Falls Church News-Press 10-31-2024

WASHINGTON POST WON’T ENDORSE, BUT WE DO: HARRIS FOR PRESIDENT

GOBLINS & CLOWNS & ASTRONAUTS!

America is on the eve of its most consequential election since 1860, characterized by the major media as a dead heat for U.S. president between the remarkably competent and hopeful campaign of Democratic nominee and current U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and the increasingly angry, antiAmerican hate-filled Republican juggernaut of convicted felon Donald Trump.

Overshadowed by this epic confrontation are critically important U.S. Senate and House elections – including those on the ballot in the Falls Church area pitting incumbent Sen. Tim Kaine against Republican Hung Cao and incumbent U.S. Rep. and Falls Church ‘Native Son’ Don Beyer against Republican Jerry Torres and two independents, and a myriad across the U.S. local governing board races.

In Falls Church, there is an important local

Last week the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Arlington-Falls Church announced it has chosen to decline a request to direct the City of Falls Church Police Department to seek charges against Former City of Falls Church Council member Caroline Lian.

Lian resigned from the Falls Church City Council in August following press reports of failing to provide accurate information about her employment on required annual financial disclosure forms associated with her service on the City Council. A special election to fill her vacated seat for the final year of its four-year term will be held next week.

The following is the statement of Commonwealth Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti:

“Because the instructions on the Virginia Economic Interest Disclosure are ambiguous and subject to interpretation, the Office has determined following what it called an extensive investigation and research into the matter that there is no good faith basis for criminal charges against Ms. Lian.

IMPRESSIVE ARRAY of diversity was on display among costumed participants of Falls Church’s annual Halloween Party in Cherry Hill Park last weekend. (Photo: Gary Mester)

by Nicholas F. Benton Falls Church News-Press

by Nicholas F. Benton Falls Church News-Press

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NEWS BRIEFS

‘Buy Local Month’ Set to Urge Buying Locally in F.C.

A proclamation at Monday’s Falls Church City Council meeting challenges F.C. residents to take a “Live Local Pledge” to patronize local businesses in the City during November. The pledge, promoted in cooperation with the F.C. Chamber of Commerce, to challenge residents here to “keep 20 percent or more of their spending in the City during the month.”

This will, according to the proclamation, “create prosperity because of the multiplier effect, creating diverse job opportunities and strengthening the City’s overall economy,...adding to the local tax revenue base which supports City schools, roads and other services….being healthier for the environment because less traffic limits pollution, encouraging walking to local businesses, building stronger relationships and sense of community, and strengthening the City’s “unique business community while attracting new businesses.”

F.C. Council Hails ‘Native American Heritage Month’

Responding to Congressional action in 1990 to designate the entire month of November as “National American Indian Heritage Month,” the Falls Church City Council adopted a proclamation this week recognizing the designation here.

“The City of Falls Church respects and welcomes indigenous customs and traditions…We recognize F.C. is settled on the traditional land of the Piscataway, Manahoac, Doeg and Nacotchtank peoples,” and the contributions of Native Americans who serve the Armed Forces at five times the national average,” the proclamation states.

Park Towers Community Assn. Urges Equity in Trash Collection

A spokesperson for the Park Towers Condominiums Community Association appeared to Monday’s meeting of the Falls Church City Council to urge adoption of a new solid waste policy for the City that would impose a flat fee on all residences for the service, and end 40 years of multifamily building dwellers from paying for services they do not receive.

F.C. Leaf Pick Up Begins Next Week on South Side

Annual leaf pickup services by the City will commence next week on the south side

of Broad Street and moving to the north side a week later, Falls Church City Manager Wyatt Shields reported this week. He noted that the Falls Church Forward group is encouraging leaving leaves in place, however, to help the environment, including by reducing the heavy use of gasoline in driving leaf collection efforts.

F.C. LWV

Assails Today’s Supreme Court Ruling

The following is a statement from the Falls Church chapter of the League of Women Voters assailing today’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling to remove 1,600 from Virginia voting roles.

“Voting is foundational to our democracy. With its decision today allowing Virginia to remove 1,600 people from the state’s voter registration rolls ahead of next week’s election, the U.S. Supreme Court has drastically undermined this fundamental right. The League of Women Voters will continue to challenge this decision after the election in our mission to uphold the right to vote for all eligible citizens. Meantime, we encourage voters who have been told they have been purged from the rolls to go to the polls, vote provisional ballots on November 5, and demonstrate their eligibility as citizens to their local electoral boards.” –Edith Snyder, President

Speed Cameras on W. Broad Begin Test Period This Week

A test period for new speed cameras in the area of W. Broad near the St. James School has begun this week, City Manager Wyatt Shields has reported. No citations will be issued during a brief test period aimed at familiarizing the public with the new program.

New Whole Foods Now Set to Open in February

The mega-Whole Foods superstore under construction at the downtown intersection of Broad and Washington Streets is set to open in February, it was reported at Tuesday’s meeting of the F.C. Economic Development Authority.

EDA Vice Chair Ross Litkenhous also opined that the City’s deal with the Hoffman Co. for the 10-acre West End development is “unbelievably good for the City in the current market.” He said, “It is one of the best negotiated deals ever.”

Revenue from the project was designed to pay for a new state of the art high school and that effort “is working quite well,” City Manager Wyatt Shields commented at the meeting.

For Tuesday’s Election, Almost 50% Have Already Voted in

year, a vacancy on the Falls Church City Council that pits former elected School Board chair Laura Downs against former Board of Zoning Appeals appointee John Murphy. On the ballot to fill a vacancy on the Falls Church School Board running unopposed is Anne Sherwood.

As of the end of the day Tuesday, 45.9 percent of registered voters in Falls Church had already cast their ballots through early-voting in person at City Hall or through the mail. Citizens have until this Saturday to vote early in this way, and otherwise the City’s three precincts will be open for voting next Tuesday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Two precincts will do their voting at the F.C. Community Center, 223 Little Falls, and the third at the Oak Street Elementary, 601 S. Oak St.

The Falls Church ballot shows four minor party or independent candidates running for president in addition to Harris and Trump. Incumbent Senator Tim Kaine made an appearance at the Pimmit Hills Library early voting location just west of Falls Church Tuesday, greeted there by Falls Church Mayor Letty Hardi, F.C. area State Del. Marcus Simon and Fairfax Dranesville District representative Jimmy Bierman. Kaine, who is expected to

LAURA DOWNS

CITY COUNCIL

win a third six-year term handily, told assembled supporters there that he thinks the Harris ticket will win Virginia by a four to six percentage point margin, and that he is optimistic about their overall chances, as well. He pointed to the 25 former Republicans in Virginia who’ve signed on for Harris over Trump, led by former U.S. Barbara Comstock.

Services: Exploring city office staffing needs and process improvements and supporting small businesses.

Schools: Watching and addressing the impact on enrollment from development and singlefamily home construction.

Stewardship: Long-term planning to ensure the city is welcoming and thriving for future generations.

He said he’s been concentrating his efforts in three key Congressional districts in Virginia – the 10th, 7th and 2nd – vital to his party’s efforts to gain a majority in the almost evenly-divided U.S. House.

He said he thinks Democrats hold the neighboring 10th District where State Sen. Suhas Subramanyam is running in place of Rep. Jennifer Wexton,

who is not seeking reelection due to illness. The 10th District is mostly Loudoun County but comes into parts of Tysons Corner.

Kaine also thinks Democrats can hold the 7th District north of Richmond in central Virginia, where Democrat Eugene Vindman is running against

• Worked with Superintendent, School Board colleagues, FCCPS staff, City Council and General Government to fund and deliver the state-of-the-art, LEED Gold Certified Meridian High School on time and on budget

• Elected to the Falls Church City School Board in 2019 and elected by her colleagues to serve as School Board Vice Chair in 2021 and as Chair in 2022 and 2023

• Member of the City Council Budget and Finance Committee (2021-2023)

• Current President-Elect of the Henderson Middle School PTA; Elementary PTA President (2017-2018)

• Board member of the Falls Church Education Foundation

Commonwealth Attorney Dehghani-Tafti Won’t Pursue Lian Case

“The office provided the following summary of facts: On August 2, 2024, the Washington D.C. Board of Ethics and Government Accountability published a Negotiated Disposition between itself and Ms. Lian. Ms. Lian was found in violation of four of Washington D.C.’s Code of Conduct provisions including failing to disclose that while working at the Washington D.C. Department of Buildings, she was simultaneously employed by Freddie Mac.

“The settlement between Ms. Lian and the D.C. Board of Ethics and Government Accountability required Lian to pay a fine of $25,000 and attend an ethics training.

“On August 8, 2024, Ms. Lian resigned her position as a Falls Church City Council Member. As a City Council Member, Ms. Lian was required to make an annual financial disclosure known as the: Virginia State and Local Statement of

Economic Interests. When the City of Falls Church learned about Lian’s negotiated settlement, the City began to review Lian’s financial disclosure.

“It was discovered that Lian had listed her employment with Freddie Mac, but had not listed her employment with the Washington DC Department of Buildings. The City of Falls Church then forwarded this information to the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office to investigate whether Lian’s failure to include her employment with the Department of Buildings constituted criminal conduct.

“Below is a summary of that investigation, which was conducted by the City of Falls Church Police Department. On February 1, 2024, Ms. Lian filed her Statement of Economic Interests. Page 5 asks for a list of employers. Ms. Lian listed Freddie Mac as an employer, but did not include the Washington D.C. Department of Buildings.

“Notably, Question 2 from the image above states ‘DO

NOT INCLUDE salary received from a state or local governmental or advisory agency.’ (emphasis added) The Washington D.C. Department of Buildings is a local government agency. The informal guidance from the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council is that the term ‘Governmental Agency’ should be read as ‘Governmental Agency [in Virginia]’. Based on their verbal guidance, we considered whether Ms. Lian could have potentially been charged with § 2.2-3117 False Statement on a Statement of Economic Interest, a class 5 felony in Virginia. However, the Ethics and Advisory Council acknowledged the ambiguity of the language in the question and written instructions.

“The definition of Governmental Agency on page 3 does not make any reference to the state of Virginia.

“There are no instructions in the Statement of Economic Interests that the description of state and local government is

limited to the state of Virginia. In short, the instructions on page 5 advise not to include state or local government positions; Ms. Lian did not include her local government position at the Washington D.C. Department of Buildings. Given that Ms. Lian followed the literal instructions, as written, there is currently no evidence to distinguish whether she was acting feloniously or in good faith. Thus, an element of ‘knowing and intentionally’ making a false statement would not be met.

“The standard of proof in criminal proceedings – the highest standard in our legal system – is beyond a reasonable doubt, with the Commonwealth bearing the burden of proof. The ambiguity of the instructions on the Statement of Economic Interests precludes the Commonwealth from proving Ms. Lian committed any criminal act beyond a reasonable doubt. Therefore, the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office is declining to pursue any charges against Former Council member Caroline Lian.”

Bezos’ & The Post’s Non-Endorsement

Nicholas F. Benton

The following is my comment posted on the occasion this week of Washington Post billionaire owner

Jeff Bezos’ non-endorsement decision that I made in my Falls Church News-Press, which I can now claim is “The Best Newspaper Inside the DC Beltway:”

“Former Washington Post executive editor Marty Baron delivered a scathing denunciation of the decision by The Post not to endorse in the presidential race. Referencing the Post’s now famous slogan, ‘Democracy Dies in Darkness,’ Baron wrote of the decision, ‘This is cowardice, a moment of darkness that will leave democracy as a casualty.’

“Another commentator noted on X, ‘This is the beginning of the end of The Post. Washington needs a real newspaper run by people of principle and courage.’

“Exactly, I say. One of the most important things a real newspaper can do is to guide readers toward the best choices in their government. This marks a monumental failure for The Post that won’t blow over.”

This comment received a public “thumbs up” on social media by Arlington-Falls Church Commonwealth Attorney Parisa DehghaniTafti and by City of Falls Church Mayor Letty Hardi, among many others.

As of this week, the report was that over 200,000 readers had canceled their subscriptions to the digital version of The Post.

Coming on the eve of one of the most consequential elections in U.S. history, the last-minute decision by Post owner Bezos to kill the editorial endorsing Harris that had been meticulously prepared by the paper’s editorial staff for over a week sparked an outrage that has sent shockwaves nationwide, not just in D.C. and not just internally at The Post.

The public has not been fooled by Bezos’ subsequent op-ed justification of the decision this Tuesday, either. Yes, there was a meeting by top Bezos lieutenants of his Blue Origin space program seeking bil-

lions in federal dollars and presidential candidate Trump. The juxtaposition of the two incidents has not been lost on anyone, despite the ferocity of Bezos’ denials.

Nor could the fact that The Post’s non-endorsement mirrored an identical case at California’s largest newspaper, the Los Angeles Times, also owned by a multi-billionaire who in veritably identical fashion torpedoed an expected endorsement of Harris.

The cries have not subsided for a profound reform of our nation’s journalistic sector. In the D.C. area, my appeal was joined by others calling on some big pockets to step up and form a viable alternative to The Post that could hire any number of the scores of professional journalists who have either been laid off in the recent period of newspaper contraction, or resigned because of this last week’s egregious affront.

On social media, I called for the likes of David M. Rubenstein or Ted Leonsis to step up, and others added the name of Mark Cuban to a list of those who could generate the capital for a serious challenge to Bezos and The Post. It would be more ideal if some kind of collective of persons of more modest means could form that would be up for the task of challenging The Post. In the many social media postings on this subject, even my weekly Falls Church newspaper came up for consideration (not by me) as a respected existing institution that could work as the center of an orchestration of such a move. Why not?

Truth be told, when I first started up the News-Press in 1991, I did not endorse candidates in local elections because, I thought, I was determined to forge a newspaper that served the entire community and didn’t want to create the impression of taking sides (Bezos’ argument for The Post now).

However, it became clear to me soon enough that my readers really wanted, counted on, and were disappointed when they didn’t get the benefit of my editorial counsel in the heat of elections.

Since I began endorsing candidates and ballot measures in elections, over the course of more than 30 years, only once has a candidate or measure I endorsed not won. One of the public’s “assignments” for a true newspaper is to do the homework and craft cogent and persuasive arguments for its readers on such matters.

COMMENT

A Penny for Your Thoughts

News of Greater Falls Church

I don’t recall what I said or did that led to the only time I had my mouth washed out with soap, but I still remember trying to twist away from my mother and the taste of the soap bar. In those few seconds, I learned my lesson. My mother’s disappointment and my Catholic school guilt stays with me today in both private and public speech.

Corporal punishment for children fell out of favor years ago, and has been outlawed in most jurisdictions, but the lies and crude language of Mr. Trump’s presidential campaign cry out for my mother’s bar of Dial soap. In normal times, it wasn’t oldfashioned to expect political candidates, at any level of government, to speak the truth and behave as the role models they purport to be. Important issue differences may prompt disagreement, but you don’t have to be disagreeable to disagree. Respect for another’s opinion is not weakness; respect actually demonstrates one’s strength. Discourse may get loud and rambunctious at times, but the strength of one’s argument or position shouldn’t rely on namecalling or personal condemnation. Just improve your argument, my

grandmother always counseled. But these are not normal times.

In a few days, the nation, and the world, will learn whether our next presidential term will be defined by lies and demeaning millions of citizens as “the enemy within,” or focused on lifting people up and moving forward for the next generations of Americans. It’s not hyperbole to say that the 2024 presidential election is the most critical election in our history; nearly 250 years of democratic values are on the line. Early voting numbers across the country testify to the importance of this election but, most likely, the results will not be known for at least a few days. Many states have complicated and time-consuming rules about how and when mail-in ballots can be counted and validated, and planned lawsuits and injunctions already are being written. Gone are the days when the major news networks could report the results with certainty within hours of polls closing, even on the West Coast. In 2020, it took several days for election results to be verified in some states. November 5 could be a long night; more likely a long week.

City of Falls Church

CRIME REPORT

Week of October 21 — 27, 2024

Destruction of Property, S Maple Ave, between 12:00 p.m. on Oct 20 and 7:00 a.m. on Oct 21, an unknown suspect used a tool to attempt to gain access to a locked vehicle, breaking the handle off the driver side front door. No suspect description is available.

Fraud, S Maple Ave, Oct 21, 10:36 AM, victim reported cryptocurrency they had transferred to an online wallet account was now missing.

Reckless Driving, S Cherry St, Oct 22, 10:53 AM, a male, 55, of Fairfax, was arrested for Reckless Driving.

Simple Assault, Hillwood Ave, Oct 22, 8:43 p.m., victim reported they were assaulted by an identified suspect while exchanging information after a traffic crash. On Oct 25 at 10:25 p.m., a male, 49, of Fairfax was arrested for Simple Assault.

Warrant Service, S Washington St, Oct 22, 9:28 PM, a male, 33,

of Suitland, MD, was arrested for Shoplifting, Identity Theft to Avoid Arrest, and Possession of Stolen Goods, stemming from a prior incident on February 27.

Warrant Service, W Broad St, Oct 23, 3:32 p.m., a male, 31, of Fredericksburg, was arrested for Threaten to Bomb Building, and False Emergency Communication, stemming from a prior incident on October 5.

Fraud – Credit Card, Spruce St, Oct 24, 9:13 a.m., victim reported a fraudulent transaction was made using their credit card.

Public Intoxication/Concealed

Weapon Violations, W Broad St/S Washington St, Oct 25, 2:26 a.m., a male, 27, of Manassas, was arrested for Public Intoxication, Carry Concealed Firearm, and Carry Concealed Weapon While Intoxicated.

Larceny, S Maple Ave, between 3:00 PM on Oct 23 and 12:18 p.m. on Oct 25, an unknown suspect stole a

Presidential elections historically draw the most voters, even though more decisions that affect everyday life are made at the local, not the national, level. Early in-person voting at satellite locations in Northern Virginia are open through Saturday, November 2. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked on or before election day and arrive in the Office of Elections by noon on Friday, November 8. If you decide to vote on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, you need to go to your regular precinct polling place. Polls open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m. If you are in line by the poll closing time of 7:00 p.m., but no later, you still will be permitted to vote. All registered voters must bring an acceptable ID with them to vote. Additional information is available at www.Elections. Virginia.gov/Registration/VoterID. Don’t miss voting because you forgot to set your clocks back to standard time this weekend. Early morning voting will have more daylight, but voting later in the day may be in unfamiliar darkness because of the time change. Democracy may die in darkness, a phrase popularized by Washington Post reporter and author Bob Woodward, but every vote can be a candle to light that darkness and move the nation away from the dystopian views of the disgraced and incoherent former president.

campaign sign from the victim’s yard.

Other Jurisdiction Warrant Service, E Broad St, Oct 25, 5:07 p.m., a male, 48, of no fixed address, was arrested on an outstanding warrant from another jurisdiction.

Simple Assault, Hillwood Ave, Oct 26, 5:02 p.m., victim reported that they were crossing the street as a vehicle approached. The driver of the vehicle got out and punched the victim in the head, then fled the area. The unknown suspect is described as a black male in his mid-20`s, between 5`9” and 5`10” in height, wearing a blue shirt and a hat.

Driving on Suspended License, E Broad St, Oct 26, 8:21 p.m., a male, 28, of Manassas, was arrested for Driving on Suspended License.

Public Intoxication, W Broad St, Oct 26, 5:25 PM, a male, 54, of Fairfax County, was arrested for Public Intoxication.

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Vol. XXXIV, No. 38

October 31 - November 6, 2024

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E ditorial

Our Endorsements: ‘To Do’ Vs. ‘Enemies’ Lists

The News-Press reiterates its political endorsements in the coming week’s highly consequential election, as noted on the front page of this edition, doing so with a heightened purpose stemming from the enormous furor that has erupted in the last week of decisions at the Washington Post and Los Angeles Times by their billionaire owners to withhold the endorsements of Kamala Harris by their respective editorial and opinion departments. Now the Gannett newspaper chain has jumped in with the same non-endorsement policy.

This is no ordinary presidential election. One candidate is imminently qualified. The other is a convicted felon, liar, grifter, fascist and profound danger to the U.S. in ways that can’t be denied and have repeatedly been confirmed in news reports in the very papers that are now refusing to endorse. This refusal is grounded in a fear of retaliation by Donald Trump should he win, and as such constitutes the very face of fascism. Truly, the choices in this election are between the “to do list” of Harris and the “enemies list” of Trump.

Our endorsements, first published in this space on the eve of the onset of early voting last month, are these: Kamala Harris for U.S. president, incumbent Tim Kaine for re-election to the U.S. Senate, incumbent Don Beyer for re-election to the U.S House, and former School Board chair Laura Downs to a one-year term to fill a vacancy on the Falls Church City Council.

We are proud of our responsible role in this, and we take it very seriously. We have been doing it for candidates and ballot proposals in every election since the mid-1990s, and our recommendations have been adopted by majorities in Falls Church elections in every case but for one candidate since then in the context of the fact that voters in the City of Falls Church have led all Virginia jurisdictions in election turnout every time over that period. We are confident that this time will be no exception, as over 50 percent of eligible voters already cast their ballots in advance of the Nov. 5 official election day.

This time, our choice of Downs for the F.C. City Council is very important, given her superior role as chair of the Falls Church School Board through the pandemic, when conflicts were acute between parents wanting their children in the school rooms and teachers who refused to show up until all students had been vaccinated and tested negative for the Covid-19 virus. Downs and Superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan handled that crisis with deft leadership, leading to the unprecedented election of Downs to a second successive term as the board’s chair.

Downs’ opponent, lifelong City resident John Murphy, has also been a contributor to civic activities here, including as chair of the Board of Zoning Appeals. But unlike the elected School Board role that Downs filled so well through the pandemic, Murphy’s position was appointed and held 15 years ago.

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Letters to Editor

Group Endorses Laura Downs

Editor,

With early voting underway and election day around the corner, we feel it is important to let the community know about our experience working with Laura Downs, who is running for the Falls Church City Council. We served with Ms. Downs on several community organizations- Falls Church City Public School Board, FCC Elementary PTA, Henderson Middle School PTA, and the Falls Church Education Foundation. Some of us experienced Ms. Downs as a colleague and others as a leader when she served as Elementary PTA President in 201718, as School Board Vice Chair in 2021, and as School Board Chair in 2022 and 2023. We found Ms. Downs to be a skilled consensus builder who approached issues with patience and an open mind. She listens to all sides of an issue and takes the time to interact with community members. With half of her School Board term being served during the Covid-19 pandemic, she understands the importance of empathetic and steady leadership and making difficult decisions that are in the best interest of the community. We know that if Ms. Downs is elected, our community will benefit from having a reasonable, skilled, hard-working, and experienced leader who listens and works to build coalitions across the Falls Church City community. Annalisa Aldana, Jerrod Anderson, Mary Asel, Richard Crespin, Susan Dimock, Kari Forsee, Tate Gould, Mary-Kathleen Hartenstein, Dori Hazan, Chrissy Henderson, Suzanne Hladky, Emily Jenkins, Hal Lippman, Shannon Litton, Elizabeth Meade, Peter Noonan, David Ortiz, Christopher Pintauro, Philip Reitinger, Dan Ross, Sonia Ruiz-Bolanos, Shawna Russell, Michael, Sakata, Gabriela Sandoz, Sharon Schoeller, Katherine Secrist, Lori Silverman, Kathleen Tysse, Adena Williams, Brian Williams, and Kirsten Zochowski

Connelly

& Hiscott

Endorse Laura Downs

Editor,

It’s less than a week before the 2024 election and Falls Church is on the way to another high-turnout election.

If you haven’t voted yet, please take

into consideration this endorsement of Laura Downs for City Council.

Laura is an experienced public servant. She will be ready to serve from day one. As a member of the School Board, Laura served as vice chair and chair for three years of her four-year term. In these leadership roles, she was part of the City Council Budget & Finance Committee. This is important because this one-year term starts right after the election. Budget planning begins in December, and Laura is already up to speed!

As shown during her School Board term (2020-23), Laura is a great listener, always seeking community input. She knows how to look at all sides of an issue, and learn from her constituents. She is not afraid to make hard decisions, and is fully committed to the good of the community.

While campaigning and meeting voters at their doors, Laura has attended every Council meeting, worksession, and Budget & Finance Committee meeting. Because she has put in the work, she is fully prepared for Council service. We would be honored to serve with Laura Downs and are pleased to share our endorsement of her in this election!

Marybeth Connelly F.C. City Council

Debora Schantz-Hiscott F.C. Vice Mayor

Elect John Murphy For City Council

Editor.

I support the election of John Murphy for City Council. For the 20+ years I have known him, John has worked actively to protect our green space, help new development projects find sizes and densities that fit alongside their residential neighbors, and create intersections that are safe for pedestrians, cyclists and cars. In project after project in our City, John has brought his extraordinary research skills, his deep knowledge of our Zoning Ordinances, and great care for our Community.

He will make a great City Councilman because he is a strong researcher – studying development plans closely and raising questions about what we see above the ground and below: Whether the size and density of the proposed mixed-use buildings are allowed by our code and whether our sewage, water and electrical grids, as they exist today,

Continued on Page 16

Vienna Theatre Company’s Puts on ‘Moon Over Buffalo’

by Patricia Leslie

Vienna Theatre Company’s “Moon Over Buffalo,” is one of Ken Ludwig’s most amusing productions and it entertained a near sellout crowd Saturday night at the Vienna Community Center. The audience watched as the “famed” Hay theatre family made a mad dash to audition for Frank Capra, the acclaimed Frank Capra film director, and present a play, but which one?

“Cyrano de Bergerac” or “Private Lives”?

In a dynamic performance, Dave Wright as “George Hay” takes the lead ...sort of.

When things get going, this “Moon” is a laugh-a-minute, lively hit with lots of slapstick amidst a whole lotta slamming doors, mistaken identities, and who went where?

Sara Joy Lebowitz as Roz, is the “most normal” of the bunch and quite bored, frankly, with the whole lot of them. She’s the daughter of George and Charlotte Hay (Nancy Nowalk), whom she’s visiting in Buffalo where they’ve taken their withering road show, of all places, to try and resurrect their past theatrical successes in this 1950s era of Ed Sullivan (who?) and a new thing

called “television” which is always competition for the theatre.

Suddenly, a golden opportunity presents itself for an audition for Capra whose stars have fallen by the wayside and cannot perform, and the famed director is coming to town to check out the Hays.

In the rushed audition for Capra (and one of the funniest scenes in “Moon,”), Roz acts on the “Private Lives” balcony where she is forced to improvise her lines when her father fails to appear on cue because he is trying to recover from a hangover and strong “coffee” left by his “adoring” mother-in-law. (Gayle Nichols-Grimes is “Ethel,” truly one of the understated stars of the evening who grunts, struts and hollers her way through events on stage and, I hope, is not like your MIL.)

To hear or not to hear? CAN YOU HEAR ME, ETHEL?

George is unhappy and drunk because Charlotte is leaving him, having learned from the front page of “Variety,” no less, about his affair with Eileen (Keenan Parker), a starstruck ingenue who exaggerates her role with hilarious flair, another of my favorites, not to be outshone by Eric Kennedy as “Howard,” one of Roz’s fiancés, a weatherman who

knows which way the wind blows, but is enchanted by his coming association with the famous Hay family.

As he rapidly sizes up their domicile and nervously wrings his hands, Kennedy’s eyes dart hither and yon and grow as big as a moon (couldn’t resist) with wonder in the manner of his wimpy character, nervous at the prospect of meeting Roz’s parents.

Meanwhile, in the romance department Charlotte “carries on” with attorney “Richard” (Charles Boone), there’s George and Eileen, and Roz has two significant others, Paul (Eddie Perez) and Howard.

Ethel introduces Eric to Charlotte as Capra, and George thinks Eric is Eileen’s brother, come to beat him up, so he locks him in a closet where Eric becomes General George S. Patton. If this seems hard to follow, you have to be there. It isn’t.

Four doors (was it only four?) play significant roles, their strong construction necessary for the hard slams I feared were going to take the whole set down.

That director Tom Flatt and the actors can move quickly in and out of them with perfect timing and no collisions is a feat!

Charles Dragonette and Claire L. Tse’s set focuses attention on a

luxurious red velvet chaise lounge, the centerpiece which supports more than one liaison while framed enlargements of the Hays’ playbills hang on the walls.

Farrell Hartigan and Juliana Cofrancesco’s many colorful costumes are stunning, quite fitting for the time, especially the women’s shimmering evening wear.

Jon Roberts’s sound design perfectly times the ripping of clothing and frequent phone rings.

The production team includes Eleanore Tapscott, producer; Katie Boone, stage manager; Mike Donahue, fight choreographer; Ari

McSherry, lighting; Sue Pinkman, hair and makeup.

As they say in Buffalo: The show must go on! Don’t miss it! And have a good time by George.

The show ends this weekend at the Vienna Community Center with performances Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets, $16 at the community center and Vienna, VA – WebTrac Ticket Search (myvscloud.com). For more information: vtcshows@ yahoo.com. Duration: About two hours with one 15-minute intermission. Some adult language.

FROM LEFT, ERIC Kennedy is “Howard,” Dave Wright is “George” and Eddie Perez is “Paul” in Vienna Theatre Company’s “Moon Over Buffalo.” ( Photo: Gwen Harter )

Amy

Boomer

Cosmo

Hayden

Lola Lincoln

Baxter

Buddy

Freddie

Huxley

Louie

Bath

Brother Kitten

Dash

Homer

Lollipop

Beignet

Chief

Hadleigh & Windsor

Indiana Jones

Boomer

Cosette

Harry

LEO

How to Keep Your Pets Safe and Happy This Halloween Season

by Nick Gatz Falls Church News-Press

As Halloween approaches, many households are busy with decorations, costumes, and trickor-treat preparations. While these spooky festivities are thrilling for humans, they can be unexpectedly hazardous for our pets. Pet owners need to be aware of the hidden dangers lurking in Halloween activities and take steps to ensure their furry friends stay safe and comfortable.

Beware of candy and treats, candy is synonymous with Halloween, but it’s one of the biggest hazards for pets. Chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, contains theobromine, a compound toxic to dogs and cats. Just a few ounces can cause vomiting, seizures, or even death, depending on the pet’s size. Xylitol, an artificial sweetener found in many sugar-free candies and gum, is also extremely harmful to pets, causing rapid drops in blood sugar and potentially liver failure.

To avoid accidental ingestion, keep candy out of reach, preferably in sealed containers on high counters. If you suspect your pet has eaten something toxic, contact your veterinarian immediately.

Costume caution: comfort over cuteness, pet costumes have become a Halloween staple, with photos of costumed pets flooding social media. However, not all pets enjoy the experience of dressing up. Some costumes can be restrictive, uncomfortable, or even dangerous, causing stress or limiting movement. When choosing a costume for your pet, prioritize comfort and safety. Avoid costumes with small, detachable pieces that could become choking hazards, and ensure the costume doesn’t obstruct your pet’s vision, breathing, or movement. Watch for any signs of stress, such as pacing, whimpering, or scratching at the costume, and be prepared to remove it if your pet seems uncomfortable.

Decoration dangers: look out for potential hazards. Halloween decorations can also pose risks. Fake cobwebs, string lights, and small plastic decorations can be tempting for pets to chew or play with, but they can easily become choking hazards or cause intestinal blockages. Candles, often used in jack-o’-lanterns, present a fire hazard if pets get too close or knock them over. Consider using battery-operated candles instead to create a safe, petfriendly ambiance.

Pumpkins, while generally non-toxic, can cause stomach upset if your pet eats too much. Painted or molded decorations with toxic paints and finishes can be dangerous as well. Keep decorations high and out of reach to minimize risk.

Doorbell dread: managing Trick-or-Treat traffic, the constant ringing of doorbells and presence of strangers at the door can be overwhelming for pets, especially those with anxiety. If your pet is easily startled, con-

sider setting up a quiet, secure space where they can feel safe away from the hustle and bustle. Play calming music to drown out the noise, and check in on them periodically.

For pets that may be inclined to bolt, ensure they’re wearing proper identification, such as a collar with a tag or a microchip. Accidental escapes are common on Halloween night, and identification greatly improves the chances of a lost pet being returned home safely.

Glow Sticks and Batteries: Hidden Hazards

Many Halloween items, like glow sticks and battery-operated toys, seem harmless but can be dangerous if chewed or swallowed. Glow sticks contain a substance that, while not highly toxic, can cause drooling, gagging, and stomach irritation. Batteries, on the other hand, pose a serious risk if ingested, potentially causing chemical burns or blockages.

Keep these items stored

securely and monitor your pets closely during any Halloween activities where they might encounter unfamiliar items.

Consideration for cats: protecting our feline friends Unfortunately, Halloween has been associated with increased risks for black cats. Some shelters even impose restrictions on black cat adoptions during October to prevent harm. If you own a black cat (or any cat), it’s wise to keep them indoors during Halloween week to reduce the risk of harm.

A safer, happier Halloween for pets. Halloween is full of excitement and fun, and with some extra precautions, you can ensure it’s a safe time for your pets, too. Make sure to plan ahead, create a safe environment, and be mindful of the holiday’s unique risks to keep your furry friends happy and healthy. After all, Halloween is about treats, not tricks—and for our pets, staying safe is the best treat of all.

Balto • Available

Carter • Adopted

Tootie • Available

Woodley • Available

Willow Grace • Available

Dogs Available for adoption through Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation

Rose and Daisy • Available

Cats Available contact: outreach@hsfc.org

Macchiata & Onyx

Rose and Daisy

Theo

Noodle, Nugget, and Mama

Scupper

Wally

Marley Moo

Savina

Tiger

Penny Harper

Snowball

Wednesday

Percy

Tazzy

Carter

Woodley

Tootie

Balto

Willow Grace

Ziggy

Zizi

Community News & Notes

Spooktacular Halloween Carnival At Cherry Hill Park

The spooktacular Halloween Carnival included carnival games, a costume contest, inflatables, candy, fall snacks, and more all outdoors at Cherry Hill Park! Local elementary school students from Mount Daniel performed in front of the

TORI MCKINNEY, ROCK STAR realty group, served up Duck Donuts, hot cocoa & coffee at the annual Winter Hill Halloween parade on Sunday, October 27th.

(Photo: ROCK STAR realty group)

Barn. Winners of the Costume contest were awared with some silly, spooky prizes. (Photos: Gary Mester)

FATHER AND SON, longtime Falls Church resident Jon Wiant and his son, Teddy, hung out together at the recent opening reception of the Creative Cauldron in F.C (Photo: News-Press)

FIRST YEAR anniversary of the opening of the popular Godfrey’s Bakery and Cafe on W. Broad Street was celebrated with a ribbon cutting hosted by the F.C. Chamber of Commerce last week. (Photo: News-Press)

ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES and staff persons from surrounding jurisdictions were welcomed by their F.C. counterparts to a reception at Falls Church’s Clare and Don’s Beach Shack last week. (Photo: News-Press)

| OCTOBER 31 - NOVEMBER 6, 2024

CALENDAR

THIS WEEK AROUND F.C.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 31

Halloween @ Thomas Jefferson Library

Kick off your Halloween at the Library! Come in costume on October 31, 2024, and receive candy and a free book or mystery prize (while supplies last)! No registration is required for this spook-tacular all-ages event. Thomas Jefferson Library, 7415 Arlington Blvd. Falls Church, VA 22042. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 1

Toys for Treats, a Halloween Candy Buyback

The Toy Nest will be collecting excess Halloween candy in exchange for toys. All candy will be donated to the Falls Church Public Works Operations Department, the public servants who collect leaves, plow snow, clean up after storms, and maintain City vehicles and infrastructure. To participate, families should drop off unopened candy from Friday, November 1 through Saturday, November 9 at The Toy Nest during business hours. For every pound of candy brought, children can borrow one point of toys (valued at $15-20 per point). Non-members keep the toys for one week and Toy Nest members keep them for two weeks. Full details are available online at www.thetoynest. com/events-and-classes. The Toy Nest is located in downtown Falls Church at 125 N. Washington Street, open Tuesday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 2

FALL FESTIVAL

Arlington Church of the Brethren is hosting their Fall Festival.

Pet: alpacas and goats; Eat: hot dogs, egg rolls, baked goods, complimentary coffee Shop: Crafts, Heifer, SERVV. 300 N. Montague Street, Arl., VA 22203. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

LDCRF - DOG ADOPTION EVENT

Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation (LDCRF), helps connect people who have love to give with pets who need homes. Falls Church PetSmart 6100A Arlington Blvd, Falls Church, VA 22044. 12:00 p.m.- 2:00 p.m.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 3

110 in the Shade

Sharply intelligent Lizzie Curry is considered unlucky in love by her father and brothers but remains unwilling to settle for a man who can’t live up to her standards. As her family schemes to change her fortunes amid a blistering hot summer in the Dust Bowl, a smoothtalking stranger arrives in town, promising to bring down the rain within 24 hours. As the town waits for the skies to open, Lizzie considers how to find the place between what is possible and what she dreams could be. Nominated for multiple Tony Awards during its original 1964 Broadway production and the 2007 Broadway revival, this lyrical and heartfelt musical set in 1936 is an inspiring story of looking past your pain to what the future can hold. 4373 Mason Pond Drive Fairfax, VA 22030. Sundays show is at 2 p.m.

The Judy Carmichael Trio

The Judy Carmichael Trio is an accomplished jazz ensemble led by Judy Carmichael, a highly regarded pianist, vocalist, and Grammy-nominated artist known for her expertise in stride piano. Carmichael's style is deeply rooted in the tradition of classic jazz. The program will celebrate swing favorites of the American Songbook, from Ger-

shwin and Cole Porter to Frank Loesser and Harold Arlen. 2 p.m. at 1234 Ingle side Ave, McLean, VA 22101

MONDAY NOVEMBER 4

City Council Work Session

City Council Work Sessions are open to the public and held the first and third Monday of the month, except August and December when one meeting is held. The public is not generally invited to speak. Watch live or on-demand at fallschurchva.gov/CouncilMeet ings or on FCCTV (Cox 11, RCN 2, Verizon 35). City Hall (300 Park Ave., Dogwood A-B, Falls Church), 7:30 p.m. — 11:00 p.m.

TUESDAY

NOVEMBER 5

Economic Development Authority Meeting

Economic Development Authority meets. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Laurel Room, Falls Church), 7:00 p.m. — 10:00 p.m.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 6

Sangha, Mantra & Philosophy

Sangha night is free to join, bring your own food or snacks to share. We start with mantra and close with a philosophy reading and discussion. Each week will be a different topic. Sangha means "community," is community led, meaning you can volunteer to choose the topic and lead sangha. Karma Yoga Studio 246-A West Broad Street Falls Church, VA 22046. 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Want your event in next week's Calendar? Email details to calendar@fcnp.com

ARLINGTON CIVITANS Open Air Flea Market Saturday November 2. 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. 4001 15th Street North, Arlington, VA (Courtesy Photo)

Most Consequential Election Since 1860 Is Upon America

Derrick Anderson where the incumbent Democrat Abigail Spanberger is also not seeking re-election, instead has already well begun a race for governor of Virginia.

The effort to pick up a seat in the 2nd District presents a challenge, Kaine said. Democratic candidate Missy Smasal, a surface warfare officer during the Iraq war, is making women’s choice a key to her effort to unseat incumbent Republican Jennifer Kiggans there.

Kaine said that the three key issues in all campaigns are the economy, health care and women’s choice, which he said, “is

Emerging Technologies

powerful everywhere” by cutting across party lines on the unifying idea of “keeping the government out of our bedrooms.”

Immigration as an issue is “dropping away,” he said.

“Don’t even talk to me about The Post ,” he added, noting its last minute decision not to endorse in the presidential race or henceforth in any race. In the recent past, the Post has been very influential with its endorsements in Northern Virginia.

But Kaine said, “Buckle your seat belts for after the election,” noting his concern that “there could be a lot of post-election disruption if Trump does not win.”

In the Falls Church City

Senator Saddam Salim’s Richmond Report

The majority of advisory boards and commissions that convene outside regular session frequently go unnoticed. The Joint Commission on Technology and Science (JCOTS), is a permanent legislative agency in Virginia, established in 1997. Its primary role is to study various aspects of technology and science and to promote the development of sound policies for technology and science within the Commonwealth.

Although I do not serve on JCOTS, I have been helping some of my fellow legislators with their work on emerging technologies. Emerging technology refers to innovative technologies that have been recently developed or are expected to develop in the coming years, with the potential to significantly impact business, society, and the economy. Many times, they remain unknown or confusing to legislators because of how fast they develop.

These technologies often disrupt existing systems and practices. Some examples that we have been dealing with in Virginia include artificial intelligence (AI) — a field of computer science focused on building systems or machines that perform tasks requiring human intelligence. AI

Council special election, final pitches before Election Day are represented by letters to the editor published in this week’s edition of the News-Press (see elsewhere this edition).

One letter supporting Downs is signed by 31 prominent former and former School Board and school community leaders, including Superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan. A second was sent by current F.C. City Council members Marybeth Connelly and Debora Shantz-Hiscott.

A letter of support for Murphy was submitted by attorney Kathryn Kleiman. All such letters of endorsement received by the News-Press have been published.

systems aim to process information, learn from data, recognize patterns, and make decisions autonomously or with minimal human intervention.

Another example is Blockchain, a type of distributed ledger technology, that records data across multiple systems in a secure, decentralized manner. Essentially, it is a chain of blocks, where each block contains a list of transactions. Once added, these blocks are nearly impossible to alter, making the system tamper-resistant and transparent.

Voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Voice, driverless cars, and image creation on ChatGPT are examples of common AI uses. On the other hand, blockchain is frequently used in data storage, voting systems, supply chain management, and cryptocurrency. Blockchain prioritizes safe, decentralized, and impenetrable data storage, whereas AI concentrates on processing data to mimic intelligence and improve decision-making. While blockchain guarantees that data stays accurate, traceable, and immutable, AI depends on data to learn and make predictions. Despite having different goals, blockchain technology and AI can work together in applications such as safe data management for AI algorithms.

This year, JCOTS took initiatives

to explore AI and Blockchain. Its subcommittees heard from various organizations, professionals, colleagues, and experts to inform their recommendations on potential regulations for AI and Blockchain in Virginia.

The reality is that regulation is increasingly necessary for both AI and Blockchain due to their profound impacts on society, the economy, and individual rights, in order to ensure ethical, safe, and fair use of these emerging technologies. While these technologies have the potential to bring massive benefits to our society, they can also cause profound harm if they are not regulated correctly. In order to develop regulations that are both fair and comprehensive, legislators must stay ahead of the curve and understand these technologies before large-scale problems can occur.

Election Reminder

We are less than one week out from Election Day! Remember that early voting ends on Sat. November 2nd and Election Day is Tues. November 5th. I am so excited to vote for Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, Tim Kaine, and Don Beyer! Make your voice heard! Learn more and find your polling place at iwillvote.com

Third Crooked Steeple Literary Festival Kicks Off November 9th

by Aaron Stark

Returning for its third year, the Crooked Steeple Literary Festival’s (CSLF) 2024-2025 season is set to begin on Nov. 9 with an author event at the Falls Church Presbyterian. CSLF was founded by Falls Church Presbyterian, which sponsors it through donations from Bards Alley Bookstore in Vienna, VA and the National Capital Presbytery.

The church started the event after the Covid-19 lockdown, as a way to encourage community connection through literature.

“Nobody had been able to gather and talk to each other. Our spiritual growth and community building group decided that we really wanted to make an offering to the community,” said Anne Mugler, co-director of CSLF. “A couple of us on that committee knew about what book festivals could do and how to set them up. We knew that books would

inspire people to talk and connect. We decided to take a chance and do it.”

CSLF has announced three author events over the next six months, all to be held on Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. at Falls Church Presbyterian.

The first event in the lineup, to be held on November 9, features Meredith Hall, a New York Times best-selling author presenting her novel, “Beneficence,” a story following the life of a 1940s farm family as tragedy strikes.

The second event, featuring author Amina Luqman-Dawson on February 22, will present her book “Freewater,” a narrative about enslaved African-Americans who escape to a swamp where they start a community.

“[Luqman-Dawson’s] book is for middle schoolers to young adults, particularly in vocabulary, but I’ve read it, and it’s a fascinating, fascinating novel. It was

Letters to Editor

can handle the capacity of their additional new loads or need expansion.

John will make a great City Councilman because he knows our Zoning Code well. He served as Chair of our Board of Zoning Appeals, and the Zoning Ordinance Advisory Committee that reviewed the code and proposed changes. Zoning laws are the rules we adopted to create healthy, livable spaces by regulating and restricting the construction, repair and use of buildings in our City, and John knows the details – feet, inches, and buffers.

John will make a great City Councilman because he has spent a lifetime caring for the City: planning events and planting trees as part of the VPIS, recently leading renovations to the Log Cabin Scout House on Spring Street to bring it up to code (doing much of the work himself) for future generations to enjoy, and planning and fundraising for children’s activities in the City.

A Republic— Will We Keep It?

Continued from Page 6 When a Bully Talks, Believe What They ay

John brings a unique and diverse set of skills, caring and commitment to City Council. In the year ahead, as our new developments come online and others come forward for approval, John’s expertise and questions will play a special role in making these projects better.

Kathryn Kleiman

Editor,

In relation to the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin, a delegate and one of our greatest founders, was asked if what was created was a republic or a monarchy.

He famously, and now very presciently responded: “It’s a republic, if you can keep it.” Nothing less than the answer to that question is now before the American people. The ultimate choice is simply this: vote for Kamela Harris, for whom you may agree or disagree in whole or part, but who supports our system and will try to govern for everyone, or vote for Donald Trump, who has already tried to undermine fundamental elements of our republic and has vowed to do so again. So, the question is directed squarely at us—a republic—will we keep it?

Dave Snyder F.C.

City Council

A bully is someone who seeks to cause harm in someone else’s life. They ridicule, intimidate, and sabotage. When left unchecked, they always escalate, sometimes to the point of violence. But, it almost always starts with a few simple

also the Newbery Award winner,” Mugler said. “We’re going to make it really kid-friendly. Of course, we want as many adults as possible as well, but we’re going to make sure that the kids get to sit in front and have the experience of being with an actual author and asking them questions and finding out how they do their work.”

To close out the season on April 26, Katherine Reay will speak on her book “The Berlin Letters,” a Cold War story of a CIA codebreaker who works to free her father from prison in Germany.

Unlike previous years, this year’s events feature a full lineup of fiction.

“Last year, we had two nonfiction authors and a fiction writer. This year, we have all novels. So they’re all fiction,” Mugler said. “We try to vary between memoirs, nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. We

words. Just a joke, supposedly harmless but always with the intention to offend. Bullies love their jokes, their little quips, because the minute someone pushes back, the bully gets to smile and say, “I was only kidding. I didn’t mean it.”

If you need an example in realtime, just watch any MAGA rally. Crammed in between all the lies and phony promises are insults. A whole barrage of insults and threats. We just heard Puerto Rico described as a garbage island and a call for the slaughter of their political opponents.

And trust me, when these words come back to haunt them, like all bullies, they’ll claim they didn’t mean it. It was just rhetoric; it was just a joke.

But trust me, when a bully talks, they mean every single word. I should know. I was bullied my entire childhood.

For a child, being bullied is one of the worst feelings in the world. It is constant feeling of rejection and embarrassment, desperately wanting connection but also scared to say or do anything that will bring unwanted attention. It is an age when we are learning how to control our emotions. We break easily under the slightest bit of pressure and if we cry out, it’s like adding fuel to the fire. Nicknames are the worst, because they stick and every time you hear it, you feel like you’re being replaced with this ugly version of yourself someone else created. I spent years being heckled and ostracized to the point where some kids avoided me just so they wouldn’t be targeted by

try to shake it up every year too, in terms of topics [as well].”

Mugler finds the most interesting part of the festival to be meeting and speaking with the authors.

“I love meeting the authors and getting to interview them. It is really exciting to read the book and then meet the author and talk to them about why they did that,” Mugler said. “Authors are very interesting people.”

Perhaps the biggest challenge of organizing the festival is the budget. Since the Crooked Steeple isn’t for profit and doesn’t charge attendees, it relies on sponsorship from local businesses and attendee donations.

“The church provides half of the money. We also get money from the National Capital Presbytery, and then we get money from donations, but we want it to be free. We want people to know that they can come [even] if they don’t have any money, [as long as] they would like to spend

association.

What complicated this was that I was a military brat. My family moved every other year, which meant I was always starting over.

When you spend two years of your life being isolated, you don’t develop at the same rate as other kids. So, every time I moved, I was a little more fragile, a little more awkward and the process would start all over again. The bullies always found me. And the older I got, the insults got harsher, the nicknames more crude, and the threats became more severe.

In Catholic school, an older boy used to kick me when I bent over to tie my shoe or get my backpack; a year later, across the country, two boys followed me home, loudly talking about how they were going to murder the little faggot and bury him in the woods.

Every now and then, especially in the early years, a teacher would intervene and come to my defense. Like clockwork, the bullies would always throw up their hands innocently and say, “but we were just joking.” They often apologized, claiming they never meant any harm. They would offer little olive branches, an invitation to join their group, maybe even encourage me to come to them if I needed someone to talk to. They were always so sincere but a few weeks later, many of them were bullies again, only meaner, like they wanted revenge.

I remember a time when I was so upset, I faked being sick for two whole days, hiding out at home. And on day three, when my parents made

an afternoon listening to somebody who writes good literature,” Mugler said. “We try to get the best authors we can with the money that we have, and we do want to get nationally known authors. We’re limited by funds, but we’re working to get money from other sources.”

Mugler’s primary goal for this year’s festival is to fill as many seats as possible.

“We really want this to be a very generous gift to the community. We want people to be able to come, and we want to fit in [everyone who] wants to come. Last year, in at least two or three of our events, we had 100 people. We felt very fulfilled by that, but we could always use more,” Mugler said. “Come and enjoy [the food]. We feed them with actual food, but it’s really food for thought, food for connection, and food for understanding.”

To learn more about CSLF, visit fallschurchpresby.org/crookedsteeple.

me go back, the first thing someone said to me was, “Oh, you didn’t kill yourself?” while her friends laughed.

No matter what anyone says, I know there was true hate in those words, a real desire to see if they push me off the edge. What kind of person does that to another human being?

Well, you know some of them. Those kids who spent their childhood ruining others eventually grew up. They became those conservative moms who try to ban books and abortion. They became the angry men marching with tiki torches who post racist conspiracy theories on Facebook. They’re the people who refused to wear a mask during the pandemic. They’re in those dwindling crowds of every Trump rally, cheering at every threat and insult. Some of them were there on January 6th. And when they found themselves in front of judge, they begged for mercy and said, “I didn’t mean it.”

But they did. They meant all of it. The only difference is they were caught.

Next week is Election Day. And the more I think about it, the more I realize we’re not just voting for the next President. We’re voting for their supports: who gets emboldened, who gets elevated into all those government positions. A vote for Trump isn’t just a vote for one loud mouthed bully. It’s a vote for the millions of bullies underneath him, the ones who really want to cause harm. Choose carefully.

Jonathan Harper

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) of the City of Falls Church, Virginia will hold a public hearing on November 14, 2024 at 7:30 PM in the Council Chambers, located at 300 Park Avenue, for consideration of the following items:

V1655-24 by Harjote

-Variance application

Randhawa, applicant and owner, for a variance to Section 48-263(3)(a) to allow a front yard setback of 15 feet instead of the 25 feet minimum along Walnut Street to construct a second-story addition at premises known as 1200 Lincoln Ave, RPC #52-214-026 of the Falls Church Real Property Records, zoned R-1B, Medium Density Residential.

-Variance application

V1656-24 by Linda Valentino, applicant and owner, for a variance to Section 48-238(3)(a) to allow a side yard setback of 12 feet instead of the 15 feet minimum to construct a second-floor addition at premises known as 411 E. Jefferson Street, RPC #53-101-132 of the Falls Church Real Property Records, zoned R-1A, Low Density Residential.

-Variance application V1658-24 by Chad Price, applicant, on behalf of West Broad Holdings, LLC, Owners, for the following variances:

-Section 48-1265(2) to allow projecting sign area, location, and quantity above the maximum (10 square feet, one sign per tenant, not extending above the lower sill line of the second-floor windows and extending more than 4 feet from the wall).

-Section 48-1265(10) to allow building identification sign quantity above the maximum (1 building identification sign per development).

-Section 48-1265(1) to allow wall sign quantity above the maximum (2 wall signs maximum per business); at the premises known as 1033 West Broad Street, RPC #52-102-070 of the Falls Church Real Property Records, zoned B-1, Limited Business District.

Public comment and questions may be submitted to zoning@fallschurchva.gov until 4:30 pm on November 14, 2024. Agenda and application materials will be available the week prior to the scheduled hearing at: http://www. fallschurchva.gov/BZA

Information on the above application is also available for review upon request to staff at zoning@fallschurchva.gov.

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

The following were given first reading at the October 28, 2024 City Council meeting. Public hearings, second reading, and possible City Council action are scheduled for Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard.

(TO24-15) ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE 2073 REGARDING THE BUDGET OF EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2025: GENERAL FUND, SCHOOL OPERATING FUND, AND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FUNDS

The proposed ordinance would amend the City of Falls Church’s FY2025 Budget to add and appropriate a portion of FY2024 revenue surplus and underspending, unobligated ARPA funds, and various other grants and donations in the following amounts: $5,885,414 - General Fund; $1,249,000 - School Operating Fund; and $5,010,425 - Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Fund.

(TO24-16) ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 40, “TAXATION,” OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH TO CODIFY THE

LOCAL TAX RATE ONLY FOR TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX

The proposed ordinance would make a technical correction relating to the collection of the local transient occupancy tax (TOT), commonly referred to as the hotel tax. This correction would clarify the rate for the local (TOT) by separating the portion of the TOT that is locally-imposed from the portion of the TOT that is state-imposed. The clarification would not change the City’s local tax rate of six percent.

All public hearings will be held in the Council Chambers, 300 Park Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia. All persons desiring to present their views on the items will be heard. Comments may also be sent to cityclerk@fallschurchva. gov. Remote participation information at www. fallschurchva.gov/publiccomment. For copies of legislation and other information, 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) or e-mail cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov.

CELESTE HEATH, CITY CLERK

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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 avail-

F.C. Copperheads Baseball Recognized By City Council

by Erika Toman

This week, members of the Falls Church Copperheads baseball club gathered as the Falls Church City Council recognized their outstanding achievements and contributions to the community. The team, which first came together in 2020, has grown tremendously over the years, competing in high-level tournaments and representing Falls Church with pride.

Addressing the Council, player representative Asher Sequeira shared, “I want to say thank you to the Falls Church City Council for recognizing our team.” The program has been dedicated to developing young talent and creating a pathway for players aged 8-12 from the Falls Church Kiwanis Little League into competitive travel baseball.

Team member Harrison Carmody shared that despite a rough start, the team’s record soared to an impressive 85-40-3, competing at the high-

est graded level in their league. This hard work culminated in numerous victories, including tournament wins at the 2023 Kyle’s Camp Tournament in Fairfax and the Ripken Curtain Call Tournament in Aberdeen, MD.

The team members spoke about the lessons learned and the camaraderie that has come from years of playing together. “We learned some important life lessons,” teammate James Owen said, highlighting the values of resilience, effort, a positive mindset, and respect for the game. These young players showed the Council that their journey was about more than wins and losses—it was about building character and learning to overcome challenges together.

Another player, Evan Toman, elaborated on their team’s most memorable accomplishment: placing 5th in the prestigious 2024 Cooperstown Tournament, which hosted over 100 teams from across the United States and Canada. Team member Matthew Miller recounted impressive statistics

In Memoriam: Isak Dorot

FCC Fixture and Friend, “Izzy” Dorot Dies. Isak Dorot, known also as Isik, his Hebrew name, and Izzy, by many family and friends, passed away October, 19, 2024. A Falls Church City fixture with friends and his lady friend, Debra Z. Roth, of Falls Church City, he was based in Silver Spring, MD.

He died of natural causes from issues related to recent seizures after an otherwise successful knee operation. He was otherwise in excellent health and his death was not predicted.

He came from Israel to the United States about 25 years ago.

Even as he came to develop a loving and involved life in the US, which included his late brother of Potomac, MD, and his brother’s daughter and late daughter, he was close every day to his family in Israel. He loved his daughter deeply and his two grandchildren, who were pure joy to him, and was often checking for texts

from them and sending them news and funny items. He and Debra visited them and Egypt last year.

After a career as an officer in the Israeli Defense Forces — in which he served in intelligence, crossed the Sinai in the Yom Kippur War alongside General Ariel Sharon, and was later injured — he learned engineering and became an industrial environmental engineer.

He was fascinated with trains, worked many years for Amtrak, then went on to lead site engineering for Fairfax County, Virginia, and loved being outdoors for much of his work.

His military intelligence work involved photography and he went on to use it in art. Although he sculpted some, he was passionate about photographing flowers. He was starting to enter art shows since his retirement. And he loved animals and was photographing them as well, though mostly around flowers. He and Debra spent many days exploring gardens in the area and they ventured into the mountains near and far for nature.

His love of animals extended to pets, those long gone in his life, Debra’s two cats, and his grandchildren’s dog in Israel. Often times, he and Debra would visit farms to see and learn about the animals and when people walked pets around her apartment, they would laugh that the two of them greeted the animals

from the Cooperstown tournament, where they held a record of 7-1, with their only loss against a formidable showcase team from Northern California. “Our success came from playing as a team,” Miller noted. “We hit 18 home runs, had a .405 team batting average, 64 RBIs, and stole 49 bases across just 8 games.”

Although this season marks the end of their journey with the Copperheads, many team members currently play together for another local travel team, already winning yet another Ripken tournament just two weeks ago.

The team expressed gratitude for the opportunity to represent Falls Church on such a wide stage and concluded by sharing a few treasured team pins with City Council members as a token of appreciation. As one of the players put it, “We are very proud to represent Falls Church and appreciate the honor of addressing the City Council. Thank you very much for this opportunity.”

often before the humans. He might forget a neighbor’s name, but he knew that neighbor’s pet’s name.

Isik/Izzy was also very active physically, including scuba diving in many countries and was drawn to the beach. He and his lady friend snorkeled and jet skied all over. And he loved to kayak, including with dear friends in Falls Church City.

He volunteered to help others, often doing so without being asked. He was a regular at a food bank in Washington, DC, working the garden and organizing food for others.

A key part of his life was always Israel and his Jewish culture. Besides holidays, some Shabbat gatherings, and a richly Jewish community, he was constantly up on news and advocating for Israel here, helping people understand the country’s needs, particulars, and wonders.

Since his passing, there is a constant in the expressions people share about him: He smiled often and with such peacefulness that his smile gave comfort. He helped people without being asked and often for days. He laughed big. He was smart and happy to share patiently even with people who disagreed with him. He was gentle yet strong. He was known as a great hugger. He was admired and liked by people often who had just met him standing in line at a store, and he was very much loved.

Meridian Field Hockey Advances in Playoffs, Fall Seasons Wrap Up

by Ryan McCafferty

After the Meridian High School golf team’s big State Finals championship two weeks ago, several of the Mustangs’ additional squads now look to join them with some postseason success. One of them, the field hockey unit which earned the top seed in the District playoffs, did just that this past week, beating Brentsville 3-0 on Tuesday and then Fauquier 1-0 on Thursday to take the District title while earning the right to remain at home throughout Regionals.

A couple of teams completed their regular seasons, including the boys’ volleyball team wrapping up its inaugural one. They finish with a record of 8-10 after beating Langley 3-0 on the road last Monday and then losing to Herndon in five sets at Marshall High School last Wednesday, and now they’ll await their opponent in the Regional playoffs on November 6th. The girls are still playing, and are on fire right now as they’ve won six in a row to improve to 13-9 on the year. This week they beat Skyline 3-0 on Monday and Brentsville 3-2

the next night – both on the road –before coming home to take down Skyline again, this time in four sets. Cross country also finished up its regular season, and did it in style as both the boys and girls took team wins over Osborn and Manassas Park respectively. William Anderson finished second overall in the boys’ race to lead the way as they placed seven runners in the top 15, while the girls were dominant with Michelle Malheiro, Ally Campbell, and Wendy Abstone sweeping the podium and ten different Mustangs finishing in the top 15. Both squads will now travel to Millbrook for the District Championship on Tuesday. Finally, the football team took another tough home loss, falling 27-15 to Skyline. It was a game in which the Mustangs were competitive but simply found themselves on the wrong side of a few crucial big plays, which has been the story of their season. Now 2-6 for the year, they’ll head back on the road to play Warren County on Friday. Both of their wins this season have been road games, so perhaps this could be number three.

GMU Hoops Coach Gives Optimistic Outlook

by Ryan McCafferty

George Mason University head mens’ basketball coach Tony Skinn made a radio show appearance at Fairfax’s Velocity Wings on Monday night to preview the Patriots’ upcoming campaign. After going 20-12 in his first year at the helm, he looks to build upon the experience he gained a season ago, all while continuing to adapt to the changing landscape of college basketball. GMU’s 2024-25 roster consists of a number of new faces while also retaining some key pieces, and could be a dark horse in what figures to be a competitive Atlantic 10 conference.

Tony Skinn was asked during his appearance, and he responded:

Q: “How did you go about putting this roster together with all the turnover?”

TS: “I’ve got to credit the staff. We have a staff that’s well-connected all over the country. We get a lot of kids from the DMV who go play at a high level and it doesn’t

work out, and then they want to come back home. And if they aren’t at Georgetown or Maryland, then George Mason is the next stop where guys can show what they wanted to show at their previous stop.”

Q: “You’ve talked a lot about the depth with everyone you’ve brought in. How much will that play a role this year?”

TS: “It changes a lot. It’s been tough trying to figure out how to get all these guys in the game, but that’s a good problem to have. At this time last year we pretty much knew who’d be in the rotation, this year we might be able to go 10 or 11-deep.”

Q: “The Atlantic 10 is expected to be a bit tougher this year. How are you going about preparing for that?”

TS: “Just control what we can. A lot of times what gets predicted in the preseason ends up being wrong, so we’ll just play our game and give it our best against the teams on our schedule.”

George Mason’s opens the season at home next Monday.

Falls Church Business News & Notes

West Falls Signs New Retailers

Last week, Hoffman & Associates signed two new retail tenants to join West Falls, Dok Khao Thai Eatery and a branch for Chase Bank. The restaurant is expected to open in August while the bank is expected to open in April. Currently, the 10-acre mixed-use development in Falls Church will feature more than 120,000 square feet of shops and restaurants. Currently, Home2 Suites by Hilton Hotel, The Oak Condominiums, and the Wellness Center have been completed.

New Headquarters for CHEMTREC®

Based in Fairfax County for 12 years, CHEMTREC® has moved into a state-ofthe-art global headquarters in the Fairview Park area of Falls Church. It also committed to 13 years in the new space which can accommodate 100 full-time employees, room to grow. CHEMTREC is the world’s leader in hazardous materials emergency response services and will expand to cleanup and data delivery with space for an Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

Falls Church Carries 3 of Top 10

Northern Virginia Magazine reviewed it’s top ten restaurants and the top dishes to try, with three located in Falls Church. Ranked second is 2941 Restaurant in Fairview Park. The recommended dishes to try are Bluefin tuna crudo Niçoise, rabbit Bourguignon campanelle, and peach mirliton. Ellie Bird, located in Founders Row, came in at number 4. The dishes to try are its Vietnamese French onion soup, chicken and broccoli, yuzu posset. Ranked number 7 is NUE Elegantly Vietnamese. The menu items recommended are Vegetarian cha gio, bo kho pappardelle, Viet loco moco.

The Omakase Experience

Arlington Magazine presented locations offering omakase, the Japanese version of a chef’s tasting menu. Chefs select fresh specialties to highlight in artistic presentations. Of the four reviewed, two are in Falls Church. Takumi allows guests to select sushi a la carte. Note that the restaurant holds only 30 diners. The chef at Yume Sushi comes out to narrate each part of the meal. This is a two-hour experience for 10 people per seating making reservations highly recommended.

Top Dumplings

In response to the cool temperatures, DC Eater devoted a review to the top ten warm soup dumpling spots in the DC area and Falls Church claimed one. Tasty Dumpling in Birch & Broad menu features nine-piece pork dumplings with ginger, green onion, and sesame oil. Dumplings are also referred to as xiao long bao, originating from the Jiangnan region of China.

 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@fallschurchchamber.org.