M a rc h 7 – 1 3 , 2 0 1 9
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. X XIX N o. 3
Falls Church • Tysons Corner • Merrifield • McLean • North Arlington • Bailey’s Crossroads
Inside This Week F.C. Traffic Signal Still Down After 1 Year In early March 2018, high winds toppled the traffic singal at the intersection of Annandale Rd. and Hillwood Ave in Falls Church. One year later, the City has yet to permanently replace the felled pole. See page 8
Providence Players Gets Intimate with ‘Oleanna’ For the heavy subject matter of the David Mamet play “Oleanna,” the Providence Players of Fairfax has opted for a more intimate setting.
Saslaw Wins Bipartisan Backing For Anti-Gerrymandering Reform Breaking Ground
Saslaw, Barker Law Has Panel Forge Redistricting Lines
by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
Commerce board of directors were also present as the meeting marked the kickoff of a compressed schedule of six briefings to groups of City boards and commissions to review and comment on the application before it comes back to the City Council for a final OK on May 28.
A major new development that unfolded in the last day of the Virginia legislative session last week has vastly improved chances for fairer voter representation in the commonwealth in coming elections. State Sen. Dick Saslaw, a Democrat whose district represents the City of Falls Church, was a key player in winning overwhelming passage of a bipartisan redistricting Constitutional amendment law that stands to revolutionize the way districts are drawn for both federal congressional and state legislative races in Virginia. Saslaw and State Sen. George Barker visited the office of the News-Press this week to explain the new law, SJ360, which sets up a bipartisan commission to redraw district lines following the results of the 2020 federal census. The redistricting exercise is done every 10 years in the wake of census results and has, until now, been in the hands of whichever party was in the majority in the state legislature. As such, it has been an invitation to “gerrymandering,” the drawing of often contorted district lines to maximize the advantage for one party or the other. As Saslaw and Barker explained here, it was the major gains made by upstart Democrats in the Virginia legislature, picking up 15 delegate seats in 2017 due in part to a strong reaction to the Trump presidency,
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See page 17
Torrent Announces Run for Saslaw’s Seat
Karen Torrent, a 30-year resident of the greater Falls Church area, filed paperwork last Thursday to enter the race for the Democratic nomination for Virginia’s 35th Senate District. See News Briefs, page 9
Goochland Tops Mason In State Tourney The Mustangs fared well through three quarters of their state quarterfinal game last Friday. Unfortunately, the fourth quarter told a much different story. See Sports, page 14
FALLS CHURCH A-LISTERS abounded at the ceremonial groundbreaking for the 4.3-acre Founders Row mixed-use development Monday, joining Mill Creek developer representatives to mark the historic occasion. Members of the F.C. City Council and staff were in force in the festivities. The project at W. Broad and N. West streets will include an eightscreen movie theater, residences, restaurants and a central public plaza. (Photo: News-Press)
F.C.’s EDA Gives Thumbs Up To West End; Young Elected
by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
Index
Editorial................ 6 Letters..............6, 8 News & Notes.10–11 Comment...... 12–13 Sports................ 14 Calendar...... 18–19
Classified Ads.... 20 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword......... 21 Crime Report..... 22 Critter Corner..... 22 Business News.. 23
At a marathon meeting Tuesday night, the Falls Church Economic Development Authority voted unanimously to endorse the “special exception entitlement” application of the Falls Church Gateway Partners to proceed with
a dense economic development of 10.3 acres of land at the current site of George Mason High School at the City’s far west end. In the group’s other major action, it elected local resident and developer Bob Young as its new chairman. Members of the F.C. Human Services Advisory Council and seven members of the Chamber of