Septe m b er 2 2 - 2 8 , 2 0 1 6
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. X X V I No. 31
Falls Church • Tysons Corner • Merrifield • McLean • North Arlington • Bailey’s Crossroads
Inside This Week F.C. Residents Like Mad Fox, Harris Teeter
Respondents to a Falls Church Planning Department survey this summer overwhelmingly felt that the large-scale, mixed-use projects, the Mad Fox/Spectrum building and the newly completed Harris Teeter building and residences, contribute positively to the “community character” of the City. See News Briefs, page 8
F.C. Chamber Lunch Focuses on Diversity
An unprecedented panel discussion before the monthly luncheon of the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce Tuesday drew four Muslim business owners in the area to share their dreams, their striving and challenges to making it.
5 F.C. School Principals Report Enrollment Up Sharply K-to-12 Tastiest of Falls Church
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A few weeks ago I met a guy in Kentucky who’d lived through every trend of deindustrializing America. See page 14
See page 25
CAFE KINDRED CO-OWNER JEN DEMETRIO celebrates after her restaurant is named winner of the 2017 Taste of Falls Church last Saturday afternoon. Demetrio and her Cafe Kindred crew served a winning menu of mushroom and scallop vol-au-vent, Brussels sprouts with bacon and Parmesan crisp, grilled cheese with peppers and gazpacho and blueberry cheesecake mousse. For more pictures from the Taste of Falls Church at Fall Festival, see page 22. (Photo: Drew Costley)
Nationwide Concerts to ‘End Gun Violence’ Feature 4 in F.C. by Patricia Leslie
Falls Church News-Press
Index Editorial..................6 Letters..............6, 30 News & Notes.12-13 Comment......... 14-17 Sports..................18 Calendar.........20-21
Food & Dining......23 Business News....27 Classified Ads .....28 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword...........29 Critter Corner.......30
It will be the concert heard around the nation this Sunday when thousands of performers, including George Mason High School’s jazz ensemble, play throughout the U.S. at free “End Gun Violence” shows, including
four at Falls Church locations. Musicians are donating their talents and restaurants are donating their venues to raise awareness of gun violence which is out of control, says Carol Luten, the Falls Church coordinator and passionate advocate for the “End Gun Violence” movement. At Argia’s, Mason teacher Josh
Falls Church News-Press
Walker will join the F.C. school’s jazz ensemble and play guitar, singer and guitarist Andrew Acosta will perform at Applebee’s, vocalist Ramon Camarillo will play at Clare and Don’s Beach Shack, and the Yeonas Brothers Band will be at Lil City Creamery.
David Brooks: Dignity & Sadness in The Working Class
Peter Bjorn and John released their first album in five years, in June. Guitarist and vocalist Peter Morén said the group can feel that they’ve been away for a long time.
by Nicholas F. Benton
On the heels of the first day of school’s enrollment numbers tallied last week showing an addition of 157 net new students, or a robust 6.6 percent growth, principals of the five Falls Church City Public Schools campuses came together at a work session of the Falls Church School Board Tuesday night to give reports on early enrollment numbers (the biggest news, all solidly up), as well as some SOL and other test comparisons (all very high) and objectives for the coming year above and beyond excellent classroom education. George Mason High School’s interim principal Matt Hills reported that enrollment as of today is at 821, up 34 over last year, and noted that in addition to a 100 percent graduation rate, over 91 percent of seniors are enrolled in at least one Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or Dual Enrollment (in subjects such as physics in conjunction with the Northern Virginia Community College) class. The total is 83 percent of those in grades 10-12. Mary Ellen Henderson principal Ty Harris reported an attendance of 591 as of today, and that reading scores for ESOL students are 10 to 20 points above the state SOL average. Engagement, he noted, will include the annual Back to School Night tonight (Thursday. Sept. 22) from 6 p.m. on, and an MEH Faculty Vs/ Rec Center Staff basketball game Oct. 14.
See page 5
Press Pass with Peter Bjorn & John
92% of GM Seniors Enroll in Advanced IB, AP, DE Classes