Oct. 7 — 13, 2021
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FOU N D E D 1991 • VOL. XXXI NO. 34
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F.C. EDA Wants Bigger Allocation of Relief Funds
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$2.5 million sought to help Falls Church businesses. BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
The Falls Church Economic Development Authority (EDA) agreed at its meeting this Tuesday to send a letter to the Falls Church City Hall requesting a major boost above the currently recommended allotment of federal Covid relief funds to go to businesses in the City. It was noted that of the sum of $18 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds coming to the City, City Hall has preliminarily recommended that only $500,000 to $700,000 go to aiding local businesses who’ve suffered under and need relief from the 18-month Covid19 pandemic. Tuesday night the EDA board determined that it would request $2.5 million instead. “It’s time the City government puts its money where its mouth is,” argued EDA board chair Bob Young, a local developer. He made an impassioned plea noting that the City has
Continued on Page 4
MERIDIAN HIGH SCHOOL ended their homecoming week celebration with the of�icial ribbon cutting of the newly built facility. Members of the community were invited to watch the ribbon cutting and take tours of the school with student ambassadors available to talk about their new school and answer questions. (P����: N���-�����)
Meridian High School Cuts Ribbon For New Campus BY AMANDA SNEAD
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
It was the major ceremony that officials here have been working toward for more than a decade. At Homecoming Week at Meridian High School, the
brand-spanking new $120 million high school facility was formally dedicated with a ribbon cutting last Saturday morning. Every year Falls Church City Public Schools chooses a new slogan for the school year. This year, it is “Roots, Resilience and
Renewal,” a fitting quote after over a year of uncertainty for staff, students and their families amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. Students and staff are back and fully in-person with careful measures in place to ensure the health and safety of everyone in
the schools. School has been back in session for over a month now and the Parent Teacher Student Associations had their first meetings of the year, including
Continued on Page 5
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Dr. Gordon Theisz shares his tips for staying healthy, both mentally and physically, during flu season, the Covid pandemic and all year long. This includes everything from eating right to getting a flu shot.
The Falls Church League Of Women Voters has provided a guide to voting in the fall 2021 Virginia election. The guide includes information on voting, both in person or by mail and more information on candidates.
SEE HEALTH GUIDE, PAGES 18 — 19
SEE PAGE 11 — 15
INDEX
Editorial............................................... 6 Letters................................................. 6 Comment ............................................ 7 News & Notes............................... 8,10 Calendar ........................................... 16 Crime Report .................................... 17 Health Guide ..............................18,19 Classified Ads ................................... 20 Critter Corner.................................... 22 Business News ................................. 23
PAGE 2 | OCTOBER 7 - 13 , 2021
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Local Business Owners In Need Of Extra Covid Relief Funds Continued from Page 1
“done very little” for the business community here in the last decade, even as it has approved a series of large scale mixed use projects that are the dominion of major regional developers. He and board member Jim Coyle noted that the urgent needs for businesses, especially retailers and restaurants, include the loss of employees during the pandemic who have not come back. Overall, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nationally, data shows that four million persons exited the labor force in July 2020 alone following a peak reached in April, all despite the fact that effective vaccines are now available. The terms, “The Great Resignation” and “The Big Quit,” have been coined to describe the loss of manpower that is bedeviling retailers and restaurants nationwide since this April, including in Falls Church, where one prominent restaurant blames its inability to open for lunch except on weekends on a lack of staffing,
and the same goes for the big new Harris Teeter in downtown Falls Church which, as part of the chain’s national policy, has gone from being open 24 hours a day to closing nightly at 11 p.m, and now 9 p.m. There are lots of other cases and the causes nationally have included having to deal with a global pandemic, major supply chain disruptions, emergency orders closing all but nonessential workplaces, transforming businesses to remote work and addressing the medical and mental health needs of employees. It is expected, but not guaranteed, that these issues will be addressed to bring the workforce back completely. In addition to the concerns for more high-profile local businesses, Young suggested, the City “also needs to pay attention to the needs of small businesses that are not on the ground floor around town.” Factors such as adequate day care centers need to be examined to get more workers back in the labor force, too, Young
pointed out. “We need to do things that will help keep businesses alive that will have longterm impacts.” Businesses which would qualify for ARPA funds, the board suggested, would be those with a minimum of $50,000 in annual gross receipts which experienced a 20 to 80 percent drop in revenue during the pandemic. There would be a random lottery and applications would be made online to eliminate undue manpower burdens at City Hall. Becky Witsman, of the City’s economic development office, said, however, that there’s been some “push back” on this request, based on doubts around whether or not businesses “really need the money.” F.C. Councilman Letty Hardi, who was present at the virtual meeting Tuesday, expressed her support for doing more for the local businesses. She and her Council colleagues will begin making decisions on the allocation of the federal relief funds at their next business meeting next Tuesday.
Also at the EDA meeting Tuesday, Mill Creek’s Joe Muffler reiterated specifics of plans for the Founders Row 2 project that won a narrow 4-3 preliminary approval last week. The plan was much better received by the EDA, which rebuffed the concern of some on the Council that there is not enough commercial in the project that 280 apartments are planned, 12 percent of which would be affordable. The value of voluntary concessions to the City would be
$41,000 per residential unit, Muffler noted, and net annual tax revenues to the City could range from $433,000 to $660,000 and even potentially higher. Ed Salzburg of the EDA noted that in these times, higher commercial components actually result in lower net revenues to a jurisdiction and Hardi, who voted for the preliminary approval, cited that it is not the quantity, but the quality of the commercial component that matters most.
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PAGE 5 | OCTOBER 7– 13, 2021
Meridian High School Officially Opens With Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Continued from Page 1
a visit from Superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan who gave an update on how things are going amidst Covid and shared slides from convocation with attendees. With respect to the “roots” aspect of this year’s slogan, Noonan shared the story of the redwood trees. Redwoods are some of the tallest and largest trees in the world and can live for thousands of years. However, they have some of the most shallow root systems but are able to survive strong winds, earthquakes and more. The root systems of the trees interlock and grow together, working together to hold up the trees in the same way the school students, staff and community members work to hold students up. When thinking about “resilience”, Noonan used Simone Biles as an example to consider. “Even our greatest performers can wobble,” he said. The school is working to make sure that not only students, but also teachers and staff, are able to bounce back after stumbling. “There is this notion that I’m putting out for the staff and our community that we are the models of resilience that our kids are watching,” said
Noonan. “They look at us and to us for ways to react and to understand what’s happening around them.” Finally, “renewal” means “hitting the refresh button and moving forward.” Noonan encouraged staff, students and parents to practice selfcare in order to perform as best as possible in other areas of their lives, including school. Noonan stated that the schools are in a “very good place comparatively to everybody else around the state” in regards to Covid case numbers. Specific numbers for each week can be found in Noonan’s Friday updates, which are posted on the FCCPS website. Another area of focus for this school year is “closing gaps” and making sure all students are receiving the help they need in order to succeed in the classroom. Noonan noted that everyone learns in different ways and the schools are working to differentiate instruction in order to ensure all students are learning in a way that is helpful to them. “It’s really identifying every student by name and by need and providing equity,” he told members of the PSTA. “To us, equity means providing more to those who have tra-
ditionally received less to ensure that all students have the best opportunity to learn.” Noonan closed by touching on the importance of mental health. The schools have increased their numbers of school social workers and psychologists to help students as we transition back into “normal” life. In addition, Meridian High School celebrated homecoming this weekend, as well as the official grand opening of the newly renamed and constructed school. Members of the community came together to hear speakers such as Mayor David Tarter and Meridian Student Body President Sarah Ettinger among others. “We finally have a building as worthy and special as the students learning in it,” said Ettinger, a senior who will be a part of the first ever graduating class of the newly-named Meridian High School. “The inclusivity of the student body and community joined with the beauty of our new school is the foundation for student growth. With this, we will thrive and ensure that our students have promising futures filled with joy and success.” City Councilor Phil Duncan stated that “It was nearly 20 years ago
that visions of a new high school began dancing in the heads of some of our forward-thinking residents. Today, those dreams formally become reality.” Many people were invited to cut the ribbon including past and present members of the school board, teachers and staff, those who helped in the construction and planning of the new school and more. Following the ribbon cutting, attendees were welcomed into the newly built five-story school to take a look at the new amenities, including outdoor study spaces and patios with green vegetative roofs, a vivarium, new sports facilities and more. Being an environmentally-friendly building was one of the biggest goals in mind when constructing the new school. The building is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified. LEED certification is one of the most widely used green building rating systems in the world. Before his passing, Council Member Dan Sze was an advocate for environmentalism, leading the city policy that all new or renovated facilities must achieve LEED standards and strongly supported the new high school design for net zero
SUPERINTENDENT NOONAN addressed members of the PTSA in their �irst meeting in the newly built Meridian High School. (P����: N���-�����) carbon emissions. Sze’s legacy has been memorialized in the building, with his name on each of the environmental dashboards around the school that include more information about LEED certification and specifics on the environmental impact can be found throughout the school.
PAGE 6 | OCTOBER 7 — 13, 2021
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Editorial
E D I TO R I A L
F.C. Gears Up For The Election
A reminder to all: the deadline to register to vote in this critical November 2 election is next Tuesday, Oct. 12. The first Falls Church City Council debate was held under pandemic conditions last week, meaning it was all online. It is hard to know how such circumstances impacted the course of the debate. But we’re getting another dose tonight (Thursday, Oct. 7) with a debate among seven School Board candidates that might be more contentious. Then each assembly of candidates, for the City Council and the School Board, will get another round of bites at the apple with online debates expected the following Thursday nights, Oct. 14 and 21, in advance of the Nov. 2 election. Meanwhile, the News-Press this week begins weeks of publishing 500 words from each of the candidates for the two bodies, starting with four of the School Board candidates, and the F.C. League of Women Voters is publishing its five-page Voter Guide in this week’s News-Press edition, as well. So there’s a lot of information about the candidates for these two bodies — six running for Council and seven running for School Board — to sort through. Even with numerous citizens already voting by mail or in person at the Registrar’s Office at City Hall, we expect there will be time for many waiting to vote on Nov. 2, or closer to that date, to assess the field and make smart choices. This election is unique in that it’s one of only two in the entire U.S. where an office as significant as governor is on a ballot. Here, it’s former governor Terry McAuliffe seeking a second term, after a four year hiatus, running against Republican Glenn Youngkin. We have heartily endorsed McAuliffe, based on a proven track record of achievement as governor from 2013 to 2017. We need to stress that it’s very important that a high turnout for him prevent what would be a terrible Trumpian catastrophe. But it’s our local races that must command equally great attention from Falls Church’s highly-educated and socially responsible electorate. In the wake of Trump, who’s still stirring the pot, violence or nearly such at school board meetings on our borders — Fairfax and Loudoun counties — has drawn on the same hateful sentiment that animated Trump. And in Falls Church, proper, there was a lot of anger about the school name changes and the response to the pandemic earlier this year. The tension from the school name changes, based on a courageous antiracist stand by the current School Board, combined with the anger of a small percentage over pandemic protocols, to cause no single member of that body to sign up for re-election this year, and two left the board. But it is now clear the F.C. schools handled the tough pandemic circumstances beautifully, and subsequent moves around the state against remnants of its racist past have validated the F.C. School Board’s name-change steps.
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2 Area Pols, 1 GOP, 1 Dem,Come Together for McAuliffe
Two Northern Virginia leaders of the opposing major political parties, one a Republican, the other a Democrat, joined on a conference call last week for an exclusive interview with the News-Press to explain why both have endorsed Terry McAuliffe in his run for re-election as governor of Virginia this fall. The two, who sat down from their respective offices in Loudoun County for a Zoom video call with this reporter on Sept. 30, shared similar strong views on why Democrat McAuliffe should be re-elected and why his opponent, Republican Glenn Youngkin should be rejected. Del. Suhas Subramanyam, the Democrat currently representing the 87th District that snakes north-south around Dulles Airport in Loudoun, hailed McAuliffe’s “great track record for success,” “having done so much in his first term.” By contrast, he called Youngkin “divisive,” “emboldening antivax extremists” with no record of achievements for the economy despite his past role as CEO of a large corporation. Former Del. David Ramadan, a Republican who represented the same 87th District from 2011-2015, praised McAuliffe’s “leadership, vision and fortitude,” saying he “is ready to be governor again.” As a conservative, Ramadan said this marks his first time endorsing a Democrat, and that it’s because of “the huge differences between the candidates” on the issues of jobs, education and economic growth. Ramadan also accused Youngkin of “playing footsie with Trumpist election integrity challengers” that is “dangerous.” He said that Youngkin’s call to eliminate grocery taxes is “simple campaign rhetoric,” because it can’t be backed up with its implications for the overall budget. “The electorate is smarter than that.” Subramanyam, who at age 35 is the first Indian-American, South Asian and Hindu elected to the Virginia General Assembly, concurred. That Youngkin promise would “drive the state into the ditch” by “throwing the baby out with the tax plan,” he said. Ramadan, 51 and Lebanese by birth, is one of a long list of Republicans who’ve endorsed the Democrat McAuliffe, headed by Bill Kristoll former editor the Weekly Standard, who now calls himself a “former future Republican.” Ramadan claims the same identification for himself, saying he’s
a staunch conservative and will become a Republican again “when and if the party comes back.” But that’s not now. In this election, he said, “it’s simply a question of who’s best for the job.” Youngkin, he asserted, is a “novice with no plans” who focuses on “dog whistle issues” and is a “wannabe Trump” who has funded anti-vax efforts. “He is not fit for office,” he said. Sabramanyam said he resents the accusations from the Trump side that immigrants are responsible for vote fraud. “It is demeaning and not true,” he said. “We need less divisiveness in politics and to heal the divide.”
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OCTOBER 7 — 13, 2021 | PAGE 7
4 FCCPS School Board Candidate Statements Jerrod Anderson
Like many families moving to Falls Church, my wife and I were attracted by the reputation of the schools. Entering our fourth year with FCCPS, I certainly cannot imagine my children— Orrick (6) and Huxley (4)— having better teachers and paraprofessionals. Starting at Jessie Thackrey Preschool, my oldest in particular has received additional support to enable his full participation and success in the classroom. I am running for school board to help ensure (in collaboration with other board members, school administration and staff, and other community members) that the schools continue to provide the excellent educational experience they are known for. My work in the fields of education, economic development, and health statistics has provided me with hands-on experience through which I have developed a holistic perspective on the many factors that impact student success. In my work, I have consistently leveraged data to improve student outcomes, ensure teacher satisfaction, and direct effective use of government resources. This has involved balancing needs and concerns of multiple stakeholders (including teachers and school and district level administration) when making decisions, and using a range of methods of communication and feedback loops to gather information both before and after decisions have been made. I would bring this experience in statistical analysis and collaborative problem-solving to the board. After knocking on over 2,000 doors (and counting), I have gained a great appreciation of how many different voices there are in our community. The 2019 equity report noted that “FCCPS must do more to ensure that all voices are represented, not just the loudest and most fervent.” This is a sentiment echoed throughout last year and is something that FCCPS should take to heart. We should give everyone the opportunity— through annual surveys, widely publicized town halls, or some other broad-based feedback method, including in languages other than English— to have their voices heard and to allow them to represent themselves in their own words. In my many conversations with parents, teachers, and other community members, I have been asked about a wide range of topics, including alternatives for addressing bullying, relevance of professional development for teachers and paraprofessionals, and closing existing gaps for special populations in academic performance, participation in advanced classes, and extracurricular opportunities. By actively seeking systematic feedback from community members, the board can ensure the budget is effectively allocated to address these and other priorities, strategic planning is performed with full information, and policies can be thoroughly evaluated. I think the FCC schools are special and unique, and I want FCCPS to be a caring community where all students thrive, all staff feel supported, and all parents can engage as partners in their child’s education. Importantly, we should encourage a culture of empathy where no student experiences school as an environment of exclusion. I am committed to making certain that the educational experience in Falls Church City schools is consistent with these values.
Courtney Mooney
There have been and will be various forums during this school board race. Each with its targeted audience. Today, I want to address the audience that led me to want to run for a board seat in the first place— our city’s parents. Yes, our schools are great, as are the teachers, staff, and administrators in them. But it is the support, involvement, personal accountability, and trust from you, the parents, that makes this school system what it is. The connection between parents and our school system is a relationship centered around our kids. Healthy relationships are powerful springboards for mutual achievement. They also require people feeling empowered to speak up and share in responsibility and transparency. That is not always easy or comfortable. Which is why our school board must be unflinchingly committed to providing strong leadership and be both facilitator and arbiter of consistently building and maintaining a healthy relationship between parents and the school system. We do not achieve this or build excellence with a “war behind the door” that leaves most in the dark as to what conversations are being had or opinions/ concerns are being weighed. Our school board must instead set the tone of openly engaging each other and our Superintendent in honest scrutiny and respectful discussions/debates which are representative of the various views, questions, concerns, and ideas of the community and its parents. When feedback and concerns go unaddressed, unvalidated, or parents feel guilty for having them, it undermines the parent/system relationship which is so critical to our success. People need to see mutual accountability play out. They need to hear themselves being represented. If elected, I am deeply committed to creating an environment where parents feel heard and the school board holds itself to the highest of standards, starting with myself. This is why I am running. I want every parent to feel they have someone who is empathetic, accountable, and an advocate, in me. I have spent the past year filling that role. I am committed to the management of our Superintendent so that person can be the best leader they can be. I want to help set clearly defined measurable goals that support our students both academically and mentally/emotionally. I want to ensure our school system is one that puts the children in its care, first. That can rise to whatever challenges it faces swiftly and with nuance. My former basketball teammate, now college coach, wrote the other day, “Someone holding you accountable is not the same as someone attacking you.” This simple but profound truth I learned long ago. People, teams, or organizations who are truly seeking to achieve and maintain excellence understand some version of this. While they celebrate victories and milestones, they also welcome constructive criticism. They hold themselves up for scrutiny and to be challenged. They encourage good faith debate and dissent. They constantly ask themselves how they can be better… even when they are great. If this resonates with you, I’m asking for your vote.
Tate Gould
Like many families, our family moved to Falls Church City (in 2016) because we wanted to be part of a great community, have our two kids attend excellent schools with caring teachers, and live among neighbors who look out for each other. The Little City is truly a special place and has lived up to our expectations. The pandemic has tested communities around the country, including ours. It has and is still taking so much from all of us. In our schools, we are still understanding the impact of the social, emotional, and academic losses of our students. Our collective patience as parents or teachers is strained. Yet, I believe we can do the hard work of listening well and healing and remember the many strengths of our school community. I am running for School Board to be part of the team that leads our school community to help ensure our district is forward-thinking, yet reflective of its past missteps, not just its past successes. I am running because I know the difficult policy decisions this next Board will be facing. What sets me apart from the other candidates are three attributes that I believe are critical for effective school board functioning, regardless of which other candidates are elected. First, I offer a breadth and depth of educational knowledge and experience, based on 25 years of working in the education sector in a variety of roles, which I hope will be an asset as our School Board navigates math curriculum reform, collective bargaining, and strategies to combat learning losses, among many other issues. Second, I understand the importance of school board governance and the function of providing fiscal oversight. As an accountability body, we must reflect on previous decision-making and ensure we implement school board governance best practices, initially focusing on strengthening communication with the community. We must maintain a strong relationship with the City Council, our partners in adopting a responsible fiscal plan for our schools. I have experience, having provided direct oversight for billions of federal grant dollars and now serving as the CEO or owner of multiple education companies. Finally, I have a long history of bringing people together from different camps to work towards a common good. I have worked closely with governors and state superintendents in both political parties on their education policy. At the US Department of Education, I directed a major federal investment that spanned two administrations (Bush, Obama). As a CEO, I have led the merger and acquisition of 5 companies to successfully bring together groups of staff with different work styles and cultures. No matter which other candidates get elected in November, I believe I can help bring our School Board together to ensure the best outcomes for our entire learning community. I ask for your support, as I would welcome the opportunity to use my skills and experience to serve this community that I love. Learn more or contact me at www.tategould.org.
Statements from other canidiates will appear next week.
David Ortiz
In 2013, we moved to Falls Church City because of its excellent schools and supportive and open-minded community. The Little City warmly welcomed us, and we immediately felt at home. The commitment to education was apparent in the resources and programs at the library, and in the schools’ support for our children. Our son is in tenth grade and focuses on music and computer science. Our seventh-grade daughter is a very active student organizer and advocate. The schools have supported them every step of the way. My sister and her family moved to Falls Church City in 2020 so that their children (currently in second and fourth grade) could attend our schools. I am running for a seat on the Falls Church City School Board to serve the schools that have served us. I have over 20 years of experience executing the core functions of the School Board: strategic planning; budgeting; setting policy; and performance oversight. I know how to work with communities to develop a shared vision for the future and put it into practice. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the School Board, the community, and teachers to help all students achieve their dreams, develop and implement a vision for the future of our schools, and perform effective oversight of the administration of our schools. The schools, and school board, will lead the emergence of our schools and community from the Covid-19 pandemic. The 2020-2021 school year was disruptive to the entire community. I am happy and grateful that children are back in school and that mitigations are in place to keep the community safe. The pandemic amplified two existing challenges that we must face. The first is mental health and emotional growth. Promoting the mental health of our children is an essential aspect of preparing them for adulthood. Depression and anxiety among children were issues before the pandemic. The isolation and suffering of the pandemic have amplified them. Being away from peers significantly affected students’ social and emotional development. The second is equity. We were fortunate: my wife and I were able to transition our work to home. Our schedules were flexible, and we could help with homework or technical issues during virtual school. Many families were not so lucky. They had to work outside the home or lost their jobs. Some struggled with English. Others had special needs that could not be met in a virtual setting. Consistent with the International Baccalaureate principles we profess, we have an obligation to address the root causes of these unequal outcomes. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the school board, the Falls Church City community, and especially teachers when developing solutions to these and other challenges. Teachers are most families’ direct connection to our schools. Teachers inspire our children and hold them accountable. Teachers implement the policies the school board approves. Teachers are a source of innovation and creativity. Their voices should sing in the school board’s work.
OCTOBER 7 — 13, 2021 | PAGE 8
THE FALLS CHURCH Education Foundation presented a check to the presidents of each PTA at their first meeting of the school year. Each PTA recieved $1000 from the Foundation. (Photo: NewsPress)
Fa l l s C h u r c h
School News & Notes School-Based Diagnostic Testing Coming Soon As discussed at a recent school board meeting, FCCPS will provide diagnostic testing for anyone who has symptoms of Covid-19. This will eliminate the need for families to try to locate a test provider should their students be sent home ill. The individual will
receive a BinaxNow Proctored Test kit to use at home. This test is proctored by a healthcare professional who will monitor the home administration and verify the results. As soon as the division receives its allotment of test kits from the Virginia Department of Health they will begin the process. Superintendent Noonan said to be on the lookout for more news to come on the Screening
LO CA L Test Program. FCCPS is working with the VDOE and the VDH to secure a vendor who will help them implement a system-wide screening test process. As part of this plan, FCCPS will need to hire a Registered Nurse. This could be a full-time person or part-time position shared between a couple of RNs. If you, or someone you know, is interested in being part of their team please let FCCPS know.
Meridian High School National Merit Commended Students According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, these students who were named National Merit Commended Students “...have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success. These students represent a valuable national resource; recognizing their accomplishments and the key role their schools play in academic development is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation. We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success.” Among those recognized are Anamika Gavin, Mia Kittenbrink, Nathaniel Kusic, Andrew Miller, Robert Miller, Dylan Petrillo, Michael Bartholomew, Jessica
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Cummings, Sean Pala, Nicholas Parente, Katherine Teague.
Justice High School National Merit Commended Students Justice HS has ten students who have been named a Commended Student in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program. About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for the exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2022 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 students who entered the 2022 competition by taking the 2020 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) in Oct. 2020. Justice High School is pleased to recognize their students for their continued pursuit of educational excellence.
FCCPS On-Time Graduation Rate Among Highest In VA In data released by the Virginia Department of Education, nearly ten out of every ten FCCPS students who entered the ninth grade during the 2017-2018 school year graduated from George Mason High School (now Meridian
High School) within four years. The GMHS Class of 2021 had a 98.5% On-Time Graduation Rate — the third-highest in Virginia (which averaged 93% overall). In addition, FCCPS had perfect, 100% On-Time graduation rates for Asian, Hispanic, English Language Learners, and Economically Disadvantaged students. Statewide, of the 97,155 students in the class of 2021, 93% earned a Board of Educationapproved diploma, compared with 92.3% of the 2020 cohort. The dropout rate for the class of 2021 was 4.3%, compared with 5.1% for the previous graduating class.
Falls Church Home & Garden Tour Proceeds Will Benefit Schools The Falls Church Home & Garden Tour is on Sunday, October 17 from 1 — 5 p.m. and highlights locations within “The Little City.’’ Presale tickets can be purchased online for $30 through Friday, October 15th. Tickets can also be purchased for $35 on the day of the event. Home & Garden Show 2021 will be the seventh edition of this community event highlighting the beautiful and diverse city of Falls Church. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Falls Church Education Foundation and the Falls Church City Public Schools PK-12.
Mustangs Force Several Turnovers En Route to Victory by mike abler
Falls Church News-Press
The Mustangs celebrated Homecoming in style with a 61-40 win over the Skyline Tigers last Friday. With a bounce back win the football team improves to 4-2. Skyline took an early lead as Meridian gave up a touchdown on the opening drive and fumbled the ensuing kickoff. Skyline missed the two extra points and Meridian found themselves in an early 12-0 hole. After a slow start and an injury to Skyline’s QB Meridian’s defense came on strong forcing five straight turnovers which included four fumbles and an interception. Meridian was able to put up 35 unanswered points on the board in what turned out to be the difference in the game. Offensively, the team bounced back from the previous game, “We executed better and fixed the mistakes from last week,” Senior QB Rice Evans said. The Tigers put up a great fight in the 2nd half outscoring the Mustangs 28-26 after several substitutions for Meridian. However,
the Mustangs maintained the lead and went to victory. The loss drops Skyline to 0-4 on the season. Head Coach Adam Amerine, (who’s also the defensive coordinator) noted that the mercy rule was repeated. During the game, it was revoked because Skyline kept fighting back. “This has happened before and a part of that was us putting our backups in after we went up 41-12,” Amerine said. “We wanted some of the younger players to get reps.” Amerine also said, “The turnovers were key to the momentum shift in the first half.” Despite Skyline’s struggles this year, Evans and Amerine were pleased with the win. “They always play us well,” Amerine mentioned. “We always want to give them our best,” Evans added while also saying that, “They beat us in my freshman and sophomore year, it’s always nice to take them down. Being a District opponent and all.” At 4-2, the team is optimistic about the future if they stay healthy. “If we go into November with few injuries, then I think we’ll be tough to beat,” Amerine
THE MERIDIAN MUSTANGS took on the Skyline Tigers at a home game to celebrate the first homecoming at the newly renamed school. (Photo: Fccps) said. When asked about how they’d approach their next opponent,
both Evans and Amerine said this: “We treat every team with respect and not take anyone lightly.”
The Mustangs look to continue their success and make the playoffs this year.
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Einstein: Everything Is Energy
More intriguing words from Albert Einstein, the world’s foremost theoretical physicist, retrieved from the Internet: “I didn’t arrive at my understanding of the fundamental laws of the universe through my rational mind.” “Concerning matter, we’ve been all wrong. What we have called matter is energy, whose vibration has been so lowered as to be perceptible to the senses. Matter is spirit reduced to a point of visibility. There is no matter.” “Time and space are not conditions FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS in which we live, but modes by which we think. Physical concepts are free creations of the human mind, and are not, however it may seem, determined by the external world.” “Time does not exist – we invented it. Time is what the clock says. The distinction between the past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.” “I think 99 times and find nothing. I stop thinking, swim in silence, and the truth comes to me.” “The intellect has little to do on the road to discovery. There comes a leap in consciousness, call it intuition or what you will, the solution comes to you and you don’t know how or why.” “A human being experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.” “Our separation from each other is an optical illusion.” “When something vibrates, the electrons of the entire universe resonate with it. Everything is connected. The greatest tragedy of human existence is the illusion of separateness.” “We are souls dressed up in sacred biochemical garments and our bodies are the instruments through which our souls play their music.” “When you examine the lives of the most influential people who have ever walked among us, you discover one thread that winds through them all. They have been aligned first with their spiritual nature and only then with their physical selves.” “The true value of a human being can be found in the degree to which he has attained liberation from the self.” “The ancients knew something, which we seem to have forgotten.” “The more I learn of physics, the more I am drawn to metaphysics.” “One thing I have learned in a long life: that all our science, measured against reality, is primitive and childlike. We still do not know one thousandth of one percent of what nature has revealed to us. It is entirely possible that behind the perception of our senses, worlds are hidden of which we are unaware.” “I’m not an atheist. The problem involved is too vast for our limited minds. We are in the position of a little child entering a huge library filled with books in many languages. The child knows someone must have written those books.” “The common idea that I am an atheist is based on a big mistake. Anyone who interprets my scientific theories this way, did not understand them.” “Everything is determined for the insect, as well as for the star. Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust, we all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible piper.” “The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It will transcend a personal God and avoid dogma and theology.” “Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be changed from one form to another.” “Everything is energy and that is all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want and you can not help but get that reality. It can be no other way. This is not philosophy. This is physics.” “I am happy because I want nothing from anyone. I do not care about money. Decorations, titles or distinctions mean nothing to me. I do not crave praise. I claim credit for nothing. A happy man is too satisfied with the present to dwell too much on the future.” Just wow!
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Nicholas F. Benton
Our Man in Arlington By Charlie Clark
I’d hold our community up to any when it comes to providing aid to desperate Afghan refugees. With the Defense Department now providing temporary housing to some 50,000 at multiple military bases (Fort Lee in Virginia), Arlingtonians are pitching in to share life’s basics while the new arrivals go through screenings. Already there are signs of longterm challenges. The Ethiopian Community Development Council, Inc., just off Columbia Pike on S. Highland St., responded to a State Department’s request and joined allied groups on Sept. 1 to help with Afghan Placement and Assistance. The nonprofit has approval to resettle 3,100 individuals across its network of branch offices and affiliated organizations in 15 cities across the country. “ECDC has been resettling Special Immigrant Visa holders from Afghanistan at several network locations for many years and is experienced in welcoming and integrating this population,” the group said. Together with community partners, it will secure housing and necessities during the first 30-90 days as well as provide cultural orientation, assistance in education, legal guidance for changing immigration status and employment placement. It seeks donations in cash, housing options, furniture and job opportunities. The nonprofit called Just Neighbors, using one of many pandemic-era grants from the Arlington
Community Foundation, is providing legal services to low-income immigrants, asylees and refugees, with the goal of building “community among clients, staff, volunteers and the larger society.” Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington began back in July— before the dramatic but messy evacuation from Kabul in August—providing “supportive services as part of a multi-stakeholder operation to help evacuate Afghani nationals” who aided U.S. security operations. Showing up to greet arrivals at Fort Lee, about 20 Catholic Charities staff provided assistance in translating, completing legal documents and youth activities. Resurrection Lutheran Church collected donations from congregants to assemble kits of routine household items for delivery to refugees as they settle, delivered via the church’s broader Lutheran Social Services operation. The emergency charity Arlington Thrive channeled $3,000 in Homeland Security Department funds to the Arlington Kabob restaurant near Hall’s Hill, which then supplied meals for 10 people daily for three weeks. Co-owner Susan Clementi, born in Kabul (though raised in London) and fluent in the Afghan language, told me, “When refugees come, we try to do what we can to help, but they must give back.” Though eager to help the county’s philanthropic “first-responders,” Clementi is concerned about some refugees’ behavior, judging both from experiences in her restaurant and from newspaper accounts.
Examples range from leaving trash behind to neglect of body hygiene to prolonged use of the welfare system. “My expectation is that they not be a burden on the U.S. So we try to educate them on what are American standards,” she said. The “core values” in America differ from those in, say, European countries. Americans have “more of a conscience,” she says. “When somebody helps someone here, we take it forward.” What is needed, Clementi argues, are cultural advisers. She stresses that the Afghanistan she knew long before the Taliban’s emergence, was a modern urban society, showing me 1960s photos of a place where women were educated and dressed in fashions that would blend in with any Western city. Her one message to those who escaped Afghanistan’s current crisis: “When you go into somebody’s country, you need to respect their culture.” *** Traffic was halted on Langston Blvd. (formerly Lee Highway) near Halls Hill Oct. 1 as 100 Arlingtonians celebrated the road’s name change. Elected officials, organizers and neighbors cut a ribbon dedicating the new portrait of abolitionist and black education pioneer John M. Langston. The colorful image was executed—on the wall of an enthusiastic Sport Fair-- by D.C. muralist Kaliq Crosby. Speaking outside the accompanying art exhibit at Dominion Lighting, Circuit Judge William Newman said he was “touched, as a black man,” because the name Langston Blvd. will now echo daily “as long as U.S. mail gets delivered, pizza gets delivered and GPS gives directions.”
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Community News & Notes CBC To Host Candidate Forums Later This Month Citizens for a Better City will host two Zoom candidate forums in the month of October following the two held by the Falls Church League of Women Voters and Village Preservation and Improvement Society earlier this fall. CBC seeks to provide multiple opportunities to showcase the candidates given the large number running for office in this election cycle. The first forum will be for City Council Candidates and is scheduled for Thursday, October 14 from 7:30 — 9 p.m. The second forum will be for School Board candidates, cosponsored by the Falls Church PTAs, and is scheduled for Thursday, October 21st from 7:30 — 9 p.m. Zoom link and further details will be posted on the CBC website: fallschurchcbc.net
Chamber of Commerce Family Fun Night Returns Join the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce for an evening of family fun and light networking. In addition to mini-golf there will be a picnic dinner from Lost Dog Cafe, a fire pit from Sislers Stone, a fire truck provided by the Falls Church Volunteer Fire Department for kids to investigate, family corn hole and dessert from Nothing Bundt Cakes. There will also be a meet and greet area with some puppies and dogs from Lost Dog & Cat Rescue. The event will take place on Tuesday, October 12 at 5:30 p.m. Registration is required. Adult tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Children’s tickets are $10.
Arc of NOVA to Host Spirits of Giving Fundraiser Community members are invited to join The Arc of Northern Virginia Board of Directors for a cocktail fundraising event to benefit the disability community from 3 — 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 16 at Falls
Church Distillers. This will be a “grown ups only” experience, offering an afternoon of adult conversation and socialization for those with a curious nature and a sophisticated palate. Spirits of Giving celebrates the craft of the local distiller and benefits the mission of supporting those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Your $50 event ticket gains you entry to the private event, where you’ll find a variety of hors d’oeuvres, the musical talents of Jake Sizemore and one complimentary cocktail. The Distiller’s Experience ticket is $100 and adds a tour that covers the distillation process and a sample of a pre-release seasonal or future whiskey aging on the premises. Tickets and more information can be found on thearcofnova. org/spritsofgiving.
Fairfax Fall Festival This Weekend The City of Fairfax invites those interested to join in celebrating their annual Fall Festival. What started out as a small market for artisans to display their wares has grown to a festival with more than 400 arts, crafts, information, food and vendors, children’s activities and three stages of music and entertainment for all ages. The festival will take place in historic Old Town Fairfax from 10 a.m. — 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 9 and the late night concert will run from 5:30 — 8:30 p.m. in Old Town Square. More information can be found on fairfaxva.gov.
DMV Begins Offering Appointments And WalkIn Services on Alternating Days Appointments for service will be offered only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; and walk-in service will be offered only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Hours will vary by office location. At the direction of the General Assembly, DMV will be integrat-
FORMER NEWS-PRESS REPORTER Darien Bates (right) was a principal panelist at the national FSTEC conference in Dallas last week, along with Joe Guszkowki of Restaurant Business magazine (left) and Pankaj Patra of Brinker International (center). Bates spoke as chief online operations officer for &pizza. They discussed the post-pandemic challenges facing the restaurant industry. (courtesy photo) ing walk-in service back into its operations in addition to appointments. Walk-in service will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis based on the type of transaction; customers should anticipate wait times. For the health and safety of customers and employees, lobby chairs will be spaced and all customers are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings. DMV also continues to offer many service alternatives outside of the customer service centers. More than 50 transactions are available at dmvNOW.com and many can be conducted by mail.
National Coming Out Day Film Festival In culmination of Ally Week and to mark National Coming Out Day, The Alden will host a movie marathon featuring LGBTQ+ affirming films. Masks
are required for all participants. The event is free but registration is required. Patron IDs will be checked for films with age restrictions. The event will take place on Monday, October 11 with showtimes at 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Register for The Alden’s email list at www.aldentheatre.org to see the list of films being shown.
Meeting of the McLean Art Society The McLean Art Society will be holding a Zoom Meeting on Friday October 22 from 10 a.m. — 12 p.m.. Ally Morgan, a visual artist and teacher, will be doing a mixed media presentation on animal portraiture. The demonstration will begin at 11 a.m. Guests are always welcome. Non-members who wish to participate in our programs must notify Ray Goodrow at raygoodrow@aol.com in order for him to
send you an invitation via email to attend the Zoom session. More information can be found online at mcleanartsociety.org.
Early Voting Now Open for November 2, 2021 Election. Early in-person voting began on Friday, September 17 for the November 2, 2021 General Election. The ballot includes contests for state office (Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and House of Delegates) and local office (Sheriff, Commissioner of Revenue, Treasurer, City Council, and School Board). The deadline to register to vote or update an existing registration is Tuesday, October 12. Citizens can check their voter registration status, request a ballot and track their ballot on the Virginia Department of Election’s Citizen Portal: vote.elections.virginia.gov.
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FALL 2021 VOTERS’ GUIDE GENERAL ELECTION ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2021 POLLS OPEN 6:00 A.M. TO 7:00 P.M. This Voters’ Guide is published by the League of Women Voters. The League has a long tradition of publishing the verbatim responses of candidates to questions important to voters. Go to VOTE411.org to get personalized information about your ballot. The League of Women Voters does not support or oppose any candidate or political party. VOTER INFORMATION For more specific voter information, contact the City of Falls Church Voter Registration and Elections Office at (703) 2485085 (TTY 711) or email: vote@fallschurchva.gov regarding voter identification requirements, absentee voting by mail or in-person, and sample ballots. Online, go to www.fallschurchva.gov/vote. ELECTION DAY VOTING: Registered voters who live in the City of Falls Church are eligible to vote at the appropriate polling place for their residences. Ward 1: Oak Street (formerly Thomas Jefferson) Elementary School, 601 South Oak Street, Oak Street gym entrance (park on Oak Street, Fellows Court, Parker Avenue, or Timber Lane) Ward 2: Falls Green (formerly Oakwood) Apartments, 501 North Roosevelt Boulevard Ward 3: Falls Church Community Center, 223 Little Falls Street (park in Community Center lot or on Little Falls Street) IDENTIFICATION REQUIRED TO VOTE: Virginia law requires all in-person (early and Election Day) voters to provide either an acceptable form of ID or sign an ID Confirmation Statement at the polls. Voters arriving at the polls without an acceptable form of ID will be required to either sign an ID Confirmation Statement or vote a provisional ballot. If a voter
votes a provisional ballot, they will have until noon on the Friday following the election to deliver a copy of identification to their locality’s electoral board or sign an ID Confirmation Statement in order for their provisional ballot to be counted. The following forms of identification may be used to vote: • Valid Virginia driver’s license or special identification card issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles (may be expired) • Valid employer-issued photo identification card • Military identification card • Valid student identification card issued by any higher education institution in Virginia • Valid student identification card with a photo issued by any higher education institution in the United States • Valid student identification card issued by any public or private high school in Virginia • Valid US Passport • Any federal, Virginia state, or local government-issued identification with photo • Virginia voter identification card issued by the Virginia Department of Elections • Voter confirmation documents • Valid tribal enrollment or other tribal ID from any of the 11 tribes recognized by Virginia • Nursing home resident ID if issued by a government facility • Current utility bill, bank statement, government check, or paycheck containing the name and address of the voter • Any other current government document containing the name and address of the voter • Signed ID Confirmation Statement (available at the polling place) ABSENTEE VOTING: In Virginia, all registered voters may vote by absentee ballot, in-person, or by mail. No excuse is necessary.
ABSENTEE VOTING BY MAIL requires the completion of a Virginia Absentee Ballot Application Form online or by mail. Your request for an absentee ballot by mail must be received by the Voter Registration and Elections Office by 5:00 p.m. Friday, October 22, 2021. You will be mailed the absentee ballot, which must be mailed back in time to reach the electoral board by noon on Friday, November 5. NOTE: A witness signature is required on the absentee ballot envelope. ABSENTEE VOTING IN PERSON (Early Voting) began September 17, 2021. You may vote in-person at the Office of Voter Registration and Elections (300 Park Ave, Center Level, Suite 206) from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekdays, and on Saturdays, October 23 and 30, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The last day to vote in-person absentee is on Saturday, October 30. ABOUT THIS GUIDE This guide is produced by the League of Women Voters of Falls Church, which includes both women and men. LWVFC is a nonpartisan organization founded in 1951, whose purpose is to promote political responsibility through informed and active participation in government. Please visit www.lwvfallschurch.org for more information, and go to VOTE411.org to enter your address and compare candidates’ responses to the questions the League asked them. In addition to the local races highlighted here, this year’s ballot includes races for Virginia Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General as well as the contest for Member, House of Delegates, 53rd District, Candidates: Sarah White (Rep), Marcus Simon (Dem), and three uncontested races for Sheriff, Metin A. “Matt” Cay; Commissioner of the Revenue, Thomas D. Clinton; and Treasurer, Jody P. Acosta. NOTE: Candidates are listed here in the order they appear on the ballot as determined by the Virginia State Board of Elections of the City of Falls Church Electoral Board.
FALLS CHURCH CITY COUNCIL THE OFFICE The City Council enacts ordinances and resolutions, approves budgets, sets tax rates, and establishes policy. The seven Council Members are elected at-large for four-year terms and are not affiliated with any national political party. The annual salary for Council Members is $9,200; the salary for Mayor is $9,800.
THE QUESTIONS: 1. Tell us about yourself and WHY ARE YOU RUNNING for Falls Church City Council in 2021. 2. How long have you lived in Falls Church City, and in WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED with the city and community during your time here? 3. What is the TOP ISSUE currently facing the Falls Church City Council, and, if elected, what will you do to address it?
CANDIDATES FOR FALLS CHURCH CITY COUNCIL (VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN FOUR)
David F. Snyder
Attorney, administrative law, international trade BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Falls Church City activist and City Council member; regional representative on transportation, environment, and emergency preparedness bodies; EMT; vaccine trial volunteer; and fortunate husband, father, and father-in-law. WEB SITE https://davidfsnyderforcitycouncil.com/ EMAIL ADDRESS davidflemingsnyder@gmail.com TELEPHONE 703-241-0419 QUESTIONS: WHY ARE YOU RUNNING: I grew up in a small town in the coal region of Western Pennsylvania where I learned from my parents the importance of service and working with everyone. My mother and father were community activists and profesPAGE 1
sionals who gave back to their community and church. They taught me through example what it means to live in and contribute to the community for the benefit of all. In addition to my parents, I was influenced by my town’s longtime fire chief and other volunteer firefighters, who ingrained in me a life-long commitment to public safety. I am running for City Council in 2021 because I want to continue to contribute the experience I have gained to meeting the challenges Falls Church faces. WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED: We have lived in Falls Church, first from 1978-1980 and then from 1987 to the present. I began community service here as a co-leader of a citizen group that successfully opposed off-track betting parlors and as President of the Falls Church Housing Corporation, which then owned and managed the Winter Hill affordable apartments. Since 1994, I have served on City Council, with stints as Mayor (1998-2000) and Vice Mayor (1996-1998, 2010-2015). I currently chair the National Capital Region
Emergency Preparedness Council and the City Council’s Legislative Committee. I have chaired and now serve on the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (currently as Vice Chair and Chair of NVTA’s Technology Group), and the Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee. Our son, daughter, and son-in-law attended and graduated from Falls Church City Public Schools. TOP ISSUE: This summer U.S. News & World Report ranked Falls Church City third in the country for the high quality of our community, schools, and government. This did not happen by accident or overnight. Rather, this distinction is the result of hard work by citizen volunteers, taxpayers, our businesses and nonprofits, professional City staff, and elected officials. Our greatest challenge is to maintain our community’s many great qualities and then to address new challenges as they arise, always with a willingness to hear all voices and assure inclusiveness in everything we do.
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CANDIDATES FOR FALLS CHURCH CITY COUNCIL — CONTINUED
Debora “Debbie” Schantz-Hiscott Executive Director, Falls Church Education Foundation
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Executive Director- Falls Church Education Foundation; Sr. Mgr - Business Dev/Corporate Finance, MCI/Verizon UNC-Chapel Hill, B.A., Economics, Psychology, Industrial Relations; London School of Economics - Labor Economics WEB SITE debbiehiscott.org EMAIL ADDRESS debbiehiscottforcitycouncil@gmail.com TELEPHONE 703-786-6622 QUESTIONS: WHY ARE YOU RUNNING: A long-time Falls Church City resident, I have served the community in both a professional and volunteer capacity for nearly three decades and the past year as a City Council member. I raised three children in Falls Church City Public Schools, have led the Falls Church Education Foundation for the past nine years, and have worked to ensure schools and community are a healthy, welcoming environment that we are all proud to call home.
Marybeth D. Connelly
FCCPS Community Outreach Director BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Running for 3rd term; 27year resident of FC; With her husband, Michael, raised family here and is committed to a thriving Falls Church community. M.Ed. University of Virginia; B.A. Villanova University; 16 years in FCCPS Community Outreach role WEB SITE MarybethConnelly.com EMAIL ADDRESS mbforcitycouncil@gmail.com TELEPHONE 703-200-2426 QUESTIONS: WHY ARE YOU RUNNING: After serving two terms on Falls Church City Council, I am running because I am committed to serving the people of Falls Church. We’ve made much progress in the past 8 years, and there is still work to do. I’m proud of the Capital Projects we’ve completed: Meridian High School, Mary Riley Styles Public Library, City Hall, parkland acquisition and improvements. That’s the most ambitious financing and construction program in the City’s history and we managed to reduce the tax rate. Because of these
Stuart M. Whittaker
Own and operate a Prius car share business BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Born in IL to a social worker and a librarian, family moved to WA, NY, and back to IL where I finished high school. AB and MBA from U Chicago. Lived in CA and TN. Have worked in private sector most of my career, established my own business in 1986. WEB SITE StuartMWhitaker.com EMAIL ADDRESS StuartMWhitaker@gmail.com TELEPHONE (703) 863-1289 QUESTIONS: WHY ARE YOU RUNNING: My parents taught that we had an obligation to contribute to the community. At nineteen I worked as a volunteer in five states in the first presidential election campaign after eighteen year olds won the right to vote. I am a strong believer in capitalism and in democracy but believe that both capitalism and democracy must be carefully regulated to prevent excesses. Out of school I joined a technology manufacturer in silicon valley that was instrumental in eliminating AT&T’s monopoly control in telecom-
I have learned what is important to the residents and how to best use my skills to meet those needs. I am running for re-election so that I can continue to build on the important work we have started, including seeing through the business development plans on the 10-acre site in West Falls Church. For nearly 15 years, I advocated for a new public high school and was a founding member of the political action committee that promoted the bond referendum to construct the new facility that welcomed students last spring. I have both a personal and moral obligation to ensure city leaders keep the promises we made to voters to retire the debt with strong new commercial development. I also want to reduce our environmental impact, provide more affordable housing and equity, and support local businesses. WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED: As a City Council member, I have served on the Legislative Committee, Environmental Sustainability Council, Architectural Advisory Board, and Library Oversight Board and was elected chair of the Community Development Authority. During my tenure, I have worked with my colleagues to mitigate pandemic impacts, support local businesses, address racial inequities, pursue affordable
housing opportunities, work towards a climate action plan and lower the tax rate. Prior to serving on City Council, I spent 25 years working, volunteering, and raising my family in the city, while developing deep relationships with a broad cross-section of the community. I’ve been a youth and high school coach for 15 years, served in leadership in the PTA for 17 years, volunteered with Women’s History March, Tinner Hill Music Festival, Homestretch and the Falls Church Homeless Shelter. I also draw on the business development, strategy, and budgeting skills gained through a career in corporate finance. TOP ISSUE: The American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) provides the city with unprecedented funds for city improvements. It is imperative that the Falls Church City Council identifies and pursues opportunities to direct these funds toward projects and programs that benefit all members of our community in both the short and long term. If re-elected, I will work to spend these funds on stormwater and infrastructure projects that will enable our community to better withstand the impact of climate change while decreasing the debt financing that we would otherwise incur to complete these projects. This savings will allow us to support other city programs and keep our tax rate low.
projects, the City is a better place to live, work, play, and go to school. My campaign slogan remains the same in each election: “Connect with Connelly” because I believe that bringing people together is the only way the City can successfully navigate our unique challenges. The City succeeds because the people who live and work here understand the importance of working together. Local businesses, civic organizations, schools, and families form the City’s foundation. We thrive when our leadership cultivates all parts. Both longtime and new residents need to engage in living locally through community volunteerism, neighborhood activity, relationshipbuilding. I am committed to strengthening Falls Church by cultivating key connections. WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED: My husband, Michael, and I arrived in Falls Church in 1995. We didn’t expect to stay for 26 years, but we realized that this is the perfect place for us. We raised our three children, Brian, Andrew, and Julie in Falls Church. In addition to 8 years on City Council, I’m in my 17th year working for Falls Church City Public Schools as the Community Outreach Director, which means I am deeply embedded in the community, working closely with local businesses, school employees, and volunteers. I’ve
held volunteer leadership positions in community organizations like Village Preservation & Improvement Society, Falls Church Chamber of Commerce, Falls Church Kiwanis Little League, Falls Church Elementary PTA and more. I volunteered in August at the Tinner Hill Music Festival, and was so happy to get back to doing some of my favorite things: welcoming people to Falls Church and taking pictures of them in the LOVE sculpture. I will do whatever is needed to help out in the City that I call home. TOP ISSUE: Four years ago I would have said, “We’ve got to build this high school!” Now I am focused on sustaining the community we treasure. We need to keep the West Falls Church development on track because it is a key part of the high school plan of finance. As a Council member that is a top priority. Caring for the land, water, and people who live here is a big concern. The growth of the City in the past 20 years is directly related to increased commercial development, and we can’t stop now. When making decisions, there are always tradeoffs. As a Councilmember I will strive for balance - the right kind of development, in the right places, benefitting the City as a whole, the people who live and work here, and respecting the environment.
munications and in stimulating innovation. I have worked as a consultant in the areas involving technology, finance, and regulation in the US, Europe, Africa, and Asia, with a continued interest in promoting competition and innovation. In 2008 I became aware of the climate crisis and the disparate impact that this crisis has on different demographics. I began to focus on the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, which was transportation. This election is about far more than just the City Council--it is also for representation on powerful regional bodies whose decisions affect citizens of the City. I am running for the City Council to help pursue policies that reduce emissions in a just and equitable manner. WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED: I have lived and been involved in the Northern Virginia community--first in Fairfax County and later in Falls Church City--since 1983. During that time I have been involved in a myriad of organizations and activities. I am a member of VPIS and have contributed to the Falls Church Education Foundation’s annual fundraiser. My two children went K through twelve here, both graduating from George C Marshall High School. I was a long time boys and girls soccer coach and commis-
sioner of an adult coed soccer league. I have worked with community organizations including the Sierra Club and the Coalition for Smarter Growth on transportation and climate issues. I am a graduate of the Transportation Planning Board’s Community Leadership Institute. I now own and operate a small business in the City. I was president of my homeowner’s association. I have been president of my local alumni association. I am a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington. TOP ISSUE: The top issues are equity and the environment. Black Lives Matter means more than ending police shootings of Black citizens and the #MeToo movement means more than respect in the workplace for women. It means a transportation where the length of your commute and your personal safety don’t depend on how wealthy you are, and it means housing that everyone can afford. The environment requires an allhands-on deck effort. The Biden administration is doing its best to reduce emissions but it can’t do it alone. Infrastructure design, most of which is controlled at the local level, has a tremendous effect on transportation emissions and on equity. I will work to make sure equity and environmental considerations are given top consideration.
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Caroline S. Lian FreddieMac
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: 15 yr city resident, proud wife and Mom. 26 years of professional experience in investment banking, consulting, DC govt, education. Implemented affordable lending programs and currently responsible for enterprise third party risk at FreddieMac WEB SITE carolinelian.org EMAIL ADDRESS carolinelianfcc@gmail.com TELEPHONE 703-980-7542 QUESTIONS: WHY ARE YOU RUNNING: I was born in Bogor, Indonesia and immigrated to the US in 1979 with my mother and younger brother. I attended public schools in Alexandria, Prince William County, and graduated from UVA with a BA in Biology. I have been married for 18 yrs and have 2 sons ages 10 and 12. I have 26 years of professional work experience that spans consulting, investment banking, public education, local government, and government sponsored enterprises (GSE’s).
Scott C. Diaz
Department of Defense Civilian Employee EMAIL ADDRESS scott.c.diaz@gmail.com TELEPHONE 703-400-0350 QUESTIONS: WHY ARE YOU RUNNING: I have spent a career serving my nation at home and abroad and now I want to to serve my community. I have not run for public office before, but my work experience within the Department of Defense has prepared me for service on the city council. I have more than two decades of experience engaging with people from around the world, from a variety of cultures and experiences, working with them on relevant issues, achieving consensus on goals, and taking action to see them through. Our
This is my first time running for public office. I would like to apply my experience in management, operational execution, policy development and implementation to serve our community and help navigate challenges and opportunities. I am passionate about excellent public education, preserving, protecting and expanding affordable housing, and supporting economic development that improves quality of life and the future of the community while preserving green space. I am a full time working mother who believes that diversity in public office is important. I also hope to encourage today’s youth, especially my children, to participate civically and give back to the community. WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED: My husband, Andrew, and I moved into the city in 2006. Andrew’s family has roots in the City that started in 1946. Second, third and fourth generation family have graduated from FCCPS and still live in the city today. A summary of my community involvement includes: PTA Room parent for both of my sons every year since 2013 and a volunteer at multiple PTA events, Odyssey of the Mind Coach 3 consecutive school years, Science Olympiad Coach 2 consecutive school years,
Cubscout Pack 657 Den volunteer for both sons 6 consecutive years, Member Falls Church Chamber of Commerce, Tinner Hill Music Festival Volunteer, Board Member Elsie Whitlow Stokes PCS, DC (2016 – 2020), Advisor Next Step Network, sustainable homeownership nonprofit (2016 – 2020), Board Member Students First (2013 – 2016), Board Member Hugh O’Brian Youth Foundation Mentorship Director (2010 - 2013). TOP ISSUE: Our city needs more affordable housing - it supports our community values of diversity and inclusion. The ability for people at all income levels to live here is also important to meeting our full economic development potential. Affordable housing is an exercise in community sustainability and requires a multi-prong approach to address, including: increasing our set aside target, having collaboration from public/ private/nonprofit actors, ensuring federal and state resources complement local funding sources, piloting preservation and tenant protection policies, having strong developer capacity that meets complexity of community needs for green space preservation, carbon neutrality, resident services, and meeting special needs of residents.
desirable location and school system drive others to want to be part of our community. Unfortunately, our city is small, with no place to go but up. Development plans for the next decade call for many hundreds of apartments and condominiums to be built along the development zone of Broad and Washington Streets. This will expand our population by thousands and hopefully bring dozens of small businesses to the city. This expansion will place a growing burden on our infrastructure. WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED: We have lived in Falls Church for two years. To our great fortune, the day after we moved in, our street held its annual welcome BBQ where we were able to meet most of our neighbors; we immediately felt accepted and part of the community. We took advantage of the nearby tennis courts, the library, and walked the neighborhood with our dog. We enjoyed casual shopping
and dinners in the city. We became season ticket holders at the Creative Cauldron and enjoyed their shows. Six months later COVID restrictions were put in place. For the next year and a half we took advantage of physically distanced citywide events. We love the State Theater and spent many evenings under a propane heater enjoying great local musicians, Cherry Hill park was our favorite summer concert outing, and the Farmer’s market was a great weekend escape. Most importantly, Falls Church was where my son cast his first ballot. TOP ISSUE: Growing our city shouldn’t be at the expense of our families, community, and small businesses. Our development should be managed to maintain the characteristics of our community. As our population expands, we should be looking for ways to maintain the quality and level of city services without increasing the individual tax burdens of our residents.
FALLS CHURCH SCHOOL BOARD THE OFFICE The School Board’s primary responsibilities are to set policy for the school division, approve the annual budget, develop a strategic plan, and hire a superintendent to operate the school division in accordance with board policy. The seven School Board Members serve four-year terms and are not affiliated with any national political party. The annual stipend for School Board Members is $3,600; for the Vice Chair, $4,800; and for the Chair, $6,000
THE QUESTIONS: 1. Tell us about yourself and WHY ARE YOU RUNNING for Falls Church School Board. 2. How long have you lived in Falls Church City, and in WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED with the city and community during your time here? 3. What is the TOP ISSUE currently facing the Falls Church School Board, and, if elected, what will you do to address it?
CANDIDATES FOR FALLS CHURCH SCHOOL BOARD (VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN FOUR)
Ilya Shapiro
Constitutional Lawyer BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Ilya Shapiro is vice president and director of constitutional studies at the Cato Institute. An immigrant twice over (from Russia and Canada) and a national renowned scholar, he works to advance liberty & give all kids the opportunities he’s had. WEB SITE https://shapiro4fallschurch.org/ EMAIL ADDRESS shapiro4fallschurch@gmail.com TELEPHONE 202-577-1134 QUESTIONS: WHY ARE YOU RUNNING: I’m running for school board to ensure that the Little City maintains excellent schools while providing accountability, responsiveness, transparency, and diversity of thought. I learned the importance of education from my parents. They made tremendous sacrifices to get me out of the Soviet Union because they didn’t want me growing up under Communism. We immigrated to Canada, settling in Ontario, where I had a typical small-town childhood, full of sports and Boy Scouts, working hard
and dreaming big. I came to the United States for college (Princeton) and law school (University of Chicago), moved to D.C. in 2004, and became a U.S. citizen in 2014. I’m now a vice president of the Cato Institute, where I regularly file briefs before the Supreme Court and testify before Congress and state legislatures. Like most immigrants, I do a job that most native-born Americans won’t: defending the Constitution. I’m also a member of the Virginia Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, chairman of the advisory board of the Mississippi Justice Institute, on the board of the Tony Patiño Fellowship (giving scholarships to law students), and on the board of fellows at the Jewish Policy Center. I want to give back to the community. WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED: This is my first time running for office. As I filed my paperwork, I thought of nothing but my two sons, ages 5 and 3. My oldest is a kindergartener at Mount Daniel and my youngest is at Dulin Cooperative Preschool (where my wife Kristin is the president). We moved here in 2014 to give the kids we hoped to have the best educational opportunities possible. Our tiny school district continues to lead the region, not just in overall quality but in addressing the past year’s challenges, and I’m
thankful for the parents, teachers, staff, and board members who made that happen. Still, on pandemic response we were toward the bottom of the league nationally, always a step behind best practices. And at a time when parents were most concerned about education loss and getting back to in-person school, the board repeatedly deferred to the superintendent and instead debated whether to change school names. Those mistaken priorities are why I’m running, and the theme of my campaign is accountability. TOP ISSUE: Accountability. That means responsiveness and representation: I will represent community members and respond to your concerns. Accountability means transparency: if elected, I will explain my votes and official decisions online. Accountability means independence: I will not go along with groupthink or the path of least resistance, but will bring a fresh perspective that our board lacks. The community has expressed a desire for having a diversity of opinion and experience. If elected, I’d represent and engage all constituents—and that includes non-parents. I take the school board’s role in governance seriously, and want to make sure that the superintendent and district leadership are ultimately accountable to the community.
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Lori K. Silverman Political Consultant
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: I’m from Chicago, but I’ve been in the DMV since 2000.I grew up in a very political family, and continued working in politics first on Capitol Hill and then as a political consultant (I’m also a lawyer). I moved to FCC in 2016, and love it here. WEB SITE www.lorisilverman4fcc.com EMAIL ADDRESS loriforfccsb@gmail.com TELEPHONE 202-361-8895 QUESTIONS: WHY ARE YOU RUNNING: Communication. Collaboration. Community. Those three pillars are what I focus on during my campaign in order to maintain our exceptional schools. I believe in strong leadership so we can have the best schools for our children and the community. I pride myself in being a
Jerrod F. Anderson Health Statistician
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Falls Church resident for 5 years. Married. Father of 2 boys (4 and 6 years old). Experience in educational technology in Memphis, TN, economic development in rural Arkansas, and national health surveys. WEB SITE https://andersonforfccschoolboard.com/ EMAIL ADDRESS andersonfccschoolboard@gmail.com TELEPHONE 202-306-3583 QUESTIONS: WHY ARE YOU RUNNING: Like many parents, I spent much of last year helping with my oldest son’s kindergarten education. That was a unique opportunity to be intimately involved with my child’s education. As Covid restrictions loosened and he spent more time at school, I wanted to find ways that best used my skills and experience to further contribute to the schools in this community. My experiences working in rural economic development, on a large survey, and in education technology implementation have
Courtney C. Mooney Medical Sales (diagnostic testing)
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Born/raised in Asheville, NC. Oldest of three. Father is a pediatric dentist and mother, a high school English teacher. Attended UNC-Chapel Hill on full athletic scholarship for basketball, was a 2yr team captain. Communications degree. WEB SITE www.Mooney4fccsb.com EMAIL ADDRESS Courtneymooneyforfccsb@gmail.com TELEPHONE 571-414-7924 QUESTIONS: WHY ARE YOU RUNNING: As an 8yr FCC resident and a Mom with a student who is now in 4th grade I was paying very close attention to our board over the past 18months… particularly because I was very involved and on-site from almost day one in medical facilities in DC helping roll out COVID testing and protocols. The pandemic and creating safe environments is very in my wheelhouse as is crisis management. I ended up digging in very deeply as to what conversations were and were
good listener, an advocate, and someone who can work with people even if we have different opinions. I will be a thoughtful and reasonable voice in these uncertain times as we navigate ahead together. I want to ensure our schools remain open full time to our families and teachers in a safe and responsible way, with as few disruptions as possible. I will ensure our children feel secure and receive any additional resources they may need to continue personal growth to become the best versions of themselves. I want the teachers, staff,parents and community to have an authentic voice, feel truly heard, and that everyone receives the respect they deserve. I promise I will always have an open-door policy and be accessible to the community throughout my term. While I know I won’t agree with everyone I speak with, I promise I will consider all information, listen to all voices, and final decisions will come from being committed to do what is right for our children WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED: I’ve lived in Falls Church City since 2016. We moved here for the schools when
my daughter started at Jessie Thackrey. Before the pandemic, I was a frequent volunteer in the schools, whether it was recess duty, chaperoning field trips, or helping the teachers with holiday parties. Since the reopening of the schools, that involvement is obviously much more limited, however I still found opportunities during the spring to volunteer outdoors at the schools. I participate in fundraising events sponsored by FCEF to help support the schools. During March and April 2020, I volunteered by driving meals to the elderly. I’ve offered pro bono services at my work to some candidates who I truly believe in. TOP ISSUE: Currently, the top issue is still, unfortunately, the pandemic. I will work hard to ensure the schools stay open, full time, with as few disruptions as possible. In order for this to happen, I strongly support every mitigation strategy outlined by Dr. Noonan. And even if there comes a time when the mitigation measures aren’t mandated by the state, I will still implement them if Center for Disease Control/American Association of Pediatrics guidance recommends it.
all involved taking input from multiple stakeholder groups (with a variety of concerns) to come to a final decision. While working in the Memphis public schools, in particular, I gained a great appreciation for the necessity of teachers’ ability to provide feedback on the administration’s policies and priorities. In addition to allowing for more effective implementation and targeting of educational technology, creating the space for feedback increased teacher buy-in for the program. My experience lends itself well for productively engaging with members of the school community and allowing the appropriate space for them to provide feedback and express concerns. WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED: I have lived in Falls Church for five years. I have attended many of the annual events (outside of pandemic times) such as the Falls Church Festival and the Memorial Day celebrations. I have “attended” every school board meeting since June of 2020, and I put my name in for each of the two vacancies on the school board this past year. I have also benefited from the community’s amazing network of parents to find (after much time searching and a few false starts) the appropriate services for my son. I have found
that the schools act as an excellent information source for opportunities to get involved that I would not have known about otherwise. As a school board candidate, I have provided the community updates on school board meetings and the Virginia Standards of Learning results (which I plan on continuing after the election). I was also very happy to sponsor the Run For Schools event this year, and I look forward to more opportunities to serve. TOP ISSUE: Last year highlighted the uncertainty of the future. We are still dealing with the pandemic and its effects, not least of which has been the mental and emotional strain on our students. Next year, we may be dealing with something completely different. Creating processes for systematic community feedback will ensure we know what is working and where opportunities for improvement are. From the final equity report in 2019: “FCCPS must do more to ensure that all voices are represented, not just the loudest and most fervent.” We should not just listen to only the loudest, but we should also strive to give those who are seen as silent the opportunity to have their voices heard and to allow them to represent themselves in their own words.
not taking place and the decisions happening around that and I simply did not see the leadership, nuance, and clear vision that I thought was needed and necessary from the board to be as effective and nimble as we could have been to best serve our students and families this past year. Our board was in a very tough spot but it highlighted to me that we need people willing and able to take up the mantle of leadership and be effective and proactive communicators so everyone in our community feels heard, validated, and their questions and concerns addressed appropriately. We also need strong management by our board of our SuperIntendent so he can continue to develop and be as effective as possible in his role. WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED: I am an 8yr resident and have been very involved in kids sports. I’ve coached youth basketball and during the pandemic started a free basketball clinic for kids in our area that ran several days a week from August-March so kids got critical peer interaction and structure they needed. Also, I led the Falls Church City Parents for Schools group to give families struggling a place to be heard. The goal was to consolidate the many voices inundating our school system for help to provide better bandwidth for our
schools, present a clear resource of info, open better lines of communication, and get families the option for in-person learning. Many people saw the signs but that was the smallest part. I created an advisory board of experts to guide us, met w the mayor, city council, superintendent, board members, PTA, and teachers. I wrote weekly newsletters, created a website w information, answered emails. I tried to be an effective empathetic representative for families that needed it. TOP ISSUE: We need to examine how we can be forward thinking in safety while minimizing disruptions when it comes to COVID in school. We need to be transparent around examining learning loss. While students may be meeting baseline goals, that doesn’t look at where they are vs where they could have been or where we anticipated they should be. Many children did not make the strides they should have last year and we can’t just look at SOL or STAR data (not in the way we’ve opted to use those numbers) and have a clear picture on learning loss and how to address it. Curriculum updates in math means we will need to be thinking critically about how to best incorporate those changes and what resources are needed to drive/support our academic excellence.
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CANDIDATES FOR FALLS CHURCH SCHOOL BOARD—CONTINUED
David S. Ortiz
Federal Office Deputy Director BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: David Ortiz has dedicated his career to public policy and service. He is a proven leader with over 20 years of experience executing the core functions of the School Board: planning, budgeting, policy making, and performance oversight. WEB SITE https://ortiz4fccps.info EMAIL ADDRESS david@ortiz4fccps.info TELEPHONE (202)549-2880 QUESTIONS: WHY ARE YOU RUNNING: I have dedicated my career to public policy and service, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the Falls Church City community. After completing my Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, I worked at the RAND Corporation for 15 years. There I built a multimillion-dollar program of policy research in energy and the environment. Since 2013, I have been a leader in the federal government, directing organizations funding research in electric grid technologies and overseeing electric reliability.
Kathleen E. C. Tysse BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: WEB SITE www.kathleentysse.com EMAIL ADDRESS ktysseforfccps@gmail.com QUESTIONS: WHY ARE YOU RUNNING: I’m a former teacher and the mother of four children in three different FCCPS schools who is passionate about public education and literacy. I believe in Falls Church City Public Schools. I’m grateful for the excellent education they provide and am ready to use my experience and skills to work hard for our students, families, and teachers. I understand what makes schools great, and I believe our schools truly deserve their reputation for excellence. But we should always strive to be better. During a time of so much social and political turmoil, we’re being
Tate O. Gould
CEO of AnLar, LLC. President of Otis Educational Data Systems, Inc. Co-owner of Triskelle Software Solutions, LLC. BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Grew up in Beaufort, SC. Attended UNC (B.A., Ph.D.) and Harvard Graduate School of Education (Masters). First/best job was HS math teacher, varsity soccer coach. Married to Laura; two kids at Oak Street, MEHMS. Founder and currently CEO of AnLar. WEB SITE www.tategould.org EMAIL ADDRESS tate@tategould.org TELEPHONE 202-441-9672 QUESTIONS: WHY ARE YOU RUNNING: I am both a career educator with more than 25 years of experience in the field of education and a father to an Oak Street ES third grader and a Henderson MS eighth grader. I am running to help ensure our school system remains a forward-thinking and -acting district — not just for my two children, but for our entire community. This requires introspection, accountability, and measured leadership
I am running for a seat on the Falls Church City School Board to build on my family’s personal experience of excellence with the Falls Church City Public Schools. I have over 20 years of experience executing the core functions of the School Board: strategic planning; budgeting; setting policy; and performance oversight. I know how to work with communities to develop a shared vision for the future and put it into practice. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the School Board and the community to help all students achieve their dreams, develop a vision for the future of our schools, and perform effective oversight of the administration of our schools. WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED: In 2013, we moved to Falls Church City because of its excellent schools and supportive community. When we arrived, The Little City welcomed us with open arms made us feel at home. The commitment to education was apparent in the resources and programs at the library, and in our engagement with FCCPS. Our children thrive in the school system: our son (10th grade) received the coveted Henderson Husky Award twice. Our daughter (7th grade) was student body President at Oak Street Elementary and was Secretary of the Student Council at
Henderson. My sister and her family moved here in 2020 and their children (2nd and 4th grade) attend FCCPS. I believe in community service. I am on the Creative Cauldron board and an Assistant Scoutmaster with Boy Scout Troop 681. When we lived in Pittsburgh, I led a group of 50 young leaders that brought attention to an underserved community. I was also a member of a committee overseeing grants for interactive public art designed to engage children. TOP ISSUE: The School Board must lead the emergence of our schools and community from COVID-19, which amplified two existing challenges: (1) Mental health. Promoting the mental health of our children is an essential aspect of preparing them for adulthood. Child depression and anxiety were issues before COVID-19 and the isolation and suffering last year has made them worse. For younger children, being away from peers affected their social and emotional development; (2) Equity. We were lucky: we worked from home and took time to help with homework and technical issues during virtual school. Many families suffered. Parents worked outside the home or lost their jobs. Some struggled with English. Others had special needs that could not be met virtually.
forced to make countless difficult decisions about our safety, our priorities, and our values. Falls Church City deserves a leader who can make those decisions for our schools rooted in experience and strong relationships, who brings a balanced perspective on our community’s many strengths, and who commits to serving the greater good.. WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED: I have lived in Falls Church City since 2012 and have served the community in many ways: -President-elect (2018-2019) and President (2019-2020) of the Falls Church Elementary PTA As part of my role as PTA President, I served on the 2020-2021 Calendar Committee and the Superintendent’s Advisory Council, Summer 2020 -PTA room parent for all of my four children while they were in elementary school -FCCPS Gifted Education Advisory Committee (2020-current) -Mary Riley Styles Public Library Board of Trustees (2018-current) -Mary Riley Styles Public Library Foundation Development
Committee (2019-current) -Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America Volunteer (2017-current) -Gun Legislation Working Group member, advisory to Falls Church City Council (2020) TOP ISSUE: The top issue facing our school board is reuniting the community as we emerge from the pandemic. Through my continued service in the schools, I have seen the strength of character and dedication of our leaders, teachers, and families. The foundation of our community is strong and I believe that we can build from there to heal from the collective trauma and sometimes divisive energy of the past 18 months. I support increased mental health services in our schools. I believe in teachers having safe and clear opportunities to have a voice. I want to refine the communication strategies between the School Board and the community. I believe this can be done in a positive way that leans on our community’s strengths and makes our schools stronger.
from the School Board. Eight years ago, I founded a successful education company where I currently serve as CEO, and also led the merger and acquisition of three others. I began my career as a high school math teacher and later became an education researcher and policy analyst at the state and federal levels. I have a parent’s perspective of the strengths and opportunities at Mt. Daniel, Oak Street and Henderson and, within a year, will also have personal experience as a parent of a Meridian student. These experiences in education, from various angles and viewpoints, make up the skill set I want to offer to Falls Church City, a community that has given us so much in the time we have lived here. I strongly feel that my unique skills and experience would be beneficial as a FCCPS School Board member. WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED: My wife, Laura, and I chose to move our family to Falls Church City just over five years ago after living in the area for 10 years. Like most, we were drawn to the Little City’s excellent school system and small-town, close-knit community feel. In that spirit, as a family, we give our time and talents back to this special community in both formal and informal ways. I volunteer my time
through my kids’ various activities, including coaching Recreation and Parks soccer teams and various roles in Cub Scouts. We support the Falls Church Education Foundation and enjoy participating in city-sponsored environmental clean up events. I also particularly enjoy being a neighborhood resource as a jack-of-all-trades. I’ve built great relationships with neighbors over the years, jumping at the chance to use my power tools to repair things or helping them troubleshoot their various home IT issues, as well as being on the receiving end of support and help when needed. TOP ISSUE: Recovering from COVID does not simply mean ensuring kids are in school buildings full-time. We want our students to love learning, to thrive and to be successful in the “new normal.” As a School Board member, I will work to ensure we have a thorough understanding of all students’ academic, social and emotional needs; we identify learning gaps from the past two school years and execute plans to close them; and collect and leverage the right data to empower teachers and staff. Our various test scores will continue well above state and national averages, but standardized tests are not the measure we should use to define our success.
The Fall 2021 Voters’ Guide was prepared, using monies from the LWV Education Fund, by: Like us on Facebook League of Women Voters of Falls Church PAGE 5
League of Women Voters of Falls Church P.O. Box 156 Falls Church, VA 22040 https://my.lwv.org/virginia/falls-church
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FALLS CHURCH
CALENDAR LOCALEVENTS
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7 Baby Storytime. Parents and children can join Tysons-Pimmit Library for rhymes, songs, stories and activities. Space limited to 15 children with one caregiver each. No registration, customers will be allowed in on a first come, first served basis. Check in at the Children’s Information desk for tickets. This class is best for babies 0-18 months and their caregivers. (7584 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church). 10:30 — 11 a.m.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8 Repujado Craft. Those interested can join Tysons-Pimmit Library to learn the art of repujado, an ancient art of embossing or pressing shapes into metal to create a unique design. Everything needed to make a repujado, including aluminum metal foil and other materials, will be provided. Registration is required. Best suited for ages 8 — 12. (7584 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church). 4 — 4:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9 Falls Church Farmers Market. The Falls Church Farmers Market runs every Saturday at City Hall, where attendees will find fresh, local produce, meat, dairy, flowers & plants, honey, music and more. For more information, visit fallschurchva.gov/547/FarmersMarket-To-Go. (300 Park Ave., Falls Church). 8 a.m. — 12 p.m. Farm Day. Falls Church’s annual Farm Day event returns this year to Cherry Hill Park. Attendees can enjoy a day of old fashioned fun and activities for the whole family, including a petting farm, pony rides, pumpkin painting, scarecrow making, live music, tours of the Cherry Hill Farmhouse and barn, blacksmith demonstrations, and more. The event is free to attend but some activities may have a small fee (cash only). (312 Park Ave., Falls Church) 10 a.m. — 3 p.m.
Paws to Read With Lucy. Kids are welcome to come and read aloud to Lucy, a trained therapy dog at Thomas Jefferson Library. Bring your own book or choose a book from the library. Walk-ins welcome. Age 6-12. (1545 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 2 — 3 p.m.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 11 Acrylic Pouring Art for Teens. Teens ages 13 — 18 are invited to Tysons-Pimmit Library to try out acrylic pouring art to create their own art with colors to celebrate the fall. Registration is required. Masks are required regardless of vaccination status. (7584 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church). 2:30 — 3:30 p.m.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12 City Council Meeting. The City Council meets in-person in City Hall’s Council Chambers. In-person capacity may be limited due to COVID-19 safety, and all attendees must wear a mask and stay socially distant at all times. The meeting can be viewed live online (fallschurchva.gov/CouncilMeetings) or on FCCTV (Cox channel 11, RCN channel 2, Verizon channel 35). Public comment can be made inperson or via MS Teams on any topic; sign-up by noon on the day of the meeting, fallschurchva.gov/ PublicComment. (300 Park Ave., Falls Church) 7:30 — 11 p.m.
VIRTUALEVENTS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7 The Falls Church League of Women Voters and the Village Preservation and Improvement Society are hosting a virtual candidate forum for the Falls Church School Board candidates. To attend that forum, please register at: http://evite.me/USVydYUybC. If you register, you will be sent a Zoom link before the event. You may suggest questions that you would like the candidates to answer by emailing lwvfallschurchva@gmail.com. For any general questions about the forum,
ENGLISH SINGER AND SONGWRITER, Robyn Hitchcock will be kicking off his tour in Vienna at Jammin’ Java on Thursday, October 7. (Photo: Dik Ng) please email Barbara Lipsky at blipsky@cox.net. 7:30 p.m.
LIVEMUSIC
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7
Conversation with Council Member Letty Hardi. The Falls Church League of Women Voters is hosting a virtual conversation with Council Member Letty Hardi, she will be addressing many issues of local importance such as combatting COVID-19, promoting social justice, and infrastructure spending. The program is open to the public and questions from the audience are welcome. Information on joining this Zoom program is posted on the website for the Falls Church League of Women Voters, or you may email Barbara Lipsky, blipsky@cox.net. 3 p.m.
Robyn Hitchcock. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $20 — $28. 7:30 p.m. 703-255-1566.
THEATER&ARTS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7 Having Our Say. This play follows the real-life centenarian Delany sisters as they welcome attendees into their home where they share 100 years of American history recounting fascinating events and anecdotes drawn from their rich family history and careers as pioneering African American professionals. All patrons must wear face masks while attending the performance. Social distancing and proof of vaccination or negative Covid test is required for everyone ages 12 and over. Tickets are available online at https://www.creativecauldron. org/. October 7 — 31. (410 South Maple Avenue, Falls Church). 703436-9948.
Lori McKenna. The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria). $29.50. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500. Jim Messina. Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd. Vienna). $47+. 8 p.m. 703-255-1900.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8 New Legacy Blues Live and in Concert. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). 7 p.m. 703-2551566. So Fetch: A 2000’s Dance Party. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). $12. 7 p.m. 703-237-0300. Malibu Wanderers. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 7 p.m. 703-858-9186. Dan & Chuck Live and in Concert. Ireland’s Four Provinces (105 W Broad St., Falls Church) 7 p.m. 703-534-8999. Christopher Cross. The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria). $59.50. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500. Wicked Jezabel Live and in Concert. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). $10. 8 p.m. 703-241-9504.
Karla Bonoff. Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd. Vienna). $32+. 8 p.m. 703-255-1900.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9 City Farm Band. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 4 p.m. 703-241-9504. Brook Yoder. Ireland’s Four Provinces (105 W Broad St., Falls Church) 7 p.m. 703-534-8999. The Guess Who. The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria). $69.50. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500. Josh Allen Band. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8:30 p.m. 703-241-9504.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10 Groovequest. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 4 p.m. 703-241-9504. Open Mic. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 5 p.m. 703-8589186. David Wilcox. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $30 — $35. 7 p.m. 703-255-1566. Phil Vassar Live. The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria). $45. 7:30 p.m. 703549-7500.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 11 Gregory Alan Isakov & Patty Griffin. The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria). $95. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500.
CO MME NT
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
A Penny for Your Thoughts
News of Greater Falls Church By Supervisor Penny Gross
Fairfax County history is fascinating and varied, as demonstrated by two celebrations last weekend, one at the James Lee Community Center, and the other at Annandale United Methodist Church. Stories of both institutions go back to the 1800s, and reflect times in local history that can be troubling today. Bringing those stories to light helps us both to understand and to mitigate actions of previous generations. The weather was gorgeous on Saturday as a Fairfax County Historical Marker was unveiled at the James Lee Community Center on Annandale Road. The center is in Providence District, but just one-quarter mile from the Mason/Providence magisterial border, and where I have attended many community events. James Lee purchased the property in 1867, as a free Black man after the Civil War. The first Falls Church Colored School opened on the site around 1888, and was closed during World War I. In 1919, Mary E. “Nellie” Henderson was asked to reopen the school, which operated until 1948. The Black community had long struggled for educational equality and the James Lee Elementary School was the first modern school for African Americans in Fairfax County. Ms. Alma Amaker, who was a fourth grader when the new school opened in 1948, told the story of walking from the old school, “The Hall” on Costner Avenue, to the new school. She still can remember the smell of the new books, and there were indoor bathrooms! In her new classroom, she looked around for the traditional bucket and dipper to get a drink of water. The teacher told her to go into the hall and use the water fountain. It was the first time she had seen a water fountain that wasn’t signed “For Whites Only” and had to ask the teacher how it worked. The new school was used until 1966, when Fairfax County public schools were desegregated. James Lee students were reassigned to other elementary schools and James Lee was closed,
because white students would not attend Black schools. In 1973, the James Lee Community Center was born, but there was more to the story. In the 1990s, the community vociferously opposed a proposal to close the center, which was expanded again and houses a number of county and non-profit programs. The historic marker honors the earliest Black landowners in the Falls Church area, and their descendants, many of whom participated in the ceremony, who still are active in the community today. On Sunday, another beautiful autumn day but a bit warmer, the Annandale United Methodist Church congregation celebrated the anniversary and restoration of the “Little White Church” at the intersection of Columbia Pike and Gallows Road. The first church was built in 1846, and destroyed during the Civil War. A “new” church was built on the present site, and the larger sanctuary was consecrated a hundred years after the original, in 1946, and renovated and expanded again in the 1990s. When touring the little church, one can see the door where only Black worshippers entered to sit in the balcony for services. A photo identifies well-dressed attendees at a church picnic in June 1900. The Lynch, Wakefield, and Hirst families are pictured among others, but no people of color are included. A 175th anniversary commemorative poem by Terri Ruhter struck just the right balance of spirituality and reality across the years of history. The anniversary celebration concluded with a robust ringing of the historic 746pound church bell by longtime AUMC member Peter Snitzer and his young son. The peals rang across Annandale, summoning today’s worshippers, just as they did more than 100 years ago. 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
C RIM E R EPO RT Week of Sept. 27 – Oct. 3 , 2021 Trespass, Hillwood Ave, Sept 28, 2:37 PM, a White male, 59, of no fixed address, was issued a summons for Trespass. Larceny, Mustang Alley, Sept 28, between 7:50 AM and 3:0 5 PM, unknown suspect(s) took a secured blue and yellow Fuji moun-
tain bike. Larceny, Mustang Alley, Sept 29, bet ween 8 AM and 12:15 PM, unknown suspect(s) took two secured bikes: a black and green Jamis Trail bicycle and a red Specialized Sirrus bicycle. Assault /Fraud/Identit y Theft, S Washington St, Sept 29, 4:14 PM, an incident of Fraud, Identit y Thef t and Simple Assault was repor ted.
www.FCNP.com
Senator Dick Saslaw’s
PAGE 17 |OCTOBER 7– 13, 2021
Richmond Report In just a few short weeks, the November elections will be history. That’s the good news. If you’re reading this, I’d say you are likely an engaged voter. Virginia finds itself with significant elections each and every year. This often leads to voter fatigue. To minimize that, the General Assembly passed the VA Voting Rights Act. Unlike states with Republican legislative majorities attempting to disenfranchise voters, we chose to facilitate the right to cast a ballot in Virginia. The measure we passed eliminated the need for an “excuse” to vote early. It also legitimized ballot drop boxes for absentee voters. In-person voting will continue without having to see a gun inside the polls. Additionally, Election Day is now an official state holiday. This legislation was a positive take away from the pandemic. Over the course of my tenure, I have served under 12 governors – men from both sides of the aisle. Some clearly stood out for their vision and their leadership. Terry McAuliffe ranks high on my list of compassionate and capable governors. He has a proven track record necessary to rebuild our economy and get all Virginians back to work. This is important for business and working families — an environment that keeps food on the table through effective business policy. A robust economy allows the Commonwealth to make strategic investments in our children, workforce, and infrastructure. It also is a critical component of keeping taxes low because of a Triple-A bond rating from S&P. I’ve long championed public education. If we are to achieve equity for all students regardless of zip code, we must start early. Pre-K through 12 education is a smart investment for a positive long-term return. Our community colleges and public universities are playing essential roles building the workforce for tomorrow. Massive student debt is the result of starving higher education. Keeping tuition low should not mean a second-rate education for Virginians in our state colleges and universities. As Majority Leader, I am following the statewide elections closely. After the crushing
blow Covid-19 inflicted in our communities, on our economy, and the critical need to access healthcare, who to vote for should be an easy choice. Terry McAuliffe doesn’t need on the job training during the recovery, unlike his opponent, who clearly is struggling with the very fundamentals of the legislative process and budgeting. I couldn’t be any clearer about why VA has a surplus or the due diligence we did to keep the Commonwealth operating in the black the past 18 months. Bear in mind, federal relief money was one-time funding. It will not be available down the road. Additionally, unlike the federal government, Virginia does not print money or operate at a deficit. Simply put, I ask your vote for Terry McAuliffe, Hala Ayala, and Mark Herring. Virginia’s future depends on forward thinking leaders. Trying to overturn policy and deplete state resources is not forward looking. “Back to the Future” was a fun movie. But public policy and fiscal responsibility shouldn’t be based on the “good old days.” The Redistricting Commission is on a tight timeline to complete its mission. In my experience, redrawing legislative districts is always a challenge and often disruptive to communities. This year, we have the added issue of receiving delayed census data with questionable accuracy. In the absence of the Commission coming together on the priorities for the process, it is likely the final product will come from the courts. I encourage you to stay alert and use caution when out and about. This pandemic is not yet in the rear-view mirror and continues to take its toll. While there may be breakthrough cases among the vaccinated, over 90 percent of the hospitalizations and deaths during this current surge are unvaccinated victims. Last month, Governor Northam nailed it when he advised those individuals to think about their obituaries. The data is undeniable and science is our friend during this medical emergency. Senator Saslaw represents the 35th District in the Virginia State Senate. He may be emailed at district35@senate.virginia.gov.
HEA LTH GUI D E
PAGE 18 | OCTOBER 7 - 13, 2021
F ALLS C HURCH H EALTH
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Dr. Theisz Shares Tips On Staying Healthy BY AMANDA SNEAD
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
Over the past year and a half, most health concerns have revolved around the Covid-19 pandemic. While this is still a concern, it is vital that other aspects of health and well-being not be pushed to the side. Doctor Gordon Theisz of Family Medicine in Falls Church said that the main things folks can do to stay healthy remain the same, pandemic or not. “The most important thing that anyone can do for their health is exercise and diet,” said Dr. Theisz. This includes eating healthy both in terms of calories and types of food and making sure to get regular exercise, including cardiovascular. Additionally, it is important to think about preven-
tion. Dr. Theisz said that most people come in thinking about problems they are currently having rather than preventing problems they could have in the future. Regardless of age, scheduling an annual exam with your doctor is necessary. “Going in and seeing your doctor for just that annual thought of preventative services would be really helpful,” said Theisz. “For older folks, focusing on cardiovascular disease and prevention and screening tests, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol use and discussing those types of things is really helpful. For kids, making sure that they are growing properly, that their weight is good, that they’re active and that their vaccinations are up to date are all very important. Even young adults have issues and preventative
health goals so it’s good for everyone to check in with their doctor.” The pandemic has also taken a toll not only on the physical well-being of people, but on their mental wellbeing as well. Theisz, who recently attended an online health conference said that a “wow moment” for him was hearing that the baseline anxiety rate in the United States before the pandemic was about eight percent but that number has grown to over 30 percent since the pandemic began. With the sudden changes to the everyday lives of many people, mental health issues have become more prevalent than ever. “I think that if people have been feeling anxious, they should know that it’s real, that they’re not alone,” said Theisz. While medications are available for anxiety, they
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are not necessary for every person currently feeling this way and many simple changes can be made to help reduce these feelings of stress and anxiety. One recommendation he
had for reducing anxiety is to keep up a regular routine, even if you are still working or learning from home. This includes having regularly scheduled meals rather than eating haphazardly and
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
making time for exercise. Exercise has been shown to reduce anxiety and making cardiovascular exercise a part of your weekly routine was Theisz’s biggest recommendation for working through these feelings of anxiety. “When we’re all stuck at home, our routines fall apart,” he stated. “Whereas when we’re commuting to work and to home and are around other people, people tend to sync up their lives. Having some means of keeping a schedule is really important to reduce anxiety.” Theisz also recommends following your instincts when it comes to going out again as places begin to reopen. “Following the public health guidelines that are more conservative, and by that I mean they don’t relax on standards that we have come to expect, I think that’s really the important thing. You kind of have to know where you are and what you’re doing. Just be aware.” he said. As we make our way into autumn, that also means flu season is on its way. The measures that we have put in place to prevent the spread of Covid also help with preventing the spread of flu. This includes continuing to wear a mask in public places and washing and sanitizing hands regularly. Getting a flu shot is the “best tool we have to prevent the spread
HEA LTH GUI D E of the flu” and are free with most insurance plans. Family Medicine in Falls Church is currently offering flu shots to existing patients without an appointment on October 12, 13, 19 and 20. If you are not a patient of Family Medicine in Falls Church, flu shot appointments can be made online at CVS Pharmacy or the MinuteClinic or other pharmacies in the area. Shots can also be received during a regular appointment with your primary care provider. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend everyone ages six months and older get a flu vaccine annually with very rare expectations. It is recommended that everyone be vaccinated against the flu by the end of October this year. Theisz concluded by saying that “there’s a growing consensus amongst physicians that this pandemic is going to become endemic which means that it’s going to be around and there’ll be flares from time to time. It may be seasonal, it may not be seasonal. People are going to continue to need to get vaccinated. We have to figure out how to get our lives going again while being vigilant and careful. I think that’s the challenge for all of us. This pandemic is going to change how we do things in the future but we still have to do things. We have to live our lives.”
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OCTOBER 7 - 13 , 2021 | PAGE 19
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PAGE 20 | OCTOBER 7 - 13, 2021
VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE Final day of registration is Tuesday October 12 for the November 2, 2021 General Election.
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Sample Ballots can be found online: http:// www.fallschurchva.gov/vote All citizens, including those who are currently 17 years old, who will turn 18 years old by the November 2, 2021 General Election are eligible to register and vote. Online Voter Registration and early/absentee ballot by mail applications: http://www. vote.virginia.gov/ Deadline for applications submitted online via the Virginia Department of Election website is 11:59 pm on October 12, 2021. Only applicants with a DMV ID like a driver’s license can submit an application electronically and these applications may also be untimely if missing material information. Please note: those applications filled out online that are required to be printed and deliveredto the registrar should be treated as regular mailed in applications and need to be postmarked by October 12, 2021, to meet the deadline. The 5:00 p.m. deadline on October 12, 2021, applies if any of these are submitted in-person at the registrar’s office. The deadline for mailed in applications remains that they be postmarked by October 12, 2021. Early/Absentee Voting for the City of Falls Church In-Person early voting began in September at our office at City Hall, 300 Park Ave, and will continue through Saturday, October 30, 2021. During that time, residents wishing to vote early can do so 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday. We are closed on October 11 for the holiday. We are also open the following additional hours. Saturday, October 23rd: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, October 24th: Noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, October 30: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Vote By Mail: The deadline for an absentee ballot by mail is Friday, October 22nd but we don’t recommend that you wait that long. Election Day Reminders for the City of Falls Church Residents are reminded that on Election Day, street parking
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Volunteers who live in the City of Falls Church are needed to serve on the boards and commissions listed below. Contact the City Clerk’s Office (703-248-5014, cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov, or www.fallschurchva.gov/BC) for an application form or more information. Positions advertised for more than one month may be filled during each subsequent month. Architectural Advisory Board (Alternate) Board of Equalization Board of Zoning Appeals (Applications due by Oct. 31) Citizens’Advisory Committee on Transportation City Employee Review Board Economic Development Authority Historic Architectural Review Board Historical Commission Housing Commission Recreation and Parks Advisory Board Towing Advisory Board (Towing Representative) Regional Boards/Commissions Long Term Care Coordinating Council Northern Virginia Community College Board
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Special Use Permit application U1623-21 by Lisa Wills, applicant, to allow a daycare use otherwise not permitted by right, on premises known as 128 South Spring Street, RPC #52203-037 of the Falls Church Real Property Records, zoned R-1A, Low Density Residential (Continued from September BZA meeting) Public hearing on the above matter is scheduled for October 14, 2021, 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. Public comment and questions may be submitted to zoning@fallschurchva. gov until 4:30 pm on October 14, 2021. Virtual meeting link, 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.
is available on both sides of Little Falls Street by the Community Center and on Oak, Seaton, Fellows, Parker, Timber, and Jackson near Oak Street Elementary School (formerly Thomas Jefferson Elementary School). Additional details, including a voter ward map, can be found online at www.fallschurchva.gov/Vote. Contact the Registrar’s office at 703-248-5085 (TTY 711) or vote@fallschurchva.gov for more information. The Ward 2 Polling Place we expect to be at Falls Green Apartments in their Club House. David B. Bjerke, MPP, CERA, VREO Director of Elections & General Registrar of Voters, City of Falls Church Office of Voter Registration & Elections 300 Park Ave., Room 206C , Falls Church, VA 22046 Office: 703-248-5085; Fax: 703-248-5204 vote@ fallschurchva.gov; http://www.fallschurchva. gov/vote
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Fa l l s C h u r c h
NEWS BRIEFS 1st F.C. School Board Debate Set Tonight Following their first debate, co-hosted by the F.C. League of Women Voters and Village Preservation and Improvement Society held online last week, for the five candidates running for the City Council in the City of Falls Church this fall, a second debate involving the seven candidates running for the City’s school board is set to be held tonight, Thursday, Oct. 7, at 7:30 p.m., also online. The School Board candidates expected to participate are Tate Gould, Ilya Shapiro, Lori Silverman, Jerrod Anderson, Courtney Mooney, David Ortiz and Kathleen Tysse. They are seeking election to four of the seven seats on the School Board and none has held public office before. Next week, Thursday, Oct. 14, the Citizens for a Better City will host its City Council debate with Peter Davis as moderator, followed by their School Board debate Thursday, Oct. 21, with Cecily Shea as moderator. Meanwhile, filings reported by the Virginia Political Action Project show that Shapiro, a leading figure in the D.C.-based Cato Institute, raised $24,879 in campaign contributions, in the most recent period $12,331 from donors outside Virginia, including $5,000 from the New York-based Richard Brand and $3,000 from the Florida-based Robert Hennessey. The only other candidate who has raised significant outside money is Silverman, with $19,030 in total contributions, including more recently a total of $8,000 from three DC-based labor unions.
Bus Rapid Transit Votes Set Tonight Members of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission will be asked to vote on projects designed to move more people through the I-66 corridor and to analyze the mobility benefits of creating a Bus Rapid Transit system connecting Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church and Tysons at their monthly meeting Thursday. The Commission will be asked to approve a contract to conduct the next study phase in preparation for a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system connecting Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church and Tysons. The study, part of NVTC’s Envision Route 7 program, will study mobility along the corridor from Tysons through to Seven Corners. They will address issues to determine
the mobility benefits of BRT along Route 7, to gain a better appreciation of the traffic impacts of BRT along Route 7, to gain an understanding of the traffic operational issues with a BRT operating along Route 7, and to facilitate the public understanding of how a BRT would operate along Route 7. NVTC staff conducted a competitive bid process and selected Kittelson and Associates, Inc. for the 18-month effort, to start October 31 and finish by April 30, 2023. The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), the City of Alexandria, Arlington County, the City of Falls Church and Fairfax County will provide the funding for the study.
Work on Halloween Window Painting to Begin Falls Church Arts is hosting the 13th annual Halloween Window Painting Festival that kicks off this weekend and goes through Oct. 16. Painters are urged to register in advance, including a sketch of that they would like to do, and starting this Saturday there will be paint and other supplies available at Mr. Brown’s Park, 110 W. Broad. This has been an annual event since October 2008 as business windows in the downtown area come alive with images of bats, witches, scarecrows, pumpkins and ghosts, all the friendly kind.
F.C. City Hall Plans for Indigenous People’s Day
Now Hiring All Positions
Many City of Falls Church offices and services will be closed or operate with modified hours in observation of Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Monday, October 11, the City has announced. City Hall and all government offices (including the Commissioner of the Revenue, Treasurer’s Office, and Elections Office) will be closed. The Mary Riley Styles Public Library will be closed. The Community Center will be open for scheduled camps and classes from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. There will be no in-person Early Voting on Monday, October 11. The City Council will have a Regular Meeting on Tuesday, October 12 at 7:30 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers.
Come and join the amazing Dogwood family! Apply today at:
Dogwoodtavern.com/employment
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BACK IN THE DAY
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
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Falls Church News-Press Vol. XXI, No. 33• October 6,, 2011
Council Tips Intent To Nix Church Bid To Operate Shelter
President Clinton to Headline McLean Event to Buoy Dems in Virginia Senate
With neighbors of the Dulin Church present in a show of force opposing the church’s request to locate an emergency overflow homeless shelter on its premises, the consensus expressed at the Falls Church City Council during its public work session Monday Night indicated it will move to deny the request.
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, no less, in his only election-campaign related appearance this fall, is coming to McLean on Oct. 28 to headline a fundraising event to help Democrats retain their slim 22-18 margin in the Virginia State Senate through this November’s election.
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Sweet Tart was fostered and then adopted by her family at the beginning of lockdown. She’s three years old and her favorite activities include sleeping, napping and dozing. Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! Send in your Critter Corner submissions to crittercorner@fcnp.com.
WWW.FCNP.COM
A NATIVE OF WISCONSIN, Anne has only lived in Falls Church for a little over a year. Anne is working towards becoming an occupational therapist. When asked how she likes the city she replied, “I love Falls Church and the walkability of it. It’s a very welcoming city.” .(P����: J. M������ W�����/JM������W�����.���)
OCTOBER 7 - 13 , 2021 | PAGE 23
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Fa l l s C h u r c h
Business News & Notes Dominion Jewelers - Washington Business Journal Small Biz Spotlight This weeks’ issue of the WBJ highlights one of Falls Church’s gems, Dominion Jewelers. Readers learn about the 30-year history of the family-owned jewelers and the effect of the pandemic on a business that can’t go virtual. Their pivot includes an interesting caveat: they have embraced innovation and now accept a new currency, bitcoin. In the attempt to keep a safe environment, customers must still make appointments, though some can be managed via Zoom. They continue to produce custom pieces and like so many businesses, they need to hire more sales staff. Visit www.dominionjewelers.com.
USPS Launches Pilot Program that Includes Falls Church The U.S. Postal Service has begun offering paycheck-cashing services, testing a plan to offer options for low-wage and underserved Americans to access their money more easily. Customers in Falls Church, Washington, Baltimore, and the Bronx can now redeem their paychecks under $500 for VISA gift cards — not cash — for a $5.90 flat fee. Additional pilot expansions are under consideration for more financial products such as bill payment and ATMs. Check www.usps.com for more information.
Development in Falls Church – Take a Peek at a Mixed-Use Proposal Atlantic Realty Companies has great plans for the mixed-use complex, known as One City Center, to include 246 residential units, office space, retail, and a grocery store. Andrew Painter, an attorney representing the developer, envisions this as a “downtown vibrant hub.” This will require some demolition to make way for additional parking and to create a pedestrian-friendly street with an exterior screen and many more features. The plan is working with city officials and will seek approval from the city council process in February 2022. Falls Church City is also working with a consultant on a roundabout design which Atlantic Realty supports and may be included as a concession.
Family Fun Night is Back! Join the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce for an evening of fun and networking at Jefferson Falls Mini Golf Course. It’s a great opportunity to bond with families, neighbors, friends, and colleagues! In addition to mini golf there will be a picnic dinner from Lost Dog Cafe, a fire pit from Sislers Stone, a fire truck provided by the Falls Church Volunteer Fire Department for the kids to investigate, family corn hole, dessert from Nothing Bundt Cakes, and a Puppy Meet ‘n Greet area with some puppies and dogs from Lost Dog & Cat Rescue! See the ad elsewhere in this edition of the paper or go online to www.fallschurchchamber.org and click on the event link to register. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door, and $10 for children ages 2-5.
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Spirits of Giving to Benefit The Arc The Arc of Northern Virginia is holding “Spirits of Giving” on Saturday, October 16 from 3 to 6 pm at the Falls Church Distillers. This fun afternoon celebrates the craft of the local distiller AND benefits the mission of supporting those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Join them for this private event, where you’ll enjoy a variety of heavy hors d’oeuvres, live music, and one complimentary cocktail of your choice. Or choose The Distiller’s Experience, which adds a special behind-the-scenes tour of the distillation process and taste a pre-release seasonal or future whiskey aging on the premises. Details at: thearcofnova.org/spiritsofgiving.
Home Run for the Homeless 5k this Saturday Announcing the 4th annual 5k run, Home Run for the Homeless, presented by three local nonprofit organizations: Homestretch of Falls Church, Bridges to Independence and Community Lodgings. All three provide housing, employment and childcare services to homeless parents and their children in Northern Virginia. The race begins at 9 a.m. this Saturday, October 9 at Bluemont Park, 325 Manchester Street, Arlington, VA 22203. After registering at https://tinyurl.com/homerunforthehomeless , click the link on the confirmation page to raise funds (by way of your friends) for Home Run’s beneficiaries. For more information, contact Mark Riley, rilesm@verizon.net Business News & Notes is compiled by Elise Neil Bengtson, Executive Director of the Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce. She may be emailed at elise@fallschcurchchamber.org.
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For FREE Medicare Supplement information from Physicians Life Insurance Company, call:
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We are not connected with, nor endorsed by, the U.S. Government or the Federal Medicare Program. I understand I have no obligation. This is a solicitation of insurance. A licensed agent/producer may contact you. (MD, VA: These policies are available to people under age 65 eligible for Medicare due to a disability). (VA: For a complete description of policy exclusions, limitations, and costs or other coverage details, please contact your insurance agent or the company). Policy form number L030, L035, L036, L037, L038, F001, F002 (OK: L030OK, L035OK, L036OK, L037OK, L038OK; TN: L030TN, L035TN, L036TN, L037TN; L038TN, F001TN, F002TN; L030VA, L035VA, L036VA, L037VA, L038VA).
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PAGE 24 | OCTOBER 7 - 13 , 2021
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
FALL IS IN THE AIR
- Top Left: FOR SALE - 212 E Jefferson St, Falls Church City - Burst Open Sun 2-4 Top Right: FOR SALE - 105 W Annandale Rd, Falls Church City Bottom Left: FOR SALE - 310 N Oak St, Falls Church City
3
Bottom Right: JUST SOLD - 605 Knollwood Dr, Falls Church City
For Sale in McLean!
ROCK STAR Realty ... ROCK STAR Service
FOR SALE!
FOR SALE!
Open Sun 2-4
$1,750,000
Stunning and light-filled Georgian home available in the desirable Prospect Hills neighborhood of McLean! Situated on 1.8 acres of land, and modeled after the Shirley Family Estate, this custom 3-side brick home is truly unique and waiting for you to call it home. The main floor features crown moulding and hardwoods throughout as well as a formal living room with gas fireplace, library with gas fireplace, formal dining room, powder room, family room, great room with wood-burning fireplace, and gourmet kitchen with quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances. Access the back patio with relaxing water feature, pergola and outdoor kitchen from multiple locations on the first floor. All 4 bedrooms with private attached baths are located upstairs. The primary suite has a private balcony, sitting area, two walk-in closets and a recently updated attached full bath. A bonus room, office and laundry are also located on the upper level. The finished lower level features a game room, wet bar, media room, workshop/ exercise room, storage room as well as a full bath and walk-out to the garden terrace Priced at $2,099,000.
Top left - Jefferson $1,750,000 Top Right - Annandale $750,000 Bottom Left - Oak $895,000
TM
$750,000 105 W Annandale Rd, Falls Church City Steps to Shopping & Dining
5 Bedroooms
Historic Gardens
3 Bedrooms
3.5 Bathrooms
Tree-top Owner's Oasis
2 Full & 2 Half Bathrooms
FOR SALE!
Renovated Kitchen & New Hardwood Floors
JUST SOLD!
$895,000 310 N Oak St , Falls Church City 4 Bedrooms
Renovated Kitchen
2.5 Bathrooms
New Stone Patio perfect for entertaining!
SOLD IN 1 DAY 605 Knollwood Dr, Falls Church City
CALL 703-867-TORI
Tori@ROCKSTARRealtyGroup.com ROCKSTARRealtyGroup.com 2111 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201
105 W Annandale has a new photo attached that should work better so it can be horizontal if possible like the others And, for the bottom left, let's say SOLD IN 1 DAY! above the address in the gray bar you add under the photo.
REALTOR®
EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY
© 2021 Tori McKinney, LLC
