March 8 – 14, 2018
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. XXVIII N O. 3
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I����� T��� W��� 15-Y���-O�� C������ W��� M���� H��� T����� A 15-year-old student at George Mason High School was arrested Monday after school staff found a list with names and plans to cause harm to people at the school written by the student, police reported Tuesday. SEE NEWS BRIEFS, PAGE 9
New Target Small-Format Store Opens At Tinner Hill Site to Rousing Fanfare Ribbon Cutting Has Local Leaders In Festive Mood
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BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
The Mill Creek company in charge of the development of the 4.3-acre Founder’s Row project at the intersection of N. West and W. Broad Streets has submitted new paperwork to City Hall, with a goal of getting its long-delayed project moving forward.
“At that point I just wanted a good shot, wanted it to go in and we’ll go from there,” Buffalo Gap head coach Phillip Morgan said. “We got a great look, [Calhoun] hit it and we finished it out.” Mason’s last-ditch effort was a corner three from senior forward Jenna Short that clanged off the front of the rim to end their run for good. Prior to the frenzied final two minutes, the Mustangs were beginning to jive throughout the fourth quarter.
In the long and storied tradition of ceremonial and obligatory ribbon cuttings to welcome new businesses in the City of Falls Church, Tuesday night’s marking the opening of a new major national brand retailer, Target, was unusually festive. Mayor David Tarter was on hand deftly negotiating the scissors, as usual, and most members of the City Council and Economic Development heavies were among the City’s A-listers present. After the ribbon cutting at the entrance to the new store from its garage beneath the new Lincoln at Tinner Hill residences on S. Washington St., the doors were opened for the first time and over 50 civic leaders became giddy shoppers just like that. Asked what he’d buy on his first visit to the new store, Mayor Tarter told the News-Press, “I’m going to buy a shirt. You know that people have always complained that there’s no place to buy a shirt in Falls Church. Well, now you can!” Indeed, men’s and women’s apparel and accessories are among the many, highly-varied choices available in the new Target store, even if it is a small-format version, tucked tightly into 26,000 square feet, compared to a fullsized Target, such as the ones in Merrifield and North Arlington, with over 100,000 square feet. But yesterday marked the opening of the store to the public, with a public grand opening celebration set for this Sunday, March 11. Store manager Beth Thiesfeldt, an eight-year employee of the larger Target enterprise, was beaming with pride Tuesday night introduc-
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SEE PAGE 5
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What happens to U.S. politics after Donald Trump? Do we snap back to normal, or do things spin ever more widely out of control? The best indicator we have so far is the example of Italy since the reign of Silvio Berlusconi. SEE PAGE 14
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This past spring, Longfellow Middle School’s Rubik’s Cube Club finished first in the nationwide Rubik’s Cube challenge in the past year capping off a sixth national title since 2010. SEE PAGE 15
FALLS CHURCH Mayor David Tarter wields the scissors to cut a ceremonial ribbon marking the opening of a new Target on S. Washington in Falls Church Tuesday night. The new smallformat store opened to the public Wednesday. To Tarter’s left is the store manager, Beth Thiesfeldt. (P����: N���-P����)
Mason High Girls Fall 1 Point Short Of Basketball State Finals BY MATT DELANEY
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
INDEX
Editorial.................6 Letters...................6 News & Notes10–11 Comment ........ 12-14 Sports .................16 Calendar .......18–19
Classified Ads .....20 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword ..........21 Critter Corner......22 Business News ...23
“That bucket would’ve been the game!” Those were the words George Mason High School’s girls basketball coach Michael Gilroy exclaimed to the bench in his usual swashbuckling style after streaking senior guard Nicole Bloomgarden overshot her layup with a minute and a half remaining against Buffalo Gap High School. Gilroy’s comment turned out to be prophetic, as the missed shot left the door open for the Bison to
rally from a five-point deficit and end the Mustangs’ season with a 36-35 result in the Class 2 state semifinals. Buffalo Gap needed two shots to reverse their dwindling fortunes and got them both in big ways. The first was a funky runner that fell and was completed at the line for a three-point play. The second was a hot potato-like possession that wound up in the hands of Bison 1st Team All-Region guard Leah Calhoun, who drained a straightaway three with a few seconds remaining to take the lead for good.