June 25 – July 1, 2020
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FOU N D E D 1991 • V OL. X XX NO. 19
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Phase 3 Reopening In Virginia Begins July 1 F.C. Restaurants Breathe Sigh of Relief At News
BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON AND MATT DELANEY
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced Tuesday that Phase 3 of his reopening process for the state in the context of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic will commence next Wednesday, July 1. For many Falls Church restaurants and other small businesses, this comes not a day too soon. The long-sought reopening of the central site that was Mad Fox Brewing Company in the 400 West Broad block of downtown Falls Church was launched in just the past week with the opening after almost a year’s hiatus of its successor, the Solace Outpost Brewing Company. Another of the City’s most popular locations, the Ireland’s Four Provinces at the central intersection of W. Broad and S. Washington Streets, has been engaged in a relentless effort to stay in business, closed for the first months of the lockdown and slowly beginning, as with many other establishments, with carryout only, then the severe limitations on customers of Northam’s Phase 2 currently in place. Colm Dillon, owner of Ireland’s Four P’s, as it is commonly known, was making it clear
that his popular business, one of the most established and respected in the City, was on the brink and possibly unable to carry on past July. This was despite an extraordinary outpouring of support from his patrons, even as the restaurant itself was closed. Through a “Go Fund Me” appeal, over $52,000 was raised to help out his loyal staff rendered unemployed by the crisis. Now, however, Dillon is buoyed by the governor’s latest announcement, which will enable his restaurant to welcome a full complement of patrons, including at his long bar, albeit under terms of “social distancing” (six feet apart). COLM DILLON, proprietor of Falls Church’s popular Ireland’s Four Provinces, thanked the many It all depends, he told the patrons who supported employees of his restaurant during the pandemic lockdown with “Go Fund News-Press this week, on whether Me” donations with recognitions on the walls of the alcove leading into his establishment. (P����: the public will feel sufficiently N���-P����) safe and protected venturing out after three months of lockdown to enjoy what he and his fellow small business colleagues have to offer. That is a mighty incentive BY DEL. MARCUS SIMON installation, provided the installaers, than others. for him and all the Little City’s SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-PRESS When you wake up and leave tion meets some minimum safety 130 restaurants to comply fully your house July 1, 2020 the sky standards. with the governor’s guidelines for When you pull out of the parkNext Wednesday, on July 1, may not be any bluer, and the maintaining a safe environment most of the new laws passed by grass may not be any greener, but ing lot, you’ll need to be more even as the virus still lurks. the Virginia General Assembly in you are more likely to be able to careful of pedestrians, now that all At his press briefing Tuesday, January, February and March of find an electric vehicle charging drivers must come to a complete Northam called for maintaining this year and signed by Gov. Ralph station in your homeowner asso- stop when yielding to pedestrians the fundamental components of a Northam in April will become law. ciation’s parking lot, thanks to in a crosswalk. You can also get a Some of them will have more of new legislation that prevents your Continued on Page 5 Continued on Page 8 an impact on your lives, dear read- association from prohibiting their
New Laws on Guns, LGBT Rights Go Live Next Week
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SEE NEWS BRIEFS, PAGE 9
SEE STORY, PAGE 4
A banner remembering George Floyd, who died on May 25 when a police officer pinned his knee to Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, was apparently stolen from the Tinner Hill Arch on S. Washington St., prompting an investigation by City of Falls Church police.
While other students were dreading how they’d spend months indoors, rising seniors Andrew Tran and Rayan Yu immediately set to work on a new phone app that sought to help people learn through the quarantine brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
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Northern Virginia’s own “Rockin’ the Suburbs” podcast from Falls Church’s Patrick Foster and Ashburn resident Jim Lenahan will take their show to Jammin’ Java’s stage next Wednesday. SEE PRESS PASS, PAGE 14
INDEX Editorial............................................... 6 Letters.......................................... 6, 19 News & Notes............................10–11 Comment ............................... 7,12–13 Calendar ........................................... 14 Business News ................................. 15 Classified Ads ................................... 16 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword ......... 17 Crime Report .................................... 18 Critter Corner.................................... 18