5-7-2026

MAY 7 - 13, 2026 Founded 1991 • Vol. XXXVI N o . 13

Northern Virginia’s Newspaper

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‘Democracy Thrives In Sunshine’

Will a ‘Half ENERGY, TEAMWORK, FUN Penny’ Do? F.C. Council Vote Monday 6 of 7 Favor Symbolic Real Estate Tax Rate Cut

by Nicholas F. Benton

Falls Church News-Press

The Falls Church City Council reached a consensus of all but one of its seven members at its work session this Monday night to drop the real estate tax rate by a half-penny, slightly below the recommendation of City Manager Wyatt Shields, who advocated for no change.

But, led by Mayor Letty Hardi, the solid majority favored the largely symbolic minor reduction that will save taxpayers just over $50 on average, due to the over 8 percent average increase in single family home assessments that will hike actual bills for the coming fiscal year by an average of $611.

Given the higher assessments, due to the relatively greater rise in the City’s real estate values, the owner of an average Falls Church City single family home - the average now at $1,022.000 - will be paying over $12,000 annually in real estate taxes.

Continued on Page 3

Arts & Entertainment 7–13

STUDENTS IN THE third, fourth, and fifth grade had a fantastic time at Oak Street Elementary’s Field Day, enjoying lots of energy, teamwork, and fun. Thanks to the planning of Nathan Greiner and Meredith Grasso, the event offered a variety of engaging activities, including pancake tag, Crazy Waiter, Chopstick relay, hopping races and tug-of-war. (Photo: FCCPS Schools by Meredith Grasso and Amanda Alderson)

Major Women’s History Event in F.C. This Saturday

Fby Beth Hahn

(Editor’s Note—As women’s history month is being celebrated in Falls Church this coming Saturday in Cherry Hill Park, see story in News Briefs, this essay on the role of women in Falls Church is presented).

The Falls Church Women’s History Group Marks America’s 250th by Honoring Local Women Who Turned Ideals into Action. Come this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3

p.m. at Cherry Hill Park for the 2026 Falls Church Women’s History Walk.

The story of Falls Church is best told through the lives of some of its most daring, accomplished, and consequential residents—the women of Falls Church.

Since its founding in 1699, Falls Church has been shaped by the women who saw a need and found a way to make their community better. The Falls Church Women’s History Walk

honors these pioneers, abolitionists, suffragists, educators, entrepreneurs, politicians, historians, artists, and activists.

Their civic engagement and dedication have helped establish Falls Church as a vibrant, responsive and well-loved community.

As our nation prepares to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the Falls Church Women’s History Group invites the community to reflect not

only on the words penned in 1776, but on the generations of women who labored—often quietly and at great personal risk—to ensure those promises of liberty and equality extended to all. The Declaration proclaimed that “all men are created equal.”

Yet for much of our nation’s history, women, African Americans, and immigrants were excluded from full citi-

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PAGE 2 | MAY 7 - 13, 2026

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Fal ls Ch u rc h News Br i efs

F.C. Women’s History Walk This Weekend

Route 29 Public Planning Meeting Set for May 19

In addition to all the pleasures that a Saturday morning in Falls Church normally brings, such as the Farmer’s Market, an additional one comes this Saturday, May 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with the opportunity to amble around Cherry Hill Park and peruse all 70 “Her Story” stations of the Falls Church Women’s History Walk, installed throughout the park.

The History Walk is a self-guided stroll through stations that represent the Falls Church Women’s History “All Stars.” The public will also have the opportunity — that very same morning — to experience the Falls Church Garden Club’s Annual Plant Sale at the Community Center, learn about native plants and butterflies, and find something wonderful to bring home and plant in a garden. The sale will also feature pots, tools, gifts, and décor and will be open from 8 a.m. to noon.

At noon, on the front porch of the Cherry Hill Farmhouse, there will be a ceremony to recognize this year’s grand marshals: Marty Behr, Sharon Schoeller, Sandy Tarpinian, and Melissa Teates. At 1 p.m., there will be a special recognition for the Young Women of Action.

Other signs and stations featured in and around the park will honor Young Women of Action from Falls Church’s middle and high schools, along with displays from local civic groups, including the Daughters of the American Revolution, Creative Cauldron, the Village Preservation Society, the League of Women Voters, the American Association of University Women, the Victorian Society, the Girl Scouts, and the Mary Riley Styles Library.

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation will host an in-person community meeting on the Route 29 Active Transportation Study at 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at Timber Lane Elementary School, 2737 West St., just outside the City of Falls Church.

FCDOT will present proposed improvements to the street, including sidewalks, bike paths, transit stops and crossings. Residents and commuters will have the opportunity to review the proposals, ask questions and provide feedback. In addition, a survey will be available after the meeting.

The study aims to create an environment that is comfortable for pedestrians and bicyclists, connects both sides of Route 29, improves access to transit, and helps build driver awareness that the corridor is expected to accommodate all users.

Consultant Chosen for F.C. City Manager Search The City of Falls Church has selected Raftelis as the executive recruitment firm to assist the City Council in the search for the next City Manager. In March, current City Manager Wyatt Shields announced his forthcoming retirement, effective this September after 23 years of service to the City.

Raftelis is a well-respected consulting firm that specializes in serving local governments and has a strong track record in successful executive recruitment. The City’s contract with Raftelis will ensure a comprehensive search process that will start with an opportunity for community members and staff to provide feedback to the City Council on attributes the City should look for in its next City Manager. The feedback form is currently open and closes at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, May 21.

62,100 Fewer Federal Jobs in Region Now: Report In January 2026, there were 62,100 fewer federal jobs in the Washington area than in January 2025, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data reported by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG). The current total of 313,700 federal workers in the region is at its lowest level in 30 years, underscoring a significant shift in the role of the federal government as an employer in Greater Washington.

MWCOG monitors workforce and other trends through its Regional Economic Monitoring System (REMS) and provides the region with timely data meant to inform decisions on economic development, workforce strategy, and housing and transportation planning.

The unemployment rate increased from the previous month, rising from 3.8 to 4.4% in the Washington area.

The national rate for January was 4.7%, meaning the region continues to perform slightly better than the country overall, even as conditions soften.

.

Helena’s Mexican Opens 2nd Site in Downtown F.C. Helena’s Mexican Restaurant has opened a second location in the region at the site of the former Cuates Grill, at 502 W. Broad. The popular Alexandria-based family owned and operated restaurant is offering margarita and food specials all this week in honor of Cinco de Mayo.

F.C. Education Foundation Hails ‘Spectacular’ Gala “We’re also coming off a wonderful evening at the 2026 FCEF Annual Gala and Auction, where our community came together in support of FCCPS. Thanks to the generosity and enthusiasm of our 400+ attendees, sponsors, and volunteers, the event was a tremendous success and will have a lasting impact in our schools,” said Suzanne Hladky in a statement this week on behalf of the Falls Church Education Foundation..

“The 2026 FCEF Annual Gala and Auction was nothing short of spectacular!” she wrote. “Thank you to everyone who bought a ticket, bid on an item, raised a paddle, and showed up to support FCEF and FCCPS. Special shout out to the Meridian Jazz Band musicians and director, Chad Steffey, for kicking off the night in style.

“We are pleased to announce the winners of the 2026 employee awards. Congrats Brannon McLaughlin, Roberto Fuentes, Josh Singer, and Kieran Shakeshaft,” she added.

Our talented Meridian IB Design students, under the guidance of teacher Kenny George, handcrafted many auction items for FCEF this year using tools and machinery purchased with Super Grants. From whimsical yard geese (complete with couture outfits), custom chess boards, vertical planters, picture frames, artwork, and more, these items helped raise thousands for the Foundation.

ANOTHER FALLS CHURCH event marking the 250th anniversary of America was held at the Irelands Four Provinces restaurant last week, this one a soap box opportunity for anyone and everyone to speak out about the impact of their Irish heritage as American citizens. Jim Coyle, F.C.’s America 250 events organizer, is shown on the right, and he proclaimed himself 100% Irish at this event. (Photo: Courtesy)

LL

LAST WEEKEND AT THE upper end of Poplar Dr. in Falls Church it was time for the mini-reunion of the Acosta and related families. Next year, and every two years, it is a big one on the North Carolina coast, but this was local folks, including many from the City of Falls Church. The only local missing in this one was accountant Greg Sobsey, and that’s because he was behind the camera taking the picture. (Photo: Courtesy)

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

MAY 7 - 13, 2026 | PAGE 3

Falls Church Council Agrees to Trim Tax Rate by a 1/2 Cent

Continued from Page 1

But the City’s overall economic performance is the strongest in the region (outside of Loudoun County that is enjoying major revenue windfalls from its booming data center industry).

This includes significant new revenue added to the projections for the coming fiscal year due to strong retail and restaurant performance that added $711,000 to the estimated total income for this budget, which will be officially adopted this coming Monday night at the May 11 City Council meeting.

By contrast, Arlington County’s board last week voted a two cent increase in its real estate tax rate, raising it to $1.053. This increase was designed to address a significant shift in the tax base as commercial property values, particularly existing office buildings, plummeted by 19 percent. Combined

with a 3.2 percent increase in residential assessments, the average homeowner will see a tax bill increase of about $466.

In Fairfax County, the Board of Supervisors adopted a small quarter-cent reduction in the tax rate, moving it from $1.1225 to $1.12 on May 5. The reduction was intended to provide “targeted relief,” though residential assessments still rose by an average of 3.77 percent.

Despite the lower rate, the average homeowner’s tax bill will still rise by $337 in Fairfax because the assessment growth outweighed the minor rate cut.

The City of Alexandria approved a budget that maintains the current real estate tax rate at $1.135. To balance the budget without a rate hike, the city utilized $9 million in citywide cuts and increased various fees, including the stormwater utility fee (rising to $357.40).

Because assessments for

existing properties increased by approximately 4.4%, the average residential tax bill is still expected to rise from $7,931 to $8,285.

While the Falls Church’s tax rate will take a bigger proportional bite out of its homeowner incomes, the projected move did not seem to deter the festive mood of its homeowner population with school aged children, who enjoyed a sold-out annual gala at the Washington Golf and Country Club in Arlington.

Still, the tax rate and budget pressures are expected to only get tougher in the coming years, City Manager Wyatt Shields cautioned the Council this week. The decision by the Hoffman Group not to proceed according to plans with Phase 2 of its major 10-acre West End development left the City short of $10 million that was supposed to come to kick it off.

While the lost proceeds, still

NOTICE OF PROPOSED REAL PROPERTY TAX INCREASE (TO26-04) ORDINANCE SETTING THE RATE OF TAX LEVY ON REAL ESTATE FOR TAX YEAR 2027 AND ON PERSONAL PROPERTY, MACHINERY AND TOOLS AND ALL OTHER PROPERTY SEGREGATED BY LAW FOR LOCAL TAXATION IN THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH VIRGINIA FOR TAX YEAR 2026 The City of Falls Church proposes to increase property tax levies.

1.

Assessment Increase. Total assessed value of real property, excluding additional assessments due to new construction or improvements to property, exceeds last year’s total assessed value of real property by 5.35 percent.

2.

Lowered Rate Necessary to Offset Increased Assessment. The tax rate which would levy the same amount of real estate tax as last year, when multiplied by the new total assessed value of real estate with the exclusions mentioned above would be $1.125 per $100 of assessed value.

This rate will be known as the “lowered tax rate.”

3.

Effective Rate Increase. The City of Falls Church proposes to adopt a tax rate of $1.185 per $100 of assessed value. The difference between the lowered tax rate and the proposed rate would be $0.060 per $100, or 5.33 percent. This difference will be known as the “effective tax rate increase.” Individual property taxes may, however, increase at a percentage greater than or less than the above percentage.

4.

Proposed Total General Fund Budget Decrease. Based on the proposed real property tax rate and changes in other revenues, the total General Fund budget of the City of Falls Church will increase by 0.76 percent.

Public hearings on the increase will be held on April 27, 2026 and May 11, 2026 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as they may be heard, in the Council Chambers, 300 Park Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia. The hearings shall be open to the public. The City Council will permit persons desiring to be heard an opportunity to present oral testimony within such reasonable time limits as shall be determined by the City Council.

For copies of legislation, contact the City Clerk's office at (703-248-5014) or cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov or visit www.fallschurchva.gov. 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

considered only a temporary development, hit the City’s Capitol Improvement budget the most, and not its operating budget, Mayor Letty Hardi chimed in Monday with the declaration that if Hoffman doesn’t want to proceed with that planned development, the land is still highly valuable and the City should find no shortage of new interested parties who would jump at the chance to develop there.

The Council decided it would not deviate from its commitment to the revenue sharing agreement with the City schools, which has gone a long way to reduce frictions in recent years. The schools did stay within the “guidance” it was provided by the City in its request for funding this year, and with its share of the added bump in City revenues being $171,000, the Council did express its hope that the

School Board would assign that new money to its capital improvement plans.

News that came to light this spring of the seriously degraded condition of the signal arm at the intersection of W. Broad and N. West Streets has spurred the Council into prioritizing its renovation, and street paving and other stoplight-related maintenance needs were given new priority status by the Council in its budget deliberations.

Given his stated concern for aging City infrastructure, new Councilman Arthur Agin was the only Council member to oppose the marginal cut in the real estate tax rate. All the others, all present at Monday’s work session, indicated their support for it, including Mayor Hardi, Vice Mayor Laura Downs, and Justine Underhill, Marybeth Connelly, David Snyder and Erin Flynn.

PAGE 4 | MAY 7 - 13, 2026

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Women’s History Month Observed Meridian Sports Recap: 4/28 - 5/4 Saturday in Cherry Hill Park

by Dinos Simcox

Continued from Page 1

zenship. In Falls Church, courageous women stepped forward across centuries to narrow that gap between principle and practice. Their stories illuminate how the revolutionary ideals of freedom and self-governance have been carried forward—not just in legislatures and battlefields, but in classrooms, churches, homes, and city halls.

In the shadow of the 1769 brick church that still stands today as the Falls Church Episcopal, Sarah Wren quietly advanced the cause of freedom.

After inheriting several enslaved people following the death of her husband, architect and builder James Wren, Sarah ensured that they each learned to read before emancipating them—an act of profound defiance in an era when literacy among enslaved people was often criminalized. By linking freedom with education, Sarah Wren embodied the revolutionary belief that liberty requires knowledge.

A generation later, Betsy Read carried that conviction forward. The daughter of abolitionist and lay preacher John Read, Betsy risked violence to teach Black adults and children to read and write in and around Falls Church.

With her father and uncle, Hiram Read, she organized secret classes for enslaved people and for those crossing into Union lines, defying local laws and the wrath of Confederate sympathizers.

When it became too dangerous to gather at her uncle’s home, Betsy went house to house, quietly continuing her lessons. In 1864 her father—serving in the Union Home Guard—was captured and executed by Confederate soldiers. Betsy and her aunt braved hostile territory to retrieve the body.

Betsy’s courage reminds us that the Declaration’s promise of life and liberty demanded sacrifice long after 1776.

Harriet Foote Turner, a free woman of color working on the Fitzhugh plantation, also understood the sacrifice required to secure freedom. In 1851, entrusted to transport 12 newly purchased enslaved people from the Alexandria slave market, she instead posed as their owner, forged travel passes, and led them north to freedom in Canada. Unable to return safely to Falls Church, she nevertheless maintained

ties to family and later purchased land for relatives on what would become the site of Tinner Hill. Her daring act stands among the boldest expressions of self-determination in our local history.

For Eliza Henderson, liberty was not an abstraction but a hard-won reality. Enslaved in Washington, D.C., she endured sexual assault and, after attempting escape, was sold away from her family to Mississippi. There she married and bore a son.

Following the Battle of Vicksburg, Eliza seized her chance. Carrying her infant son—hidden inside a trunk for protection—she followed Union troops back to Washington and her family.

After emancipation, Eliza purchased land at what is now Broad and Washington Streets in Falls Church, where she operated a grocery store for many years, transforming survival into prosperity and rooting her family’s future in the very soil of a town once shaped by slavery.

As the nation wrestled with women’s political rights, Mattie Gundry reshaped Falls Church civic life. After moving here in 1893, she founded the Virginia Training School for children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities in 1899, leading it for nearly half a Century.

In 1908 the Falls Church Town Council elected her as a school trustee—making her the first woman in Virginia to serve in that role—only to be declared ineligible because she did not have the right to vote.

Undeterred, she became active in the Women’s Suffrage League of Fairfax in 1913 and continued advocating until ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920. In 1921 she became one of the first two women elected to the Falls Church Town Council, serving three terms. Mattie Gundry’s life illustrates how the ideals of representative government must be defended and expanded.

Mary Ellen Henderson devoted 32 years to teaching and leading Falls Church’s “Colored School,” where classrooms lacked heat, running water, and janitorial services.

In 1936, she documented the stark disparities between Black and white schools and presented her findings to

Continued on Page 18

Spring sports at Meridian have entered the latter half of their seasons, and the Mustang teams have put together a solid week of competition. The clubs have managed to combine for nine wins, two draws, and five losses.

Baseball unfortunately suffered two close losses this week, falling to Warren County 7-5 and Fauquier 3-1. These losses drop their record to 5-7 on the year, and they’ll need to improve quickly if they want to make the playoffs. The Mustangs are currently in ninth place in the Northwestern Region 3B, just outside the cutoff.

Boys lacrosse, as per usual, is perfect.

The Mustangs played two games this week, one against Sidwell Friends and one against Dominion. The squad won both, 14-11 and 14-5, respectively. These victories brought the Mustangs’ record to 12-0, the best record in the region. Their next game on April 30 will be their biggest test yet, as they go on the road to play Fauquier, who boasts an 8-1 record, also one of the best in the region.

Girls lacrosse dominated in its only game this week, beating Dominion 17-10. The win improved their record to 7-2, one of the best overall records in the region. Their next game on April 29 is against Yorktown, an excellent 6A team. This won’t be the Mustangs’ first encounter with a 6A school, but it will undoubtedly be a difficult game for Meridian to win.

Softball has unfortunately failed to win any games this week or this season. They dropped both of their games this week, one to Fauquier and one to Falls Church. It’s simply been a poor season for the team, and hopefully they’ll be able to end on a positive note and bounce back next year.

Both boys and girls tennis won all their matches this week, notching two wins apiece.

Both teams crushed Warren County 9-0. They then beat Falls Church two days later, with the

girls winning 9-0 and the boys winning 8-1.

The week’s success improved both squads’ records, the boys now sitting at 9-1 and the girls at a perfect 10-0.

Boys soccer won their first game of the week in dominant fashion, beating Warren County 6-0. Their next game against Handley ended in a draw, bringing their record to 8-11. The Mustangs now have the best overall record in the region, one win better than Brentsville, which sits at 7-2-1.

Girls soccer played three games last week and covered every possible result. First, they crushed Warren County 7-0. Next, just like the boys team, they drew with Handley 2-2.

The Mustangs unfortunately lost their final game 2-1 against Kettle Run. With a Tuesday night loss to James Wood, their record now sits at 6-5-1, with a difficult stretch of games ahead of them. Their next two opponents are both very strong programs in Maggie Walker and Kettle Run for the second time in four games. Kettle Run is the best team in the region, boasting an undefeated record of 9-0. The Mustangs came just short of ending Kettle Run’s perfect season, so the club will be itching for a rematch.

MERIDIAN JUNIOR MATTHEW Welch shakes hands with the opposing team.

(Photo: Paul Meade)

A hot bowl of pho at Eden Center.

Voted best shopping center in the DMV!

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

MAY 7 - 13, 2026 | PAGE 5

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Editorial ‘Highest and Best Use’ Again?

Yes, it looks like Falls Church residents will be provided a very small bit of tax relief with the budget that should be approved next Monday night. A half penny on the real estate tax rate will offer about $50 of relief in a year when assessments are still booming, meaning the average residential taxpayer is still going to be hit with tax bills hundreds higher next fiscal year (the first bill due in December). Overall, though, it must be noted the City’s tax rate has been dropped from $1.355 per $100 of assessed valuation to $1.18 in recent years, even while a new state of the art high school was built and major improvements made to City Hall, the Mary Riley Styles Public Library and other City schools.

But in this season’s budget deliberation process, it was noted repeatedly that things will get tougher next cycle as issues of debt and pressing maintenance matters come to the fore.

It is in the context of this that the City government is getting ready to be mired in another great issue, the prospect for redevelopment of the Virginia Village site of 4.5 acres on S. Maple into a major source of new affordable housing. Both sides, the pro-development and the “Not in My Backyard” folks, are set to do another great battle. Just what we don’t need!

The developed majority on the City Council has been aching to do something meaningful to build new affordable housing in recent years.

But there is little doubt that NIMBYism is alive and well here, and the result will be a tortured process that may take years. The last time something like this was seriously tried, it took the better part of a decade, and a whittling down of the size of such an effort to barely more than 50 units.

We say now that it would be fruitless to proceed with the current process unless at least 300 units would come out of it. That would be fine with us if it could be engineered. That member of the current City government who decides to champion such an effort should have the project named for her, or him. We’d support that idea. Honestly, given the lip service in support of affordable housing that’s come out from almost everyone on the City Council, any one of such folk could qualify, even if it meant a great conversion moment for one of them.

However, we should not ignore, as this process gets underway, that economic pressures on the City ought to be compelling our leaders to subject that 4.5 acres, and the 4 acres in the Gordon’s Road area, to a new evaluation from the standpoint of their highest and best use from a revenue-generating standpoint. Maybe not a casino or a data center, but what else?

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Our Man In Arlington Bill Fogarty

My column last week on public signs led me down the rabbit hole of Arlington’s history on the enforcement of sign ordinances. The most famous example takes us back to 2010, when a mural on the side wall of a business led to a federal case exploring this question: Is a mural depicting “happy cartoon dogs, bones, and paw prints” an advertisement subject to zoning ordinance requirements, or is it simply a work of art that could remain in place? Some of you may remember this controversy, which arose when a dog daycare center, Wag More Dogs, opened in the Shirlington area, right next to a dog park along Four Mile Run. The owner of Wag More Dogs commissioned a large full wall mural when she opened for business, but she then received notice from the County that her occupancy permit was in jeopardy because the mural was an impermissible advertising sign.

The owner had to cover the mural with a tarp, though she then challenged the County on its interpretation of the sign regulations.

According to court documents, the zoning administrator stated that, in order for the mural to not be considered an impermissible sign, it could depict anything except something to do with dogs. The controversy escalated with a lawsuit filed by the business over constitutional issues.

Was the mural a commercial sign?

The legal answer was yes. The court ruled that the mural featuring cartoon canines meant that the owner “had an economic motivation for displaying the painting,” and thus the work fell into the category of commercial speech.

This week I visited the site of the building and the dog park. The building is now occupied by a business known as Dogtopia, which provides dog daycare and boarding services. As for the wall, I must start by saying, it is always a good idea to go to the scene of the crime, so to speak, when there are issues involving real property. The building is at the end of a dead-end street

that runs into the dog park. The only ones who could even view the wall in question would be people (and their dogs) in the dog park. To my surprise, there is a large mural on the wall facing the dog park. On a nice blue background, one can see many animals (birds flying through the sky, a tree with a cat on a limb, deer, and some funny-looking mouses).

But no dogs. So, without any dogs on the mural, I guess it would be accurate to call it a work of art, and not an advertisement. The moral of this mural story might be a costly one: when deciding to have a wall painted, perhaps you have to hire an attorney to comb through the sign regulations in the zoning ordinance. * Dipping back into this Arlington history has prompted a search for murals that are currently in place in Arlington. I am open to recommendations from you readers as to any murals that you find to be interesting – you can email me at historybillfogs@gmail.com with any suggestions to visit. Meanwhile, let me provide some quick information on one of my favorites: the John Mercer Langston mural on the Sport Fair building at 5510 Langston Boulevard. This mural was created in September 2021 by local artist Kaliq Crosby, who was commissioned to paint this mural to celebrate the renaming of Lee Highway to Langston Boulevard, and to honor the life of John Mercer Langston. The Wikipedia entry for Langston has many details, but the very first sentence says a lot about the man: “John Mercer Langston (December 14, 1829 – November 15, 1897) was an African American abolitionist, attorney, educator, activist, diplomat, and politician.”

Langston was the founding dean of the Howard University law school; the first president of what is now Virginia State University; and the first African-American in Virginia elected to Congress. I have more to say about this mural, and about the artist, Kaliq Crosby, but I have used up my allotted space, so I will follow up next week, along with any mural recommendations that I receive.

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Arts & Entertainment

MAY 7 - 13, 2026 | PAGE 7

West Falls

PAGE 8 | MAY 7 - 13, 2026

Arts & Entertainment

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Miró Inspires American Art

BY PATRICIA LESLIE

As a musical prelude to our country 250th anniversary, we present a celebration of the people, stories, and songs that give voice to the American spirit and our unique and varied musical identity.

Michael Ehrlich, Artistic Director

Tickets: VocalArtsFairfax.org

Between 1948 and 1967 Joan Miró (1893-1983), one of the greatest modern artists of all time, made seven trips to the U.S. from his home in Spain, and it was his influence on 30 American artists between the 1940s and 1960s and their influence on him which is the focus of the latest Phillips Collection exhibition, “Miró and the United States,” on display through July 5.

It’s a big show of 75 works, paintings, sculptures, films and more by Miró and his fellow artists whose creations display their effects upon modern art around the world.

For some of the art, it’s a public debut; many are on loan from major institutions.

Not that Miró ever wanted to be labeled a Surrealist, but with a fading Dada movement, he became Surrealism’s informal leader whose works some say include elements of Fauvism and Expressionism, movements which associated artists helped usher in.

He began drawing classes at age

seven in a private school at a medieval mansion and he was only 25 when he had his first solo show, which did not go well. Some made fun of him and defaced his art.

Throughout his life, Miró frequently experienced depression, the first time when he was 18, some of the illness which may have been prompted by the business school he attended at the same time that he attended art school, and later, when he worked in the business world.

Art rescued him.

Miró excelled at dream interpretations and the portrayal of the unconscious. He resisted conventions and bourgeois society, favoring, instead to upending them on paper.

The painting is currently on view at the Phillips.

A smaller reproduction of the mural Miró made for the Terrace Plaza Hotel in Cincinnati in1947 welcomes visitors to the exhibition.

It was his first visit to the U.S, and his first commission in the U.S. for the

Continued on Page 12

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Arts & Entertainment

MAY 7 - 13, 2026 | PAGE 9

PAGE 10 | MAY 7 - 13, 2026

They came to test a theory— now reality is testing them.

A New Play by Christopher Chen Directed by Hana S. Sharif What begins as a debate between four scholars quickly spirals into a real-life experiment—where the scientists become the subject.

Basic human rights come into question: Who deserves to love? Who deserves to live?

Who gets to decide what it means to be human?

NOW PLAYING G E T YO U R T I C K E T S !

A R E N A S TAG E .O R G / M OT I O N 202-488-3300 Barzin Akhavan, Nehal Joshi, Peregrine Teng Heard, and Nikkole Salter for The Motion. Photo by Ambe J. Williams.

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‘T�� D���� W���� P���� 2’

BY LISA SINROD

This sequel, twenty years in the making, is an engaging comedy-drama.

Rated PG-13, it opened to much anticipation on May 1. Back in 2006, the first film hit the big screen based on a 2003 novel (“The Devil Wears Prada”) by Lauren Weisberger. Four of the original actors are back (Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt), making the film feel like a homecoming of sorts. The best part of the film is the uplifting nostalgia of returning to this workplace drama and the performances of the principal actors. If you liked the first one, it’s a good bet that you’ll enjoy the two-hour sequel. If you are new to this film series, enough details are filled in that seeing the first movie is not a prerequisite.

The 2006 movie featured spunky and delightful Anne Hathaway as Andy Sachs, a recent college graduate who is hired as junior assistant to Miranda Priestly (played skillfully by Meryl Streep). Priestly was, and still is in the new film, the editor in chief of Runway, a high-end glossy fashion magazine published in New York City. Andy quickly learns that her boss is very hard to please and she struggles to adapt to the image conscious extremes of the industry. As she takes on more responsibility, her career propels forward at the expense of her personal life. In the original film, a pivotal reckoning occurs as Andy chooses to step away from the career path she had been pursuing and instead follow journalism on her own terms.

Now, in the sequel, it’s 2026 and things in the journalism world have changed quite a bit. The returning characters are shaped by the accumulated challenges of their professional lives over the past two decades. Andy Sachs is no longer an ingenue at the start of her career. She has worked consistently as a journalist since leaving Runway

but now finds herself unemployed. She seeks a job back where it all started, hoping to help rescue the magazine.

Runway is struggling to maintain relevance, readership and revenue in an environment driven by features across multiple platforms. She is again working for Priestly, but this time as a seasoned editor. The dynamic between these two women is the central focus of the film, and it is well portrayed by each of them. Streep, who is one of the best actors of our time, does not disappoint in her return to this role. Her expressions and intonations are priceless, as she struggles to maintain her power.

Hathaway is lovely in the role of Andy Sachs, blending lingering vulnerability with the character’s stronger sense of self, as she navigates the re-entry into Priestly’s world of high fashion.

Emily Blunt returns as Emily Charlton, now a major player in the fashion world, with a much larger role than in the original movie. She and Andy are rivals, which sets up some of this film’s drama. Stanley Tucci, who is particularly effective in an understated performance, is back again as Nigel Kipling (a well-regarded fashion insider). For those of us who remember the original film, the sequel both takes flights of fancy and ties up loose ends.

Much like the clothing on a fashion runway, the characters are larger than life but still layered with nuance in their interactions. Some may find the movie to be a commentary on the fate of magazines and other print publications in the current era, but I find that to be a stretch. The film’s primary aim appears to be to entertain, and it succeeds effectively. It strikes a balance between lightness and seriousness, blending elements of both without leaning too heavily in either direction. The sleek visual aesthetics are pleasing to watch. There is dramatic tension as well as humor, and the key players are spot on. Lady Gaga, Donatella Versace and Naomi Campbell all appear in clever cameos.

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Arts & Entertainment

MAY 7 - 13, 2026 | PAGE 11

PAGE 12 | MAY 7 - 13, 2026

Arts & Entertainment

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Spanish Master Miró Shapes American Modern Art

Continued from Page 8

first hotel in the postwar era.

The Terrace Plaza Hotel was the first hotel to have elevators without operators, rooms with individual temperature controls, and sofas that converted to beds at the push of a button.

Today, the hotel rests in a sad state and was one of 11 sites on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s list of America’s Most Endangered Historic Places for 2020.

Architect I.M. Pei chose Miró to design a sculpture for the Texas Commerce Bank in Houston.

Installed in 1982 and Miró’s largest public monument in the U.S., this cast can be found in the Phillips’s stairwell.

In the U.S., Marcel Duchamp and collectors included Miró’s “Somersault” in a Brooklyn Museum show in 1926, which added to Miró’s European allure.

“His work is a celebration of

life,” the Phillips quotes Pei as saying.

In 1944, Jackson Pollock (whose art is included in the Phillips’ show) called Miró and Picasso “the two artists I admire most,” and Miró later noted, “It was really American painting that inspired me.”

The other artists featured with Miró at the Phillips are Louise Bourgeois, Alexander Calder, Willem de Kooning, Jeanne Reynal, Len Lye, Mark Rothko, Arshile Gorky, Janet Sobel, and 21 more.

The Fundació Joan Miró (in his hometown of Barcelona) organized the exhibition with the Phillips, which is the only venue in the U.S. where this Miró exhibition can be seen.

An almost 300-page catalogue with 260 illustrations is for sale in the gift shop for $65.

The museum hosts several related events for the show: May 21, 6:30 p.m.: A panel discussion, “Miró and the United States” (on the third Thursday, with free admission from 5–8 p.m.; res-

ervations required) May 29, noon–1 p.m.: “Miró and Poetry with Paul Jaskunas” June 13, noon–1 p.m.: “The Phillips Plays: Abstract Collage,” suitable for families Every Thursday through Sunday at 1 p.m.: A “spotlight talk” on one work from the exhibition Admission is $20 for adults; $15 for seniors; $12 for military personnel; $10 for students and educators with ID; and free for anyone 18 and under and for members.

Several discounts make admission to the Phillips more affordable: Pay what you can after 4 p.m. daily, and on the third Thursday of every month, the museum has extended hours until 8 p.m., with free admission beginning at 5 p.m.

Regular operating hours are Sunday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m., and Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Special events will close some or all of the Phillips on May 6, 7, and 8.

1600 21st St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20009. Ph.: 202-387-2151

5125 MacArthur Blvd., NW, Suite 17 Washington, DC 20016 (202) 244-3244 classicamericanpainting.com

See Our Website at: classicamericanpainting.com

Christina Blake, Citrus on Vintage Linen, 8” x 16” Oil

IN THE STAIRWELL at the Phillips, visitors study Joan Miró’s 1970 bronze “Personage and Birds” on the left and on the far wall, 1974 sculptures named for royalty. (Photo: Patricia Leslie)

TWO LOUISE BOURGEOIS sculptures stand in front of a smaller reproduction of Joan Miró’s 1947 “Mural for the Terrace Plaza Hotel, CIncinnati” at the Phillips. (Photo: Patricia Leslie)

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Arts & Entertainment

Inside America’s Science Palace

BY PATRICIA LESLIE

The large 20-foot bronze sculpture of Albert Einstein perched on Constitution Avenue, N.W. is likely familiar to most Falls Church residents but how many have ever toured the building behind it?

The structure’s austere, cold exterior does not seem welcoming, but contrary to appearances, the National Academy of Sciences is, as the “nation’s home of science in America” with free public tours.

President Calvin Coolidge dedicated the building in April,1924 while the Einstein statue with a celestial map at his feet, was unveiled in 1979, upon the occasion of his 100th birthday. Robert Becks (19222011), the “Capitol’s Michelangelo,” who also created the JFK bust at the Kennedy Center, made NAS’s “Einstein.”

Like many of its neighbors, the backdrop to the sculpture is a beautiful stately building with Hellenic, Byzantine, and Egyptian effects, as befits its subject matter.

Inside, its art deco designs jumped out at me, an enthusiast.

Membership in NAS includes the nation’s top authorities in science, engineering and medicine who volunteer for some 200 studies every year “to improve the health, education, and welfare of the population.”

Last month “in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research,” the nonprofit society elected 25 international and 120 new members, including Michael F. Hochella, Jr., a faculty member at Virginia Tech, (the only Virginia institution named.)

The newly selected are included in the total 2,705 active members and 557 international members in the private organization.

The public tour takes you to the Great Hall with its majestic dome surrounded by illustrations commemorating the history of science.

The sun is painted with the eight planets known at the time. (Pluto was discovered in 1930.)

In the boardroom is a classic painting of NAS founders with

President Abraham Lincoln who signed the Congressional act in 1863 establishing NAS. Nearby is an exceptional light fixture made in the shape of a globe and modeled after Leonardo da Vinci’s 1515 rendering of the Earth.

Later, visitors walk through a photo gallery of notable female scientists, “Progress was Neither Swift nor Easy,” which includes actor Hedy Lamarr (1914-2000; who knew she was also an inventor,) and Virginia Tech’s Linsey C. Marr.

After a five-year residency, the photos will come down in mid-June to be followed by a celebration of the history of science called “The American Experiment: 250 Years of Innovation,” writes Alana Quinn, NAS senior program associate.

After the photos, visitors reach a long hallway with an extensive chronology of NAS’s advancements.

A few steps away is the large auditorium where outside organizations sometimes host events, like the one I attended several years ago about the chase for serial murderers,

which the Smithsonian Associates presented.

The hour-long tour closes with a visit up the stairs or elevator to the second-floor art gallery now featuring 18 drawings and paintings

by Maryland-based multimedia artist Shanthi Chandrasekar with writings by particle physicist Michael Albrow. This “Symmetries & Broken Symmetries” is up through July 3, 2026.

The website says the art show explores the universe’s “order and chaos” in art, science, and human understanding, the same principles which govern galaxies and particles and are found in cultural traditions and creative practices.

The walk from the Foggy Bottom Metro Station down 23rd St. N.W. is a little over half a mile and takes about 15 minutes. Before Constitution, turn left on C St. (where cars are not permitted) to enter the building on the right at 2100 C St. where the staff carefully checks the required government-issued photo I.D. All rooms are wheelchair accessible and there’s a ramp from C St. to the 2100 C St. lobby.

MAY 7 - 13, 2026 | PAGE 13

Required advance registrations for the tour may be made on Eventbrite at https://tournasbuilding. eventbrite.com. No walk ups are permitted.

At press time, available public tour dates were May 18, 22, 26, and 29 with several open in June.

A tour of the National Academy of Sciences is well worth the later satisfaction afforded curiosity seekers to learn what’s happening inside one of Washington’s stern but majestic buildings, uninviting to the casual eye, inviting once there!

2101 Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20418

THE FRONT OF THE NATIONAL Academy of Sciences Building at 2101 Constitution Ave., N.W. (Photo: Patricia Leslie)

PAGE 14 | MAY 7 - 13, 2026

Importance of Getting To the Full Epstein Truth Nicholas F. Benton FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

How many child sex abusers have you known over the course of your life? How many have you suspected?

One that I knew never got caught. Learning only later in life his history of raping preteen girls, I am flummoxed by how he was able to lord it over me, because I was openly gay, while he retained the moral high ground as a straight husband and father, for himself. To him, my most useful contribution to society was my ability to change a tire, which astonished him when I did it once, and little else. For the record, no, he was not my own father.

The whole thing about the Epstein operation is that it was all about power and the entitlement that comes with it. A child who is raped, especially if repeatedly by a so-called loved one, carries a trauma for the rest of their life that profoundly impacts her ability to assess her role and her potential in the world.

The violation of trust associated with such situations is irreparable, but to the straight male, exercising what he feels is his “right,” even if slightly frowned upon by society, there is no consideration of this. Even if he feels the need to apologize to a victim later in life, it is almost always out of fear that he will be exposed, and even if there’s more to it, there’s no way for the victim to know if that’s so. Occasionally, he will catch a glimpse in his conscience about just how horrible what he did was, and feel remorse.

Now we can see why our society needs a religion that offers unconditional forgiveness. Not that I believe forgiveness is not central to all our lives, because it surely is, and the offer of it lifts clouds of guilt and shame even when their source goes

unnamed. It gives us all the potential for a new start, except for those who were victims of the kinds of hidden abuse they were unable to shake for the rest of their lives.

I am hardly qualified to diagnose the best pathways such a victim can take to overcome their abuse, except to say that there is little in life more important than the ability of anyone to own a level of personal integrity and honesty, even if the whole world doesn’t need to know the details of anyone’s personal life.

More power to former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene in this regard, whose turning point against Trump came when she was told by male abusers to shut up about the lives of the victims of Epstein and Trump. That is one of those lines that should not be crossable.

No one is perfect, that’s for sure. Maybe there are true saints, but I don’t know if I’ve met any. The rest of us struggle to one degree or another with our mortality and the more honest we are able to be with ourselves, the better our chances, I think.

But this Epstein network is something else. Stanley Kubrick tried to touch on it in his last movie, “Eyes Wide Shut.” But the evil ran, and runs, so much deeper. There is the report of a justice department move to call off an investigation of an Epstein ranch in New Mexico where reportedly two 12 year old girls were buried after being subjected to rough sex at the hands of an older man.

If humanity is to be able to move forward beyond this current troubled time, the whole truth about the unspeakable ugliness of the whole Epstein/ Trump affair must come out.

That which has been hidden must be made fully public, and the penalties for egregious, conscious crimes against humanity must be harsh. A new level of anger needs to rise among the just to purge our society of the kind of sickness that has been allowed to fester at such high levels.

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COMMENT

A Penny for Your Thoughts

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

By Penny Gross Former Fairfax County Supervisor Liberty. Individual rights. Civil rights. Choice. These, and more, are significant aspects of freedom, the basic premise “to act, speak, or think without the imposition of restraint.” (The American Heritage Dictionary, 1985). Elected officials often speak about freedom to support their personal political goals while, at the same time, propose and pass legislation that imposes the restraint that freedom eliminates.

Sadly, the Trump Administration is continuing its attempt to return America to an earlier era of decades ago when culture, custom, and law restricted the opportunities that were promised, but not specifically identified, in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Philosophically and realistically, more education and outreach is needed to defend and preserve the rights fought for and obtained during the last 50 or 60 years.

The most recent case-in-point is the Voting Rights Act of 1965, effectively gutted by last week’s Supreme Court ruling that severely limited the use of race as a criterion when redrawing political boundaries. Racial discrimination is no longer an issue in this country? No matter how hard some,

City of Falls Church Crime Report Week of April 30 - May 6, 2026

Public Intoxication, S Maple Ave, Apr 27, 2:00 a.m., a male, 43, of Fairfax County, was arrested for Public Intoxication.

Trespassing, Wilson Blvd, Apr 25, 2:47 p.m., a male, 55, of no fixed address, was arrested for trespassing.

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even Supreme Court justices, try to support that contention, nearly anyone of color might disagree.

People aren’t relegated to seats in the back of the bus or restricted from public drinking fountains anymore, but latent discrimination is insidious and just as dangerous as those public restroom signs that read “Colored Only.” When I first moved to Virginia, the poll tax was still in effect, and the rental manager for my apartment in Alexandria wanted to meet my new roommate. When we arrived at the rental office, the agent responded with the stunning comment that still shocks me today: “Oh, I just wanted to be sure she wasn’t Black.” Today, her statement would be a violation of federal, state, and local housing laws; in 1965, it was business as usual.

Passage of the Voting Rights Act enfranchised millions of potential voters in the 1960s, especially in the South. At the same time, nearly half of the nation’s citizens – women – still essentially were considered second-class citizens, beholden to the men – fathers and husbands – who controlled their lives, with little or no access to credit or financial independence.

When a woman married and adopt-

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ed her husband’s name, she could get credit in his name, but not her own, even if she previously had credit in her birth name. In 1974, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) allowed women to obtain credit without needing a male to co-sign for her. The law also prohibits lenders from discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, or age. As you can guess, ECOA was introduced and navigated through the banking community by female members of the House of Representatives – Bella Abzug (D-NY), Margaret Heckler (R-MA), and Lindy Boggs (D-LA). Thank you, ladies!

Freedom offers many options, including the freedom of choice.

Choice of religious beliefs, choice of whom you love, choice of your own health practices, choice of what you read, choice of where you want to live, choice of political candidate to support, etc. Freedom requires acceptance of responsibility, too. Without that, freedom can become chaotic and ultimately lost. But freedom also requires dissent when those in power want to abrogate personal freedom through legal maneuvers. Generations of Americans fought long and hard, on the battlefield and in the courtroom, to win and preserve the individual freedoms at risk today. Their efforts and sacrifice must be supported by current and future generations of all Americans, regardless of race, gender, belief, or other status. That’s what freedom is truly all about.

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MAY 7 - 13, 2026 | PAGE 15

This Week Around Falls Church

Thursday, May 7 Falls Church250 Committee Meeting

Used Book Sale

10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046

10:00–11:30 a.m.

Browse thousands of discounted books and media at Mary Riley Styles Public Library.

Falls Church250 Committee meeting in the Laurel Room at City Hall.

Lorenzo & Friends: Puppet Magic Show

300 Park Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046

Kids’ Preparedness Expo 2:00–4:00 p.m.

Falls Church Community Center, 223 Little Falls St., Falls Church, VA 22046

Interactive preparedness activities and demonstrations for children and families.

11:00–11:45 a.m.

Mother’s Day Tea

10:00 a.m.–noon

Family-friendly puppet and magic performance at the library.

Cherry Hill Farmhouse, 312 Park Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046

Weekly gathering for knitters, crocheters, and fiber arts enthusiasts at Mary Riley Styles Public Library.

Spring Bricktacular for Adult Fans of LEGO!

Falls Church Fiber Artists 120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046

Raise Some Dough: MRSPL Foundation Fundraiser 4:00–8:00 p.m.

450 W. Broad St., Falls Church, VA 22046

Support the Mary Riley Styles Public Library Foundation fundraiser night at Panera Bread.

Friday, May 8 Used Book Sale Preview 1:00–5:00 p.m.

120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046

Preview sale featuring books, media, and more at the Mary Riley Styles Public Library.

120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046

2:00–4:00 p.m.

120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046

Creative LEGO-building event designed for adult enthusiasts.

Ode to Joy: Beethoven’s 9th 3:00 p.m.

Heritage Fellowship Church 2501 Fox Mill Rd Reston, Virginia 20191

The Great Falls Philharmonic and Voce Chamber Singers present Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.

Sunday, May 10 Mother’s Day

Falls Church, VA and surrounding communities

Saturday, May 9

Remember to celebrate and reach out to Mom and the mothers in your life.

Falls Church Farmers Market

Used Book Sale

8:00 a.m.–noon

300 Park Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046

Weekly farmers market featuring local produce, baked goods, flowers, and specialty foods.

Falls Church Women’s History Walk 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

Cherry Hill Park, 312 Park Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046

Community history walk celebrating notable women connected to Falls Church history.

10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046

Final day of the Mary Riley Styles Public Library used book sale.

Stories from Our Federal Workers: Philip H. Rosenfelt 2:00–3:00 p.m.

120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046

Author and former federal worker Philip H. Rosenfelt shares stories and reflections.

2:00–4:00 p.m.

Celebrate Mother’s Day with tea and refreshments at the historic Cherry Hill Farmhouse.

Monday, May 11 Restorative Yoga for Stress Relief 6:30–7:30 p.m.

120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046

Relaxing yoga session focused on mindfulness and stress reduction.

City Council Meeting 7:30–11:00 p.m.

300 Park Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046 Regular meeting of the Falls Church City Council.

Tuesday, May 12 Spanish Conversation Group 6:30–7:30 p.m.

120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046

Informal Spanish-language conversation practice for all skill levels.

Arlington Community Chorus Presents “Of Such I Dream” 7:30 p.m.

Yorktown High School Auditorium, 5200 Yorktown Blvd., Arlington, VA 22207

Spring concert honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States through music reflecting on America’s aspirations and promise.

Audience singalong and refreshments follow the performance. Free admission; all ages welcome.

Wednesday, May 13 Mindfulness Meditation for Everyday Life

10:30–11:30 a.m.

120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046 Guided meditation session focused on practical mindfulness techniques.

LEGO Club

4:00–5:00 p.m.

120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046

Creative LEGO-building activities for children and families.

Retirement Planning Workshop 6:00–7:00 p.m.

120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046

Educational session covering retirement savings and planning basics.

5/14 Senior Living 5/21 Memorial Day Parade Issue For Advertising Contact Sue : sjohnson@fcnp.com

PAGE 16 | MAY 7 - 13, 2026

C L AS S I F I E DS

LEGAL NOTICE

Church, which is no change from the current rate. (See display ad in this newspaper for more details.)

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA

The proposed tax rate for tangible personal property, and machinery and tools, and all other property segregated by law for the tax year beginning January 1, 2026 are: • $5.00 upon each $100.00 of assessed value on tangible personal property, and machinery and tools, and all other property segregated by law for local taxation within the City, including the property separately classified by § 58.1-3500 et seq. of the Code of Virginia, which is no change from the current rate; • $5.00 upon each $100 of assessed value for vehicles classified under § 58.1-3506.A.48.a through 58.1-3506.A.48.d, which is an increase of $0.20 (4.2%) from the current rate; • and pursuant to § 58.1-2606 of the Code of Virginia, a portion of assessed value of tangible personal property of public service corporations shall be taxed at the real estate rate.

The ordinances referenced below were given first reading on April 13, 2026. Public hearings are scheduled for Monday, April 27, 2026 and Monday, May 11, 2026, with second reading and Council action scheduled for Monday, May 11, 2026. All meetings begin at 7:30 p.m.; public hearings will be held as soon thereafter as the matters may be heard.

(TO26-03) ORDINANCE FIXING AND DETERMINING THE BUDGET OF EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR EXPENDITURE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 ACROSS THE FOLLOWING FUNDS: GENERAL FUND; SEWER FUND; STORMWATER FUND; CABLE ACCESS FUND; AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND; SCHOOL OPERATING FUND; SCHOOL COMMUNITY SERVICE FUND; SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE FUND; COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY; AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FUNDS; AND ADOPTING THE FY2027-FY2032 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM The FY2027 proposed budget and Capital Improvements Program (CIP) includes: $134,334,059 for the General Fund revenues and expenditures. $11,133,259 for the Sewer Fund revenues and expenditures. $2,839,324 for the Stormwater Fund revenues and expenditures. $290,815 for the Cable Access Fund revenues and expenditures. $3,853,412 for the Affordable Housing Fund revenues and expenditures. $71,591,629 for the School Operating Fund revenues and expenditures. $3,058,845 School Community Service Fund revenues and expenditures. $1,789,008 for the School Food Service Fund revenues and expenditures.

The proposed FY2027 budget and appropriation for the CIP includes $1,969,000 for the General Government and Schools, $9,435,208 for the Special Transportation Fund, $6,183,259 for the Sewer Fund, and $1,332,935 for the Stormwater Fund for a total of $18,920,402. The FY2027 CIP is funded with $8,704,909 in grants, $2,404,000 of General Fund revenues, $985,000 of General Fund Capital Reserves, and $6,183,259 of Sewer Fund revenues and fund balance; and $643,234 of Stormwater Fund revenues and fund balance.

The proposed FY2027-2032 CIP includes $19,916,000 for the General Government and Schools, $100,650,158 for the Special Transportation Fund, $33,465,330 for the Sewer Fund, and $8,694,035 for the Stormwater Fund for a total of $162,717,523 to be funded with $94,856,409 in grants, $13,940,000 of General Fund revenues, $4,860,000 of General Fund Capital Reserves, $13,673,259 of Sewer Fund revenues and fund balance, $2,084,734 of Stormwater Fund revenues and fund balance, and $27,281,121 of debt proceeds; $6,022,000 is unfunded.

The FY2027 budget and appropriation for the West Falls Community Development Authority Fund includes $885,057 in expenditures and revenues and revenues from prior year surplus of $10,917 and special assessments of $874,140 which will be levied and collected by the City in accordance with the request from the West Falls Community Development Authority (CDA) pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding dated July 1, 2022 between the City, CDA, and other parties.

(TO26-04) ORDINANCE SETTING THE RATE OF TAX LEVY ON REAL ESTATE FOR TAX YEAR 2027 AND ON PERSONAL PROPERTY, MACHINERY AND TOOLS AND ALL OTHER PROPERTY SEGREGATED BY LAW FOR LOCAL TAXATION IN THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH VIRGINIA FOR TAX YEAR 2026 The proposed real estate tax rate for the tax year beginning July 1, 2026 is: • $1.185 upon each $100.00 of assessed value of real estate in the City of Falls

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

(TO26-05) ORDINANCE SETTING THE STORMWATER UTILITY BILLING UNIT RATE IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER 42, ARTICLE VII OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA AS OF JULY 1, 2026 Under the legal authority granted by VA § 15.2-2114, an increase to the City stormwater utility unit billing rate from $21.83 per 200 square feet of impervious surface (billing unit) to $23.36 per billing unit annually is proposed, effective July 1, 2026, which would constitute an increase of 7% per billing unit, resulting in an approximately $23.00 annual increase to the stormwater fee for the average homeowner (TO26-06) ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, CHAPTER 42, “UTILITIES,” ARTICLE III, “SEWERS,” SECTION 42-172, “AVAILABILITY CHARGE,” TO INCREASE SEWER SERVICE AND AVAILABILITY CHARGES Under the legal authority granted by VA §15.22119, sewer rates and fees are proposed as follows: an increase to the sewer commodity rate from $11.15 per thousand gallons of water billed (billing unit) to $11.71 is proposed, effective July 1, 2026, which would constitute an increase of 5% per billing unit.

A 5% increase to sewer availability charges from $10,009 to $10,509 for single-family dwellings and detached and semi-detached duplexes or townhouses; from $8,008.00 to $8,408 for apartment or condominium buildings; from $2,503 to $2,628 for motel, hotel units; and from $500 to $525 for each drainage fixture unit for commercial, industrial, and other uses.

(TO26-07) ORDINANCE SETTING THE SOLID WASTE COLLECTION FEE IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER 34 “SOLID WASTE,” SECTION 34-3 “RESIDENTIAL SOLID WASTE COLLECTION,” OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA, TO BE EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2026 Under the legal authority granted by VA §15.2928(A)(vi) solid waste fees are proposed as follows: A $10 increase to the solid waste fee from $236 to $246 per year for a small (35-gallon) refuse cart; and A $12 increase to the solid waste fee from $336 to $348 per year for a large (64/65-gallon) refuse cart.

(TO26-12) ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 15, “FEES;” ARTICLE I “IN GENERAL;” ARTICLE II, “DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES;” AND ARTICLE III, “DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS” OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, TO ADJUST DEVELOPMENT-RELATED FEES; TO REMOVE REFERENCE TO COPY FEES; AND ADJUST THE FEE FOR RETURNED CHECKS Under the legal authority granted by Virginia law to establish and adjust fees related to development, fees are proposed to be increased to recover the reasonable costs associated with administering, reviewing, and enforcing applicable building, fire, and zoning regulations.

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 (703-2485014) 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 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA The ordinance referenced below was given first reading on April 27, 2026. A public hearing, second reading, and Council action is scheduled for Monday, May 11, 2026. All meetings begin at 7:30 p.m.; public hearings will be held as soon thereafter as the matters may be heard.

(TO26-13) ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 PERMANENT POSITIONS COUNT, SALARY INCREASES, AND EMPLOYEE CLASSIFICATION PLANS FOR THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH 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 (703-2485014) 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 Volunteers who live in the City of Falls Church are needed to serve on the boards and commissions listed below. Contact the City Clerk’s Office (703-248-5014, cityclerk@ fallschurchva.gov, or www.fallschurchva. gov/BC) for an application form or more information. Positions advertised for more than one month may be filled during each subsequent month.

Architectural Advisory Board Arts and Humanities Council of Falls Church Board of Equalization Historic Architectural Review Board Housing Commission Library Board of Trustees Public Utilities Commission Towing Advisory Board

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We are pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap. All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.” This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis.

For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 367-8530. Toll free call (888) 551-3247. For the hearing impaired call (804) 367-9753.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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It’s Small Business Week In celebration of Small Business Week, be sure to thank our local businesses for doing all that they do to support the community and provide the goods and services we need, many within walking distance. #LiveLocalFC is the place for local shout outs, and we invite you to give your favorite business a shout out, welcome a new business, and share why you support small businesses.

“Bold New Voices” Festival Ends Saturday This is the last week for Creative Cauldron’s “Bold New Voices” Festival. Established in 2019, this initiative serves as a platform for women and playwrights and composers, with a dedicated focus on supporting women of color who are traditionally underrepresented in the theater industry. Audiences are invited to attend free of charge and provide feedback on the staged readings of new plays and musicals. The results will lead to the selection of a 2026-27 mainstage season production.

Marketing 101 Wednesday, May 13, 10:00 am – Join Mason SBDC Senior Counselor, Bernard Ferret who will teach you about fundamentals of successful small business marketing. Topics include choosing target groups, market definition, market segmentation, competitive analysis, branding and SEO, and offline marketing. Register to receive the webinar link. https://clients.virginiasbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=110460022

New Local Restaurants Northern Virginia Magazine and Arlington Magazine highlighted a number of new restaurants opening in the region. Among those noted in Falls Church are The Cheese Cartel, Little Beast, De Ma Vie, My Home Thai Bistro, and Westover Taco. https://northernvirginiamag.com/food-and-drink/2026/05/01/18-new-northern-virginia-restaurants-offering-fresh-flavors/?utm_source=activecampaign&utm_medium=email&vgo_ee=2c87iNs1A7%2BrY2N1XXCjkOu9KnwfAsOU9LJ1ewCeESTd0dO6vegWysfmtfE%3D%3A9UK1yHUZEwaBneG%2FIWvDRAAhs1cj7m5m and https://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/new-restaurants-arlington-va/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=What%20s%20New%20in%20 Arlington&utm_campaign=AM_Friday_Newsletter_050126

Virginia Dream FC Soccer Plays Sunday The Virginia Dream FC faced North Stars FC last month winning 9-1 to keep the team undefeated three games into the season. The next home match is Sunday, May 10 at The Cloud, aka Meridian High School Stadium. Kickoff is at 8:00 pm. For updates and more information, visit: https://www.instagram.com/virginiadreamfc

Community Meetings on Policing Efforts The City of Falls Church Police Department invites the public to share their perspectives on local law enforcement services and future priorities at two upcoming community meetings. Join them at City Hall on Thursday, May 14, 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., or on Saturday, May 16, 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.  Business News & Notes is compiled by Elise Neil Bengtson, Executive Director of the Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce. She may be emailed at elise@fallschurchchamber.org.

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MAY 7 - 13, 2026 | PAGE 17

I� M�������: T����� B������ Thomas Bracken, a former Falls Church City resident and 2001 graduate of George Mason High School, passed away on April 10, following a year-long battle with melanoma.

He was 43.

The most important part of Thomas’s life was his children, Miles and Kennedy. He felt so proud and lucky to be their father.

At GMHS, Thomas served as captain of the boys’ soccer team and helped lead the team to a state championship. He was also a major presence in school plays and musicals, bringing the same confidence and creativity to the stage that he showed on the field, in the classroom, on the dance floor, and with his friends and family.

After graduating from high school, Thomas spent four incredible years meeting life-long friends at James Madison University.

Following college, he moved to Le Mans, France to teach English - an experience that reflected his love of adventure, travel, and engaging with people. He later returned to Northern Virginia, where he welcomed his first child, Miles, before eventually moving to vibrant Detroit. There, he had Kennedy and spent the last decade building a life rich with amazing friendships and community.

Thomas had a lifelong love of sports, especially soccer, ping pong, and golf – but

really any sport or parlor game that gave him an opportunity to connect with others. He was also an artist who loved painting, music, dancing, and singing. In all he did, Thomas carried a powerful, infectious energy that lifted those around him.

He is survived by his parents, Joseph and Judy Bracken; his sisters, Sarah and K-K; his twin brother, Michael; his beloved children, Miles and Kennedy; and so many other friends and family that will always love and honor him.

PAGE 18 | MAY 7 - 13, 2026

F.C. Honors Local Women Saturday

Continued from Page 4

the city council. Her advocacy led to the construction of a new school for African American students. Her persistence affirmed that equal protection under law must include equal investment in children’s futures.

The struggle to realize the Declaration’s promise continued into the modern era. In 1961, Marian Costner Selby became one of the first African American students to attend George Mason High School, and in 1964 she became the school’s first African American graduate. She went on to break barriers in the Fairfax Education Association and the Fairfax County Planning Department. Her quiet courage and dignified resolve helped integrate both classrooms and

11

professional spaces.

Jackie Bong Wright fled Communist Vietnam with her three young children in 1975 and quickly made civic participation her mission. After moving with her children to Falls Church, she established the Indochinese Refugees Social Services, organized vocational training courses for immigrants, and founded the Vietnamese American Voters Association, registering thousands of new voters between 2000 and 2004.

Recognized by Washingtonian Magazine and awarded the Gold Medal of Liberty and the Gold Peace Statue, she has devoted her life to empowering citizens and advocating for victims of sex and labor trafficking. In her work the revolutionary principle of

freedom and government by the people finds renewed meaning.

As we approach America’s 250th birthday, the Falls Church Women’s History Group celebrates not only the authors of the Declaration of Independence but also the women who insisted its ideals apply to everyone.

From emancipation and secret schools to suffrage campaigns, integration, and voter registration drives, these women transformed lofty language into lived reality.

Their stories remind us that liberty is not self-executing.

It must be taught, defended, expanded, and renewed. In honoring the women of Falls Church, we honor the enduring work of making independence meaningful for every generation.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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MAY 7 - 13, 2026 | PAGE 19

No rt he rn Vi rg i n i a Gay News

Equality Arlington Calls Out School Board on Key Issues

Gay Spring Luncheon At Frederico’s May 24

Equality Arlington this week announced that it sent a joint letter with the Arlington Gender Identity Alliance (AGIA) to the Arlington School Board and Arlington Public Schools administration urging them to immediately address the high rates of poor mental health, suicidal thoughts and attempts, sexual violence, and bullying facing LGBTQ+ students in Arlington schools.

The 2024 Arlington Youth Survey results released at the end of 2025 painted a troubling picture of the struggles and challenges confronting transgender, non-binary, and all LGBTQ+ students in Arlington, the groups noted. Below are excerpts of some of the most troubling findings: 46.3% of transgender students reported experiencing poor mental health including stress, anxiety, or depression (most of the time or always) during the last 30 days before the survey 30.6% of nonbinary students seriously considered attempting suicide during the 12 months before the survey 19.4% of nonbinary students made a plan for attempting suicide during the 12 months before the survey 18.5% of transgender students actually attempted suicide at least once during the 12 months before the survey 5.5% of LGBQ students have been physically forced to have sexual intercourse 9.7% of LGBQ students experienced sexual violence by someone at least once during the 12 months before the survey 5.5% of LGBQ students experienced sexual dating violence at least once during the 12 months before the survey 19.4% of nonbinary students did not go to school because they felt unsafe at school or on their way to/from school at least 1 day during the 30 days before the survey 20.4% of transgender students were bullied on school property during the last 12 months before the survey 16.7% of nonbinary students were electronically bullied through texting, Instagram, Facebook, or other social media in the 12 months before the survey Equality Arlington and AGIA urged APS to adopt the following measures: Ensure consistent and effective enforcement of APS’ non-discrimination policies at all schools Incorporate affirmative books and lessons into APS instruction, including during Pride Month Charge the APS and DEI office with actively supporting Gender & Sexuality Alliances (GSA) at all schools invested in professional development from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s Welcoming Schools leading up to the Seal of Excellence.

“We will continue working with Arlington Public Schools over the coming weeks and months to ensure that they take the health and safety of LGBTQ+ students seriously and begin implementing concrete changes to address their needs,” the groups’ letter stated. “All students deserve safe and supportive learning environments—it’s time for APS to take real action to ensure that LGBTQ+ students are supported and free from discrimination, violence, and bullying.”

The local LGBTQ+ community is gearing up for a spring luncheon at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 24 at Federico Ristorante Italiano, 519 23rd St. S, Arlington, Virginia, 22202. The event is a monthly activity hosted by Go Gay DC - Metro DC’s LGBTQ+ Community, that promises to blend Crystal City’s rich history with a modern, inclusive social atmosphere.

The luncheon is expected to attract a diverse group of local professionals and gay community advocates, including Nicholas F. Benton, the founder, owner, and editor of the Falls Church News-Press and author of numerous books.

TJ Flavell, the founder and leader of Go Gay DC, expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming gathering. “These events are much more than just great food; they are the heart of our community building efforts,” said Flavell. “Federico provides the perfect backdrop for meaningful conversation, where the history of our neighborhood meets the vibrant energy of our future. Everyone is welcome.”

Formerly known as the Café Italia, which served the community for over four decades, the venue was revitalized under the leadership of the co-owners, including gay community advocate Freddie Lutz (who also owns Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant).

Today, the restaurant stands as a testament to Arlington’s heritage, featuring photos of past guests above the doorway, and a warm, inviting environment. where every guest is treated like family. Patrons can expect a menu rooted in authentic Italian tradition, enhanced by fresh herbs grown in the garden of one of the co-owners.

Those interested in attending can find more details on the events link on gogaydc.com.

Weekly Gay Community Brunch This Saturday at Freddie’s On Saturday, May 9, at 11 a.m. a gay community brunch and conversation will be convened at Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant, 555 23rd St. S., Arlington, Virginia 22202.

LGBTQ+ folk will gather in the heart of National Landing. The all-you-can-eat buffet-style brunch is reasonably priced at $14.99 plus gratuity and includes dessert and a mimosa or a non-alcoholic beverage.

Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant is a vital “home base” in Northern Virginia for drag performances, karaoke, and community activism.

TJ Flavell, the leader of Go Gay DC - Metro DC’s LGBTQ+ Community group hosts the brunch, said “Freddie’s Beach Bar provides a safe, joyful space for LGBTQ+ folk that reminds us all of the power of visibility and belonging.”

KRISTAL SMITH was announced as Ms. Freddie’s 2026 at a special event at Freddie’s Beach Bar last weekend, shown here with the owner of Freddie’s, Freddie Lutz. (Photo: Courtesy)

PAGE 20 | MAY 7 - 13, 2026

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