June 13 – 19, 2019
Fa lls Chur c h, V i r g i ni a • ww w. fc np. c om • Fr ee
Fou n d e d 1991 • V ol. XXIX No. 17
Falls Church • Tysons Corner • Merrifield • McLean • North Arlington • Bailey’s Crossroads
Inside This Week 24 Hour Fitness Site Sells for $21.25 Million At $7 million per acre, the 3.1 acre site of the 24 Hour Fitness at 1000 E. Broad St. in the City of Falls Church has sold for $21.25 million. See News Briefs, page 9
Groundbreaking for New School Friday
A year and a half after voters in Falls Church City approved a $120 million referendum to build a new high school, the time has arrived to break ground on the project.
Dehghani-Tafti Wins Commonwealth’s Attorney Upset, Saslaw Edges Taeb Both Expected to Downtown Debut Win in November General Election
by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
and direct the City Manager and his staff to fly the LGBTQ Pride Flag in front of City Hall during the month of June to reflect the City’s spirit of inclusion and to honor LGBTQ Pride Month in the City of Falls Church.” The flag flying reflected actions taken by a number of jurisdictions
Human rights attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti scored an upset over incumbent Theo Stamos in the Democratic primary for the Arlington-Falls Church Commonwealth’s Attorney race, while veteran incumbent State Sen. Dick Saslaw prevailed in his close Democratic primary race against two challengers Tuesday. The two races were on the ballot in the City of Falls Church and both became unusually hotly contested. Dehghani-Tafti’s total was 14,828 votes to Stamos’ 13,220 with all of Arlington County’s 55 precincts reporting, and all four (three plus absentee votes) in Falls Church. For State Senate in the 35th District, with all 46 precincts reporting from Fairfax County and Falls Church, Saslaw prevailed with 7,300 votes to 6,871 for Taeb and 852 for Torrent. In Falls Church, according to the Voter Registrar’s office, 22 percent of active registered voters showed up at the polls, a high number for a usually uncontested primary. For Saslaw, he considered Falls Church critical to his re-election chances, telling the News-Press that he chose to spend the entire election day greeting voters outside the Ward 3 polling place at the Community Center. Taeb, who resides in the ward, also spent time there, but for Saslaw, it was his only site among 46 voting locations for personal contact with voters even though he campaigned vigorously throughout his district for over a year.
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See News Briefs, page 9
F.C.’s Hockenberry Has Done it All
From her arrival in 1969 to her exit from the Planning Commission this year, Falls Church’s Lindy Hockenberry’s had her hands in a little bit of everything. See story, page 8
Mason Boys, Girls Soccer Fall in State Final For the George Mason High School girls soccer team, an 11-year dynasty came to an end and for the boys, a back-to-back championship bid fell short against a regional rival. See Sports, page 17
THE LITTLE CITY’S NEW, yet-to-be-named downtown park was officially welcomed to Falls Church on Monday with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by an assortment of City officials and members of the community. The newly-renovated park space created by the Economic Development Authority in the 100 block of West Broad St. is currently known as Downtown Plaza but a new name will be unveiled soon. (Photo: Gary Mester)
‘Stonewall 50’ Rainbow Flag Flies Over F.C. City Hall for Pride Month
by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
Index
Editorial................6 Letters.......... 6, 30 News & Notes.12, 13 Comment...14, 15 Sports............... 17 Business News.23
Calendar....26, 27 Classified Ads... 28 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword........ 29 Crime Report.... 30 Critter Corner.... 30
By a unanimous vote at its meeting Monday, the Falls Church City Council voted to order the flying of the rainbow flag, emblematic of the movement for LGBTQ rights, on the City Hall flagpole during the “Pride Month” of June. This year celebrates the
50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising in June 1969, recognized as marking the birth of the modern LGBTQ equality movement. The signing of a Council proclamation recognizing “LGBTQ Pride and Stonewall Rebellion Month” by Mayor David Tarter was followed by a motion from Council member Letty Hardi and unanimous 6-0 vote to “authorize