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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. XXVI NO. 23
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The Fairfax County Planning Commission is expected to vote tonight on whether or not the City of Falls Church’s plans for an expansion and renovation of its Mt. Daniel Elementary School conforms with the county’s Comprehensive Plan. SEE PAGE 18
B��� �� F���� C����� F�������� A�������� The finalists in this year’s NewsPress Best of Falls Church reader vote have been announced. Final round voting is now live until August 15.
F.C. Council Grants Preliminary OK For November Library Referendum H����� T����� �� H���
Votes to Decide On $8.7 Million In Improvements
BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
senator not looking for another job”), he became very animated when asked to comment on the GOP’s presidential nominee Donald Trump’s suggestion that the U.S. might not honor its NATO and other military alliances. “Whenever you say to an ally in this post-9/11 world regarding a treaty obligation that you’re not sure we will meet that obligation,
By a unanimous 6-0 vote Monday night, the Falls Church City Council gave a preliminary approval to place a bond referendum on the November 2016 general election ballot that will ask voters of Falls Church to decide whether or not they favor an expenditure not to exceed $8.7 million for the expansion and renovation of the Mary Riley Styles Public Library at the corner of Park Avenue and N. Virginia Ave. The proposed expansion and renovation would add 14,500 square feet to the existing 18,500 square foot facility and to bring it into compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act. The $8.7 million price tag is half of what the Library Board of Trustees initially sought for the project, which would be the first significant improvement to the popular library since 1992, but Trustees present last night were strongly in favor of the move. If approved by the voters in November, the design work would begin in the next fiscal year, and the improvements made in Fiscal Year 2019. The action followed a town hall meeting held last week in which 36 citizens attended to hear the parameters of the proposed project. It was noted Monday night that whereas the City cannot take sides on the issue officially, the Library Board and other civic groups would be tasked with providing factual materials to inform the public over the next few months.
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As measured by the murder rate, New York is now basically as safe as it has ever been, going all the way back to the 19th century. SEE PAGE 14
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Nigerian musician Femi Kuti said that it was always expected he would go into music. The eldest son of music legend Fela Kuti, Femi said it was just a question of how and when. SEE PAGE 25
WITH A RED RIBBON AND GIANT SCISSORS, City of Falls Church Mayor David Tarter (right) and store manager John Taylor (left) of�icially opened Harris Teeter in the Little City Wednesday, just a few minutes after 8 a.m. Over 50 people, including F.C. of�icials, business leaders and Virginia State Delegate Marcus Simon attended the grand opening of the new �lagship grocery store at 301 W. Broad St. yesterday. (P����: D��� C������/N���-P����)
Va. Sen. Kaine, With Deep Ties Here, Wins Democrats’ Veep Nod BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
INDEX Editorial.................6 Letters...................6 News & Notes 12-13 Comment ........ 14-17 Calendar ........20-21 Business News ...22
Food & Dining.....23 Classified Ads ....28 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword ..........29 Critter Corner......30
Falls Church’s venerable State Theatre live music venue will be the location for a free “watch party” tonight to view the Democratic National Convention’s acceptance speech by the party’s nominee, Hillary Clinton. Both regional and statewide Democrats have been ecstatic in the past week since Clinton
announced her choice of Virginia U.S. Senator Tim Kaine to be her running mate last Friday. As rumors swirled on the eve of that decision last Thursday, Sen. Kaine was swamped by national media at a church in Arlington to participate in a round table with local advocacy groups on immigration reform. But while Kaine gave his stock answer when asked about the vice presidential nod (“I am a happy