Falls Church News-Press 4-18-2024

Nicholas F. Benton Falls Church News-Press

The executive director of the Virginia High School League this week confirmed in writing that both the legal counsel and executive committee of the VHSL are being appraised of a complaint submitted by Former Falls Church Vice Mayor Hal Lippman concerning a highly discriminatory “mission statement” of the Liberty Christian Academy whose girls basketball team recently won the VHSL Class 3 girls basketball championship.

The Liberty team edged the team from Falls Church’s Meridian High School in the final moments of the championship game in Richmond last month. The VHSL oversees and coordinates all high school sports at all levels throughout the commonwealth.

Lippman, who is current head

organizations, schools, and businesses in communities throughout the nation during National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and the City of Falls Church is working to raise awareness about the safety and wellbeing of children. A blue pinwheel garden was planted at the entrance of Cherry Hill Park on April 11, which is still there, followed by a proclamation at the City Council meeting. The pinwheel, according to a City statement, “is the symbol of child abuse prevention and reflects childhood hope, health, and happiness.” Pinwheel gardens are planted by

In April and throughout the year, the City of Falls Church statement says, “We encourage all individuals and organizations to play a role in making the community a better place for children and families. By ensuring that parents have the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to care for their children, we can help promote the social and emotional well-being of children and youth and prevent child maltreatment within families and communities.”

Protective factors are the strengths and resources families draw on during difficult times to shield them from life’s stresses, it states. “Research shows that when parents possess protective factors, the risk for neglect and abuse diminish and optimal outcomes for children, youth, and families are promoted.” Major protective factors include knowledge of parenting, knowledge of child development, parental resilience, social connections, and concrete supports.

In support of these efforts, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s

Bureau, Office on Child Abuse and Neglect, together with Child Welfare Information Gateway, and the FRIENDS National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention developed the 2021/2022 Prevention Resource Guide. The guide provides more information about protective factors and highlights examples of innovative prevention approaches being implemented by communities across the country.

The proclamation read and affirmed at the April 11 meeting

After 233 Youngkin Vetoes, Richmond to Craft New Budget

At the outset of yesterday’s reconvened session of the Virginia state legislature, representatives of the Democraticcontrolled legislature and Republican governor Glenn Youngkin agreed to start from scratch on a new biennial budget after Youngkin had issued a record 233 mostly line-item vetoes. It leaves localities like Falls Church in the lurch as they prepare their own budgets, in particular in Falls Church’s case, whether or not the state will fulfill its commitment to a subsidy to WMATA or burden local governments with that obligation. For Falls Church, that could spell a need for an additional $1 million in expenditures in an overall budget of $148 million.

Falls Church’s Deputy City Manager

Cindy Mester issued the following statement, “We are pleased to see that the General Assembly and Governor will be working together to resolve the state budget impasse. As these negotiations proceed, the City joins with the region in restoring key elements of the General Assembly approved budget, including the state funding its 50 percent share for WMATA over the next two years.”

Kindell Named F.C. Employee of Year

Rachel Kindell, the Aurora House Group Home Manager, is the City of Falls Church 2023 Employee of the Year. Kindell has served the City of Falls Church since 2000, the City announced this week.

The community-led Employee Review Board selected Kindell for her compassion and ongoing dedication to the young women and staff of the Aurora House Group Home. The home, which is certified by the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice, serves up to 12 adolescent females ages 13-20 and provides a nurturing environment with the structure and support necessary to help them through the difficulties they experience.

In 2023, Kindell started the accreditation process to designate Aurora House as a Qualified Residential Treatment Program to increase utilization and support foster care for youth. This is the first time the program has done this, and it is part of Kindell’s vision to be the best in Virginia.

Kindell’s approach to care is holistic, and she also supports the residents’ families. In 2023, she arranged for a suit donation for a parent in need who was job-seeking. She also worked with staff to meet family food assistance needs. In addition, Kindell assisted and supported the Aurora House Citizens Advisory Council (CAC) while they planned and executed one of the largest and most successful fundraisers the program has ever

had. Over $10,000 was raised for scholarships at the Clare and Don’s event in the City. These are just a few of Kindell’s accomplishments in 2023.

The City Council will recognize Kindell at their April 29, 2024, meeting.

F.C. Schools Recognize Key Personnel With Awards

Falls Church City Public Schools celebrated their annual Employee Awards announcements with an annual Prize Parade to various schools, acknowledging the contributions of its staff during the 2023-2024 school year. This year’s awards recognized individuals who, according to school statement, “have gone above and beyond in their roles, fostering educational excellence and community spirit within the school district.” They are:

Tosin Adetoro, a STEAM teacher at Oak Street Elementary, was honored with the Falls Church Education Foundation Teacher of the Year Award. Adetoro was celebrated for her inspiring approach to science education, promoting curiosity and enthusiasm among her students. Her innovative teaching methods and dedication to fostering collaboration have significantly impacted her students and colleagues.

The Professional Specialist of the Year Award was given to Mary Manzione, a speech therapist at Jesse Thackeray Preschool. Manzione is revered as the heartbeat of the preschool, where she plays a crucial role in the early development of FCCPS’s youngest learners. Her profound influence extends beyond her assigned duties, supporting and guiding staff and families.

Jessica Hollinger, the administrative assistant at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School, received the Academic Support Staff Employee of the Year Award. Hollinger’s organizational skills and ability to connect with students, staff, and parents have been instrumental in enhancing the educational experience and community at the middle school.

The Operational Support Staff Employee of the Year Award was posthumously awarded to Eduardo Molina, the district’s custodial supervisor, who sadly passed away in March. Known affectionately as “El Jefe,” Molina was recognized for his more than thirty years of dedicated service. His leadership and kindness left a lasting legacy that inspires the FCCPS community.

Superintendent Peter Noonan expressed appreciation for all the award recipients and nominees: “This year’s awards are a testament to the strength and dedication of our FCCPS family. Each winner exemplifies the spirit and commitment that make our schools such a special place. We are particularly moved to honor Eduardo Molina, whose life and work touched us all profoundly.”

Lippman Challenges VHSL Vs. Liberty Academy’s Discrimination

Continued from Page 1

of Falls Church’s venerable civic activist organization, the Citizens for a Better City (CBC) and in addition to having been vice mayor is a former F.C. School Board member, wrote in an April 12 letter to John “Billy” Haun, VHSL executive director, about “a matter of great concern to me and others in our community.”

He cited the Liberty website the following discriminatory “mission statement,”

“As a Christian ministry birthed by Thomas Road Baptist Church with the same doctrinal statement, LCA adheres to Biblical teaching regarding homosexual practices and transgender lifestyles. LCA does not employ teachers nor does it admit or retain students who are engaged in homosexual or bi-sexual practices, or have a transgender or transexual lifestyle.”

Citing the statement, Lippman wrote, “As a matter of principle and conscience, I and others in our community disagree deeply with this language, which is totally out of keeping with our Falls Church City Public Schools’ stated values and policies.”

He asks in the letter how could a private school like LCA “with such a mission statement be eligible to play in a public school tournament under the authority of the VHSL?” At the conclusion of the letter, he reiterates, “How can a private school with what amounts to a clearly discriminatory mission statement be part of the VHSL and be permitted to compete in public school athletic competitions and other VHSLsponsored events?”

In his letter, Lippman notes that the LCA statement “is at odds with language in Virginia’s Human Rights Act, which states that ‘it is the policy of the Commonwealth to “safe -

guard all individuals within the Commonwealth from unlawful discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, or disability” in both employment and in “places of public accommodation, including educational institutions and in real estate transactions.”

It turns out, as Lippman cited in his letter, that LCA was admitted into the VHSL despite being a private school in 2015.

As the News-Press reported in an editorial in its March 14, 2024 edition, LCA was admitted to the VHSL in the face of an antitrust lawsuit in 2015 that sought damages of $1.5 million. “An emergency meeting of the VHSL was held at the time, and a vote was taken to avert the damages by admitting the school into the VHSL,” the editorial, entitled “Liberty Christian’s Discriminations,”

reported.

The editorial went on to say, “While that tactic was considered controversial in its own right, LCA has gone on to what are considered violations of VHSL standards, including a blatant disregard for the Virginia Standards of Learning and its Common Core standards, instead counting itself commited to academic standards ‘through a Biblical framework.’”

Lippman, in his letter to VHSL, asks concerning LCA’s admission into the public school association the following questions:

• On what grounds did VHSL and its member schools make their decision to admit LCA in 2015?

Are VHSL and its member schools aware of the discriminatory language in LCA’s current mission statement? When did they learn about it?

• If VHSL and its member

schools have been aware of the language of LCA’s current mission statement, how have they responded?

How does VHSL reconcile the contradictions between LCA’s current mission statement language and the provisions of the Virginia Human Rights Act?

Lippman’s letter was copied to FCCPS Superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan and all members of the current Falls Church School Board.

The March 14 News-Press editorial noted also that LCA “also engages in another form of violation in the form of recruitment of athletes to play for its teams in VHSL competitions, noting that “The star of the school in the high school girls’ basketball playoffs, for example, hails from San Diego, California, and has already been accepted on an athletic scholarship to play for (the late Jerry) Falwell’s Liberty University, down the street from the LCA.”

F.C. Council Again Takes Strong Stand Against Child Abuse

Continued from Page 1

stated, “Whereas every child has the right to a safe, secure, and supportive environment, free from abuse and neglect; and whereas, during Child Abuse Awareness Prevention Month, City residents are reminded of the courage it takes to raise a child and that all parents have the right to the support and knowledge that child rearing demands; and whereas, child abuse is considered to be one of our nation’s most serious public health problems and there is a link between the abuse and neglect of children and a wide range of medical, emotional, psychological, and behavioral disorders; and whereas, child abuse can disrupt early brain development and serious chronic stress can impair the development of the nervous and immune systems with consequences that are likely to continue throughout adulthood; and whereas, children are the foundation of a sustainable and prosperous society, and our prosperity as a City and nation is built on a foundation of healthy child development; and whereas, the City of Falls Church, with the Fairfax County Department of Family Services, other 23 human

services agencies, City of Falls Church Public Schools, City of Falls Church Public Library, and community partners, work together to offer programs and services to strengthen resilience and protect children from abuse and neglect; and whereas the City of Falls Church partners with Fairfax County in an effort to build stronger families that can provide safe and healthy childhoods and lead to creating a strong, thriving community; and whereas, information, support and resources can be provided through the Fairfax County Parent Support Line at 703-324-7720; and whereas, witnesses of child abuse and neglect should report it to Child Protective Services at 703-3247400; now therefore, I, Letty Hardi, Mayor of the City of Falls Church, Virginia, do hereby proclaim the month of April 2024 as Child Abuse Prevention Month in the City of Falls Church, and urge all to recognize this month by dedicating themselves to the task of improving the quality of life for all children and families, thereby preventing child abuse and neglect and strengthening the communities in which we live.”

Testifying to the Council during the petition period at the April

11 meeting was Katie Adams of Connect Our Kids, a Falls Church City-based non-profit whose tools connect kids and families in the child welfare system to their extended families and community support.

She said, “We are proud that our tools are used by the Fairfax County Department of Family Services to serve families and children in need of support.

“The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Children’s Bureau in its Child Abuse Prevention Resource Guide reminds us that the most effective prevention efforts work at the community level, strengthening the family’s social network and utilizing that network as a source of support.

“The CDC’s report on Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention tells us that social isolation is a major risk factor and that family environments and social networks consistently emerge ad protective factors.

“One of the things that makes Falls Church City such a wonderful place to live is that the size enables us to build strong community ties. As individuals, we can make a big difference by reaching out to families and making a concerted effort

to include them in our neighborhood social networks. We can also all work to normalize parents seeking help when they are stressed.

“We encourage the Falls Church City government to include in its information about child abuse awareness and protection, the direct link to Fairfax County’s Parenting Education programs, to make it even

easier for patents to find the resources thay need.

“All of us at Connect Our Kids are proud to play a role in keeping Falls Church City and Fairfax county kids and families connected to support that is protective and healing, and we are grateful for the City’s attention to the issue of child abuse and neglect.”

CITY COUNCIL members, staff, and community members planted a pinwheel garden at Cherry Hill Park. (Courtesy Photo)

Kudos for Complaint Vs. Liberty Academy

Here’s to Falls Church’s former Vice Mayor, school board member and Citizens for a Better City president Harold (Hal) Lippman, who has taken the initiative to follow on the News-Press editorial in its March 14 edition, entitled “Liberty Christian’s Discriminations,” to issue a strong letter of protest to the Virginia High School League (VHSL) for permitting the private Jerry Falwell-linked Liberty Christian Academy to join as a member despite a blatant discrimination in its online mission statement (see story elsewhere this edition). The VHSL executive director’s reply to Lippman’s letter suggests that the matter will get much needed attention at the highest levels of that organization, which, after all, is responsible for advancing the best interests of all the students of the Commonwealth in their competitive athletic endeavors. Needless to say, we will be following this matter carefully going forward to keep our readers appraised.

In the current national environment that is seeing discrimination on the rise, the VHSL must pay a lot closer attention to individual school statements on such matters. While we do not necessarily oppose petitions from private schools to enter competitive sport leagues with VHSL schools, we are adamant in this current environment that very careful attention and enforcement be paid against anything even remotely smacking of discrimination. There is a sickness that has arisen in the land commensurate with the rise of Trump that is suddenly now making egregious expressions of mindless hate and explicit racism, antiSemitism, xenophobia, male chauvinism and homophobia acceptable in certain quarters of our culture that, like measles, we thought for a long time had been effectively stamped out. If these sicknesses were not vanquished entirely, they were at least effectively suppressed.

That is, after all, what the “rule of law” is about. We as a culture cannot expect to wipe clean human emotions and foibles, such as they all too often manifest themselves in ways that hurt others. But we can, and must, establish an ever-perfecting process that suppresses them when they become hurtful or dangerous to the well-being of others, recognizing that it is a process, and that some day down the road we may achieve a new level of grace and universal acceptance. In the meantime, laws are needed to hold back the worst of human impulses, and they need to be enforced with a certain ruthless determination.

So, the VHSL cannot permit one of its member schools, public or private, to adopt policies, or advance philosophies, that defiantly or otherwise subvert a commitment to justice, equality and non-discrimination for any class of persons. This is not a matter of personal preference or religious claim, this is a matter of civil law decisive for democracy to function, plain and simple. No exceptions.

Anyone who harbors hatred or ill will toward any group of persons must not have anything remotely akin to a license in this troubled world. We will restore sorely-needed civility to our culture only when this criterion is fully appreciated and enforced.

Platform

1. Keep the news clean and fair.

2. Play no favorites, never mix business and editorial policy.

3. Do not let the news columns reflect editorial content.

4. Publish the news that is public property without fear or favor of friend or foe.

5. Accept no charity and ask no favors.

6. Give ‘value received’ for every dollar you take in.

7. Make the paper show a profit if you can, but above all keep it clean, fearless and fair.

The Fight to End Child Marriage Letters to Editor

Editor,

Between 2000 and 2018, over 300,000 minors were married in the United States. In most of these cases, young girls were married to adult men.

Every child deserves the chance to grow up in safety, without the threat of forced marriage, domestic violence, or other harm. That’s why, in 2016, the Tahirih Justice Center — a national nonprofit based in Falls Church — championed a reform to end child marriage in our own back yard. Ultimately, legislators fell short of ending child marriage altogether but made Virginia the first state to limit marriage to legal adults, i.e. 18-year-olds or court emancipated 16- and 17-year-olds. This campaign is what sparked the national movement to end child marriage. Since then, 35 states have taken action to strengthen their laws, with 11 states ending child marriage completely.

On April 8, Virginia finished what it started 8 years ago and became the 12th state to end child marriage without exceptions. We could not be prouder to have been a part of this effort. This momentous victory is due to the incredible work of numerous advocates. We are especially grateful to Virginia Delegate Karen Keys-Gamarra, the 2024 bill sponsor, and Delegate Marcus Simon, whose leadership on the Courts of Justice committee was critical to this success.

Most importantly, this could not have happened without the survivors who bravely shared their experiences with inspiring resiliency and strength. We carry their stories along with those of all the survivors we have had the

privilege to know and serve.

While this moment is a cause for celebration, our work is far from over. Girls in the U.S. are only as safe as the weakest law allows. We hope Washington D.C. will follow Virginia’s lead and take action to end child marriage in the nation’s capital. The Tahirih Justice Center will continue to work closely with survivor advocates and fellow experts to eliminate child marriage in our region and throughout the U.S. Together, we’re working to end violence against women and girls and make this country safer for all of us.

Archi Pyati & Casey Carter Swegman

Towing in F.C.: An Unholy Alliance

We recently had the misfortune to be involved in an automobile accident in the Little City. To add to our woes, we found that the city has an exclusive towing agreement with Blair forcing drivers to use only their towing services. To further aggravate the situation, Blair strong arms the hapless drivers into towing the damaged vehicles to their own impound lot or requires a $500 cash payment to have a vehicle moved elsewhere. In contrast, Fairfax County allows for a choice of towing companies and destinations under the same circumstances.

The former arrangement speaks to an unholy alliance between Blair and FCC, is consumer unfriendly, and raises the specter of petty corruption on the part of city officials.

Charles Stevens

Real American Patriotism & FDR’s D-Day Prayer

Nicholas F. Benton

Maybe the single biggest lie that Trump and the MAGA movement is guilty of is that of characterizing their followers as “patriots.” Regularly, fundraising and other appeals to the MAGA base address their remarks to “Dear Patriot.”

Better, “Dear Putin-Lover” or “Dear Traitor” instead.

The best antidote to TrumpMAGA madness is a strong dose of what has constituted real patriotism in our nation’s proud history, and I guarantee you it’s not running Confederate flags through the Capitol or defecating on nationally sacred spaces, such as happened during the January 6 insurrection.

I referenced earlier the historic “Four Freedoms” speech of Franklin D. Roosevelt on the eve of America’s entry into the Second World War and the morale boost that provided for the entire decade of the 1940s in America. I have recently added those Four Freedoms — the freedoms of speech, religion, from want, and from fear — to the title banner of the Falls Church News-Press

Now, I reprint the nationallybroadcast prayer that FDR delivered on the eve of D-Day, June 6, 1944, when more than 150,000 U.S. and Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy for what finally turned the tide of the war against Hitler’s genocidal tyranny, and 4,500 died. It is very slightly edited.

FDR intoned before the nation, “Almighty God, Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity. Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.

“They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again;

and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.

“They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without restuntil the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men’s souls will be shaken with the violences of war.

“For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and good will among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.

“Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.

“And for us at home — fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas — whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them — help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.

“As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.

“Give us strength, too — strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces. And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.

“And, O Lord, give us Faith. Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moments let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.

“With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogancies. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister Nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace, a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil. Thy will be done, Almighty God. Amen.”

A Penny for Your Thoughts News of Greater Falls Church

By Penny Gross

One of the many positives about living in this area is the plethora of art museums within easy reach. Many are free, such as the Smithsonian’s National Gallery of Art, National Portrait Gallery, Renwick Gallery, and the Hirshhorn. Others have an admission fee – the Kreeger, Phillips Collection, National Museum of Women in the Arts, and Hillwood. These popular museums have permanent collections as well as special exhibits year around, featuring internationally known artists whose art is considered priceless by collectors and critics alike.

We often forget that those renowned artists weren’t always famous. They had to get started somehow, and probably labored in obscurity for many years before being “discovered.” A new and unique effort, Art in Daily Spaces, provides local artists with an opportunity to show their work, not in formal galleries, but in locations that customers may frequent on a daily basis – a coffee bar, hair salon, gym, and restaurant. A local non-profit, Community Art for Everyone, or CAFÉ, applied for, and received, a small grant from ArtsFairfax to fulfill a mission to bring the community and local artists together. Under the leadership of Hannah Joo and Jim Albright, CAFÉ sent out a “call” and selected ten artists whose works are on display at seven Annandale locations through May 12. Each art-

ist selected received a small stipend from CAFÉ.

At the Opening Night reception at the Mason District Government Center, several of the artists spoke about their creative process. Susan Yennerell, an educator, said that this is her first show, and explained how her approach changed when she met her biological father for the first time. Growing up with wonderful adoptive parents, she nevertheless felt something was missing, and now she has been able to fill that gap, creating new memories through art. Her show, including a huge paper ball called PB 39, is featured at Ramp, a gym and wellness center at 7232 Columbia Pike, along with paintings by XIM3NA, a younger artist who uses simple family surroundings – her father mowing the lawn, a backyard barbecue – as inspiration for her acrylic canvases. Shona D’Cruz, also an educator, said she started with paint and moved to mosaics and glass. A vivid floral glass mosaic hearkens to Georgia O’Keefe, and an ethereal pale green branch with small white flowers seems to hover every so lightly in the frame. Originally from India, Ms. D’Cruz also showed a street scene of mosaics; in front of each door was a tiny pair of shoes which, she noted, reflects her homeland, where shoes are removed before entering the house. Her creations, along with fellow artist Helen

City of Falls Church CRIME REPORT

Pappas, are featured at Beanetics, in the Annandale Shopping Center, 7028 Columbia Pike. Next door, at Hair Unik, 7034 Columbia Pike, you can view creations by Lasitha K. Gunaratna. At Seven Hair Line, 7116 Columbia Pike, the display is not by a single artist, but by community members who gathered for the dedication of the Eileen Garnett Civic Space last October and created map-like reminiscences of downtown Annandale. Six of the seven locations are within a two-block area of downtown Annandale, and the art can be viewed during business hours. The seventh location, at the Mason District Government Center, 6507 Columbia Pike, features paintings by Jane McElvany Coonce and ceramics by Kessler Ulberg. For more information, contact artindailyspaces@gmail.com.

The arts encompass many other forms – prose, poetry, music, dance, architecture, theatre – all of which are available inside the Beltway, no river crossing necessary! High school drama departments are presenting their traditional spring musicals, and the free summer concerts in Fairfax County parks will begin in mid-June. This month, the Providence Players are featuring “Surviving Grace,” a play by Trish Vradenburg that chronicles a daughter’s moving story, sometimes brutally honest, caring for a mother with Alzheimer’s. Performances are on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m., at the James Lee Community Center, 2855 Annandale Road in Falls Church, through April 27. I already have my tickets for next Friday. Remember, performers rely on having an audience. Otherwise, it’s just another rehearsal!

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

Delegate Marcus Simon’s Richmond Report

Last year, the voters of Virginia sent a clear message that they were rejecting the state’s lurch to the right that followed the election of Governor Glenn Youngkin. Their votes returned Democrats to control of the Virginia House after a campaign that emphasized the danger MAGA Republicans posed to our fundamental freedoms.

After a very successful session when the House and Senate passed bills to protect reproductive health freedom, common sense gun violence preventions measures, and bills to protect our democratic institutions, we had high hopes we’d be able to fulfill our campaign promises to the voters.

Unfortunately, Governor Youngkin doesn’t seem to have gotten the message.

Instead, he vetoed 153 bills. That’s more than any other Governor has vetoed in their entire four-year term. Quite a bit more, actually. In addition to the unprecedented number of vetoes, he made recommendations to amend 117 other bills, many in ways that would effectively go against the original intent of the bill. Finally, he proposed 233 line item amendments to our bi-partisan two year budget. That’s literally 10 times what is typical.

Seven of my sixteen bills that went to the Governor were vetoed, more than any other individual legislator. That’s a distinction I’m rather proud of.

The first veto was of my bill to allow people accused of committing a crime to make informed decisions about how they want to exercise their right to a jury trial by allowing them to make the election at any time prior to sentencing (HB 63). The Governor claims this would be burdensome on the judicial system, which is simply not true.

In vetoing my bill that abolished the common law crime of suicide, the Governor failed to articulate any problem with the bill (HB 81). Instead, he noted that we have improved our mental health system and that there is less stigma associated with having a mental illness. He clearly misses the mark here as criminalizing suicide is unnecessarily harmful to the loved ones left behind, and can impact their eligibility for survivor benefits, especially military families.

My bill to prohibit the carrying of assault weapons in public safety, something that has happened in Virginia in an effort to intimidate, was vetoed by the Governor’s because he claimed the definition of “public spaces” was too broad (HB 175).

This is the second time I have carried a bill to require the safe storage of firearms when a minor or prohibited person

is present (HB 183). Citing the unfeasibility of getting a firearm from a locked container in situations of self-defense and that low-income individuals can’t afford a storage device, the Governor vetoed the bill. Biometric storage containers are on Amazon for as low as $60 and maintaining proper firearms storage around minors and those who are prohibited from possessing a firearm should be a priority for so-called responsible gun owners.

In response to harassment of duly elected school board members and other elected officials by MAGA extremists, I introduced a bill that would have required that signatures for removal petitions of public officers be collected within 60 days (HB 265). It also would have prevented fraudulent or repetitive removal petitions from being submitted. The Governor vetoed this bill with limited explanation.

One of my consumer protection bills, HB 418, would have paved the way for class action lawsuits in Virginia. The veto explanation for this is a word salad of nothing, talking extensively about the burden on the judicial system, the recent expansion of the Virginia Court of Appeals, and how the Virginia economy needs to continue to “flourish.” It would have been more straightforward to simply say that big companies matter more than people and leave it at that.

My second consumer protection bill would have prohibited extraditions of those who travel to Virginia for reproductive health services (that are legal in Virginia) and it prohibited the sharing of personal reproductive or sexual health information without the consent of the consumer under the VA Consumer Protection Act (HB 1539).

It’s not a surprise that the Governor vetoed this bill as it was intended to ensure that abortions remain an option for those who live in other states where it has been restricted or banned since Roe v. Wade was overturned.

And fun fact, I will have a recordsetting eighth veto soon.

The Governor made some recommendations to HB 173, which would prohibit the manufacturing, importing, or selling of ghost guns. These recommendations not only substantially weaken the original bill by removing the qualifying classification of what a plastic firearm is, but also increase the mandatory minimum sentence for second offenses.

Accordingly, I will be encouraging my colleagues to reject the Governor’s amendments. If this happens, then the original bill will return to the Governor, and he will most likely veto it at that point.

Creative Cauldron’s Laura Hull Brings Us ‘Chicks in Heaven’

by Patricia Leslie

“Chicks in Heaven” is one of Creative Cauldron’s “bold new voices” premieres, featuring original words and music by women, the vision of the founding artistic director, Laura Connors Hull, who directs “Chicks.”

The ladies fulfill the mission.

It’s the world debut for Carol Lee Campbell’s memorable production which is sure to please theatre goers who welcome contemporary topics to the stage. A distinctive cast of seven address racism, reproductive and religious rights, book banning and burning.

Plus, the divide between urban and rural populations.

Campbell teaches women and gender studies at Northern Virginia and Germanna community colleges. She began work on the play in 2018 and, with an evolving script and influenced by events of 2020, notably George Floyd’s death, she settles her “Chicks” in Floyd, Virginia, an actual place in the southwestern part of the state, which, in a telephone interview, she labeled “a quirky little town in the middle of a conservative area.”

Four old friends (in their 50s)

meet for a reunion in an antique shop in Floyd.

“Who called this meeting?” the group seems to ask the host, Frances (Karen Lange) when they all arrive and get together for wine, some fun times (maybe) and what becomes serious discussions.

They vary in perspectives and enjoyment of life. Campbell says her characters were initially based on her own friends whose personalities she changed to each carry trademarks of her own identity.

Being a mother, for example, has its challenges, Campbell said, with “so much emotional anguish” which she channels into Fran whose daughter is absent, having joined a cult.

Fran is the respectful, open-minded member of the group, able to listen and respect different opinions which do not match her own while Emmaline (Krista Grimmett) is strident, harsh and uncompromising. Her character is counterbalanced by the graceful weaver of tales and spirits, Tatianna (Pauline Lamb) who tries to lead the ladies in enlightening experiences.

Mindy (Audrey Baker) rounds out the group of “sisters,” a nicey mousy woman who almost befriends the antagonist, Sophie (Charlene

Sloan), when they meet in a teasing “Come to Jesus” moment.

Sophie’s politics are opposite liberal leanings and, in case anyone is unsure, her necklace with a cross says it loud and clear. Her delivery is the strongest of all the women and she lets them know it.

She supplies a few moments of rare humor in the play when she pauses to pray and fan herself, catching her breath during an upsetting conversation with Mindy.

In the first act the script hints at a relationship between Sophie’s son, Conrad (performed convincingly by Ben RIbler) and Phoenix (Creative’s versatile artistic associate, Lenny Mendez), a teen girl here who listens to discussions by the four friends.

An unforgettable scene with James Morrison’s projections and Lynn Joslin’s red lights and shadows mix for a gaudy nightmare to haunt Phoenix who dances slowly in her dream about Conrad (choreography by Sylvana Christopher).

Meanwhile, mother and son take a car ride to make for another effective visual scene with a typical teen/ parent conversation, a nice contrast to the four friends’ conversations at the shop.

Collaborating with her husband,

David Graziano, Campbell has composed seven original songs for “Chicks” which are some of the play’s highlights, the best reserved for the harmonies by the quartet. (Merissa Anne Driscoll assisted with musical arrangements.)

Creative set designer Margie

Jervis has fitted the antique shop nicely with chairs hanging from the ceiling, vintage dolls and a dated refrigerator door which shields characters and food, all the objects combining to give the stage an authentic “antique” feel which easily transitions to a coffee shop and more. Campbell calls her work “a feminist play” whose characters wonder if they are still relevant. The content

may be off-putting to some, but for the progressive Falls Church community, it’s right...err, left.

Creative Cauldron invites all to contribute to its fundraising campaign on its move to 5,000 square feet in the new building going up at North Washington and East Broad streets. This year will end its shows at 410 South Maple.

“Chicks in Heaven” runs through April 28, 2024 at 7:30 p.m., Thursday through Saturday nights; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., Sundays, and a special performance at 2 p.m., Saturday, April 27. Prices start at $35, with discounts of $5 for groups of 10 or more; $20, students; or watch it live stream for $15.

PICTURED ARE KRISTA GRIMMETT (Emmaline), Karen Lange (Frances), and Pauline Lamb (Tatiana). (Photo: William T. Gallagher Photography)

Specialist Discusses Autism Acceptance Month with FCNP

by Alex Russell

April is Autism Acceptance Month in the United States, a month-long effort intended to educate people about autism spectrum disorder (ASD), spread awareness of the symptoms and warning signs, and boost support and acceptance for individuals with ASD.

According to research done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), diagnosis of ASD — a condition that is reported to occur in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups — continues to increase among children in the U.S.

Michael C. Brachfeld, PhD, a clinical psychologist specializing in child and adolescent psychiatry at the WISE Center at MedStar, Georgetown University Hospital, spoke with the Falls Church News-Press about the significance of autism awareness, the importance of educating people about neurodiversity, and the various resources and events available in the Northern Virginia region and beyond.

ASD encompasses a wide

range of symptoms and a “broad spectrum…of different strengths, but also challenges,” Brachfeld explained, adding that some individuals “through intervention and treatment [and] support from [their] families” can work “independent jobs and function at a high level, [while] some require support from family or a medical provider.” Touching on ASD treatment and care, Brachfeld states that “the earlier…intervention [can occur], the better.”

Acknowledging that ASD diagnoses have continued to rise, he noted that this increase in cases “reflects that [psychologists] know more about autism now. There are more diagnoses [now] because we have a better understanding of what to look for.”

Reflecting on the lingering misconceptions and stigma surrounding ASD, Brachfeld notes professionals in his field are “hoping to shift that stigma” through better information and interpersonal education. Continued research and attention to the ways in which autism makes itself present in people of all ages has been a key component of “raising aware-

ness of what autism is and who is affected.”

Citing the American Psychiatric Association’s “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” as a key resource in his field, Brachfeld says that this research has helped split ASD into three levels that denote an individual’s level of functioning.

As described by the CDC, Level 1 requires support, Level 2 requires substantial support, and Level 3 requires very substantial support. This kind of segmentation, according to Brachfeld, “helps people understand how much support an individual will need,” knowledge that can potentially improve an individual’s level of care.

In addition to clinical research, Brachfeld stresses that parent and family advocacy is a driving force in raising both awareness and acceptance. “One of the things I really advocate for is for parents to educate their children. There are a lot of variations in how brains work, everyone is wired differently.” Brachfeld explains that promoting this kind of openness for neurodiversity, particularly at a young age, is an essential step

to greater acceptance of specific conditions, like ASD.

Neurodiversity, according to the National Institutes of Health, “describes the idea that people experience…the world…in many ways, with no one ‘right’ way of thinking, learning, and behaving, and differences are not deficits.” Brachfeld stresses that it is crucial to instill this understanding in children as they grow and interact with the world.

Speaking about helpful resources and organizations, Brachfeld shared that the National Institute of Mental Health has published a comprehensive guide to ASD, which can be downloaded as a PDF document off their website (visit nimh.nih.gov to learn more). He also mentioned the Autism Society of America as an important group for individuals with ASD.

The Autism Society of America, a non-profit organization founded in 1965, continues its #CelebrateDifferences campaign throughout Autism Acceptance Month. This kind of social media engagement helps support outreach programs and initiatives while

inviting people to share their stories and perspectives all month long.

The Autism Society also operates a National Helpline that provides information on services and resources in a caller’s given area. Learn more about the Autism Society by visiting autismsociety.org.

The Autism Society of Northern Virginia (ASNV), a chapter of the Autism Society of America, “builds community for over 5,000 individuals and families affected by autism through education, advocacy, and support.” The ASNV sponsors several Parent Resource Centers throughout the region, including one in Alexandria, one in Arlington County, and one in Fairfax County. Learn more at asnv.org.

Pathfinders for Autism, a nonprofit organization working to provide support, information, and resources free of charge for individuals affected by ASD in the State of Maryland, responds to inquiries via telephone, email, and Facebook; sponsors a variety of events; and organizes workshops throughout the state. Learn more by visiting pathfindersforautism.org.

Non Profit ‘Community Over Competition’ Empowering Women

Have you ever been the victim of a sexual assault, or know someone who has? Wouldn’t you like to be able to defend yourself or prevent becoming the victim of an attack? A local nonprofit is on a quest to empower women through its new class that teaches Essential Self-Defense Techniques.

Crystal Heise and her 501(c)3 non-profit organization, Community Over Competition, have set out to educate and empower women to defend themselves with tools and programs designed just for women. Their motto being, “We strive to disrupt the cycle of trafficking and abuse for women and provide a pathway to a brighter, safer future.”

The new, first of its kind program kicked off on March 29th with its first class at Kaizen MMA located here in Falls Church. Heise stressed it’s a group of women who train together. Where they don’t feel isolated and learn to protect themselves.

According to statistics from the U.S. Department of Justice, there

were, on average, about 734,630 nonfatal violent victimizations (including assault) against women age 12 or older annually from 2015 to 2019. This translates to approximately 2,012 women being assaulted every day in the United States during that time period.

Furthermore, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in five women in the United States experienced completed or attempted rape during their lifetime.

Women face a much higher rate of assault than men, Nationwide, 81 percent of women reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment and/or assault in their lifetime while only 43 percent of men reported being assaulted in the same manor.

Heise and Community Over Competition have partnered with local gym Kaizen MMA of Falls Church. Their Weekly Self-Defense Class is taught by Toney Waldecker, a 7th Degree Black Belt in Jujitsu. He graciously donates his time every week by driving down from Maryland. He has previously taught classes for various organizations around the area.

Heise told the News-Press this was the first program of its kind. There are no other free continuously running programs out there for women. The Free SelfDefense Class meets every Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Kaizen MMA. The Classes are set up as a 3-month program.

The classes are used to boost confidence, develop practical skills, enhance personal safety awareness and are open to all skill levels. While any female ages 12 and up is welcome it is recommended to begin the program at the start. Each week skills build on each other. Kids ages 12-16 do need to be accompanied by a guardian.

Heise said this was a personal mission of hers to provide a community service for women where they can come and learn proper defense techniques in a safe environment. She hopes as the program grows, they can bring the program to other parts of NOVA by getting women certified to teach the classes.

For more information on the weekly self-defense classes visit. eventcreate.com/e/self-defense, kzmma.com or see Community Over Competition’s website at CC-NP.org

(Photo: Justin Johnson)

A Step Forward: Mayor Hardi Takes Office Hours Outdoors

by Brian Reach Falls Church News-Press

In the bustling community of The Little City, newly minted Mayor Letty Hardi is breaking the mold of traditional office hours by taking her meetings to the great outdoors. As part of her commitment to promoting both physical activity and community engagement, Mayor Hardi has introduced walking office hours, offering residents a unique opportunity to connect with their local government while exploring the City’s many scenic trails.

The Mayor’s Fitness Challenge, an annual

event that pits Falls Church against neighboring Fairfax City and the Town of Vienna in a friendly competition of exercise minutes, serves as the backdrop for this innovative approach to civic engagement. Residents, city and school employees, and businesses in each locality are encouraged to register at tinyurl. com/FCNP0424fc and log their exercise minutes during the challenge, which began on March 16 and ends May 11. Participants use the Clockify app to track their activity.

While the primary goal of the challenge remains to out-exercise one another and claim the coveted trophy, Mayor Hardi is leveraging

the spirit of competition to encourage residents to get moving — while taking an active role in shaping their community.

“I’ve been holding office hours for years, so this seemed like a great opportunity to combine being accessible to the community with some fitness and fresh air,” Mayor Hardi said, adding that she will resume coffeeshop office hours in June, after the challenge has ended.

On a gorgeous April afternoon last week, this writer had the privilege of joining Mayor Hardi and five fellow City residents for her walking office hours. Setting out from the entrance to Stream Valley Park next to The Byron, we embarked on a leisurely stroll through some of Falls Church’s many scenic trails, enjoying the fresh air and vibrant surroundings as we engaged in meaningful discussions about the issues facing our community.

One walker asked about a request she made for a temporary parking pass to accommodate a home health aide for a neighbor with mobility challenges, amidst ongoing development projects near their homes. Another inquired about the potential impact of increased funding for Falls Church City Public Schools (FCCPS) on sports programs, which they say are understaffed. Another asked about the Governor sticking the City with a $1 million bill for WMATA Metrorail funding.

Mayor Hardi navigated each topic with an impressive depth of knowledge and familiarity, acknowledging the importance of addressing residents’ needs and clearly explaining the intricacies involved. Parking, she says, is a precious resource in the City — and yes, construction projects have squeezed certain neighborhoods for space — but once con-

struction is complete, there will be enough for everyone, but in the meantime a temporary solution seems pragmatic to ensure accessibility; the City has both lowered taxes and increased school funding, thanks to a strong local economy, but the schools will determine how to best use the additional funds; the $1 million in WMATA Metrorail funding is not certain — a simple majority in the Virginia General Assembly may restore state funding — but regardless, City Council is holding firm with plans to reduce taxes, even if it means absorbing the unexpected additional expense.

Mayor Hardi’s approach to leadership seems genuinely rooted in a desire to connect with residents, listen to their concerns, and work collaboratively to find solutions. By meeting residents where they are, both literally and figuratively, Hardi is demonstrating a commitment to accessibility and responsiveness in governance. By engaging with transparency and informative dialogue, she empowers residents with knowledge, fostering a deeper understanding of the complex issues at hand.

Mayor Hardi’s walking office hours embody the essence of inclusive government and active citizenship, while leading by example and demonstrating the importance of holistic well-being. By meeting residents on the trails, she not only promotes physical activity and community connectivity but also fosters a culture of transparency, accessibility, and collaboration.

The walks align perfectly with the spirit of the Mayor’s Fitness Challenge, encouraging participants to incorporate physical activity into their daily lives while engaging in meaningful civic discourse.

Community News & Notes

Falls Church Arts Exhibit, ‘Flora and Fauna’ opens April 20 Sixty-one artworks from an equal number of artists will be on exhibit when Falls Church Arts introduces “Flora and Fauna: Thriving or Threatened,” an all-media art show. The exhibit will open with an evening reception on Saturday, April 20, from 7-9 p.m. Exhibiting artists will be on hand to share their process and inspiration. The highlight of the evening will be the announcement of the Juror’s Choice Award. The reception is free and is open to the public.

For “Flora and Fauna: Thriving or Threatened,” artists were asked to submit work that celebrates the beauty and diversity of the natural world or explores the challenges it faces. Renowned artist and instructor Bryan Jernigan is the juror for this timely show.

Jernigan described his reactions to the artworks submitted for Flora & Fauna. “I was blown away by the number of works as well as the quality of the entries. My goal for the show was to get as much artistic representation as possible, so I chose one piece from each of the artists represented. One of the most exciting things about this show is the breadth of mediums presented. It’s not just about paintings. It’s about paintings in oils, acrylics and watercolor, photography, quilting, sculpture, ink, fabric, and much more.”

“The amount of talent in this show is truly amazing, the thoughts shared by these artists around the endangered nature of these flora and fauna is deep and heartfelt. Everyone who entered should be so proud of the work they continue to make. This show is a must-see!”

“Flora and Fauna: Thriving or Threatened” will be on view from April 20 — June 9, 2024, at the Falls Church Arts gallery (700-B W. Broad St., Falls Church). Admission is free. For hours, or to view online, visit fallschurcharts.org.

OSS Society President Speaks at Chamber Networking Event

Charles Pinck, president of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Society of Washington, D.C., was the guest speaker at the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon at the Italian Cafe this week. Pinck presented two fascinating short documentaries on the work of

the Office of Strategic Services during World War 2.

The OSS was restructured to become the Central Intelligence Agency following the war.

‘Dog and Jog’ is Back at Westmoreland Park April 27

Dog and Jog is an annual event with competitive and non-competitive elements that allow you and your dog to win cool prizes while enjoying a fun walk around Westmoreland State Park.

The event is a non-competitive 3K race, though competition does come into play to receive titles including “Craziest Tail Wagger” and “Most Enthusiastic.”

No pre-registration is required, but proof of immunizations must be shown the day of the event.

Staff from the Westmoreland County Animal Shelter will be at the event to discuss animal adoptions as well as accept donations for the shelter. Donations can include, but are not limited to, dog or cat food, toys, blankets and bedding.

“We like providing an atmosphere at the park where guests can bring their dogs for a nice walk as well as giving back to the community,” said Westmoreland Assistant Park Manager Alyssa Menard. “Seeing all the smiles, wagging tails and variety of dogs is the part I like best about this event. It’s never a bad day when you get to pet a dog.”

There will also be a K9 squad exhibition, where you can watch these working dogs in action.

Two Time Cancer Survivor Launches Fundraiser for Clinic

Culmore Clinic, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free healthcare access to its majority immigrant population in and around Bailey’s Crossroads, announced an inspiring initiative by local Fairfax woman, Pat Hynes. With a commitment to paying it forward Hynes, an Arlington County elementary school teacher, has launched a fundraising campaign in support of Culmore Clinic and its patients.

Culmore Clinic serves its community with a predominantly volunteer staff, offering a comprehensive range of services including primary care, vision, dental, lab testing, women’s health, colorectal and cervical cancer screenings, and more. Notably, the

Clinic ensures culturally sensitive care and promotes health literacy for all by providing highly-trained interpreters and translation technology for its patients at no cost to them.

Hynes’ journey towards this philanthropic endeavor was shaped by her own health challenges. In 2004, she received diagnoses of both breast cancer and melanoma, despite no family history of either condition. Prompted by caution, she underwent screenings, leading to the early detection of breast cancer and subsequent treatment. Making various health appointments after her recent breast cancer treatment, a dermatologist identified melanoma 6 months later, reinforcing the importance of preventive care.

Now, twenty years after her diagnosis, Hynes is healthy and deeply appreciative of her access to quality healthcare and community support. In celebration of her 20th anniversary of being cancer-free, she aims to ensure her neighbors have similar access and opportunities for survival.

Hynes’ fundraising campaign, “20k for 20 years: It’s Time to Bridge the Healthcare Access Gap,” seeks to raise $20,000 for Culmore Clinic. The campaign has launched online and there will be an in person celebration at Culmore Clinic on Tuesday, April 23 at 6pm, featuring a meet and greet with Hynes, Culmore Clinic staff and volunteers, and guided tours of the facility. In addition, Mason District Supervisor Andres Jimenez will be in attendance. He is the former Board Treasurer for Culmore Clinic and longtime supporter. The event is free and open to the public with RSVP.

Commenting on her initiative, Pat Hynes stated, “My own health journey has taught me the vital importance of accessible healthcare and community support. I am grateful for the care I received and am determined to extend the same opportunities to others. Supporting Culmore Clinic aligns perfectly with my mission to ensure everyone has a chance at a healthy life.”

Culmore Clinic invites the community to join in supporting Hynes’ campaign and its mission of providing healthcare access to all.

To learn more about the fundraiser and how to contribute, visit culmoreclinic.org/patsreception.

THE FALLS CHURCH Education Foundation board of directors met for a reunion last weekend. (Photo: Suzanne Hladky)

AT LAST WEEK’S School Board meeting, FCCPS recognized military families, who make up 4.4 percent of the student body (News-Press Photo)

OSS SOCIETY OF Washington president Charles Pinck spoke at this weeks Chamber Networking Luncheon. ( News-Press Photo)

AFTER MEETING WITH “clients” to discuss their needs, Meridian design students fabricatedfunctional clocks, while learning about machine manufacturing. (Photo: Chrissy Henderson) THE MERIDIAN IB ART Show is open in the Meridian Lobby from 7-9 p.m. on Thursday, April 18. (Photo: Chrissy Henderson)

MUSTANG LACROSSE swept the Wildcat Classic last weekend, defeating both Langley and Oakton. (Photo: FCCPS Athletics)

MT. DANIEL’S SECOND graders shared knowledge on change-makers they researched during their “How We Express Ourselves Unit.” (Photo: Christine Stillwagoner)

Mustang Athletics

Baseball

• 4/12 L 7-1 @ Kettle Run

• 4/15 L 11-1 @ Skyline

• 4/16 W 22-7 @ Handley

Next Game 4/19 6:30pm @ Fauquier

Boys Lacrosse

• 4/11 W 6-5 Handley

• 4/15 W 9-8 (OT)

Brentsville District

Next Game

4/18 7:00pm @ Liberty

Girls Lacrosse

4/13 W 6-5 @ Langley

4/13 W 12-9 @ Oakton

4/15 W 20-3 @ Brentsville District

Next Game

4/18 6:00pm vs Liberty Boys Tennis

4/8 W 7-2 Brentsville District

4/9 W 6-3 Wakefield

Next Home Match

SPORTS

This Week’s FCKLL Report

by Erika Toman

4/12 W 2-0 Kettle Run 4/16 L 1-0 Handley

Next Game 4/19 7:15 Fauquier Boys Soccer

4/23 vs. Skyline. Girls Soccer

4/12 W 3-0 @ Kettle Run 4/16 L 1-0 @ Handley

Next Game 4/19 7:15 @ Fauquier Softball

4/12 L 10-4 @ Kettle Run 4/15 L 5-3 @ Skyline 4/16 W 16-0 @ Handley

Next Game 4/19 6:30 @ Fauquier

For all your Breaking News and Sports Coverage follow us at fcnp.com for more information.

This past weekend, the Falls Church Kiwanis Little League celebrated the official start of the season as families, friends, and baseball enthusiasts gathered to celebrate the much-anticipated Little League Opening Day Parade. Led by a procession of young baseball players decked out in their uniforms, the parade showcased the spirit of camaraderie and sportsmanship that defines our community. Opening Day marked the beginning of a season filled with exciting games, unforgettable moments, and lifelong friendships. It was a day to celebrate the love of the game and the invaluable lessons learned both on and off the field.

The Majors game of the week was an exciting Wednesday night match-up, team We Show Speed (coached by David Izawa, sponsored Beyer Volvo) emerged victorious over the valiant Little City Legends (coached by Ryan Alderson, sponsored by Kirk’s Army) with a final score of 3-1. Simon Coho shone on the mound as the starting pitcher for We Show Speed, by recording six outs over two innings.

Emmett Grenfell followed him by delivering 3.2 innings of stellar performance, including one strikeout and allowing just three hits. Aidan Izawa sealed the deal, closing out the game with final strikeout. Will Wood’s single paved the way for Lucas Richards to dash across home plate, putting We Show Speed on the scoreboard in the first inning. The Little City Legends, refusing to back down, fought back and managed to tie the game in the second inning. It wasn’t until the bottom of the fifth inning that Izawa broke the deadlock. John Coomes JR came through in the clutch, driving in a crucial run that propelled his team to victory. We Show Speed’s offensive efforts were bolstered by Wood, Richards, and Izawa, each contributing hits to their team’s impressive tally. The Little City Legends put up a formidable defense, led by starting pitcher Luca Pipia. Pipia showcased his talent by allowing just one run and three hits while striking out an impressive nine batters over four innings. Tig Fatzinger and Grayson Valudes led the offensive charge for the Legends,

each delivering two hits, while Pipia and Ryan Alderson also contributed with hits of their own.

Notable performances this week: Ryan Alderson hit two home runs for the Little City Legends. Luca Pipia also had his first home run of the season.

FCKLL Majors Season Standings

( as of April 15 )

Expos • 4-1

(Sponsored by Load Side Electric)

Commandos • 2-3

(Sponsored by NDI Custom Homes)

TBD • 4-1

(Sponsored by RPI Advisors)

Little City Legends • 2-3

(Sponsored by Kirk’s Army)

We Show Speed

• 2-3

(sponsored by Beyer Volvo)

• 1-4

Clouds

(Sponsored by Evergreene Homes)

Team We Show Speed emerged victorious over the valiant Little City Legends. (Photo: Amanda Alderson)

The Mustangs Girls Soccer team Beat Kettle Run HS at home Friday, 2-0. (Photo: Art Binkowski)

Meridian boys tennis beats Brentsville 7-2. (Photo: FCCPS)

THIS WEEK AROUND F.C.

THURSDAY APRIL 18

Budget and Finance Committee Meeting

Budget and Finance Committee meets. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Oak Room, Falls Church), 8:00 a.m. — 9:30 a.m.

Arts and Humanities Council Meeting

Arts and Humanities Council meets. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Dogwood A-B, Falls Church), 9:30 a.m. — 11:00 a.m.

Electoral Board Meeting

Electoral Board meets. City Hall (300 ParkAve., DogwoodA-B, Falls Church), 3:30 p.m. — 5:00 p.m.

Climate Change: Our Response as Activists

This panel explores ways artists can use their voices to push the needle on political, economic, social and cultural questions at the root of this global concern. Free registration required at cfa.calendar.gmu. edu. GMU Center for the Arts, Monson Grand Tier (4373 Mason Pond Dr., Fairfax, VA), 4:00 p.m.

Human Services

Adv. Council Meeting

Human Services Advisory Council meets. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Laurel Room, Falls Church), 6:30 p.m. — 8:30 p.m.

Chicks In Heaven: Pride Night

Creative Cauldron hosts an LGBTQ+ Pride night for their production of Chicks in Heaven, on stage through April 28. Use code "Pride" during checkout for a discount on tickets for the evening. When four hippy friends come together in a rural southern Virginia town for a 30th year reunion, it's a happy gathering filled with remembrances and ritual. But when a local boy sets fire to a van, clashes magnify and challenge old declarations of magic and friendship. At its heart a tale of reconciling differences, 'Chicks begs the question, can women finally come together to fight both racism and misogyny at the same time?

Tickets at creativecauldron.org.

Creative Cauldron (410 S. Maple Ave., Falls Church), 7:30 p.m.

Envir. Sustainability Council Meeting

Environmental

Sustainability Council meets. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Council Chambers/Court Room, Falls Church), 7:30 p.m. — 9:30 p.m.

FRIDAY APRIL 19

Solid Waste Mgmt. Plan

Adv. Cmte. Meeting

Solid Waste Management Plan

Advisory Committee meets. Virtual (tinyurl.com/FCNP0424sw), 10:00 a.m. — 11:00 a.m.

Mason Opera: An Opera (of Sorts)

The Dewberry School of Music’s Mason Opera presents its Spring 2024 performance, "Mozart's 'The Impresario' and Steven Stucky's 'The Classical Style': An Opera (of Sorts)," featuring Mason’s talented vocal students in collaboration with an instrumental chamber ensemble. Tickets at cfa.calendar.gmu.edu. GMU Harris Theatre (4471 Aquia Creek Ln., Fairfax, VA), 8:00 p.m.

Webster's B***h

When their Editor-in-Chief gets caught using some unexpected profanity, the employees of Webster’s Dictionary find themselves at the center of an internet uprising over gender and obscenity in the age of social media. As office politics collide with ambition, morality, and lexicography, the future of the English language hangs in the balance. A comedy about vulgar words and the people who define them. On stage through May 5. Tickets at keegantheatre.com.

Keegan Theatre (1742 Church St. NW, Washington, DC), 8:00 p.m.

SATURDAY APRIL 20

Falls Church

Farmers Market

Shop the award-winning market every Saturday, year-round! City Hall

Parking Lot (300 Park Ave., Falls Church), 8:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m.

McLean Community

Parking Lot Sale

Got stuff? Need stuff? This parking lot sale features over 70 vendors! Free and open to the public. McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean, VA), 9:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m.

World Art Day of F.C.:

Arts at the Park

Arts at the Park is part of the World Art Day of F.C., where local artists showcase their work along the scenic City Hall grounds, fostering community engagement and appreciation for the arts. Free and open to the public. Artists register free by April 19 at tinyurl. com/FCNP0424ap. City Hall

Parking Lot (300 Park Ave., Falls Church), 9:00 a.m. — 1:00 p.m.

Sen. Mark Warner's

Annual Academy Day

Sen. Mark R. Warner invites high school and middle school students, their parents or guardians, and school counselors to Academy Day 2024, including a seated program overview of U.S. service academies and their application and admission processes, interactive panels, and time to meet with officials from all five academies and representatives from higher education institutions. Register at tinyurl.com/FCNP0424ad. Randolph-Macon College Center for the Performing Arts, Blackwell Auditorium (205 Henry St., Ashland, VA), 9:30 a.m. — 1:30 p.m.

Falls Church Community Clean-Up

The public is invited to meet City Council members at the Community Center, then join in cleaning up various areas of the city for Arbor Day. Falls Church Community Center (223 Little Falls St., Kenneth R. Burnett Bldg., Falls Church), 10:00 a.m. — 11:00 a.m.

Arbor Day Celebration

Join the City in the celebration of Arbor Day and the City's 46th year of Tree City USA. A host of speakers will discuss how to expand our Urban Forest. The Tree of the Year will also be planted. Oak Street Elementary School (601 S. Oak St., Falls Church), 1:00 p.m. — 2:30 p.m.

Victor Haskins

Victor Haskins is a multi-instrumentalist, multidisciplinary artist, international performer, composer, improviser, bandleader, and educator. Haskins creates transformative, soundbased works which channel the power of human connection, immediacy, and inventiveness to engage with time and space; and specializes in generating unforgettable memories through the power of performance. This performance is partially supported by funding from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Register free at mrspl. org. Mary Riley Styles Public Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Lower Level Conf. Rm., Falls Church), 1:00 p.m. — 2:30 p.m.

F.C. Grilled Cheese Festival

What is better on this special day than grilled cheese and live music? Enjoy a variety of special grilled cheese recipes and live music from Tim Harmon, Shartel & Hume, and Jehovah's Favorite Choir. $5 cover; $10 per grilled cheese or jumbo hot dog and chips. Settle Down Easy Brewing (2822 Fallfax Dr., Falls Church), 1:30 p.m. — 9:00 p.m.

Holi at Mosaic

Celebrate Holi, the Festival of Colors, with an evening filled with authentic Indian flavors, great music, dancing, cocktails and festivities. Guests will receive a satchel of colored powder (to throw at 5:45 p.m., so don't wear your whitest whites, though powder is washable and non-toxic) and a t-shirt upon arrival (while supplies last). Free and open to the public. Strawberry Park (Mosaic District, Fairfax, VA), 5:00 p.m. — 8:00 p.m.

Meet the Artists: Flora and Fauna

Opening night Meet the Artists Reception for new FCA exhibit "Flora and Fauna: Thriving and Threatened," an all-media exhibit of works that celebrate the beauty and diversity of the natural world — or explore the challenges it faces. Free to attend. On display through June 9; view online at fallschurcharts.org. Falls Church Arts (700-B W. Broad St., Falls Church), 7:00 p.m. — 9:00 p.m.

The Romantic Cello

Washington Sinfonietta performs Schumann, Cherubini, and Chevalier de Saint-Georges. Tickets available at the door or at washingtonsinfonietta.org. The Falls Church Episcopal (115 E. Fairfax St., Falls Church), 7:30 p.m.

Small Island Big Song

An experience combining music, spoken word, and stunning projections to showcase oceanic grooves and island ballads, while shining a light on the devastating effects of global warming. More than 100 indigenous artists are represented to highlight a shared seafaring ancestry with in -

CAULDRON HOLDS AN LGBTQ+ Pride Night for 'Chicks in Heaven' on Thursday. (Photo: William T. Gallagher Photography)

CALENDAR

EVENTS, LIVE MUSIC, & ARTS

terconnected musical traditions. Tickets at cfa.calendar. gmu.edu. GMU Center for the Arts (4373 Mason Pond Dr., Fairfax, VA), 8:00 p.m.

SUNDAY APRIL 21

Earth Day

Every Day Festival

Free family-friendly festival in front of the Lee Heights Shops featuring four local bands, arts vendors, environmental booths, children's activities and storytimes, free plant giveaways, and more! Free and open to the public. Lee Heights Shops Parking Lot (4500 Langston Blvd., Arlington, VA), 11:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m.

FCCPS Rock and Jazz Fest

Join the MEH and MHS jazz and rock band ensembles for an afternoon of live music along, tasty mocktails and nibbles, and swing dancing instruction for all ages! Free admission; donations accepted to help fund school music programs. Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School (105 Mustang Alley, Falls Church), 3:00 p.m. — 5:00 p.m.

MONDAY APRIL 22

Dance for Parkinson's Disease

This program offers internationally acclaimed dance classes for people with Parkinson's Disease, every Monday. Free and open to the public. The REACH at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St. NW, Washington, DC), 2:30 p.m.

TUESDAY APRIL 23

Economic Development Committee Meeting

Economic Development Committee meets. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Oak Room, Falls Church), 1:00 p.m. — 2:30 p.m.

Chamber Networking Mixer

Join the F.C. Chamber at Sunrise Senior Living for a great opportunity to mix and mingle with chamber members and local dignitaries, and enjoy wonderful food from Sunrise's amazing chef. Free to attend. Sunrise Falls Church (330 N. Washington St., Falls Church), 5:30 p.m. — 7:00 p.m.

School Board Work Session

FCCPS School Board work session. The public is invited to attend in-person or virtually at meet. google.com/wjk-huqq-ajd. Falls Church City Public Schools - Central Office (150 S. Washington St., Suite 400 Conference Rm., Falls Church), 7:00 p.m. — 10:30 p.m.

Sig Theatre Presents: Penelope

If we’re going to talk about the Trojan War, we need a drink. Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, is fed up and has some things she wants to say. With glass of bourbon in hand, she takes the microphone to chronicle those twenty years waiting on the small island kingdom of Ithaca. With soulful music, this witty and thoughtful musical flips the script on the dutiful wife, as Penelope steps out of the background to claim her time in the spotlight. Tickets at sigtheatre. org. Signature Theatre (3200 Campbell Ave., Arlington, VA)

WEDNESDAY APRIL 24

Govt. Operations Committee Meeting

Government Operations Committee meets. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Oak Room, Falls Church), 9:00 a.m. — 10:00 a.m.

Budget Town Hall Meeting #2

City staff present the proposed budget and answer questions from attendees in-person and online at tinyurl.com/FCNP0424bt. Details and documents at fallschurchva.gov/ Budget. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Council Chambers/ Court Room, Falls Church), 12:00 p.m. — 1:30 p.m.

Women Transforming Industries

Hear how women innovators are impacting industries across the board with intellectual property (IP) protection, in-person or virtually. Expert panelists, including women entrepreneurs, small business owners, and inventors, discuss resources and services that can help you protect your IP, access capital, find mentors, and network with fellow innovators and entrepreneurs. Free tickets at tinyurl.com/ FCNP0424wt. GMU Mason Enterprise Center (10306 Eaton Pl., Suite 180, Fairfax, VA), 12:00 p.m. — 1:00 p.m.

THURSDAY APRIL 25

EcoAction Arlington's EcoExtravaganza

Celebrate our connection to water, the magic of beaches and oceans, and our amazing environmental community. EcoAction Arlington will focus on how everyone can help protect our precious water resources while enjoying the relaxed, fun, and beachy vibe of the Shack. Come as you are or opt-in for beach shic. Featuring a great vegetarian menu, cash bar, and a presentation celebrating EcoAction Arlington's work to protect local waterways. Tickets at tinyurl.com/FCNP0424ee. Clare and Don's Beach Shack (130 N. Washington St., Falls Church), 6:30 p.m.

Historic Architectural Review Board Meeting

Historic Architectural Review Board meets. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Dogwood A-B, Falls Church), 7:00 p.m. — 9:00 p.m.

Meridian Spring Play: Frankenstein

This adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic novel explores monsters and the women who create them. It’s a play that asks the age old question: How far would you go to outrun your ghosts? Tickets at tinyurl.com/FCNP0424me.

Meridian High School (121 Mustang Alley, Falls Church), 7:00 p.m.

JESSICA PHILLIPS plays the fed up wife of Odysseus in 'Penelope,' on stage at Sig Theatre through April 28. (Photo: Daniel Rader)

(52-205-017)

The FY2025 proposed budget and Capital Improvements Program (CIP) includes:

• $138,317,769 for the General Fund revenues and expenditures.

• $9,506,129 for the Sewer Fund revenues and expenditures.

• $1,923,000 for the Stormwater Fund revenues and expenditures.

• $254,588 for the Cable Access Fund revenues and expenditures.

• $1,648,000 for the Affordable Housing Fund revenues and expenditures.

$65,386,238 for the School Operating Fund revenues and expenditures.

$2,310,700 for the School Community Service Fund revenues and expenditures.

• $1,519,553 for the School Food Service Fund revenues and expenditures.

• The proposed FY2025 budget and appropriation for the CIP includes $8,515,000 for the General Government and Schools, $9,769,799 for the Special Transportation Fund, $3,307,129 for the Sewer Fund, and $5,000,000 for the Stormwater Fund. The FY2025 CIP is funded with $11,370,252 in grants, $2,645,000 of General Fund revenues, $9,159,547 of General Fund Capital Reserves, and $3,307,129 of Sewer Fund revenues and fund balance; and $110,000 is unfunded.

• The proposed FY2025-FY2030 CIP includes $57,622,900 for the General Government and Schools, $82,691,591 for the Special Transportation Fund, $36,896,925 for the Sewer Fund, and $14,050,000 for the Stormwater Fund for a total of $191,261,416 to be funded with $63,280,978 in grants, $14,070,000 of General Fund revenues, $20,125,777 of General Fund Capital Reserves, $8,949,894 of Sewer Fund revenues and fund balance, and $60,147,031 of debt proceeds; $24,687,736 is unfunded.

The FY2025 budget and appropriation for the West Falls Community Development Authority Fund includes $919,150 in expenditures and revenues from special assessments of $919,150 which will be levied and collected by the City in accordance with the request from the West Falls Community Development Authority (CDA) at its meeting of March 29, 2024, pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding dated July 1, 2022 between the City, CDA, and other parties. (TO24-04) ORDINANCE SETTING THE

rates and fees are proposed as follows:

• an increase to the sewer commodity rate from $10.48 per thousand gallons of water billed (billing unit) to $10.86 is proposed, effective July 1, 2024, which would constitute an increase of 3.6% per billing unit. an increase to sewer availability charges from $8,860 to $9,746 for single-family dwellings and detached and semi-detached duplexes or townhouses; from $7,088 to $7,797 for apartment or condominium buildings; from $2,215 to $2,437 for motel, hotel units; and from $443 to $487 for each drainage fixture unit for commercial, industrial, and other uses.

All public hearings will be held in the Council Chambers, 300 Park Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia. Remote participation information at www.fallschurchva.gov/publiccomment. Comments may also be sent to cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov. For copies of legislation, contact the City Clerk’s office at (703-248-5014) or cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov or visit www. fallschurchva.gov/councilmeetings. The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, call 703-248-5014 (TTY 711).

CELESTE HEATH, CITY CLERK

The LGBTQ+ Reach

by Brian Reach Falls Church News-Press

Judge Blocks Anti-LGBTQ+ Law in OH

On Tuesday an Ohio judge blocked the state’s ban on gender-affirming care from taking effect, after the ACLU of Ohio sued the state on behalf of two Trans minors and their families. House Bill 68, the “Saving Ohio Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) and Saving Women’s Sports Act,” both violates Ohio’s equal protection clause and a rule preventing laws from covering more than one subject. The bill would prevent LGBTQ+ children from accessing gender-affirming care including hormone blockers, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), certain mental health services, or participating in women’s school sports teams.

Republican Ohio Governor Mike DeWine vetoed the bill in December, moved by parents of Trans youth that shared their stories with him. “Parents have looked me in the eye and told me but for this treatment, their child would be dead,” he said, adding that affirming their gender allows Trans youth to thrive. He said he vetoed the bill because “ultimately, I believe this is about protecting human life.”

Republicans in the Ohio legislature overrode the veto and passed HB 68.

“There is little doubt as to the irreparable nature of the actual physical injury to plaintiffs upon the enforcement of the Act,” wrote Judge Michael J. Holbrook of the Franklin County, Ohio Court of Common Pleas. Holbrook, a Republican, issued the 15-page order granting a temporary restraining order which blocks the law from taking effect for at least two weeks, with an option to renew.

The ACLU also argued that the law violates Ohio’s “one-subject” rule. Article II, Section 15D of the Ohio Constitution reads “No bill shall contain more than one subject, which shall be clearly expressed in its title.” They argued that previous attempts to directly ban gender-affirming care failed, and lawmakers violated the law by attaching the provisions to a bill preventing Trans participation in women’s sports.

“It is not lost upon this Court that the General Assembly was unable to pass the SAFE portion of the Act separately, and it was only upon logrolling in the Saving Women’s Sports provisions that it was able to pass,” the order read, adding that the plaintiffs “have sufficiently demonstrated a substantial likelihood of success on the merits on at least one of their claims. The very title of the Act references two subjects.”

Court Blocks Anti-LGBTQ+ Law in WV

Also on Tuesday, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that West Virginia’s ban on Trans participation in sports violates the rights of a teen athlete under Title IX, the federal act banning sex-based discrimination in educa -

tion, and therefore cannot be lawfully enforced. The case was filed by the ACLU of West Virginia and Lambda Legal on behalf of Becky PepperJackson, a 13-year old Trans student and track athlete.

In his ruling, Judge Toby Heytens painted a very clear picture of how this law violates B.P.J.’s constitutional rights, explaining that she has been publicly living as a girl for more than five years, has legally changed her name, has a birth certificate issued by the State West Virginia that lists her sex as female, takes puberty blocking medication to prevent her body from experiencing male puberty, and takes estrogen hormone therapy that has allowed her to develop the physical characteristics of an adolescent female.

“Given these facts, offering B.P.J. a ‘choice’ between not participating in sports and participating only on boys teams is no real choice at all. The defendants cannot expect that B.P.J. will countermand her social transition, her medical treatment, and all the work she has done with her schools, teachers, and coaches for nearly half her life by introducing herself to teammates, coaches, and even opponents as a boy. The defendants do not dispute that doing so would directly contradict the treatment protocols for gender dysphoria. It also would expose B.P.J. to the same risk of unfair competition—and, in some sports, physical danger—from which the defendants claim to be shielding cisgender girls. By participating on boys teams, B.P.J. would be sharing the field with boys who are larger, stronger, and faster than her because of the elevated levels of circulating testosterone she lacks. The Act thus exposes B.P.J. to the very harms Title IX is meant to prevent by effectively ‘exclud[ing]’ her from ‘participation in’ all non-coed sports entirely.”

The Damage Being Done

The right-wing is intentionally abusing our legal system to inflict harm on, and generally antagonize, LGBTQ+ people. It’s not enough that these laws are losing their challenges. Of course they are! In the case of the Ohio law, the very title of the act violated the state’s Constitution!

Every one of these laws, and even all of the ones already defeated in the legislatures of kinder states, have already caused great harm to LGBTQ+ people, putting their sense of security at risk. Even further, these laws harm society as a whole by furthering false narratives, increasing societal tension, and giving credibility to bad-faith attacks, lies, and cynical rabble-rousing.

Trans youth, like all youth, deserve to grow up healthy, safe, and accepted for who they are.

It’s up to all of us, LGBTQ+ or not, whether we feel personally invested or not, to fight oppression and make society better. We all must fight to protect Trans youth.

Falls Church Business News & Notes

Fairview Marriott Refinancing

The Falls Church Marriott in Fairview Park locked in a refinancing deal last week. The owner, Lakewood Hotel Group, refinanced the property for $40 million. Bridge Investment Group provided the loan which was brokered by Gould and Berkadia. The $11 million renovation of the 16-story hotel with 395 rooms was done in 2022 and is said to have increased the hotel’s performance.

Local RAMMY Nominee!

Congratulations to Ellie Bird for being named a finalist in the 2024 RAMMYs. The Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) recognizes the region’s restaurant and food service industry. Ellie Bird, owned by Carey and Yuan Tang, is a contender for New Restaurant of the Year. Other finalists include Fava Pot, serving Egyptian Cuisine, for Favorite Fast Bites; Taco Bamba, which opened first in Falls Church, is nominated for Casual Restaurant of the Year; and Glory Days Grill is nominated in the Favorite Gathering Place category. The winners will be announced on Sunday, July 21 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

Small Business Symposium

The Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity is hosting the 2024 Small Business Symposium: Meet your business Resources. The event will be held at George Mason University at Mason Square in Arlington’s Van Metre Hall on May 2, 9:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m. The following representatives will be in attendance to assist businesses: Virginia Small Business Financing Authority (VSBFA), several Federal, State, and local government agencies, and Non-Government Organizations (NGO). There is no fee but registration is required. Questions may be directed to Chris.Ley@sbsd.virginia.gov.

NVTR Invites Public Comments

Northern Virginia Transportation Authority has 24 candidate projects that are part of the FY2024-2029 Six Year Program (SYP). NVTA is inviting the public to comment on the 24 projects during the public comment period which ends May 19 at 11:59 p.m. The projects total nearly $1 billion in funding requests and include a number of transportation modes such as rail, roadway enhancements, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure upgrades. The feedback form is found at tinyurl.com/FCNP0424sy, or individuals may register to speak, in person or virtually on May 7 at 7:00 p.m., via tinyurl.com/FCNP0424ar.

The Arc of Northern Virginia Team Challenge

Registration has opened for companies, community organizations, school groups, civic clubs, friends, and families to form a team, race or walk together on Saturday, June 1 at Burke Lake Park. This has been popular among companies for teambuilding and to learn about and give back to the local nonprofit. This annual event raises important funds to sustain and strengthen vital programs, services, and advocacy for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Team registrations are due Wednesday, May 1. Visit tinyurl.com/FCNP0424rn.

Chamber Appreciation for Soltys

The Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce announces the departure of our executive assistant, Cathy Soltys. For a decade Cathy has been an integral part of the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce and the business community. During her tenure, she has helped improve the operations, membership recruitment, and event management, which have been critical to our long-term success. Nowhere was this more noted and prevalent than during Covid, where her ability to rapidly adapt to changing norms allowed our Chamber to sustain operations and fulfill its mission of supporting the business community through the lock downs and constant regulatory changes. It was her many efforts and hours during this time that positioned the Chamber to exit the pandemic and rapidly achieve pre-pandemic growth levels. While Cathy will be dearly missed both at the office and at events, we wish her all the best on her next adventure.

 Business

“Glass Menagerie” Gleams at NOVA Nightsky Theater

by Mark Dreisonstok

I first encountered “The Glass Menagerie” through a school production during high school. The members of the production team at Fall Church’s NOVA Nightsky Theater were similarly exposed first to this Tennessee Williams play in high school, either by reading or by performing the work. Indeed, producing director Jaclyn Robertson notes the exclusively secondaryschool experience many people have with this play is one of the reasons for producing it now: “We chose this piece because we always love including a modern classic in our season, and this one, while very popular with high schools, is not often performed by community theaters because of the small cast size.”

For those new to the “Menagerie”—and those who have not seen it since high school!—the plot involves a determined mother, Amanda Wingfield, who dreams of raising herself and her family out of poverty. She has her mind set on arranging social meetings for her timid daughter, Laura, in the hope of ensnaring a financially prosperous husband for her; however, Laura’s self-consciousness from a limp, combined with her shyness, makes it difficult for her to live up to the social expectations of a young

Southern lady and receive a “gentleman caller.” As her brother Tom says of Laura, “She lives in a world of her own—a world of little glass ornaments,” a menagerie of tiny animals made of glass. Her favorite animal is a glass unicorn, which represents her uniqueness and quiet charm but inability to blend into society due to her social anxiety and shyness.

For his part, Tom is earning a low salary in a stupefying warehouse job while dreaming of travel to distant places. One day Tom brings home his friend and co-worker Jim O’Connor, who happens to be a past classmate of Laura, a boy whom she had admired from afar. The mother is ecstatic that Laura will finally be pursued by a man, just as she was in her youth.

Nightsky’s Adam Ressa is an excellent Tom, with a light southern accent, inner fire, and an ability to bring out the touches of humor in the play. This is evident when in one scene he teases his mother by saying that he does not actually go to the movies when he leaves the house at night, but rather visits opium dens, where he is a celebrity criminal, “Killer Wingfield!” Jen Ware is compelling as Laura. Diffident and withdrawn at first, she gradually warms as she is courted by Jim.

Jim is played energetically by Tom O’Neill, bringing out a confi-

dent character to inspire sheltered, retiring Laura. Jessie Roberts is wonderful as the mother Amanda, annoying her children to no end with her overbearing advice to Tom and her schemes for catching a monied husband for Laura. At the same time, she brings an unexpected warmth to the character and leaves little doubt that, as a mother, she loves her children unreservedly.

NOVA Nightsky’s intimate venue features audience seats right in front of a dinner table in a spartan room; a porch is visible in the background beyond a screen. This close setting, combined with the set design of Sabrina McAllister, works exceedingly well for “The Glass Menagerie,” as it conveys the claustrophobic world of the play and the small apartment Tom longs to escape. Notes Hannah Ruth Wellons, the director: “The audience is at the kitchen table with the Wingfields while they eat dinner, on the fire escape with Tom during his soliloquies, and on the floor with Jim and Laura while they talk.”

Before the show and during the intermission, period music is provided by vintage sound recordings of 1920’s and 1930’s tunes such as “Love Nest” and “Lullaby of the Leaves,” perhaps typical of the old phonograph records Laura is said to play, in addition to her hobby collect-

ing figures for her glass menagerie.

The direction is superb, and director Wellons shared with Falls Church News-Press some of her thoughts as she put together this engaging production of the play: “One of the things I love most about ‘The Glass Menagerie’ is how relatable the characters are. Everyone can identify with at least one of the characters, and we all have dashed hopes and distant dreams that we still cling to, just like they do. ‘The Glass Menagerie’ is both a memory play in form and a commentary on memories. One of my favorite stage directions from the play, in reference to the glass menagerie, is ‘How beautiful it is, and how easily it can be broken.’ This fragility is true not only of glass, but also of memories and dreams.”

Whether your memories coincide with the experiences of the characters in the play or with a desire to see this American high school staple with adult eyes, we recommend this fine version performed at NOVA Nightsky Theater in Falls Church through April 27, 2024. For further information, please visit: novanightskytheater.com

JEN WARE AND TOM O’NEILL AS LAURA AND JIM IN “THE

Where to Find the News-Press On Thursdays

• Lazy Mikes Deli, 7049 Leesburg Pike

• Madison Apartments, 600 N Roosevelt Blvd.

Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School, 7130 Leesburg Pike

• Mary Riley Styles Library, 120 N. Virginia Ave.

Meridian, High School,

GLASS MENAGERIE.” (Photo: Heather Regan.)