Falls Church News-Press 10-13-2022

October 13 - 19, 2022

Founded

The

Unanimous Vote OKs Movie Changes

Only Theater Deal of Its Kind in U.S. This Year

by Nicholas F. Benton Falls Church News-Press

Unanimously, the Falls Church City Council Tuesday night approved revisions to its economic incentive deal that will bring a first-rate movie complex into the Founders Row project at West Broad and N. West Streets.

The revisions were request ed on behalf of the Paragon Theaters by Founders Row developer Mill Creek to ame liorate the blows dealt to that industry by the pandemic the last two years.

In fact, Mill Creek’s Joe Muffler told the Council, as it prepared to vote, that this Falls Church agreement will represent “the only new build theater lease finalized in the entire U.S. in 2022.”

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Inside This Week

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15TH, scores of Meridian musicians will perform their way across Falls Church City for the annual Tag Day fundraising event. Musicians are raising funds toward their March 2023 performance trip. The ensembles will be flying! They’re off to Nashville where they will tour Music City, participate in a recording session at RCA Studios (where

Fall Real Estate Guide 2022

The 2022 Fall Real Estate Guide is here! Take a look at articles about kitchen remodeling and interest rates, featuring information about your Falls Church house experts for this fall season.

See Pages 11 — 22

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The Falls Church to Host Gay Bishop Robinson

The Falls Church Episcopal in downtown Falls Church announced this week a forum entitled, “Love, Despite; A Conversation with Bishop Gene Robinson,” on Saturday, October 29, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m. in the Historic Church on S. Washington and E. Fairfax Streets. The event is free and open to the public though reservations are highly recommended.

Bishop Robinson will also preach the following day, Sunday, October 30, at both the 9:00 a.m. and the 11:15 a.m. services of The Falls Church. The public is invited to attend worship as well.

Elected and ordained bishop in 2003, The Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson, Retired Bishop of New Hampshire, was the first partnered, openly LGBTQ bishop in The Episcopal Church as well as the Anglican Communion.

His election and the subsequent approval by a necessary majority of diocesan authorities within The Episcopal Church caused shockwaves within the Anglican Communion and began a movement of some parishioners, including at The Falls Church, to disaffiliate from The Episcopal Church over issues of sexuality.

Beginning with his ordination, at which he wore a bullet-proof vest to shield himself from assassination threats from theological conservatives, Robinson has served as a symbol of progressive Christianity and expanded inclusion of LGBTQ persons of faith within The Episcopal Church. After retirement from the episcopacy in 2013, Robinson served as a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress and Vice President and Senior Pastor of the Chautauqua Institution.

In 2006, a majority of The Falls Church congregation voted to leave The Episcopal Church in response to Robinson’s ordination, beginning a legal battle with The Diocese of Virginia and The Episcopal Church that ended in 2014, when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case, thus allowing an earlier Virginia Court decision to stand that sided with The Diocese of Virginia.

Fewer than forty Episcopalians, who had been invited to worship at the nearby F.C. Presbyterian Church, returned to The Falls Church campus, and the congregation has grown exponentially in the intervening years, following its launch of a mission of radical welcome and ministry to those on the margins.

In 2021 The Falls Church called the first gay, married rector in its nearly three-hundred-year history and has iden-

tified ministry to and with the LGBTQ faithful as one of the parish values.

Rt. 7 Bus Rapid Transit Plans Presented Here

Route 7 is the second busiest corridor in Northern Virginia, and ridership remained strong during the Covid-19 pandemic due to the essential workers who rely on this service. The long awaited Northern Virginia Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) plan would upgrade transit quality through the 14-mile corridor, connect major job centers, connect one Metrorail station and one BRT service, serve more than 7,500 transit dependent riders weekly and increase pedestrian access to transit.

The first in an ambitious plan to disseminate information about this project and the benefits of BRT, was held at the Meridian High School this Tuesday that included participation by Falls Church City Council member David Snyder and Deputy City Manager Cindy Mester.

Mester and Snyder told the News-Press the major issue with the plan involves some relatively narrow bottlenecks and turn lanes, including some along Route 7 in Falls Church, and the delays in progress overall.

Beyer to Counter GOP Medicare, Social Security Cuts

U.S. Rep. Don Beyer of Falls Church, chair of the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee, released the following statement after House Republicans made clear their intentions to leverage future debt-limit negotiations to force cuts to Medicare and Social Security.

“While Democrats are passing legislation to cut costs for households, expand access to health insurance and spur job growth, Republicans have made clear their plans to gut Social Security and Medicare.

“House Republicans announced their intentions to hold the debt limit hostage in order to slash vital programs as part of a political game that would be economically catastrophic for seniors, families and our entire economy. Past debt-limit brinksmanship resulted in the first-ever downgrade of the U.S. credit rating and cost the country billions of dollars in lost economic activity, even though a default was ultimately avoided. This announcement comes after a previous proposal from the leader of the Senate Republicans’ campaign committee to sunset Social Security, Medicare and veterans’ benefits in five years.

“Republicans are once again getting in line to raise costs for low- and middle-income workers and families while offering giveaways to the wealthiest and corporate interests. Not only are these economically disastrous—resulting in fewer jobs, slower economic growth, and higher household costs—they are morally reprehensible.”

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F.C. Council Gives Unanimous Thumbs Up to Getting Movies Here

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biggest theater company in the U.S.

Falls Church City Manager Wyatt Shields told the Council in his meeting with the corporate leaders of Paragon recently, he was “very impressed with Paragon’s thoughtful approach, avoiding the mistakes of others in the industry in dealing with the current adversity.”

It has been “almost 10 years that we have come through a very dark period,” noted Muffler.

With benchmarks now set to finalize the lease this month and to hit design and construction deadlines, plans are now to have the complex open in time for the “Memorial Day blockbuster season” in May 2024,” Muffler said, although he held out hopes the opening could come earlier.

Falls Church Mayor David Tarter stressed that increased tax incentives offered to the company are for the purpose of bringing new economic development to the City that will allow for lower tax rates for residents as it has been estimated that revenues for up to

$2 million a year in new net revenues to the City.

The new deal, while involving a tax incentive, does not take a dime from the existing tax base of the City, but only from the revenues generated by patrons of the theaters. “The tax incentives are paid for by the movie goers,” stressed Council member Debbie Shantz-Hiscott.

Bob Young, a local developer and head of the City’s Economic Development Authority, told the Council during the public petition period that the deal “is good for the citizens and good for the City government.”

The EDA has a hand in the complicated process by which the City collects the tax revenues and, through the EDA, gives back a portion to the theater company. Not only ticket sales revenues, but also meals tax revenues from food sales on site, including that which will come from an expanded amusement arcade that the Council also OK’d Tuesday.

The EDA recommended approval of the amendments to the deal, as did the City Planning staff. The Planning Commission failed

to recommend approval, but also did not vote against, as the result of a deadlocked 3-3 vote.

Planning Commissioner

Melissa Teates told the News-Press she had “concerns as the Planning Commission did not receive the financial documents detailing the effect of the revised tax money share in our packet.” But, she added, “the theater as an economic anchor is valuable.”

She added, “It really is a triumph to get a theater after Covid.”

Muffler told the Council that major first run movies will be shown at the complex, and an array of entertainment options will also be available to patrons including movie revivals and the arcade’s offerings. Paragon will operate a seven-screen movie theater, including an IMAX-similar screen with a total capacity of approximately 600 seats.

This is one less screen and approximately 150 fewer seats than previously agreed to in the voluntary concessions to the City. The plan is for Paragon to follow the multi-screen models it now operates in Delray Beach and Naples, Florida, Cary, North Carolina and

Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Components of the revised deal approved this Tuesday lower the maximum number of theater seats down from 850 to 550, increase the number of occupancy permits for the apartments that will be held until the theater opens, from 16 to 36, adds to Mill Creek’s commitment for amenities in the courtyard of the project, and reiterates the $3.6 million that Mill Creek is holding in escrow for use only with the completion and opening of the theaters.

Muffler added that two-thirds of the retail space in the Founders Row project overall have been spoken for, and a grand opening for the retail component of the overall site will be held in about six weeks in advance of the holiday shopping season.

Three restaurants are getting ready to open in Founders Row now that will bring new retail dollars to the immediate site. In the build out for the theaters, Mill Creek has vowed to put more into the public plaza that is designed for the center of the 4.3 acre project, even as residents are beginning to move

into the apartments including senior restricted ones.

The Elle Bird restaurant will also build out an outdoor space in the courtyard area.

of Founders Row developer Mill Creek announced the F.C. agreement of the new movie theater. (N���-P���� P����)

Joe Biden Knows How to Use Donald Trump

But there’s something else distorting this race, too: Biden’s relative absence and Trump’s unusual presence.

Our Man in Arlington

By Charlie Clark

To builders, it’s a dream house. To policymakers, a “house out of scale with the neighbors.” To many onlookers, it’s yet another McMansion.

And these looming, barnlike monuments derided as conspicuous consumption have proliferated on too-small lots in Arlington.

According to Gallup, 56 percent of Americans disapprove of the job President Joe Biden is doing. About 80 percent say the country is on the wrong track. Eighty-two percent say the state of the economy is “fair” or “poor,” and 67 percent think it’s only getting worse.

Midterm elections are typically bad for the president’s party. But a midterm taking place alongside this kind of disappointment in the president and his party? It should be cataclysmic.

And yet, that’s not how the election looks, at least right now. The FiveThirtyEight forecast gives Democrats a roughly 1-in-3 chance of holding the House and a roughly 2-in-3 chance of keeping the Senate. Other forecasts, along with betting markets, tell similar stories.

Perhaps the polls, which have tightened a bit in recent weeks, are underestimating Republican turnout. We’ve seen that before and, worryingly for Democrats, we’ve seen it in some of the states they most need to win this year. But even a strong Republican performance would be a far cry from the party-in-power wipeouts we saw in 1994, 2010 and 2018. It’s worth asking why.

Begin with the seats the parties hold now. Only seven House Democrats won districts Donald Trump carried in 2020. Democrats aren’t defending many of the crossover seats that led to huge losses in 2010 and 1994. On the flip side, the Senate map is pretty good for Democrats, with Republicans defending more seats.

Then, of course, there’s the Dobbs decision, which led to a surge in Democratic interest and of young women registering to vote. Every candidate and strategist and analyst I’ve talked to, on both sides of the aisle, believes Dobbs reshaped this election. The question they’re mulling is whether that energy is fading as the months drag by and the election draws close.

Here’s an odd fact: “Trump” has led “Biden” in Google searches since July. During the same stretch in 2018, Trump was far ahead of Obama in search interest, and during this period in 2010, Obama was ahead of Bush. That’s the normal way of things: Midterms are a referendum on the incumbent. The ousted or retired predecessor is rarely much of a factor. But this midterm is different.

Trump’s relentless presence in our politics comes from a few sources. One is, well, Trump. He never stops talking, insulting, complaining, cajoling, provoking. He’s publicly preparing for a 2024 campaign. As I was writing this piece, I got an email from “Donald J. Trump,” headlined “Corrupt News Network,” announcing that Trump was filing a defamation suit against CNN. This isn’t a guy trying to stay out of the news.

Then there’s the unusual aftermath of the Trump presidency, which reverberates throughout our politics. The Jan. 6 investigation is ongoing, and the FBI raided Mar-a-Lago to reclaim classified documents that Trump is alleged to have taken with him inappropriately. (Trump, for his part, recently told Sean Hannity that the president can declassify documents “even by thinking about it,” which, sigh.)

Trump also bears responsibility for some of the lackluster candidates causing Republicans such problems. Trump pushed J.D. Vance in Ohio and Herschel Walker in Georgia and Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania — all of whom are underperforming in their respective matchups. In a speech to the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Mitch McConnell admitted that Republicans might not flip the Senate and observed, acidly, “Candidate quality has a lot to do with the outcome.”

Trump’s efforts to stay in the news, however, are matched by Biden’s efforts to stay out of it.

In the debate over whether to allow more Missing Middle housing, some blame the county board’s 2005 zoning changes for the current tear-down craze that is shrinking inventory and driving up prices.

But that’s not accurate, say three members of that bygone county board, giving reasons why those 17-year-old changes were designed to do the opposite.

Arlington’s effort to curb McMansions emerged early in the 21st century in a campaign by Ted Weihe, a member of the county Planning Commission, recalled ex-board member Jay Fisette, now a public policy consultant. “History can be completely distorted. We addressed the problem by limiting the most egregious, worst-case scenarios.” There was a four-year process of extensive conversations with citizens, planners and developers.

The final changes sought to limit builder options in four areas: pipestem lots; building heights; setbacks and lot coverage. Sliding-scale maximums on lot coverage and limits on pipestems (houses plopped down behind existing houses via a long driveway) were the most effective, Fisette said. But the challenge since that time has been that “what is a beautiful home to some is to others a monstrosity.” And with by-right property laws, the government “can’t architecturally mandate good taste or sensibility.”

So the changes were softened after builders organized to complain, and many homeowners who might have originally favored a McMansion crackdown suddenly got cold feet when they realized their options for selling their nest-egg home might be limited by the new rules.

Former board member Paul Ferguson (now county clerk) recalls “significant opposition by the development community” to the board’s effort to “incentivize” building on

existing lots rather than tearing homes down. That produced compromise on such issues as building heights, for which the means of measurement was made more uniform. “We did our best in 2005 to limit the size of housing while respecting property rights,” Ferguson said. “For some, I can understand we didn’t go far enough, but our actions were never meant to be the last word.”

Board alum Chris Zimmerman, now teaching planning at Georgetown University, said the chief success of the past changes involved granting of use permits. That allowed you “to get a rational arrangement” rather than by “the specifics of by-right zoning codes” for such goals as preserving trees, which owners are entitled to cut down. But today “Americans expect larger houses than they did in the 1940s,” he added. And it’s hard to define “McMansion.” Zoning code changes are “a blunt instrument” because they affect all and produce other consequences.

One of the builders who resisted in 2005 was Terry Showman. He organized the Concerned Arlington County Homeowners to “oppose lot coverage limits being proposed. Initially it was done to limit the size of houses allowing for more open area and hope for tree cov -

erage,” he said. But the “outcry from smaller lot owners, especially in south Arlington,” produced compromises. “These liberal activists who supported this must be rolling over in their graves at the [current] attempts to create multifamily units on every Residential R District lot,” Showman said. “I wish these people who know absolutely nothing about zoning or real estate would stop trying to make drastic changes.”

***

Your columnist stepped out from the journalism world and published a personal memoir. The illustrated color paperback “My Gap Year—Reinterpreted” is a freshened account of a nine-month hitchhike through Europe and North Africa that I undertook in the tumultuous year 1971-72, as a not-yet-wise 18-year-old. There were other ways my companion and I could have postponed college. But we happened on some true adventures, as detailed in my longdust-gathering diary. If you’re interested in youthful self-exploration (with a touch of baby-boomer nostalgia), order a copy via the bookstore Politics and Prose. https://www.politics-prose.com/ book/9781624294228

Movie Theater Deal a Remarkable Achievement

Once again, a big bad Washington, D.C.-based media outfit has descended on the little City of Falls Church to publish a misleading article based on sources derived from local ax grinders opposing a popular plan, in this case to do the almost impossible by securing a theater chain to place a first-rate multi-screen operation in the Founders Row development on West Broad at N. West Street.

In the news industry, the practice, in this case involving the Washington Post is called “parachuting,” and it involves a news organization with no roots in a community getting a tip that often comes from an opponent to a local government policy, makes a few phone calls or emails, and produces an article that more often than not sews confusion if not misinformation. From the media outlet’s standpoint, the result is a juicy formula story of locals opposing their local leaders.

In the case of Falls Church, it has happened numerous times, including a particularly egregious case in the mid-1990s where a D.C. TV station’s so-called investigative unit was coaxed into showing up to interview a handful of community nay-sayers well-known as such to the locals and produced a “scandal” segment about corruption at City Hall involving real estate assessments. In that case, the City was lucky to have us (the mighty News-Press) around to set the record straight to the effect of unruffling a whole batch of feathers. The TV station said it stood by its account, but then never said another word. The paratrooper had done his thing, packed up and hitched a ride out of Dodge.

In this week’s case, the Post featured an article on the front page of its Metro section Tuesday entitled, “Tax Dollars Could Be Ticket to the Movies,” with the subtitle, “Falls Church Considers Theater Finance Plan But Not Everyone is Sold,” by Teo Armus. The article quotes a lone opponent to the plan, and highlights one of his quotes in the article with a big type font feature. The commissioner was one of three votes on the Planning Commission not to recommend the project’s changes as the other “no” votes were more a protest against the City Planning Department for failing to provide information, and not a matter of substance on the revisions, themselves.

The Post article concluded with the highly misleading quote that the movie incentive “was not worth eating into funds that could serve some sort of public infrastructure.” However, in reality, it is not a case of “eating into funds,” since the incentive involves taking a portion of funds generated by the theaters themselves, and that would otherwise not exist at all.

On the contrary, the deal negotiated by the City and the Economic Development Authority with Mill Creek and Paragon Theaters was an incredible achievement, pushing economic development and a boon to all the citizens of this community forward through a very difficult period.

Book Review

An American Boomer Recalls an European Adventure in Tumultuous Times

by J. Roslyn Special To News-Press

In 2021, News-Press contributor Charlie Clark rediscovered a diary he kept of his tour of Europe from 1971 to 1972, when he was 18. The diary, kept in a binder, consisted of the many By Air Mail, flimsy blue envelopes he sent home, usually weekly, and photos taken by his friend and tour companion, Peter.

This book, for the most part, is based on Clark’s unabridged diary. It is an extraordinary glimpse of Europe at that time as seen and experienced by two 18 year olds. As Clark writes in the Introduction, “You can travel the globe, but you can’t travel back in time. Unless, after a fashion, you re-discover a personal diary that simmered for 50 years detailing your life’s most stretch-the-vision adventure.”

At 18, Clark had an intense wish to see and experience Europe that was not to be denied. So, with best friend Peter, they took a gap year before college, and paid Pan Am Airlines $226 for a round trip, open-ended return ticket. Armed with “Europe on 5 and $10 a day,” miscellaneous Michelin guides, and Harvard’s “Let’s Go: Europe,” the two set off.

Although Clark does reinterpret some of the diary, he refrained from imposing his adult outlook on his younger self throughout. He interpreted his

Got Beef?

18 year old emotional responses to his adventures, as sometimes happy, often depressed. For example, Clark writes that he “grabbed every chance over nine months to strum a stranger’s guitar or a piano in a hostel common room—a welcome taste of normalcy amid pressures of nonstop travel.” And, the “words [of the diary]were laid down during stolen moments and poor lighting by an 18-year-old first-time traveler who was fatigued (and sometimes depressed).”

Hemingway wrote, “There is nothing to write. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” The young Clark often “bled” in his flimsy blue letters, and this surprising honesty is central to all aspects of this book. For many in the Baby Boomer generation, My Gap Year Reinterpreted, will generate a flood of memories for the time in their youth when the need for adventure, for a time, outweighed the college, job, family plan. For younger generations, Clark’s adventures in Europe in 1971-1972, may seem phantasmagorical. As a 25 year old friend put it when I explained the book, the idea of thousands of young Americans safely trekking through Europe at $5 to $10 a day “seems like a dream.”

Unfortunately, she is correct. The days of young people trekking through the world safely and economically is a dream, and that is why Clark’s diary is so important as a time capsule of sorts, akin to the writings of young people bicycling or hiking through Europe before WWII.

‘Creative Cauldron’ Brings Sleepy Hollow Back to Original Story

BY JULIANA VANDERMARK SPECIAL TO NEWS-PRESS

“Somewhere around Tarrytown…” Three days later and this adage still rings in my ears, in a way that all great reprises in all great musicals should. Thursday, October 6 was opening night of Falls Church City’s Creative Cauldron’s “Ichabod: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”

Stephen Gregory Smith

Written by

and music by Matt Conner, the musical takes The Legend of Sleepy Hollow closer to the original gothic horror story by great American writer, Washington Irving.

For my first ever Creative Cauldron production, I didn’t know quite what to expect, but the second I saw the elegant and eerie wooden set laden with flickering lanterns, I knew the musical wouldn’t disappoint. As a lover of ghost stories and sitting on the edge of my seat, this production carried me and the rest of its captive audience to the Dutch settlement of Tarrytown where the play takes place.

The play follows a small town

and its schoolhouse as new schoolmaster Ichabod Crane moves in. Upon arrival he catches the eye of young Katrina Van Tassel, daughter of the well-esteemed Baltus Van Tassel. Ichabod enthralls Katrina with the magic of a world beyond Tarrytown, of Boston where he is from and the two find more and more excuses to be in one another’s presence. Upset by this apparent new development in her daughter’s life, Katrina’s mother urges the town drunk, Brom Bones Van Brunt, to ask for her hand in marriage. Simultaneously there’s another thread of a tale of The Headless Horseman that excites the reader with hints towards a spooky understory to the otherwise-quaint and happy town.

Over the course of the play this showdown between Brom Bones and Ichabod and the retellings of this mysterious tale become more and more intensified until suddenly, one night, the two converge in a mysterious and abrupt end to each saga. The characters are left with several possible explanations, and the audience is left with the same excited unknown, leaving the story open in the most satisfying of ways.

The performance of Colum Goebelbecker as Ichabod was particularly enthralling. His character was incredibly multifaceted and real as he dealt with the challenges of love, poverty and the two coalescing in a genuine way. Goebelbecker took the audience with him through his frustrations and yearning for love and prosperity in a way that was amplified by his euphonious voice.

Brooke Bloomquist’s performance as Katrina is also worth noting as it was her longing looks and internal monologues that added a passionate and emotional layer to the story and gained the audience’s compassion and intrigue over what comes next.

I found myself at times wishing to see the Headless Horseman, frustrated that he was only whispered around lamplight by other on-stage characters. By the production’s finale however, it was just this unspoken magic about him that I appreciated most. Conner made me afraid of someone, something I never even saw. With just his words and songs I had such a visceral feeling of this headless horseman and what he represented to the townspeople that I didn’t want anything different.

Resident Scenic and Costume Designer Margie Jervis’ set and costumes too made the play, and the actors bridge their world with ours as the audience. The vibrant black and white costumes heightened the sense of eeriness throughout the play and the lights to represent narration and reflection versus reality added another layer of care and engagement.

This musical takes a classic tale and brings it alive with a cliffhanger ending, incredible character and story building, and beautiful music.

I encourage anyone who has a love for romance, mystery and autumn to join Creative Cauldron “somewhere around Tarrytown” before it’s too late. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased ahead of time at www.creativecauldron.org or by calling 703-436-9948. Shows take place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday — Saturday and at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sundays. This show is running now through October 30, 2022. Masks are required for all patrons at all times.

“ICHABOD: THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW” is showing at Creative Cauldron until October 30th. (P����: W������ G��������)

A Penny for Your Thoughts News of Greater Falls Church

By Supervisor Penny Gross

The call came from a longtime business owner in Mason District, reporting the theft of several checks from the U.S. mail. The amounts were not insignificant, and he wanted to alert me to the problem. I told him that, indeed, I was aware of the problem, as I had experienced a similar situation a couple of years ago when checks in our outgoing mail apparently were stolen, altered, and cashed.

In the first case, our bank called to ask if I had written a large check to someone, whom I had never heard of previously. The thief had used our checking account number to create a new check and presented it to the bank. The fake check was signed with my name, but it was not my signature. Fortunately, the bank took action to block the release of any funds. A few days later, another check was presented for payment; this time the check looked exactly like our real check, and my signature appeared to have been traced from the original. The bank paid that check to the fraudster, and later refunded the amount to our account. While we didn’t lose money in either instance, we did have to close the account, open a new one, and then notify all direct depositors, etc. That was a lengthy aggravation to avoid!

I reported the theft attempts to Fairfax County’s financial crimes division and, later, a man was arrested in Prince George’s County with some checks, including mine, in his possession. I agreed to testify, but such financial crimes are rampant, and courts are backlogged, so that case may never get adjudicated. The advice of bank officials and police detectives is to be aware of where you deposit your mail. The police discourage putting checks into your own mailbox, referring to them as the “come and steal me” flag. They recommend using the post office for mailing bills, going inside to deposit mail, if possible. Safer still is using

on-line bill pay but, for many older residents, writing a check is the method they’ve been using for years.

In 2017, Fairfax County launched the Silver Shield Campaign to help senior citizens, especially, recognize and avoid the many scams that are prevalent now. Every day seems to bring a new approach to relieve unsuspecting people of their assets, and Silver Shield (www. fairfaxcounty.gov/familyservices/older-adults/ fairfax-county-silver-shield-anti-scam-campaign) is designed to provide helpful hints to avoid being taken. Common scams include the “hello, Grandma?” phone scam – a constituent lost more than $28,000 responding to that one; romance scams, tax scams, even coronavirus vaccination card scams. Silver Shield also has information about handling door-to-door solicitors (a police officer once told a group that, if you’re not willing to kiss the person on the other side of the door, don’t open it!) and home repair and tree work contractors. All door-to-door solicitors probably are strangers to you; some are scammers so if you decide to open the door, take your time, check references, seek second opinions, and get everything in writing before you write that check or provide your credit card.

The holiday season is approaching, so extra diligence is needed to avoid scammers. The businessman who called me did all the right things – notified the police and the U.S. postal inspectors, as well as his financial institutions and customers – but the loss of trust in a decades-old agency is difficult to gauge and accept. I was glad he warned me, so I could warn FCN-P readers. Don’t be a victim!

 Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be emailed at mason@ fairfaxcounty.gov.

City of Falls Church

CRIME REPORT

Week of October 3- 9, 2022

Assault–Domestic, S Maple Ave, October 3, 4:05 AM, a male, 28, of the City of Falls Church, was arrested for Assault.

Larceny from Building, Roosevelt Blvd, October 3, 10:29 AM, victim reported that at 4:28 AM on Oct 2, two men entered a common area and removed an item of value. Suspects described as 18-22 YOA, wearing hooded jackets and medical masks over their face.

Urinating in Public, Wilson Blvd, October 4, 3:03 PM, a male, 38, of Falls Church, VA, was arrested for Urinating in Public.

Commercial Burglary, Wilson Blvd, October 4, between 3 AM and 11 AM, unknown suspect(s) broke the back door of a restaurant and took items of value.

Larceny, W Broad St, October 5, 7:26 PM,

two unknown suspects entered a business and took items of value without paying. Suspects described as: black male, 5’10”-6’, wearing a black mask, black hoodie, digital cammo jacket, black pants, and black shoes; black female, 5’10”, wearing a black mask, grey sweatshirt, purple pants, and dark brown boots. Left the scene driving a white Jeep Renegade.

Drunk in Public, S Maple Ave, October 6, 3:33 AM, a male, 45, of the City of Falls Church, VA, was arrested for Drunk in Public.

Drunk in Public, W Broad St, October 6, 8:38 PM, male, 60, of no fixed address was arrested for Drunk in Public and Urinating in Public.

Larceny from Building, S Washington St, October 9, 12:31 AM, unknown suspect entered a business and took an item without paying. Suspect described as an adult male wearing a red hooded sweatshirt, black pants, and white shoes

Delegate Kaye Korys Richmond Report

As a member of the House of Delegates, I believe that my main responsibility is to craft and fight for legislation that will improve the lives of those living in my district, District 38. This is a broad statement that I see as including two types of legislation: legislation that I believe has a good chance of passing, as well as legislation that may not, or likely will not, pass but brings attention to an important issue. Here is an example of a problem that legislation could help solve and in so doing, easily improve the lives of all Virginians. This problem is not one of policy nor that should provoke political partisanship. This problem is truly about commonsense.

Sometimes you don’t recognize a problem until it literally hits you or those you know or those you love.

This is sadly the case with the rising number of pedestrian and cyclist accidents and fatalities in our streets and, yes, on our sidewalks too.

This burgeoning and deadly trend became tragically personal for me this summer when a friend and fellow community activist, Eileen Garnett, was run over and killed by an out-ofcontrol car crossing a median and a sidewalk into a 7-Eleven parking lot where Eileen was meeting with neighbors in an effort to strengthen redevelopment in our community.

The distracted driver who ended Eileen’s life was simply careless, thoughtless and inattentive — like many drivers who look away from the road for a few fatal seconds and risk forever changing the lives of those around them — and their families and friends.

On June 3rd, Daniela Betancourt, a sophomore at Annandale High School, was crossing the road in the crosswalk to a bus stop on her way home from her after-school job when she was run over and killed by a distracted driver. A woman was struck by a car and died this weekend near Fairfax Town Center. Yesterday a Springfield resident standing beside his disabled vehicle was hit and killed. His death is the 4th pedestrian fatality in Fairfax County this month. Let me repeat that — the 4th pedestrian death this month. October is not even two weeks old! More than sixteen pedestrians have been killed by careless drivers while trying to cross a road in Fairfax County this year. We are heading for a record number of pedestrian deaths in 2022. By this time in 2021 eleven pedestrians had been hit and killed in Fairfax County. While these numbers may seem small, remember that I am speaking of your friends and neighbors who have died while simply living their lives. These Fairfax deaths are part of a national trend of ever-increasing pedestrian deaths. This sorrowful upward trajectory also applies to bicyclists nationwide. Again, our family members, neighbors and friends dying on our roads and sidewalks. These deaths and injuries are so very preventable! Tragedies that we

should not tolerate.

I am working with several citizen groups focused on making our streets and sidewalks safer — literally more livable. Fairfax Families for Safe Streets is collecting data on pedestrian and bicyclist accidents and deaths in our County in an effort to raise public awareness of this easily preventable rising death toll. I am also working with many constituents who have asked me to advocate for stop signs, pedestrian crossing signage and road safety studies. I am supporting these advocates by elevating their voices and by drafting legislation for the 2023 session, as well as calling attention to existing applicable law.

The existing applicable law to which I am referring is my bill, HB1705, which was passed in 2020. This bill was originally brought to me by the Virginia Bicycling Association and never should have taken years to be passed. But it did; and when finally passed, we celebrated the culmination of a ten-year effort. HB1705 “clarifies the duties of vehicle drivers to stop when yielding to pedestrians at (i) clearly marked crosswalks, whether a midblock or at the end of any block; (ii) any regular pedestrian crossing included in the prolongation of the lateral lines of the adjacent sidewalk sat the end of any block; or (iii) any intersection when the driver is approaching on a highway where the maximum speed limit is not more than 35 miles per hour. The bill also prohibits the driver of another vehicle approaching a stopped [for a crosswalk] vehicle from an adjacent lane or from behind from overtaking and passing the stopped vehicle. The bill contains technical amendments.” Since this bill became law in July of 2020, many jurisdictions surrounding Fairfax County have implemented it.

You may have seen the relatively new signs “Stop for Pedestrians” along crosswalks in Falls Church City and in Arlington County. Although urged by me and many Fairfax residents, Fairfax County has chosen to disagree with this law and refuses to post such signs along crosswalk lines. I see this as willfully ignoring a tool that could save lives.

In another effort to save lives with simple legislation, I am working on a bill that will protect those people stopped on the shoulder, whether with a disabled vehicle or while searching for a dog that has jumped out of a car window. A simple solution to what should not be a complicated problem. One more attempt at improving life in Virginia with commonsense legislation part of the job I was elected to do.

 Delegate Kory represents the 38th District in the Virginia House of Delegates. She may be emailed at DelKKory@house.virginia.gov.

Enjoy Autumn With These Local Fall Fun Places

Cox Farms: Family-owned and operated since 1972, the Cox Farms Fall Festival is the largest and “most popular” season event in the Washington, D.C. area. Located in Centreville, the festival is for people of all ages and features live music, interacting with farm animals, a variety of slides, a corn maze, a hay ride and farmers market. On the evenings of Fridays and Saturdays, the “Fields of Fear” attraction gives visitors fun-filled scares such as a haunted corn maze, trail and hayride. For more information, visit coxfarms.com

Great Country Farms: Great Country Farms is a 400 acre working farm situated at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Bluemont, Virginia. The farm offers visitors to pick produce and “create memories”

with family and friends. October is the farm’s Pumpkin Harvest Festival where guests can enjoy wagon rides out to the pumpkin patch, a “Stories from the Stars” themed corn maze, a play area and visiting farm animals. On weekends, the “Oinkintucky Derby” pig races take place, “P-Rex” pumpkin eating dinosaur shows, live music and marshmallow roasting by a bonfire. For more information, visit greatcountryfarms.com.

Falls Church Window Painting

Festival: During October, store windows in downtown Falls Church feature images of bats, witches, scarecrows, pumpkins and ghosts. Luckily, this is an annual event hosted in the Little City sponsored by Falls Church Arts that allows people to register to have a chance to

Krop’s Crops: Krop’s Crops is a 22 acre Christmas tree farm located in Great Falls that has been family-owned for 40 years; over three generations. Krop’s Crops sells local produce such as apples and pumpkins and features anl antique market. In the fall, Krop’s Crops has activities such as hayrides, campfire parties, frisbee golf, farm animals and a corn bin. For more information, visit Kropscrops.com

Pumpkin Village at Leesburg

Animal Park: Pumpkin Village at Leesburg Animal Park includes a hay maze, hill slides,

pony rides and on weekends, a pumpkin pillow bounce. Free cups of apple cider and pumpkin cookie treats are available on weekend visits, while October 30th hosts a Halloween costume contest. For more information, visit www. pumpkinfestleesburg.com

Temple Hall Farm Pumpkin

Patch: At Temple Hall Farm Pumpkin Patch, visitors can meet heritage breed farm animals and experience what happens day to day on a farm. This includes a hiking trail that allows people to learn about the area’s native plants and animals. For more information, visit www. novaparks.com

Nalls Produce: Located in Alexandria, Nalls Produce was created by Cary Nalls in 1961.

www.FallsChurchChamber.org/events/calendar/

Falls Church Chamber Networking Luncheon

Join us for a conversation with State Senator Chap Petersen, 34th District, about the latest updates from Richmond and how they will affect Northern Virginia. Questions are welcome.

Tuesday, October 18 11:30 to 1:15

Dominion Wine & Beer | 107 Rowell Court Seating is limited, REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED use the QR code or visit our website. $30 members | $35 non-members

Nalls Produce features Pumpkin Hill, a free Fall display for both kids and adults to pick and play with the pumpkins sold there. Along with a garden and produce center selling both flowers and produce, apple cider, “seasonal snacks” and candies are also treats for people to enjoy. For more information, visit nallsproduce.com

Burke Nursery & Garden Centre Fall Festival: Pumpkins, gourds, Shenandoah apples, cider, corn stalks, apple cider donuts and more are sold at the Burke Nursery & Garden Centre Fall Festival. One can enter the pumpkin patch photo contest for an opportunity to win a $50 gift certificate. Pumpkin picking and pony rides are also available. For more information, visit www. burkenursery.com

Falls Church Chamber Networking Mixer

Bring your friends and colleagues and get to know the wonderful staff at the newest Apple Federal Credit Union location in Bailey’s Crossroads. Mix and mingle with chamber members and city officials. Harvey’s is catering so you definitely don’t want to miss it!

FREE!

Tuesday, October 25 | 5:30 7:00 pm

Apple Federal Credit Union | 5701 Columbia Pike, Falls Church

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Falls Church School News & Notes

MHS Athletic Hall of Fame Inducts Honorees

Over the weekend, the Mustang Athletic Hall of Fame Committee for Meridian High School inducted its 2022 Hall of Fame Class.

Honorees included Josh Gross, Matteo D’Agostino, Tom Horn, Timothy Andrianarison, Nathan Greiner, Brian Connelly, Frank Spinello, Patrick Perredo, Claire Trevisan, Lindy Hockenberry, Robert Tartt, Elliott Mercado, Barbara Kenny, LaBryan Thomas.

Coach Thomas and his daughter Chantal Thomas (who was inducted in 2016) are the first father/daughter duo in the Mustang Athletics Hall of Fame. Superfan Lindy Hockenberry is the first program supporter to be inducted.

The Red Shirts Are Coming

On Saturday, October 15, scores of Meridian musicians will perform their way across Falls Church City for the annual Tag Day fundraising event. Musicians are raising funds toward their March 2023 perfor-

SCHOOLS

mance trip. They’re off to Nashville where they will tour Music City, participate in a recording session at RCA Studios (where Elvis recorded), and perform at Vanderbilt University for international conductors. Donate directly to one of their musicians, or visit the Band Boosters website to donate: https:// fccps-band-boosters-tag.square.site/

Volleyball Fundraises for Breast Cancer

Meridian High School Girls

Volleyball has a Dig Pink game on Thursday, October 13th, JV at 6:00 p.m. and Varsity at 7:15 p.m. against Manassas Park High School. This event will raise money to support Metastatic Breast Cancer Research and Survivors, and the goal this year is to raise $2000. The entire community is invited to wear pink and cheer on the volleyball team while enjoying pizza, bakesale, raffles, and prizes (cash is best for these items). If one can’t make it but would still like to support, visit https://giving.side-out.org/campaigns/18879.

Disney Concert Hosted by MHS

Meridian High School and Henderson Middle School Choral Departments present “Mickey’s Music Spectacular” on Sunday, October 16th. People can enjoy a concert of people’s favorite songs followed by treats and activities to go. Costumes are also encouraged. The event will take place at Meridian High School, and school strongly emphasizes that people RSVP so that they have enough treats and activity materials. Admission is $5, with $20 max for families. The event is free for ages 2 and under. People may pay ahead or at the door. The event starts at 2:00 p.m.

Teacher Recognized at Conference

Ms. Leah Partridge, 6th grade Language & Literature teacher and Collaborative Teacher Leader (CTL) was recognized at the International Baccalaureate (IB) Mid-Atlantic Coordinator Conference. At each

coordinator conference, one teacher from the mid-Atlantic is selected from each program (PYP, MYP, DP, CP) and recognized for their outstanding efforts as an IB educator.

MD Music Teacher to Present at Conference

Mt. Daniel music teacher Ms. Nicole Guimaraes will present at

the National Association for Music Education (NafME) Conference in November. In the article Making the Band: Modern Band in the K-3 Classroom she previews her session and discusses the modern band movement in the music education world. In her music class at MD, she explores different musical activities to help her students grow the skills needed to build a modern band: steady beat, stage presence, and improvisation.

Local Rivals Falls Church and Justice Prepare to Face Off

by Ryan McCafferty and Nick Porr

Meridian High School

Meridian football faced Warren County on Friday for its homecoming game and lost 30-7, with Josh Wattles scoring the only touchdown for the Mustangs. They fall to 0-7 for the season with a road meeting against Clarke County this week.

The girls’ field hockey team fell 2-1 at Fauquier on Tuesday, and then played Sidwell Friends to a 0-0 draw on Thursday. Their record now sits at 10-3-1 with their final two regular season matchups later this week, at Liberty on Tuesday and at Potomac on Thursday.

Meridian volleyball fell 3-2 on the road to William Monroe on Thursday, while their other matchup, against Skyline, was postponed. Their record falls to 6-14 with games against Warren County (on the road, Tuesday) and Manassas Park (at home, Thursday) on the

horizon for this week.

Falls Church High School

Football (1-5) suffered a fifth straight loss in a 33-14 defeat at the hands of Thomas Edison (4-3). They will have a key game against the Justice Wolves (0-6) Friday night as both teams look to get a much needed win.

This past Monday, October 3rd, Field Hockey (2-9) fell 1-2 to Thomas Jefferson Science and Tech. They will finish up their regular season Wednesday night at home against the Hayfield Hawks.

Volleyball (7-5) won their single game last week, sweeping Mt. Vernon 3-0 Monday night. They have a jam-packed schedule this week, with a three game homestand across four days. The run starts Monday night against Annandale, continues the next day against Thomas Jefferson, and will end Thursday with a match with Justice.

Girls Cross Country won a three team meet at Mason District Park Thursday led by first and second place finishes from Haley Heironimous and Isabella Phillips, respectively. Boys came in second with senior Peter Kratz’s 18:12.40 time leading the way.

Justice High School

Football (0-6) remains winless after a 49-14 takedown by the Hayfield Hawks. Justice will play in the aforementioned local rivalry against Falls Church (1-5) Friday night.

Field Hockey (3-5) will return to action for the first time since September 28th with two games this week. They face Thomas Jefferson Monday and Mt. Vernon Wednesday to round out their regular season.

Volleyball (14-10) had an up and down week. Monday showed to be a strong showing for the Wolves as they downed John R. Lewis (3-7)

were on the opposite end of a shutout, when they fell 3-0 to Thomas Edison (10-5). They’ll play twice on the road this week: against Annandale (1-10) on Tuesday and at Falls Church Thursday.

Marshall High School

In their first game since September 30th, Football (1-4) will face Yorktown Friday night.

Marshall Field Hockey lost

ing to Yorktown 1-4 Friday evening. They play twice this week to round out the regular season, facing Herndon Monday and Langley Wednesday.

Volleyball took a win early last week, downing McLean 3-1 on Monday. They will place twice this week; at WashingtonLiberty Tuesday night and against Wakefield Thursday.

Golf will be sending Leo Perez Siino to the Virginia State Championships Monday.

MERIDIAN HIGH SCHOOL’S Homecoming weekend was this past weekend; a weekend filled with a football game, Hall of Fame induction, dance and the “crowning” of the 2022 Homecoming Court. (Photo: Gary Mester)

MERIDIAN HIGH SCHOOL’S Hall of Fame event this past weekend inducted 14 new members. (Photo: Gary Mester)

July 1 – September 30, 2022

1. 2233 Beacon Ln. FaLLs church, Va 22043

2. 2301 ProVidence st FaLLs church, Va 22043

3. 2152 crimmins Ln FaLLs church, Va 22043

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5. 2223 orchid dr FaLLs church, Va 22046

Kitchen Remodeling: What Adds to a Higher Home Value?

BY KYLEE TOLAND FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

When it comes to the remodeling of one’s house, most of the main focus can go into the place where a family comes together to socialize and enjoy a meal.

Kitchens, along with bathrooms, have been considered to be the most important selling and remodeling points in a home. In recent years, the value of a home can be increased based on the kitchen itself, with certain trends adding to that value.

Patty Oldham is the branch manager for Reico Kitchen & Bath in Falls Church. She said remodeling a kitchen “definitely adds value to the home,” especially as the market becomes “more competitive with new homes being built in desirable areas like Falls Church.”

Depending on one’s budget and what is important to a person within a project, Oldham said remodeling a kitchen can involve “fundamental changes” such as updated cabinetry, installing new countertops and fixtures, adding backsplash or

building out a kitchen island, as well as adding “energy-efficient appliances” to add more value.

Jenn Zschunke is the director of customer experience and community relations at Moss Building and Design. She said the kitchen is “the heart of the home,” due to families spending a lot of time together there as well as serving as a place for “entertainment” rather than just making meals. Zschunke also stated that having a kitchen that has “modern features” and “a few bells and whistles” adds to the value of a home.

One modern feature that has become popular in recent years is adding technological advancements into a kitchen. Also known as “smart kitchens,” these technologies can range from motion sense-equipped kitchen faucets that can sense the presence of one’s hands, or simple outlets for one to charge their devices.

David Foster, the president and CEO of Foster Remodeling Solutions, said adding charging stations to a kitchen is a “common feature” in a kitchen nowadays; whether it be placed

in a drawer so one doesn’t have to see their electronic device, or placed somewhere where one can work on and charge their device while being in their kitchen.

“I would say kitchens are one

of the spaces that probably add the most value to the home,” Foster said. “It helps with resale also, if somebody was to decide to sell a home.”

Another feature that has become common but still is

popular among buyers and sellers is the installation of a kitchen island. In her experience, Zschunke said having a “beautiful island” in the central part of

Continued on Page 18

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Exceptional Sales Team For Listing and Selling Homes.

Let us help you build wealth through real estate. It’s our passion.

Voted Best Property Manager in Falls Church four years running!

Focusing on your success.

Meet Your House Experts

Tori McKinney - ROCK STAR Realty Group, KW Metro Center

As you embark on your real estate journey, it is important to have the right real estate agent on your side. Trust ROCK STAR Realty Group, your neighborhood expert, to help you navigate the way.

My Group strives to be the most trusted and connected Realtors® in Falls Church City and beyond. My respected and experienced team and I are passionate about helping buyers find the homes they love, and providing sellers with a seamless sale from start to finish. My #1 aspiration is to bring my clients joy, calm, and confidence with one of life’s biggest decisions. Your housing dreams are our utmost priority. We look forward to guiding you!

Each Wednesday, I’m at Northside Social Falls Church from 10:00-11:00 AM for my ROCK the House Coffee Hour. Please join me to discuss your housing needs and questions about the market over coffee. See you there!

Cheers - Tori

703.867.8674 • RockStarRealtyGroup.com

Ken Trotter, Silver Line Group at TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

Ken Trotter is the founder and principal agent of the Silver Line Group and regularly recognized as one of Washington, DC’s top producing Realtors®. While the heart of the team’s practice is in Falls Church, the team also regularly represents buyers and sellers along the Silver Line corridor from DC to the Dulles.

Ken’s team regularly sets sales records and knows how to maximize a seller’s net return with: strategic home preparation, optimal market positioning, skilled negotiations, leveraging multiple-offer scenarios, and first-rate marketing.

If you are selling your home, please reach out to learn how to get everything you deserve.

703.606.1122 • SilverLineHouses.com

Pam Micciche, Keller Williams

Pam Micciche of the HBC Group KW works hard for her clients by focusing on the essentials: strong relationships, honesty, and an unflagging commitment to the client’s best interest. As a native Washingtonian and a resident of Falls Church for almost 20 years, Pam knows this market inside and out. She lives in town with her husband, two kids and one very spoiled dog. Reach out to Pam when you are considering selling, buying, renting or investing so that she can put her strengths in negotiating to work for your real estate needs.

The HBC Group consistently sells over 100 residential properties annually ranging from multi-million dollar luxury estates to $300,000 condominiums and townhomes.

703.371.9343 • HBCGroupKW.com

Kathy Pippin, Samson Properties

Kathy Pippin grew up in Northern Virginia, and received an engineering degree in Maryland. Her methodical approach and local knowledge, coupled with her negotiation skills and top-notch marketing, have well equipped her to serve her clients, whether first-time home buyers, repeat buyers, sellers, or investors. She is pragmatic and has a consultative approach when helping clients buy or sell. She has a dedicated team to produce successful outcomes for each sale. Kathy believes in giving back to the community and supporting local and national charities in the areas of children’s cancer research, survivors of abuse, and worldwide medical assistance. Kathy Pippin believes in educating her clients.

703.408.0838 • KathyPippinProperties.com

Albert Bitici

I live, work, and raise my children in Falls Church and am a strong advocate of our wonderful community. I bring over 15 years of real estate experience, in sales, rentals, and renovation gained from working in the New York and London real estate markets. Bred from a family of small business owners I understand the importance of consistently delivering a high level of customer service to all my clients. I have created a brand which provides the right advice to clients, backed by the highest level of customer service, and the best marketing. Which is why The Bitici Group attracts forward-thinking clients and exceptional real estate to prove that fantastic results are achieved with a bespoke, tailored approach.

For a smarter, personalized approach to buying and selling, contact our award winning real estate team, The Bitici Group at Keller Williams Metro Center.!

571.775-0468 • albert@thebiticigroup.com

Julie Andre

Julie Andre is an area native and highly experienced Senior Mortgage Officer with UNFCU, lending in all 50 States. She provides valuable solutions and education for all home loan types and sizes. Julie provides individualized attention to borrowers from pre-approval through closing. First-time buyers, move-up buyers, downsizers, self-employed, investors, second homes, cash buyers seeking delayed financing, foreign nationals and more. In addition to weekdays, Julie is available evenings and weekends. Feel free to reach out by phone/text (703) 237-0333 or email jandre@unfcu.com.

703.237.0333 • jandre@unfcu.com

Louise Molton

Last Summer we were talking about Covid - this fall it’s all about interest rates. So what does this mean if you are trying to sell your home right now? We are still in a seller’s market in Falls Church and Arlington because we are still experiencing a lack of inventory, which is helping to keep prices relatively stable. Money has become more expensive for buyers so their purchasing power has been reduced, but banks are responding by bringing out new products that will help in this market. We haven’t seen ARM’s for a while, but the Adjustable Rate Mortgage is back and some other products that are helping to keep the housing market afloat. I love challenging markets! It makes my 20 years of real estate experience count, so please call me for a free, no obligation consultation and let me put my experience to work for you!

703.244.1992 • agentlouise@gmail.com

JD Callander and Ed Blanchard

JD Callander and Ed Blanchard with Weichert Realtors both call Falls Church City home and bring over 25 years of combined real estate experience and passion to their work. They are well-known and respected agents and demonstrate success through integrity in all that they do.

They understand the market, are attentive to details and truly care about their client’s needs. They also love giving back to their beloved community through sponsoring the FCC Memorial Day Fun Run, HTG Games benefitting Falls Church City ES/PTA plus many smaller events.

703.821.1025 • www.NewNovaHome.com

A Falls Church News-Press Advertorial

Meet Your House Experts

Jennifer Talati

Jennifer Talati is a long time resident of Falls Church and a supporter of all things music and arts within the community. As a multi-million dollar agent with the Long & Foster Arlington/Falls Church office, she brings over 20 years experience listing and selling homes throughout Northern Virginia to the table with both dedication and high energy in the role. Jennifer specializes in the close-in neighborhoods of Arlington, McLean, Falls Church, Annandale and Alexandria.

703.944.3874 • Jennifer.Talati@longandfoster.com

Founders Row

Welcome to Founders Row - Falls Church’s newest retail destination, managed by Mill Creek Residential. Founders Row is home to two residential communities- Modera Founders Row, a luxury apartment community, and VERSO Founders Row, a collection of designer 55+ apartment homes. There are many restaurants and retailers on board (Chasin’ Tails, Ellie Bird and Club Pilates to name a few!), creating a one-stop shop for its residents. “Founders Row was always envisioned to elevate the dining and entertainment experience in the City of Falls Church,” said Joe Muffler, managing director of development. Enjoy shopping, dining and luxury amenities right outside your door!

571.370.3201 • VersoFoundersRow.com

FOXCRAFT Design Group

FOXCRAFT Design Group is in their 33rd year as an award-winning design/build firm and general contractor. What is the secret to longevity in such a competitive marketplace?

“We understand adapting homes for growing families and the importance that a neighborhood plays in family life,” explains FOXCRAFT president and owner Chandler Fox.

FOXCRAFT is among the most creative, experienced design/build firms in the region, specializing in meeting clients’ budget expectations and overcoming ever changing national and county codes, regulations and guidelines. “We’ve done it all,” Fox says. “Clients come back to us many times for additional projects. We are problem solvers and trusted advisors.”

703.536.1888 • www.FOXCRAFT.com

DuBro Architects + Builders

DuBro Architects + Builders have been transforming our clients’ homes for 20 years. We care deeply for our clients and the community within which we work. We are driven by the integration of insightful design and expert craftsmanship infused with a spirit of integrity and innovation.

LOVE YOUR HOME.

703.533.7464 • www.dubro.net

MOSS Building & Design

Since 2001, MOSS Building & Design has established a reputation for excellence in remodeling additions, kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and home services throughout Northern Virginia. Their customers see them as a trusted partner, and MOSS Building & Design is very proud that over 85 percent of their customers consider themselves ‘customers for life.’ MOSS Building & Design has won consumer awards from Angie’s List for eight consecutive years and also has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau as well as many industry building and design awards. Recent notable accolades include the 2022 PRO Mid-Atlantic Remodeler of the Year Awards in three categories, including two Grand Prize winning remodels. hello@mossbuildinganddesign.com • www.mossbuildinganddesign.com

N-Hance of Fairfax

Mark Donnelly, owner of N-Hance of Fairfax, NW, a local franchisee of the #1 Cabinet Refinishing Company in the US. We offer our clients affordable options to update their homes. Whether you are looking to renew aging cabinets, want to brighten your kitchen with a lighter color, or follow the latest color trends, we can help bring a whole new look to your kitchen. Furthermore, if your cabinet boxes are solid, but your doors are dated, we can also do a re-dooring to a more modern style (like Shaker), without the mess, expense or duration of a traditional remodel.

My team and I look forward to hearing from you and seeing how we can help to create the kitchen of your dreams.

703.345.3100 • FairfaxNW@nhancelocal.com

Reico Kitchen & Bath

Your dream, our ideas and expertise. Reico Kitchen & Bath takes your dated, tired kitchens and bathrooms and transforms them into spaces you love and want to spend time in.

Established in 1952, Reico Kitchen & Bath is your one-stop for kitchen and bathroom design and remodeling. We offer cabinets, countertops, appliances, sinks, fixtures and everything you need to create your new kitchen or bathroom. It is our goal to have every customer recommend us at our Falls Church, VA showroom or at any of our 23 showrooms throughout the Mid and South Atlantic.

703.748.0700 • reico.com

The Mather

The Mather, projected to open in 2024, is a forward-thinking Life Plan Community for those 62+. It’s smack dab in the middle of it all, bordering a three-acre urban park and within walking distance of Tysons rail service, retail, and restaurants. The Mather’s apartment homes feature expansive views, luxury finishes, and smart-home technology. The Mather will feature 38,000+ square feet of amenities, including restaurants, spa, fitness center, indoor pool, rooftop clubroom, art studio, and more! Life Plan Communities are lifestyle communities in which people can pursue new passions and priorities, with a plan in place that supports aging well.

703.348.8522 • themathertysons.com

GreenBuilt Homes

GreenBuilt Homes is an award-winning, environmentally-friendly builder based in Falls Church City. We blend traditional architectural appeal with technologically advanced designs and features to provide quality-crafted homes at an exceptional value as we revitalize the urban neighborhoods of Falls Church City, Arlington County, and select neighborhoods in Fairfax County. GreenBuilt was founded in 2001 and builds all its homes to meet the requirements of Energy Star and the NAHB’s Green Standard. GreenBuilt is a proud supporter of the Falls Church City Public Schools and staff, FCEF, and Mary Riley Stiles Library.

703.593.2160 • www.greenbuilthomes.net

Peake Management, Inc.

Lindsey Peake was raised with a passion for real estate that has extended through 3 generations. An avid investor herself, she works hard to find good investment properties and homes for clients. Not all houses make good rental property, that’s where experience helps. With a 40-year history in Northern Virginia, the company is strong and well-established. The focus is always on the client, whether listing a home for sale, buying the perfect home, or managing property.

A strong believer that long term property ownership creates wealth.

703.408.2153 • www.peakeinc.com

Kitchen Remodeling: What Adds to a Higher Home Value?

Continued from Page 18

the kitchen has been popular among Moss’s customers.

Whether it comes with more storage room or a “beautiful, stone countertop,” Zschunke said an island is a “great way to gather” for a family meal rather than a dining room table.

Foster added that Foster Remodeling Solutions has seen “a lot of islands being added” to a kitchen if homes don’t already have them. He stated islands can be used as a work surface for both adults and children, as well as being a place for people to sit and be “a part of what’s going on in the kitchen without being in the way of the cook.” Some people may want to add cooking stations or sinks to their islands as well.

Having quality storage places with high end cabinetry as well as incorporating “unique colors” in a kitchen can add to a home’s value. These types of cabinets can include a “Lazy Susan,” a rotating, tray-shaped platform that can be placed inside corner cabinets; or a “racetrack design” that simply

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allows a cabinet to be pulled in and out. Zschunke said having both of these features can add to the “aesthetic” of one’s home.

Mark Donnelly, the owner of NHance of Fairfax NW, said coloring one’s cabinets can give the kitchen a “brand new look at a fraction of the cost of a remodel.” If the cabinets are “still solid” but the doors are “old-fashioned,” re-

dooring is a “great, cost-effective way to modernize one’s kitchen.” “Now with people opening up their homes, the kitchen is really a part of the homes; look and feel and design overall,” Zschunke said. “I think people are looking for ways to kind of make their design style, look and feel kind of spread throughout the kitchen.”

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The Fed Has Challenged Inflation to a Duel

by Nick Gatz Falls Church News-Press

The Fed, and more specifically its Federal Open Market Committee, is attempting to combat inflation. The Fed and Chairman Jerome Powell are increasing interest rates, using monetary policy to rein in price increases. If inflation proves to be too powerful, they may not be able to contain these price increases. Worse, this duel could cause collateral damage. Increasing our low level of unemployment or diminishing corporate and consumer confidence, pushing stocks further into bear market territory.

Our banking system is managed by the Federal Reserve among many other federal agencies. The Federal Reserve was established with a mandate to maximize employment, stabilize pricing, and moderate interest rates. You may have heard in September that the Federal Funds rate increased 75 basis points (0.75 percent) to 3.25 percent. The Federal Funds Rate is what commercial banks charge to borrow and lend to one another overnight. Commercial banks in turn lend this money with a spread above it to businesses and consumers.

Mortgage rates begin to increase, increasing monthly payments quite dramatically. As of 2020, an average 30 year loan was comprised of 33 percent interest. Financing the same amount today would amount to 57 percent as interest. Payments would increase 50 percent on the same home and same down payment. Affordability in The Little City is becoming even more distant for those looking to buy. As buyers begin looking at properties within lower price points,

others sit on the market longer as sellers consider price cuts.

Not only are mortgages affected, but almost all types of loans. When the cost of borrowing increases, companies and individuals tend to consider spending cuts. As companies observe decreasing demand, they may temper price increases or contemplate price reductions for their products. Today, we may be in a period where the average consumer is evaluating substitutes to meet their budgets, instead of foregoing a purchase altogether. This only muddies the water further. When the Fed increases interest rates, companies of all sizes and types are affected and have to contemplate these changes. What alternative measures can the government take with fiscal policy?

Most of these actions include targeting specific products or services. For example the Inflation Reduction Act aims, among other things, to reduce the cost of specific drugs. Targeting systemic problems may correct flaws related to drug pricing; however economist believe reducing one product is not an impactful action for the economy as a whole.

Other fiscal policies targeting inflation, include the aim to reduce gas prices. As you drive down Washington St, it is easy to notice the price of gas has continued to fall. This will certainly influence inflation, but how sustainable is it? Is it possible to see sub $3.00 prices again without an end to the war in Ukraine?

The Fed’s next meeting is November 1-2. Jerome Powell stated “The chances of a soft landing are likely to diminish to the extent that policy needs to be more restrictive, or restrictive for longer” and the Fed is “committed to getting inflation back down to 2 percent.”

THE FED INCREASTED the Interest rate to 3.25 percent. (Courtesy Photo)

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Scramble Anniversary

Scramble Falls Church indoor play place is celebrating its first-year anniversary. To mark the occasion, there will be a ribbon cutting with City Council, VIPs, and the Falls Church Chamber Board at 5:30 pm on Thursday, October 20. Scramble invites the community with appreciation for its support of the second location. The main attraction for children will be the play frame which adults may also explore, and the independent bookstore. There will be an array of appetizers, pizza, desserts and beverages until 7:00 pm. RSVPs with family count are encouraged by Wednesday, October 19 to scrambleinfo@goscramble.com.

Sharkey’s Grand Opening in Falls Church

Sharkey’s Kids Cuts opened in Falls Church last week with fanfare. City Council, the Falls Church Chamber Board and Del. Marcus Simon celebrated with a ribbon cutting on Friday and special deals were offered during the weekend. Arlington Magazine featured the grand opening and interviewed owners Pauline and Garry Devinger on their establishment where video games, dress up and special cars excite the young clients. The 20-year-old franchise has over 100 locations nationally.

Virtual Event on Workforce Development

The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, in partnership with Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance (NOVA EDA) jurisdictions, is presenting a free virtual event Workforce Development Resources for Northern Virginia Companies on Thursday, October 20, 2022, from 11:00 a.m. – 12:05 p.m. ET. A panel of Virginia’s top workforce development experts will address a wide range of free resources available to Northern Virginia companies. Quiana Gainey, CEO, SecureTech360, will share how these free resources contributed to her company’s success. Participants will have an opportunity to join the conversation via a live chat. Panelists include William “Ed” Trumbull, Vice President, Workforce Innovations, ICF; Michael Glascock, Regional Program Manager, Virginia Values Veterans V3 Program; Ann Hyslop, Managing Director, Northern Region 7 Council, GoVirginia; Crystal Thrower, Registered Apprenticeship Consultant, Division of Registered Apprenticeship, Virginia Department of Labor. To register, visit https://www.fairfaxcountyeda.org/how-to-make-northern-virginia-workforce-resources-work-for-you/.

Why Websites Need a Terms of Use Agreement

The Women’s Business Center of Northern Virginia (CPB) is facilitating a session for businesses with websites on Thursday, October 20, 1:00 -2:00 pm. Speaker Bonnie Sanchez, Esq. will address the importance of the Terms of Use page, which sets the rules for those who visit your website, your rights to content, and limitations on liability. This seminar promises not to bore the savviest entrepreneurs. There are a limited number of seats available, and the webinar link will be shared upon registration. Note: it is best viewed on a desktop, or screen larger than a smartphone (i.e. iPad, etc.). Visit https://wbcnova.centerdynamics.com/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=10420091 for more information.

Congratulations to FCCPS Business Partners

Falls Church City Public Schools presented the 2022 Partnership Awards at the October 11 School Board meeting. These business partners were selected for their ongoing support of the schools in a variety of ways – including sharing expertise, making donations, hosting fundraisers, and preparing students for careers. The winners are as follows: Virginia School Boards Association Business Honor Roll: Ascension Chiropractic; The Gaskins Team, The State Theatre Falls Church Honored Partners: Brown’s Hardware, Chipotle, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Welcoming Falls Church

Annual Nonprofit Forum Features Business Leaders

The Falls Church Chamber of Commerce will hold the Annual Nonprofit Forum at The Falls Church Episcopal on November 15 at 11:30 a.m. The community is invited to attend and learn more about the role these nonprofits play and hear about opportunities to become engaged. An impressive panel of leaders from Excella Consulting, Ecosystems, and Blueprint Financial Services will discuss the importance of community engagement to their employees, and the strategy and tools used to measure the impact for successful engagement between for-profit and nonprofit partners. The chamber is taking reservations for participating nonprofit booths now, and event reservations will open soon.

 Business News & Notes is compiled by Elise Neil Bengtson, Executive Director of the Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce. She may be emailed at elise@fallschcurchchamber.org.

Community News & Notes

Historical Commission Recognizes Local Veterans

The Historical Commission recommended adding four new names to the Veterans Honor Roll plaque outside the Falls Church Community Center at their September 22 meeting. With the help of Judy Fischer White, the President of the George Mason-Meridian Alumni Association, the Commission identified David Rockwell Crocker Jr., Charles Richard McNulty, Neal Emil Monette, and David Gerald Smith as fallen alumni of George Mason High School who served during the Vietnam War years.

The City Council accepted the recommendation, and the plaque is expected to be installed as soon as the bronze is cast.

Assistance League of NoVa Assemble Needed Items

Eighteen members of the Assistance League of Northern Virginia gathered on October 3rd to assemble items for three of its programs. One group of members assembled ‘Baby Bundles’ that included beautiful hand-made blankets, hats, sweaters, booties, a Onesie, information about SIDS in English and Spanish, and a board book for new mothers to read to their babies. The Baby Bundles were delivered to a clinic that serves low-income families. Other members assembled toiletry kits that were provided to an elementary school in Manassas to be used as part of its hygiene curriculum to help fourth and fifth graders learn good grooming practices. Each packet contained deodorant, soap, shampoo, a toothbrush & toothpaste, a comb and hairbrush. That school also received many school supplies.

A third group of members assembled ‘starter kits’ of new clothes for students at 8 elementary schools. Each school received an assortment of basic clothing items, such as sweatpants and sweatshirts, T-shirts, leggings, underwear, and socks.

Nearly 600 clothing items were provided. Next month, the Assistance League will hold another major packing event to provide a wider range of clothing items for the schools.

Home in Falls Church Wins Award

This three-bedroom, fourbathroom home is located in the West Falls Church area of Fairfax County. A nod to America’s colonial era, this replica home won a first place award from the Northern Virginia Builders Association for single-family home renovations and has been featured in Reader’s Digest Gardens and Traditional Home Magazine.

This home celebrates America’s early Colonial past and reminds people that everything doesn’t always have to change. The original cost of the replication, in today’s dollars, would be $2,300,000. For single family renovations, the Northern Virginia Builders Association awarded it 1st place. The Colonial gardens and hardscape are breathtaking and are featured on the front and back inside covers of Reader’s Digest Gardens and in Traditional Home Magazine.

Water Access Project Selected for Grant

The Four Mile Run Conservatory Foundation is receiving a grant award of $300,000 toward a project to build a public, accessible floating launch for kayaks, canoes, and other non-motorized recreational watercraft on the tidal portion of Four Mile Run, a Potomac River tributary. The project is one of seven selected for funding by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation through its Recreational Trails Program (RTP) in 2022.

The project would be the first Washington, DC metro area launch to the Potomac River meeting Americans with Disabilities Act standards, and it will include a transfer plat -

N OCTOBER 8TH, the annual event Farm Day was hosted at Cherry Hill Park from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The day was filled with activities and fun for both children and adults, including pony rides, a petting farm, pumpkin and birdhouse painting, cider pressing, corn shelling and grinding, scarecrow making, live music, tours of the Cherry Hill Farmhouse

ture a roller-entry ramp, providing increased safety for unassisted or novice paddlers when launching or landing. From the new launch point on Four Mile Run in Alexandria, paddlers will be able to access the Potomac River Water Trail and areas of the Run where restora tion work has enhanced wildlife habitat and ecological function. Donations in support of the project are welcome at https:// give-usa.keela.co/4MR-wateraccess

Falls Church Student Heads to National Competition

Falls Church student Charles Duong is taking his business concept, Nujjet, to New York on Oct. 13 for the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship’s (NFTE) annual National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge. Charles is one of 40 students from all over the country who will pitch their business in a series of elimination rounds. The three finalists will present their businesses to a panel of VIP judges in front of a live audience.

The NFTE National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge, a competition presented by Citi Foundation and EY with additional support from American

$10,000 plus a 45-minute mentor session with Daymond John, the founder and CEO of FUBU. The two runners-up will be awarded $2,500 each and an additional $3,000 will be

(MPA) Curator and Artistic Director Nancy Sausser will host a Continuum: Artists Teaching Artists virtual artist talk on Thursday, October 13, 2022 at 7pm. Artists will discuss the thoughts and processes behind their respective works

THE ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF NOVA had eighteen members gather on October 3rd to assemble items for three of its programs. Baby blankets, toiletry kits and school starter kits were put together for the various programs (Photo

distributed among top-scoring semi-finalists.

Mclean Project for the Arts to Host Artist Talk

McLean Project for the Arts

featured in Continuum, an invitational exhibition highlighting works by artists who give significant time to teaching, mentoring, and communitybuilding, while continuing to sustain and develop strong and

Courtesy: Cheryl Brunner)

LOCAL

The Opening of ‘Scapes at the Falls Church Arts Gallery this past Saturday brought over 100 area art lovers to view the latest exhibition in person after a two year hiatus from in-person opening celebrations. The exhibit features 51 works depicting various interpretations of real or imagined, representational or abstract, macro- or microscopic ‘Scapes. Pictured left to right: Little City residents: Mark Johnson, exhibiting artist, Kiefer Johnson in front of his piece “ Let’s get Swinging”, and Jim & Lisa Dehart (News-Press Photo)

innovative personal bodies of work.

Harvey’s To Host “Blues, Boos And Brews” Event

On Thursday, October 27th, Harvey’s will be hosting their “Blues, Boos and Brews” event at 513 W. Broad St., Falls Church from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The event will feature a performance by the Bobby Thompson Trio, a costume contest and beverages from local breweries such as Audacious Aleworks and Metro Cellars. 10 percent of sales from the entire day goes to the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation.

Four nonpartial judges will be there to judge for best overall costume, best homemade costume and best couple cos -

tume. Prizes will be Harvey’s giftcards and tickets to the Tinner Hill Music Festival.

Select FCPA Farmers Markets Pilot Hot Foods

The Fairfax County Park Authority farmers markets are pleased to announce the 2022 hot foods pilot program for the remainder of this year’s market season. Customers will now be able to purchase a hot breakfast or dinner at the McLean, Annandale, Kingstowne and Oak Marr farmers markets from select vendors. The goal is to boost market attendance, improve customer experiences, and provide local farmers with an additional sales outlet.

The Oak Marr, McLean, and Annandale farmers markets will be offering hot breakfast

sandwiches and coffee – grab breakfast on the go while doing morning grocery shopping. Hot food will be available during the dates of October 28th to November 11th. For additional information, contact the Community Horticulture Office at 703642-0128 or visit the Farmers Market website.

Coat Drive Hosted at Rare Bird Coffee

It’s Coat Drive 2022 time. Join Alison Miller on Saturday, October 15th from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Rare Bird Coffee to drop off coats and share a beverage with Miller. Miller is collecting coats for the families of Comunidad, a local organization enriching the lives of families in Fairfax County.

ON OCTOBER 1ST, the Fairfax Branch of the NAACP had their Freedom Fun Event. At the event, they awarded Edwin Henderson (pictured on the right) with the “Historian Award” and Paul Gilbert (pictured on the left) was awarded the “Community Advocate Award.” (Photo Courtesy: Paul Gilbert)

FALLS CHURCH STUDENT CHARLES DUONG is taking his business concept to New York on October 13th for the annual National Youth Entreprenuership Challenge (Courtesy Photo: Rachel Felice)

THE MCLEAN PET FEST on Sunday, October 16th, will feature a variety of exhibitors and allow one's pet to participate in tricks and meet other furry friends. Located at Mclean Central Park from 11:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m. A pet parade will also be held during the event at 3:00 p.m. and a photobooth to take pictures with one's furry companion.

LOCAL EVENTS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13 CANDIDATE

FORUM.

The Falls Church League of Women Voters, invites the public to meet the candidates for the 8th Congressional District of Virginia at a virtual forum at 7:00 p.m. Attendees will be able to submit questions for the candidates. In order to receive a link to attend the forum, please register on Eventbrite at: https://LWV8thdistrictforum. eventbrite.com.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14

LUCKETTS FALL VINTAGE MARKET.

The Lucketts Fall Vintage

Market showcases more than 200 of the best “vintage hip” vendors on the East Coast. Located at the Clarke County Fairgrounds in Berryville, VA. 12:00 p.m. — 5:00 p.m.

FALL FAMILY FUN

FESTIVAL. Come and enjoy an afternoon/ early evening of family fun. Includes food from 7StarrWings, moon bounce, petting zoo, magician JT the Stoppable, and more. Little River United Church of Christ (8410 Little River Turnpike, Annandale). 5:00 p.m. — 7:00 p.m.

HAUNTED WOODS

&

LASER

TAG. A fun -

draiser to help save the lives of animals. A terrifying walk through seven acres of haunted woods with zombies, ghosts and much more. Back by popu -

lar demand is the Zombie Laser Tag. 8:00 p.m. — 11:00 p.m. 67 Main Street, Reisterstown, Maryland.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15

COMMUNITY

TRASH DAY. Join JD Callander and Ed Blanchard to their annual Community Trash Day where one can bring their unwanted items to be disposed. Items can include appliances, furniture, TV's and computers, file cabinets and more. The event will be at Oak St. Elementary School from 9:00 a.m. — 11:00 a.m. Questions can be asked at (703) 821-1025

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' DAY COAT

DRIVE. Items can include new -or gently used- hooded winter coats, new socks (all sizes), baby blankets, hood -

ies, gently used toddlers' and kids' winter clothes, bars of soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, shaving products, feminine care, and diapers 4-5-6. Collection box locations are at City Hall, Library and Community Center.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16

COMMUNITY BENEFIT CONCERT.

Presented by Mclean Baptist Church and Virginia Chamber Orchestra, the concert will be free and donations will be accepted for humanitarian needs in Ukraine. Mclean Baptist Church (1367 Chain Bridge Road, Mclean). 4:00 p.m.

NOVA CENTRAL FARM MARKET.

NOVA Central Farm Market is a year-round farmers

market located on Beulah Road at the Church of the Holy Redeemer in Vienna, Virginia. The market features produce, eggs, prepared foods to go, dairy, baked goods, flowers and more. The market also has table seating, live music each week, kids club activities, chef demos and special events. The Church of the Holy Redeemer (543 Beulah Road, Vienna). 8:30 a.m. — 1:00 p.m.

MCLEAN PET FEST.

Have fun at the park, see great pet tricks and demonstrations, find valuable pet-related information and get tips on products and services that can enhance the life of your pet and improve your experiences as a pet owner. A variety of exhibitors will be participating. Bring your leashed pets to show off their best costumes and join the fun for the Pet Parade at 3:00 p.m. Mclean Central Park (1468 Dolley Madison Blvd.) 11:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m.

(Photo Courtesy: Sabrina Anwah)

THE FALLS CHURCH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE will be hosting a luncheon on Tuesday, October 18th at Dominion Wine & Beer at 11:30 a.m. VA Senator John "Chap" Petersen will be talking about the latest updates from Richmond. (Photo: Kylee Toland)

LIVE MUSIC

HOT CLUB OF COWTOWN has been lauded for its "down-home melodies and exuberant improvisation," and has toured extensively with artists such as Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Bryan Ferry and more. The band has been described by the New York Times as having "an arsenal full of technique and joy." They will be performing at Wolf Trap on Sunday, October 16th at 7:30 p.m. (Photo: Hot Club of Cowtown)

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14

SHARTEL & HUME

BAND. Clare and Don’s Beach Shack (130 N Washington St, Falls Church)

5:30 p.m. (703) 532-9283

SAVED BY THE 90S.

The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church, VA) 9:00 p.m. (703) 237-0300

TOO EXTRA. Dogwood Tavern (132 W Broad St, Falls Church, VA) 9:30 p.m. (703) 237-8333

THE ROCKITS. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington

THEATER & ARTS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13

Dracula. Join Synetic Theater for a descent into darkness as we reawaken Bram Stoker’s Gothic horror story, Dracula. Synetic’s take on this iconic tale looks evil in the eye and never backs down in a horror-fueled, heart-pounding production that’s sure to get your blood pumping. The sensuous and terrifying thriller arrives just in time for Halloween. Tickets start at $25.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14

November. In this quick-

moving comedy and satire, President Charles Smith’s chances for reelection are looking grim. It’s November in an election year and nuclear war might be imminent. Amidst the biggest fight of his political career, the President has to find time to pardon a couple of turkeys and this simple PR event inspires Smith to risk it all in an attempt to win back public support. With Mamet’s characteristic no-holds-barred style, November is a scathingly hilarious take on the state of America today and the lengths to which people will go to win.

Performed by the Providence Players of Fairfax. Show starts at 7:30 p.m.

Blvd, Falls Church, VA). 8:30 p.m. (703) 241-9504

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15

CACTUS LIQUORS. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church, VA). 8:30 p.m. (703) 241-9504

NICK TIERRA. Dogwood Tavern (132 W Broad St, Falls Church, VA) 9:30 p.m. (703) 237-8333

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16

HOT CLUB OF COWTOWN Wolf Trap (1551 Trap Rd., Vienna). 7:30 p.m. (703) 255-1800

SARAH POTENZA.

Jammin Java (227 Maple Ave., Vienna). 7:00 p.m. (703) 255-1566

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15

'Scapes Art Exhibit. Artists are invited to contemplate the ‘Scapes that inhabit their world, inner or outer, real or imagined, representational or abstract, macro- or microscopic. Exhibition is until November 13th. Pieces will be judged by juror Bryan Jernigan. Located at Falls Church Arts Gallery and online.

Guys and Dolls. Classic Broadway at its show-stopping best. Hailed by many as the perfect musical comedy, this Tonywinning favorite follows a rowdy bunch of gamblers, gangsters, and sassy showgirls in a wild game of chance—then love sneaks in! Set in bustling 1950s

"INTO

will be showing at Signature Theatre from November 8th to January 29th. "The Color Purple's" Nova Y. Payton returns to the Signature stage as the character of The Witch in this beloved fairy tale adventure with a twist. (Photo: Signature Theatre)

Manhattan, Guys and Dolls features some of Frank Loesser’s most memorable tunes including the hilarious “Adelaide’s Lament” and the crowd-pleasing classic “Luck Be a Lady.” Showing at Eisenhower Theater at the Kennedy Center. Run time is two and a half hours. Show starts at 2:00 p.m. Showings are from October 7th through the 16th.

Calendar Submissions

THE WOODS"

Tracking the Coming Economic Storm

Paul Krugman

Meteorologists tell us that global warming has created new problems for forecasters. Not only are hurricanes getting stronger, they’re also intensifying more rapidly than they used to, making it difficult to issue early warnings for communities in their path. Notably, officials in Florida’s Lee County waited for definitive evidence that they would be hit hard by Hurricane Ian before ordering evacuations — and by then it was too late for many people.

Is something similar happening with economic policy? Recently I wrote about the growing buzz from economists and businesspeople to the effect that the Federal Reserve, which has been trying to slow the economy to fight inflation, is braking too hard. Since then the buzz has intensified. And I’m increasingly convinced that, despite a disappointing inflation report and what still

looks by some measures like a robust job market, the Fed is getting behind the curve.

We are, I’d now argue, just starting to see the effects of the interest rate hikes the Fed has been making since early this year. Never mind what inflation and jobs data are saying right now; there’s a lot of reduction in inflationary pressures — and a lot of drag on output and employment — already in the pipeline. The economy, as some business analysts like to say, may well be “rolling over.”

And the risks a hard-money policy poses to financial stability and the world economy in general are looming larger.

Part of the problem is that the Fed hasn’t done what it’s doing now — drastically tightening money to fight inflation — for a long time, indeed since the early 1980s. And some analysts, perhaps including people at the Fed, may have forgotten one important lesson from monetary policy in the bad old days. Namely, it takes a significant amount of time before higher interest rates translate into either an economic slowdown or a

drop in the inflation rate.

Consider how Fed policy affects the real economy. One of the main channels is through housing. Higher interest rates lead to reduced demand for houses, which leads to a fall in construction; as incomes earned in housing construction slide, this leads to reduced demand for other goods, and the effects spill over to the economy at large.

But all of this takes a while. The Fed’s rate hikes have indeed led to a sharp fall in applications for building permits. However, construction employment hasn’t yet even begun to decline, presumably because many workers are still busy finishing houses started when rates were lower. And the wider economic effects of the coming housing slump are still many months away.

The other major channel through which the Fed affects the economy is via the value of the dollar. A strong dollar makes U.S. products less competitive on world markets; falling exports and rising imports will eventually be a major economic drag. But it takes time to shift to new suppliers, so this effect won’t really

The Triumph of the Ukranian Idea

David Brooks

The war in Ukraine is not only a military event, it’s an intellectual event. The Ukrainians are winning not only because of the superiority of their troops. They are winning because they are fighting for a superior idea — an idea that inspires Ukrainians to fight so doggedly, an idea that inspires people across the West to stand behind Ukraine and back it to the hilt.

That idea is actually two ideas jammed together. The first is liberalism, which promotes democracy, individual dignity, and a rule-based international order.

The second idea is nationalism. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a nationalist. He is fighting not just for democracy but also for Ukraine — Ukrainian culture, Ukrainian land, the Ukrainian people and tongue. The symbol of this war is the Ukrainian flag, a nationalist symbol.

There are many people who assume that liberalism and nationalism are opposites. Liberalism, in their mind, is modern and progressive. It’s about freedom of choice,

diversity and individual autonomy. Nationalism, meanwhile, is primordial, xenophobic, tribal, aggressive and exclusionary.

Modern countries, by this thinking, should try to tamp down nationalist passions and embrace the universal brotherhood of all humankind. As John Lennon famously sang, “Imagine there’s no countries/ It isn’t hard to do/ Nothing to kill or die for/ And no religion too.”

Those people are not all wrong. Nationalism has a lot of blood on its hands. But it has become clear that there are two kinds of nationalism: the illiberal nationalism of Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, and the liberal nationalism of Zelenskyy. The former nationalism is backward-looking, xenophobic and authoritarian. The latter nationalism is forward-looking, inclusive and builds a society around the rule of law, not the personal power of the maximum leader. It’s become clear that if it is to survive, liberalism needs to rest on a bed of this kind of nationalism.

Nationalism provides people with a fervent sense of belonging. Countries don’t hold together because citizens make a cold assessment that it’s in their self-

interest to do so. Countries are held together by shared love for a particular way of life, a particular culture, a particular land. These loves have to be stirred in the heart before they can be analyzed by the brain.

Nationalism provides people with a sense of meaning. Nationalists tell stories that stretch from a glorious if broken past forward to a golden future. Individuals live and die, but the nation goes on. People feel their life has significance because they contribute these eternal stories.

“Freedom is hollow outside of a meaning-providing system,” Yael Tamir writes in her book “Why Nationalism.”

Democracies need nationalism if they are to defend themselves against their foes. Democracies also need this kind of nationalism if they are to hold together. In his book “The Great Experiment,” Yascha Mounk celebrates the growing diversity enjoyed by many Western nations. But he argues they also need the centripetal force of “cultural patriotism,” to balance the centrifugal forces that this diversity ignites.

Finally, democracies need this kind of nationalism to regenerate the nation. Liberal nationalists are

happen until next year.

In short, current inflation and employment are basically telling us about the past; we need to look at other data for a glimpse of the future.

For example, a new report shows that unfilled job offerings fell sharply in August. Why is this important? Many economists — especially economists who have been warning about persistent inflation — argue that the tightness of the labor market is better measured by the ratio of job vacancies to unemployment than by the unemployment rate itself. But this ratio, while still elevated, has already dropped substantially; as Goldman Sachs puts it, almost half of the gap between jobs and workers has been eliminated over the past few months.

Another new report shows that demand for apartments has stalled, which will eventually translate into a decline in rent growth — which basically drives official estimates of the cost of shelter, a key component of most measures of underlying inflation.

Oh, and remember all those supply-chain problems that disrupted the economy and raised inflation some months back? Well, the cost of shipping a container across the Pacific, which was $20,586 in September

not stuck with a single archaic national narrative. They are perpetually going back, reinterpreting the past, modernizing the story and reinventing the community.

Over the past decades this kind of ardent nationalism has often been regarded as passé within the circles of the educated elites. I suspect there are many people in this country who are proud to wear the Ukrainian flag but wouldn’t be caught dead wearing an American flag because they fear it would mark them as reactionary, jingoistic, and low class.

The first problem with this posture is that it opened up a cultural divide between the educated class and the millions of Americans for whom patriotism is a central part of their identity.

Second, by associating liberalism with the cosmopolitan global elite, it made liberalism seem like a system used to preserve the privileges of that elite. The populist class backlash combined with an anti-liberal backlash, imperiling democracies across the globe.

Third, it opened the door for people like Trump to seize and hijack American patriotism.

Liberal nationalism believes in what liberals believe, but it also believes that nations are moral communities and the borders that define them need to be secure. It believes that it’s sometimes OK to put Americans first — to adopt

2021, is now $2,265.

I’d argue that these indicators tell us that the Fed has already done enough to ensure a big decline in inflation — but also, all too possibly, a recession.

Am I completely sure about this?

No, of course not. But policy always involves a trade-off between risks. And the risk that the Fed is doing too little seems to be rapidly receding, while the risk that it’s doing too much is rising.

And add in the risk of a financial crisis. Britain’s recent bond-market mess was homegrown, but it may nonetheless be a harbinger of the potential mayhem from rapidly rising interest rates (and the rising dollar, which is causing stress around the world). We don’t want to let financial markets dictate the Fed’s policy, but that doesn’t mean it should ignore financial dangers.

Again, I can’t offer any certainty about what’s coming. But we really, really don’t want the Fed to do a Lee County, and refuse to act on warnings of an economic storm until all the uncertainty is gone. By then it will be too late to avoid the worst.

By Paul Krugman © 2022 The New York Times

policies that give American workers an edge over workers elsewhere. It believes it’s important to celebrate diversity, but a country that doesn’t construct a shared moral culture will probably rip itself to shreds.

American nationalism has characteristically been a liberal nationalism. From Alexander Hamilton to Walt Whitman to Theodore Roosevelt, it has often been a song in praise of a liberal revolution, a liberal constitution and a diverse, liberal society. Trumpian nationalism doesn’t flow from that traditional American nationalism but is a repudiation of it.

Ukraine’s tenacity shows how powerful liberal nationalism can be in the face of an authoritarian threat. It shows how liberal nationalism can mobilize a society and inspire it to fantastic achievements. It shows what a renewed American liberal nationalism could do, if only the center and left could get over their squeamishness about patriotic ardor and would embrace and reinvent our national tradition.

Yael Tamir makes the essential point: “Self-centered individualism must therefore be replaced with a more collectivist spirit that nationalism knows how to kindle.”

By David Brooks© 2022 The New York Times

Most Important Election of Our Lifetime Are Coming

all who cite Trump as their role model.

The title of Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson’s column this week, “The Midterms Are the Most Important of My Lifetime,” is indeed true. Almost 300 Republican candidates around the U.S. are on the record claiming they don’t think, or seriously doubt, that Biden won the presidential election in 2020.

If that doesn’t motivate a huge mobilization of the American people, then how about the fact that if they prevail then more radical bans on abortion are going to become the law of the land. These are unthinkable prospects, yet the voting public is being lulled by the usual diversions into thinking it really can’t be so bad. But it…IS!

To my mind, these are the two most egregious things about the upcoming midterms, where voting is already going on in some places (like my home state of Virginia) and it culminates in the big election day now less than a month away.

On the abortion question, many are trying to convince us that the issue is the personal behavior of Herschel Walker, that ex-football player in Georgia, as Republicans are now saying it really doesn’t matter how many abortions he personally arranged because there’s really only one thing that matters, that he follows the orders of the GOP leadership when it comes to casting his votes.

But it’s not about him. It’s about every woman in America, whether of child bearing age or not. It’s about the fact that women risk becoming prisoners in their own bodies, and don’t think that isn’t what many a white supremacist male would like! Yes, this is as bad as the worst nightmare scenarios of those who have fought for feminist goals ever feared.

Then there are those who are stepping forward as the veritable white male terrorists now feeling empowered in their worst hateful ways as a result of four years of Trump in the White House. It’s not so much Trump anymore as what Trump has unleashed, the lowest, most vile and contemptible expressions and behaviors by millions of American males,

Exemplary is the case of the U.S. Senate candidate in Alabama, the former college football coach Tommy Tuberville, once coach for Auburn University, who felt empowered last weekend to unleash a foul, gutspewing angry verbal terrorist attack at a Trump rally. His comment has been widely denounced as overtly racist, as he blamed all worthy of reparations for centuries of suffering under slavery, of being criminals, and yelling “Bull Shit!” at the end of his diatribe.

It wasn’t what he said, as much as how he said it. It was the kind of remark designed to arouse lynchings and comparable mindless criminal mob behaviors.

Now imagine this. Picture all those scores upon scores of football stadiums across our land filled to capacity with fans cheering their favorites teams every weekend. How many such “fans” are aware that in the locker rooms and the sidelines, jerks with the same angry sentiments as Tubberville rouse their players with the same kind of hateful rhetoric, even if the overtly racist parts are toned down because the best athletes may be Black. There are hundreds and hundreds of players subjecting their brains to constant traumas, sometimes causing concussions that result in permanent injuries and death later in life. Chronic. Traumatic. Encephalitis.

On the sidelines, women prance around with pom-poms in small skirts to cheer on “their men” on the simulated battlefield.

But oh my, the hatred it evokes to even mention these things, to suggest there is something that may be wrong with this. Just enjoy it, can’t we?

Some comment that what’s gone wrong with our national politics is the fact that too many football coaches are teaching civics in our schools. They’re more correct than they imagine.

Sports, while there’s a place for them in child development and genuine recreation, are now our national obsession, and are getting more than more violent and extreme. They’re grounded in zerosum outcomes, a major fallacy of thinking right there, and now betting is legalized and overt violence is sanctioned in so-called “MMA” fights.

To save our democracy, this is the culture we have to change.

Ezra Klein: Joe Biden Knows How to Use Donald Trump

Continued from Page 5

Biden gives startlingly few interviews and news conferences. He doesn’t go for attention-grabbing stunts or high-engagement tweets. I am not always certain if this is strategy or necessity: It’s not obvious to me that the Biden team trusts him to turn one-on-one conversations and news conferences to his advantage. But perhaps the difference is academic: A good strategy is sometimes born of an unwanted reality.

Biden simply doesn’t take up much room in the political discourse. He is a far less central, compelling and controversial figure than Trump or Obama or Bush were before him. He’s gotten a surprising amount done in recent months, but then he fades back into the background.

Again, that’s a choice: Biden could easily command more attention by simply trying to command more attention. When he picks a fight, as he did in his speech on Trump, the MAGA movement and democracy in Philadelphia last month, the battle joins. He just doesn’t do it very often.

Which isn’t to say Biden doesn’t do anything. He governs. Just this past week, Biden pardoned all federal convictions for

simple marijuana possession. Before that, he canceled hundreds of billions of dollars in student debt (although legal and administrative questions continue to swirl around that plan). He signed the Inflation Reduction Act. But then he moves on. He’s not looking to take his policy ideas and turn them into culture wars.

Biden didn’t win the Democratic nomination in 2020 because he was the most thrilling candidate or because he had legions of die-hard supporters. The case most often made for Biden was that other people would find him acceptable. And that proved true. Biden was able to assemble an unusually broad coalition of people who feared Trump and considered Biden to be, eh, fine. That strategy demanded restraint. A lot of politicians would have vied with Trump to make the election about them. Biden hung back and let Trump make the election about him.

I suspect that’s part of why Biden’s approval rating is, and has been, soft. Biden’s appeal to Democrats has been transactional more than inspirational. You don’t need to love, or even really to like, Biden to support him. You need to believe in him as a vehicle for stopping something worse. That’s still true today.

What was never clear to me

was what Biden and the Democrats would do when Trump wasn’t on the ballot — when Biden had to drive Democratic enthusiasm on his own. But Biden is running a surprisingly similar strategy in 2022 to the one he ran in 2020, with some evidence of success. He doesn’t try to command the country’s attention day after day. And that’s left space for Trump and the Supreme Court and a slew of sketchy Republican candidates to make themselves the story and remind Democrats of what’s at stake in 2022.

I’m too burned by recent polling misses to take a decent Democratic year as certain. Republican victories in both the House and the Senate wouldn’t surprise me in the least. But it’s worth noting: At this point in 2010, Republicans were much more enthusiastic about voting than Democrats. At this point in 2018, Democrats were more enthusiastic about voting than Republicans. This year? It’s about even, with some polls even showing a slight lead for Democrats.

If these numbers hold up and Democrats avoid a wipeout in November, Biden is going to owe Trump a fruit basket.

By EZRA KLEIN © 2022 The New York

New Holladay Offer Moves Whittier Deal Closer to Closing

The Holladay Corporation, seeking to finalize the purchase of 7.5 acres of the City of Falls Church-owned Whittier site, this week offered to pay, dollar for dollar, half the cost of removal of loose landfill from the site. The amount of the City’s contribution to that landfill removal has been a major sticking point.

passed away at Arlington Hospital on Tuesday, September 13th with her family by her side from complications related to her 11-year battle with breast cancer. Jennifer was born on March 9th, 1969, to parents Harry and Delores Cannon of Falls Church, VA. She was born in Alexandria, VA,

on her father’s 29th birthday, she was raised in Falls Church and spent most of her life in Northern Virginia, where she raised her two children, Mitchell and Emily. She earned an Associate degree cum laude from Northern Virginia Community College while raising her eldest son, Mitchell. Jennifer was also an avid horse enthusiast and spent many of her recent years caring for and training the family’s horse, Toby alongside her daughter, Emily. She enjoyed cooking, knitting, gardening, and researching her family’s history and heritage. Jennifer is survived by her mother and father, Harry and Delores Cannon of Falls Church, VA, brother Jonathan Cannon of Philadelphia, PA, son Mitchell Cannon of Arlington, VA, daughter Emily Bennett of Woodbridge, VA and Emily’s father, Jonathan Bennett of Woodbridge, VA, as well as addi-

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA

The following was heard at the April 25, 2022 City Council meeting. A public hearing and final City Council action is scheduled for Monday, October 24, 2022 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard.

(TR22-17) RESOLUTION TO GRANT

A SPECIAL EXCEPTION SITE PLAN (SEC. 48-488.B(3)) FOR A MIXED-USE BUILDING WITH A BUILDING HEIGHT UP TO FIFTEEN (15) STORIES ON APPROXIMATELY 0.76 ACRES OF LAND FOR THE PROPOSED SENIOR HOUSING BUILDING OF THE WEST FALLS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, LOCATED AT 7124 LEESBURG PIKE

(PORTION OF REAL PROPERTY CODE NUMBER 51-221-010) ON APPLICATION BY TC MIDATLANTIC DEVELOPMENT V, INC.

All public hearings will be held in the Council Chambers, 300 Park Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia. Remote participation information at www.fallschurchva. gov/publiccomment. Comments may also be sent to cityclerk@fallschurchva. gov. For copies of legislation, contact the City Clerk’s office at (703-248-5014) or cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov or visit www. fallschurchva.gov/councilmeetings. The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, call 703-248-5014 (TTY 711).

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