Falls Church News-Press 6-2-2021

Page 1

June 3 – 9, 2021

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 • VOL. XXXI NO. 16

T�� C��� �� F���� C�����’� I����������, L������ O���� N�������� �� R�����, S������ N. V�������

Mason Holds 1st Gradua�on at New School, Final Under Mason Name Commencement Speech from Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam Highlighted In-Person Event BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

In his first visit to the City of Falls Church since he was running for statewide office in 2017, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam graced the

stage set up on George Mason High School’s football field yesterday morning to deliver the commencement address to the school’s Class of 2021. It marked one of the first public in-person events held at the school

Democratic Candidates Make Final Pitch Before Primary BY MARRETT CEO

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

With Virginia’s Democratic primary for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and a spate of state delegate primaries being held next Tuesday, candidates got one final word on the debate stage. For the fourth and final time in front of a limited audience, the five candidates for Virginia governor squared off at Christopher Newport University in Newport News. Those candidates are Jennifer Carrol Foy, a Petersburg native who formerly served in the House of Delegates, representing part of Prince William County; Del. Lee Carter of Manassas represents the 50th district in the House of Delegates; Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, who was elected in 2017 after having served as an Assistant US Attorney early in his career; Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who served from 20142018 and was a businessman before that, as well as a former Democratic

National Committee chairman and State Senator Jennifer McClellan has represented Richmond constituents in both Virginia’s House of Delegates and Senate since 2006. McClellan’s goals, if elected, would be to rebuild the Virginia economy by raising the minimum wage and creating a small business loan for long-term effects of the pandemic, create universal child care, and expand affordable reproductive and mental health care. She stressed funding education when asked by Alan about what she would do with the expected $500 billion budget surplus. Quentin Kidd, the director of the Watson Center for Public Policy at CNU, stated that frontrunner McAuliffe couldn’t afford any mistakes as other candidates looked to cut into his lead. “Both Carroll Foy and McClellan would have to go after him,” was what Kidd predicted. The two did just that when they

Continued on Page 4

since the Covid-19 pandemic hit in March 2020 and served to bring closure to the Falls Church Public School System’s 14-month trevail navigating the difficult and often controversial, at least among some parents, decisions about virtual,

hybrid and other learning options that left few people happy. But if there was the unhappy part, the good and gracious part prevailed at the ceremony, which closely resembled a classic high school graduation except that the

colorfully-clad graduates in their caps and gowns were seated in a socially distant manner on folding chairs that tended to sink into the football field turf.

Continued on Page 5

H����, G�������

VIRGINIA GOV. RALPH NORTHAM served as the commencement speaker for George Mason High School’s graduation ceremony yesterday. The governor kept the mood light, joking that he didn’t care if students forgot he was their commencement speaker, as long as they remembered that the governor spoke at their graduation. (P����: N���-P����)

I����� T��� W��� ‘S��� ��� � N�� W����’ B����� B������� �� M����’� S����

P���� P���: D���� T����

C���� ��� P����� F��� F.C. M������� D�� P�����

SEE STORY, PAGE 3

David Thong, a local musician, recalls playing a show this past winter when it was only 38 degrees outside, saying he was surprised just how many people came out in the cold to see live music. Now Covid-19 vaccinations increasing, he’s eager to see droves of fans return to shows after a long year. SEE PRESS PASS, PAGE 18

The Covid-19 pandemic caused a lot of plans to change, and Falls Church’s annual Memorial Day Parade & Festival was no exception. Crowds couldn’t gather along Park Avenue like they usually would, so City officials brought the parade to them with a trip around town.

“Songs for a New World” was performed at George Mason High School for onenight-only. Written and composed by Jason Robert Brown, the show displays the changes between European musical forms and those of the New World, such as jazz and gospel.

SEE PHOTOS, PAGE 11

INDEX

Editorial............................................... 6 Letters................................................. 6 Comment ................................ 7,12,13 News & Notes................................... 10 Crime Report .................................... 12 Business News ................................. 15 Calendar .....................................16-17 Classified Ads ................................... 20 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword ......... 21 Critter Corner.................................... 22


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.