small change was reported stolen from two unlocked vehicles sometime overnight. Larceny from Vehicle, 200 block W. Annandale Rd. On Mar. 26, small change was reported from two unlocked vehicles sometime overnight.
as the only white guy” by native Hawaiians on Kauai who play golf and run the fishing business. Scott returns frequently to the mainland for coaching clinics at Georgia. He enjoyed the February reunion with fellow NFL MVP’s Larry Csonka, Len Dawson and Roger Staubach. The interception king said he opted out of the players’ class action lawsuit challenging the league’s policy on concussions, though he plans to be tested. “I have pins in my shoulders, a replaced knee, a broken wrist that never healed and screws in my hand. It’s just part of the game,” he said. “If you play, you’re gonna get hurt.” *** A squad of baby-boomer men who played Arlington Little League a half-century ago were recently trading emails containing old team photos. Amid reminiscing about coaches and teammates who made good – or not – there emerged underreported proof of a national military figure’s local roots. Present for a 1967 All-Star Team portrait representing the old Arlington Motors was future Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal. He’s the one forced to resign in 2010 after Rolling Stone magazine reported his aides making unflattering comments about Vice President Biden. McChrystal, now a consultant in Alexandria, spent two high school years at W-L before gaining entry to West Point. He had quite a career in special ops and as top commander of U.S. troops in Afghanistan before he was replaced by another Arlingtonian, Gen. David Petraeus. Larceny from Vehicle, 200 block S. Lee St. On Mar. 26, small change and an air compressor were stolen from three unlocked vehicles sometime overnight. Tamper with Auto, 300 block Gundry Dr. On Mar. 26, five unlocked vehicles were found in disarray. No items were taken. Tamper with Auto, 300 block James St. On Mar. 26, an unlocked vehicle was found in disarray. No items were taken. Narcotics Violation, 6621 Wilson Blvd. (New Moon Restaurant) On Mar. 26, a male, 22, of Falls Church, was arrested for Possession of Cocaine. Larceny from Vehicle, 300 block N. Lee St. On Mar. 27, personal electronics were reported stolen from an unlocked vehicle sometime after Mar. 25. Larceny from Vehicle, 200 block Gundry Dr. On Mar. 27, a GPS device was reported stolen from an unlocked vehicle sometime after Mar. 25. Public Drunkenness, 400 block W. Broad St. On Mar. 27, a male, of Richmond, was arrested for Public Drunkenness.
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Mustang Girls Lax Tramples Washington-Lee 21-3 by Jeffrey Wojtala
Special to the News-Press
On Monday, March 28, the first day after the Mustangs’ spring break, the George Mason girls varsity lacrosse team returned to their home field to take on the 6A Washington-Lee Generals in a non-conference game. And the Mustangs defeated the Generals in a 21-3 rout. As in their last game, the Mustangs started slow and both teams turned over the ball on a number of occasions until junior Sarah Lubnow netted the first goal of the game at the 20:13 mark of the first half. Sophomore Amy Roche followed at the 17:45 minute mark with an assist by junior Hannah Hiscott. The two goals seemed to shake the spring break fog from the George Mason team because after that there were goals from Hiscott assisted by Lubnow, Roche netted her second with an assist by Sophomore Claire Trundle, junior Lydia Gorman scored at the 12:42 mark with an assist from Lubnow, and Hiscott followed 10 seconds later with an assist from Roche. The Washington-Lee Generals’ Caroline Laybourn got her team on the board with a goal at the 8:55 mark of the first half and her team-
mate Amelia Martin followed up 2 minutes later to make it a 6-2 game. The two back-to-back Generals goals seemed to wake up the Mustangs again because Roche then scored 22 seconds later with an assist from freshman Selwyn Hemingway and before the half ended Mason placed another five behind the Washington-Lee goalie with goals from Hiscott, sophomore Claire Hiscott, sophomore Elizabeth Dodge and freshman Alex Biggs finished to make it a 12-2 score at the half. As in the last game, with the Mustangs maintaining a healthy lead, coach Courtney Gibbons took advantage of resting her starters and alternates to inject sophomore reserves Lydia Grund, Olivia Cipriano and Kalena Wojtala into the game before the half ended and they continued to play as the new half started. This time Mason started fast with a goal by Lubnow one minute into the half. Hiscott followed two minutes later, then Lubnow, Hiscott assisted by freshman Harmony Lajeunesse, Alex Biggs, Hannah Hiscott, Claire Hiscott, and Roche scored for the Mustangs before the WashingtonLee’s Laybourn scored again making it a 20-3 game.
MASON SOPHOMORE CLAIRE HISCOTT scoops up a ground ball during the Mustangs’ 21-3 trampling of Washington-Lee High School on Monday, March 28. Hiscott scored a hat trick against the generals and had the assist on another goal. (Photo: Carol Sly) Gorman finished the scoring at the 1:07 mark of the second half to bring the score to 21-3. Seven different Mustangs scored dur-
Mason Soccer Bounces Back With 6-1 Win Over Mt. Vernon
by Matt Delaney
Falls Church News-Press
After being bounced 5-1 in their home opener, George Mason’s varsity girls soccer team responded with a huge 6-1 road win over local 6A squad Mount Vernon High School. Head coach Allison Klink made it abundantly clear that, regardless of past success, the Mustangs needed to approach this season with the same hunger found in recent state title runs. Taking a beating from Yorktown High School to start the season reminded Mason that success is a work in progress, mainly stemming from fluid play on the field. “Each year is a new year, no matter how many returners,” Klink said. “We need to figure out how this year’s team is going to mesh together and find the best formation that will make us the most successful.”
If Monday night’s game is any indication, Mason is headed in the right direction. The Mustangs dominated from the opening whistle thanks to sustained offensive possessions that flustered Mount Vernon. Midfielders senior Ella Howard and junior Rebecca Crouch and sophomore forward Isabella Armstrong among others kept the pressure on Mount Vernon’s defense, exposing them time and again as Mason steadily racked up their six goals. Conversely, defenders seniors Clara Frost and Caroline Stricker along with junior Carly Roberson fended off the Majors’ advances, keeping sophomore goalkeeper Laura Whitaker fairly at ease in her first action of the season. The loss to Yorktown could’ve damaged Mason’s confidence entering the meat of their schedule, but instead it gave the Mustangs a pivotal lesson: using the boost from defensive stops to fuel the counterattack on offense.
“You can’t attack unless you defend first,” Klink said. “So we were making sure that everybody was encouraging those who were defending hard and keeping that momentum going starting from the defense.” Lying at the heart of Mason’s road win was give and take by all players. Forwards assisted by defending the fringe while defenders boldly moved their lines up to establish a stronger offensive presence. “We all rotate and make sure we have each other’s back,” Stricker said. “Any time the defenders step up, you just gotta go back and track their man because they’re putting the effort into going up.” Overall, the victory exemplified a team game and should be enjoyed – but not for long. The Mustangs go on the road for their first away match and first Conference 35 match of the season on Friday, April 1 against Warren County High School.
ing the game with assistants from eight different teammates. Hannah Hiscott led all players with five goals and an assist in the game.
The Varsity Mustangs take the home field again this evening with a game against Brighton High School out of New York.
MASON SENIORS ROBERT TARTT and Eliott Mercado were named to the Virginia High School League All-State team. (Photo: Carol Sly)
Mustangs Named to AllState Basketball Team Two seniors from George Mason High School’s varsity boys basketball team were named to the Virginia High School League 2A Boys All-State Basketball Team. Mason’s senior forward Robert Tartt, who broke Mason’s career scoring record for boys basketball this season, was named to the All-State first team. Mason senior guard Elliot Mercado, a four-year varsity player, was named to the All-State second team.
After going 29 straight games without a loss during the 2015-2016 basketball season Mason lost by three points in the Virginia High School League 2A state semifinal to Greensville County High School. Tartt and Mercado, along with seniors Josh Allen and Douglas Bossart, were the core of a Mason basketball team that reached the Virginia High School League 2A state tournament for the first time since 2012.
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MARCH 31 - APRIL 6, 2016 | PAGE 19
A SHORT HISTORY OF THE FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS’ FIRST 25 YEARS By Nicholas F. Benton
I. TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AND COUNTING It’s with a profound sense of humility and appreciation that I am writing this short history of the Falls Church News-Press’ first 25 years as an introduction to the publication of the front pages of the News-Press’ covering first five years (1991 through 1995). This publication is part of the celebration of the News-Press’ 25th anniversary year, culminating on March 28, 2016 on the exact date of the publication of the newspaper’s first issue. Books of the compiled covers of the paper for subsequent years will follow in due course. In the midst of our challenging first year of publication, in December 1991, the NewsPress was honored by the Falls Church City Council, being named “Business of the Year” for 1991. At an event to honor local businesses with a series of awards, including ones for businesses marking their 25th anniversaries in the City, when it was announced that the News-Press was winner of the “Business of the Year,” I came forward to accept, being duly touched by the honor, and said that while I was overwhelmingly grateful, the award I really wanted was one for 25 years of service in the City. So you can see why this anniversary holds such special meaning for me. Some may judge that what follows here as a bit of a tooting of our own horn, but I intend it as a crowing with happiness for all that has happened. I hope readers will enjoy perusing the front pages from those first five years. There was a lot of contention in those days, as you will see, dealing with a divided City Council, the disposition of land that was eventually sold to the University of Virginia for a dollar, the eviction of the food for the needy distribution program out of the old high school site in the dead of winter, the “Taco Wars” over the proposed location of a Taco Bell where a long-abandoned old gas station used to be (which is indicative of how tough development of any sort was in those days), and major triumphs such as the Chamber of Commerce’s endorsement of the School Board budget request, which I take particular pride in helping to engineer as president of the Chamber at the time, and which I believe was a watershed moment for the City to fundamentally change the relationship between the City’s businesses and the wider community, opening the way for the kind of much more robust development that began in the early 2000s. (To set the stage for all this, the City of Falls Church is an independent jurisdiction with its own taxing authority under Virginia law that sits on 2.2 square miles inside the Washington, D.C. Beltway, sandwiched between Fairfax County with a population of over a million, and Arlington County with 230,000 or so. Falls Church had a population of 9,500 in 1991, and is at 13,300 now. Almost everyone here works for the federal
Falls Church News-Press founder, owner & editor-in-chief for 25 years, Nicholas F. Benton is shown here examining the very first edition of the paper, dated March 28, 1991, at the printing press in Gaithersburg, Maryland, with his associate Danny O’Brien, Jr. government or institutions trying to influence it. The CIA headquarters is right up the street, and the Pentagon is a few miles south. It is seven miles on the interstate highway, I-66, that runs by Falls Church to the Potomac River and the Washington, D.C. border, and there are two Metro subway stations next to it that hook it up to the entire region. Falls Church has the highest percentage of persons with college or advanced degrees of any jurisdiction in the U.S., and the highest household income, as well, although that is due to a lot of twoincome households and few are filthy rich, as far as I know. The demographics trend to white, older and politically progressive, but not entirely so on any of those three at all. It is getting younger as the reputation of the schools is drawing younger families and record enrollments in the school system. Overall, this is a tough audience to play for, and that has been a big part of the challenge and the fun.) The past 25 years owning, operating and participating in the process of producing almost 1,300 consecutive weekly editions of the mighty Falls Church News-Press, have been far and away the happiest and most fulfilling of my life. It has not always been sweetness and light, as an independent news-
paper and opinionated editor must expect to take the brunt of a lot of disdain from those who don’t always agree with it, but that is far more than offset by the unexpected kindness and appreciation often expressed by complete strangers in a check-out line at a local supermarket, for example, and the satisfaction of knowing one is doing one’s best to provide a vital public service. I am confident the newspaper has accumulated far more fans than detractors over the years. Compared to that “Business of the Year” ceremony in 1991, there have been so many rewards and achievements that the paper has been responsible for, far too many to count. We’ve taken great joy in being able to host holiday parties every year that have drawn hundreds each time from all walks in Falls Church, and complimentary summer social mixers at our office in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce. Among the most cherished rewards have been those who have worked with me on the newspaper, beginning with Danny O’Brien (more on him below) and with the first hire of a part-time student in 1992 in what became a long succession of students from the local George Mason High School in 1992. The first, a lad named Nate Martin, has just this year turned 40, if he doesn’t
mind my saying so, still adoring his high school sweetheart, and sharing two children with her. He was first in the long list. Among them along the way have been Andrew Turner, who came on board in 1993 and now after finishing college has worked in Budapest and London as a tax accountant for major multinational corporations (and who started by helping me to send out bills to our advertisers every week). Jody Fellows started with us as a senior in high school in 1996, and after finishing college, starting in 2001 for 15 years hence has worked as the managing editor of the News-Press, with Megan and two kids added in the process. He’s taken on more and more responsibilities for the paper as the time has gone on. Lucas Hardi, who did cartoons for the News-Press, is now a gifted video game design artist with three kids, whose wife, Letty, is now on the Falls Church City Council. Simon van Steyn, who wrote colorful Critter Corner captions for the News-Press, is now an accomplished video production specialist for the State Department. Peter Laub is now the senior English teacher at George Mason High, stepping into the shoes of the legendary Michael Hoover, who was such an important part of the News-Press as a columnist and
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contributor during the 1990s. Also over first decade or so, the many memorable figures included Patricia Blystone, Julie Day, Jackie Droujinsky, Paul Donio, Peg Jones, Jenny Edwards, Bill Johnson, Joe Driver, Paul Greenberg, Brian Boyle, Vicki Rhoden, Drew Maier, Teddy Wiant, Nathan Hamme, Joel Hardi, Isaac Blake, Jason Motlagh, Michael Cary, Adam Chandler, Beau Fay, James Tatum, Chris Geurtsen, Sean Nannery, Dan Arnaudo, Paul Arnaudo, Andrew Goetting, Eric Jacobs, Mo Sadeghi, Alaina Sadick, Josh Singer, Sean Snider, David Sprankle, John Humphries, Drew Maier and Nate Taylor. In the latter 1990s, Blackwell Hawthorne came to us as a man at age 75 who was angry as a wet hen when he’d been laid off by a rival newspaper because he couldn’t keep up with its computerization. He became the best advertising salesman we ever had, at least up to the last couple years, and worked for us until a couple of months before his death 13 years later at age 88. In the late 1990s, the News-Press sponsored participants from its staff, beginning with me, in annual AIDS Rides, when over 2,000 people signed up to ride bikes from Raleigh, North Carolina to D.C. to raise money for AIDS research and treatments. We convinced the organizers of the rides to re-route the bikers through the City of Falls Church, which became the only jurisdiction along the route to turn out a large police contingent to ensure safe rides through the City. The News-Press has enjoyed sustained contributions from our local politicians who’ve provided exclusive periodic, if not weekly, reports to our readers, from U.S. Reps. Jim Moran and Don Beyer, who wrote a column as Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor
FCNP TU R NS 2 5 in our very first edition, Fairfax Supervisor Penny Gross to State Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple and Dick Saslaw, Delegates Bob Hull, Kaye Kory, Jim Scott and Marcus Simon. In 2001, the late Falls Church City Manager Dan McKeever, such a seminal influence in getting the City to move forward, undertook a City-wide survey asking where people got their news about the City. The results, which was pushed that August, showed that overwhelmingly the citizens got their news from one of two sources: the News-Press or the City’s own Focus newsletter, mailed to every household every month. The drop-off was incredibly dramatic after that, including all radio, TV (including Falls Church Cable) and Internet sources. As a result, starting in July 2002, the City contracted for two full pages in the News-Press each week, providing far more expanded news and information than its Focus newsletter could and at a fraction of the cost. That happy arrangement continued until 2008 when fiscal and political pressures on the City Council killed it. We’d love to see it back. In 2005 I granted a gifted young writer Darien Bates, time to do extensive research into the real story of the struggle to integrate the Falls Church Schools in the 1950s, and it became a lengthy and extraordinary, landmark two-part report. Two of our talented sports writers, Mike Hume and Alex Prewitt, have gone on to big-time jobs covering sports at the Washington Post and Sports Illustrated. In July 2010, we celebrated the publication of the 1,000th consecutive weekly edition of the News-Press, inviting citizens and dignitaries to offer their support and congratulations. Every leading official in
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
the state, from both our U.S. Senators, the governor, our area congressmen and state legislators, not to mention local officials, put their names to that, along with hundreds of prominent Falls Church citizens. Other important contributors to the paper in the last decade included Leslie Poster, Natalie Bedell, Jonathan Harper, Dean Edwards, Diana Glazer, Eamonn Rockwell, Nancy Davis, Danielle Manigault, Joe Fridling, Donna Talla, Scott Greene, Lou Emery, Roberto Flores, Deborah Smyth, and Marilyn Austin. In the last two years, we’ve had the benefit of a small but highly talented staff that has remained intact through two holiday card issues, the first time ever for that. Jody Fellows, Drew Costley, Melissa Morse, Nick Gatz, Helen Walters, Ted White and Julio Idrobo have adorned our annual card both in 2014 and 2015. Over the years, our exclusive columnists have made major contributions, too, from Tom Whipple’s groundbreaking Peak Oil column to Wayne Besen’s Anything But Straight and Our Man in Arlington columns from Dick Barton and in recent years, Charlie Clark. We’ve also been home to exclusive columns by U.S. Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir and the late Helen Thomas, the legendary White House correspondent who finished out her public career with a weekly column written for the News-Press that appeared for over a year prior to her passing in 2013. In January of this year, we published the insightful and articulate columns of Falls Church’s Samuel Waters in the weeks before his death at age 22 from cancer. While we enthusiastically backed Falls Church’s “Favorite Son” Don Beyer over his two terms as Lieutenant Governor of Virginia in the early 1990s and race for gov-
Using a hot wax machine to paste the copy onto pages, the first edition of the News-Press is being prepared by founder Nicholas F. Benton (right) and volunteer Michael Hoover, a George Mason High School English teacher who wrote a weekly column for years.
ernor in 1996 (and more recently in his election to the U.S. Congress), since the statewide election of Mark Warner as governor of Virginia in 2000, the eastern half of Fairfax County, combined with Falls Church and the predictably progressive Arlington and Alexandria have provided more than the total margins of victory statewide in the elections of (now Senator) Tim Kaine for governor, the Falls Church area’s Jim Webb for the U.S. Senate, Warner for the U.S. Senate, Kaine for the U.S. Senate, Terry McAuliffe for governor and U.S. President Barack Obama twice (breaking a streak of successive GOP wins in presidential primaries dating back to 1964). The News-Press has been smack in the middle of where these margins were achieved in every case, relentlessly and without apology championing progressive values. Among our most vital supporters over the 25 years was the late Robert S. “Hap” Day, for many years the executive director of the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce, who was an important personal friend and organic liaison between the News-Press and the Chamber. The two of us began the tradition of a weekly “power lunch” on Mondays before my first edition was published that has carried on to this day, and we also shared duties doing a weekly radio and then TV show on Falls Church Cable TV that ran roughly until “The Commander” passed away at age 93 in December 2013. Also especially vital have been friend and CPA Michael Diener and my ex-wife and ongoing treasured companion (and our legal counsel) Janine Schollnick Benton and her mother, the irrepressible London Eastender Eileen Levy. Between October 2010 and September 2012, I authored 100 weekly “Gay Science” columns that were published on our website and reprinted in a Washington, D.C. gay community paper that have now been compiled into a single book, “Extraordinary Hearts.” Following a rave review by gay pioneer icon Larry Kramer, it is still in the “Best Seller” ranks among “gay studies” books on Amazon.com, making it to Number One as of this writing. In that context, I was named an “OUTstanding Virginian” by Equality Virginia in 2012, and a “Capital Pride Hero” by the Washington D.C. Pride Festival organization in 2014. The Falls Church News-Press has been named Business of the Year by the Falls Church City Council in 1991 and 2001, I was named Businessman of the Year in 2007, the Pillar of the Community by the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce in 1993 and 2003 and the grand marshal of the annual Falls Church Memorial Day Parade in 2001. The paper has been named to the Media Honor Roll of the Virginia School Boards Association, nominated by the local School Board, a half dozen times. Over the course of the 25 years, I have written every editorial in every edition of the paper, and since 1997 have also written a national affairs column for every edition every week, over and above my contribution of articles and photographs about local and regional events in every issue from No. 1 to now. Oh yes, not to forget that since 1997, I have also contributed a hand-drawn “Nick Knack” cartoon every week from then to now.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
II. THEN AND NOW
Compared to 1991, three things are notable about the City of Falls Church that, while naturally we wouldn’t presume to take significant credit for, still I take enormous satisfaction from knowing the newspaper’s role helped contribute to all of these. We’ve stood editorially steadfast, unyielding and foursquare behind all of these developments. First, the City has sustained itself as an independent jurisdiction despite the cries from some quarters at all points in the process that it should relinquish its independence and become absorbed into the much larger Fairfax or Arlington counties. Whatever the powerful interests in those neighbors that have coveted an ability to control the political process in Falls Church, they’ve been held at bay to the benefit of everyone in the City in terms of quality of services and the attention to individual needs, including for students in the schools. Second, the City’s school system has continued to grow and flourish. After a severe fall-off in attendance at the City schools that bottomed out in the mid-1980s, the schools’ rebound since has benefited, we believe, from the unflinching support they’ve been provided in many ways from the News-Press, including editorial support for its annual budget requests from the City, and they have enjoyed an unbroken growth in enrollment and quality ever since. This space could not contain the many ways the News-Press has sought since its inception to support the young people in Falls Church through supporting its schools. But for one, I being as an openly gay man and gay rights pioneer from “back in the day,” founded the “Nicholas F. Benton Diversity Affirmation Education Fund” of the Falls Church Education Foundation with two large personal contributions halfway through the last decade, which were used to sponsor anti-bullying and empathyenhancing “Challenge Days” at George Mason High School for a number of years. For another, starting in our second year, the News-Press offered an annual scholarship to George Mason seniors who won essay contests about their plans to pursue careers “enfranchising the disenfranchised.” For a number of years, we also hosted annual “Day at the Ball Game” events, offering free hot dogs, peanuts and soda to everyone in the community to come out and support the high school’s baseball team for a day. Third, the City’s tax base has been expanded, to afford the schools and much more, since the News-Press has been on the scene, and I served two consecutive terms as the president of the local Chamber of Commerce in the early 1990s. I founded the News-Press almost as a collaborative effort with the Chamber, as I’ve already mentioned, and you will read still more about below, and my paper has supported most of the major new projects in the commerciallyzoned areas of the City. This followed years of almost no significant development in the City, and some legendary accounts of how major development was opposed. The reader will see from the front pages of the first years of the NewsPress that we advocated for an economic development use of City-owned property by
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the West Falls Church Metro in the form of a baseball stadium that would also provide the schools with a first-rate athletic facility. It was killed and soon after, the land was sold to the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech for $1. The City’s evolution to a pro-development posture has been an indispensible part of my and our newspaper’s responsibility to promote the resources for the City’s public infrastructure and schools (it is hard to imagine that no child who entered the Falls Church Schools since 1991 ever knew his or her home town without its own newspaper). It took time. If one were able to set side-by-side what so many commercial properties in the City looked like when the News-Press started in 1991 compared to now, I think the point would be made. To name a few, the Spectrum (including Mad Fox) was an empty lot partially covered by a dilapidated surface parking lot. The Byron and its ground floor retail was a Red Lobster placed as a stand-alone building surrounded by a sea of asphalt parking on all sides. The Broadway was built on a lot that was home to a former Ad Com art supply building that shut down to become an eyesore for over a decade. Pearson Square was seven mostly-undeveloped acres with a small string of shops and a duck-pin bowling alley that had burned down. The Read Building replaced an old auto repair shop. The Northgate replaced an old funeral home that had shut down. The Hilton Garden Inn sits on what was a weedinfested parking lot and the Kensington on the site of a free-standing Burger King. Now new projects are transforming similar properties, like the Lincoln at Tinner Hill replacing a car dealership and the 300 West Broad with its giant Harris-Teeter about to go in, replacing the old U.S. Post Office and Anthony’s Restaurant, both of which successfully relocated. The just-approved, socalled Mason Row project on 4.3 acres in the west end will bring a major mix of uses, including the City’s first movie theater complex since the old State Theatre went dark in the 1980s and was subsequently renovated as a live music venue. Moreover, in terms of the community itself, it must be added that we took great heart in our newspaper’s role as a catalyst with others to successfully thwart an effort by those who sought to turn the historic Falls Church Episcopal – located in the center of the City dating back to the George Washington era – into an exclusionary arch-conservative mega-church. After years of trying to bully the City Council into deeding over a public street, those forces engineered a vote of the church’s large congregation to defect from the national Episcopal denomination in opposition to its election of an openlygay priest to standing as a bishop in 2005. Those defectors claimed the property and occupied it for six years before the courts finally found in favor of the Episcopal diocese and they were ordered out. The News-Press kept the spotlight on these developments throughout and provided ongoing editorial encouragement to the flock of “continuing Episcopalians” who set up worship across the street until they got their church back, such that when they were allowed to reclaim the property, they’d sustained the capacity for a robust revival that continues now.
MARCH 31 - APRIL 6, 2016 | PAGE 21
A copy of his first newspaper, The Benton Star, which he published at age eight has adorned the wall above News-Press founder Nicholas F. Benton from the beginning. We’re very proud of the role we’ve played editorially advocating, informing and educating the public on behalf of all these developments, at the same time as encouraging efforts to allow the existing displaced businesses to continue to prosper, even if in new locations.
III. HOW THIS ALL STARTED I was born with printer’s ink in my veins, I’m convinced, because I published my first newspaper when I was eight years old. I wasn’t just a writer, I produced a newspaper with headlines and layout. With my mom’s help, I got my hands on the precursor to the mimeograph machine, a “hectograph” gelatine sheet that, with the right kind of pencil, could reproduce up to 10 copies, each a little fainter than the last, like the one that my first through fourth grade teacher used in the two-room school house where I attended in my early years. When I produced copies of my Benton Star, I went around and sold them to the neighbors for a dime. I still have a dim copy framed in my office that my mom saved for me. I did other “in house” newspapers and realized that my motive was to augment my mother’s unrelenting efforts at harmony in our home, which wasn’t always easy to say the least. I became editor of my high school and college papers, and began working for my home town daily paper as a sophomore in high school. Out of graduate school (the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, Calif., Class of 1969), I became the principal writer for a legendary pioneering counterculture weekly, the Berkeley Barb as the anti-Vietnam War movement raged, wrote the editorial for the first edition of the Gay Sunshine newspaper as the gay liberation movement raged, and co-produced a couple editions of my own newspaper, The Effeminist, as the gay and feminist movements raged. I consider it vital to add that my predisposition to newspapers was matched for me by sentiments which led to my decision to attend and graduate with honors from a progressive Protestant graduate theological seminary. The inclusive and universal val-
ues affirmed and taught there have formed the basis of my personal identity for my entire life, and I’ve always thought of newspapering as my vocation, or calling, rather than simply a profession. Fast forwarding through some unhappy years, in October 1987 I incorporated my own news service in Washington, D.C., which became the corporate context that I utilized when I made the decision in early December 1990 to launch the News-Press with the involvement of one other person, a 20-year-old sidekick with no newspaper experience but a lot of enthusiasm and encouragement. I had been seriously thinking of doing it for a couple years before that after moving to Falls Church in November 1985. In 1987, I attended the first ever class offered in television production offered by the Falls Church Cable Access Corporation and made a cherished friend there, H. Robert (Bob) Morrison, who was happy to work with me to produce the FCCAC’s first ever public access program, “Eye on Washington,” which completed over 50 half-hour editions with me as the host and Bob as the affable and talented producer. In the spring of 1990, we decided to produce the first ever “Election Night Live” show for the FCCAC to give the City’s public swift and first hand results of the City Council elections in early May with a live format that included interviews with the candidates and others. Meanwhile, I periodically had lunch with Bob Morrison in the cafeteria of the National Geographic Building in Washington, D.C., where he worked, to talk about the idea of starting a Falls Church newspaper. Then in November 1990, the City’s then Public Information Office director Barbara Gordon (who went on to serve in a number of positions at City Hall into the mid-2000s, including a stint as Assistant City Manager) decided to do a lengthy write up of the previous May’s “Election Night Live” in the City’s monthly newsletter, The Focus,” that at the time was mailed to everyone in the City. I took the notoriety that article provided as my cue to launch my newspaper, which began in earnest in early December. I was invited to speak before various groups about
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it, and to meet with important local leaders, and the key breakthrough came when I was invited to speak to the monthly meeting of the board of directors of the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce in late December. Much to my surprise, at the initiative of its executive director “Hap” Day, who went on to become a famous friend of mine, the Chamber board wasted no time voting unanimously at that very meeting a ringing endorsement of my effort. I then bought a mailing list for all the members of the local Chamber, about 230 labels, and enclosed in envelopes to them all a cover letter and a stamped return postcard with two boxes to check, one indicating an interest in advertising were a newspaper to be founded, and another indicating no interest. The response was, by all standards, extraordinary. Over 60 percent of the postcards were mailed back to me with the box checked expressing interest. I literally took that pile of postcards to the bank, which turned out to be a newlyformed local bank which had a mandate to serve its local community. Its president was on the Chamber board and was present when I’d met with them in December. A very modest line of credit was granted that allowed the purchase of one 380 computer and a printer. I had to set a firm date for the first issue to work with, and chose March 28, 1991. My young collaborator Danny O’Brien went around crowing, “Have you heard the news? Come March 28 Falls Church is going to have its own newspaper!” He helped sell some of the first advertisements, including to two who have never failed to advertise in the paper from its first issue to the present. I decided at the outset to include a Platform composed of seven principles that I drew from my hometown newspaper I grew up with and which I described in the very first editorial in the News-Press as “the kind of mandate the blessed right to free speech imposes on the institution of the press in any democratic society” (that first editorial is included in its entirely below). Those seven principles, which I have never seen the likes of in all my travels and relentless curiosity examining other newspapers, are these: Keep the news clear and fair; Play no favorites, never mix business and editorial policy; Do not let the news columns reflect editorial comment; Publish the news that is public property without fear or favor of friend or foe; Accept no charity and ask no favors; Give “value received” for every dollar you take in; and, Make the paper show a profit if you can, but above all keep it clean fearless and fair. It was little less than total chaos getting that first issue ready by our deadline at our tiny first office at 105 N. Virginia Avenue. We worked all night as the deadline approached, and when dawn broke on March 27, we looked out our second story windows to see that all the cherry blossom trees on N. Virginia had blossomed over night. That was the sign I needed to press ahead! At our Maryland-based printer, when the press bell rang and everything started to move, it was a very special moment. As the papers started chugging onto a conveyor belt, I couldn’t help but stand on a box and
FCNP TU R NS 2 5 loudly exclaim, “Let every tyrant tremble! A free press is the voice of the people in defense of liberty and freedom everywhere!” The noise of the press drowned me out so that only a couple of pressmen gave me funny looks. I had arranged for our distributor to be ready back in Falls Church. But the only element I failed to provide for was a way to get the 7,500 copies from the printer to our distributor. Three of us rode up to the printer in the tight Mustang convertible provided by our valuable friend Bill Johnson without a thought to getting all those papers back. We found someone who ferried papers for other organizations present, and made him a handsome offer to deliver mine, as well, to our distributor waiting for them in a living room in Falls Church. That done, we got back to Falls Church as the sun was coming up on March 28. Later that same day, after some sleep, we decided to put out the second edition the very next week. That turned into a very key decision, as the mighty News-Press has never missed a week of publication for over 1,284 weeks, and counting, since.
IV. THE FIRST EDITORIAL: A NEWSPAPER OF RECORD The editorial, entitled “A Newspaper of Record,” that I wrote for the very first March 28, 1991 edition of the Falls Church News-Press is as valid today 25 years later as it was then, referencing the Seven-Point Platform (spelled out above) that has ap-
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
peared in every single edition since: “Falls Church Vice Mayor Brian O’Connor responded to the birth of this newspaper at the March 11 City Council meeting by quoting Thomas Jefferson. “Following our publisher’s announcement at that meeting of plans to begin our weekly publication this month, Mr. O’Connor remarked, ‘Thomas Jefferson said if he had a choice between a nation without a government and a nation without newspapers, he’d sooner choose a nation without a government.’ “Truly, a free press is an indispensable component of a democratic society, and in the City of Falls Church, where political tugs of war rage with such infamous ferocity, the environment is not complete without the kind of newspaper we will strive to be. “Our publisher saw this last year, when, despite one of the most hotly-contested City Council elections in the City’s history, there was no public medium by which the voters could learn quickly of the outcome of the election. So he initiated an idea, and rallied the support of many within the community, to produce ‘Election Night Live,’ a threehour live television program that aired on Falls Church’s own Channel 38, to bring not only the results of the election as they were counted, but also all the personalities involved in the election, directly before the public. “Some would argue the vision began when our publisher produced his own newspaper at age eight, and sold news of the goings-on in his household to the neighbors in his tiny community of 300 – much to the chagrin of his parents. Others would argue
it began the day he moved to Falls Church in 1985, in the midst of a lifelong career as a journalist, and found this vital community without its own ‘newspaper of record.’ The long and short of it is that, to those who know him, our publisher truly has ‘printer’s ink flowing in his veins.’ “As a result, this newspaper has adopted, as its own, the exact wording in its platform of the seven principles that were on the masthead of every edition of the hometown paper our publisher grew up working for. Some of those seven points may seem ‘old fashioned’ to some. They were crafted in the early 20th century by a man who started out as a copy boy to build his own publishing empire, the late Thomas M. Storke (18761971) of Santa Barbara, California. “Our publisher cut his teeth on these seven principles as a young reporter, and is committed to providing not only the City of Falls Church, but anyone who might be exposed to this newspaper, with a solid vision of the kind of mandate the blessed right to free speech imposes upon the the institution of the press in any democratic society. “The seven points speak for themselves. It is hard to expect anyone to live up to them, either to their own or anyone else’s satisfaction. Yet they remain a sturdy rudder, which can guide any newspaper in its rocky course between freedom and the responsibility that is always associated with it. “We vow to our readers that we shall strive to uphold them, because in such an effort, we are not only upholding our own newspaper’s principles, but the very cornerstone of free society, itself.”
The stack of the 7,500 copies of the first-ever edition of the News-Press was loaded onto a skid at the Maryland, printer awaiting delivery to Falls Church, and to every household in the City, something that has continued every week for 25 years.
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MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2016 | PAGE 23
F.C. Public Works, Residents Deal with Sewer Woes
Continued from Page 11
the sewer relining portion of the rehabilitation project. There is $550,000 proposed for the sewer relining project in the City’s FY17 budget. There are two other solutions to the issues with the sanitary sewer system that the City is working on that could have an impact on several City residents. First, the Department of Public Works has been working on enacting a sewer lateral and replacement policy, which would require developers to inspect existing laterals prior to reuse for new construction and replace the lateral if it is deficient prior to being issued a certificate of occupancy. “As property owners are redeveloping, whether it’s a tear down or a significant renovation, at that time we would require them to inspect their lateral and conduct any repairs if necessary,” Collins said. “So that’s where we feel we can get to a comfortable medium of not being an owner’s government compelling people and really straining their resources, but requiring those who are already
investing in their home, adding to their home, to take a look at their existing infrastructure. “And even if they incur some extra costs there, that would be protecting their investment in their home.” Collins said the implementation of the policy should begin on this summer. The other solution is to design and construct an expansion of Dorchester Sewershed capacity, which could take until 2018 to complete. “There is an issue in terms of capacity near the Dorchester [Road], Lincoln Avenue and Great Falls [Street] area,” said Jason Widstrom, program and engineering contact for the Department of Public Works. “So we would like to build some additional capacity.” Widstrom said that there are three options for adding capacity to the Dorchester Sewershed. One option is called pipe bursting, where new line is slipped through the old pipe, breaking the old pipe so that it can be replaced by a larger pipe. A second option is constructing a parallel line to the existing sewer line that runs along the W&OD trail, an idea which has been met with resistance by
the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, according to Widstrom. The third option is to create a parallel line somewhere else in that area of the City. “There are couple ways to skin the cat here, but we would need to look at what’s feasible with the public and cost with the location of each one,” Widstrom said. “I think we’ve set aside roughly $2 million to do this type of work.” Despite all of the work the City has been doing to manage and solve issues with the sanitary sewer system, not everyone is pleased. One City resident, Anthony Cincotta, has been documenting the City’s sewer and stormwater woes and
corresponding with City staff about the issue since the late 1970s. He recently created a documentary that is on YouTube about the City’s sewage and stormwater woes. Cincotta, a resident of the City’s Oak Haven neighborhood, told the News-Press that every time there is a sewer backup on manhole #677 on Lincoln Avenue he also experiences a backup at his house on Dorchester Road. He said that in the late ‘70s or early ‘80s he took measures to try to solve the problem and has been “frustrated” with the City’s response to the sewer issue. “Many years ago I had a plumber install a manual backup
valve, so if I’m home and I’m around I can close the manual backup valve and that closes off the sewer pipe,” Cincotta said. “So if I close off the sewer pipe in a sense it doesn’t back up there.” Although he has corresponded with several City officials and employees throughout the years to solve these issues, with varying degrees of success, Cincotta is pessimistic about the City’s prospects for solving this issue. “This has been going on for a long time and they said they were going to solve it,” Cincotta said. “But solving it may not happen until like 50 years from now when all of the houses have changed.”
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), in partnership with the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), proposes to convert I-66 inside the Beltway between I-495 (the Capital Beltway) and Rosslyn, to variably-priced toll lanes and extend the existing a.m. and p.m. High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) periods from a 2.5-hour window to a 4-hour window between 5:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. traveling eastbound and 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. traveling westbound to better manage the travel demand in the corridor. Beginning in 2017, Single Occupancy Vehicles (SOVs) will be allowed to use the lanes during the restricted hours by paying a toll, and vehicles with two or more occupants (HOV-2+) will not be tolled. Beginning in 2021, which is consistent with the opening of the express lanes project along I-66 outside the beltway, both SOVs and vehicles with two occupants (HOV-2) will be required to pay a toll to use the lanes, and HOV-3+ will not be tolled. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and 23 CFR 771, a Categorical Exclusion (CE) has been prepared in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration for an electronic tolling system under the federal Value Pricing Pilot Program. In compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 106 and 36 CFR Part 800, information concerning the potential effects of the proposed project on properties listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places is also provided in the environmental document. Review the environmental documentation on the project website, www.Transform66.org, or at the VDOT Northern Virginia District Office located at 4975 Alliance Drive, Fairfax, Virginia, 22030. Please call ahead at 800-FOR-ROAD (800-367-7623) or TTY/TDD 711 to ensure the availability of appropriate personnel to answer your questions. Submit your written comments about the environmental document by April 15, 2016 to Amanda Baxter, Special Projects Development Manager, at the address noted above or by e-mail to Transform66@VDOT.Virginia.gov. Please reference “Transform 66 Inside the Beltway” in the subject line. VDOT ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If you need more information or special assistance for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, contact VDOT’s Civil Rights at 703-259-1775 or TTY/TDD 711.
A CITY EMPLOYEE UNLOADS fiberglass lining to rehabilitate the sanitary sewer system on Linden Lane on Wednesday, March 30. (Photo: Courtesy of Lonnie Marquetti)
State Project: 0066-96A-358, P101 (UPC: 107371)
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MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL’S CULINARY ACADEMY won the Real Food for Kids Culinary Challenge for the second year in a row on Saturday, March 12 at Robinson High School. The photo above shows the winning team with the competition judges. (P����: C������� �� S��� H�����)
Marshall HS Wins Second Real Food For Kids Challenge Marshall High School’s Culinary Academy won the Real Food for Kids Culinary Challenge for the second consecutive year on Saturday, March 12 at Robinson High School. The school’s winning entry was a Thai inspired Chicken Wrap served with a soba noodle and vegetable salad. Marshall’s Culinary Academy team was one of four that was challenged to create a more delicious and nutritious version of a typical school lunch entree that could be adapted for use on the Fairfax County Public School menu. “We could use these ideas,” said Rodney Taylor, Fairfax County Public School’s Food Service and Nutrition director and a competition judge. “This kind of input serves our goal to ensure students have access to nutritious meals that promote life-long healthy eating behavior.” The Culinary Challenge included seven other schools’ teams that offered preparations of creative healthful breakfasts and snacks as potential additions to the menus as well. Franklin, Sandburg, Irving, Stone and Glasgow middle schools presented in the snack category and Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School and West Potomac High
OVER 30 STUDENTS FROM MASON’S The Lasso, yearbook and literary magazine were in New York City in mid-March for the Columbia Scholastic Press Association Spring Convention. The national gathering of student editors and faculty advisers offers three days of sessions on newspaper, yearbook, magazine, online media, video/broadcasting, law and ethics and advising. Lasso editor, Melissa Johnson, was the presenter for one session. (P����: C������� �� FCCPS P����/S���� K�����) School made grab-and-go breakfasts. Each student was awarded a participation certificate.
Lebanese Taverna Donates To Stuart Educational Fund The Lebanese Taverna restaurant at Arlington’s Pentagon Row will donate 20 percent of their proceeds on Sunday, April 3 to J.E.B. Stuart High School’s Educational Foundation, which gives scholarships to financially-strapped students from Stuart.
There are several ways to participate in the fundraiser. Customers can dine in or take their orders to go on Sunday, April 3, but must bring the fundraiser flyer to participate. The flyer for the fundraiser can be found at facebook.com/stuartfund. Catering orders and gift cards obtained on Sunday, April 3 also qualify. Gift cards can be purchased online at lebanesetaverna.com and are good at any Lebanese Taverna location.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2016 | PAGE 25
Northern Virginia Transportation Commission Open House and Public Hearing on Transform 66 Inside the Beltway Multimodal Components Thursday, May 5, 2016 6:00 p.m. Open House – 7:00 p.m. Public Hearing
2300 Wilson Boulevard, First Floor Conference Room, Arlington, VA 22201 The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) is seeking public input on the Multimodal Components submitted for FY 2017 funding consideration as part of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT’s) Transform 66 Inside the Beltway Project. NVTC will select multimodal components for presentation to the Commonwealth Transportation Board for funding using toll revenues from VDOT’s Transform 66 Inside the Beltway Project. The principal objective of the Transform 66 Inside the Beltway Project is to select and fund multimodal components that meet the improvement goals, which are to (1) move more people, (2) enhance transportation connectivity, (3) improve transit service, (4) reduce roadway congestion and (5) increase travel options. The improvement goals will benefit the users of the portion of I-66 between I-495 (the Capital Beltway) and U.S. Route 29 in the Rosslyn area of Arlington County.
WET BASEMENT??? CRACKED WALLS???
NVTC urges the public to get involved by learning about and commenting on the proposed multimodal components during the Open House and Public Hearing on May 5, 2016. The meeting will be held at NVTC’s offices at 2300 Wilson Boulevard, First Floor Conference Room, Arlington, VA 22201. The Open House will begin at 6:00 p.m. The Public Hearing will start at 7:00 p.m.
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Comments may be submitted beginning April 5, 2016 by e-mail to i66multimodal@nvtdc.org or via phone at 703-NVTC-321 (703-688-2321). The public comment period will be open from April 5, 2016 through the close of the Public Hearing on May 5, 2016. For additional information on the Open House and Public Hearing on May 5, 2016, contact NVTC at 703NVTC-321 (703-688-2321). Beginning April 5, 2016 you may pre-register to speak by: • e-mailing NVTC at: i66multimodal@nvtdc.org OR • calling NVTC at 703-NVTC-321 (703-688-2321) ACCESSIBILITY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES OR SPANISH LANGUAGE SPEAKERS: The hearing is located at a facility believed to be accessible to persons with disabilities. Any person with questions about the accessibility of the facility should contact NVTC at 703-NVTC-321 (703-688-2321) or i66multimodal@nvtdc.org. Persons requiring special assistance or a Spanish language translator must notify NVTC at 703-NVTC-321 (703-688-2321). Those requiring interpreter services for the deaf must call NVTC at 703NVTC-321 (703-688-2321) or via Virginia Relay by dialing 7-1-1. All requests for special services must be received no later than April 28, 2016.
IT’S SPRING!!
Get your Lawn Service ad in our Business & Service Directory Today! The grass is growing, the flowers are blooming. Who’s going to cut the lawn & prune the hedges? Call 703-532-3267 or email ads@fcnp.com
PAGE 26 | MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2016
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Now Available! To order, visit FCNP.com/frontpages1
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
SE NI O R LI V I NG
SENIOR LIVING
S����� N��� L���
How Healthy Is It Where You Live? BY MATLIDA CHARLES
KING FEATURES SYNDICATE
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has unveiled a new online mapping tool to show the levels of health in various parts of the country. Medicare beneficiaries are grouped by geographic location, race, health outcomes, sex, age and more. Eighteen health conditions are defined, as well as use of hospitals and emergency rooms, rate of readmissions and mortality rates. The best feature is that the mapping tool can even be broken down into the county level of each state. While the map developers planned to use it to identify areas where there are problems (belowaverage health because of lack of access to health care, for example), the tool is also a good way for us
to compare our own health to those around us and around the country. To use the map, go online to www.cms.gov and put Mapping Medicare Disparities Tool in the search box. Then click Get Started. Using the dropdown list, put in your parameters. Select year, state or county, condition, sex, age, race and more. At that point you have a choice: You can either click Download or mouse over the various states or counties, depending on which you selected. (If you chose the county level, you can expand the screen to make it easier to see.) For more help, you also can click the Quick Start Guide. Under Other Resources (below the Get Started button), look for County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, and click on your state. You’ll find rankings for your county
for health factors and outcomes. If you haven’t retired and plan to move, this tool can help you decide if the areas you’ve considered living are more or less healthy than where you currently live. *** There’s so much we can do with the new smartphones. But just because we can doesn’t mean we should. A study from the Illinois Institute of Technology ChicagoKent College of Law revealed that a great many mobile health apps were sharing private medical information with third parties without the user being aware. Granted, for those of us with health conditions to monitor, a phone app can be handy to keep us on track. Sometimes our physicians recommend it. Some apps are even approved as prescriptions by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Specifically the study focused on Android diabetes apps and looked at whether there was indication that private information was being disclosed to third parties. (Android has the biggest market share of phone operating systems.) Researchers found over 270 diabe-
MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2016 | PAGE 27
tes apps and chose 75 of them to monitor for transmission analysis. Within six months, 60 of those apps were no longer available. Of the group remaining, 81 percent didn’t even have a privacy policy. Of the ones that had privacy policies, only four would even ask if information could be shared. Of the 75 chosen for transmission analysis, there was a wide variety of information sent off to third parties: 86 percent placed tracker cookies in the app, and most of them shared information whether they had a privacy policy or not. Of the apps that actually had
privacy policies, only 12 asked for the user’s permission before sending off their data to others. Ten shared the information with business partners, and 16 used the information for ads. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act bars medical staff from disclosing your private information to others, but it doesn’t cover phone apps. Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into her column whenever possible. Send email to columnreply2@gmail.com.
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VINSON HALL RETIREMENT COMMUNITY Vinson Hall Retirement Community is a nonprofit CCRC located in convenient McLean, VA and offers independent residential living for military officers, their immediate family, and select government employees of equal rank. Arleigh Burke Pavilion Assisted Living and The Sylvestery Memory Support Assisted Living do not require military affiliation.
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PAGE 28 | MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2016
LO CA L
F.C. Children Hunt for Eggs During City’s Easter Event
THE CITY HOSTED ITS ANNUAL EASTER EGG HUNT on Saturday, March 26 at Cherry Hill Park. Children from around the area came to partake in the hunt and get their picture taken with the Easter Bunny. (Photos: Claudette Brown/News-Press)
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
F� � � � C � � � � �
LO CA L
MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2016 | PAGE 29
B������� N��� � N���� Clare & Don’s to Host Meeting on Solar Power Clare & Don’s Beach Shack, one of the first businesses in the City to install solar power, is hosting a public meeting Sunday, April 3 from 2 – 3:30 p.m. on solar power and the Solarize Falls Church program which runs through May 15. Attendees will learn about the program’s benefits which include free solar site assessments, solar panel pricing and affordable financing, qualified local solar installers, and free home energy inspections. Clare & Don’s Beach Shack is located at 130 N. Washington St. in Falls Church. For more information, visit SolarizeFallsChurch.org.
BB&T on W. Broad Gets New Marketing Leader Rachel Fleck is the new assistant vice president cluster marketing leader for BB&T based in the branch located at 191 W. Broad Street in Falls Church. Fleck, who has 10 years banking experience, joined BB&T four years ago in Florida where she managed three branches. In her new position, she will manage three branches as well, including the Falls Church, East Falls Church, and Willston branches. For more information, visit www.bbandt.com.
Spring Shopping Event at Mosaic District April 2 The Mosaic District is hosting a “Spring Fling” shopping event benefiting the Washington Humane Society and the Washington Animal Rescue League on April 2 from noon – 3 p.m. The event will include a special afternoon of shopping, the chance to see new fashions, enjoy restaurants’ new seasonal tastes, and the opportunity to see adoptable animals and enter a drawing for prizes form Mosaic retailers at Strawberry Park. Mosaic is located at 2950 District Avenue in the Merrifield area of Fairfax.
Creative Cauldron’s ‘Passport to the World’ Festival Coming in April Sislers Stone is sponsoring Creative Cauldron’s sixth year of its “Passport to the World” Festival to be held at ArtSpace Falls Church weekends April 2 – 23. The series celebrates music and dance from cultures around the world from a variety of genres including jazz, swing, Latin, classical, opera, klezmer and folk music. Traditional music and dance bands are featured along with fusion bands and contemporary artists that draw inspiration from world music. The festival is presented in collaboration with the Folklore Society of Greater Washington and was curated by Lynn Véronneau and Ken Avis. ArtSpace Falls Church is located at 410 S. Maple Ave. in Falls Church. For more information about Creative Cauldron or the series, visit creativecauldron.org.
Special Offers Available on F.C. Chamber’s Website The Falls Church Chamber of Commerce’s website includes a number of special offers for the public including discounts from Art and Frame of Falls Church, Bentley’s, Comfort Inn, Fairfax County Park Authority, Italian Café, Jiffy Lube and Paychex. To access these discounts, visit FallsChurchChamber.org and click on the Hot Deals button. Additional discounts are available to Chamber members by clicking on the For Members tab in the navigation bar. 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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FO O D &D I NI NG
PAGE 30 | MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2016
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Falls Church Restaurant Demands That You Be Present
THE ‘STROLLING IN A LEMONGRASS FIELD’ at Present is a sight to behold. (P����: N���-P����)
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with a daikon cut into the shape of a flower with a cherry in the middle and tomatoes and cucumbers fanned out behind the daikon. It was one hell of a garnish, which I mixed in with the rest of the dish. The dish was sweet and spicy, though it could have been spicier for my taste, but it was delicious. The service at Present is wonderful as well. The server who helped me the last time I was there was attentive and the food was delivered to the table quickly. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves Southeast Asian cuisine.
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plant dish that’s served with a soy based sauce. But the server suggested that I order the favorite among Present’s patrons, Strolling in a Lemongrass Field ($12) and I obliged. I’m glad I did. The dish is described as fried bean curd sauteed with spicy lemongrass and jumbo sweet onion, which sounds like something you might be able to find at a lunch buffet. But what came to the table was awe inspiring. There was the bean curd and onion covered in a spicy lemongrass sauce, but it was presented
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type in the area with only seven menu items, including one dish that’s technically an appetizer. But that appetizer was pretty good. Present’s Frugally Green Spring Roll ($5), made of lettuce and mint leaves and seasoned tofu rolled in rice paper and served with peanut sauce, was refreshing. It had a slight bite, probably from the seasoned tofu. I wished that the dish was heavier on the mint, but that’s because I like rich, intense flavors. The last time that I was there I nearly ordered the Basking In the Tropical Sun ($11), an egg-
$5
Present’s menu opens with a message about the importance of just being. “When we are not dwelling in the past or chasing the future, it means we are here and now at this very moment, with our body and mind, meaning we do indeed live our life to the fullest,” the menu reads. “In our Eastern traditions, this state is called mindfulness.” Upon walking into Present, past its circular facade and long narrow vestibule, diners’ attention is demanded. The decor of Present holds you captive, in a pleasant way, if only for a moment before the
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Present Imperial Vietnamese Cuisine is located in one of the unassuming shopping centers that litters the Falls Church portion of Route 50. But the eatery, its ambiance, its food and its service, is anything but unassuming.
server/host escorts you to your table. There are cool, thin lights stained yellow with light brown markings on them hanging above every table. There are shining star decorations hanging in bunches in a couple of spots around the dining room. There’s a large fountain display built into the wall opposite the entrance that offers a light hum of water running. And above that, there’s a disco ball. A disco ball? You can’t be right 100 percent of the time, I guess. But the rest of the ambiance of the spot is en pointe with its imperial theme. Just past the menu’s message on being in the present, there is a pretty large menu, with over 65 items to choose from. The dishes have fun, sometimes poetic names like Open Field in the Sunset ($14), a soup, and Wicked Wishes ($20), a crab dish. And like with most Southeast Asian restaurants there is a vegan/ vegetarian menu, which is always a bonus. My one gripe is that the menu is labeled “Vegan Corners,” but there are dishes with egg noodles and eggs listed in the ingredients. As an old classmate of mine once said, excitedly and authoritatively pointing at my Subway sandwich, which was vegan, “That’s not vegan!” The vegan/vegetarian menu at Present is somewhat small compared to other restaurants of its
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
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Financing Available. See Associate for Details. Photos Are for Display Purposes Only
FALLS CHURCH, VA 6280 Seven Corners Center | 703.521.1700 | CHANTILLY, VA 14130 Sullyfield Circle | 703.631.7880 | GAITHERSBURG, MD 203 Muddy Branch Road | 301.948.5200 | SUNANDSKIPATIO.COM
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2016 | PAGE 31
Bring in this ad for $5 off brunch! $20 minimum purchase required Not valid on alcohol, one coupon per table Offer expires May 1, 2016
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PAGE 32 | MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2016
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
April
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Crystal Youth with Moogatu Iota Club and Café 8:30 p.m. 2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington
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Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals 9:30 7 p.m. 815 V St. NW, Washington, D.C.
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Ronnette Harrison Blues Alley 8 p.m. 1073 Wisc. Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.
202-265-0930 • bluesalley.com
6
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BY DREW COSTLEY
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
The Nashville quartet Judah and the Lion entered the studio to make their sophomore album Folk Hop ‘N Roll, which was released on March 4, with the desire to remain artistically uninhibited. “I don’t think we went into the studio with the plan of creating a new genre or anything,” said Spencer Cross, the group’s drummer. “But we definitely went in with the plan of trying to do whatever we wanted and not having any expectations or anything to hinder us.” And the genre-bending album accomplishes just that. Cross said that the group was inspired by a lot of hip-hop leading up to the creation of the album – groups like Run DMC and Beastie Boys – and that is apparent. The song “Reputation” features frontman Judah Akers shouting raps with the bombast of Rev Run and DMC and the cadence of MCA, Ad-Rock and Mike D. Cross said that out of all of the members of the group, Akers is the most heavily influenced by hip-hop. But the 80s hiphop sound was embedded even in the creation of the beats and melodies on Judah and the Lion’s new record. “In the writing process we’d start out by just making a beat with a drum machine and then writing on top of that,” Cross said. “So we got into the studio and had all these demos and our producer Dave Cobb really brought out the rock n’ roll side of that. He was just able to bring out that energy that we already have.” Although Cobb, who produced the group’s debut album Kids These Days, brought out the rock and folk roots of the group, according to Cross, he also helped them incorporate the hiphop sound they were going for. And it’s not like Judah and the Lion are the first rock group to incorporate hip-hop into their sound, but they are doing it in a fresh way. Cobb played a pivotal role in helping the group achieve that sound.
JUDAH AND THE LION. (C������� P����) “He’s awesome and we love working with him. I think we were on the same page...we both wanted to do something different and do something fresh and he’s always about doing something fresh and getting the most natural take in the studio,” Cross said. The first day that the group met with Cobb in the studio for the album, Cross said, they had a demo for a song called “Forever Always” that had a pop sound and was 20 beats per minute slower than what they ended up recording. “It was almost One Direction-ish. It was like modern pop,” Cross said. “We brought it in the first day and Dave was like ‘Show me what you got’ and we played him that and he was like ‘No, no, no, it’s gotta be faster.’ And then he pulled up this Beastie Boys track ‘So Whatcha Want’ and showed us that groove and helped us get into that vibe and we were digging it. It was definitely a little alarming at first, but...next thing you know we sped up the
song and added an electric guitar and went this whole different route that ended up livening up the song. The song just kind of exploded.” Cross said that some of the group’s fans haven’t taken well to the direction they took on this album, but that they had been foreshadowing the turn towards black music on their last tour. One of the regular covers they performed as far back as 2014 was a rendition of R. Kelly’s “Ignition (Remix).” “It’s just kind of the first album that we’ve had people being opposed to it and I understand them being shocked. It’s not a shock to us. It’s a natural progression for us,” Cross said. “But for people that are a little more on the outside, especially people who haven’t come to our live shows, then it’s probably very shocking….[But] it’s been a long time coming and the reception has been pretty positive overall.” • For more information about Judah and the Lion, visit judahandthelion.com.
Robyn Hitchcock Wolf Trap
These singles whet the appetites of the FCNP editorial team this week:
8 p.m. 1645 Trap Road, Vienna
703-255-1900 • wolftrap.com
Nicholas Benton – Wake Up Little Suzie by Everly Brothers
Jody Fellows – Dirt Off Your Shoulder (Grey Album) by Jay-Z and Dangermouse
Drew Costley – Push It Along by A Tribe Called Quest
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2016 | PAGE 33
Providence Players
Almost, Maine Opens This Weekend On Stage April 1st Thru April 16th 7:30 PM Thurs, Fri, Sat –2:00 PM Sunday
John Cariani’s Romantic Comedy Hit On a cold, clear, moonless night in the middle of winter, all is not quite what it seems in the remote, mythical town of Almost, Maine. As the northern lights hover in the starfilled sky above, Almost's residents find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and often hilarious ways. Knees are bruised. Hearts are broken. But the bruises heal, and the hearts mend— almost—in this delightful midwinter night's dream. Witty, romantic and
clever: a real crowd-pleaser.
“Romantic, poignant, and hilariously funny. Sometimes you won’t know whether to laugh or cry!”
PERFORMING AT
The James Lee Community Center Theater 2855 Annandale Road Falls Church, VA 22042
FULL ONLINE TICKET ORDERING AND SEAT SELECTION
www.providenceplayers.org
Email: providenceplayerstickets@cox.net Phone: 703-425-6782
INFORMATION AND TICKETS
ALWAYS AFFORDABLE SINGLE SHOW TICKETS Adults $20 Students/Seniors (62+) $17
CA L E NDA R
PAGE 34 | MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2016
Community Events
THURSDAY, MARCH 31
Teen Time. Children in grades 6 – 12 can get started or make the finishing touches on their Peeps Story dioramas. Peeps and other material required. Participation is limited to 15 children. Registration required. Mary Riley Styles Public Library’s Youth Services Room (120 N. Virginia Ave. Falls Church). 7 p.m. 703-248-5034.
FRIDAY, APRIL 1
Beaks at Work. Children ages 3 – 5 can learn about different animal beaks. Registration required. Gulf Branch Nature Center (3608 N. Military Road, Arlington). $5. 1 – 2 p.m. 703-228-3403. Falls Church Arts All Member Show. Over 70 artists will be participating in the 13th Annual All Members Show opening. A gala reception is being prepared and is open to the public at no charge. The All Member Show features one artwork from each artist and includes a reception with entertainment and refreshments. ArtSpace Falls Church (410 S. Maple St., Falls Church). Free. 7:30 p.m. fallschurcharts.org.
SATURDAY, APRIL 2
Peeps Story at the Library. Children
in grades K – 12 can bring their Peeps dioramas based on their favorite children or teen book for the Peeps Story contest. Judging starts at 10:45 a.m. Awards ceremony at 11 a.m. Children can also drop off their dioramas on Thursday, March 31 from 5 – 9 p.m. and Friday, April 1 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Mary Riley Styles Public Library’s Youth Services Room (120 N. Virginia Ave. Falls Church). 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. 703-248-5034. F.C. Farmers’ Market. Vendors offer fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables, cheeses, meats, baked goods, plants, and wine. City Hall Parking Lot (300 Park Ave., Falls Church). Free. 9 a.m. – noon. 703248-5077. Choralis Workshop. Choralis presents a workshop for singers and conductors with British composer Bob Chilcott. He will lead reading sessions of his new Christmas compositions “Wenceslas” and “Gloria,” with a conducting master class integrated into the singing of the “Gloria.” Fairfax Presbyterian Church (10723 Main St., Fairfax). $50 – $60. 9 a.m – 2:30 p.m. choralis.org/events. Vegetable Gardening. The Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Arlington/Alexandria
&
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Send community event submissions to the News-Press by e-mail at calendar@fcnp. com; fax 703-342-0347; or by regular mail to 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church, VA 22046. Please include any photos or artwork with submissions. Deadline is Monday at noon for each week’s edition.
will teach a program emphasizing best practices for managing and maintaining a healthy garden. Advance registration requested. Fairlington Community Center (3308 S. Stafford St., Arlington). Free. 10:30 a.m. – noon. mgnv.org.
SUNDAY, APRIL 3
Solarize Falls Church Launch Party. Come to this info session about Solarize Falls Church program. The Local Energy Alliance Program and the Northern Virginia Regional Commission are hosting the 2nd annual Solarize program in Falls Church. Clare & Don’s Beach Shack (130 N. Washington St., Falls Church). Free. 2 – 3:30 p.m. solarizefallschurch.org.
MONDAY, APRIL 4
Falls Church Garden Club Meeting. Kathy Jentz, Editor/Publisher of Washington Garden Magazine, will speak about regionally adapted plants. American Legion Post 130 (400 N. Oak St., Falls Church). Free. 7:30 p.m. 703-5331945.
TUESDAY, APRIL 5
Plan, Plant and Use Herbs. The Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Arlington/ Alexandria will present a program where attendees can learn the elements of an herb garden, tips
for successful planting and how to use the herbs they’ve grown. Advance registration requested. Barrett Branch Library (717 Queen St., Alexandria). Free. 7 – 8:30 p.m. mgnv.org.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6
Annandale NARFE Meeting. Historian Susan Gray will present Fairfax County’s history from Native American times through early 21st Century. 10 a.m. Mason District Governmental Center (6507 Columbia pike, Annandale). Free. 703-690-6861. Campus Redevelopment Community Update Meeting. City Manager Wyatt Shields and School Superintendent Toni Jones will provide updates on the City’s campus redevelopment project. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Falls Church). Free. 7 p.m. fallschurchva.gov/ CampusRedevelopment. Discussion on Interfaith Families and Judaism. The Women of Temple Rodef Shalom will host Rabbi Stephanie Bernstein and other leaders for a discussion about interfaith families and Judaism. RSVP requested. Temple Rodef Shalom (2100 Westmoreland St., Falls Church). Free. 7 p.m. integratingfaith. eventbrite.com.
Theater Fine Arts THURSDAY, MARCH 31
“Flick.” Set in the popcorn-strewn, empty aisles of a crumbling Massachusetts movie theater, this 2014 Pulitzer Prize winner exposes the surprising tenderness and comedy in the everyday. Spilled soda on the �loor. Leftover food wrappers stashed in the seats. Three minimum wage employees perform the humdrum labor necessary to keep one of the last 35 millimeter projectors running. Through April 17. Signature Theatre (4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington). $99. 8 p.m. sigtheatre.org.
FRIDAY, APRIL 1
“Almost, Maine.” Welcome to Almost, Maine. A town so far north it’s almost in Canada. Well, almost. One cold, clear Friday night in the middle of winter, while the northern lights
hover in the sky above, Almost’s residents �ind themselves falling in and out of love in the strangest ways. Knees are bruised. Hearts are broken. Love is lost, found, and confounded. And life for the people of Almost, Maine will never be the same. Through April 16. James Lee Community Center (2855 Annandale Road, Falls Church). $17 – $20. 7:30 p.m. providenceplayers.org.
SATURDAY, APRIL 2
“After the War.” This explosive world premiere tells the story of Joel, a world-renowned concert pianist and Israeli anti-war expatriate who returns to Tel Aviv after 18 years to perform with the Israeli Philharmonic. But as protestors agitate to cancel the performance, deep ideological differences between Joel, his estranged son Izzy, and his hot-tempered
brother Freddie quickly turn the family homecoming to all-out battle. Through April 17. Atlas Performing Arts Center (1333 H St. NE, Washington, D.C.). $30. 8 p.m. mosaictheater.org.
MONDAY, APRIL 4
“The Nether.” In the imminent future, when Earth is a gray wasteland, how will humanity escape? Enter the Nether: an immersive wonderland offering users beauty, order, and the ability to satisfy their desires away from “real world” scrutiny. In a series of gripping interviews, a young detective launches her investigation into the dark heart of this new realm in which depraved dreams have become reality. Through May 1. Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company (641 D St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $20 – $45. 8 p.m. woollymammoth.net
CA L E NDA R
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
live_music&nightlife THURSDAY, MARCH 31 L������� J����. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $20 – $23. 6 p.m. 703-255-1566. D������ K�������. 9:30 (815 V St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $30. 7 p.m. 202265-0930. DMA’� ���� C��� F�����. Black Cat (1811 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $12 (Backstage). 7:30 p.m. 202-667-7960. B���� V�����. Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Road, Vienna). $27 – $32. 8 p.m. 703-255-1900. 4 G���������� �� M���� ���� J���� C���, M��� S����, S���� F������ � B����� W�������. Blues Alley (1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.) $35 – $40. 8 p.m. 202-337-4141. D���� B���� T������ S���. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8 p.m. 703-241-9504. T�� D�������. Iota Club and Café (2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). $10. 8:30 p.m. 703-522-8340.
B�� S�������� ���� K���� J����. The Birchmere (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria). $29.50. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500. C��� � J�����. Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Road, Vienna). $30 – $35. 8 p.m. 703-255-1900. T�� L���������. The State Theatre (220 N. Washington St., Falls Church). $18. 8 p.m. 703-237-0300. C������ Y���� ���� M������ ��� P������� T����. Iota Club and Café (2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). $12. 8:30 p.m. 703-522-8340. J���� G���� �������� A�� F���� N���� ��������� A���� S��, M����� M��D�����, J���� G���� � T�� T�������� ��� M�����’� M����� � C������ �� I������� M��������. Black Cat (1811 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $10 in advance; $12 day of the show (Mainstage). 9 p.m. 202-667-7960. W������ N��� M���� ���� C���� C�����. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $15 – $25. 9:30 p.m. 703-255-1566.
M������ T������. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $15 – $18. 5:30 p.m. 703-255-1566. A����� A�����. Clare and Don’s Beach Shack (130 N. Washington St., Falls Church). 6:30 p.m. 703-532-9283. T�� I������� S������������ ��������� N���� B���� ���� D���� M��. 9:30 (815 V St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $25. 7 p.m. 202265-0930.
H������ N��� ���� C���� R�����. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $20 – $25. 5 p.m. 703-2551566. P����� B���. Clare and Don’s Beach Shack (130 N. Washington St., Falls Church). 6:30 p.m. 703-532-9283. T�� I������� S������������ ��������� N���� B���� ���� P���� B���. 9:30 (815 V St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $25. 7 p.m. 202-265-0930.
FRIDAY, APRIL 1
SATURDAY, APRIL 2
MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2016 | PAGE 35
T�� R���. The Birchmere (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria). $45. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500. S��� W������ ���� P���� H���� � J���� H�����. Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Road, Vienna). $20 – $25. 8:30 p.m. 703-255-1900. L���� G����� ���� E��� ��� T�� W�������. Iota Club and Café (2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). $12. 7:30 p.m. 703-522-8340. D���� Y������� C����. Black Cat (1811 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $10 (Mainstage). 9 p.m. 202-667-7960. A���� F����: A C����� C����������. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $5 in advance; $8 day of the show. 10 p.m. 703-255-1566.
SUNDAY, APRIL 3
S����� M������ ��������� J������� H�����. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $15. 1:30 p.m. 703255-1566. C����� R��������. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $20. 7 p.m. 703-255-1566. R����� �� ��� S��. The Birchmere (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria). $25. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500. L���� S�������� ���� C����� ��� C���� F�����. Black Cat (1811 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $13 (Backstage). 7:30 p.m. 202-667-7960.
MONDAY, APRIL 4
T���� T������� � K���� J���� ��������� D��� F������. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $18. 6 p.m. 703-255-1566.
B�� H����� � ��� I������� C�������� ���� C���������� P��� S�������. 9:30 (815 V St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $57.50. 7 p.m. 202-265-0930. R������� H�������. Blues Alley (1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.) $20. 8 p.m. 202-337-4141. J��� H��� ���� I����� F������ ��� C������ H������. Galaxy Hut (2711 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). $5. 9 p.m. 703-525-8646.
TUESDAY, APRIL 5
J�����’ J��� L���� S���� ��������� B������� S������ G�������, S����� F�����������, S�������, D����� H��������� ��� A��� R�����. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $10 – $18 in advance; $13 – $18 day of the show. 6:30 p.m. 703-255-1566. PJ M�����. Blues Alley (1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.) $20. 8 p.m. 202-337-4141.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6
L���� C����. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $15 – $25. 6 p.m. 703-255-1566. R� C�����, S����� W���� ��� R���� S�����. The Birchmere (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria). $69.50. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500. R���� H�������� ���� E��� S����. Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Road, Vienna). $25 – $28. 8 p.m. 703-255-1900. C����� L�����. Blues Alley (1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.) $20. 8 p.m. 202-337-4141.
P������� A����... Friday, April 8 – DMV2Go. The handicapped-accessible, full-service office provides all DMV transactions. City Hall Parking Lot (300 Park Ave., Falls Church).
Prices vary. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. fallschurchva.gov/DMV2Go.
Saturday, April 9 – Town Hall Meeting: FY2017 Budget. Join staff and City Council and School Board officials to discuss budget priorities and how your
tax dollars are used. Learn about the proposed tax increases of 2.5 cents on real estate, 16 cents on personal property (“Car Tax”), and 10 cents on cigarettes. Falls Church Community Center (223 Little Falls St., Falls Church). Free. 10 a.m. – noon. fallschurchva.gov/Budget.
Sunday, May 1 – Yard Waste Composting Event. Learn how to compost! Topics include: leaf mulching in your yard, yard waste composting, hands-on composting
demonstration, making compost tea, proper food waste composting and vermicomposting. All participants will have their names placed in a raffle to win a free compost bin and two lucky participants will win. Cherry Hill Park (312 Park Ave., Falls Church). Free. fallschurchva.gov/520/Composting-Workshops.
C������� S���������� Be sure to include time, location, cost of admission, contact person and any other pertinent information. Event listings will be edited for content and space limitations. Please include any photos or artwork with submissions. Deadline is Monday at noon for the current week’s edition.
Email: calendar@fcnp.com | Fax: 703-342-0347; Attn: FCNP Calendar Mail: Falls Church News-Press, Attn: Calendar, 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church, VA 22046
PAGE 36 | MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2016
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Public Notice ABC LICENSE PHU QUY DELI DELIGHT LLC, Trading as: Phu Quy Deli Delight 6799 Wilson Blvd, Unit 5 and 6, Falls Church VA 22044-3316. The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) for a Wine and Beer On and Off Premises and Mixed Beverages license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages. Kim Nguyen, Member. NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.
PUBLIC NOTICE
In accordance with VA 15.2-1720, the public is hereby notified that the City of Falls Church Police Department has recovered the following bicycles: COLOR MAKE MODEL SILVER DIAMONDBACK 6061 GREEN GIANT RINCON BLUE MONGOOSE 100 BLK/WHI DIAMONDBACK 6061 BLUE KENT MOUNTAIN PNK/WHI KENT MOUNTAIN To claim any of these items, please provide proof of ownership to: City of Falls Church Police Department Property/Evidence Unit 300 Park Ave., G2 Falls Church, VA 22046 703-248-5060 (please call for appointment)
PUBLIC NOTICE The Board of Zoning Appeals of the City of Falls Church, Virginia will hold a public hearing on April 14, 2016 at 7:30 PM in the Council Chambers, 300 Park Avenue, for consideration of the following subject: New Business Item Variance application V1577-15 by Priya Krishnan, owner and applicant, for a variance to Section 48-238(3)(a) to allow (1)
a front yard setback of eighteen (18) feet instead of thirty (30) feet along the Jackson Street frontage; and (2) a front yard setback of eighteen (18) feet instead of thirty (30) feet along the Timber Lane frontage; and (3) a side yard setback of ten (10) feet instead of fifteen (15) feet along the northern property line; and (4) a side yard setback of ten (10) feet instead of fifteen (15) feet along the eastern property line for the purpose of constructing a new single-family house on premises known as 600 Jackson Street, RPC #52-205-001 of the Falls Church Real Property Records, zoned R-1A Low Density Residential. Old Business Item Special Use Permit application U1579-16 by Sellaperumage Ruth Shaw to allow a home daycare, not otherwise permitted by right, on premises known as 1004 N. Roosevelt, RPC #53-212-011 of the Falls Church Real Property Records, zoned R-1B (Medium Density Residential). Information on the above applications is available for review at: Zoning Office 300 Park Avenue, Suite 300W Falls Church, VA. 703-248-5015 (option 1) zoning@fallschurchva.gov This location is fully accessible to persons with physical disabilities and special services or assistance may be requested in advance. (TTY 711)
PUBLIC NOTICE The Board of Zoning Appeals of the City of Falls Church, Virginia will hold a public hearing on April 14, 2016 at 7:30 PM in the Council Chambers, 300 Park Avenue, for consideration of the following subject: New Business An amendment to Special Use Permit application U1572-15 by Site Link Wireless, LLC, to change the location of an antenna from the previously approved rooftop location of the Falls Plaza shopping center at 1230 W. Broad Street, RPC #51-219-011 to 1126 W. Broad Street, RPC # 51-219-123 of the Falls Church Real Property Records, zoned B-1 (Limited Business), said property owned by
Federal Realty. The City of Falls Church Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Monday, April 4, 2016 at 7:30 PM in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 300 Park Avenue, to consider the above referenced two Special Use Permit applications Information on the above applications is available for review at:
Zoning Office 300 Park Avenue, Suite 300W Falls Church, VA. 703-248-5015 (option 1) zoning@fallschurchva.gov This location is fully accessible to persons with physical disabilities and special services or assistance may be requested in advance. (TTY 711)
We are pleged to the letter and
of Virginia’s We are pledged tospiritthe letter policy andforspirit of Virginia’s achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonpolicy for achieving equal housing opportunity wealth. We encourage and throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which support advertising and marketing programs in there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, which there are no barriers to sex, obtaining housing religion, national origin, familial status or because of race,elderliness, color, religion, national origin, handicap. All real estate advertised herein status is subjectorto handicap. All real sex, elderliness, familial Virginia’s fair housing law which it illegalis to advertise “any to Virginia’s fair estate advertised makes herein subject preference, limitation, or of race, to advertise “any housing law whichdiscrimination makesbecause it illegal color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or preference, limitation, or discrimination because of handicap or intention to make race, color, religion, national any such preference, origin, limitation, sex, elderliness, or discrimination.” This newspafamilial status or handicap or intention to make any per will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that such preference, limitation, or discrimination.” This violates the fair housing law. Our readers are herby informed that newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising all dwellings advertised in this are available on an housing law. Our for real estate thatnewspaper violates the fair equal opportunity basis. For more or to filethat a housing readers are herebyinformation informed all dwellings advercomplaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office (804) tised in this newspaper are atavailable on an equal 367-8530. Toll free call (888) For the information hearing opportunity basis.551-3247. For more or to file impaired call (804) 367-9753. a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Email: fairhousing@dpor.virginia.gov. Website: www.fairhousing.vipnet.org Office at (804) 367-8530. Toll free call (888) 551-3247. For the hearing impaired call (804) 367-9753.
A RTS&E NTE RTA I NME NT
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Crossword
ACROSS
By David Levinson Wilk 1
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© 2016 David Levinson Wilk
Across 1. "No worries"
1. “No worries” 6. Former name of the physics unit siemens 9. Deleted email, usually 13. Sensual ballroom dance 14. Jerry who co-founded Yahoo! 16. Audible “LOL” 17. Five Norse kings 18. Flooring choice, for short 19. On vacation 20. Pastry dough used in spanakopita 21. Many 23. Bone of the lower chest 26. Grasp 30. ABBA’s home country: Abbr. 31. In a frenzy 33. The Gay ‘90s, e.g. 34. “Most assuredly!” 37. Howard and Paul 38. “T-t-turn the heat up!” 39. Bust-making org. 40. To date 42. Handyman’s inits. 43. NBA official 44. Relatives of tuts 45. “____ Song” (1981 tune in which the singer’s own name appears in the song’s title) 48. Marriage agreement? 49. State home to Dixie National Forest 50. Chairman ____ (2000s NBA nickname) 51. Rest of the afternoon 53. Bowler’s back-row targets 58. “That’s enough!” 60. Exam Elle Woods gets a 179 on in “Legally Blonde” 61. Sauce brand since 1937
MARCH 31 - APRIL 6, 2016 | PAGE 37
64. Be a fall guy? 65. ____ toast 66. Inkling 67. Get an ____ effort 68. Hit with, as a pickup line 69. Ownership document 70. Sharp products 71. Operating system that debuted on 8/12/1981
DOWN
1. “Bye for now!” 2. Sylvester’s “Rocky” costar 3. Wee 4. Famous dancer whose medical degree allows him to work in delivery rooms? 5. Bout-ending slugs 6. Vietnam War village in 1969 headlines 7. Salute heard upon the arrival of a famous dancer? 8. ____ account (never) 9. 1971 blaxploitation film with the tagline “Hotter than Bond, cooler than Bullitt” 10. Part of the Iams logo 11. “Now I remember!” 12. Mother’s Day month 15. Police officer’s cry after nabbing a famous dancer? 22. “Little strokes fell great ____”: Benjamin Franklin 24. Woolly mama 25. Famous dancer who’s visibly embarrassed? 27. Charlie ____ (French satirical magazine in 2015 news) 28. Longtime 49-Across U.S. senator Hatch
CHUCKLE BROS BRIAN & RON BOYCHUK
6. Former name of the physics unit siemens 9. Deleted email, usually
Sudoku
29. “The Bells of St. ____” 32. One of the Stooges 34. Elba of “The Wire” 35. “____ go on?” 36. Willem of “The Last Temptation of Christ” 41. Cousin of reggae 44. “Swan Lake” attire 46. Port city from which Amelia Earhart last flew 47. Kind of dancer ... or like the famous dancers in 4-, 7-, 15- and 25-Down? 52. Word following bomb or pep 54. Roman roads 55. Marooned, in a way 56. Home planet of Jar Jar Binks 57. Laurel and Lee 59. Last U.S. president to have a pet cow that grazed on the White House lawn 61. Free (of) 62. Hot weather cooler 63. “Hmm, I dunno about that” 65. Tight-lipped Last Thursday’s Solution R E D P O N Y
C L A I M E D
B U M M E R S
A S I A T I C
A M A R U V U I M S F A M L A F S E N R T B A S S W U S I O S A N K S Y E I T T D E F E B P A L S K A S L E T I S N L C
A L I B I
C A L I F
S M I U G E A T S I P D I E E
A M S I Y Z E B T A T T O O H W G O S L I E L C I P H T H I E D R S
T R I E S T E
G A G R E E L
E N S N A R L
C O H O S T S
O P E N A I R
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By The Mepham Group
Level: 1 2 3 4
13. Sensual ballroom dance 14. Jerry who co-founded Yahoo! 16. Audible "LOL" 17. Five Norse kings 18. Flooring choice, for short 19. On vacation 20. Pastry dough used in spanakopita
1
21. Many 23. Bone of the lower chest 26. Grasp
LOOSE PARTS
DAVE BLAZEK
30. ABBA's home country: Abbr. 31. In a frenzy Solution to last Sunday’s puzzle
NICK KNACK
1
© 2016 N.F. Benton
4/3/16
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 www.sudoku.org.uk. © 2016 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.
LO CA L
PAGE 38 | MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2015
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
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BACK IN THE DAY
laz y The dog. c k q u i fox sly p e d jum e r o v lazy the g . d o is Now time the all for o d g o to cows
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e c o mthe to of aid i r t h e re. pastu w N o the is e t i m all for o d g o to cows e c o mthe to
20 � 10 Y���� A�� �� ��� N���-P���� Falls Church News-Press Vol. VI, No. 2 • March 28, 1996
Falls Church News-Press Vol. XVI, No. 4 • March 30, 2006
It is no the timw e for g o all o cows d to go to the aid of the pa stu ir re. *** **
10 Year s Ago
Thr ow it up. Pour it up It now is the time for all go od cows to go the to aid
The Grad Center’s Bright Promise to Falls Church
Hugs Galore Accompany Mason High’s First Encounter With ‘Challenge Days’
As rapid progress on the construction of the multi-storied, 105,000 square foot building is making everyone in Falls Church very aware, the City is soon going to enjoy a huge addition to its already formidable educational resources. The Virginia Tech/ University of Virginia Graduate Center is slated to be open for business, serving upwards of 4,000 students before too long, in January. T:3.75”
There were probably more hugs passed out around George Mason High School during two days last week than in the previous two years or longer. That’s because almost the entire junior class at the school participated in two full days of special training, known as “Challenge Days,” aimed at breaking down barriers to compassion and caring among the students, overcoming both hidden and overt forms of discrimination and disrespect.
THIS IS TORI. He was rescued through Lost Dog and Cat Rescue in 2010. He’s a 6-year-old lab and Italian greyhound mix who is the love of our lives. He loves to laze around the house and bark at other dogs from our window as they walk by. His name comes from the infantry unit from Fort Campbell, Kentucky (101st Airborne Rakkasans of the 187th Infantry Regiment). Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! Send in your Critter Corner submissions to crittercorner@fcnp.com.
F.C.’s Alexander Ross Dies at 96
ΣΑς Α ΛΙΦ. ∆ΟΝ∏Τ ∆ΡΙς ΗΟΜ ΒΥΖΖ∆. ΒΥΖΖ∆ ∆ΡΙςΙΝΓ ΙΣ ∆ΡΥΝΚ ∆ΡΙςΙΝΓ.
Make Your Pet a Star! Critter
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for the Environmental Protection Agency and for Rad Tech, offering his expertise in the utilization of non-polluting means of curing paints and coatings. A dedicated liberal throughout his life, Al was an active supporter and grassroots participant in successive presidential campaigns, spanning a period from Adlai Stevenson to Al Gore. An avid jogger, Al logged many miles on a daily basis up until the age of 89, when he began walking. He loved his dogs, sailing and hopping the rocks on the beaches of the Maine seacoast, where he enjoyed spending time each summer. First and foremost, however, Al was a family man, who loved to laugh and to make others laugh with him. Son of Morris and Dora Ross, Al was predeceased by his older sister, Mitzi and his younger brother, Perry. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy, his daughter Sara and son-in-law, Douglas, and six beloved nieces and nephews. His humor, his humanity and his gentle nature will be greatly missed. Funeral services will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may 3:57 be made PM to Last Modifi ed 9-28-2010 the American Cancer Society, Printer Heart Association Output Date American or the 9s-exp260 titan Humane Society. 9-28-2010 3:57 PM RTVd By: None
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Alexander Ross, 96, died peacefully and suddenly on Sunday, March 13, at his home in Falls Church, with Dorothy, his beloved wife of nearly 69 years, by his side. A Michigan native, Al demonstrated a talent for science at an early age, attending a specialty high school in Detroit. A World War II veteran and a lieutenant in the Air Force, Al was a pilot of DC-3s and was tasked with dropping paratroopers and supplies behind enemy lines in the European theatre. In 1947 Al returned to the United States to marry the love of his life and to enroll in graduate school at the University of Michigan, where he earned his Ph.D in Chemistry. With a specialty in inorganic chemistry, Al spent his professional life in the research branch of the chemical industry. But the opportunity to move abroad beckoned, and he moved his family to Switzerland in 1960 to establish the European branch of his firm, ΜΥ13878_10−03963−004_σµαλλ_ΨουΣαϖεδ−ΛΙζ.ινδδ 1 10/7/10 7:00 ΑΜ M&T chemicals. Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! In addition to his professional life, Al also was devoted to a wide Snap a pic of your critter and email it to: range of social, political, philanCRITTERCORNER@FCNP.COM thropic and athletic interests. A Version # 1 Document Name ZBOPUB1-10-03963-004_small_YouSaved-LIz.indd OR mail it to Critter Corner c/o long-time member of the Union Falls Church News-Press Linked Graphics ColorsConcerned In-Use User of Scientists, upon Art Director Ancevic 200 Little Falls Street #508 Falls Church, Va 22046 ma-jsforza2 A-4O2F0896_V2.psd RGB 702 ppi retirement Al became a (3) consultant Cyan
MARCH 31 – APRIL 6, 2016 | PAGE 39
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
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Merelyn Kaye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .790-9090x218 www.helpfulmortgage.us . . . . . . . . . . 237-0222 Casey O’Neal - ReMax . . . . . . . . . . . 824-4196 Rosemary Hayes Jones. . . . . . . . . . .790-1990 The Young Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .356-8800 Tori McKinney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 867-8674 Shaun Murphy, Realtor . . . . . . . . . . . 868-5999
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
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