March 4 – 10, 2020
FA LLS CHUR C H, V I R G I NI A • WW W. FC NP. C OM • FR EE
FOU N D E D 1991 • VOL. XXXI N O. 3
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Virginia Tech Alters Course On West End Development Effect of Sudden Move Unclear For Long-Term BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
Shock waves were felt throughout the Northern Virginia region last weekend when Virginia Tech suddenly announced it was dropping its agreement to be a part of the massive 9.6 acre West End Gateway project in the City of Falls Church. A two-year planning effort with HITT construction to fully develop the 5.6 acres where it sits adjacent to the City’s own project site is now no more. Plans had been emerging to meld the development efforts of the City’s West End project, the Virginia Tech development next to it, and next to that, the development of over 20 acres owned by Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) right at its West Falls Church Metro station. Combined they would involve over 40 acres of contiguous development centered around a wide and (perhaps) yellow road that would
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A MAJORITY of residents who took part in the Use of Force committee’s survey were pleased with the Falls Church’s police department conduct, but Chief Mary Gavin believes there is always room for improvement. (P����: N���-P����)
Use of Force Committee’s Report Spurs F.C. Police Changes
BY MATT DELANEY
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
The City of Falls Church’s Use of Force committee presented its comprehensive report to the City Council last week, and looks to motivate some changes to Falls
Church’s police department in both the short and long term. The 189-page report is the culmination of months of work after the 13-member committee was initially established by the City last summer following nationwide protests against police brutality. Its
goal was to review all instances where Falls Church’s police used force over a five year period from Jan. 2015 – June 2020. The committee recorded 113 uses of force during that period. When responses that involved wildlife were removed (such as
confronting rabid animals), that number dropped to 86 instances. Those 27 instances involving wildlife were also the only ones where officers fired their weapon — on only nine occasions (or 10 percent
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Capping an unusual season, the Mustang Boys and Girls swim teams traveled to Christiansburg last week to compete in the Class 3 Swimming State Championship, where the boys finished seventh among 28 teams and the girls finished 10th among 22. See Story, page 12
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As more and more Falls Church residents are getting inoculated against Covid-19, people are breathing a sigh of relief. However, many local residents feel they are not out of the woods just yet given what’s still not known about the tramissability of the virus post-vaccination. See Story, page 13
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As most schools and public gatherings are closed during the coronavirus pandemic due to adhering to social distancing, what has become of the traditional school play in this school year? Wolfpack Theatre at Justice High School has hit upon a very creative solution. See Story, page 19
INDEX
Editorial............................................... 6 Letters................................................. 6 Comment ................................ 7,16,17 News & Notes.............................10-11 Business News ................................. 15 Crime Report .................................... 16 Calendar ........................................... 18 Classified Ads ................................... 20 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword ......... 21 Critter Corner.................................... 22
