June 1 – 7, 2017
Fa lls Chur c h, V i r g i ni a • ww w. fc np. c om • Fr ee
Fou n d ed 1991 • Vol. X X V I I No. 15
Falls Church • Tysons Corner • Merrifield • McLean • North Arlington • Bailey’s Crossroads
Inside This Week Maller Petitioning for F.C. Council Run Former Falls Church City Councilman Dan Maller was circulating petitions during the City’s Memorial Day Parade and Festival Monday to qualify to run again as a candidate for Council. See News Briefs, page 9
City Hall Changes Focus of June 8 Forum
The latest concept for a downsized City Hall project presented at last week’s Falls Church City Council meeting will be the subject of a community meeting next Thursday, June 8, at the Dogwood Room at City Hall.
F.C. School Board Prefers All-New High School Priced at $110 Million Memorial Day in F.C.
Economic Development Component Next to Be Mulled by Joint Group
by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
Schools has moved forward with the cancellation of Mr. Estrada’s pay that, by law, has been held in escrow since his arrest. We are filing a petition with the State Board of Education requesting Mr. Estrada’s teaching license be revoked, to eliminate the possibility of his return to the classroom in another school division.
The Falls Church School Board will bring to a joint meeting with the F.C. City Council next Monday night a preference for an all-new high school at a cost of $110 million to go onto the 36-acre campus site. The board members unanimously expressed their preference for the option among five total choices presented by consultants Perkins Eastman at Tuesday night’s lengthy School Board work session, officially the first public School Board meeting for new Superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan. The cost estimates by the consultants were significantly higher than all earlier projections, with the worry that costs will only continue to rise the longer the project is delayed. The only two more affordable options were for two variants of a mix of renovations to the existing school and new construction that came in at $103 million, a far cry from earlier estimates that had it at $70-$80 million. Those renovation options did not include a competition gym which if added later would be at a cost of $15 million more, the consultants said. “The market is now hot, and there are construction labor shortages which are driving costs up,” one of the consultants said. They proposed that the only real way to mitigate the costs of a new high school will be through some small savings and economic returns from the development of the rest of the property in question. That was one of the reasons the School Board was strongly in favor of what was branded
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See News Briefs, page 9
Charles M. Blow: The Gateway Degenerate When voters in Montana elected Greg Gianforte to fill the state’s lone seat in the House of Representatives, even after he was recorded in a physical altercation with a reporter, many Americans were left to look on in astonished bewilderment. See page 16
Mason Boys Soccer Season Comes to an End A bitter blow was dealt to the George Mason High School boys soccer team Monday, as they fell 1-0 to Robert E. Lee High School Monday, dispelling a chance at a fifth-consecutive state title. See Sports, page 20
LONGTIME FALLS CHURCH community volunteer and activist Barbara Cram waves from her float in Monday’s Falls Church Memorial Day Parade. The 2017 parade Grand Marshal, Cram’s cheery demeanor undoubtedly contributing to the beautiful weather that held the entire day. More Falls Church Memorial Day photos on pages 10 – 11. (Photo: J. Michael Whalen)
F.C. Middle School Teacher Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse Charges by Matt Delaney
Falls Church News-Press
Index
Editorial..................6 Letters....................6 News & Notes.12–13 Food & Dining......17 Comment........ 14–16
Calendar........18–19 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword...........21 Critter Corner.......22 Classified Ads......23
Jose Daniel Estrada, a sixth grade math teacher at Mary Ellen Henderson middle school, pleaded guilty to two counts of felony aggravated sexual battery at his plea hearing at the Arlington County Circuit Court on Wednesday, May 24. His sentencing hearing is set for August 4.
Estrada was originally arrested on Feb. 17 and charged with the two felonies following a student’s report on Jan. 17. According to police, the victims were two females. Falls Church City Public Schools released the following statement in response to Estrada’s guilty plea: “As a result of this week’s court action, Falls Church City Public