1-8-2015

January 8 - 14, 2015

Falls Church, Vi r g i n i a • w w w . fc n p . c o m • Free

Founded 1991 • Vo l . XXI V N o . 46

Falls Church • Tysons Corner • Merrifield • McLean • North Arlington • Bailey’s Crossroads

Inside This Week New Library Expansion Plan Raises Doubts The latest plan devised by the consultants retained by the Mary Riley Styles Public Library Board of Trustees to provide a renovation and expansion of the library continued to raise questions from members of the City Council and Planning Commission.

See News Briefs, page 9

Murphy Wins Special Election, Dems Hope Harbinger of Better Days Ahead 34th District Seat Switches From GOP To Democratic

Kearney Stepping Down As School’s Chair

by Nicholas F. Benton

Falls Church News-Press

Susan Kearney notified the NewsPress this week that she’ll be “stepping down” as chair of the Falls Church School Board as of next Tuesday’s School Board meeting, when the board will vote to replace her.

See News Briefs, page 9

David Brooks: The Problem With Meaning

Not long ago, a friend sent me a speech that the great civic leader John Gardner gave to the Stanford Alumni Association 61 years after he graduated from that college. The speech is chockfull of practical wisdom.

See page 12

17th Annual ‘Watch Night’ in Pictures

People came from around the region to downtown Falls Church last Wednesday to ring in the new year at the 17th annual Watch Night Celebration.

See photos, page 8

ED AND NIKKI HENDERSON have organized a sold-out gala and ribbon cutting for this weekend to celebrate the 100th anniversary of an historic meeting in Falls Church that led to the establishment of the rural chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. (Photo: News-Press)

100th Anniversary F.C. Civil Rights Gala & Ceremony This Weekend

by Drew Costley

Falls Church News-Press

Index

Editorial..................6 Letters....................6 News & Notes.10-11 Comment........12-15 Calendar.........16-17 Food & Dining ......18

Sports .................20 Press Pass..........21 Classified Ads . ...24 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword...........25 Critter Corner.......26

Exactly 100 years ago today, Edwin B. Henderson and Joseph Tinner, two black leaders and residents of Falls Church, called a meeting at the home of Tinner.

The Falls Church Town Council proposed an ordinance that would have separated the Falls Church into four districts, three of which would have been desig-

nated for only the town’s White residents and one for “colored.”

Nine men met at Tinner’s house to establish a strategy for defeating this measure – they ended up organizing a letterwriting campaign to town councilmen, business owners and church leaders – and those men went on to form the Colored Citizens Protective League.

During this campaign to defeat the segregation ordinance,

the Colored Citizens Protective League reached out to W.E.B. DuBois to ask for help in establishing a branch of the then sixyear-old National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. At the time, there was no rural branch established, but the NAACP’s national and Washington branches agreed to support the campaign to defeat

Continued on Page 5

It was by a slim margin of 324 votes, but in a district that has been Republican for all but one two-year hiatus in decades, a win is a win for a Democrat there.

That’s what Kathleen Murphy laid claim to Tuesday night, turning one Virginia State Delegate district “blue.” It happened in the 34th, which abuts the City of Falls Church in McLean and runs all the way deep into Loudoun County.

Combined with an easy win in the 63rd District in Petersburg, Democrats are taking Tuesday’s two electoral victories (Murphy’s qualifying as an upset) as a sign, a harbinger of good things to come in 2015 and beyond.

After last November’s thumping, Democrats were looking for any indicators that they could be on their way back, and nothing was better balm for them than Murphy’s hard-fought victory on Tuesday to fill the seat vacated by new U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock after her win in November.

“These two important wins are signs that voters in Virginia are ready for real change in Richmond. They’re ready to move Virginia forward,” crowed Del. David Toscano, the State House Democratic leader, in a statement he released late Tuesday.

Area Democratic leaders who were able to negotiate the season’s first real snow, piled into the McLean Community Center Tuesday night to celebrate Murphy’s victory. The outcome was sealed just over an hour after the polls closed when results from the State Board of Elections

Continued on Page 4

PAGE 2 | JANUARY 8 - 14, 2015

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PAGE 4 | JANUARY 8 - 14, 2015

Win for Murphy Lifts Dems’ Hopes for a 2015 Rebound Continued from Page 1

showed her with a 400 vote margin and only one of the district’s 55 precincts yet to report in.

State Delegates Marcus Simon (who represents Falls Church City), Alphonso Lopez and Mark Sickles were among those on hand, along with Fairfax Supervisor John Foust. They were elated over the win and said it energized them for the new legislative session in Richmond to begin next Monday.

Murphy amassed 6,406 votes to 6,082 for Republican Craig Parisot in the district that the Republican-controlled legislature had gerrymandered in 2011 to tilt more heavily Republican.

Murphy is attributed with winning it with her personal energy, also exhibited in her narrow loss to Comstock a year earlier. But she told the News-Press Tuesday night that she and her legions of volunteers who knocked on doors

and made phone calls found prospective voters more concerned than last time about the right wing extremism taking over in Richmond.

A paid staffer for the Murphy campaign said he was unsure how it would go at first (it was only a seven-week campaign) but started believing Murphy really had a shot with about three weeks to go. “The money, the volunteers, the support that began to escalate at that point convinced me,” he said.

While some Republicans attributed their man’s loss to the bad weather holding down the turnout Tuesday, Foust disagreed.

He said that on snow days, a lot of people who drive into the District to work stay home, and have nothing better to do than to venture out to vote.

Foust will be seeking re-election this November after losing the congressional race to Comstock last November.

Last Sunday, the tone for the Tuesday election and the upcoming Richmond legislative session was set at the Fairfax County Democratic Committee “Road to Richmond” brunch that has become an annual sell-out event.

Rep. Donald S. Beyer, Jr., preparing to be sworn in at the Capitol on Tuesday, was the first speaker, saying his two points were that “karma exists, hard work conquers all,” and “who wins matters,” with “life and death issues” on access to health care and other matters at stake.

Rep. Gerry Connolly followed, saying that for the Republican right, “ideology trumps all,” and as such, defines “why our cause matters.”

With State Senate Democrats’ leader Sen. Richard Saslaw still in Hawaii with his family, Sen. Janet Howell said their delegation will be fighting “cruelty and irresponsibility” in Richmond, while State

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

AT A FALLS CHURCH AREA fundraiser for Kathy Murphy last month, F.C. School Board member Lawrence Webb (left) was joined by (l. to r.) State Del. Rip Sullivan, Murphy, State Sen. Adam Ebbin and Democratic activist Craig Hines. Murphy won the special election this Tuesday. (Photo: News-Press) House caucus chair Del. Scott Surovell said the importance of Murphy’s victory lies in adding more women to the legislature to fight some of the anti-women bills that Republicans will be advancing.

Fairfax County Board chair Sharon Bulova noted that with the national ascendance of the GOP,

Democrats in Northern Virginia “held.” “We did our job,” she said, noting that in 2015, every House of Delegates seat, every Fairfax Supervisor and School Board and constitutional officer seat will be up for election.

“Education has to be our top priority against the projected state revenue shortfall,” she said.

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Tinner Hill Foundation Hosting 100th Anniversary Celebration

Continued from Page 4

the ordinance.

Also, the NAACP allowed Henderson and Tinner’s group to function as a committee of their organization, a decision which is recognized as the beginning of the establishment of the first rural branch of the then fledgling civil rights group.

This weekend the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of that historic series of events with an awards dinner gala tomorrow night at the Hilton Garden Inn on West Broad Street and by cutting the ribbon on the Tinner Hill Historic Site this Saturday, Jan. 10, at 1 p.m. at 106 Tinner Hill, Falls Church, where Joseph Tinner’s house once stood.

“It’s a proud moment,” said Ed Henderson, founding president of the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation and Dr. Edwin B. Henderson’s grandson. “I’m proud that we’re able to put on this commemoration celebrating

this 100-year anniversary of the meeting that took place to form the Colored Citizens Protection League.”

Roslyn M. Brock, the chairman of the NAACP’s board of directors and an associate minister at Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, will be the keynote speaker at the gala, which is sold out. Ed Henderson said that Brock agreeing to give the keynote address gives credibility to the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation’s claim that the Colored Citizens Protection League, which, in 1918, was chartered as a branch of the NAACP under the name “Falls Church and Vicinity Branch.”

“I think we were very fortu-

nate to get someone of her stature to come to Falls Church and to address our audience for this occasion,” Ed Henderson said. He wrote a guest commentary about the centennial celebration in the Dec. 4-10 edition of the NewsPress, which is a media sponsor for the awards gala.

“I think this shows what we’ve been saying all along – that [the Falls Church and Vicinity Branch] was the organization’s first rural branch. And it has been said in many places, but I think this is confirmation that now they understand that this [was] the first rural branch.”

Nikki Graves Henderson, executive director of the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation and Ed

Henderson’s wife, said she’s very excited about the gala tomorrow night. “It gives us the opportunity to recognize some of the people who have been an integral part of the development of the Tinner Hill Historic Site as well as the growth and expansion of our organization,” she said.

“So I’m really excited to be able to recognize them and to say thank you in a very public forum.

A lot of times people may think about saying thank you, but they don’t say thank you in a public forum and that’s what we want to do.”

The ribbon cutting on the Tinner Hill Historic Site the day after the gala will be the culmination of work the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation has been

www.fcnp.com

JANUARY 8 - 14, 2015 | PAGE 5

doing since its founding in 1997.

The site is being created so that there is a physical presence to preserve history of the creation of the first rural branch of the NAACP. The work has been a labor of love for Nikki Graves Henderson, who has worked in museums throughout her career.

“Preserving African-American history has been a passion of mine for several decades now,” she said. “And this is like an ultimate experience for someone like me, to see the fruition of the work that we’ve been doing for so many years now.”

After the ribbon cutting at 106 Tinner Hill, there will be a reception at ArtSpace Falls Church, located at 410 S. Maple Ave., Falls Church.

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T� C������ ��� N���-P���� �����: 703-532-3267 ���: 703-342-0347 �����: ���������.��� ������� ����������� ��������.��� ���������� ��� �������������.��� ������� �� ��� ������ ������������.��� ������������� ������������ � �������� �������������.��� WWW.FCNP.COM The Falls Church News-Press is published weekly on Thursdays and is distributed free of charge throughout the City of Falls Church and the Greater Falls Church area. Offices are at 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church, VA 22046. Reproduction of this publication in whole or part is prohibited except with the written permission of the publisher. ©2015 Benton Communications Inc. The News-Press is printed on recycled paper.

EDITORIAL

E��������

Watch Night’s Success & Those Lights

Kudos to all involved – beginning and ending with the remarkable volunteer civic activist Barb Cram – for the enormous success that Watch Night was this New Year’s Eve! Despite the cold weather, the fact there was no precipitation or high winds made it doable to the thousands who poured through the many downtown venues over the course of the evening, and for hours into the New Year of 2015 with the added new event, the New Years after midnight buffet at the new Hilton Garden Inn. A big contributor to the event’s success were the creative lights that were draped onto the trees in the first two blocks above the central Watch Night area. Let us make this clear: from our point of view and that of many we’ve heard from, the lights were a fantastic addition to the entire holiday season in Falls Church. Walking or driving under them created a very luminous and special effect, like being inside some remarkable cathedral somewhere.

This is not an attempt to suggest a religious context for this at all, it is just that the height of the lights, and their draping effect brought a different kind of emotional response from many under their canopy that was, and is, very cool. We are among those who feel the lights should not be taken down anytime soon, though if they were left up year-round, their special impact could be lost. But we could be persuaded on that.

Our tiny role in this came following the hiring of the City’s new arborist Kate Reich last summer. We were tipped off that she, unlike many of her predecessors in that job, did not feel that lights on trees during the holidays would have an adverse effect on the health of the trees. As one of a number of long-time advocates of such lights and other moves to boost public interest in the City’s retail district, we arranged to interview the new arborist with exactly that topic in mind. Her favorable response was reported under a page one News-Press headline to that effect last September.

So, the Chamber of Commerce weighed in quickly and when Phil Duncan on the City Council showed his support, his efforts to that end were also prominently reported in the News-Press, which spurred the City staff to act in time for the just-passed holidays. By the standard that things usually get done through the City Hall bureaucracy here, it was done at what seemed like the speed of light (or lights).

Voila! One could almost hear a celestial choir singing as Mayor David Tarter did a countdown to flipping a switch on the ground in an impromptu ceremony to turn on the lights for the first time. It was so Falls Church!

Hopefully, we’ve begun a new long-standing tradition. Some might try to revise how the lights look, but we for one are very happy with them just as they are.

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Some Historical Errors In Article on Moran

Editor, I am writing to correct a few historical errors made in last week’s article on Jim Moran.

Moran first ran for Alexandria City Council in 1979, not 1978.

That was the first Alexandria election for mayor and city council in which I was old enough to vote.

At that time in May 1979, I was an 18-year old freshman at George Mason University in Fairfax.

Moran was elected mayor in

1985, not 1984. In 1984, Moran was forced to resign the vice-mayor position due to a conflict of interest charge. Moran staged a major political comeback in 1985 by knocking off longtime Democratic mayor Chuck Beatley. Beatley had been like a grandfather to the city.

There have been many controversies with Moran over the years. I was shocked to hear of his plans to retire from congress. I thought he would stay entrenched

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up on Capitol Hill for many more years. But I look forward to working with Don Beyer and his wife Megan. I can relate to them better because they grew up around here.

They will represent us with less controversy and more class.

Greg Paspatis Alexandria

If You Don’t Like Falls Church Taxes, Move Out Editor, I have one word for those people that continue to complain about the schools and taxes in

Falls Church City.

Move.

Move in to the city if you deeply care about education and an amazing community.

Move out if you don’t. Last time I looked we lived in a free country where you can live where you want.

Shaun Dakin Falls Church

[ LETTERS ] Email: letters@fcnp.com Mail: Letters to the Editor, c/o Falls Church News-Press, 200 Little Falls Street #508, Falls Church, VA 22046

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COMMENT

G u e s t C o m m e n ta ry

JANUARY 8 - 14, 2015 | PAGE 7

Everyone Benefits from Strong City Schools

By Susan Kearney

On Tuesday, January 13, our school superintendent will present recommendations for the FY2016 operating budget to the School Board at its monthly meeting in the City Council Chambers. As requested by the Board, she will present several options for the community’s consideration. One will demonstrate what is needed to operate an excellent school division in the face of rising enrollment, and another will align with what some members of City Council have requested.

Before we begin the budget discussion I’d like to respond to a few concerns that I am hearing in the community.

Some say that our schools have become too expensive. While educating children these days is not cheap, we are not spending more in Falls Church than we have in the past. Nor are we spending more than our neighbors. In fact, the schools’ share of expenditures as a percentage of City revenues is the same proportion as it has been for many years. The average since FY2005 is about 45 percent; this year it’s about 46 percent, and last year it was about 44 percent. On a per-student basis, we are spending about 17 percent less now than we spent in FY2008 in constant dollars. We also don’t spend excessively compared to our neighbors. Arlington spends roughly 46-47 percent of its budget on schools, while the

schools’ share in Fairfax County it is about 51-52 percent.

Others want the schools to charge tuition or receive lower funding because they benefit less than a majority of the households in the City. It is true that not all families in the City have children in the schools, but

“The schools ultimately do benefit everyone by enriching our community life and increasing the value of our homes.” we have a constitutional obligation to provide and maintain “a system of free public elementary and secondary schools for all children of school age” that is of “high quality.” Moreover, the schools ultimately do benefit everyone by enriching our community life and increasing the value of our homes. Our school facilities host dozens of community events each month that are open to the public; many people who do not have children in the schools attend concerts, plays, and sporting events as well as volunteer

for the schools; and the schools coordinate many programs for students to participate in community service. Equally important, the excellence of our schools contributes to higher property values here in the City.

For years real estate agents have said that people are willing to pay a premium to live in Falls Church because of our schools.

Looking at Zillow.com this appears to be true. Comparing Falls Church City (zip code 22046) with neighboring Fairfax County (zip code 22043) I see that the median home value in Falls Church is about 21 percent higher than just outside our borders in Fairfax. Also, home values here have appreciated more rapidly than in Fairfax – 26 percent in Falls Church since 2004 as compared with 16 percent in Fairfax. This past year alone home values in Falls Church City increased by 8.8 percent, compared to 4.4 percent in Fairfax. These homes in Fairfax have access to the same shopping, transportation, recreation, and other amenities as we do here. What’s different? The schools. Our excellent schools help our homeowners build significant wealth via their homes.

Finally, some say that our schools are no better than our neighbors’. A fundamental way to measure the excellence of a school division, and the one that the School Board tracks most closely, is the graduation rate.

That is because it shows how the school division performs for every student rather than just the most advanced ones. According

to the Virginia Department of Education, the on time graduation rate for Falls Church is 98.4 percent, which is materially better than Arlington’s rate of 92 percent and Fairfax’s rate of 92.9 percent. Also, looking at how broadly the division offers challenging learning opportunities to every student, at George Mason 66 percent of students take at least 1 AP, IB or college level class for credit. At Mclean it is 45 percent, and at Marshall it is 30 percent. These are just two examples of our excellence. We don’t get these results by accident, we get them because we provide pre-K services to every child who needs them so that they are ready for kindergarten; we provide full day kindergarten for every child; our IB curriculum teaches every child critical thinking and problem solving skills; and every child in Falls Church is ready to learn because we make sure they are not hungry and have access to the tools they need to learn at school and at home.

Ultimately, what makes an education in Falls Church unique is also what makes our City unique: the intimacy that comes from living in a smaller jurisdiction. Our small size has continued to give Falls Church schools their unique character and made it possible for each child to receive the personal attention they need to succeed at a reasonable cost to the community.

Susan Kearney is the chair of the Falls  Church City School Board.

Question of the Week Should F.C. spend $11 million to renovate and add parking to Mary Riley Styles library?

• Yes

Last Week’s Question:

Will 2015 be a better year than 2014?

• No • Don’t know

Log on to www.FCNP.com to cast your vote FCNP On-Line polls are surveys, not scientific polls.

[WRITE FOR THE PRESS] The News-Press welcomes readers to send in submissions in the form of Letters to the Editor

& Guest Commentaries. Letters to the Editor should be no more than 350 words and writers are limited to one appearance every four weeks.

Guest Commentaries should be no more than 800 words and writers are limited to one appearance every four months. Because of space constraints, not all submissions will be published. All submissions to the News-Press should be original, unpublished content. We reserve the right to edit submissions for length, grammar and accuracy. All submissions should include writer’s name, address, phone and e-mail address if available.

Email: letters@fcnp.com | Mail: Letters to the Editor, Falls Church News-Press, 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church 22046 | Fax: 703.340.0347

PAGE 8 | JANUARY 8 - 14, 2015

LO CA L

Music, Food and Fun in F.C. At 17th Annual Watch Night

FALLS CHURCH’S ANNUAL WATCH NIGHT brought out people from across the city and across the region for an night of family-friendly festivities. There was live music from local bands, free popcorn and carnival activities to help people ring in the new year, (Photos: Kayla Ramsey/News-Press/Shaun Van Steyn)

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Fa l l s C h u r c h

News Briefs

JANUARY 8 - 14, 2015 | PAGE 9

OPEN SATURDAY AND SUNDAY! Sat, Jan 10th from 12-3 • Sun, Jan 11th from 1-4

New Library Expansion Plan Raises Doubts The latest plan devised by the patient consultants retained by the Mary Riley Styles Public Library Board of Trustees to provide a renovation and expansion of the library at its current location next to the City Hall/Cherry Hill Park campus continued to raise questions from members of the Falls Church City Council and Planning Commission to whom it was presented Monday night. The latest effort came in response to the Council’s direction to hold the project to roughly $8 million, less than half the cost of the original plan. Still, the $8 million expansion would add only between 6,000 and 7,000 square feet to the size of the library at its current location, at a price per square foot of $333, way higher than the $220 per square foot cost of the Mt. Daniel Elementary expansion getting underway and of the $210 per square foot cost of an earlier expansion of the Thomas Jefferson Elementary. However, consultant David Moore said the higher cost included the renovations of the existing building, as well, and the added cost associated with keeping the existing library space open while the expansion and renovation are being done, along with other factors. Ruth Rodgers, chair of the Planning Commission, said she thought the deal was “a bargain.” However, it also did not include the cost of a parking deck next to the site, which when all things are considered would cost more than $3 million additionally. City Councilman Dan Sze said he thought the guidance for an $8 million job was to include the parking deck, too. Sze also said that he was not confident that an expansion and renovation of the existing site would leave the City with a “library of the future.” The only one at Monday’s meeting to suggest an “outside the box” idea was Vice Mayor David Snyder, who said he thought that the solution lies in acquiring a portion of an office building going on the proposed Mason Row project at W. Broad and N. West Street to house a part of the library which would work best.

New Firearms Store Opens in F.C. A new firearms store has opened up in the City of Falls Church in the same location the City’s last gun store was in business: above Bedo’s Leatherworks on West Broad Street.

NOVA Firearms, the previous gun store that occupied the space, relocated its operation to McLean in September of 2013. Known as The Gun Dude, the new gun store is now open at 412 West Broad Street in a suite above the longtime F.C. leather store. The retail location is owned by Joshua Karrasch, a Navy veteran who is known as “The Gun Dude,” along with his partner, Christine Setness. The Gun Dude says it is unique in its approach to customer service as well as its return policy. The Gun Dude is open from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. seven days a week at 412 West Broad Street, Suite A in Falls Church.

Kearney Stepping Down as F.C. School’s Chair Susan Kearney notified the News-Press this week that she’ll be “stepping down” as chair of the Falls Church School Board as of next Tuesday’s School Board meeting, when the board will vote to replace her. She is expected to remain on the board. Kearney, who has served on the school board since 2006, was elected chair in January of 2012.

Auditors Tell F.C. Council Its Finances ‘Solid’ In their annual audit of the City’s finances and operations, Jason Hartman and Megan Artenbright told the City Council at its work session Monday that the City’s finances are “solid,” and less than optimal oversight of some operations, subject to doubts in certain quarters, are “not uncommon for a staff your size” which they said that because of the small size, is “impossible to separate all the duties.”

F.C. Farmer’s Market Begins Winter Hours The City of Falls Church Farmers Market started its winter hours last Saturday, opening at 9 a.m. and closing at noon every Saturday. These hours will stand through March. The 37 winter vendors offer fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables, cheeses, honey, meats, baked goods, plants, wine, and so much more: Atwater’s Bakery, Beanetics Coffee Roasters, Bee Chic Natural, Bees ‘n Blossoms, Black Rock Orchard, Blue Ridge Dairy Co., Bonaparte Breads, BorekG, Bread House, Cavanna Pasta, Chris’ Marketplace, Cold Country Salmon, Country Garden, Donut Heaven, Endless Summer Harvest, Fields of Grace Farm, Flower of the Forest Farm, Fresh Crunch Pickles, Gina’s Jams and Jellies, Grace’s Pastries, Homestead Farm, Mother Earth Organic Farm, New Day Farms, North Gate Vineyard, Nourish Market, Oak Lane Soapworks, Oh Mercy Hot Sauce, Penn Farm and Norma’s Produce, Smith Meadows/Smithfield Farms, Spring Valley Farm and Orchard Stachowski Brand Charcuterie, Sunnyside Farm and Orchard, Toigo Orchards, Valentines Country Bakery and Meats,Virginia Chocolate Co., Wheatless by Willow.

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PAGE 10 | January 8 - 14, 2015

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Community News & Notes Falls Church Arts’ Abstract Art Show Opens Tonight Falls Church Arts’ Abstract Art Show opens tonight with an artists’ reception at 7 p.m. at ArtSpace Falls Church, located at 410 S. Maple Ave., Falls Church.

The show, curated by Brian Legan, features Jeff Duka, Matt Somma, Lynne Eve Grossman, Isabelle Babington, Jean Marie Barrett, Larry Mendenhall and Donna Byrne, among others.

Refreshments will be served at the reception.

Falls Church Arts is also offering newly-added classes this month. Portrait artist Seth Haverkamp is teaching a Portrait Painting class, which will be held on Saturday, Jan. 17, from 10 a.m.

– 4 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 18, from noon – 6 p.m.

Architectural photographer and Adobe Photoshop expert

Arthur W. Pierson will teach an Introduction to Photoshop class on Saturday, Jan. 24, from 1 – 4 p.m. Local artist Bobbi Pratte will be teaching students how to paint and draw on an iPad during her iPad Art class on Saturday, Jan. 31 from 1 – 4 p.m.

All classes will be held at ArtSpace Falls Church. For more information about the Abstract Art Show and Falls Church Arts’ new class offerings, call 703-6797881.

F.C. Lions Selling Honeybell Oranges this Weekend The Falls Church Lions will be selling honeybell and navel oranges and pink grapefruit this Friday and Saturday, Jan. 9 and 10, from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Falls Church Property Yard Parking Lot, located at 7100 Gordon Road, Falls Church.

The honeybell oranges are priced at $30 per half case and $16 per bag. The navel oranges and pink grapefruit are priced at $40 per case, $25 per half case and $15 per bag. Cases of mixed fruit, which are only available for the grapefruit and navels, are priced at $40 per case.

On Saturday, Feb. 7, the Falls Church Lions will be selling temple oranges and grapefruit at the Falls Church Property Yard.

All proceeds from the citrus sale will go toward charity and community projects. For more information, contact Falls Church Lions president Barry Buschow at 703-533-8610 or visit fallschurchlions.org.

Shepherd’s Center Still Needs Volunteer Drivers The Shepherd’s Center of McLean-Arlington-Falls

ON THE EVE of his swearing in to become the U.S. congressman from the 8th District of Virginia, including the City of Falls Church, Ambassador and former Virginia lieutenant governor Donald S. Beyer Jr. addressed the large gathering of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee’s annual Road to Richmond brunch at the Springfield Country Club on Sunday.

(Photo: News-Press)

Church still needs volunteers to help get senior citizens to and from their medical and therapy appointments, the pharmacy and the grocery store.

In calendar year 2013, the center provided slightly over 800 rides for seniors and that number rose to over 1,500 in 2104.

According to the center, the number is expected rise again in 2015 and they need more help to match demand for assistance.

Volunteers do not have to commit to long term and can help when their schedule permits. To find out more about the Shepherd’s Center call the Shepherd’s Center number at 703-506-2199.

8th Annual Chinese New Year Festival Set for Feb. 14 The 8th annual Chinese New Year Festival, held by the Asian Community Service Center, is

set for Saturday, Feb. 14, from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Luther Jackson Middle School, located at 3020 Gallows Road, Falls Church.

The event will feature live performances, including dragon and lion dances, the Han Costume Fashion show, delicious Asian foods, Chinese name writing, craft and business booths, children’s world and a Lunar New Year Dragon Parade. According to the Tiny Tang, vice president of the Asian Community Service Center, the main theme of the event will be compassion to coincide with 2015 being the year of the sheep.

The following Saturday, Feb. 21, will be the date of the event should snow prevent the event from taking place on Feb. 14.

Admission to the event is free. For more information, call 703-868-1509, e-mail contact@AsianServiceCenter.org or visit ChineseNewYearFestival.org.

COMPARING NOTES at the “Road to Richmond” brunch Sunday were 53rd State Assembly District representative Marcus Simon (left) and the man he replaced in the job, the Hon. Jim Scott (right). Simon and Senator Dick Saslaw will be discussing the 2015 general assembly, legislative agendas and answering constituent questions next Saturday, Jan. 17, from 10 a.m. – noon at the Falls Church Community Center. (Photo: News-Press)

Send Us Your News & Notes!

The News-Press is always on the lookout for photos & items for Community News & Notes, School News & Notes and other sections of the paper. If you graduate, get married, get engaged, get an award, start a club, eat a club, tie your shoes, have a birthday, have a party, host an event or anything else you think is worth being mentioned in the News-Press, write it up and send it to us! If you have a photo, even better! Because of the amount of submissions we receive, we cannot guarantee all submissions will be published, but we’ll try our best!

Community News & Notes: newsandnotes@fcnp.com | School News & Notes: schoolnews@fcnp.com Mail: News & Notes, Falls Church News-Press, 200 Little Falls St. #508, Falls Church, VA 22046

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LOCAL

‘No Incidents’ at 17th Annual Watch Night Celebration With temperatures in the mid20s, thousands turned out to enjoy the indoor and outdoor venues of Watch Night and poured into the 100 block of West Broad to witness the iconic lowering of the historic Falls Church Star at midnight.

“Watch Night had at least as many as last year, if not more, and there were no incidents for the police department to handle” said Falls Church City Police Lieutenant Joe Carter.

The nine live bands, including 13th Story, 60 Feet Tall, Cactus Liquors and Lu and the Blues Crew performed at the main stage that was bracketed by warming stations – one large fire pit and two large fireplaces donated by Sisler’s Stone.

The Falls Church Episcopal and Falls Church Presbyterian hosted nine activities with Drs. Theisz and Cannon hosting a scavenger hunt and live music provided by Big Tow. There were free refreshments at every venue. Karaoke and inflatable amusements, with lots of activities to amuse all ages were available on West Broad Street and The Grand FunAlley.

The popular LOVE letters artwork on loan to Watch Night from the Virginia Tourism Council was a very popular venue for photos with family and friends. The letters are here until tomorrow.

The Alden Holds Auditions For ‘Totally Red!’ Next Week The Alden Theatre is holding auditions for its spring kids show “Totally Red!” next Wednesday

january 8 - 14, 2015 | PAGE 11

Stop In Today!

Falls Church’s newest sports bar opened on the eve of New Year’s Eve in the location of the recently-closed Huongs restaurant in the 400 block of W. Broad. A busy crowd of locals were on hand for its opening, including (l to r) City Councilman Phil Duncan, Chamber of Commerce executive director Sally Cole, former City resident visiting from London Andrew Turner and the News-Press’ Nicholas Benton. (Photo: Courtesy of Phil Duncan) and Thursday, Jan. 14 and 15, from 7 – 8:30 p.m. at The Alden in the McLean Community Center, located at 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean. The show is a unique retelling, in multiple styles, of the classic fairy tale “Little Red Riding Hood.” The story is told in classic storybook theatre style (“Little Red Riding Hood”), melodrama (“The Perils of Being Miss RED”), Elizabethan (“Much Ado About RED”), 80’s hip-hop (“REDz in the Hood”), avantgarde (“Call the Moment RED”) and American musical style (“RED! The Musical!”).

Children ages 10 – 16 who reside in the McLean Community Center’s tax district are invited to audition. The show will run for two weekends this spring, March 14, 15, 21 and 22, with

all performances scheduled for 3 p.m. To reserve an audition time, contact The Alden’s director of youth programs Kathy Herr at kathleen.herr@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Correction: Last week, we ran a news brief about the FairfaxFalls Church Community Services Board moving to a new building in Merrifield, which contained the wrong phone number for the organization. The correct phone number is 703-559-3000.

Correction: Last week, we said on our Community Events Calendar that said the Falls Church Farmers’ Market’s hours were 8 a.m. – noon.

The farmers’ market started operating on winter hours last week and are open from 9 a.m. – noon from now through March.

students at jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do School on West Broad Street (left to right in red) Olivia Games, David Graham, Lan Anh Dang Vu, Cliff Bauman, Jr. and Jack Flanagan earned their black belts in late November. In the back row are (left to right) Master Manuel Bonilla, Master Jackie Curiel, Master Chun Rhee, Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee, Mr. Jace Barrett, Mr. Pablo Calderon. (Courtesy Photo)

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PAGE 12 | january 8 - 14, 2015

The Problem With Meaning

Not long ago, a friend sent me a speech that the great civic leader John Gardner gave to the Stanford Alumni Association 61 years after he graduated from that college. The speech is chock-full of practical wisdom.

I especially liked this passage: “The things you learn in maturity aren’t simple things such as acquiring information and skills. You learn not to engage in self-destructive behavior.

You learn not to burn up energy in anxiety. You discover how to manage your tensions. You learn that self-pity and resentment are among the most toxic of drugs. You find that the world loves talent but pays off on character.

“You come to understand that most NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE people are neither for you nor against you; they are thinking about themselves. You learn that no matter how hard you try to please, some people in this world are not going to love you, a lesson that is at first troubling and then really quite relaxing.”

Gardner goes on in this wise way. And then, at the end, he goes into a peroration about leading a meaningful life. “Meaning is something you build into your life. You build it out of your own past, out of your affections and loyalties, out of the experience of humankind as it is passed on to you. ... You are the only one who can put them together into that unique pattern that will be your life.” Gardner puts “meaning” at the apogee of human existence. His speech reminded me how often we’ve heard that word over the past decades. As my Times colleague April Lawson puts it, “meaning” has become the stand-in concept for everything the soul yearns for and seeks. It is one of the few phrases acceptable in modern parlance to describe a fundamentally spiritual need.

Yet what do we mean when we use the word meaning?

The first thing we mean is that life should be about more than material success. The person leading a meaningful life has found some way of serving others that leads to a feeling of significance.

Second, a meaningful life is more satisfying than a merely happy life.

Happiness is about enjoying the present; meaning is about dedicating oneself to the future. Happiness is about receiving; meaningfulness is about giving. Happiness is about upbeat moods and nice experiences. People leading meaningful lives experience a deeper sense of satisfaction.

In this way, meaning is an uplifting state of consciousness. It’s what you feel when you’re serving things beyond self.

Yet it has to be said, as commonly used today, the word is flabby and vacuous, the product of a culture that has grown inarticulate about inner life.

Let me put it this way: If we look at the people in history who achieved great things – like Nelson Mandela or Albert Schweitzer or Abraham Lincoln – it wasn’t because they wanted to bathe luxuriously in their own sense of meaningfulness. They had objective and eternally true standards of justice and injustice. They were indignant when those eternal standards were violated. They subscribed to moral systems – whether secular or religious – that recommended specific ways of being, and had specific structures of what is right and wrong, and had specific disciplines about how you might get better over time.

Meaningfulness tries to replace structures, standards and disciplines with self-regarding emotion. The ultimate authority of meaningful is the warm tingling we get when we feel significant and meaningful. Meaningfulness tries to replace moral systems with the emotional corona that surrounds acts of charity. It’s a paltry substitute. Because meaningfulness is built solely on an emotion, it is contentless and irreducible. Because it is built solely on emotion, it’s subjective and relativistic. You get meaning one way. I get meaning another way. Who is any of us to judge another’s emotion?

Because it’s based solely on sentiment, it is useless. There are no criteria to determine what kind of meaningfulness is higher. There’s no practical manual that would help guide each of us as we move from shallower forms of service to deeper ones. There is no hierarchy of values that would help us select, from among all the things we might do, that activity which is highest and best to do.

Because it’s based solely on emotion, it’s fleeting. When the sensations of meaningful go away then the cause that once aroused them gets dropped, too. Ennui floods in. Personal crisis follows. There’s no reliable ground.

The philosophy of meaningfulness emerges in a culture in which there is no common moral vocabulary or framework. It emerges amid radical pluralism, when people don’t want to judge each other. Meaningfulness emerges when the fundamental question is, do we feel good?

Real moral systems are based on a balance of intellectual rigor and aroused moral sentiments. Meaningfulness is pure and self-regarding feeling, the NutraSweet of the inner life.

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David Brooks

Presidents & the Economy Suddenly, or so it seems, the U.S. economy is looking better. Things have been looking up for a while, but at this point the signs of improvement – job gains, rapidly growing GDP, rising public confidence – are unmistakable.

The improving economy is surely one factor in President Barack Obama’s rising approval rating. And there’s a palpable sense of panic among Republicans, despite their victory in the midterms. They expected to run in 2016 against a record of failure; what do they do if the economy is looking pretty good?

Well, that’s their problem. What I want to ask instead is whether any of this makes sense. How much influNEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE ence does the occupant of the White House have on the economy, anyway?

The standard answer among economists, at least when they aren’t being political hacks, is: not much. But is this time different?

To understand why economists usually downplay the economic role of presidents, let’s revisit a muchmythologized episode in U.S. economic history: the recession and recovery of the 1980s.

On the right, of course, the 1980s are remembered as an age of miracles wrought by the blessed Reagan, who cut taxes, conjured up the magic of the marketplace and led the nation to job gains never matched before or since. In reality, the 16 million jobs America added during the Reagan years were only slightly more than the 14 million added over the previous eight years. And a later president – Bill something-or-other – presided over the creation of 22 million jobs. But who’s counting?

In any case, however, serious analyses of the Reagan-era business cycle place very little weight on Reagan, and emphasize instead the role of the Federal Reserve, which sets monetary policy and is largely independent of the political process. At the beginning of the 1980s, the Fed, under the leadership of Paul Volcker, was determined to bring inflation down, even at a heavy price; it tightened policy, sending interest rates sky high, with mortgage rates going above 18 percent. What followed was a severe recession that drove unemployment to double digits but also broke the wage-price spiral.

Then the Fed decided that America had suffered enough. It loosened the reins, sending interest rates plummeting and housing starts soaring. And the

Paul Krugman

economy bounced back. Reagan got the political credit for “morning in America,” but Volcker was actually responsible for both the slump and the boom.

The point is that normally the Fed, not the White House, rules the economy. Should we apply the same rule to the Obama years?

Not quite.

For one thing, the Fed has had a hard time gaining traction in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, because the aftermath of a huge housing and mortgage bubble has left private spending relatively unresponsive to interest rates. This time around, monetary policy really needed help from a temporary increase in government spending, which meant that the president could have made a big difference. And he did, for a while; politically, the Obama stimulus may have been a failure, but an overwhelming majority of economists believe that it helped mitigate the slump.

Since then, however, scorched-earth Republican opposition has more than reversed that initial effort. In fact, federal spending adjusted for inflation and population growth is lower now than it was when Obama took office; at the same point in the Reagan years, it was up more than 20 percent. So much, then, for fiscal policy.

There is, however, another sense in which Obama has arguably made a big difference. The Fed has had a hard time getting traction, but it has at least made an effort to boost the economy – and it has done so despite ferocious attacks from conservatives, who have accused it again and again of “debasing the dollar” and setting the stage for runaway inflation. Without Obama to shield its independence, the Fed might well have been bullied into raising interest rates, which would have been disastrous. So the president has indirectly aided the economy by helping to fend off the hard-money mob.

Last but not least, even if you think Obama deserves little or no credit for good economic news, the fact is his opponents have spent years claiming that his bad attitude – he has been known to suggest, now and then, that some bankers have behaved badly – is somehow responsible for the economy’s weakness. Now that he’s presiding over unexpected economic strength, they can’t just turn around and assert his irrelevance.

So is the president responsible for the accelerating recovery? No. Can we nonetheless say that we’re doing better than we would be if the other party held the White House? Yes. Do those who were blaming Obama for all our economic ills now look like knaves and fools? Yes, they do. And that’s because they are.

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‘Into the Woods’ is An AIDS Parable

Stunningly pleasing to the ears, eyes and intellect, Stephen Sondheim’s Tony Award winning Broadway play from the 1980s, “Into the Woods,” is now a much-deserved hit in its movie version, Oscar-bound with stellar performances by Meryl Streep and a host of other stars.

Putting two superstar artistic geniuses – Sondheim and Streep – in the same production sends it soaring above an uncommonly fertile season for motion pictures, and even though it is a Disney film, few punches are pulled, really, in presenting this often funny but ultimately dark cautionary tale.

In what is, in the stage version, the beginning of Act Two, an assembly of famous fairy tale characters having arrived deep in the woods – Cinderella, Falls Church news-press Jack (of the beanstalk), Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and their ancillaries – as well as a witch (Streep) and a baker and his wife looking to conceive by doing the witch’s bidding, can’t settle for the good things they wound up with at the end of Act One. They sing together as Act Two opens, “I never thought I could be so happy!” But soon they start wanting more, each in their own way, such that some of them comment shortly after, “Wishes may bring problems, such that you regret them.”

Everything is downhill from there, with the arrival of a nasty giant that Jack’s planted seeds permitted to arrive, but moreover, human foibles of greed, licentiousness, betrayal and excess lead to death upon death until almost no one is left.

While this cautionary tale, as with many fairy tales of old, carries this unmistakeable message, there is still another level to it. So argues Ester Bloom writing for the online blog Talking Points Memo last week.

She contends convincingly that the book by James Lapine and lyrics by Sondheim are a slightly-disguised parable about the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s.

The musical is the third most popular being performed at high schools since its inception, but most of those are “junior versions” that exclude Act Two. Bloom writes, “Sex and death are at the heart of the show..for a reason: Stephen Sondheim, a gay man working in theater in New York City, created the show in the eighties at the height of the AIDS epidemic.”

“The characters are plucky, independent and appealing; although they commit various sins in order to reach personal fulfillment, we root for them and want them to succeed. And they do. They get laid, get married, get pregnant, get rich. Yet, after the curtain rises on Act Two, they (and we) learn that unintended consequences descend even on those who don’t deserve them,” she wrote.

Indeed, this interpretation becomes evident to anyone who lived through the AIDS epidemic, as I did, and the 600,000 mostly young gay male lives it took in the U.S. (I called it the U.S. gay world’s “AIDS Dark Age” in my book, Extraordinary Hearts. It ran from 1974 when the HIV virus likely began spreading invisibly in the context of a growing counterculture-induced excess in urban gay scenes, through 1981 when people started getting sick and dying, to 1996, when Time magazine named as its “Man of the Year” Dr. David Ho, inventor of the “cocktail” that ended the epidemic’s automatic and horrid death sentence.)

It’s just not Sondheim’s style to simply come out and say this is what the play is about. He wants his work to have a more universal appeal, not like the explicit AIDS themes of the Academy Awardwinning Tom Hanks tour de force, “Philadelphia,” Tony Kushner’s epic “Angels in America,” the Tony Award-winning “Rent,” or Larry Kramer’s recently revived and acclaimed, “The Normal Heart.”

But in just this way, however, Sondheim embraced the AIDS epidemic within the broader world of universally human shortcomings.

So, he contended, AIDS is not unique to gays. AIDS does not set gay people apart, it is a consequence of things that make us all human and fallible.

This defines a great artistic achievement by which gays could be healed from all that and fashion a new self-esteem based on something much better.

january 8 - 14, 2015 | PAGE 13

Nicholas F. Benton

 Nicholas Benton may be emailed at nfbenton@fcnp.com.

Privlege of ‘Arrest Without Incident’ The day after Christmas, a shooter terrorized the streets of a Chattanooga, Tennessee, neighborhood.

According to the local newspaper, the shooter was “wearing body armor” and “firing multiple shots out her window at people and cars.” One witness told the paper that the shooter was “holding a gun out of the window as if it were a cigarette.”

There’s more: “Officers found two people who said they were at a stop sign when a woman pulled up in a dark-colored sedan and fired shots into their vehicle, hitting and disabling the radiator. Then more calls reported a woman pointing a firearm at people as she passed them in her car, and that she fired at another vehicle in the same area.”

When police officers came upon the shooter, the shooter led them on a chase. The shooter even pointed the gun at a police officer.

Surely this was not going to end well.

We’ve all seen in recent months what came of people who NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE did far less. Surely in this case officers would have been justified in using whatever force they saw fit. Right?

According to the paper, the shooter was “taken into custody without incident or injury.”

Who was this shooter anyway? Julia Shields, a 45-year-old white woman.

Take a moment and consider this. Take a long moment. It is a good thing that officers took her in “without incident or injury,” of course, but can we imagine that result being universally the case if a shooter looks different? Would this episode have ended this way if the shooter had been male, or black, or both?

It’s an unanswerable question, but nevertheless one that deserves pondering. Every case is different. Police officers are human beings making split-second decisions – often informed by fears – about when to use force and the degree of that force.

But that truth is also the trap. How and why are our fears constructed and activated? The American mind has been poisoned, from this country’s birth, against minority populations. People of color, particularly African-American men, have been caught up in a twister of macroaggressions and micro ones.

No amount of ignoring can alleviate it; no amount of achieving can ameliorate it.

Charles M. Blow

And in a few seconds, or fractions of a second, before the conscious mind can catch up to the racing heart, decisions are made that can’t be unmade. Dead is forever.

It’s hard to read stories like this and not believe that there is a double standard in the use of force by the police. Everyone needs to be treated as though his or her life matters. More suspected criminals need to be detained and tried in a court of law and not sentenced on the street to a rain of bullets.

It is no wonder that whites and blacks have such divergent views of treatment by the police. As The Washington Post noted recently about a poll it conducted with ABC News, only about 2 in 10 blacks “say they are confident that the police treat whites and blacks equally, whether or not they have committed a crime.” In contrast, 6 in 10 whites “have confidence that police treat both equally.”

Michael Brown was unarmed. (Some witnesses in Ferguson, Missouri, say he had his hands up. Others say he charged an officer.) Eric Garner was unarmed on a Staten Island street.Tamir Rice was 12 years old, walking around a Cleveland park and holding a toy gun that uses nonlethal plastic pellets, but he didn’t shoot at anyone. John Crawford was in an Ohio Wal-Mart, holding, but not shooting, an air rifle he had picked up from a store shelf. The police say Antonio Martin had a gun and pointed it at a police officer in Berkeley, Missouri, but didn’t fire it. And Tuesday, the police say, a handgun was “revealed” during a New Jersey traffic stop of a car Jerame C. Reid was in.

But none had the privilege of being “arrested without incident or injury.” They were all black, all killed by police officers. Brown was shot through the head.

Garner was grabbed around the neck in a chokehold, tossed to the ground and held there, even as he pleaded that he couldn’t breathe; it was all caught on video.

Rice was shot within two seconds of the police officers’ arrival on the scene. Crawford, Martin and Reid were also cut down by police bullets. In the cases that have been heard by grand juries, the grand juries have refused to indict the officers.

Maybe one could argue that in some of those cases the officers were within their rights to respond with lethal force. Maybe. But shouldn’t the use of force have equal application? Shouldn’t it be color- and genderblind? Shouldn’t more people, in equal measures, be taken in and not taken out?

Why weren’t these black men, any of them, the recipients of the same use of force – or lack thereof – as Julia Shields?

comme nt

PAGE 14 | JANUARY 8 - 14, 2015

A Penny for Your Thoughts

News of Greater Falls Church

By Supervisor Penny Gross

In perhaps his last appearance as a Congressman-elect, Don Beyer addressed a couple hundred attendees at the annual Democratic Road to Richmond brunch on Sunday. In a brief talk, he demonstrated his diplomatic skills honed as Ambassador to Switzerland, and looked forward to serving in the new Congress, representing the 8th Congressional District of Virginia. About half of Mason District is in the 8th; the other half is represented by 11th District Congressman Gerry Connolly, who also spoke to the brunch attendees.

Both men said they looked forward to serving together on behalf of Northern Virginians, but also commented on the need to get things done in Congress. Economy and infrastructure are two items high on their agenda. Both men were sworn into office on Tuesday as the 114th Congress got underway.

At the state level, the Virginia General Assembly begins its “short” session on January 14 in Richmond.

Traditionally, the General Assembly meets in a 45 day session in odd-numbered years, and the longer 60-day session in even-numbered years, unless called back into session by the Governor. At the brunch, State Senator Janet Howell (D-32) and Delegate Scott Surovell (D-44) outlined their expectations for the coming session. Both indicated that many legislative initiatives will face significant challenges in Richmond, due both to philosophy and a dire state budget. Senator Howell also commented about the very real possibility that the General Assembly will have to address redistricting as a result of court challenges.

At the local level, Board Chairman Sharon Bulova outlined the county’s legislative requests

for the General Assembly. Of primary importance, Chairman Bulova said, is a concern that changing funding formulas will create severe problems for local governments in meeting the needs of constituents. Local governments, she said, are willing to work with the Governor and the General Assembly to find solutions to budget shortfalls, but changes to funding formulas in the past have been detrimental to local government budgets, and should be avoided.

On a happier note, the World Police and Fire Games, coming to Fairfax County from June 26 to July 5, will bring more than 12,000 athletes and 30,000 visitors from public safety departments across the globe. Last held in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 2013, the bi-annual event is the largest multi-sport event in the world, larger than the Summer Olympics. The Games will provide an opportunity to showcase Fairfax County, Northern Virginia, and the metropolitan region.

All of the competitions are free to spectators, and most of the sports venues will be in Fairfax County.

This week’s snowstorm was surprisingly heavy, after initial weather service reports of only one or two inches. It was a reminder, though, of the need to be prepared for any eventuality. Having a full tank of fuel, clearing windshield and all vehicle windows (and the roof) before setting out, and paying attention to road conditions and those around you are good rules of the road. Stay safe.  Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Congressman Beyer’s News Commentary

A Journey’s Beginning

By Donald S. Beyer

It’s been exactly 51 weeks since Congressman Jim Moran announced his retirement after 24 years. His announcement launched me, and my wife Megan, on an incredible journey beginning in January and ending Tuesday, when I swore my oath of office as Congressman for the 8th District of Virginia. But the truth is that was really only the beginning of a much bigger journey, a journey that Megan and I feel like we have been preparing for our whole lives.

Northern Virginia is one of the most intelligent, diverse, and engaged constituencies in our country. We count ourselves very lucky to live here. The chance to represent such a district in Congress is a great honor a great responsibility.

The 8th District encompasses all of Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, and much of Fairfax County. Of course, the city and people of Falls Church will

always hold a special place in my heart. For 40 years, my family has lived and done business in Falls Church. My sister, and 91-year-old father still call the Little City home. Falls Church is also home to some of the most civically active and engaged citizens in our Commonwealth, and our Country.

Today’s edition marks the first of my weekly columns with the Falls Church News-Press, a tradition started by Congressman Jim Moran. We have seen remarkable progress in recent years in how constituents connect with their elected officials, but it is important to recognize that communication must go both ways. I will always communicate and explain the actions of the House of Representatives. In turn, I invite your response and your visits to my Congressional office.

I am very lucky to be serving just across the river from my

home. This week we moved into our Capitol Hill office on the fourth floor of the Cannon House Office Building. On our first day in the office nearly 300 constituents streamed through our doors for an open house to celebrate the start of the 114th Congress.

For all those of you who were not able to join us yesterday, I hope you will take a moment to visit my website at beyer.house.gov, like my new Facebook page (/ RepDonBeyer) and follow me on Twitter @RepDonBeyer. And do not hesitate to contact my office at (202) 225 4376. I hope you will follow along with me as I take on my first couple of days and weeks in office.

I am so proud to act as your representative in the Congress, and so glad to have you along with me on this journey. I look forward to writing to you here, and urge you to contact me and my staff to tell us how we can help you.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

From the Front Row: Kaye Kory’s

Richmond Report The most pressing issue facing the Commonwealth in the 2015 legislative session beginning next Wednesday, Jan. 14, is to deal with the ongoing revenue shortfall in the Virginia budget.

Our revenue shortfall is largely attributable to drastically reduced Federal spending in Virginia resulting from sequestration and related cuts. These cuts reduce Virginia private sector employment directly and state and local government employment and spending indirectly. This trend is continuing in Virginia despite robust turnaround and growth in other regions of the country. It is probably impolite of me to point out that these circumstances undercut the prior political claims of Republicans and Democrats alike that their visionary policies were responsible for Virginia’s robust economic development over the past 15 years.

If ever there was a time for ideologues on both sides of the aisle to “get real” on economic issues, now is that time. I intend to focus my efforts during the session on pressing for pragmatic, fiscally responsible solutions that produce tangible offsets to the fiscal pressures we are facing. The most significant single positive step we should take is, finally, to acknowledge the reality that the Affordable Care Act is here to stay. By accepting Medicaid expansion under the ACA, the legislature would be acting to increase revenues to the Commonwealth by $5 million per day! Some fraction of this amount would offset Virginia General Fund expenditures directly. Most of this total would flow through to employment in the Virginia health care sector; and, BTW, 400,000 uninsured working Virginians would benefit from access to health insurance. What coherent, principled argument can possibly be made that legislators responsible to all Virginians – not just the wealthy, the privileged and the tea party – should continue to reject the return to Virginia of funds that our taxpayers have already paid to the IRS!! [Please forgive the excessive punctuation.] Many Chamber of Commerce members and the large majority of public and private health care professionals continue to urge the legislature to find a way to accept these funds.

This is my priority number one.

I have also introduced common sense legislation that is both good public policy and

would lead to tangible reduction of spending in the criminal justice sector: decriminalization of marijuana for personal use.

Without question, the tide has turned at a national level against lengthy incarceration for nonviolent drug-related offenses.

Today, there is virtually universal acknowledgement of the disparate impact on African American and Hispanic communities of current drug law enforcement practices.

For most non-violent offenders, lengthy prison sentences for drug law violations are an expensive and ineffective approach to dealing with social problems that lead to these behaviors. Nationally, the trend is clear. Marijuana will be available legally in more places and in more forms. This change will certainly impact Virginia, but with the composition of the current General Assembly, any move toward legalization would be DOA. My legislation is not legalization. Rather it seeks to reduce the role of courts and prisons in dealing with drug problems. Virginia should be a leader in this national process, rather than a laggard.

I will also support efforts to extend in-state tuition benefits to undocumented Virginia residents who qualify as “Dreamers” under President Obama’s DACA order. The current immigration policy debate in Washington is mostly a litmus test for “crazy.”

Despite the most aggressive, onerous and effective immigration enforcement efforts by any President ever, Republicans continue to seek political advantage by inciting Americans with the claim that President Obama is giving America away to the foreign criminals among us. On this issue, the right has taken leave of its senses even more than on climate change denial. The logistics and economics of deportation obviously don’t work. Among our 11 million undocumented residents are millions who are and/or will be parents of millions of American citizens; millions who are paying billions in taxes; hundreds of thousands who will become successful entrepreneurs/job creators; and so on. We can either deal with it or bury our heads in the sand. I prefer the light.  Delegate Kory represents the 38th District in the Virginia House of Delegates. She may be emailed at DelKKory@house. virginia.gov.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

A nything

but

S t ra ig ht

TLC’s ‘Ex-Gay’ Show

This week, Florida became the 36th state to allow gay couples to marry. The world is rapidly moving forward. It’s incredible to be alive and watch an ancient prejudice diminish by the day.

Unfortunately, not everyone is marching forward into the 21st Century.

Even today, gay people who grow up in conservative faith traditions are under pressure to conform. If they come out of closet, they are frequently ostracized.

If they are honest and open, they can go from insider to exile in a blink. This can create a soul-crushing crisis. A person is forced to choose between their sexuality and spirituality; their freedom and their faith; their happiness and their holiness.

Of course, this is a false choice. There are many LGBT people of faith, while several mainstream religions support full equality.

Furthermore, every medical and mental health organization in America states that homosexuality is not a mental illness.

But there is little solace for those tormented gay people who are told they must learn to fit in or be thrown out. Into this cauldron of guilt and shame, many gay people are browbeaten into marrying the opposite sex. The fact is, these relationships rarely work and are usually destined for failure. But many churches don’t care about the human toll; the suffering; the sadness that occurs when these arranged marriages collapse. They see the destruction of these families as collateral damage – necessary to maintain a façade.

Unfortunately, the cable network TLC has chosen to exploit the people going thorough this existential faith crisis. On Sunday, January 11, TLC will air a so-called reality show called, “My Husband’s Not Gay.” TLC will follow a group of Mormon men who actually are gay – but have chosen to suppress their sexual orientation and marry women. The men that TLC is following are not ordinary Mormons. They are part of North Star, a so-called “ex-gay” activist organization based in Utah. This group uses junk science to portray LGBT people as inferior. They unethically employ guilt to humiliate people into following in their woefully misguided footsteps.

For TLC to be spotlighting such unstable marriages is reckless and irresponsible. This is not reality TV, but propaganda from Mormon extremists who want to persuade young gay and lesbian people to surrender their humanity and embrace marriages that are likely doomed to fail and cause great unhappiness.

The goal of North Star is to use TLC to manipulate impressionable, terrified LGBT teenagers who live in conservative religious homes. The result of family rejection can be dangerous, if not deadly. A 2009 study

by San Francisco State researcher Caitlin Ryan shows that LGBT teens who experienced negative feedback from their family when they came out were eight times more likely to have attempted suicide, six times as vulnerable to severe depression, and three times more likely to use drugs.

And then there are the spouses who are dragged into these dramas. They are often lied to – and told that their spouse is attracted to them – when this is usually not the case. This leads to an unsatisfying marriage and psychological trauma. When the travesty ends, the jilted spouse has to pick up the pieces of his or her shattered life and start all over again from scratch.

In what universe is such dishonesty and deceit considered good morality or family values?

It is disgraceful that TLC is airing “My Husband’s Not Gay.” For decades, the Religious Right has promoted such “ex-gay” programs, and these hubristic experiments have repeatedly failed. Several of the most prominent spokespeople have recanted their views and expressed deep sorrow for the pain their work caused over the years.

Alan Chambers, who ran the now defunct Exodus International, admitted that 99.9 percent of those he encountered in the movement never changed their sexual orientation. John Paulk, who was once the poster boy for the movement, appearing on the cover of Newsweek in 1998 with his then wife, now is living as an openly gay man and apologizing to those who were hurt by his work. Recently, Yvette Cantu Schneider, who once held prominent roles in the religious right advocating for reparative therapy, recanted her past work and now speaks out as an advocate for LGBT equality. John Smid, one of the former stars of the “ex-gay” movement, recently married a man in Oklahoma, and has been working to repair the damage done by his previous work.

If TLC actually cared about reality TV it would scrap the current series. In its place, they would produce a show about the spouses who had their lives ruined by marrying closeted gay men or women. It would depict how these people had their lives left in ruins. It would portray how these brave souls are moving forward to rebuild their lives from the wreckage. This would be Reality TV – that would reflect, well, reality.

Wayne Besen

COMMENT

JANUARY 8 - 14, 2015 | PAGE 15

Our Man in Arlington

By Charlie Clark

Women in public office. It may seem normal today – look at Arlington’s School Board with four of five members female, and our County Board with two of five.

But it was not long ago when “women made the coffee and the men ran for office,” I was reminded recently by longtime Arlington political activist Vivian Kallen, herself an early distaff candidate for state delegate in 1969.

Kallen chalks up progress to the legacy of the late Kathryn H. Stone, a “legendary figure in the history of Arlington County and the Commonwealth,” as it was phrased in a resolution commemorating Stone’s achievements passed by the General Assembly in February 2001.

Today, Kallen worries, Stone risks falling into obscurity because of a “vanishing” generation of citizens who knew her and appreciated her courage.

As the first female state delegate from Northern Virginia, Stone spent 12 years (1954-66) battling the Byrd Machine on the poll tax, rural domination of apportionment and the state’s “massive resistance” to Supreme Court-ordered school desegregation.

Urged to run by Arlington attorney and civil rights lead-

er Edmund Campbell, Stone braved her way to defending the NAACP’s lawsuits. “She received threatening phone calls, and legislators got off the elevator when she got on,” says Kallen, who once helped arrange an exhibit on Stone at the Arlington Central Library.

“She took it all and never backed down.”

The Iowa-born Stone, before moving to South Arlington’s Ridge Road neighborhood, established herself as a theorist by coauthoring two books on the city manager form of government. As an organizer in 1944 she became the first president of Arlington/ Alexandria League of Women Voters.

When the segregationists were defeated in the late 1950s, Kallen says, Gov. James Almand summoned Stone and said, “I’ve lost this battle, so help me make constructive use of this situation.”

Stone also worked on JFK’s Presidential Commission on the Status of Women, later seeking funding for health, education and mental health.

In Richmond, she introduced a bill to establish a State Commission on the Status of Women. It failed, but nonetheless it prompted Gov. Albertis Harrison to create such a body.

Stone became a plaintiff in a 1964 Supreme Court case chal-

C i t y o f Fa l l s C h u r c h

CRIME REPORT Week of December 29, 2014 - January 4, 2015 Smoking In a Non-Designated Area, 6795 Wilson Blvd. #2 (Café Gio) On Dec. 29, a male, 40, of Annandale; a male, 46, of Arlington; a male, 40, of Falls Church, were cited for Smoking In a NonDesignated Area.

Smoking In a Non-Designated Area, 6795 Wilson Blvd. #52 (Café Dang) On Dec. 29, a male, 42, of Burke, was cited for Smoking In a Non-Designated Area.

Larceny from Vehicle, 6607 Wilson Blvd. (BJ’s Wholesale) On Dec. 29, police received a report that an unknown suspect smashed a car window and stole personal items.

Underage Possession of Alcohol, 100 block Birch St. On Dec. 30, a female, 18, of Falls Church; and a

female, 19, of McLean, were arrested and released on summons for Underage Possession of Alcohol.

Trespass, 6795 Wilson Blvd. #2 (Café Gio) On Dec. 30, a male, 57, no fixed address, was arrested and released on summons for Trespassing.

Narcotics Violation, Identity Theft, False ID to Law Enforcement, and Public Drunkenness, 6757 Wilson Blvd. #15 (H2O Restaurant) On Dec. 30, a male, 41, of Landover, MD, was arrested for Possession of Cocaine, Identity Theft, False ID to Law Enforcement, and Public Drunkenness.

Robbery, 1100 block Seaton Ln. On Dec. 31, the suspect demanded the victims’ belongings. A weapon was implied but not seen. The suspect is described as a White or Hispanic male approximately 20-25 years old and between 5’9 and 6’ tall

lenging Virginia’s reapportionment plan that gave rural areas more seats than heavily populated urban areas.

Using her local government expertise, she helped launch Virginia’s first regional planning commission, which became the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Kallen notes.

She also served on a commission to create Arlington’s merit personnel system, the state’s first.

“Kathryn had a sharp intellect but was no glad-hander,” recalls Kallen, who taught political science at Northern Virginia Community College.

Former County Board member Joe Wholey called Stone a “giant, and I feel she was head and shoulders above 90 percent of the people in public office today,” Kallen adds.

When Stone died in 1995, at age 88, “there were not many buildings to name after her,” Kallen says. “Honoring her would tell us a lot about our community, our history, about times we’d rather forget.” Stone’s papers are in the Special Collections Library at the University of Virginia.

The late County Board member Ellen Bozman called her “the mother of us all.” But Stone’s legacy reaches beyond liberal Democrats. In early January, the new representative to Congress from Virginia’s 10th District will be conservative, Republican and female Barbara Comstock. with a slim build.

Assault, and Hit & Run Crash, 1200 block W. Broad St. On Jan. 1, police received a report that a driver used his vehicle to assault the victim and fled the scene.

Larceny from Vehicle, 200 block N. Lee St. On Jan. 2, police received a report that miscellaneous items were stolen from an unlocked vehicle.

Larceny from Building, 417 W. Broad St. (Quick Copy) On Jan. 2, police received a report that an unattended purse was stolen.

Larceny from Building, 200 block E. Fairfax St. On Jan. 3, police received a report that an unknown person stole personal items from a storage room.

Driving Under the Influence, 6600 block Wilson Blvd. On Jan. 4, a male, 31, of Falls Church, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence.

Assault, 6757 Wilson Blvd. #9 (Phu Hung Sandwich) On Jan. 4, a male, 50, of Annandale, was arrested for Assault.

CALENDAR

PAGE 16 | january 8 - 14, 2015

Community Events

Thursday, January 8

Saturday, January 10

Preschool Storytime. Stories, finger plays and songs for children ages 2 – 5 on Monday and Thursday every week. Mary Riley Styles Public Library’s Youth Services Room (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). Free. 10:30 – 11 a.m.

703-248-5034.

Early Literacy Center. Explore educational and manipulative items to teach early literacy through play on Monday and Thursday every week. This program is for ages birth to 5 years. No registration required.

Mary Riley Styles Public Library’s Youth Services Room (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). Free.

11 a.m. – noon. 703-248-5034.

F.C. Rotary Club Meeting. Harvest Moon Restaurant (7260 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). $15 dinner.

6:30 p.m.

F.C. Farmers’ Market. Vendors offer fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables, cheeses, meats, baked goods, plants, and wine. City Hall Parking Lot (300 Park Ave., Falls Church). Free. 9 a.m. – noon. 703248-5077.

Site Dedication. The Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation will cutting the ribbon on the Tinner Hill Historic Site. There will be a reception following the ribbon cutting at Creative Cauldron.

Tinner Hill Historic Site (106 Tinner Hill, Falls Church). 1 p.m. tinnerhill.org.

Scatology. Children ages 6 – 10 are invited to Long Branch Nature Center & Park to learn more about the study of animal droppings. Children can practice identifying scat and make fake scat to take home. Registration required. Long Branch Nature Center & Park (625 S. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington). $5. 3 – 4 p.m. 703-228-6535.

Friday, January 9 DMV2Go. A full-service DMV on wheels that’s open to all Virginia residents. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Falls Church). Prices vary. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. fallschurchva.gov/DMV2Go. Wine Tasting. One More Page is hosting a wine tasting.

One More Page Books (2200 N. Westmoreland St. #101, Arlington). Free. 6:30 – 8 p.m.

&

Sunday, January 11 Senior Ice Skating. Senior ice skating is held weekly at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Ballston. Plenty of parking for $1 on Level 8 (roof level) of the Ballston Common Mall parking garage. Kettler Capitals Iceplex at

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Send community event submissions to the News-Press by e-mail at calendar@fcnp. com; fax 703-342-0347; or by regular mail to 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church, VA 22046. Please include any photos or artwork with submissions. Deadline is Monday at noon for each week’s edition.

Ballston (627 N. Glebe Rd. #800, Arlington). $1. 8 – 9 a.m. 703-2284745.

Monday, January 12 Practice Your English. People learning English can come to this conversation group to practice what they’ve learned. Thomas Jefferson Library (7415 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 10:30 a.m. – noon. 703-573-1060.

Paws to Read. Children ages 5 years and older can read to a therapy dog. Thomas Jefferson Library (7415 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church).

3:30 – 5 p.m. 703-573-1060.

Tuesday, January 13 Preschool Storytime. Stories, finger plays and songs for children ages 18 – 36 months every Tuesday.

Mary Riley Styles Public Library’s Youth Services Room (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). Free.

10:30 – 11 a.m. 703-248-5034.

Artsplay Classes. Children ages 5 and up are invited to take this music, drama and movement program to encourage self-expression and imaginative play. The program includes 5 classes and families are expected to attend all classes.

Registration required. Thomas Jefferson Library (7415 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. 703-573-1060.

Kids’ Chess Club. Children between the ages 7 – 14 can learn to play chess. All skill levels are welcome.

Thomas Jefferson Library (7415 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 4 – 5 p.m. 703-573-1060.

Bring Us Your True Love Story. The St. Valentine’s Day contest at the Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library’s starts. The library is looking for entries of 200 words or less about the author’s personal love story. The most touching story will receive a $50 gift card to the Cheesecake Factory. See library staff for official rules. Submission must be by the close of business on Feb. 13. Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library (7584 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church). 703-790-4031.

Wednesday, January 14 Music and Movin’ with Miss Susan. Join Miss Susan for a celebration of music & movement. 9 months-5 years with adult. Thomas Jefferson Library (7415 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 10:30 – 11:15 a.m.

703-573-1060.

Let’s Play Bingo. Children ages 5 – 12 can drop-in to play bingo at the library. Mary Riley Styles Public Library’s Youth Services Room (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). Free. 7 p.m. 703-2485034.

Theater Fine Arts Thursday, January 8

“Choir Boy.” Tarrell Alvin McCraney wrote and Kent Gash is directing this music-filled production about masculinity, tradition, coming of age and honesty. The school has a tradtion of preparing young black men for leadership roles in society, but times and finances have changed, and the pressure on the school’s gospel choir is high. So when Pharus, an ambitious and talented student, is told told to ignore a gay slur to take his place as the choir’s leader, he has to decide who he is and what he’s willing to fight for. Through Feb. 22.

Studio Theatre (1501 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C). $20 – $68. 8 p.m. studiotheatre.org.

Friday, January 9

“Beauty and The Beast.” In this brand-new adaptation Synetic Theater’s players draw on

the darkness and sensuality of the original French fairy tale to create a passionate and Gothic romance. Ben and Peter Curtis adapted the fairy tale into a play, Ben Curtis, a member of Synetic Theater, is directing, Paata Tsikurishivili is producing and Irina Tsikurishivili choreographed this production.

The production is primarily movement-based with some dialogue and is family-friendly with some scarier moments. Through Jan. 11. Synetic Theater (1800 S. Bell St., Arlington). $25 – $100. 8 p.m. synetictheater.org.

“Bad Jews.” This savage comedy written by Joshua Harmon follows three cousins and their verbal battle royale over a family heirloom. There is Daphna the pious, volatile, self-assured and unbending cousin and Liam, who is secular, entitled and just as stubborn as Daphna. Then there is Liam’s brother Jonah, who tries to stay

out of the fray and honor his grandfather’s memory in his own way in this show about family, faith and identity politics. Through Jan. 11.

Studio Theatre (1501 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C). $20 – $68. 8 p.m. studiotheatre.org.

saturday, January 10

“Diner.” This is the debut of nine-time Grammy Award winner Sheryl Crow and Academy Award winner Barry Levinson’s musical adaptation of the 1982 landmark film about a circle of childhood friends who reunite around Christmas time in 1959 Baltimore for an upcoming wedding. Three-time Tony Award winner Kathleen Marshall joins Crow and Levinson as the director and choreographer of this production. Through Jan. 25. Signature Theatre (4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington). $29 – $80. 8 p.m. signature-theatre.org.

CALENDAR

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

live_music&nightlife Thursday, January 8

Friday, January 9

Jammin’ Java’s Mid-Atlantic Band Battle #12 Preliminary Round.

Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E., Vienna). $10 – $15 in advance. $13 – $15 day of the show. 6:30 p.m.

703-255-1566.

The 9 Songwriter Series. 9:30 (815 V St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $15. 7 p.m. 202-265-0930.

Vinx Quartet. Bohemian Caverns (2011 11th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $18 online. $23 at the door.

7:30 p.m. 202-299-0800.

Jeff Daniels and The Ben Daniels Band. The Birchmere (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria). $35. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500.

Dobet Gnahore. Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Road, Vienna). $25 – $30. 8 p.m.

703-255-1900.

Lazyeyes with Soft Peaks. Black Cat (1811 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $10. 8 p.m. 202-667-4490.

Chris Thomas King. Blues Alley (1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.). $24. 8 p.m. 202-337-4141.

The Devil Makes Three with Joe Pug. The Fillmore (8656 Colesville Road, Silver Spring). $25. 8:30 p.m. 301960-9999.

Alex Metric with Royal. U Street Music Hall (1115 U St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $15 in advance. $18 at the door. 9 p.m. 202-588-1880.

The Tone Rangers with The Chromatics and Venus d Minor.

Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E., Vienna). $15. 6:30 p.m. 703-2551566.

Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder. The Birchmere (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria). $39.50.

7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500.

Kap Slap with Breathe Carolina and Jai Wolf. 9:30 (815 V St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $18. 8 p.m. 202265-0930.

The Ying Quartet. Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Road, Vienna). $35. 8 p.m. 703255-1900.

Metalachi with Booze Riot. Black Cat (1811 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $12. 9 p.m. 202-667-4490.

Church Night. Black Cat (1811 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $10 in advance. $12 day of the show. 9 p.m. 202-667-4490.

Bobby Thompson Project. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 9 p.m. 703-241-9504.

The Days. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 10 p.m. 703237-8333.

The Knocks. U Street Music Hall (1115 U St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $15. 10 p.m. 202-588-1880.

Ryan Palladino. Dogwood Tavern

(132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 9:30 p.m. 703-237-8333.

Saturday, January 10 The Bayside Tigers. The State Theatre (220 N. Washington St., Falls Church). $15 in advance. $18 day of the show. 7 p.m. 703-237-0300.

The Pietasters with Askultura and Black Masala. 9:30 (815 V St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $15. 8 p.m. 202265-0930.

Giulia Rozzi. Black Cat (1811 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $10 in advance. $12 day of the show. 9 p.m. 202-667-4490.

Hypnotic Willie. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church).

9:30 p.m. 703-241-9504.

The Flannel Underground.

Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 10 p.m. 703-2378333.

Solomun with Juan Zapata and Philip Goyette. U Street Music Hall (1115 U St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $20. 10 p.m. 202-588-1880.

Sunday, January 11 Jammin’ Java’s Mid-Atlantic Band Battle #12 Preliminary Round.

Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E., Vienna). $10 – $15 in advance. $13 – $15 day of the show. 6:30 p.m.

703-255-1566.

David Cassidy. The Birchmere (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria). $45.

7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500.

Hall Brothers Tribute to Conway Twitty and Buck Owens. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8 p.m. 703-2419504.

Monday, January 12 Robbie Schaefer. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E., Vienna). $10. 6 p.m.

703-255-1566.

january 8 - 14, 2015 | PAGE 17

Soulcial Hour. Blues Alley (1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.). $20. 8 p.m. 202-337-4141.

Tuesday, January 13 Symphonic Refrain with Duke Walker and Curtain Club. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E., Vienna). $10 – $15 in advance. $13 – $15 day of the show. 6:30 p.m. 703-255-1566.

Cheri Maree. Blues Alley (1073

Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.). $20. 8 p.m. 202-337-4141.

Wednesday, January 14 Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven.

9:30 (815 V St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $25. 6 p.m. 202-265-0930.

Seether with Papa Roach, Kyng and Islander. The Fillmore (8656 Colesville Road, Silver Spring). $37.50.

6:30 p.m. 301-960-9999.

Anamanaguchi with Maxo. U Street Music Hall (1115 U St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $15. 7 p.m. 202588-1880.

Last Armistice with Technicians and Castle of Genre. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E., Vienna). $10 – $15 in advance. $13 – $15 day of the show. 7 p.m. 703-255-1566.

The Psychedelic Furs. The Birchmere (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria). $39.50. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500.

Kevin Toney 3. Blues Alley (1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.). $25. 8 p.m. 202-337-4141.

Couch Night with DJ James. Black Cat (1811 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). Free. 8 p.m. 202-667-4490.

Planning Ahead...

Sunday, January 18 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration. The McLean Community

B

eer is good. Tasting beer is even better. This Sunday, ThingstodoDC.com does the beer tasting thing, Old Worldstyle. The European Beer Tasting Tour takes a trip through Dupont with visits to four different bars featuring beer from four different European countries. Stops include Sauf Haus Bier Hall for some German brew, The Bier Baron Tavern for British beer, Zorbas for the Greek goodness and Irish Whiskey Public House for, well, you can probably figure that one out. The afternoon tour is $35 and includes tastings at each establishment but nobody will look at you sideways if you decide to fill up on a little more.

What: European Beer Tasting Tour of Dupont Circle When: Sunday, January 11, 3 - 5:30 p.m.

Where: Meet at Sauf Haus Bier Hall

1216 18th St. NW, Washington, D.C. See thingstododc.com for tickets and more information

Center is hosting Theatre IV’s production of the Bruce Craig Miller play “I Have a Dream,” which chronicles the impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. After the performance there will be service project benefitting SHARE of McLean. McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean). $10 – $15. 2 p.m. mcleancenter.org.

Saturday, January 24 – The One Man Band Peter McCory at the Library. Kids can drop in

to sing, jump, stomp, dance and play hand instruments with Peter McCory, a master of musical multi-tasking. Mary Riley Styles Public Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). Free. 11 – 11:45 a.m. fallschurchva.gov/424/Library.

Calendar Submissions Be sure to include time, location, cost of admission, contact person and any other pertinent information.

Event listings will be edited for content and space limitations. Please include any photos or artwork with submissions. Deadline is Monday at noon for the current week’s edition.

Email: calendar@fcnp.com Fax: 703-342-0347; Attn: FCNP Calendar Mail: 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church, VA 22046

FOOD&DINI nG

PAGE 18 | JANUARY 8 - 14, 2014

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Restaurant Spotlight

Mad Fox Brewing Company *HW \RXU IUHH (GHQ &HQWHU PDJQHWLF EXPSHU VWLFNHU DW

ZZZ HGHQFHQWHU FRP EORJ QHZV HYHQWV IUHH EXPSHU VWLFNHUV

www.edencenter.com

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444 West Broad Street, Falls Church 703-942-6840 • madfoxbrewing.com Monday - Wednesday: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Thursday - Saturday: 11 a.m. - midnight; Sunday: 10 a.m. - 11 p.m.

New Mad Fox chef Travis Weiss has done a whole lot of work since taking over the kitchen of the Falls Church brew pub last September. In less than four months, the menu has been overhauled with new dishes, daily specials – like Epic Burger Wednesday and Fried Chicken Monday – are now regular, weekly events and, perhaps most importantly, the kitchen’s new focus is using local ingredients.

Specifically, Mad Fox’s most local of ingredients: beer.

“When Mad Fox first opened, the original chef made beer a priority in dishes,” says Weiss. And he should know. While Weiss is the fourth executive chef at the restaurant this is not his first tour there – he was in the kitchen when it opened in 2010, working under chef Russell Cunningham. So, while the menu may have drifted away from beer-centric fare in recent years, Weiss is set on bringing it back.

Appetizers, or “Mad Snacks,” include a soft pretzel accompanied by whole-grain ale mustard and a beer-cheese fondue, mussels are served in a dark and mild ale and, the tastiest of the starters: pork belly bites, come to the table by the bowlful and coated in a black saison BBQ sauce. These little chunks of heaven are jam-packed with flavor and so wonderfully fatty, they practically melt in your mouth.

Soup and sandwiches also get hit with the brew as the Reuben features American pale ale-cooked corned beef and the everyday soup is a bowl of imperial porter and onion.

But the most beer-infused meal of them all is the drunken pork chop. The dinner dish features a hand-cut chop soaked in Kolsch for 48 hours, served along with beerbraised apples and cabbage and finished with an Orange Whip IPA glaze.

Mad Fox’s new lineup also features more seasonal dishes like the hummus which changes throughout the year. Last month, it featured pumpkins from Pennsylvania and now it’s Virginia Kabocha squash.

Pizza remains a big part of the menu and Weiss has added a trio of new pies to the mix. There’s the fiery Mad Brewer that starts with a Sriracha-garlic base before getting topped with aged mozzarella, roasted pork belly, red onion, parsley, chili flakes and whole ton of jalapeno. Trust us, it’s a face-ignitor. Also new is the buffalo wing-inspired Anchor Bar and the most popular of the new additions, The Carolina (named for Weiss’s wife), with beech, button and portobello mushrooms, black olives, black forest ham, mozzarella, parmesan and fresh basil.

Along with the new menu, Weiss has also introduced new regular weekly specials. Epic Burger Wednesdays are back and in full effect featuring a overloaded and tricked-out burger each Hump Day. Past creations include a Monte Cristo (deep-fried bun and all), a fried mac-and-cheese-topped burger and the most recent, The Liberty Bell, put a whole Philly steak-and-cheese on the beef. Also gaining popularity is new Fried Chicken Mondays when Weiss does a different take on the comfort food each week (the latest was a Rice Krispie-coating and the week before, cornmeal). Prep begins Friday when Weiss brines the birds, confits them in duck fat on Sunday and then fries them to order on Monday.

Other weekly specials include a mussel dish, a fish market sandwich at lunch and many more – this week alone featured six off-the-menu items.

While it is brew pub, Mad Fox caters to the whole family. In addition to children’s options for lunch and dinner, Mad Fox also serves brunch on Sundays complete with its own separate menu for the kids.

— Jody Fellows

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

H EALTH

&

HEALTH&FITNESS

F ITNESS

To Your Good Health

Many Things Can Cause Restless Leg Syndrome

by Keith Roach, M.D.

King Features Syndicate

DEAR DR. ROACH: Don’t forget that although there are many medical causes of restless leg syndrome, varicose veins also can be a source of symptoms, and we have cured many people of symptoms with minimally invasive varicose vein treatments.

We always recommend that if you have visible varicosities or strong family history of varicose veins, you should get an ultrasound to determine if you have venous insufficiency. The treatments have essentially no down time and can mean one less medication for many people. In addition, just because you can’t see visible varicosities does not mean you do not have venous insufficiency. We have patients with

YOUR LIFE. YOUR HEALTH. YOUR SMILE.

beautiful legs whose ultrasound reveals large veins under the surface. -- Melissa A. Sandman, M.D. ANSWER: Thank you for writing. Many people also have written about other causes and treatments for restless leg syndrome, so I wanted to talk a bit more about this important subject.

In addition to the iron deficiency I mentioned and the varicose veins Dr. Sandman writes about, there are several other important causes, including kidney disease, usually when dialysis has started. Diabetics have a higher risk for RLS, which sometimes can be mistaken for diabetic neuropathy. Multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease both are associated with RLS, and Parkinson’s is important because when medicines such as levodopa/ carbidopa (Sinemet) wear off, it

can mimic RLS symptoms. When dopa drugs are used long-term for RLS, symptoms can get worse, a condition called augmentation.

Pregnant women are more likely to have RLS. Many drugs, especially antidepressants, can cause RLS. I had a reader tell me that hers was due to Benadryl she was taking for sleep. Magnesium deficiency is common in RLS, and several readers told me magnesium supplements stopped their symptoms.

The booklet on restless leg syndrome provides much more information on this common sleep disorder, and also offers advice on nighttime cramps. Readers can obtain a copy by writing: Dr. Roach -- No. 306W, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Can. with the recipient’s printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery. *** DEAR DR. ROACH: I take the statin drug atorvastatin since my heart surgery. The sticker on the bottle reads, “Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice at any time while taking this medicine.” My cardiologist said this

warning was based on rather thin clinical trials, and it was OK to continue eating one grapefruit in the morning and taking the statin at bedtime. Are there new developments on this topic?

ANSWER: Grapefruit juice indeed can affect the metabolism of atorvastatin (Lipitor) and many other medications. However, the amount of grapefruit needed in order to have a significant effect is quite high -- the manufacturer recommends avoiding consumption of more than a quart (1.2 liters) of grapefruit juice a day.

I agree with your cardiologist that a grapefruit is a healthy way to begin the day and is not likely to cause any problems with atorvastatin. *** DEAR DR. ROACH: I am 92 and have spinal stenosis in my lower back and neck. The neck stenosis is causing a balance problem. Who would treat and/or operate on this -- orthopedist or neurologist? – J.W. ANSWER: I would be very slow to recommend surgery on the neck at age 92. I would try

JANUARY 8 - 14, 2015 | PAGE 19

other treatments, including medication, physical therapy and possibly injection, before considering surgery.

Balance problems may benefit from problem-specific exercises. A neurologist may be very helpful in evaluating whether the symptoms are indeed coming from the spinal stenosis, because balance problems can have many different causes.

If symptoms were intolerable despite everything that could be done short of surgery, I would find the most experienced surgeon around, which could be either a neurosurgeon or an orthopedic surgeon. *** DR. ROACH WRITES: Quite a few people have written in to recommend nasal saline gel for people with dry nose and recurrent nosebleeds. It is worth a try, especially for those who don’t like petrolatum or for whom it isn’t working.  Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters but will incorporate them in the column when possible.

Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell. edu.

Dr. El-Hage and staff are dedicated to providing you with a pleasant visit and results that you’re proud to show off. Our administrative staff is ready to help with questions about scheduling, financial policies and insurance in order to make that part of the process as simple as possible.

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SPORTS

PAGE 20 | january 8 - 14, 2015

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Mason Boys Bounce Back from Yorktown Loss With 65-43 Road Win Over Madison County HS

by Liz Lizama

Falls Church News-Press

George Mason High School’s boys varsity basketball team resumed their regular season this Saturday with a 65-43 road win against Madison County High School. After their first loss of the season to Yorktown High School in the championship game of Joe Cascio Classic holiday tournament last week, Mason’s Mustangs returned to regular season play with a determination to win their Bull Run District game against the Madison County Mountaineers.

Yorktown beat Mason 44-26 in the title game last Tuesday.

“I don’t think the guys liked the feeling of losing, and it showed Saturday night [against Madison County],” said Mason head coach Chris Capannola. “We hit four three pointers in the first quarter and were up 25-8 after the first, and that got us rolling.”

The Mustangs maintained at least a 12-point lead for the remainder of the game. “We kind of went into cruise control mode after the first, but the game was essentially over,” Capannola said.

Junior forward Robert Tartt led the Mustangs with 21 points against the Mountaineers. Junior guard Josh Allen scored a season high of 17 points, including four 3-point-

ers. Junior center Douglas Bossart also added ten points, and junior guard Thomas Beddow contributed six points with two 3-pointers. “We hit a lot of outside shots and also forced a lot of turnovers, and when that happens we get a lot of easy baskets, both inside and in transition,” Capannola said.

“That’s where Tartt is at his best, scoring on the break and getting rebounds and stickbacks.

Allen was outstanding with a season high 17 points. He was aggressive on the offensive end.”

With a well-rounded roster, Capannola said any of his players are able to deliver. “We were up 17 points at half and again played without a starter for the first half, so it shows all the guys how deep we are and that whoever is called upon can step up and do the job.”

Sophomore forward Dustin Green started at point guard against the Mountaineers. Capannola said he did an exceptional job leading plays. “Dustin can play all five spots on the floor and has been a tremendous asset to us on both ends of the floor. He’s not a scorer yet, but he makes basketball plays and knows the game.”

Mason will play district rivals Clarke County High School for the second time this season next Wednesday. Last month, the

mason junior robert tartt cuts through the lane during the Mustangs’ 44-26 loss to the Yorktown Patriots in the championship of the Joe Cascio Holiday Classic last Tuesday. Tartt scored eight points in that game and scored 21 points in the Mustangs’ return to regular season play, a 65-43 win over Madison County on Saturday. (Photo: Liz Lizama/News-Press) Mustangs defeated the Eagles on the road 64-58 after going into overtime in a close season opener.

“Now that we are back to full strength personnel-wise, I’m excited to see how much better we can get because there is definitely room for

improvement,” Capannola said.“I know the kids are excited and we need to keep it going as the second round of Bull Run games begin.”

With the Yorktown loss, the Mustangs’ overall record is 10-1, but the team remains undefeated in

the Bull Run District at 7-0. Mason was also scheduled to play against Warren County High School on Tuesday, but the game was rescheduled due to inclement weather. The teams will now face each other next Tuesday, Jan. 13, at home.

Mustang Swim Team Defeats Strasburg High School to Start New Year George Mason High School’s varsity boys and girls swim teams competed against Strasburg last Saturday at the Manassas Park Community Center. Both teams won decisively – the boys 128-38 and the girls 139-31. For the fourth meet of the season, all 22 events had a first place Mustang finisher.

Junior Miller Surette dropped his record time for the 100 breast to 1:02.10, over six seconds faster than the state qualifying time. In the 200 individual medley, Surette was more than 15 seconds under the cut time for states and ahead of his teammate, senior David Larsen, who already finished much faster than the Strasburg competition.

Other State qualifying times were achieved by senior Jared Britton in the 50 free and the 100 fly; junior Erin McFall in the 50 free; senior Beth Cashin in the 100 free; junior Francesca King in the 100 back; and both the 400 free relays (boys: Surette, Jared Britton and sophomores Daniel Reinfurt and Justin Britton and girls: McFall, King, Cashin and junior Brady Furleigh).

Also, 38 Mason swimmers posted personal records against Strasburg. This Saturday Mason swims against Clarke County High School and William Monroe High School in a tri-meet at Manassas Park Community Center.

Mason Junior Miller Surrette dropped his record time in the 100 breast in the Mustangs’ match against Strasburg High School to 1:02:10, which is over six seconds faster than the state qualifying time. Surrette was one of 38 Mason boys and girls swimmers who achieved new personal bests at the meet. (Photo: Carol Sly)

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

ARTS& EN TERTA INMEN T

january 8 - 14, 2015 | PAGE 21

Jan.

8

y

sda Thur

by Drew Costley

Jeff Daniels and

Falls Church News-Press

Ben Daniels Band

Travis Book, who plays upright bass for The Infamous Stringdusters, said that the band’s latest album Let It Go (2014) is the “most essentially Stringdusters” record they’ve ever made. The record was self-produced by the five-piece band, which may be one reason it’s the most honest expression of the group’s creativity.

“It was like every other record [we’ve made], except there wasn’t an extra guy in the studio with us…we got the chance to create and arrange, which is what we do best, and create an honest dialogue,” Book told the News-Press.

“We’d probably like to do it again, with the five of us there’s already a lot of cooks in the kitchen.”

They’ve been on and off the road with their live show, a combination of tracks from Let It Go, improvisational detours and covers they decide to play during rehearsals, since releasing their latest album last April.

The group starts a small run of shows on the East Coast tomorrow night in Snowshoe, Va. They are coming here next Thursday and Friday, Sept. 16 and 17, when they play at The State Theatre. Book said that he’s “psyched” to get back on tour with the rest of the Stringdusters.

“Playing music with my four bandmates is one of the greatest opportunities…it’s always interesting to see what’s going to happen with the music when you take a little time off,” Book said.

The Stringdusters were off for a few weeks for the holidays – they played their last few shows in the beginning of December. They were in Denver and Fort Springs, Co. on Dec. 4 and 5, respectively, before going to Puerto Morelos, Mexico for the Strings & Sol music festival.

“The last shows were awesome…the big

The Birchmere 7:30 p.m.

3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria

703-549-7500 • birchmere.com

9

y

Frida

Metalachi with Booze Riot Black Cat 9 p.m.

1811 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.

202-667-4490 • blackcatdc.com

The Knocks U Street Music Hall 10 p.m.

1115 U St. NW, Washington, D.C.

202-588-1880 • ustreetmusichall.com

14

esday

Wedn

The Infamous Stringdusters (Courtesy Photo) highlight was going to Mexico,” Book said.

Book said that after they start up this latest run of shows this weekend, the Stringdusters are scheduled to get together in Charlottesvile, Va. for four days to work on three “top secret” projects they’ve hammering out simultaneously.

“It’s a perpetual process. Sometimes we’re working on stuff for a live show, sometimes we’re working on a recorded project and sometimes we get together and work on music just because that’s what we do,” Book said.

Everyone in the group writes material that could end up on an album or in a live show and they get together 6 – 8 times a year to work on stuff. According to Book, the group whittled “35 – 37 tunes” down to the 11 tracks that are on their latest album.

“A big part of the journey of the Stringdusters

is this constant distillation of our creativity,” Book said.

The band, which was formed in 2006 by banjo player Chris Pandolfi, dobro player Andy Hall and former guitarist Chris Eldridge in Boston, is categorized as a progressive folk band, but their sound is so much more expansive than that.

On their latest record, for example, there are clear gospel, country and blues influences. For their last album, 2012’s Silver Sky, they worked with producer Mike Hume, who is most wellknown for working with hip-hop artists like David Banner, Nas and Ludacris.

“To sum up what the Stringdusters do is kind of impossible,” Book said.

• For more information about The Infamous Stringdusters, visit infamousstringdusters.com.

Last Armistice Jammin’ Java 7 p.m.

227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna

703-255-1566 • jamminjava.com

These singles whet the appetites of the FCNP editorial team this week:  Nicholas Benton – No One Is Alone by The Cast of “Into The Woods” 

Jody Fellows – In The Still of The Night by The Five Satins 

Drew Costley – First Gymnopedie by Yusef Lateef

PAGE 22 | JANUARY 8 - 14, 2015

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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January 8 - 14, 2015 | PAGE 23

Fa l l s C h u r c h

School News & Notes

One of the new classrooms at Jessie Thackrey Preschool, which opened its doors on Tuesday. The school will host its first parent’s night in the new building on North Cherry Street tonight.

(Photo: Courtesy of FCCPS)

5th FCCPS School, Jessie Thackrey Preschool Opens

One of the City of Falls Church’s first morning pick ups on Tuesday, 7:20 am, Daniel Batchelor going to Jessie Thackrey. Alexandria City Schools were the only school system in the area to alter its regularly scheduled school day because of the snow. (Photo: Eva Riera Carol)

Tuesday Snowfall Surprised Area School Officials Although it stopped around noon, a light snowfall that started Tuesday morning led to transportation woes throughout the region and surprised school officials in Falls Church City and Fairfax and Arlington counties, who elected to open schools on time. Early reports estimated 1-3 inches of snowfall throughout the region, but the forecast of a light dusting by some meteorologists yesterday led many to be surprised by the accumulation that occurred throughout the morning.

Alexandria City Schools elected to open after a two-hour delay, but Falls Church City and Fairfax and Arlington County schools opened on time, leaving many students and parents miffed that they had to make the trek to schools despite the weather.

Some Falls Church City Public School buses were late to school because of the snowy, icy roads.

Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones issued a statement in the last hour to apologize for the weather.

City of F.C. Schools eventually announced that all afternoon and evening activities as well as sporting events had been cancelled for

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the day.

Reports came in to the NewsPress of the need to gather students in a gymnasium at one Fairfax County school because teachers were caught in traffic.

Students and parents in Fairfax County used the #CloseFCPS hashtag on Twitter and Facebook to push Fairfax County schools to close – the campaign trended worldwide on Twitter at one point that morning.

Fairfax County Public Schools also issued a statement about the decision to remain open despite the weather in which it apologized for the weather.

Jessie Thackrey Preschool opened its doors on Tuesday, becoming the fifth Falls Church City Public School in the school system.

Over the winter break, movers relocated the school’s temporary classrooms from Thomas Jefferson Elementary and Mary Ellen Henderson Middle Schools to the new building located on North Cherry Street.

The school will have its first parent’s night in the building tonight.

Broadway Desserts Showing At Stuart HS Next Weekend The J.E.B. Stuart High School Choral Department is presenting “Broadway Desserts,” a night of Broadway music and Decadent Desserts, next Saturday, Jan. 17 at the school’s auditorium, located at 3301 Peace Valley Lane, Falls Church.

There are two performances scheduled for next Saturday: one at 2 p.m. and another at 7 p.m. The Glasgow Middle School chorus

will perform as special guest of the Stuart chorus at the 7 p.m. show.

Tickets for the performances are $15 for adults, $10 for teachers/ students and $5 for children under age 5 and can be purchased at brownpapertickets.com.

For more information, call 703-824-3970 or visit stuartchoralboosters.blogspot.com.

Congressional Hosts Founders Day, Homecoming Tomorrow As part of its year-long celebration of its 75th year of operation, the Congressional Schools of Virginia is hosting Founders Day and Homecoming programs tomorrow at the school, located at 3229 Sleepy Hollow Road, Falls Church.

The Founder’s Day program will be held at 10:10 a.m.

Homecoming will start at 5 p.m. with a girls basketball game, followed by the boys basketball game at 6 p.m.

Also, since it’ll be the 75th scheduled school day, the school will be playing with the number 75 all day long. For more information, visit congressionalschools. org/homecoming.

PAGE 24 | JANUARY 8 - 14, 2015

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Church are needed to serve on the boards and commissions listed below. Contact the City Clerk’s Office (703-248-5014, cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov, or www.fallschurchva.gov/BC) for an application form or more information. Requests for reappointment must be made through the City Clerk.

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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING OF THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH HISTORIC ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD The Falls Church Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB) will hold public hearings on Thursday, 22 January 2015 to consider the following:

209 Park Avenue, to restore exterior elevations, to remove the second front door, to replace the door void with a window to match existing windows, to add a covered front porch, to remove existing concrete steps at the front elevation, and to construct an addition at the rear elevation.

218 North Cherry Street, to construct a one story addition to create a breakfast room, to remove the existing kitchen, and to construct a new kitchen.

The HARB meeting will be held in The Laurel Room of City Hall and is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM. The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and to the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, call 703-248-5040 (TYY 711).

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We are pleged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity pledged throughout the We are to Commonthe letter wealth. We encourage and and spirit of Virginia’s policy support advertising and for achieving equal in housing marketing programs which there are no throughout barriers to obtainingthe opportunity housing because of race, color, Commonwealth.

Weorigin, encourage religion, national sex, and support elderliness, advertising familial status orand handicap.

All real estate marketing programs inadverwhich tised herein is subject to there are no fair barriers to which obtainVirginia’s housing law makes it illegal to advertise ing housing because of“any race, limitation, origin, or color, preference, religion, national discrimination because of race, sex, elderliness, familial color, religion, national origin,staelderliness, familial status or tus orsex, handicap.

All real estate handicap or intention to make advertised herein is subject any such preference, limitation, to Virginia’s fair housing or discrimination.”

This newspa-law will notit knowingly whichper makes illegal toaccept adveradvertising for real estate that tise “any preference, violates the fair housinglimitation, law. Our or discrimination because readers are herby informed that of dwellings advertised national in this race, all color, religion, newspaper are available on an origin,equal sex, elderliness, opportunity basis. Forfamilial more or to file housing statusinformation or handicap ora intention complaint call the Virginia Fair to make any such preference, Housing Office at (804) limitation, or discrimination.”

367-8530. Toll free call (888) 551-3247. Forwill thenot hearing This newspaper knowimpaired call (804) 367-9753.

Odds of a child becoming a pop singer: 1 in 58,000 Odds of a child being diagnosed with autism: 1 in 150 T: 7 in

Architectural Advisory Board Board of Equalization Board of Zoning Appeals Citizens’ Advisory Committee on Transportation Environmental Services Council Historic Architectural Review Board Historical Commission Housing Commission Human Services Advisory Council Public Utilities Commission Retirement Board Tree Commission Towing Advisory Board

CRJ Concrete

The Plumbery, Inc. www.plumberyinc.com 703-641-9700

CLASSIFIEDS www.bentonpotter.com Public Notice

Carpentry • Caulking, Painting, Drywall Repairs, Plumbing & Electrical, Flat Screen TV Mounting visit: www.yourhandymanllc.com NO JOB TOO SMALL

Need a new hot water heater, faucet, or garbage disposal?

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

ingly accept advertising for Email: fairhousing@dpor.virginia.gov. real estate that violates the fair Website: www.fairhousing.vipnet.org housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 3678530. Toll free call (888) 5513247. For the hearing impaired call (804) 367-9753.

classads@fcnp.com

Some signs to look for: No big smiles or other joyful expressions by 6 months.

No babbling by 12 months.

No words by 16 months.

To learn more of the signs of autism, visit autismspeaks.org © 2007 Autism Speaks Inc. “Autism Speaks” and “It’s Time To Listen” & design are trademarks owned by Autism Speaks Inc. All rights reserved.

This advertisement was prepared

by BBDO New York CLIENT: PRODUCT: JOB#: SPACE: BLEED: TRIM: SAFETY: GUTTER: PUBS: ISSUE: TRAFFIC: ART BUYER:

ATF Pop SInger P76569_D Full Page B/W None 3.75 in x 7 in None None n/a n/a Donna McDonald n/a

Filename: P76569_D_ATF_GE Proof #: 5 Path: Studio:Volumes:Studio:Mechanic... chanicals:P76569_D_ATF_GEN_V5.indd Operators: Hasani / Blane Robison Fonts Helvetica Neue (93 Black Extended), Times (Roman), TheSansSemiBold (Plain), Arial Rounded MT (Bold, Regular), TheSansLight (Plain), Univers (93 Extra Black Extended Oblique) Graphic Name Color Space Eff. Res. P65679A_singer_BW_NYT.tif (Gray; 489 ppi), Autism Speaks

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Crossword

ACROSS

By David Levinson Wilk 1

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© 2014 David Levinson Wilk

Across

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1. Dis subject, perhaps 7. Auburn green?

11. Police dept. broadcast 14. Peter Pan lost his 15. Apt anagram of “Russ.”

16. “Yoo-____!”

17. Was head over heels for a baby shower gift?

19. Ambient music pioneer Brian 20. “Clouds of Glory: The Life and Legend of Robert ____” (2014 biography) 21. “Word of the Twentieth Century,” according to the American Dialect Society 22. Make a gourmand feel better?

27. Slightly open 29. Ump’s call 30. Math ratios 32. Booker Prize winner A.S. ____ 34. Globe : Boston :: ____ : Baltimore 37. What a drinking straw makes when put back into a blended beverage?

40. Light bulb inventor’s inits.

41. He played next to a Hall of fame 42. Library no-no 43. Shelfmate of Vogue 44. Go ____ great length 45. What a tourist traveling alone has to be when posing in front of landmarks?

52. Chops 53. Chops

1. Dis subject, perhaps

JANUARY 8 - 14, 2015 | PAGE 25

Down

1. Handbag monogram 2. “Well, well, well!”

3. Dallas hoopster, for short 4. Suffix on juice drinks 5. Phone-to-computer link 6. “____ at the Table” (2008 Augusten Burroughs bestseller) 7. Showtime’s “____ as Folk” 8. Naval vessel inits.

9. “Try ____ might ...”

10. Beats by ____ (popular headphone brand) 11. Leading 12. Kind of scheme 13. Hard stuff 18. Prefix with natal 21. MSNBC’s “Morning ____” 22. Summer camp sight 23. Chips Ahoy! competitor 24. Ivan IV and V 25. It can be cruel 26. A lot 27. No. 2 28. Iwo ____ 31. Absolut rival, briefly 32. Black fly, notably 33. “____-haw!”

CHUCKLE BROS Brian & Ron Boychuk

7. Auburn green?

34. Work assignment 35. “Superman II” villainess 36. Vladimir’s veto 38. Sound 39. Midday 43. 40% of fifty?

45. Katey who portrayed TV’s Peg Bundy 46. Rejoice 47. Prying tool 48. John with an Oscar and a Tony 49. Nautical record 50. “Here’s hoping ...”

51. “That’s ____ subject” 55. Novelist Clancy 56. Inventor Whitney 57. Go astray 58. Verbal hesitations 59. Salary 60. Rescuer of Odysseus 61. School address ending

54. Statehouse resident, informally 55. Give an exam to a Blockhead about New Kids on the Block?

62. Sam Adams product 63. Mixed bag 64. Actor Assante 65. Piece of mail: Abbr.

66. Wisc. neighbor 67. Response to “Who, me?”

11. Police dept. broadcast

Sudoku

Last Thursday’s Solution C A P R I

W I C K

A S S O C

I S L E

M O G R S E

T A C H T I C K I K Y E L E S N D S E E O C K N R P I R A S O T T E S I

S H U N

T U N G

P H A A H I

O M A R I N A N B E L L I L U

G O E A S T D V D

M U U G N G P O N I D E S O M I L P E L N

I T Z H A K

A N T S T O I I I N E S C P T S N U R T A L O E R E P I W E N E P E I R E G L L A B A A T O T F I N E S O Y

By The Mepham Group

Level: 1 2 3 4

14. Peter Pan lost his 15. Apt anagram of "Russ."

16. "Yoo-____!"

17. Was head over heels for a baby shower gift?

19. Ambient music pioneer Brian 20. "Clouds of Glory: The Life and Legend of Robert ____" (2014 biography) 21. "Word of the Twentieth Century," according to the American Dialect Society 22. Make a gourmand feel better?

1

27. Slightly open 29. Ump's call

LOOSE PARTS

30. Math ratios

DAVE BLAZEK

32. Booker Prize winner A.S. ____ Solution to last Sunday’s puzzle

NICK KNACK

1

© 2015 N.F. Benton

1/11/15

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9.

For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk.

© 2015 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.

LOCAL

PAGE 26 | JANUARY 8 - 14, 2015

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Critter Corner

BACK IN THE DAY

laz y The dog. c k q u i fox sly p e d jum e r o v lazy the g . d o is Now time the all for o d g o to cows

20 s Yearo Ag

e c o mthe to of aid i r t h e re. pastu w N o the is e t i m all for o d g o to cows e c o mthe to

20 & 10 Years Ago in the News-Press Falls Church News-Press Vol IV, No. 43 • January 12, 1995

Falls Church News-Press Vol XIV, No. 44 • January 6, 2005

It is no the timw e for g o all o cows d to go to the aid of the pa stu ir re. *** **

10 Year s Ago

Sponsored by Jon DeHart, Long & Foster

Thr ow it up.

Pour it up It now is the time for all go od cows to go the to aid

Roberson Details Layoff, Cutbacks of 25 School Employees if Budget Held to 8.4%

Kids Focus on Tsunami Relief Efforts in F.C.

School superintendent Dr. Stewart Roberson last night presented his proposed budget which calls for an 84. percent increase in City appropriations and which would involve the layoff or cutback of 25 school employees.

Calling his budget “conscionable but painful,” Roberson outlined personnel cuts that would affect 10 percent of the school system’s employees in a lengthy presentation to an audience that included five City Council members, including Mayor Jeff Tarbert.

Just as amazing stories of generosity, sacrifice and heroism are pouring out of Asia in the wake of the cataclysmic tsunami disaster last week, so in communities across the globe, countless accounts of volunteer mobilization, especially among young people, are reigniting the spark of hope and optimism on a planet only a week separated from its worst natural catastrophe in the modern era. So in Falls Church.

So among Falls Church’s young people....

YOUR IN-LAWS ARE NOT A RETIREMENT PLAN. FEEDTHEPIG.ORG

WHEN IT COMES TO FINANCIAL STABILITY, DON’T GET LEFT BEHIND. There are people just like you who are making good financial decisions every day. To learn how you can join them, and take control of your financial future, visit feedthepig.org.

THIS IS PINTO AND OREO, the 6-year-old mini rex and holland lop mixes who love to spend their time chasing each other, exploring and relaxing under the shade of a big tree on South Spring Street, where they live with the Diz family. The brother-sister duo were adopted from the Leesburg Animal Park petting zoo as baby rabbits. Pinto loves to eat and will hog any rabbit treats and goodies in his reach, while Oreo is the more nervous yet graceful of the two.

Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! Send in your Critter Corner submissions to crittercorner@fcnp.com.

Helping People and Pets Buy and Sell Homes COMING SOON!

UNDER CONTRACT IN ONE WEEK!

SOLD

2102 Dominion Heights Ct. 711 E Broad St. Valley Lane Falls Church, VA 22043 Falls Church, VA 22046 Falls Church, VA 22044 $549,000 $1,240,000 In the low $1,100,000’s Tysons Corner Townhome Mul�ple Offers

Jon DeHart

Recent Graduate of

Associate Broker, MPS Real Estate Georgetown University’s

Licensed in VA, DC & MD

Masters of Real Estate

Program 703.405.7576 Email: jon.dehart@LNF.com Web Site: dehartrealestate.LNF.com Long & Foster Realtors 1355 Beverly Rd McLean, VA 22101

JANUARY 8 - 14, 2015 | PAGE 27

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Directory Listings: Call Us at 703-532-3267

n

n

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Business Directory

ACCOUNTING

Diener & Associates, CPA. . . . . . . . . 241-8807 Eric C. Johnson, CPA, PC . . . . . . . . 538-2394 Mark Sullivan, CPA . . . . . . . . . . . 571-214-4511 Hahn & Associates, PC, CPAs . . . . . 533-3777 Falls Church Antique Company . . . . 241-7074 Antique Annex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241-9642

ATTORNEYS

Mark F. Werblood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534-9300 Sudeep Bose, Former Police Officer. 926-3900 Janine S. Benton, Esq. . . . . . . . . . . . .992-9255

AUTOMOTIVE

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BANKING

CHIROPRACTOR

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GIFTS

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n

CLEANING SERVICES

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HANDYMAN

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HEALTH & FITNESS

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HOME IMPROVEMENT

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COLLEGES

American College of Commerce and Technology . . . . . . . 942-6200

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DENTISTS

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CRJ Concrete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 571-221-2785

VA Outdoor Power Equipment . . . . . 207-2000

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MASSAGE MEDICAL

EQUIPMENT RENTAL/SALE FLORISTS FRAMES

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BUSINESS SERVICES

FC Heating & Air Service . . . . . . . . . 534-0630 Joseph Home Improvement . . . . . . . 507-5005 Picture Perfect Home Improvements 590-3187 One Time Home Improvement . . . . . 577-9825

Point of View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237-6500 Falls Church Florist, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . 533-1333 Art & Frame of Falls Church . . . . . . . 534-4202

Dr Gordon Theisz, Family Medicine . 533-7555

MUSIC

Academy of Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 938-8054 Foxes Music Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533-7393

Dr. Alison Sinyai, Family Eye Care . 533-3937

PET SERVICES

Feline Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 920-8665

PHOTOGRAPHY

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PLUMBING

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REAL ESTATE

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TAILOR

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TUTORING

Allstate Home Auto Life Ins. . . . . . . . 241-8100 State Farm Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . 237-5105 www.healthybyintention.com. . . . . . . 534-1321 www.Inhousemassagedc.com. . . 281-221-1158

OPTOMETRIST

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Jazzercise Falls Church . . . . . . . 202-338-3380

INSURANCE

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n

Your Handyman LLC . . . . . . . . . . 571-243-6726 Handyman Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556-4276

n

EYEWEAR

BOOK BINDING

Stifel & Capra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407-0770

Family Dentistry, Nimisha V Patel . . . 533-1733 Dr. William Dougherty . . . . . . . . . . . . 532-3300

n

n

Jon Rizalvo, PAYCHEX . . . . . 698-6910 x27045

Maid Brigade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 823-1922 Acclaimed Carpet Cleaning . . . . . . . . 978-2270 A Cleaning Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 892-8648

CONCRETE

n

BCR Binders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534-9181

Dr. Solano, solanospine.com . . . . . . 536-4366

n

Beyer Volvo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237-5000 Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust Co. . . 519-1634 BB&T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241-3505 TD Bank/www.TDBank.com . . . . . . . 237-2051 Acacia Federal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506-8100

1 Line Maximum

(30 characters + Ph. #, incl. spaces)

n

ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES

n

3 months - $150 6 months - $270 1 year - $450

Gary Mester, Event, Portraits . . . . . . 481-0128 Mary Sandoval Photography . . . . 334-803-1742 The Plumbery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 641-9700 Merelyn Kaye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .790-9090x218 www.helpfulmortgage.us . . . . . . . . . . 237-0222 Casey O’Neal - ReMax . . . . . . . . . . . 824-4196 Rosemary Hayes Jones . . . . . . . . . . .790-1990 The Young Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .356-8800 Tori McKinney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 867-8674 Jon DeHart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405-7576 Shaun Murphy, Realtor . . . . . . . . . . 868-5999 Tailor Lee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534-8886 Sylvan Learning Center . . . . . . . . . . . 734-1234

All numbers have a ‘703’ prefix unless otherwise indicated.

Play Ball!

Looking for a Spring sport? Play Little League baseball with us!

Falls Church Kiwanis Little League’s 2015 Spring season is open for registrations. Boys and girls whose birthdays are between December 31, 2011 and May 1, 2002 are eligible. The levels and registration fees are: Baseball Majors ~ages 10 - 12 Baseball AAA ~ages 9 - 11 Baseball AA ~ages 8 - 10 Baseball Single A ~ages 6 - 9 Tee-Ball Sluggers ~ages 6 - 7 Tee-Ball Rookies ~ages 4 - 5

$180 $180 $180 $165 $150 $150

(Early-bird discount of $25 for registrations received by December 31. Additional $25 discount for siblings.)

www.fckll.org

Click on the “Spring 2015 Registration” tab to register.

Drop us an e-mail if you have any questions: FCKLLPlayerAgent@gmail.com www.facebook.com/fckll.va For 66 years, our Little League, the oldest in Virginia, has been helping children learn lifetime skills — leadership, sportsmanship, and teamwork. The Greater Falls Church community has benefited from this program’s camaraderie and community spirit since the Kiwanis Club founded the League in 1948.

We Want You on Our Team!

PAGE 28 | JANUARY 8 - 14, 2015

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Re-introducing the Beyer Experience

A UNIQUE SALES AND SERVICE EXPERIENCE • QUICK, FRIENDLY, AND HASSLE FREE! • DON’ T GET LOST, LET US GUIDE YOU • MONTHLY SERVICE COUPONS, JUST FOR YOU • FAIR PRICING • NO PRESSURE/NO NONSENSE SALES STAFF • SALES PEOPLE ARE NOT PAID ON COMMISSION • FRIENDLY AND KNOWLEDGABLE • AMAZING SERVICE DEPARTMENT • FREE LOANER WHENEVER YOU NEED SERVICE • COMPLIMENTARY STATE INSPECTIONS FOR AS LONG AS YOU OWN YOUR CAR • LEADERS IN CUSTOMER SA SATISFACTION • FREE CAR WASH WHENEVER YOU WANT • LOCATIONS ALL OVER NORTHERN VIRGINIA • GIGANTIC INVENTORY • IF WE DON’ T HAVE THE CAR YOU WANT, WE WILL GET IT FOR Y OU • TEST DRIVE EASY • WE WILL BRING THE CAR TO YOU. • WE WILL BUY YOUR CAR • HASSLE FREE •

A UNIQUE SALES AND SERVICE EXPERIENCE • QUICK, FRIENDLY, AND HASSLE FREE! • DON’T GET LOST, LET US GUIDE YOU • MONTHLY SERVICE COUPONS, JUST FOR YOU • FAIR PRICING • NO PRESSURE/NO NONSENSE SALES STAFF • SALES PEOPLE ARE NOT PAID ON COMMISSION • FRIENDLY AND KNOWLEDGABLE • AMAZING SERVICE DEPARTMENT • FREE LOANER WHENEVER YOU NEED SERVICE • COMPLIMENTARY STATE INSPECTIONS FOR AS LONG AS YOU OWN YOUR CAR • LEADERS IN CUSTOMER SATISFACTION • FREE CAR WASH WHENEVER YOU WANT • LOCATIONS ALL OVER NORTHERN VIRGINIA • GIGANTIC INVENTORY • IF WE DON’T HAVE THE CAR YOU WANT, WE WILL GET IT FOR YOU • TEST DRIVE EASY • WE WILL BRING THE CAR TO YOU. • WE WILL BUY YOUR CAR • HASSLE FREE •

We only get paid if you leave happy.

Alexandria - Dulles

Falls Church - Winchester

beyerauto.com

beyerauto.com Happy New Year!!!

Coming Soon in Falls Church City

For Sale

Coming Soon

100 S Roosevelt St | Falls Church City

Lovely 4 BD/3.5 BA Cape in the City of Falls Church.

Hardwood floors throughout, remodeled kitchen and baths, fully finished walk out lower level. Walk to Metro! Offered at $669,000

For Rent

Coming soon in Falls Church City. Brick Cape in top school district. Updated kitchen, Family room addition, 2 BRs and BA main level Master Suite with BA upper Level.

Hardwood floors, FP, on quiet St with million $ homes.

Walk EFC Metro. $759,000. Need more space? Owner/ builder will put on 3 story addition with lots of bells and whistles. . Call for pricing and for appt to see.

Merelyn Kaye

Meeting Real Estate needs since 1970.

There is no substitute for experience Home Office: 703-362-1112 e-mail: merelyn@kayes.com

Falls Church City

Lovely 4 BD/2 BA detached home on huge lot with 3 car oversized garage. Offered at $799,000

Coming Spring 2015

112 W Marshall St | Falls Church City

Adorable 4 BD/2 BA Cape on 3 finished levels. Brand new bathroom, top of the line appliances in remodeled kitchen. Large fenced yard. Walk to TJ Elementary.

Offered at $2,700

Falls Church New Construction McLean Schools!

Steps to Metro — Spectacular 6 BD/5.5 BA, exquisite design and finishes. Offered at $1,599,000

Inventory is High and It’s a Great Time to Buy! Call Me Today!

Louise Molton NVAR Top Producer Phone: 703 244-1992 Email: louise@moltonrealestate.com

www.LouiseMolton.com

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

®

REALTOR