Falls Church News-Press 10-29-2020 by Falls Church News-Press

October 29 – November 4, 2020

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F.C. City Leads State in Early Voting with 58% Final Early Voting Day is This Saturday, Oct. 31

BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

According to the Virginia Political Action Project (VPAP), as of this Monday, Oct. 26, the voters in the City of Falls Church led the state in the percentage who’d voted absentee or by mail ahead of next Tuesday’s Nov. 3 election day. A whopping 58.3 percent of the City’s registered voters had cast their ballots by that date, far ahead of the second place Arlington County at 49.39 percent. The final day to vote in this manner is Saturday, Oct. 31. Otherwise, the City’s three polling places will be open from 6 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3, which is the official Election Day to determine who will be president of the United States for the next four years. Also, in the case of Falls Church, three City Council candidates are on the ballot vying in a special election to fill the last year of the unexpired term of the late City Councilman Dan Sze. In alphabetical order, the candidates are Debbie Hiscott, Simone Pass Tucker and Joshua Sharif Shokoor. In addition, candidates vying for the U.S. Senate from Virginia and for the 8th District representative in the U.S. House are on the ballot, with incumbent Democrats Sen. Mark Warner and Rep. Donald S.

Beyer Jr. expected to win re-election handily. There are two constitutional amendments, one that would establish a less-partisan method for redistricting electoral boundaries each decade, a hotly contested item with many but not all prominent Democrats urging a “no” vote, and an item to exempt families of veterans from certain taxes. (The News-Press last week endorsed Hiscott, Warner, Beyer and a “no” vote on the redistricting amendment). All three of the candidates running for F.C. City Council have continued to run aggressive and constructive campaigns. Hiscott has lived in the City for 24 years, and Pass Tucker and Shokoor are both life-long residents, having come through the school system from beginning to end here. In response to a request from the News-Press all three provided as of noon yesterday a final summary campaign statement, each of which we reprint in full here: Statement by Debbie Hiscott I’m energized to be part of a community taking its civic duty seriously. We’ve exceeded 60 percent early voter turnout! For more than 24 years, I’ve loved working, volunteering, and raising my family in Falls Church City. We’ve grown

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FALLS CHURCH’S SCHOOL BOARD held its first in-person meeting since the pandemic began in March. Read more about it in News Briefs on page 8. (P��: N��-P��)

Bond Sale $$ Goes To Stormwater Eﬀorts BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

The City of Falls Church was in the process of selling municipal bonds in the amount of $11.7 million as the News-Press went to press Wednesday, acting on a unanimous vote taken by the Falls Church City Council Monday night to press on with the City’s stormwater mitiga-

tion efforts. It came also as the Council voted to allocate $100,000 from underspent general operating funds this year to the Affordable Housing Fund, in a precedent-setting move that also harkened a new way forward for the Little City. Moving quickly to the bond sale yesterday, according to the City’s Chief Financial Officer Kiran Bawa in remarks to the News-Press yes-

terday, came as a result of concerns expressed Monday night that next week’s election could complicate the markets, especially if the large numbers of early votes cast cause delays in declaring winners. Of the $11.7 million total bond sale, $400,000 was dedicated for the advanced engineering work ahead

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Charles Workmaster, a native of Falls Church studying theatre at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, is experiencing what’s it’s like for young actors to try and break into an already difficult business on top of the obstacles presented by Covid-19. SEE STORY, PAGE 10

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No industry has been challenged more by the Covid-19 pandemic than those that house the elderly. Senior living facilities in Falls Church serve as a microcosm of the adjustments made throughout the nation where keeping its residents safe is balanced by preserving its community. See Seniors, page 15

3 P�� H�� W. B�� A�� An adult and two minors were hit by a car at the intersection of W. Annandale Road and W. Broad St. around 11 a.m. Wednesday morning, according to police. F.C. City police said all three victims were taken to Virginia Hospital Center to be treated for non-life threatening injuries. See News & Business, page 17

INDEX

Editorial............................................... 6 Letters................................................. 6 Comment ................................ 7,12,13 News & Notes................................... 11 Crime Report .................................... 12 Calendar ........................................... 14 Classified Ads ................................... 16 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword ......... 17 Critter Corner.................................... 18 Business News ................................. 19

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IT’S A LITTLE STICKER, BUT IT’S A BIG DEAL.

VOTE.

Here is a practical checklist to help you

MAKE SURE YOUR VOICE IS HEARD. Check to see if you are registered to vote at elections.virginia.gov/registration

If you find that you are not yet registered, you can do so online, by mail, or at a local election office by October 13th Visit elections.virginia.gov to confirm your polling place, request an absentee ballot, or for more information Election Day is November 3rd, so make a plan to ensure that you are able to vote Vote, and play an important role in our democratic process

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$400K Goes to Stormwater & F.C. Council Allocates $100K for Aﬀordable Housing

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of six major storm water mitigation projects that have been identified at an eventual cost now claimed to cost between $5.1 and $7.4 million. Called the “Big 6” at the Council meeting Monday, they address the needs at the Harrison Branch, Trammel Branch, Hillwood No. 2, Sherrow Lane, Hillwood No. 1 and Lincoln Avenue. (The rest of the bond sale went to $250,000 for storm sewer mitigation and to achieve a lower interest rate on existing bonds. The City did save a considerable amount selling the new round below the 3.5 to 5 percent rate of current obligations, Bawa said.) Dave Gustafson, chair of the City’s Stormwater Task Force, said the Council’s unanimous 6-0 vote Monday to move forward was “a win-win-win-win-win for many Falls Church neighborhoods that have flooded repeatedly.” He added, “Many stakeholders who have been a part of the City’s robust stormwater discussion over the past month are all in general agreement: we all want sufficient, cost-effective drainage that’s as future-proof as possible and maximizes the use of green infrastructure.” It was Council members Letty

Hardi and Ross Litkenhous’ focus on the need to also address the upstream issues of so-called “green infrastructure” (as well as the “grey infrastructure” of only pipes) that made the vote Monday work for the unanimous vote to move forward for the City. Hardi said in a social media post Tuesday, “Behind last night’s 6-0 vote on stormwater funding were two important call-outs, some of which we’ve been fighting to do for months if not years. “As we’ve advocated consistently,” she continued, “stormwater management needs to be a multipronged effort. With climate change and increased impervious surfaces in our residential neighborhoods, adding only pipes is insufficient. Yet this was the plan in front of us to advance engineering and design dollars and eventually bond $12 million for six grey infrastructure projects prioritized by our citizen Stormwater Task Force, which would eventually double everyone’s stormwater fees.” Hardi added, “This is a case of ‘both/and’ decision making for me: we should invest in grey infrastructure and ‘upstream’ work, aka green infrastructure, and a thorough review of development policy and enforce-

ment opportunities and more equitable fee structures, such as more credits to incentivize natural solutions like on site detention and preservation of mature trees and surcharges to discourage maxing out lot coverage or impervious surface limits.” Litkenhous, in the Council discussion Monday, said “it is very unwise and fiscally irresponsible to raise fees” in the current environment,” stressing that the pursuit of “micro solutions” should be studied. He expressed concern about “committing to more than we can bite off with all six projects now.” While it was agreed to bond for the preliminary stormwater work, Mayor David Tarter said that the City should hold onto as much of its cash as it can because “there is a lot of risk and uncertainty facing us now.” Nonetheless the Council included in its decision Monday to allocate $100,000 of its operating budget underspending to the Affordable Housing Fund, which currently has $315,000. Both Hardi and Councilman Phil Duncan said they could not remember the last time the Council dedicated any money to the fund in this way. While a small amount in terms of the

City’s affordable housing needs, it still represents a major symbolic step. It came in the context of the report on Richmond developments by State Senator Dick Saslaw, along with State Delegate Marcus Simon, at the beginning of the meeting. While Saslaw reported that the Covid-19 pandemic crisis forced the legislature to rescind $2 million that he’d arranged to have committed to City of Falls Church Affordable Housing last spring, he said it is going to be a top priority for him to get that money restored. Saslaw and Simon were on hand to present two special commendations from the General Assembly in Richmond in honor of the late Falls

Church Council member Daniel X. Sze, identical versions passed in the House and Senate. Mayor Tarter invited the two legislators to a special reception honoring Sze, who passed away in July from cancer, at some point to be determined in the spring. The Council delayed until January a decision on more funding for Neighborhood Traffic Calming pending more information on potential funding sources. Federal Cares Funds for the Falls Church Community Services Council are already being used to assist 57 households in the City with rental relief due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it was reported.

Status Update on Wednesday, September 28

City of Falls Church Date Monday, October 26 Thursday, October 22 Monday, October 19 Thursday, October 15 Monday, October 5 Monday, September 28 Thursday, September 24 Monday, September 21

Cases Hospitalizations Deaths # Cases per 100,000 People 75 74* 75 75 72 70 70 68

13 13 13 13 13 13 13 12

7 7 7 7 7 7 6 6

507.7 500.9 507.7 507.7 487.4 473.9 473.9 460.3

*NOTE: These numbers went down as the Virginia Department of Health found that the individuals lived in the Fairfax County part of Falls Church, not the City of Falls Church.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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Arlington County Is Next Closest District In Early Voting Numbers, Totaling 49%

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as a destination, with strong city services/schools and a robust business community. I am proud of my extensive local involvement and collaboration with city and civic leaders to elicit positive change. I welcome the opportunity, if elected, to step in and focus on community priorities. We must address pandemic recovery, from both an economic and public health perspective. This is critical for our Little City’s future strength. We cannot let “pandemic fatigue” cloud our resolve. Budget work will be the top issue for this one year Council term. I will use my decades of financial/budget/ audit experience to work as part of the Council team. I am the candidate who will be able to get to work immediately, using knowledge of city and school budget processes. This does not mean that I will lose sight of what is important to many of us: equity issues, affordable housing, environmental standards, smart growth and safety/walkability.

I’ve worked in these areas for eight years at the Falls Church Education Foundation, and am eager to take my skills and experiences to the next level. I am grateful for recognition of my work. My endorsements include the Falls Church News Press; Delegate Marcus Simon; Vice Mayor Marybeth Connelly; Council Member Phil Duncan; Falls Church City Treasurer Jody Acosta; Falls Church City Commissioner of Revenue Tom Clinton; along with 350+ active supporters (listed at www.debbiehiscott.org). Thanks to everyone involved in the electoral process; democracy is alive and well! Please reach out with your ideas. Vote Debbie Hiscott for Falls Church City Council. Statement of Simone Pass Tucker I want to thank Josh and Debbie for running strong, positive campaigns, and engaging in a good discussion about what our city needs. I want to thank all the small business owners and neighbors who’ve given me their time and explained to me their concerns.

This election comes at a pivotal time for our city. We have massive development projects underway that will reshape the way we live for decades to come, and a pandemic that is crippling our local businesses. That doesn’t call for the old ideas that are already well-represented on city council. It calls for new thinking, and a voice who will bring in new approaches. I’ve used every opportunity to pitch specific, concrete policies that will solve local problems. Policies like a small business liaison office to help struggling local business owners obtain relief. Policies like getting tough on developers and demanding that every project enhance our quality of life and bring in sales tax revenue to offset our increasing property taxes. Policies like building standards that will fix, not just prolong, our stormwater issues. I’m aware that, as a Jewish member of the LBGT community and an activist, I don’t resemble the traditional council member. That’s

OCTOBER 29 – NOVEMBER 4, 2020 | PAGE 5

the point. I’m asking for your vote for new, concrete policies, and to place a new perspective at the table with voices that already dominate our City Council. My campaign has been endorsed by multiple Virginia delegates, including Elizabeth Guzmán, Ibraheem Samirah, and Sam Rasoul, The Northern Virginia Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, and the Fairfax, McLean, and Williamsburg Sunrise Movement Hubs. Join our movement to create a Falls Church for everyone. Thank you for your time, and please reach out if there are specific ways I can help you. Statement of Joshua Sharif Shokoor We are at a pivotal moment as a nation, where the impact of one person’s vote has never been more powerful. But, while many rush to the polls to vote in this year’s Presidential election, we mustn’t overlook the influence of local government, not just on our lives but on those of our neighbors. This is especially true in a community like ours, where change can happen quickly, and the effectiveness of policy is often felt immediately. As the only candidate who has a Master’s in Public Policy, worked in City government, served on a board or commission, and co-authored a

policy document in Falls Church, I understand the potential ramifications of this position. Now I am running for City Council, because I am the candidate best equipped to advance the progressive policies our City espouses and hopes to achieve. I have been active at almost every level of policy in Falls Church, from advocacy, to development, and implementation. Through these roles I have helped to produce real improvements in the lives of current and future residents. When I accepted a position on the Housing Commission, the City was losing affordable housing units at an unprecedented rate. In a combined effort with other stakeholders, we created a policy that would no longer force families to choose whether to move to another community or sacrifice the little disposable income they had, just to stay in Falls Church. And as of Monday, for the first time in nearly a decade, our City dedicated funding to the Affordable Housing Fund. Change rarely comes from the top, it rises from the bottom. If we are going to create real change in our country, it has to begin here. I am ready to represent your voice on City Council. All I need is your vote!

PAGE 6 | OCTOBER 29 – NOVEMBER 4, 2020 

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A Post-Trumpean New Morality

To whatever degree it is appreciated now, the November 2020 election will go down in history as a great referendum on morality. It is caused to be such by the extreme immorality of our current president. While there are some who claim they support him solely on the basis of issues he supports, to the vast majority of us the extreme flaws in his character, his personality, his way of behaving toward others, his chronic lying and bullying are so repugnant that they calls out of us a passion to affirm a commitment to all the basic human values that he lacks and repudiates. So the developing tsunami rising to reject this sorry excuse for a man is almost by definition doing so on the basis of a new morality, or at least the potential for one to unfold in its wake. Here comes a real opportunity. It’s not esoteric at all. On the contrary, it is based on all the things we thought we stood for, anyway, but have not been aware have been eroding and diminishing at an accelerating rate in recent years. Things like basic decency, courtesy, honorable behavior, compassion and empathy have been on the decline for some time in America, which is what allowed for a degenerate type like Trump to rise on the dirty foam refuse of postmodernist nihilism and angry selfishness. If you are not familiar with postmodernism, it is the philosophical-cultural movement of the anti-New Deal era. It was invoked in the darkened bowels of the anarcho-fascism that swept the Naziis and their ilk into power, ruling by terror, repudiating science and the kind of RenaissanceEnlightenment values that were the bedrock of the American revolution and the advance of democracy. Postmodernism is an angry rejection of all that democracy is grounded in, in the values associated with generosity of spirit, and a desire for the universal gains among all peoples. It says that love is a fiction and that only pleasure and power exist in the real world. Perpetrators of antidemocratic systems fund and elevate foul voices of postmodernism in academia and the social sciences to flummox value systems grounded in decency, honesty and shared aspirations to the good. Postmodernism gets mixed up with notions of individuality and antiauthoritarian creativity, but at its core it defines the system that produced Donald Trump, modern, anger-laden white supremacist cults and their ilk. The morality to defeat this toxic stain on our culture is not hard to fathom. It needs only a resolve to stand up to its raging, bullying style and to assert with confidence the ageless virtues of decency and character. It doesn’t need belief systems beyond itself especially if they may tend to cause a deviation from its own core sentiment. But they often are linked to long-standing mainstream traditions that affirm the beneficent values and designs of the universe and of ultimate things themselves.

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'Granny Flats' Shouldn't Be Approved By F.C. City Council Editor, Regarding the recent National Housing Trust’s proposal to allow accessory dwelling units (aka ‘granny flats’), I recommend the City Council absolutely reject this idea. I and other residents of Falls Church City purchased our homes with the understanding that building codes prohibited such accessory dwelling units. To

allow granny flats now is taking away our expected neighborhood enjoyment and reducing our property values. Just google other communities who have gone this route only to see these units used as Airbnbs, street parking issues and new landlords unprepared for noise/evictions/maintenance. Also google shipping containers converted to ‘living units’. How

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would you like seeing something similar in your neighbor’s back yard! Speak up fellow Falls Church home owners. Send an email to our Council to say “NO” to granny flats. Gene Gresko Falls Church

F.C.'s Joshua Shokoor Gets Our Support In Election Editor, Joshua Sharif Shokoor, George

Mason High School Class of 2005, is a strong leader running in the special election for the Falls Church City Council. He has lived in the City of Falls Church longer than any other candidate and is yet another great star from our excellent school system! Josh, his sister Sarah (George Mason High School Class of 2000) and mom Robin stand for education and community. We share fond memories of the Shokoor family and support our native son! June and Mike Beyer Falls Church

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OCTOBER 29 – NOVEMBER 4, 2020 | PAGE 7

Candidate Statements for the U.S. Presidential Election By Joe Biden

By Jo Jorgenson

Challenger

The rushed and unprecedented confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett as Associate Justice to the Supreme Court, in the middle of an ongoing election, should be a stark reminder to every American that your vote matters. Just a few days after Election Day next week, the Supreme Court will hear the case on the Affordable Care Act. While panicked and erratic in mishandling the pandemic, Donald Trump has been crystal clear on one thing — for the past four years, and again Sunday night on 60 Minutes — he wants to tear down the Affordable Care Act in its entirety and take away your healthcare and protections for pre-existing conditions. This goal — the goal of the Republican Party for 10 years — was a litmus test in selecting this nominee, regardless of the damage done to the U.S. Senate, to Americans’ faith in the legitimacy of the Supreme Court, and to our democracy, and regardless of how the Affordable Care Act has protected hundreds of millions of people before and during the pandemic. But we will not give up. If you want to protect your health care, if you want your voice to be heard in Washington, if you want to say no, this abuse of power doesn’t represent you — then turn out and vote. Vote for a president, for Members of Congress, and candidates up and down the ticket who actually have a plan for health care, and who will build on the Affordable Care Act to expand coverage, bring down costs, and give you more choices. Vote to protect the fundamental idea that health care is a right, not a privilege. And vote for the legacy of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She was proof that courage, conviction, and moral clarity can change not just the law, but also the world. Let us continue to be voices for justice in her name. Vote. The Biden Campaign also allowed the News-Press to use material from his campaign website to add to the statement. Below are some of his plans for how to address the Covid-19 pandemic if he were elected. Fix Trump’s testing-and-tracing fiasco to ensure all Americans have access to regular, reliable, and free testing.

• Double the number of drive-through testing sites. Invest in next-generation testing, including at home tests and

instant tests, so we can scale up our testing capacity by orders of magnitude. • Stand up a Pandemic Testing Board like Roosevelt’s War Production Board. It’s how we produced tanks, planes, uniforms, and supplies in record time, and it’s how we can produce and distribute tens of millions of tests. • Establish a U.S. Public Health Jobs Corps to mobilize at least 100,000 Americans across the country with support from trusted local organizations in communities most at risk to perform culturally competent approaches to contact tracing and protecting at-risk populations. Fix personal protective equipment (PPE) problems for good • I will take responsibility, rather than leave states, cities, tribes, and territories to fend for themselves, and focus on producing more of these critical supplies in the United States. I will: • Fully use the Defense Production Act to ramp up production of masks, face shields, and other PPE so that the national supply of personal protective equipment exceeds demand and our stores and stockpiles — especially in hard-hit areas that serve disproportionately vulnerable populations — are fully replenished. • Build now toward a future, flexible American-sourced and manufactured capability to ensure we are not dependent on other countries in a crisis. Former Vice President Joe Biden is the Democratic Party's candidate for president in next week's U.S. general election

Even though Virginia borders Washington, DC, it sometimes feels there couldn’t be a greater divide between Virginians and the politicians claiming to represent them. It’s no wonder why Virginia prohibits its governors from running for re-election. In 2016, more people in Virginia voted for the Libertarian presidential ticket than ever before, and Virginia was the first state to ever cast an electoral vote for the Libertarian Party. Virginians have made clear they won’t settle for the status quo, and time and again, they are shown to be correct in their suspicions. Much like Virginians, Libertarians know that it doesn’t have to be this way. We can reduce healthcare costs without putting government in charge of personal medical decisions and creating a one-size-fits-all system. Patients cannot wait for government bureaucrats to decide who lives and who dies. Any overhaul of our system must put control back in the hands of the patient. We are the only industrialized country to have our healthcare tied to employment, and this makes no sense. We can prioritize national security without being involved in unnecessary foreign wars and stationing troops around the world in dozens of countries away from their families. There are soldiers deployed who weren’t even born when the War on Terror began. In the last 20 years, over 500,000 people have died in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan, including 250,000 civilians. Those are parents, siblings, and children who will never return. I will bring them home. We can protect communities without sacrificing freedom through failed initiatives like civil asset forfeiture, no-knock raids, qualified immunity, and the War on Drugs. The United States has 5 percent of the world’s population, but houses 20 percent of its prisoners. There should be no law to prevent you from owning an object: whether it’s a gun to protect yourself or drugs for whatever reason. If there is no victim, there is no crime. We can value responsibility for workers and employers without endless barriers of entry to both professions and new businesses. The federal government has created 450 federal agencies that publish 60,000 pages of regulations every year. Big companies survive while small companies who can’t afford this administrative overhead go under. At least fifteen countries offer busi-

nesses more freedom than the United States. This must change if American businesses are to compete worldwide. We can recognize and fund important budget items without spending future generations into bankruptcy and taxing Americans at every turn. Currently, some in Washington demand increases in domestic spending, while others demand increases in military spending. They come to a bipartisan compromise by increasing both. Dollars spent by politicians create half as many jobs as money spent in the private sector. Government spending is wasteful, redundant, and often corrupt. As your President, my veto pen is going to need extra ink. I’m running for President not just to present new ways of addressing important issues. I’m running because Virginians deserve a better way — solutions creating real change for real people. Dr. Jo Jorgenson is the Libertarian Party's candidate for president in next week's U.S. general election

NOTICE The News-Press was unable to receive a candidate statement for President Donald Trump's re-election campaign following repeated attempts to do so.

PAGE 8 | OCTOBER 29 – NOVEMBER 4, 2020

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NEWS BRIEFS F.C. Schools’ Issue Statement to Stick With Reopening Plan

In a statement issued Monday, the Falls Church City Public Schools announced that the hybrid reopening plan will continue as scheduled despite a slight increase in regional Covid-19 incident rates. The statement, published in the Monday announcements, said, “We continue to monitor the health data and meet weekly with the Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD). We moved from ‘low’ to ‘moderate’ in our regional metrics. This change is due to slight increases in case incident rates earlier last week and a nursing home outbreak. FCHD says there is no indication of a surge in the data, and we remain lowest in the region. We continue to meet the moderate threshold for hybrid reopening. Our plans are on track, and we expect them to remain so unless there is a significant change in multiple data points or receive notice from the VDOE, VDH, or FCHD to alter our course. There is no single data point that we will use. This process is a “dial-up/ dial-down” rather than an “on/off” switch. We have robust mitigation strategies in place and will be leveraging small group sizes to support our efforts. There’s not a playbook for this, and we are navigating based on science. Our decisions will be condition bound, not time-bound, with our continued commitment to protecting the health and safety of our FCCPS learning community.”

Final Forum on School Name Change Issue Tonight Tonight, Thursday, Oct. 29, at 6 p.m. marks the second of two forums hosted by the Falls Church School Board where public input will be received on the issue of whether or not the names of one or two of the City’s public schools should be changed. The schools, named currently for U.S. founding fathers who owned slaves in the 1700s, are George Mason High School and Thomas Jefferson Elementary. A survey that ended yesterday was conducted among students, parents, staff, and faculty of the two schools in question, and advance registration to speak at tonight’s online forum also ended yesterday. The first such forum was held last week. After tonight’s hearing, the School Board is scheduled to review the results of the survey at its Nov. 10 meeting, and with the final report on the survey due by Nov. 13, further discuss the results at its Nov. 17 work session, and make a final decision at its Dec. 8 meeting. In a statement, the School Board said, “The Board will consider a variety of factors in deciding whether to change either school’s name, one of which will be direct feedback from students, parents, staff and faculty, and the community.” Resources on the issue of Mason, Jefferson and slavery are provided on the School Board’s website.

F.C. School Board Holds In-Person Meeting For the first time since March, the Falls Church School Board met in person with masks and social distancing this past Tuesday night. At the meeting, the board resolved to allow up to 10 people outside of board members and staff to attend its meetings in person. Public comments would remain at three minutes per person with a total of 30 minutes. The new procedures will begin on Nov. 10.

Jeremy Edwards Named F.C. Employee of Year

7482 Lee Highway Falls Church, Virginia

A beautiful and peaceful final resting place.

Plots available in various sections of the National Memorial Park, including adjacent plots. Perpetual care included. Contact Cynthia Whitt for more information. 423.869.6394 or Cynthia.Whitt@LMUnet.edu www.LMUnet.edu

Jeremy Edwards, Green Space Manager in the Department of Public Works, has been named the 2019 City of Falls Church Employee of the Year, it was announced Wednesday. The citizenled Employee Review Board selected Edwards for going above and beyond his job description by being a leader in conservation landscape management, collaborating with volunteers, and providing environmental education. The nomination was written and signed by 26 City residents and business partners. In 2019, Edwards recognized savings opportunities with commercial and private development projects. He requested wood chips from the clearing of the Founder’s Row commercial development property and used them for the walking patch in Howard Herman Stream Valley Park, saving the City $6,000. He also collaborated with residents to transplant unwanted native plants and trees from private properties to City parks. Since becoming Green Space Manager in December 2012, Edwards led enthusiastic volunteers of all ages to plant native trees, shrubs, and perennials in the City’s parks, positively impacting wildlife habitat and storm water retention. In 2019, he led a total of 280 volunteers at 12 public events with the City’s Habitat Restoration Team. This small rolling army removed invasive plants and installed over 7,600 native plants in eight of the City’s parks. These volunteers represent over 542 volunteer hours and thousands of dollars of donated labor. Edwards engages the community in hands-on learning like advising Girl Scout Gold Star projects, Boy Scout Eagle Scout projects, and wildlife projects initiated by the George Mason High School Environmental Club. His collaborations with Master Naturalists, Master Gardeners, and Tree Stewards strengthen the development of the local learning community of professional and citizen experts dedicated to public environmental education.

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OCTOBER 29 - NOVEMBER 4, 2020 | PAGE 9

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F.C. Actor Overcomes Virus Limitations While Breaking Into Show Business by Mark Dreisonstok

Falls Church News-Press

Theatres in the Washington, D.C. area, the U.S. and abroad are closed due to social distancing regulations brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. Many venues have responded by streaming previous performances via the Internet, creating new performances with actors in different locations via Zoom and moving to podcast formats, and occasionally having productions for small audiences. Thus, the established theatre and acting community is doing its best to adapt. But how does the Covid-19 era bode for an actor just starting out? Charles Workmaster, a native of Falls Church studying theatre at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, is experiencing this now. A graduate of the District’s Gonzaga College High School, Workmaster first performed in elementary school musicals at Columbia Baptist Church in Falls Church at the age of six. At his middle school, Rivendell School in Arlington, he performed as the title character of Julius Caesar. These early steps led him to pursue a career in acting. Workmaster has already had some exceptional experiences. “Spring Awakening,” a musical about the trials of youth sexuality in Wilhelmine, Germany, has been performed numerous times recently in the D.C., region. Yet few American actors have performed in the original Frank Wedekind play in Wedekind’s native Germany. Workmaster acted in an English-language production of the play at the Theater Bonn, in Bonn, Germany. However, after this promising start, Workmaster now faces a performance world governed by Covid-19. Performing artists have had to adjust how they reach their audiences while maintaining social distancing. Under normal circumstances, he would have the opportunity to audition and perform live, or perhaps work on sets. He is now taking acting classes online and will perform in Loyola Marymount’s adaptation of “Lysistrata” by the ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes, in a Zoom production of the play in November. Due to social distancing measures, the actors will be performing “Lysistrata” from

their homes. Workmaster explained that he’s had to make a few adjustments since it’s his first time performing in this medium. For instance, in order for him to make it appear that he’s looking at his scene partner, he has to look directly into the camera rather than his partner’s face. Pacing is also very different over Zoom, as any little pause is stretched out. And the way Workmaster uses the space he’s in is also different since he’ll have to be conscious of what’s visible on-camera and when to project or lower his voice depending on where he is. “However, for every challenge, there is also an opportunity to get creative,” Workmaster said. “To make sure our production isn’t just a box of talking heads, our production of Lysistrata will incorporate puppetry. The puppets with the actors’ faces will make up the throng of Athenians and Spartans in the background as we cannot have an ensemble. In some instances, the scene will start with puppets that represent the actors before we come on the screen ourselves. I think this will add to the comedy of a show that is already ridiculous and farcical.” In addition to adjusting to an online format for classes and performances, Workmaster is also in the process of launching his acting career by filming selftapes and networking from home instead of auditioning in person. While he has many experiences acting in roles by classic playwrights, Workmaster is also starring as the protagonist in Roar Studios’ production “Michael Needs a Date to Formal” where he will play an awkward guy trying to land a date for his first college formal. Again due to the virus, the release of the show has been delayed. Of course, more established actors are experiencing the same issue. British stage and voice actor David Ault told the NewsPress that theatres in the United Kingdom have been closed, and the government has not been as eager to bail them out as they are with banks. Ault gives a surprisingly American analogy about how actors are dealing with the pandemic, saying that, “Actors rehearse separately with what

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

feels like American football ‘plays.’ Later they are told to move to a certain spot on the stage at a certain cue, in the knowledge that the other actors have been given similar sets of instructions and that the two will intermesh at the appropriate times and come together for a dress rehearsal. Very unnerving, and not altogether a success!” Another effort to address the effect of Covid-19 on the performing world was Romy Nordlinger’s “NYSEEING 2020” fundraiser this past Wednesday. The star of the recent one-woman show “Places” at the Kennedy Center organized a live streamed fundraiser to benefit regional New York artists this past Wednesday. The event included performances from recent works by some of the top playwrights in the country, who also discussed what is going on in the arts in the face of the continuing pandemic. For more information on Workmaster’s upcoming performance in “Lysistrata” that will be running from Nov. 11 – 14, visit cal.lmu.edu/event/lysistrata.

CHARLES WORKMASTER already has a variety of shows under his belt, including ones abroad such as “Spring Awakening” at the Theater Bonn in Germany (top picture). He’s doing much of his rehearsal work for his next role in “Michael Needs a Date to Formal” (bottom) virtually due to Covid-19 restrictions. (Photos: Courtesy Charles Workmaster)

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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OCTOBER 29 – NOVEMBER 4, 2020 | PAGE 11

C�� N�� N�� Graduation Rates Improve At Fairfax Co. Schools

of Advanced Studies diplomas more than the division overall.

Graduation rates released by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) indicate that 93.0 percent of Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) students in the class of 2020 graduated on time, up from 91.2 percent in 2019. The on-time graduation rate for the state in 2020 was 92.3 percent compared with 91.5 percent in 2019. Overall success highlights for the class of 2020 include: • FCPS seniors earning Advanced Studies diplomas increased to 61.2 percent and remains substantially above the statewide outcome of 51.8 percent. • The division dropout rate fell to 6.2 percent, down from 7.4 percent in 2019. Success in closing achievement gaps is also apparent in class of 2020 outcomes, with students in the Black, Hispanic, economically disadvantaged, English learner, and students with disabilities groups improving to a greater degree than the division as a whole in both on-time graduation rates and dropout rates. Additionally, Black, Hispanic, and economically disadvantaged groups increased the rate

Mason High Violinist Makes Regional Orchestra Sophia Urbom was selected by audition for the prestigious Senior Regional Orchestra, comprised of the top string players from District X, XI, XII in Northern Virginia. She placed 4th out of 147 violins auditioning. The ensemble membership was determined by a rigorous audition of scales and orchestral excerpts submitted digitally. The 2020 SRO event has been canceled. However, the top students from the virtual SRO event are now eligible for a possible 2021 All-Virginia Orchestra event. Next, Urbom will audition for the All-Virginia Orchestra to be held in February at James Madison University. Congratulations to Emerson Mellon (violin); Kathyrn Snyder, Emma McDonald (cello) and Marie Sheets (bass), who also submitted auditions for this event. Sine Anderson (clarinet) will be virtually auditioning for woodwinds for the Senior Regional Event in the upcoming weeks.

RESIDENTS OF WEST CAMERON ROAD came together for an inaugural outdoor “gallery hop.” Organized by new neighbor Chris Marrow, art such as paintings, stickers of RBG and edible creations helped raise $550 for local nonprofit, Homestretch. (P��: C�� C�� L�� B��)

Mason High Facemasks Now Sold as Spirit Wear The George Mason Student Council Association has turned last year’s Mason Spirit t-shirts into masks to raise money for the Falls Church Education Foundation Family Assistance Fund. The link is still open for purchases. For $15, buyers will receive two masks: one with the Mason Spirit

mural design and one plain black. The SCA is only able to accept online orders at this time. Interested buyers are asked to limit themselves to no more than two orders of masks (four total masks) at this time. Right now, FCEF is only able to accept online payments through its online link and e-check. Through the City of Falls Church payment portal, interested buyers can use a no-fee echeck

option by entering the routing number and account number listed on their check. People can also pre-order masks any time and pick them up at the George Mason High School Library (7124 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church) from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. To gain access to the link, contact treasurer@fallschurchva.gov or by calling 703-2485046.

Send Us Your News & Notes!

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

Community News & Notes: newsandnotes@fcnp.com | School News & Notes: schoolnews@fcnp.com Mail: News & Notes, Falls Church News-Press, 105 N. Virginia Ave #310, Falls Church, VA 22046

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PAGE 12 | OCTOBER 29 – NOVEMBER 4, 2020

A Penny for Your Thoughts

News of Greater Falls Church By Supervisor Penny Gross

Absentee in-person voting continues to be robust at the Mason District Governmental Center, 6507 Columbia Pike in Annandale. Any voter registered in Fairfax County may vote absentee in-person at any of the satellite polling stations through this Saturday, Oct. 31. Thursday and Friday, hours are 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., and Saturday hours are 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. If you decided not to send your ballot through the U.S. Postal Service, you may utilize the ballot drop box during operating hours at the satellite voting centers, or take your completed ballot, in the security envelopes, to any Fairfax County polling place on Election Day. All 244 precincts will have a ballot drop box available, and you don’t have to wait in line to drop your completed ballot. In recent presidential elections, the Commonwealth of Virginia was watched closely by national pollsters as a linchpin vital for a win. In 2008, Fairfax County voters provided the margin that put Barack Obama over the top, the first time a Democratic presidential candidate won the state since 1964. President Obama carried Virginia again in 2012, but with a narrower margin. In 2016, former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton won Virginia’s popular vote, and its 13 electoral votes. Across those three elections, the statewide voter turnout increased only slightly – 260,000 more people voted in 2016 than 2008. With all the hype about voter registration and early voting, will next week’s results in Virginia reflect a larger actual turnout, or maintain the fairly narrow margins experienced in the past? That will be an interesting analysis for the prognosticators next week. It is folly to pre-suppose what will happen in an election. Too many hopes have been dashed by lost elections – the Clinton/Trump result is

a case in point. In Northern Virginia, it appears that Democratic candidates, from Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to Senator Mark Warner, and Representatives Don Beyer (8th District), Jennifer Wexton (10th District), and Gerry Connolly (11th District), will win handily. Northern Virginia voters recognize that, in the quest to recapture the soul and values of America (so damaged by Mr. Trump and his henchmen), the ticket to success is Biden/Harris. Our democracy cannot survive four more years of the lies, ineptitude, personal pique, and destruction of social norms that fuel Mr. Trump’s presidency. As I noted in last week’s column, improving and preserving our democratic values and ideals will mean hard work for all of us. Voting is easy; it’s what comes next that will be hard. Working to find common ground and resolve significant social and economic issues requires a leader who respects ideas and differences, like Joe Biden. Someone who has years of diplomatic experience with international allies as well as adversaries, like Joe Biden. Someone who has empathy in his DNA, like Joe Biden. Halloween observances will be different this year because of Covid-19. It appears that many neighbors are doing more spooky decorations, so a vehicle or foot parade may be one way for the whole family to enjoy the holiday, sans trick or treating. However you decide to celebrate Halloween, be sure to set clocks back one hour when you retire for the evening. Standard time returns at 2 a.m. on Sunday morning, so you can get an extra hour of sleep!  Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov.

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

CRIME REPORT Week of Oct. 19 – 25, 2020 Destruction of Property, 6700 blk Wilson Blvd. October 19, an unknown suspect was observed breaking the windows of four businesses and then fleeing the area before police arrived. Larceny from Vehicle, 100 blk W Annandale Rd. Between October 16 and October 19, unknown suspect(s) unlawfully entered a parked vehicle and stole items of value. Arson, 6700 blk Wilson Blvd. October 19, 2:17 pm, a male, 19, of Falls Church, VA, was arrested for arson. Larceny from Vehicle, 100 blk Hillwood Ave. October 19, unknown

Driving Under the Influence, 7100 blk Leesburg Pike. October 25, 1:02 am, a male, 27, of Fairfax, VA, was arrested for driving under the influence

suspect(s) unlawfully entered a parked vehicle, rummaged through its contents, and stole an item of value. Larceny from Vehicle, 100 blk W Greenway Blvd. Between October 17 and October 21, unknown suspect(s) removed the catalytic converter from a parked vehicle. Bicycle Larceny, 300 blk Gundry Dr. Between October 22 and October 23, unknown suspect(s) stole two bicycles from the front yard of a residence. Larceny from Vehicle, 500 blk W Annandale Rd. October 23, unknown suspect(s) unlawfully entered a parked vehicle, rummaged through its contents, and stole several items of value.

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Letter Supporting F.C. Council Candidate Simone Pass Tucker We are community leaders, activists, and politicians writing this letter to highlight our support for Simone Pass Tucker for Falls Church City Council, and want to explain why you should support and vote for Simone, too. Few roots go deeper than the community you grow up in — the streets feel like your home, your neighbors feel like family. Simone is a Falls Church local, born and raised in the Little City, and they love and understand our tightly-bound community. Having attended college in other parts of the mid-Atlantic, Simone realized that home is where the heart is, and their heart was here. Now, they work full-time as a community activist, trying to improve the town they so dearly call home. While Falls Church represents the best of the American small town — the ingenuity and creativity driven by our arts scene and our local businesses, the welcoming embrace of the City Hall Farmers Market, and the beauty found in Broad Street’s historic buildings — many middle class and working families struggle to get by on a daily basis in our community. In particular, public servants who make up the backbone of our society, such as teachers and police officers, are often left in the dust as high housing costs eat away at their paychecks. Simone’s vision to help reduce the high cost of living is simple, but comprehensive. We must support affordable housing as much as possible, no one should have to fear eviction because they can’t make next month’s rent during a severe recession. Other solutions, such as expanding public transportation and pedestrian access, would go a long way in truly making our town a ‘15-minute city’ by reducing daily commutes. It would let every resident free up money that might otherwise go to gas or vehicle maintenance, and help us proactively address the future costs of climate change. Addressing climate change in these ways makes economic sense: in the coming decades, these changes will have to come as we adapt to the ever-changing earth and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Laying the foundation now will give us

the opportunity to serve as an example for our nation, putting Falls Church on the leading edge of transforming urban spaces. Simone hopes to achieve this by introducing green roofing into new and current housing projects, making our city greener and more nature-friendly while also giving us longer-lasting buildings, less money spent on heating and cooling, and fewer green-house gas emissions. These aren’t radical, idealistic proposals: plenty of cities across our country and across the world have been implementing these programs for decades. They are attainable, they expand the economic potential of every family, and they can reduce government and personal spending, saving every resident from paying more than they should for utilities, transportation, and daily living. Simone is the only candidate who seeks to proactively address the issues facing our community. They are the only candidate with a comprehensive plan to adjust Falls Church to the new climate reality. As a working class Jewish member of the LGBTQ+ community, they know the pain of never seeing yourself or your community represented. Simone is driven by the belief that every voice matters and the Little City needs to be a welcoming and safe place for everyone, regardless of background. This is why we wholeheartedly support Simone Pass Tucker for Falls Church City Council. Join us in supporting an exciting new candidate who will fight for you and let your voice be heard in making Falls Church more beautiful, affordable, greener, and forward-thinking. Signed: Virginian Delegate Ibraheem Samirah, 86th District; Virginian Delegate Sam Rasoul, 11th District; Virginian Delegate Elizabeth Guzman, 31st District; Matt Rogers, Executive Vice President of Politidope and Delegate Candidate for Virginia’s 47th District; The Sunrise Movement, Fairfax; The Sunrise Movement, McLean; The Sunrise Movement, Williamsburg; Thomas R. Cash, the former vice-chair of Falls Church Environmental Sustainability Council and member of the Energy Transition Subcommittee.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Strike Now Mightily For the Good!

As the 2020 presidential election campaign entered its final week this Tuesday, fierce campaigning on both sides helped to reveal the parameters of what most Americans — as evidenced by the record turnouts in early voting — recognize to be an existential turning point. The United States of America, founded by insurrectionists who were determined to end the exercise of arbitrary, cruel and selfish rule by despots over the general public 250 years ago, has been challenged in the last four years to throw off a latter day attempt at despotic restoration, and is on the verge of a profound reclamation that can propel the causes of sweet justice and virtue ahead for generations. The particular outcome of next FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS Tuesday’s election is an important inflection point in this process, but what has been unleashed over the last years is something that resonates deep in the bowels of our stunning universe, amplifying the songs of planetary motions and our deepest personal emotions, simultaneously. Not just the heavens, as Haydn celebrated The Creation, but in our innermost souls proclaim the glory of that which unfolds our miraculous creation in the direction of words we earthlings use to describe justice, virtue, compassion, equality, empathy and so much more. Beautiful music, not just any music but beautiful, heroic music must fill the land, from the mountains to the prairies and from sea to shining sea, if the outcome of the presidential election next Tuesday turns out as it appears now it will. Going into this final week before Nov. 3, the campaign of Joe Biden, augmented so well by his long-time sidekick Barack Obama, struck the themes of love and virtue so well, creating such a stark contrast to the cruel and bitter bleatings of the con man so profoundly exposed, and the many sad and twisted faces that were duped, that or through personal greed and avarice, chose to hitch their destinies to his woeful demise. This Tuesday in Florida, former president Obama delivered one of the most powerful and meaningful speeches of his storied oratorical career. He delivered with such power and such certainty, the kind of certainty that has the power of creation itself behind it, about the contrast between men of virtue like Biden and men devoid of virtue, like Trump. Speaking of our democratic nation, he said, “Our true strength comes from setting an example that the rest of the world wants to follow.” Trump has no idea what the devil he’s talking about. Strength? That comes from power and power comes from crushing your competition. That’s the core calculus of the sociopath, of Trump, who can’t even consider that there is another way to go about things. To Trump, there are only winners and losers, a “zero sum game.” This insanity has held the upper hand in human conflicts far too often in our violent history. Yet, there is the alternative, derived from a different compendium of values, those Plato and others taught, of the, for a better way of putting it, the “win-win.” “In war, there are no winners and losers, only widows,” they say. Everything that Trump has stood for in his tyranny has been shaped by that, and he has made his peace with strewing our landscape with widows and orphans on a level, due to the virus and other factors, not seen since the last great world war. So, in speaking at Warm Springs, Georgia, Tuesday, in memory of the great FDR who led America through that last great war as a bastion for democracy, fairness, science and justice, Biden spoke of FDR’s overcoming personal adversity that led him to seek therapy for his polio in those Warm Springs, where he cultivated such loving friendships with many others afflicted as himself, and from which grew his passion for the healing of persons that undergirded so much of what he stood for. Trump came out of that period aligned with the fascist enemies of FDR and his New Deal to grow into a phony populism appealing to the lowest and basest of human hatreds. How true are these choices before us in this coming week! How time to strike mightily for the good!

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OCTOBER 29 – NOVEMBER 4, 2020 | PAGE 13

Nicholas F. Benton

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

Our Man in Arlington By Charlie Clark

The mighty Amazon this month gave $100,000 to a grateful Arlington County Board to support the racial equity effort it approved one year ago. A new Chief Race and Equity Officer is now coordinating a government and community push to equalize access to our good life. This comes as the county is simultaneously considering renaming Lee Highway and certain parks and schools to remove vestiges of slavery. Also under review: police reform proposed by Arlington for Justice, segregated housing patterns, Arlington House as the county logo and racial bias in schools. It’s an astonishing confluence of events amidst a pandemic, protests in the streets and a high-stakes national election. Hardly tranquil times. I asked players in this multitiered drama whether Arlington has entered an era of vast social change. “For too long, communities have avoided addressing race for fear that the time was not quite right, or because acknowledging the role of race and other socio-economic characteristics in life outcomes would reveal inconvenient truths that would necessitate action,” said county board member Christian Dorsey. “That there are many fronts where race is being addressed is indicative of the need for systemic change. The time to do this work has always been ‘now,’ and I have every expectation that growing awareness and facilitating dialogue

throughout our community while building the capacity of government to remediate race-based inequities is how this moment produces structural change.” Also enthused is Steve Hammond, the historian of the Syphax family who is working to persuade Congress to remove Robert E. Lee’s name from Arlington House, where his ancestors were enslaved. “It’s about time!” he told me. “These issues have been simmering for decades just below our society’s collective willingness to confront them. The flash point was the recorded May 25th killing of George Floyd on a public street. This death, compounded with other recent deaths of black citizens, strikes at the nerve of systematic racism and inequality that has existed in this country since its inception. Young and old alike have been ‘woke’ and begun to use peaceful protests to demand change and to take a hard look at symbols and institutions that represent inequity.” Palma Strand, who spent years organizing the Challenging Racism workshops, added that “in 2020, systemic racism has come into focus through the disproportionate effects of Covid-19 on poor people and people of color.” Whytni Kernodle, president of Black Parents of Arlington, has been confronting a “systemic racism” her group believes shows up in a failure of schools to police racial name-calling and widen minority access to gifted programs. The Black Lives Matter move-

ment has made change timely, she said. Her biggest indicator is her conversations on racism with a longtime friend. That friend said she used to “pat herself on the back for being a well-intentioned white woman.” But in reality, this friend “realized she had no problem capitalizing on white supremacy.” Kernodle said “liberals who believe themselves progressives have begun unwrapping their own racist beliefs,” some making the necessary changes in their own lives to acknowledge that this country was “built on the contributions of black people,” she added. “That means concentrating voluntarism on confronting anti-black racism” and focusing on the “wellness of black people.” Former school board member David Foster said he hopes that “substance will take precedence over symbolism. Closing achievement gaps in our schools is a higher priority to me than renaming highways.” *** A big dust-up on whether to crack down on leaf blowers erupted online last week on Nextdoor. Leslie Aun complained about noise and pollution that have hampered her and her family working from home during the pandemic. She revived an existing Change.org petition to ban gas-powered blowers and won 400 signatures. Opponents (not all of them civil) blasted back, citing the speed and convenience of those machines, on which both homeowners and landscape crews depend, as well as “freedom” from state dictates. Who will invent the quiet leaf blower?

PAGE 14 | OCTOBER 29 – NOVEMBER 4, 2020

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

FALLS CHURCH

CALENDAR LOCALEVENTS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31 Falls Church Farmers Market. The Falls Church Farmers Market runs every Saturday, where attendees will find fresh, local produce, meat, dairy, flowers & plants, honey, music and more. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Falls Church) 8 a.m. – noon. For more information about the market, visit fallschurchva.gov/547/ Farmers-Market-To-Go. In-Person Early Voting. This is the last day for early in-person voting for City of Falls Church voters — no excuse needed. Voters must bring a valid Voter ID. All visitors to City Hall must wear a mask or face covering. Voters must bring a valid Voter ID, which as of July 1 includes their Voter Information Notice (aka Voter Card) or a utility bill with their name and registered address on it. Valid Photo IDs — such as a Virginia Drivers License, US Passport, or Employment Badge — are still accepted as Voter ID as well. Voters over the age of 65 or with physical limitations may vote curbside outside City Hall. They should call the Elections Office at 703-248-5085 (TTY 711) once they’ve arrived or call ahead and make an appointment. Be advised that the Falls Church Farmers Market occurs in the City Hall parking lot every Saturday morning from 8 a.m. – noon and parking will not be available directly in front of City Hall at that time. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Falls Church). 9. a.m. – 5 p.m. Halloween Craft Pop Ups. The Falls Church Recreation and Parks Department will be holding three different Halloween Pop-Up events at three City parks this weekend. There will be Pumpkin Painting at Cherry Hill Park Picnic Shelter (312 Park Ave.), Birdhouse Painting at Berman Park Picnic Shelter

(236 Irving St.) or Scarecrow Making at Frady Park Gazebo (311 E Broad St.). Registration is open to City of Falls Church residents only online with Webtrac (webtrac.fallschurchva. gov/ wbwsc/webtrac.wsc/wbsearch. html?xxkeyword=halloween). Advanced registration is required for each activity. The City asks that families only sign up for one activity to allow more families/ households to participate. The activities are for children ages 1-13. To ensure the health and safety of City staff and participants, each activity will be hosted at a different park and each time slot will be limited to 10 participants. Work space will be socially distanced and masks will be required for all who attend (but costumes are encouraged). $4 – $10 per child, depending on the event chosen. 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1 Nature Hike. A nature hike led by a naturalist who will identify trees, plants, and different types of wildlife all while making a connection to the beauty that is in the local environment. Registration required. To register, contact 703-228-4747. Long Branch Nature Center at Glencarlyn Park (625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington). 11 a.m. – noon.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3 Election Day. There are three polling places in the City of Falls Church. Find your polling location on the Virginia Department of Elections website (vote.elections. virginia.gov/VoterInformation). Voters must be in line by 7 p.m. to vote. All voters must wear a mask or face covering inside their polling location. Voters must bring a valid Voter ID, which as of July 1, 2020 includes their Voter Information Notice (aka Voter Card) or a utility bill with their name and registered address on it. Valid Photo IDs — such

TWIN BROTHERS BAND will be performing at The State Theatre on Thursday. (Photo: Facebook. com/TwinBrothersBand1)

as a Virginia Drivers License, US Passport, or Employment Badge — are still accepted as Voter ID as well. Voters who do not have Voter ID will be eligible to vote by Provisional Ballot. 6 a.m. – 7 p.m.

should be changed. To watch the meeting, visit bit.ly/schoolrenaming. 6 p.m.

LIVEMUSIC

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29

Northern Virginia Bird Club Walk. Interested attendees can join members of the Northern Virginia Bird Club for one or all of these informal walks through Long Branch and Glencarlyn Park in search of resident and migratory birds. Experienced and beginning birders welcomed. Participants are encouraged to bring binoculars and field guides if they have them. Register by contacting longbranch@arlingtonva.us. Long Branch Nature Center at Glencarlyn Park (625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Falls Church). 8:30 – 11 a.m. 703-228-6535.

Tim Harmon Solo Live and In Concert. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 5 p.m. 703-8589186.

VIRTUALEVENTS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29

Mike Tash, Mary Shaver Happy Hour Show. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 5:30 p.m. 703-241-9504.

School Name Change Forum. The Falls Church School Board will review public input on the issue of whether or not the names of one or two of the City’s public schools

Rock Creek Band (Mischief night/ costume party). Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 7 p.m. 703-858-9186.

Twin Brothers Band. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). 7 p.m. 703-2370300. Groovequest Live and In Concert. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8 p.m. 703241-9504.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30

The Allman Others Band. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). 7:30 p.m. 703237-0300. Jimi Smooth & Hit Time. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8:30 p.m. 703-2419504. Daniel Gallagher. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 9 p.m. 703-237-8333.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31 Mars Rodeo. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 4 p.m. 703-241-9504. Halloween/Costume party with The Watch (5 p.m.) and Great Northern feat. Ron Holloway Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 703-858-9186. Celebration Summer, with Dot Dash, False Church and Dirt Eater, presented by The Neighborhood Barbershop. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). 6:30 p.m. 703-237-0300. Josh Allen Band. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8 p.m. 703-241-9504.

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

OCTOBER 29 – NOVEMBER 4, 2020 | PAGE 15

SENIOR LIVING

F.C. Nursing Homes Learn, Adjust in 6 Months Following Covid-19 Outbreak BY MATT DELANEY

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

No industry has been challenged more by the Covid-19 pandemic than those that house and cater to the elderly. Senior living facilities in Falls Church serve as a microcosm of the adjustments made throughout the nation where keeping its residents safe is balanced by preserving its sense of community. Local senior living communities, or long-term care facilities as they are classified by the Virginia Department of Health, did not escape the losses that have jabbed nursing homes when coronavirus cases took off in the spring. Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads reported 40 total cases and three deaths, according to Goodwin House President and CEO Rob Liebreich. Of those 40 cases, Liebreich said 11 were from residents, with two dying from

Covid-19 complications in May and the third dying this past month. Twenty-nine staff members tested positive for the virus and all made full recoveries. Vijay Maharajan, executive director of Chesterbrook Residences based just north of the City of Falls Church, said that his facility had experienced 28 total cases with six resident deaths due to Covid-19 complications. According to the VDH website, it lists Chesterbrook as an “Outbreak Pending Closure” case that has had a total of 31 cases and seven deaths. Maharajan responded with his own data and said it had been verified by the Fairfax Health District, which gave the facility the “all clear” by July after its most recent positive case in June. The state’s department of health also said that The Kensington Falls Church is classified as an “Outbreak Pending Closure” and had endured

a total of 27 cases and five deaths. However, Amy Feather, the executive director for The Kensington, said that its last resident case was in May and the Fairfax Health District gave its facility the “all clear” in June. “We are continually adjusting our infection control policies based on guidance from the [federal], state and local health [officials],” Maharajan wrote to the News-Press. “This has meant implementing strict staffing protocols, limitations on visitors, social distancing, modified dining hours, and more — all with the goal of preventing Covid-19 from entering or spreading in our community.” Testing has been the primary tool used to detect and slow localized outbreaks in these facilities. Chesterbrook and The Kensington both follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and VDH guidelines that advise

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monthly tests for staffers. Both also test residents and staffers if they show any Covid-19 symptoms. Maharajan added that staffers typically choose to get tested at least

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Continued on Page 18

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PAGE 16 | OCTOBER 29 - NOVEMBER 4, 2020

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

CLASSI F I E DS

AUCTIONS AUCTION ALERT! Construction Equipment & Trucks | Now Accepting Quality Consignments! Sell Your Equipment 11/17 in Roanoke or 12/8 in Richmond | Learn more and register to bid at motleys.com | 804-486-4550. VAL16 Absolute Trustee Auction of Vacant Lot ~0.66+/- Acres in The Park @ Belle Terre Subdivision.11/02/2020@ 12PM. Counts Realty & Auction Group www.countsauction. com VAAF93 ATTN. AUCTIONEERS: Advertise your upcoming auctions statewide and in other states. Affordable Print and Digital Solutions reaching your target audiences. Call this paper or Landon Clark at Virginia Press Services 804-521-7576, landonc@vpa.net

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shower is 20 feet down the hall. Kitchen privileges. Ideal for grad student or upper class member with car. Free street parking. Nonsmoker. No pets. 2 references required. One-month security deposit required. Call Joseph at 703-533-8064 or Teresa at 703300-4434 to arrange appointment.

ABC NOTICE 400 WBST Inc, Trading as: Broad St Exxon, 400 W. Broad St, Falls Church, VA 220463316. The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Wine and Beer Off Premises license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages. Vipul Kapila, President, Authorized Signatory 400 WBST Inc NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.

Lincoln Avenue, RPC #51-116-031 of the Falls Church Real Property Records, zoned R-1A, Low Density Residential. Public hearing on the above matter is scheduled for November 12, 2020, 7:30 PM, or as soon thereafter as the item may be heard. All participating members of Board of Zoning Appeals will be present at this meeting through electronic means. All members of the public may view the meeting virtually. Public comment and questions may be submitted to zoning@fallschurchva. gov until 7:00 pm on November 12, 2020. Virtual meeting link, agenda and application materials will be available the week prior to the scheduled hearing on the BZA webpage: http://www.fallschurchva.gov/BZA Information on the above application is also available for review upon request to staff at zoning@fallschurchva.gov.

Other Services

PUBLIC NOTICE

Variance application V1613-20 by Margaret L. Schwartz, applicant and owner, for a variance to Section 48-238(3)a, to allow rear yard setback of 36 feet instead of 40 feet, for the purpose of constructing a 1-story addition on premises known as 313

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We are pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap. All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.” This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 367-8530. Toll free call (888) 551-3247. For the hearing impaired call (804) 367-9753.

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Crossword

ACROSS

By David Levinson Wilk 1

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1. ____-relief 4. U. people? 9. “Here, boy!” 13. Nigerian native 14. Google ____ 15. Apple Store purchase 16. Fight to the bitter end 19. Groups of two 20. Chaney of horror movies 21. 12, on a grandfather clock 23. Series conclusions: Abbr. 24. One might perform behind bars 28. ____ crossroads 29. Alice’s husband in ‘50s TV 30. Effortlessness 31. A million to one, say 33. “Grand” hotels 35. Down Under hoppers 36. Old Testament book: Abbr. 37. Pass along, as a past present 40. #1 pick in the 2007 NBA draft 44. Frozen drink brand 45. Art center since 1819 46. Covert maritime org. 47. Salsa percussion instruments 50. Visiting the nation’s capital, for short 51. Mucky mess 52. “____ won’t be afraid” (“Stand by Me” lyric) 53. Cara who sang “Flashdance ... What a Feeling” 54. Ecstatic cry (which one might aptly yell upon solving 16-, 24-,

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OCTOBER 29 - NOVEMBER 4, 2020 | PAGE 17

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Down 1. “So what?!” 2. On the verge of 3. Recyclable item 4. Bible supporters, often 5. Operated 6. Places for hosp. scrubs 7. Texter’s enthusiastic initialism 8. 1862 battle site 9. Big name in health plans 10. Nail polish brand whose colors include Polly Want a Lacquer and Teal Me More, Teal Me More 11. Feline named for an island 12. Most avant-garde 17. Pigs out (on), for short 18. Nonverbal “yes” 22. More than annoys 24. Actress who said “I represent the Wonder Woman of the new world” 25. Early automaker Ransom E. ____ 26. Dashboard-mounted gadget, for short 27. Old-fashioned “Awesome!” 29. Landing spot for Santa 32. “Peer Gynt” composer

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33. Considers carefully, as advice 34. “Worst car of the millennium,” per “Car Talk” 36. Apothecary weight 37. Barbecue serving 38. Environmental subgroup 39. Millennials, informally 40. The “me” of “Despicable Me” 41. Northernmost county of Ireland 42. Bit of appended text 43. “It’s okay, Fido, I won’t hurt you ...” 45. Mass leader 48. When a football may be hiked 49. Cry from Homer 50. Good name for a banker 53. Game often played on car rides 55. Barfly 56. ____ Speedwagon 57. When to expect someone, for short 58. Birth control option, briefly Last Thursday’s Solution G A N J A A P A I N M U M B O J N O J O L L Y G A D D A M S Y E S M B I G A L I B L P E G A S U R A I S E T S V E N T E E N B A T U S L T D O P E

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9. "Here, boy!" 13. Nigerian native 14. Google ____ 15. Apple Store purchase 16. Fight to the bitter end 19. Groups of two 20. Chaney of horror movies 21. 12, on a grandfather clock 23. Series conclusions: Abbr.

24. One might perform behind bars 28. ____ crossroads 29. Alice's husband in '50s TV Solution to last Sunday’s puzzle

1 NICK KNACK

10/18/20

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk. © 2020 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.

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PAGE 18 | OCTOBER 29 - NOVEMBER 4, 2020

BACK IN THE DAY

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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25 � 10 Y�� A�� N��-P�� Falls Church News-Press Vol. V, No. 32 • October 26, 1995

Falls Church News-Press Vol. XX, No. 35 • October 28, 2010

City Advised to Go for Municipalization of Electricity, Told Savings Could Be 20-40%

Moran, Connolly, Wolf Expected To Buck Anti-Incumbency Trend

Residents of Falls Church could be saving 20 to 40% on their electricity bills over the next decade if the City moves to terminate its franchise with Virginia Power and establish an independent, municipallyowned electrical power entity, consultants hired by the City Council here reported Monday night.

Despite the anti-incumbency mood sweeping the nation this year, the three veteran lawmakers from Northern Virginia are expected to retain their seats in the U.S. Congress as a result of next Tuesday’s election. Voters will head to the polls to cast ballots for every single Congressional seat and 37 of 100 Senate seats will be contested next week.

F.C. Seniors

Continued from Page 15

At Goodwin House, Liebreich noted that the testing regiment is different for the facility’s various populations. For the skilled nursing residents, staffers and residents get tested once a week, or even more if the local positivity rate shoots up. The same schedule goes for assisted living residents, but independent living residents are tested once a month and every staffer every one to two weeks. And of course, loads of personal protective equipment and deep cleanings have become another part of everyday life. Liebreich’s point about how essential the local positivity rate has been part of the reason why he’s shared the company’s Covid19 Playbook with area businesses, daycare providers and other senior living facilities. “We know that we’re only going to be successful when the positivity rate of our communities goes down, and that’s been a huge focus of ours, and we were encouraging every provider to be like us,” Liebreich said. “Be a strong beacon of support for the community, and for each of the communities that our provider serves.” It hasn’t been for everyone. For example, Maharajan added that two residents decided to move out of Chesterbrook when the pandemic was starting out in March. Keeping staff to stay on board and help through the pandemic, meanwhile, has been up and down. It’s common for people to work in multiple senior living communities, which has been identified as a contributing factor in spreading coronavirus to vulnerable populations. Liebreich said that Goodwin House lost over 100 employees when it asked its staff to commit

Frankie is an alleged Dalamatian mix from Lost Dog and Cat Rescue. She loves being a Falls Church resident, especially lurking outside the no dogs allowed Farmers Market, campaigning for Joe Biden, enjoying treats at Northside Social, and going for long walks with her West Broad friends. Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! Send in your Critter Corner submissions to crittercorner@fcnp.com. CHESTERBROOK RESIDENCES has started welcoming back visitors to its facility, as have others. (P��: N��-P��) to working with them only, since many employees work at multiple facilities. Maharajan said that Chesterbrook lost some of its parttime employees to their full-time work elsewhere, along with a few new mothers who decided to take a hiatus over health concerns for their families. But the staff that stayed were treated to general pay increases or hazard pay at all three facilities, as well as additional shifts to make sure they didn’t experience any financial problems on top of their daily concerns over the coronavirus. Cultivating the communal bonds that make senior living facilities so appealing to older adults has continued, albeit in modified fashion. For instance, concerts in the garage, yoga on the terrace and outdoor activities are still taking place at The Kensington, with indoor activities such as sip and paint and screenings of Hamilton also happening. Chesterbrook is providing in-room programming and chair games that residents can participate in either virtually, outdoors or in small groups. And gym visits and

art classes are offered at Goodwin House as are clinical pastoral visits, where people who are trained as hospital chaplains make welfare checks on residents. Family visits are another part of the equation that has been reintroduced as the threat of the virus has died down. While they are distanced, masked up and outside, such as at Chesterbrook, or in heavily sanitized rooms, which is at The Kensington and Chesterbrook, Goodwin House allows families to take a resident off-site if they are comfortable with it. Although, the visitors have to be tested before showing up at the facility. None of this is argued as a replacement for how residents, staffers and visitors interact at their respective facilities, but it’s made for a decent substitute for the temporary normal of the pandemic. “Even though we have had to give up some things, like regular and spontaneous hugs, our team members and our residents have kept their smiles and those are bountiful.” Feather from The Kensington wrote to the News-Press.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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OCTOBER 29 – NOVEMBER 4, 2020 | PAGE 19

We are OPEN and ready to safely serve your dental needs! Currently accepting new patients

Cyclebar Falls Church Reopens Today Cyclebar Falls Church is opening back up on Thursday, Oct. 29. The Rock Your Ride cycling studio is taking extensive steps to abide by Covid-19 safety protocols and, as a result, will limit class attendance to seven riders per session. Rides will be $20 as memberships will remain on hold due to the limited attendance. For more information, visit cyclebar.com/location/falls-church.

RE/MAX West End Hosting Free Shredding Event RE/MAX West End is hosting a free shredding event on Halloween, Saturday, Oct. 31, 10 a.m. – noon. Community members are invited to shred papers and show off costumes and masks. Costume prizes will be provided and goody bags will be available for children. The event, which will abide by all Covid-19 protections, is sponsored by Stewart Title as well as RE/MAX West End and will feature services by Shred-it. It will take place in the parking lot behind 710 W. Broad Street in Falls Church.

Socially Distanced Halloween Charity Show The Neighborhood Barbershop, The State Theatre, and Clare & Don’s Beack Shack are hosting a Socially Distanced Halloween Charity Show to raise funds for the New Hope Homeless Shelter starting at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31. The event will feature music by Dot Dash, False Church, Two Ton Twig, Dirt Eater, Celebration Summer, and Convertible Jerk. For more information, visit the sponsors’ Facebook pages.

Clare & Don’s Beach Shack Launches Soup AF Clare & Don’s Beach Shack has launched Soup AF (Arlington, Falls Church) through Grub Hub offering a new delivery option for hearty soups and salads. Soup AF will offer a rotating menu of soups, such as Creamy Seafood Chowder, Thai Lentil Chili, and Borscht, all provided with fresh bread, and salads featuring beef, chicken, and seafood. For more information, visit Clare & Don’s Facebook page or look them up on GrubHub.

NOVA College Named 2020 Education Innovator of the Year Northern Virginia Community College was named 2020 Education Innovator of the Year at the inaugural Greater Washington Innovations Awards on Oct. 8. Created to showcase innovations in business, the awards highlight ingenuity and creativity in biotech, hospitality, health tech, social impact, and higher education. The award highlighted NOVA’s JumpStart program, a unique program that allows recent high school graduates to take select NOVA classes that will transfer to most four-year institutions. The JumpStart classes were offered at no charge over the 2020 Summer Semester and attracted 2,996 students who enrolled in art, computer science, English, history, information technology, and mathematics courses. JumpStart students had an 83 percent pass rate, compared to NOVA’s average class pass rate of 73 percent, and 37 percent of students who participated continued their education and enrolled at NOVA in the fall. For more information, visit nvcc.edu.

MARKETSPACE Announcing Our New Online Business Directory! Free for all local Businesses

Settle Down Easy Brewing Owner Donates Check to Dogtopia Frank Kuhns, co-owner of Settle Down Easy Brewing Co., the nano brewpub at 2822 Fallfax Drive in Falls Church, presented a check for $1,000 to Jim Hanneschlagger, owner of Dogtopia Falls Church to support the Dogtopia Foundation’s efforts to provide service dogs to veterans. The donation was generated in September during the brewpub’s Thursday Yappy Hours and Bingo play. For more information about Settle Down Easy, visit settledowneasybrewing.com. For more information about the new doggie day care and boarding facility located at 108 W. Jefferson, visit dogtopia.com/falls-church.  Business News & Notes is compiled by Sally Cole, Executive Director of Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce. She may be emailed at sally@fallschurchchamber.org.

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

PAGE 20 | OCTOBER 29 - NOVEMBER 4, 2020 Dear Falls Church, I love this community and have dedicated the past several years advocating on behalf of both renters and homeowners over local concerns of housing affordability. I am a proud lifetime resident, and the only candidate who has worked in City Hall, served on a board or commission, and co-authored a policy document for Falls Church. I have a Master's in Public Policy and work daily on policy issues to address disparities among the most underserved populations across the nation. Now I am running for City Council, because I know we can live up to the expectations we set for ourselves, and realize the progressive ideals we consistently espouse. I am asking for your vote, because together we can turn words into action and promises into policy! Please join us in realizing our City’s vision for creating a more welcoming and inclusive community for all Falls Church families.

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