SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2026 Founded 1991 • Vol. XXXVI N o . 32
7-0 to Go With 200 Affordable Units
Northern Virginia’s Newspaper
Falls Church, Virginia • w w w . fc n p . c o m • Free
‘Democracy Thrives In Sunshine’
THE SOUND OF MUSIC
F.C. Council Favors Virginia Village Option by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
Well past midnight into Tuesday morning this week, the Falls Church City Council emerged from a lengthy closed session at City Hall and voted unanimously to rank the proposal by Urban Atlantic as the first among three plans for the affordable redevelopment of the Virginia Village subdivision in Falls Church. The action was the only thing taken up at the late hour. The body quickly moved to adjourn after that. But the ranking will prove key as the next steps are charted out this fall toward a deal that prospectively massively upgrades the site, adding up to 200 new dwellings at deeply discounted rates on a property that has not been improved since the 80 units there now were built in the early stages in World War II in 1941.
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Table Of Contents News Briefs Page 2 Editoral Page 6 Senior Living Guide Pages 7 - 12 Classads Page 16 Calendar Page 17 Sports Page 18
LAST WEEK as the new school year commenced, Meridian HIgh School band members introduced 4th- and 5th-graders to the instruments available in the Oak Street Elementary band. The elementary students filled the OSE gym and were delighted by the sounds of the instruments, while the younger students then had a chance to try the instruments. (Photo: FCCPS Schools)
Beyer Sounds Alarm as VA Retreats From Surveillance by Nick Gatz
Falls Church News-Press
“The Congress may not receive another warning shot.” Rep. Don Beyer, whose Northern Virginia district includes the City of Falls Church, joined Republicans and Democrats Wednesday in calling for immediate congressional action on artificial intelligence after a series of incidents involving some of the most advanced AI systems in the world. The warning follows an extraor-
dinary incident inside OpenAI this summer. During cybersecurity testing, experimental AI agents were supposed to operate in restricted environments, without normal internet access and without freely communicating with one another. According to OpenAI, they found ways around those restrictions, communicated through unauthorized channels, reached the internet and eventually compromised systems belonging to Hugging Face, a major AI platform.
The agents executed code on dozens of Hugging Face servers, gained full “root” access to one and expanded across multiple computer clusters. OpenAI eventually traced the activity back to its own models and has since called what happened a “warning shot for us and for the world.” Beyer and nine other House members say Congress should treat it like one. “Congress has a singular opportunity to respond swiftly and effec-
tively to these warning shots before true catastrophes occur,” the lawmakers wrote to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. “Congress must urgently advance legislation to mitigate the risk of more serious incidents, especially those that could threaten critical infrastructure, our financial system, and other institutions that every American depends on.”
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Falls Church News Briefs
Hendler-Voss Begins As New F.C. City Manager
Falls Church Celebrates Park(ing) Day
Seth Hendler-Voss began his career as the new City Manager of the City of Falls Church this week, a busy week leading to the City’s annual Fall Festival set for the City Hall parking lot this coming Saturday under what is forecast as perfect fall weather. Hendler-Voss succeeds Wyatt Shields, whose 23 years as City Manager here was also concluded officially this week.
Select parking spaces near City Hall will transform into a temporary pop-up park from Friday, September 18 through Sunday, September 20. This is part of a global event to help reimagine the use of urban spaces. Taking place at 313 Park Ave, next to the Capital Bikeshare by City Hall.
Former Youth Minister of F.C. Church Arrested A former youth minister for a Northern Virginia church was arrested and made an initial appearance in court yesterday on charges of enticement of minors for illegal sexual activity and traveling with the intent to engage in illegal sexual activity with minors. According to court documents, Jeffrey Turner Taylor, 66, now of Milford, Ohio, served as a youth minister at The Falls Church from 1990 to 2002. Taylor allegedly sexually groomed multiple boys under the guise of spiritual guidance. On multiple occasions, Taylor traveled with the alleged intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct by taking boys with him to ministry events in another state or country. On several occasions, Taylor allegedly engaged or attempted to engage in sexual molestation of multiple boys.
Falls Church Forward Member Happy Hour September 17 Falls Church Forward’s monthly member happy hour will take place at Solace Outpost on Thursday, September 17, from 6 – 7:30 p.m. The group was co-founded by Mayor Letti Hardy and describes itself as a coalition of residents and civic leaders uniting as active and vocal advocates. For more information, visit: fallschurchforward.org. Solace Outpost is located at 444 W. Broad St., Falls Church.
Falls Church Arts Annual Halloween Window Painting Festival Community members and merchants are invited to sign up now for the annual Halloween Window Painting Festival, with painting to take place on October 3, 4, 10 and 11, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Last year nearly 300 young painters and nearly 40 local businesses participated in the event. All members of the community are invited. Painters will close their own windows by November 8. For more information and to register, visit: fallschurcharts.org.
Voter Safety Community Town Hall This free community town hall will discuss voter rights, safety, and responsibility, to be held on Tuesday, September 22, from 6 – 7:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington. Learn about voter rights and election protections, check your voter registration status, register to vote or update registration info, and discover absentee and early voting options. This nonpartisan town hall is jointly hosted by the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Arlington County, the City of Falls Church, and the Arlington County Office of Voter Registration & Elections. The church is located at 4444 Arlington Blvd, Arlington.
Falls Church Car Tax Bills Due Oct. 5 The City of Falls Church has mailed its 2026 personal property tax bills, commonly known as car tax bills, with payments due Monday, Oct. 5. Residents and businesses with vehicles registered in the City should have received their bills. Anyone who has not received a bill should contact the Treasurer’s Office at 703-248-5046 or treasurer@fallschurchva.gov. Payments can be made online at fallsc hurchva.gov/pay using the PPID number and bill number listed on the tax bill. Residents who need to make changes to a bill, have moved, sold a vehicle or need to register a vehicle should contact the Commissioner of the Revenue’s Office at 703-248-5450 or commissioner@fallschurchva.gov. The City also reminds residents that all vehicles parked in Falls Church are required to display a green Falls Church City Permanent Decal in the lower left corner of the driver’s side windshield next to the state safety inspection sticker. Vehicles without the decal may be subject to a $50 ticket. The decal requirement applies to vehicles at all types of City residences, including apartments, condominiums, townhouses and single-family homes, as well as business vehicles. The Commissioner of the Revenue’s Office is located at City Hall, 300 Park Ave., Suite 202W. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. — 5 p.m.
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LOCAL
SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2026 | PAGE 3
Urban Atlantic Ranked First for VA Village Redevelopment
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The early Tuesday morning motion was made by Council member Marybeth Connelly, seconded by Vice Mayor Laura Downs, to adopt that the City Council rank the three proposals received for the Virginia Village affordable housing development in the same order as was recommended by the proposal review committee. It further moved that City Council direct staff to develop an interim agreement with the topranked offeror, Urban Atlantic. It passed 7-0. The process now shifts to working out an interim agreement and final agreement with Urban Atlantic. While few eyes were on the post-midnight action, among them were former City Councilman and current Planning Commissioner Phil Duncan, one of four citizen members of the Virginia Village Proposals Evaluation
Committee. The Urban Atlantic response to the call for proposals received in the past three weeks and summarized on the City’s website, stated that “our proposal delivers nearly 200 units of affordable housing, including a substantial mix of family-sized units within six years with a focus on the City’s two primary goals – maximizing affordable housing production and ensuring economic feasibility.” Urban Atlantic’s response added, “our financing strategy is designed to minimize funding availability risks, leveraging 4 percent tax credits and available funding sources from Virginia Housing and the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.” “Most importantly,” it added, “our current underwriting anticipates no additional financial commitments from
6795 Wilson Blvd., Falls Church, VA 22044
the City of Falls Church beyond contributing its existing land to a 99-year ground lease and granting a real estate tax abatement to facilitate the project’s development and long-term affordability for many decades to come.” “Our Team, led by Urban Atlantic Development, in partnership with Gibson Spyre, a Virginia based and Veteranowned small business led by Thomas Gibson, former board chair of Virginia Housing, has a deep history of successfully developing affordable housing at the national, regional and local level, having developed over 10,000 units of housing, including over 1,500 units of affordable and mixed-income housing completed or under construction over the last five years. We have assembled a diverse team of best-in-class designers, engineers, and consultants that understand the community, have deep exper-
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tise working within Falls Church.” Urban Atlantic wrote, “We understand that the City is focused on the following financial, development, and community objectives: 1) Deliver the greatest number of affordable units possible; 2) Prioritize financial feasibility and speed to market; 3) De-risk the project by utilizing reliable, non-competitive funding sources. 4) Minimize further financial commitment from the City; 5) Provide broad affordability (30-80% AMI units) and family-sized units; 6) Deliver a project that respects and is compatible with its neighbors; 7) Design a sustainable building; and 8) Ensure a robust tenant relocation plan that prioritizes existing residents. “As community-first developers with a long-standing track record of public-private partnerships, Urban Atlantic and Gibson Spyre have craft-
ed a development strategy that achieves these objectives without requiring the City to commit additional investment dollars beyond the contribution of its land and the granting of a real estate tax exemption. The result is a program that is financially feasible, ready to execute, and backed by a team with the experience to bring the Virginia Village vision to life.” The 7-0 unanimous vote by the Council was indicative of the tough no-nonsense conversations and debates that occurred behind the scenes, the News-Press has learned. The momentum sought by a former City official who continues to live in the adjacent Winter Hill development did not gain any significant traction in the last few months as the process was moved quickly under a federal funding deadline for support funding which looms early next spring.
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LOCAL
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
The Data Trail: Who’s Watching and What Do They Know?
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Beyer, co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Artificial Intelligence Caucus, was joined by Republican Reps. Jay Obernolte, Scott Franklin and Brian Fitzpatrick, and Democratic Reps. Lori Trahan, Ted Lieu, Sara Jacobs, Gabe Amo, Valerie Foushee and Veronica Escobar. The group is calling for stronger AI oversight, security and transparency and raised another problem: Much of what Congress knows about these incidents still comes from the companies building the systems. “Months after these incidents began, serious factual questions remain open, and we are relying on AI labs for insight into what happened and what this means for future incidents,” the lawmakers wrote. For Beyer, the issue has become personal. While serving in Congress, he has been pursuing a master’s degree in machine learning at George Mason University and has repeatedly pushed for independent evaluation of powerful AI models. In June, Beyer criticized a Trump executive order on AI as largely voluntary, saying companies could still release powerful models without “meaningful evaluation or review.” President Donald Trump offered a very different prescription two days before the lawmakers’ letter. “The only control or ‘guardrails’ that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT,” Trump wrote Monday. He called fears of AI “taking over the World, destroying Humanity” a “HOAX” and alleged a “SICK conspiracy” against AI and the data centers being built to power it. Trump’s argument centers heavily on competition with China and the risk that restricting American companies could cost the United States its technological advantage. This isn’t falling neatly into the usual Republican-versus-Democrat fight. Three Republicans signed Beyer’s letter, while some of the people now warning about advanced AI are the same people building it. The fight is increasingly over how hard to hit the brakes, who gets to
decide when they are needed and what happens if government waits too long. In Virginia, we’re already seeing what happens when technology moves faster than the rules. For the past several weeks, the News-Press has examined automated license plate readers and the enormous amount of information being collected about where vehicles travel. Two weeks ago, we looked at Virginia’s restrictions on how those records can be used and shared. Last week, Del. Marcus Simon raised a harder question: Can any rules really make a massive record of people’s movements safe once that information becomes available through a much larger network? Fairfax County shows exactly why this isn’t an easy argument. Police say license plate readers have been involved in 1,594 cases since November 2022. They helped recover 555 stolen vehicles worth more than $9.2 million, locate 57 missing people and recover 66 guns. Police credit the technology with 912 arrests involving 2,633 charges, including 1,741 felonies. The numbers show why police value the technology. Police say the cameras have helped find stolen cars, missing people and suspects they are looking for. Yet communities across Virginia are reconsidering how the technology is used and how far the information can travel. Fairfax County itself joined that debate Tuesday. County supervisors voted to pause installation of new stationary Flock cameras while officials review privacy safeguards, data access and whether alternative vendors could provide stronger protections. The county’s existing 84 stationary Flock cameras remain in operation. Arlington went further, ordering the removal of all 41 county-leased Flock Safety cameras, including 26 automated license plate readers, and deletion of records not needed for active criminal investigations. County officials said there had been no reported misuse. Board Chairman Matt de Ferranti instead pointed to concerns raised by residents and maintaining public trust. So why are communities recon-
sidering something producing results? Follow the data. A Star Tribune investigation in Minnesota found law-enforcement agencies around the country searching license plate records collected by Twin Cities communities for immigration-related purposes. In Fridley, a city with just six Flock cameras, approximately 390,000 searches by outside agencies reached the city’s network in December 2025. Because a single Flock search can sweep hundreds or thousands of participating networks at once, that does not mean Fridley itself was individually targeted 390,000 times. Some of those searches were labeled as immigration-related. That’s where this becomes much bigger than a camera sitting beside a road in Fairfax or Minnesota. Government doesn’t have to build one giant database containing everything about everyone. Records can remain spread among local police departments, federal agencies, contractors and private companies and still be searched, shared and compared. There is no evidence presented in this series that all of these databases are connected or that the federal government operates some giant master system tracking every American. But the amount of information already being collected is enormous, and artificial intelligence changes how quickly it can be searched and connected. Work that once required investigators to spend days, weeks or months digging through records can increasingly be done by machines. That brings this back to something I’ve written about before: America’s new digital barons. Rockefeller had oil. Carnegie had steel. Vanderbilt had railroads. They amassed enormous wealth and power because they controlled the infrastructure America depended on. Today’s technology giants occupy a different world. They operate cloud infrastructure, servers, advertising networks, algorithms and, increasingly, the artificial intelligence capable of sorting through staggering amounts of information. The old barons could control what moved across the country.
They couldn’t know where millions of Americans moved yesterday. That distinction is becoming harder to ignore as AI becomes an increasingly important piece of the American economy. Federal Reserve Vice Chair Philip Jefferson said in July that capital expenditures likely related to AI, including software, data centers, high-tech equipment and power infrastructure, contributed an estimated 1.36 percentage points to annualized GDP growth during the first quarter of 2026. This week, that story landed in Northern Virginia. Loudoun County supervisors voted 7-1-1 Tuesday night to direct staff to prepare a resolution that could halt consideration of new legislative data center applications for up to 12 months. It is not yet a moratorium, and Loudoun itself says Virginia law does not permit a blanket moratorium on data center applications. Projects already approved aren’t suddenly disappearing, either. But much is at stake. Loudoun says approximately 35.7 million square feet of data center space has already been approved but not built, while another 20.7 million square feet is moving through the legislative process. The county issued permits for more than 10 million square feet in 2025 alone, the largest single-year total in its history. Then there is the money. Data centers generated $1.2 billion in Loudoun real and personal property taxes in fiscal 2026, an amount equivalent to 39 percent of the county’s overall budget. The adopted fiscal 2027 budget projects $1.3 billion, equivalent to 40 percent of the budget, coming from data centers. Loudoun itself says it is working to diversify its commercial tax base to avoid becoming overly dependent on that revenue. That puts the county in one hell of a bind without needing to exaggerate it: How do you decide where the limits should be when data center tax revenue is equivalent to nearly four out of every 10 dollars in the county budget? Washington is wrestling with a much larger version of the same
problem. AI is attracting massive investment and helping drive spending on software, computers, power infrastructure and data centers while the United States is competing with China for technological leadership. Trump argues that piling restrictions on American companies risks losing that race. Beyer and lawmakers from both parties are arguing that the recent incidents show the risks of racing forward without stronger oversight. The same tension runs through the surveillance fight. Fairfax County isn’t abandoning license plate readers, and its own numbers show why police value them. But county supervisors have paused expansion of the stationary Flock network while officials examine privacy safeguards and data access. Arlington went further. It didn’t order its cameras removed after uncovering local abuse; officials said there had been no reported misuse. Instead, county leaders cited concerns raised by residents and maintaining public trust in ordering the county-leased system removed. The fight is increasingly over what happens to the information after it is collected, how far it travels and who ultimately gets access to it. That is also where AI changes the equation. We spent years worrying about how much information was being collected. Now we have machines capable of tearing through that information at a speed and scale that wasn’t possible when many of these databases were created. Congress is now confronting the other side of the problem: what happens when the machines themselves begin doing things their creators didn’t expect. OpenAI says its experimental agents bypassed controls, communicated without authorization, reached the internet and compromised another company’s systems. OpenAI called it a “warning shot.” Two days after Trump said the only AI guardrail America needs is its president, Falls Church’s congressman joined Republicans and Democrats calling on Congress to establish stronger safeguards. “The Congress may not receive another warning shot.”
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The Bravery to Keep Trying Nicholas F. Benton FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
It can be a stunning revelation to learn where your involvements as a younger person wound up even as you’d developed the muster to walk away. This week, new evidence surfaced on the internet of the association of Helga ZeppLaRouche with a key outcome following the death of her 92-year-old husband, the infamous Lyndon LaRouche. I’ve made no secret of the fact that I had an association with the LaRouche movement back in the 1990s and beyond. I got involved as an anti-war intellectual and sadly, stayed too long. In those days, the incredibly confused, shady days of the Cold War, who was on what side was a lot less certain than since. Suffice to say for right now that since his death in 2019, what remains of LaRouche’s movement has split in two among those who are still active or alive, with one faction, based in the U.S., having gone over completely to siding like zealots with Donald Trump, and the other, based in Europe, going over whole cloth to Xi and Beijing. So, is this our choice now? Trump or Beijing? I was extremely lucky that by the mid1980s, I was more than convinced of the need to just get the hell out of there and live with the choices between ordinary folk. It’s a long story and someday maybe I’ll sit down and try to tell it. I’ve reconciled most of it by now. It’s complicated, but was not driven by any racial or ethnic prejudice or ideology, really, other than being convinced that dark forces in society and in nature were driving the human race toward a fatal precipice. Now, we confront the sobering reality that maybe we will wind up killing all of ourselves if AI can’t be brought under control. Maybe that’s the explanation for why we’ve not encoun-
tered any signs of intelligent life in the cosmos by now: we all wind up killing ourselves. Maybe we’ll find the universe is filled with the dead remnants of civilizations that could only make it so far before the urge to self-destruct became just too strong. It is the urgent need of our current civilization to find ways to survive the next 50 years without a mass extinction event or two, much less to form the basis for any kind of longterm survival or prosperity. If anyone is out there listening, hiding from their own bots, then these are the folks I’d rather be hearing from. I honestly don’t think it is the technology itself that is to blame, but the perverse uncorrected flaws in our nature. Dogs are about the sweetest creatures we’ve encountered yet, but they are entirely oblivious to killing when it suits them. How do we address this problem? The most advanced impulses in our known universe tell us that the very things that threaten us the most as a species today are those that are of our own making. Can we reign in ourselves? We seem to gain the most emotional strength from that which is the most humanly tragic. The story of Romeo and Juliet, for example, grabs us like little else. Yet it is the product of that which is so stupid, that built in indemnities of countless generations are still strong enough to cause our destruction. We all cry about it at the end, but it is as if that is what gives us the licence to run out and do it again, and again. Ideologies? The Trump Versus Xi challenges? Are they not a cause, not a remedy? For my money, I’ll side with those who work hardest to make sure that honesty and the rule of law as universals prevail, if nothing else. There is no guarantee this will keep us alive, but if not, it still beats any other approach. We have to operate as if it matters that we are still here and sentient. Those traditions which, imperfect as they may be, strive to honor and advance our best selves, they are the ones where we can find the maximum solace and bravery to keep us trying.
COMMENT
A Penny for Your Thoughts
SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2026 | PAGE 5
By Penny Gross Former Fairfax County Supervisor
Last week’s observances of the 25th anniversary of the attacks on September 11 evoked a lot of memories. The ceremonies in New York City, the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, echoed common themes of loss and longing, safety and security, heroism and hope. Especially poignant were the family members who read the names of victims in a slow cadence, pausing occasionally to say something very personal about their loved one. Nearly 3,000 victims were remembered by name in the 9-11 ceremonies, but what wasn’t mentioned is how the attacks affected the way we live, trust, and interact with each other. Like many who watched the commemorations, vignettes of that day and the weeks that followed flooded back. I remember the four elders from Dar Al-Hijrah Mosque who came to my office late on September 11 to plead for help for their terrified families. In response to their urgent requests, I told them that the President would be the one to go on television, not the local Supervisor. I also arranged for them to meet with the Chief of Police to discuss their safety concerns, which he did later that week. When they worried that there must be something else they could do, I
said that, in this country, we often turn to prayer in grievous situations. Within hours, the mosque leaders arranged a community prayer service, inviting neighbors and the pastors and ministers of nearby churches to attend. It was an emotional outpouring of love and grief shared by diverse faiths and cultures. We were all one that afternoon. An elderly constituent stopped by my office a few days later, bringing with her an ancient gas mask from World War II. She wanted to know if she could use it to protect her from potential future attacks. This was no joke. The gas mask was older than I was, and I had no expertise in this, but I realized that the gas mask was a symptom of her fear, not confidence. I reassured her that she was not alone, that the police and fire departments would provide advice and protection, and that she could put the gas mask back into storage. When the airliner hit the Pentagon, local fire and police responders were heroic but stymied by the lack of interoperability for their communication devices. Arlington couldn’t speak to Fairfax; D.C. couldn’t reach Alexandria; most departments were on separate frequencies. Like most first responders, they figured
City of Falls Church Crime Report
Week of September 7 - 13, 2026 Driving under the Influence, W Broad St, Sep 7, 2:03 a.m., a male, 30, of Fairfax County, was arrested for driving under the influence. Reckless Driving, E Broad St, Sep 7, 9:48 p.m., a male, 25, of Leesburg, was arrested for reckless driving. Failure to Appear, E Broad St, Sep 8, 9:07 p.m., a female, 48, of Alexandria, was arrested for failure to appear. Other Jurisdiction Warrant Service, S Washington St, Sep 8, 10:39 p.m., a female, 20, of Alexandria, was arrested on an outstanding warrant for another jurisdiction. Destruction of Property, W Broad St, Sep 8, 10:51 p.m., victim reported an identified suspect damaged their vehicle.
Attempted Unlawful Entry/Destruction of Property, Poplar Dr, between 3:00 p.m. on September 8 and 10:00 a.m. on September 9, an unknown suspect damaged the victim’s door and doorjamb. Failure to Appear, Park Ave, Sep 9, 11:47 a.m., a male, 57, of Winnebago, NE, was arrested for failure to appear. Destruction of Property, W Broad St, Sep 9, 1:15 p.m., an unknown suspect scratched the victim’s vehicle. Destruction of Property, Wilson Blvd, Sep 10, between 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., an unknown suspect keyed the victim’s vehicle. Trespassing, E Broad St, Sep 12, 11:44 a.m., a female, 33, of the City of Falls Church, was arrested for trespassing. Destruction of Property, S Maple Ave, Sep 12, 2:54 p.m., victim reported an unknown substance was left on their vehicle.
out how to adapt on the fly, and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) quickly created a regional emergency preparedness committee of local governments, non-profit organizations and businesses to prepare to respond to natural and manmade disasters. The group focused on communications, interoperability, and federal funding that was made available to localities after the 9-11 attacks. Today’s regional collaborations include responding to METRO accidents, major blizzards, and floods, improvements that are directly related to lessons from 9-11. At the same time, the Fairfax County Professional Firefighters Union Local 2068 spearheaded a unique effort to provide counseling and assistance to fire department personnel in the New York area. Fairfax County firefighters spent time on “the pile” assisting in rescue and recovery, but the most critical work may have been the months-long counseling center work. Brotherhood among first responders has always been strong. They depend on one another to fight fires, perform dangerous rescues, and go home safely at the end of each long shift. Their trust in each other, the confidence that they can rely on each other in emergencies, can be an example for all – make a plan, prepare, and develop relationships with neighbors ahead of time. When bad things happen, as they will, energy can be directed toward solving the problem instead of figuring out who’s who.
Simple Assault, S Washington St, Sep 13, 1:00 a.m., victim reported being assaulted by three identified suspects. Driving under the Influence, E Broad St, Sep 13, 1:38 a.m., a male, 32, of Alexandria, was arrested for driving under the influence and open container while operating motor vehicle. Other Jurisdiction Warrant Service, S West St/Parker Ave, Sep 13, 7:37 p.m., a male, 20, of Fairfax County, was arrested on an outstanding warrant for another jurisdiction. Shoplifting, Wilson Blvd, Sep 13, 8:47 p.m., a male, 19, of Fairfax County, was arrested for shoplifting.
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Well Done on Latest Housing Move
The speed and decisiveness by which the City of Falls Church has moved to secure a deal that would bring 200 new affordable housing units to downtown Falls Church veritably takes our breath away, and we think we may have said that at least one time before in this space. We do not know what was said in the lengthy behind-closeddoors sessions of the City Council, including the one this week that lasted a good few hours before delivering a unanimous vote of 7-0. But clearly the efforts of some like former mayor Nader Barouck to throw a monkey wrench in this process clearly has been avoided so far, setting the City up to meet the deadline for federal funds by next spring. Admittedly, the timeline is a compressed one for the Little City. In short, the City of Falls Church must conclude its local entitlement process no later than February 2027 to meet the state’s March 2027 application deadline for federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) funding. The low income housing tax credit program is run by giving a developer a credit against tax liability that the developer can then take in exchange for the cash needed to build a project. In November 2025, then City Manager Wyatt Shields developed an extended memorandum that included a timeline on how the City would need to act to meet the March 2027 deadline for applications for the latest round of affordable housing tax credits. That has been what has spurred the Council into its current pattern of action, and so far everything has proceeded according to plan. Efforts to gum up the works that have been successful in the past have not worked this time, in part because no one wants to go on record saying they don’t want affordable housing, especially no one running for a public office. So, while the usual NIMBY (“Not in my back yard”) sentiments will continue to be expressed on this project, the momentum that worked to slow down key projects in recent years like the t-zone furor that wasted over two years before a final vote was taken with not a single change of mind has not grown at all in the last couple years. Other communities have not been so lucky. All the key controversies that have inflamed other communities in the region have been avoided here so far, one of the biggest being the derailment of an effort to consume the School Board in such a furor with revelations about the potential for national issues to be injected into a local campaign. It was also because of the News-Press coverage of these developments and what that did to defuse a potentially explosive situation, and that was a lesson that was not lost on anyone, or almost anyone. We urge our leaders not to let up on their current course. Let’s see where we go next.
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L����� T� T�� E����� Youth Sports Dear Editor, This past Saturday, Falls Church City kicked off its K–2 soccer season. It was also Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, one of the holiest days of the Jewish calendar. This conflict was raised well in advance. This summer, I reached out to Falls Church City Parks and Recreation to ask whether games could be avoided on Rosh Hashanah. I was told that Arlington Soccer Association sets the schedule and that I should raise the issue with them. When I asked whether games could instead be played on Sunday, I was told that many families have conflicts on Sundays, too. But then the schedule came out. Families were told that some teams would, in fact, play one or two games on Sundays because they had made “a big effort to keep K–2nd grade games off Columbus Day weekend and have only morning games on Halloween.” The message acknowledged that Sundays aren’t ideal, but said they were necessary to “protect those two weekends.” That’s the part I can’t accept. If Sunday games are an option to protect Columbus Day weekend and Halloween, then it is simply unacceptable to say they were not an option to avoid Rosh Hashanah.
This isn’t about expecting youth soccer to accommodate every family conflict. It’s about which observances are considered important enough to build the schedule around. Somehow Halloween — not even a day when schools are closed — warranted that consideration, while one of the holiest days of the Jewish year did not, forcing Jewish parents like me to tell their kids they’d have to miss their team’s first game. I recognize that Falls Church Parks and Recreation does not have complete control over a schedule set in partnership with Arlington Soccer. But these are Falls Church children in a Falls Church program, and we can’t simply shrug and say someone else makes the schedule. Ultimately, a decision was made that it was reasonable for Jewish K–2 soccer players who observe Rosh Hashanah to miss the first game of the season — but not reasonable to inconvenience families with games over Columbus Day weekend. That choice sends a clear message to Jewish families in Falls Church. It is hurtful at best and shameful at worst. Falls Church talks often, and proudly, about being a welcoming and inclusive community. But inclusion shows up in decisions like these: in whose holidays we know about, whose conflicts we anticipate, and whose participation we make an effort to protect. Our Jewish kids deserved that same consideration. Shira Zemel
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Senior Living
SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2026 | PAGE 7
Fall Senior Living Guide
Pages 7-12
PAGE 8 | SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2026
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Senior Living
Helping Seniors Stay Mobile and Independent
by Falls Church News-Press
Mobility City of Fairfax County
Mobility City of Fairfax County
For many older adults, the question of where to live as they age does not begin with assisted living. It begins with something much simpler: Can you still get around your house, complete everyday chores and comfortably do the things you have always done? Those questions are worth asking long before mobility becomes a serious problem. The National Institute on Aging recommends thinking about longterm care before it is actually needed, giving individuals and their families time to consider available services, costs and living arrangements. “The best time to think about long-term care is before you need it,” the agency advises. There is no specific age when someone should move to a one-level home, give up stairs or consider an independent or assisted-living community. Health, strength and mobility vary considerably from person to person. But the years approaching and following retirement can be a good time to begin taking an annual inventory of the home and the everyday tasks required to maintain it. AARP recommends looking at a home with future needs in mind, including whether stairs have adequate handrails, bathrooms are accessible and doorways are wide enough for a wheelchair or walker. Its HomeFit recommendations also include no-step entrances, a firstfloor bedroom and bathroom and, when practical, locating laundry on the same floor as the bedroom. “The safest stairs are no stairs at all,” aging-in-place specialist Esther Greenhouse Lilly told AARP for its 2024 Smart Guide to Aging in Place, recommending single-level living when possible. That does not mean everyone should abandon a two-story house at a particular birthday. AARP also notes that stairs can provide useful exercise for older adults who remain healthy enough to use them safely. The idea is to recognize changes before they become limitations. Can you carry a laundry basket upstairs com-
fortably? Is getting groceries from the car becoming difficult? Can you safely step into the bathtub or shower? What happens when the grass needs cutting, snow needs shoveling or something in the house needs repair? Transportation should also be part of the conversation. If driving became difficult tomorrow, would groceries, medical appointments, social activities and other necessities remain accessible? Safety becomes increasingly important with age. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that more than 14 million Americans age 65 and older, about one in four, report falling each year. Falls are the leading cause of injury among adults 65 and older, and about 37 percent of those who fall report an injury requiring medical treatment or restricting their activity for at least a day. That makes a periodic household checklist useful even for healthy, active seniors. The National Institute on Aging recommends relatively simple changes such as removing loose rugs, improving lighting around stairs, installing grab bars near toilets and showers and adding nonslip surfaces where floors may become wet. Eventually, that checklist may lead to larger decisions. A homeowner might renovate a bathroom, convert a firstfloor office into a bedroom, hire help for household chores or move to a one-level home. Others may decide an independent or assisted-living community makes more sense because transportation, meals, maintenance and other services are readily available. The key is not to wait until a fall, injury or health problem makes the decision unavoidable. Preparing a home for the future or considering a different living arrangement does not necessarily mean giving up independence. In many cases, planning ahead is precisely what can help preserve it. Instead of waiting to ask what you can no longer do, the better question may be what changes you can make today that will allow you to keep doing it tomorrow.
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Senior Living
SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2026 | PAGE 9
PAGE 10 | SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2026
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Senior Living
SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2026 | PAGE 11
PAGE 12 | SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2026
Senior Living
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Protecting Senior Citizens From Modern Financial Scams
BY FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
Since we’re on the topic of artificial intelligence, there is another side of the technology boom that deserves attention, especially for older adults. We now have AI sales bots capable of carrying on conversations, automated systems that can call thousands of people, and technology that can make a telephone number appear to be something it isn’t. Artificial intelligence can even recreate someone’s voice from a relatively short audio sample. The technology game has changed, and unfortunately, scammers know it. Imagine you’re 75 and technology isn’t something you work with every day. Your phone rings and the caller ID appears to say Social Security, your bank or even a local police department. How are you supposed to know
whether the call is legitimate? What if the person on the other end sounds exactly like your son or grandson? That is no longer hypothetical. Attorney Gary Schildhorn received a call from someone he believed was his son, Brett. The caller said he had been in a car accident, injured a pregnant woman and was under arrest. Schildhorn told CBS News there was no question in his mind that the voice belonged to his son. The story became even more convincing when Schildhorn spoke with people claiming to be his son’s attorney and a court official. He was on his way to withdraw $9,000 when his real son called him on FaceTime. He wasn’t injured or in jail. His father was being scammed. The Federal Trade Commission has warned that scammers can use artificial intelligence to clone a family
member’s voice. A criminal may obtain an audio sample from a social media post or online video and use it to make an emergency call more believable. The financial stakes are enormous. Americans aged 60 and older filed more than 201,000 complaints with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center in 2025, reporting more than $7.7 billion in losses. In Virginia alone, residents 60 and older reported more than $220 million in losses, according to the FBI. Medicare fraud remains another concern. Scammers may offer supposedly free medical equipment, claim a new Medicare card is required or threaten that benefits will be canceled unless information is provided immediately. Medicare advises beneficiaries to protect their Medicare number like a credit card and not
give it to someone who contacts them unexpectedly. Email and text scams have become more convincing as well. Poor spelling, strange wording and bad formatting were once easy warning signs. AI can now help criminals produce polished messages that appear to come from banks, businesses, government agencies or people you know. Rather than clicking a link in an unexpected message, open the company’s app yourself or type its known website into your browser. Caller ID should not automatically be trusted either. Phone numbers can be spoofed so a call appears to come from a familiar organization. If someone claims to represent your bank, Social Security, Medicare or a police department, hang up and independently find the organization’s official number.
For a bank, call the number printed on the back of your debit or credit card. Also pay attention to how someone wants to be paid. Requests for gift cards, cryptocurrency or unusual money transfers should immediately raise suspicion. The FTC warns that legitimate government agencies will not demand payment with gift cards. The common thread running through many of these scams is urgency. Criminals want their victims frightened, confused and acting before they have time to verify what they are being told. Technology may have changed the game, but one of the strongest defenses remains decidedly low-tech: Slow down, hang up and call someone you trust. Most importantly, verify the story yourself before sending money or providing personal information.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2026 | PAGE 13
Fa l l s C h u r c h
Our Man In Arlington
Business Networking Event Tripled
Bill Fogarty
Business News & Notes The Falls Church Chamber of Commerce has invited two business organizations, the Mt. Vernon-Springfield Chamber and the West End Business Association (WEBA), to the September Networking Mixer. Chamber member Three Collective in the Baileys Crossroads area of Falls Church, is hosting the mixer on Tuesday, September 22, 5:30 – 7 p.m. at 5203 Leesburg Pike. This is one of three office buildings converted to residential with an array of amenities from movie rooms to bowling alleys. Reservations on the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce website are required for attending this multi-networking event. Free to members of either of the three hosting chambers, prospective members and guests are welcome for a small fee. Visit the events calendar at: fallschurchchamber.org.
NextEra-Dominion Merger Case Update In an effort to give residents a voice in the NextEra-Dominion merger, the State Corporation Commission (SCC) has added another round of opportunities for public input. The commissioners have mandated three in-person hearings across Dominion’s coverage area. The first meeting will be held on November 5 in Richmond and the other two haven’t yet been scheduled. These are in addition to the initial three days of telephonic testimony scheduled for November 5, 9 and 10. The public is encouraged to submit written testimony by November 9. The proposed $67 billion merger could create the largest regulated utility in the world.
New Home for Homestretch The offices of Homestretch have moved to George Mason Square. To celebrate their new home in the Little City, the Falls Church Chamber will host a ribbon cutting in the courtyard at 5 p.m. followed by an Open House in the offices at 105 W. Broad Street, Suite 200, Wednesday, September 23. Join the celebration, tour the offices and learn more about Homestretch.
Hilton Invitation: Welcome an Honor Flight The Hilton Garden Inn is hosting the Honor Flight Rio Grande on Thursday, September 24 at 5 p.m. The community is invited to join them in making their arrival unforgettable. Express gratitude for these WWII veterans’ service by bringing your American flags, scout troops, organizations, friends and family. They will arrive from Reagan National Airport by bus between 5 and 5:30 pm. The Inn is located at 706 W. Broad Street.
Grants for Women-Owned Small Businesses The Fund Her Future grant program will pick four women-owned businesses, each of which will receive $45,000 and a year of tax, bookkeeping and payroll services. The program is open to U.S. residents ages 18 and older who own businesses that posted at least $20,000 in revenue last year. Nonprofits are not eligible and applications are due September 22.
Signature Dish Visit to Eden Center WETA took viewers on a visit to Eden Center’s Bánh Mì Ơi in this week’s episode of Signature Dish. Chef Yeanie Bach built the Mui Tàu Signature bánh mì on baguettes. The show also highlighted Vietnamese egg coffee and a Nashville hot chicken bánh mì. Those who missed the show can catch it here: https://wetaplus.org/show/signature-dish/
Recent Restaurant Openings In the Arlington Magazine article, “15 New Restaurants to Try in and Around Arlington,” four recently-opened Falls Church restaurants were covered. The magazine covered the September 3 grand opening of Wonder, which includes menus from The Mainstay, Tejas Barbeque, Alanza, Royal Greens and Limesalt restaurants. Also covered was the 8th location of Shotted, which became the first drive-thru location, taking over the former location of Compass Coffee in the Shops at West Falls Church. They carry a Saudi-inspired coffee, red velvet lattes, tres leche cake and other assorted sweets. The magazine also mentioned a food truck, Ducky’s, that has become a fixture outside a gas station at 1200 W. Broad Street, serving Halal burgers, and the signature dish, Crispy Bites (fried chicken sammies) as well as loaded fries and salads. Also included, going back to July, the magazine covered the opening of Tam Tam, an upscale Vietnamese restaurant in Eden Center. Owners Thao Tran and Tin Truong opened it next door to their specialty market, Viet Gourmet. Business News & Notes is compiled by Elise Neil Bengtson, Executive Director of the Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce. She may be emailed at elise@fallschurchchamber.org.
This week I thought I would continue with my latest monthly theme of writing a “kitchen sink” column – that is, filled with small bits of information, observations, and reflections. In looking over various news sources, however, I found one article about bus drivers that caught my attention, and somehow led me to think about this question: what is a “social contract?” And as a result, today’s column is all about buses. Here is the Washington Post headline in August that got me started: “Fearing Violence, Some Metro Bus Drivers Are Bucking Orders to Announce Fare.” A recent policy change by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) required bus drivers to verbally quote the $2.25 fare. Several bus drivers were concerned that this policy would increase the risk that bus operators would be harassed or assaulted, citing prior incidents. WMATA General Manager Randy Clarke stated that bus operators are not supposed to enforce the fare, but that they are “doing fare awareness.” This attitude did not sit well with one bus operator, who noted that an automated recording already tells passengers the fare at every stop. But fare evasion is a real problem in search of a solution. It is certainly a threat to Metro’s finances, as data shows that fare evasion rates were at 63% in June (the rate is combined for the three jurisdictions). In a later article, in the news outlet The MoCoShow, Clarke said this about fare evasion: “It’s a social contract, we can’t police our way out of it.” This reference to a “social contract” framed the issue for me, and made me think of larger, similar conundrums – that is, there are many societal problems where we just cannot “police our way out of it.” Of course, my first inclination was to research the meaning of a social contract. A dictionary might tell you that a social contract is “an actual or an implicit agreement among the people of a society, or between the citizens and
their government, that defines and limits the rights and duties of each.” The general concept goes back centuries, but I will spare you any recitations from Hobbes, or Locke, or Rousseau, and give you a combined summary: Individuals give up certain absolute freedoms and agree to follow laws. In return, the governing authority provides safety, stability, and order. Of course, I like to simplify things, and to try to put them in context. So here is my short definition of a social contract: “The expectation that you will follow the rules even when enforcement is very unlikely.” This would seem to apply to the bus fare issue, as few citations are issued. Let me ask a rhetorical question for you readers to ponder: what might be some other examples of a “social contract” in our daily lives? I have one quick answer, based on my own experiences of walking various trails in Arlington County parks, where the signs clearly state that dogs are to be kept on a leash … and where I often encounter dogs off leash. Going forward, I might call this “leash evasion,” where dog owners know that the risk of any legal consequence is minimal. Getting back to the conundrum for WMATA bus operators – whether to announce the fare or not – a recent agreement with their union exempts them from verbally quoting fares unless they have a fully enclosed workstation. I guess this sounds like a reasonable compromise, but it does feel a bit sad to have to provide safety enclosures for bus drivers. Is the concept of a social contract disappearing? In this column, I also wanted to provide context about the bus systems that serve Arlington, such as the difference between the WMATA bus system and Arlington’s internal bus system known as ART. But that will have to wait for a later column. In the meantime, I am interested in your thoughts on my social contract question – what might be some other examples? If you want to share some thoughts on that one, or anything else, feel free to send me an email at historybillfogs@gmail.com.
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PAGE 14 | SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2026
Falls Church Fall Festival
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Falls Church Fall Festival
Taste of Falls Church Menu
Open Road (R7) Wagyu Meatball Slider = 1 ticket Mexican Corn Dip (V) = 1 ticket Hot N’ Juicy Crawfish (R8) The Falls (R2) Crawfish Po’boy = 2 tickets Chicken Wings = 2 tickets Loaded Crab Fries = 2 tickets Brisket Sandwich = 2 tickets Garlic Noodles = 2 tickets Potato Salad = 1 tickets Fried Brownies (V) = 1 ticket Coleslaw (V) = 1 ticket Costiera Pizzeria Napoletana (R9) Chips = 1 ticket Margherita (V), Pepperoni, or Quattro Café Kindred (R3) Formaggi Pizza (V) = 2 tickets Biscuit with Sausage Gravy = 1 ticket Rigatoni Bolognese = 2 tickets Croque Monsieur = 1 ticket Spaghetti & Beef Meatballs = 2 tickets Nutella Cream Croissant (V) = 1 ticket Nutella Pizza (V) = 2 tickets Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls (R4) Cannoli (V) = 2 tickets Gelati (V) = 2 tickets Lobster or Shrimp Grilled Cheese = 2 tickets Honoo Ramen Sushi and Bar (R10) Crab, Shrimp, or Lobster Roll Honoo Blaze Crab Taco = 2 tickets = 2 tickets Takoyaki (fried octopus) = 2 tickets Grilled Cheese (V) = 1 ticket Thai Tea = 2 tickets Hot Dog = 1 ticket GrillMarX Steakhouse & Raw Bar (R11) Sweet Rice Thai (R5) Steak Tips and Veggies = 2 tickets Spring Roll (V) = 1 ticket Baby Back Ribs = 2 tickets Pad Thai (V) = 2 tickets Mini Crabcakes = 2 tickets Spicy Fried Rice = 2 tickets Bit Bakery (R12) Thai Curry = 2 tickets Chocolate Chip Cookie (V) = 1 ticket Sticky Rice with Mango (V) = 2 tickets Banana Milk Cookie (V) = 1 ticket Fish Taco (R6) Ssuk (Mugwort) Cookie (V) = 1 ticket Fish Taco = 2 tickets Cheddar Cheese Cookie (V) = 1 ticket Shrimp Ceviche = 2 tickets Banana Noir Cookie (V) = 1 ticket
Baddpizza (R1) Cheese Slice (V) = 1 ticket Pepperoni Slice = 1 ticket
SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2026 | PAGE 15
Clare and Don’s Beach Shack (R13) Empanadas = 2 tickets Hot Dog and Chips = 2 tickets Ice Cream (DF option) = 2 tickets Slushy = 2 tickets Water = 1 ticket Taco Rock (R14) Chicken, Steak or Gringo (ground beef) Tacos = 2 tickets
Playa Bowls (R15) V = Vegetarian Acai Bowl = 2 tickets DF = Dairy Free Cold Brew = 2 tickets Surf Quencher (Refresher) = 2 tickets Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bites = 1 ticket Nothing Bundt Cakes (R16) Bundtini (V) = 1 tickets Bundtlet (V) = 2 tickets Audacious Aleworks (B1) Thirsty Work IPA = 2 tickets Oktoberfest Lager = 2 tickets Highway to Helles Lager = 2 tickets Ruby Goddess Raspberry Berliner Weisse = 2 tickets Solace Outpost (B2) Artifical Light Pilsner = 2 tickets Mechanical Music IPA = 2 tickets Zeitgeist Festbier = 2 tickets
PAGE 16 | SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2026 PUBLIC NOTICE MAINE JUDICIAL BRANCH KATIE J DEL RIO Plaintiff v. ANTULIO DEL RIO Defendant [ ] Superior Court [X] District Court
C L AS S I F I E DS
OF SERVICE It is FURTHER ORDERED that the party being served appear and serve an answer to the complaint or post-judgment motion to the serving party at the address listed above. The answer must be filed with the court within twenty-one (21) days of service. If service is made by publication in a newspaper, the answer must be filed with the court within forty-one (41) days after the first publication in the newspaper. Failure to serve an answer will cause judgment by default to be entered, granting relief sought in the motion or complaint.
County: YORK Location (Town): BIDDEFORD Docket No.: BIDDC-DWC-2026-360
Date (mm/dd/yyyy): 8/24/2026
ORDER FOR SERVICE BY ALTERNATE MEANS M.R. Civ. P. 4(G)
[ ] Judge [ ] Justice
This Court has reviewed the motion of the [X] plaintiff [ ] defendant for service by alternate means. The type of action is: FAMILY MATTERS
ADA Notice: The Maine Judicial Branch complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you need a reasonable accommodation, contact the Court Access Coordinator, accessibility@courts.maine.gov, or a court clerk.
Property or credits of the defendant [ ] may be [X] will not be affected, which include: The name and address of the plaintiff (or attorney), if known: KATIE J DEL RIO The name and address of the defendant (or attorney), if known: ANTULIO DEL RIO The Moving Party has demonstrated: Due diligence in attempting to obtain personal service of process prescribed by M.R. Civ. P. 4. The address of the party to be served is: [X] unknown and cannot be ascertained by reasonable diligence. [ ] known, but it appears the person is avoiding process. The requested method of service is reasonably calculated to provide actual notice of the pendency of the action to the party to be served and is the most practical manner of effecting notice of the suit. It is ORDERED that Service be made upon the other party by: [ ] Leaving a copy of this Order, and [ ] summons and complaint [ ] post-judgment motion at the defendant’s dwelling house or usual place of abode located at: [X] Publishing a copy of this Order once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in the FALLS CHURCH-NEWS PRESS, a newspaper of general circulation in the county or municipality most reasonably calculated to provide actual notice of the pendency of the action AND, if the defendant’s address is known, mailing a copy of this Order as published to that address.
Tracie Adamson
FLM
Language Services: For language assistance and interpreters, contact a court clerk or interpreters@courts.maine.gov.
PROPOSED ALTERATION OF 502B WALDEN CT; The proposed changes include the rehabilitation of existing structure with a new addition and new rear-yard, detached garage barn. Information or copies of the proposed alteration can be viewed at the Community Planning and Economic Development Services (CPEDS) counter at City Hall, 300 Park Avenue, Falls Church, VA, Monday through Friday (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). You may contact the Planning Division at plan@fallschurchva.gov with any questions or concerns. This location is fully accessible to persons with physical disabilities and special services or assistance may be requested in advance. (TTY 711)
Adequate safeguards shall be used to assure that service by alternate means can be authenticated and will be received intact, with all relevant documents and information, including:
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First Published Milestone Towers proposes to construct a 175-ft (177-ft AGL overall with appurtenances) monopole telecommunications tower to be located at 8134 Georgetown Pike, within the census-designated place of Mclean, in Fairfax County, VA, near latitude: 38° 58’ 4.9” N, longitude: 77° 13’ 45.6” W (NAD 83) (Parcel ID # 0202 01 0001). The FCC Form 854 File Number is A1386370. The tower will not be equipped with a lighting system. Interested persons may review the application by going to www.fcc.gov/asr/applications and entering the Form 854 File Number. Interested parties may raise environmental concerns about the proposed action by filing a Request for Environmental Review (RER) with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC strongly encourages interested parties to file RER online; instructions can be found at www.fcc.gov/asr/environmentalrequest. However, if an online request is not possible, interested parties may mail their request to: FCC Requests for Environmental Review, Attn: Ramon Williams, 445 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20554. Additionally, Milestone Towers invites comments on the impact the proposed tower may have on Historic Properties. Comments may be sent to Ryan Malek of TEP OpCo, LLC. Written comments can be sent to rmalek@tepgroup. net or 326 Tryon Road, Raleigh NC 27603. Ryan Malek can be reached at (919) 6616351. Please respond to this request for comment within 30 days of the publication date of this notice.
ABC NOTICE Zevian Food, LLC, trading as Sfizi Cafe, 800 W Broad Street, Unit: 90, Falls Church, Falls Church City, VA 22046-3142, is applying to the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Authority for a Mixed Beverage Restaurant license for beer, wine, and mixed beverages for on- and off-premises consumption. NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 1-800-552-3200.
AUCTIONS
Any person who desires to protest the application and be a party to the matter must submit a signed and dated written request setting forth (1) a precise statement of the party’s interest and how the party could be aggrieved if the application was granted; (2) a full and clear statement of the facts that the person is prepared to provide by competent evidence; (3) a statement of the specific relief sought; (4) the name of the applicant and case number assigned to the application; and (5) a certification that a copy of the protest was sent to the applicant. The case number assigned to this application is MC2600624TA.
BY LAST KNOWN ELECTRONIC MEANS: EMAIL, TEXT, FACEBOOK MESSENGER
AFFIDAVIT DEMONSTRATING PROOF
The City of Falls Church Historic Architectural Review Board will hold a public hearing on Thursday, September 24, 2026 at 7:00 PM in City Hall’s Dogwood Room (first floor), Park Ave, Falls Church, VA 22043 to consider the following:
CV-144, Rev. 04/13 Order for Service by Alternate Means Page 1 of 2 / Page 2 of 2 www.courts.maine.gov Notice is hereby given that Pollyana Transportation LLC, 2905 Stillwood Cir Apt 402, Falls Church, VA 22042, has filed an application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity that would authorize: 1. Passenger transportation as a Common Carrier over Irregular Routes, providing service in the Cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park, Virginia, and the Counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William, Virginia and; 2. The transportation of Medicaid recipients throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia as a Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Carrier as defined in Section 46.2-2000 et seq. of the Code of Virginia.
Written protests must be mailed to DMV Motor Carrier Services, Attn: Operating Authority, P. O. Box 27412, Richmond, VA 23269-0001 and must be postmarked on or before September 24, 2026. Any protest filed with competent evidence will be carefully considered by DMV, however, DMV will have full discretion as to whether a hearing is warranted based on the merits of the protest filed.
[X] Other alternate means:
PUBLIC NOTICE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA HISTORIC ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD PUBLIC HEARING
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2026 | PAGE 17
CALENDAR
This Week Around Falls Church
Thursday, September 17
Saturday, September 19
Arts & Humanities Council Mtg
Falls Church Farmers Market
9:30 – 11 a.m.
8:00 a.m. – Noon
City Hall
Meeting takes place in Dogwood Room A and B, 300 Park Ave.
City Hall Parking Lot
This award-winning market is open yearround. 300 Park Ave.
Falls Church Fiber Artists
Civil War Memorabilia Show
10 a.m. – Noon
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Mary Riley Styles Library This meet-up is for knitters and crocheters 18 years+. Free. 210 N. Virginia Ave.
Closer Look: Water’s Edge National Museum of the American Indian
1 – 2 p.m.
Rebecca Trautmann, curator of the exhibit Water’s Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe, leads this in-gallery discussion. Free. Level 3, exhibition gallery, Fourth St & Independence Ave SW, DC.
Human Services Advisory Council Meeting City Hall
Arlington-Fairfax Elks Lodge
This annual show featured Civil War books, relics and other memorabilia. Entry fee is waived for anyone mentioning they saw this notice in the FC News-Press. 8421 Arlington Blvd, Fairfax, VA 22031
Falls Church Fall Festival City Hall Grounds
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The 50th Annual Fall Festival kicks off with live music, kid-friendly inflatables and rides, a craft tent, vendors, the Big 50 Scavenger Hunt, beer garden, and food offerings from local restaurants. 300 Park Ave.
Free Education Studios Classes Signature Theatre
6:30 – 8 p.m.
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Friday, September 18
Alexandria Women’s History Walk
Members of the public can also join via link posted on fallschurchva.gov. Dogwood Room A and B, 300 Park Ave.
Free into classes on dance, acting or music. Registration required. 2784 S. Arlington Mill Dr., Village at Shirlington.
Alexandria Celebrates Women
City Council Budget and Finance Committee Meeting City Hall
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
Noon – 2 p.m.
ACW VP Gayle Converse leads this free 3-mile walking tour that highlights Alexandria’s heroines of the past. Participants can join all or part of the tour. Walk begins at the William and Ann Ramsay House at 221 King St., Old Town Alexandria.
Meeting takes place in Dogwood Room A and B, 300 Park Ave.
Sunday, September 20
United Against Silence: Poetry & Performance Showcase
Bird Outing at Daniels Run Park
7 – 8:30 p.m.
8 – 10 a.m.
Mansion at Strathmore
Join author Seema Reza and poet Ryan Jafar Artes for a free evening of poetry and performances by Mission Belonging members. This event is for ages 16 and older due to the sensitive nature of some of the content. Registration required. Visit: Strathmore.org. 10701 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD.
Mary Riley Styles Library
2 – 3:30 p.m.
Master Naturalist Amy Bolton leads this beginner workshop that explores apps that can help you identify plants. Free, Grades 9-12 and Adults 18+. See website for recommended apps. Registration is required.
Music for 2 & 3
Odeon Chamber Music Series
4 p.m.
Concert with Karen Johnson on violin, Atticus Mellor-Goldman on cello, and Minji Nam on piano. Free, $25 donation suggested. Visit: odeonchambermusicseries.org. St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, 3241 Brush Dr., FC.
Monday, September 21 Fall Storytime
Mary Riley Styles Library
10:30 – 11 a.m.
For ages 18 months to 4 years with a caregiver (younger siblings are welcome). Space often fills before start time.120 N. Virginia Ave.
Playtime with Early Literacy Center Mary Riley Styles Library
11 a.m. - noon
Available for an hour after Storytime. For preschool ages 2 – 4. Free, no registration required.120 N. Virginia Ave.
German Conversation Group Mary Riley Styles Library
6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Foreign language discussion group for adults 18+. Designed for intermediate level but all are welcome. Free. Study Room 1 and 2, 102 N. Virginia Ave.
English Conversation Group Mary Riley Styles Library
6:30 – 8 p.m.
Northern Virginia Bird Alliance Larry Meade leads this bird outing. Free to attend. Daniels Run Park, 3723 Tedrich Blvd, Fairfax. For more info: nvbirdalliance.org.
Small Space Garden Activity
Master Gardeners of NoVa
10 – 10:30 a.m.
calendar@fcnp.com
What’s That Plant?
Extension Master Gardeners lead this sensory activity related to plants for kids ages 4 – 8. Free. Fairlington Community Center, 3308 S. Stafford St, Arlington.
This English conversation class helps you practice with others and improve your skills. Free, for adults 18+. Main level conference room, 102 N. Virginia Ave.
Tuesday, September 22 Trivia Night: 250 Years of History Mary Riley Styles Library
6 – 7:30 p.m.
Quizmaster and DC tour guide Steven Bost hosts this fast-paced trivia challenge. Free, no registration required. 120 N. Virginia Ave, main level conference room.
Book Discussion: Zadig the Babylonian
Mindfulness Meditation
7 – 8:45 p.m.
Take some time to slow down with this free meditation workshop for adults 18+. No prior meditation experience necessary.120 N Virginia Ave.
Mary Riley Styles Library
Voltaire’s novel will be discussed as part of the library’s Great Books Discussion series. Free, adults 18+. 120 N Virginia Ave.
City Council Work Session City Hall
7:30 – 11 p.m.
Meeting includes Joint Session with Planning Commission. Public is not generally invited to speak. The meeting will be televised and video available afterward. See fallschurchva.gov for more info. Dogwood Room A and B, 300 Park Ave.
Wednesday, September 23 City Council Government Operations Committee Mtg
Mary Riley Styles Library
10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Stronger Longer
Mary Riley Styles Library
2 – 3 p.m.
Physical Therapist Ariel Painter leads this interaction session where you’ll test leg and grip strength. Free, Adults 18+, registration is required. 120 N. Virginia Ave, lower level conference room.
Golden Era Mystery Book Club Mary Riley Styles Library
6:30 – 8 p.m.
This month, the group will discuss Madam, Will You Talk? By Mary Steward. Free, Adults 18+, registration is not required. 120 N. Virginia Ave, main level conference room.
City Hall
Have events? Send an email to calendar@fcnp.com
Meeting takes place in the Oak Room, 300 Park Ave.
Free Events to the public post free or $20 for paid events.
9 – 10 a.m.
PAGE 18 | SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2026
Meridian Sports Recap: 9/8 - 9/14
BY DINOS SIMCOX
High school fall sports are well and truly underway now, with multiple sports having played over five games in their seasons. Meridian has had an excellent week, with their teams combining for a record of five wins and just one loss. The Mustangs football team bounced back in a big way after their week two loss to Kettle Run, dominating the Annandale Atoms 23-0. Junior backup quarterback Ryan Flanagan played most of the game, relieving the injured starter and fellow junior Luke Micciche. Despite leading 12-0 at the time of Micciche’s injury, it was a big obstacle for the Mustangs to overcome, and the team rose to the occasion. Both the offense and defense had days to remember, and the Mustangs will look to carry that momentum into their next game, against Millbrook. Field hockey has extended their perfect record to a stellar 6-0, follow-
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
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ing recent wins over Brentsville and Alexandria City. Once again, the defense stole the show, continuing the team’s streak of shutting out their opponent. The Mustangs have yet to allow a goal this season, and they now sit alone atop the standing in the region, as Kettle Run lost a contest to Battlefield. Boys volleyball continues to be inconsistent. The team split their two games last week, losing 0-3 to Herndon, but then bouncing back with a 3-0 win over Alexandria City. Their record now sits at 3-6 on the year. The Mustangs will hope to build on their latest win and get their season back on track this week. Girls volleyball, like field hockey, managed to maintain their undefeated record with a 3-0 win over Liberty. This brings their record to a perfect 5-0. The team has shown very little weakness, winning all their games in three sets but one. That single game was a 3-2 win against 6A Robinson, a much larger school than Meridian.
THIS IS SIMBA! He just celebrated his first heavenly birthday. His mom and sister Nala miss him so much and look for him in sunflowers and bumblebees. He will always be the silliest, bestest boy.
R A G A I R U D Z D Z
D O V H H A Y I Y O V
E Y Z A H R A V D U O
N A I N O S H T I M S
Z Y O T R Z E A R I T
E O S Y N L Y H Z C R
I I Z O T C O Y E A A
H I R S H H O R N P U
D V A T S L E Z A O O
K C I W N E R A G C V
Smithsonian
Renwick
Udvar-Hazy
Air and Space
Zoo
History
Hirshhorn
Castle
Art E C A P S D N A R I A
Z
O Y
Y Z A H R A V D U O
N A I N O S H T I M S
T E T
R L S
A T I
H I R S H H O R N
A
K C I W N E R
THE MUSTANGS FOOTBALL team lines up for a play against Annandale. Meridian knocked off Annandale, 23-0. (Photo: Dinos Simcox)
E C A P S D N A R I A
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
So What Is a ‘Tara Hoot,’ Anyway?
BY DAVID HOFFMAN
If it’s a noun — a person, place or thing — well, then it’s kind of a noun. But it’s also a verb. For sure. And an action verb, one you certainly don’t doze off on. As it turns out, a “Tara Hoot” is anything, anywhere, anytime or anybody that she wants it to be. Yes, she. Tara Hoot is a Washington-area drag queen and performer who is not particularly difficult to spot if you know where to look. She has appeared at antiTrump protests outside the Kennedy Center, joining demonstrators opposed to President Donald Trump’s changes at the Washington arts institution. With her unmistakable drag queen attire, she tends to stand out wherever she appears. Bejeweled, bewigged, bodacious and, let’s just admit it, beautiful. Sui generis, one might say — one of a kind, and then some. Ms. Hoot, as she shall henceforth be called here, can also be found in full drag queen glory on the first Saturday of every month at a family-friendly performance at Freddie’s Beach Bar on 23rd Street in South Arlington, near the Crystal City Metro station. So where did Tara Hoot come from? She began as a hobby, her creator says, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when much of the world had shut down. At first, Ms. Hoot existed only online, but she would soon “bust” out, so to speak, for in-person performances. And the DMV hasn’t been quite the same since. Then there’s the name. Her creator was born in Terre Haute,
Indiana, a city along the Wabash River that once carried a reputation as a hotbed of vice and earned the nickname “Sin City.” She left Terre Haute at age 3 for other Indiana addresses before attending the College of Wooster in Ohio, where she studied music and education. In 1999, she headed for the bright lights and gay-friendly atmosphere of Washington, D.C. Two decades later, Tara Hoot would emerge after years of teaching, performing and practice, with marriage and a life in the Washington area coming along the way. So what actually happens on the first Saturday of the month when families and young children pack into Freddie’s Beach Bar, the legendary LGBTQ+ establishment owned by Freddie Lutz, for Tara Hoot’s drag queen story hour? It’s a happening, all right — a literal hootenanny. The hour is packed with music, merriment, drama, dance, pantomime and plenty of humor. There’s kitsch, camp, goofy giggles and a healthy dose of audience participation, all wrapped around a message about being comfortable with who you are. It’s hard to believe how much fun can be packed into an hour, but that seems to be the point. Parents laugh, kids participate and Ms. Hoot keeps the room moving. That message resonated with Kelly Antal, who was in the audience with her husband, Ian, and their children, 5-yearold Dara and 3-year-old Desmond. “No matter your age, from Tara Hoot, you’ll feel a sense of wonder and great possibilities in life,” Antal said. “To be proud of who you are! To be who you are!”
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SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2026 | PAGE 19
Marcus Simon: September Column
BY DEL. MARCUS SIMON
Whether you like President Trump or not, I don’t think it is particularly controversial to say that he is trying to make it harder for some Americans to vote this fall. Whether he is motivated by a genuine concern about voter fraud or simply believes that suppressing turnout will benefit his party is a question on which reasonable people may disagree—although I feel fairly confident it is the latter. Either way, the practical effect is the same: you may need to work a little harder this year to make sure your vote is cast and counted. The good news is we have lots of ways to vote in Virginia. In-person early voting begins in Virginia at the end of this week on Friday, September 18th. Falls Church City residents can vote early at the registrar’s office at City Hall, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with additional weekend voting opportunities in October. Fairfax County residents have similar options, with three locations opening September 18th and 13 more opening later in October. You can find Fairfax County locations and hours at https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ elections/early-voting. If you already know how you plan to vote, there is no prize for waiting until Election Day. Vote as soon as you can! But have you made up your mind about everything on the ballot? We have members of Congress on the ballot and I encourage voters to reelect Mark Warner to the Senate and Don Beyer and James Walkinshaw in the 8th and 11th Congressional Districts, respectively. Virginians will also decide the fate of three proposed amendments to our state Constitution. As I made my way through a series of political events over Labor Day weekend, I was surprised by how many people had no idea these questions would be on the ballot this fall. That is a problem, because amending our Constitution is a big deal and these three questions deserve more attention than they have received. The first would add a right to reproductive freedom to Virginia’s Constitution. Put simply, it would mean that Virginians, not politicians in Richmond, get to make their own decisions about contraception, fertility treatment, pregnancy and abortion.
These decisions are personal, complicated and sometimes heartbreaking. They belong to patients, their families and their doctors, not the government. Amendment 2 would remove the outdated language in Virginia’s Constitution banning same-sex marriage and make clear that every lawful marriage between two adults is entitled to equal treatment. Marriage equality is already the law of the land, but the right recognized in Obergefell v. Hodges is now threatened by a runaway U.S. Supreme Court. Those discriminatory words remain in our Constitution, and it is long past time to take them out. Finally, Amendment 3 is about voting rights. Today, someone convicted of a felony must personally ask the Governor to restore their right to vote. The amendment would restore that right automatically once a person has completed their incarceration and returned to the community. At that point, we should be helping people become full participants in civic life, not making them petition the Governor for permission to vote. These amendments deal with very different questions, but there is a common thread running through all three. They are about the freedom to make decisions about your own life and the freedom to participate fully in our democracy. Putting those protections in our Constitution is critical to what we want Virginia to look like and where we want to go in the future. A constitutional amendment is not something the General Assembly can simply change with a vote in a future session. It is a decision that Virginians make for themselves. We all have different experiences and priorities, but our democracy works best when people bring those differences to the ballot box rather than staying home. Because we have so many opportunities to vote, I hope you’ll exercise that opportunity this election season. Early voting starts on September 18th and goes through October 31st. You can request an absentee ballot be mailed to you and register to vote until October 23rd. You can also register after this date, through Election Day, and vote using a provisional ballot. We’ve set up our elections so you have options, so don’t sit this one out. See you at the polls!
PAGE 20 | SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2026
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