September 5 — 11, 2019
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 • V ol. XXIX No. 29
Falls Church • Tysons Corner • Merrifield • McLean • North Arlington • Bailey’s Crossroads
Inside This Week City Hires New Human Resources Director
Falls Church City Manager Wyatt Shields announced Tuesday that Steven Mason has been hired as the City’s Human Resources Director. He will start his tenure on Sept. 16. See News Briefs, page 9
5 Cars Stolen in Past Week in F.C.
Five cars were reported stolen in the City of Falls Church this past week, including four from Koons Ford on E. Broad, according to the latest City crime report.
Flawless Opening Day of School With No More Trailers Reported 2nd & 5th Grades Moved, New GMHS Begins to Rise
by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
See News Briefs, page 9
Hitt Family Donates To Combat Addiction
The family of the disgraced Falls Church developer Todd Hitt has donated $16 million to a new Northern Virginia-based addiction prevention and recovery program launched by the Inova Health System. See News Briefs, page 9
F.C.’s Opioid Report Analysis Cleared Up
A recent report on the country’s opioid crisis showed Falls Church’s pill distribution far outweighing its neighboring jurisdictions. However after futher analysis, concern over possible abuse in the City can be dispelled. See page 5
CITY OF FALLS CHURCH Planner Loren Bruce received a liver transplant in July at the University of Pennsylvania. (Courtesy Photo)
Falls Church Planner Bruce Scores Liver & Surprise Donor Prospect by Chris Jones
Falls Church News-Press
Index
Editorial................6 Letters..................6 News & Notes.10, 11 Comment.... 12,13 Business News.14 Calendar..... 18,19
Classified Ads... 20 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword........ 21 Crime Report.... 22 Critter Corner.... 22
Long-term resident and retired Falls Church City planner Loren Bruce underwent a liver transplant operation in July that saved the 66-year old’s life. That’s great news enough, but behind this happy ending story, and the story of Bruce’s yearsplus quiet struggle and search for a donor, was the heroism it spawned in a fellow member
of the City, a member of Falls Church’s finest, no less. Without Bruce’s knowledge, because as a matter of policy prospective recipients are not allowed to know the identity of prospective donors, unless family members, ahead of transplant surgery, Falls Church Police Sergeant James Brooks of the F.C. department had volunteered himself to donate a liver for a transplant and was pushing ahead for the surgery last sum-
mer when suddenly his gift was not needed. “Heads up,” her Facebook post began ominously, “I have been off social media for some time now. Later today, I’m going to post something very serious. Please watch for it.” So began, on Aug. 29, 2018, Gail Bruce Hyatt’s social media journey to help find a living liver donor to help save her brother’s life.
Continued on Page 17
The sunny weather was matched by the sunny smiles of students, teachers, staff and parents alike in what was hailed as one of the most smoothly-run opening days for the Falls Church City Public Schools in memory. Such was the assessment of many as classrooms were filled for the first time this school year on Tuesday, despite the challenges of some significant logistical changes. The second grade in the system, which had been at the Thomas Jefferson Elementary, was moved back to Mt. Daniel Elementary with the completion of new improvements there, and the fifth grade at Thomas Jefferson was moved to the Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School in another flawless move. The result has been the first time in many years that there have been no classes meeting in trailers for the 2,700 students in the entire system, a long-awaited result through the many construction changes. Though formal enrollment numbers are not due to the state until the end of September, Falls Church Schools Superintendent Peter Noonan told the NewsPress after the first day of classes that preliminary nosecounting has accounted for a net increase of about 60 students more than last year throughout the system.
Continued on Page 4