Fa lls Chur c h, V i r g i ni a • ww w. fc np. c om • Fr ee
November 16 - 22, 2023 Fou n d e d 1991 • V ol. X X XIII No. 40
The City of Falls Church’s Independent, Locally-Owned Newspaper of Record, Serving N. Virginia
New Lower Speed Limits In F.C. Go Into Effect
‘LARAMIE PROJECT’ POWER
‘20 Is Plenty’ Campaign Now Underway in Neighborhoods by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
City of Falls Church officials were set to unveil a 20 mph sign to launch the “20 is Plenty” pedestrian safety and speed reduction campaign this morning (Nov. 16). An event to mark the start of the campaign was slated to be held at 11:00 a.m. in front of the Community Center. Speakers were due to include City staff, police, and members of the F.C. City Council and Citizens Advisory Committee on Transportation. This fall, many residential streets in the City of Falls Church will get new speed limit signs, lowering the limit to 20 miles per hour from 25 miles per hour. The City will be unveiling an education campaign, 20 is Plenty, to include yard signs, social media outreach, and more.
Continued on Page 3
MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL’S powerful production of The Laramie Project cut right to the heart of the issue of LGBTQ hate and discrimination last weekend. See review and more on Page 10. (News-Press Photo)
New West End Senior Living Deal Announced
by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
This week, Hoffman and
2023 Holiday Arts Associates, the nationally-recognized leader in mixed-use and & Entertainment residential development that is the prime developer of the 10 acre site at Falls Church’s West Guide
See Pages 9-21
End, announced an arrangement struck with Experience Senior Living, a full-service, vertically integrated senior living owner, developer and operator. They jointly announced a 200+ unit, 15-story senior living community at West Falls, that will be called The Reserve at Falls Church. The senior living community in West Falls, within the 10-acre
mixed-use, transit-oriented project expanding the vibrant community in Falls Church, will include independent living, assisted living and memory care, according to a statement from the team. Experience Senior Living (ESL) designs senior living communities with purpose and with a focus on holistic wellness. The community will feature unsurpassed amenities including a tranquil spa with a saltwater pool and fitness center. Additionally, The Reserve will offer multiple on-site restaurants, a sky bar, maker space for artistic endeavors, concierge
floors, and electric vehicle transportation services. “Experience Senior Living is excited to become a part of West Falls. Our mission is for everyone who experiences The Reserve at Falls Church to feel a deep sense of connection and purpose through community,” said Phill Barklow, president of ESL. “Our residents will have unprecedented access to our most distinguished brand in a thriving community environment with activated green space, retail and entertainment at their doorstep.” He added, “Hoffman and Associates, the developer of West Falls, has created and
executed on something truly unique, and we are thankful for the opportunity to join in bringing their vision to reality.” West Falls is the largest mixed-use development in the history of the Falls Church that is now well into construction and includes a large medical building facing right onto Route 7. The 10-acre projects will serve as a gateway to Falls Church and a gathering place. The neighborhood will include apartments, condominiums, senior living, retail, hotel and a medical office building, along with a central
Continued on Page 4
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A resolution to adopt a Community Energy Action Plan that was months in the making passed by a 4-2 vote Monday night, as last minute objections to a section that promotes higher density in the inner City to permit much greater environmental benefits to a wider contiguous area were aired by Mayor Davisd Tarter and Councilman David Snyder, The Section 4.2 of the plan mentions the promotion of smaller backyard Accessory Dwelling Units, or “in-law apartments.” Despite “no” votes from Tarter and Snyder, the plan was adopted by a 4-2 vote (Hiscott absent).
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A 10,000 square foot upscale steak house is coming to the City of Falls Church next year, Becky Witsman of the City’s Economic Development Office reported in a meeting of the City’s Economic Development Authority Tuesday. GrillMarx Steakhouse and Raw Bar will be located on the ground floor of the 455 Tinner Hill mixed-use building on S. Maple, and will fully utilize the outdoor area and all the building’s end-cap interior space, including mezzanine. It will seat 180. The steakhouse already has three operating locations in Maryland, in College Park, Olney and Columbia. The ownership group is partnering with the owner of the 455 Tinner Hill building on this venture and the deal is 98 percent done, according to Witsman. A premium dining operation, the restaurant bills itself as “one step below Ruth’s Chris and three steps above Outback.” “Tons of credit to the City’s Economic Development Office staff for persistently and patiently pitching this ground-floor space to the market for several years,” F.C. Councilman Phil Duncan, who chairs the City Council’s Economic Development Committee, said. “We welcome the GrillMarx partners to the City’s ever-growing dining scene, which now includes more than 160 restaurants offering a variety of cuisines at a range of price points.” Witsman also noted that the former Target site at the other end of the same building is also showing considerable potential and an announcement on that space is expected by February.
Tarter, Snyder Vote Against Adoption of F.C. Energy Plan
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According to Falls Church Voter Registrar David Bjerke, the final official tally from the Nov. 7 election showed no change in winners from what was reported. “I want to note that, after accounting for provisional ballots and voters who were inactive but are now active voters, our total Active voters for the City on Nov 7th was 10,315. With 5,263 ballots cast, we had an Active Turnout of 51 percent,” he said. “The Final Results include a few corrections. 83 provisional ballots were accepted out of 86 cast. 47 bymail ballots were received between polls close and noon
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
on Monday. The Electoral Board and I would like to congratulate all of the candidates for their willingness to serve our community.” Bjerke confirmed that Erin Flynn, Justine Underhilld and Letty Hardi were elected to the F.C. City Council and Bethany Henderson, Jerrod Anderson and Amie Murphy were elected to the School Board.
N. Va. Home Sales Down Slightly for October: NVAR Northern Virginia home sales declined only 5.6 percent while prices rose 3.1 percent from the previous October, showing more moderation than recent months, reported the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors. “We saw a few promising signs in October. Declines in home sales were less dramatic this past month while supply grew, inching closer to the five-year average. This means that homebuyers had more choices than a year ago. If mortgage rates dip, we will likely see more activity since buyers and sellers have both been waiting for better rates,” explained NVAR Board Member Arshia Kia with KW Metro Center. The month’s supply of inventory for October 2023 was 1.23 months, up three percent from October 2022 but down from the five-year average of 1.3 months of inventory. October’s inventory figures were slightly higher than September’s 1.22 month’s supply of inventory. Tight supply meant that houses were snatched up quickly. The average days on the market in October 2023 was 17 days, down 32 percent from October 2022, but unchanged from September 2023. With few options, median sold prices continued to increase but at a slower clip than in recent months. October’s median sold prices rose 3.1 percent compared to a year ago, reaching $670,000. This was also 3.1 percent higher than September 2023 when median home prices were $650,000.
Road Closures Announced for F.C. This Sunday, Nov. 19 On Sunday, November 19, a number of road closures and parking restrictions will be in place for a charity race. From 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., the streets noted below will be closed and parking will not be permitted. The closures are as follows: N. Maple Ave between Great Falls St. and W. Columbia St.; N. Maple Ave between W. Columbia St and W. Jefferson; W. Jefferson St between N. Maple Ave and Little Falls St.; Little Falls St. between W. Columbia St and N. Four Mile Run Dr.; Great Falls St between Pennsylvania Ave and Lincoln Ave.; N. Oak St. between Fulton Ave and Lincoln Ave.; N. Spring St between Fulton Ave and Lincoln Ave.; N. West St between Park Ave and Lincoln Ave.; Grove Ave between N. West St and Chestnut St. The above streets and designated blocks will be closed for the duration of the race. The City of Falls Church Police Department appreciates the public’s cooperation with the road closures, helping to ensure the safety of the race participants and volunteers. Roads will reopen at approximately 9:30 a.m.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
New Lower Speed Limits Are Effective This Week
Continued from Page 1
The effort, developed by the City Council in conjunction with city staff, is designed to support walkability and pedestrian safety, according to a city statement. “A speed reduction to 20 mph has life-changing results for pedestrians. Crash data has shown there is a significant improvement in pedestrian survivability in the event of a crash when drivers are traveling at 20 mph as opposed to 25 mph. Also, traveling at higher speeds narrows your field of vision as you drive, making it more difficult to see and react
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703-550-0055
to people in the roadway,” a city statement said. The new 20 mph speed limits legally go into effect on each street when the existing speed limit signs are replaced. Residents can pick up a free yard sign to show support of “20 is Plenty” and to encourage safe driving in City neighborhoods. Signs are available at the City Hall Permits Counter (East Wing, 1st Floor) during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. — 5 p.m. Residents can also access a #20IsPlenty toolkit with social media graphics, wording for neighborhood newsletters, and a flier, available on the City’s website.
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The SMILE you want. The attention you deserve. Currently accepting new patients AT A RECEPTION HOSTED by the Falls Church City Council Monday at City Hall honoring regional elected officials who are leaving office at the end of this year, shown here are State Sen,. Richard Saslaw chatting with F.C. Vice Mayor Letty Hardi, and F.C. Council member-elect Erin Flynn talking with Fairfax County Supervisor John Foust. F.C. City Council proclamations recognizing contributions were presented at the Council meeting about Saslaw, Fairfax Supervisor Penny Gross, Foust, and Arlington’s Christian Dorsey and Katie Cristol. Other proclamations recognized Christopher Fay, outgoing CEO of Homestretch, Inc., November as Native American Heritage Month, this week as Transgender Awareness Week and Nov. 20 as Transgender Day of Remembrance, and November as “Live Local’ Month. (News-Press photo)
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Plans Announced for ‘The Reserve’ Senior Living at West End
Continued from Page 1
18,000-square-foot outdoor community gathering space. West Falls will include a mix of local and national retailers, including community-serving cultural spaces, personal care and fitness concepts as well as neighborhood shopping and dining offerings, entertainment concepts and a daycare. “Our team at Hoffman and Associates is proud to be working with such an accomplished partner to enhance this vibrant community and deliver a residence that will have a meaningful and lasting impact. We look forward to working closely with Experience Senior Living to bring the highest level of quality, care and experience to residents at West Falls,” said Jon McAvoy, Chief Investment Officer of Hoffman and Associates. Experience Senior Living is a full-service, vertically integrated owner, developer and operator of active adult, independent living, assisted living, and memory care communities.
It reimagines senior housing by leveraging vast experience to seamlessly integrate strategic, operational and human-centered aspirations, a company statement contends. “We translate those experiences to create new and inspiring models of care focused on hospitality, responsive to residents’ needs and centered around holistic wellness and engagement with a broader community.’ Experience Senior Living is based in Denver, with communities operating or under development in seven states: Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, and Washington. Likewise, Hoffman and Associates is a nationally recognized leader in both residential and mixeduse development across the MidAtlantic and Southeast. Since its founding in 1993. “It has developed over 75 mixed-use, residential, office and retail projects with an unwavering commitment to sustainable and innovative development that puts community first, its promotional materials state. Hoffman and Associates “is an
industry leader in creating inclusive communities that bring people together and enhance the way we socialize, work and live. The company has developments throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Northern Virginia, Richmond, VA, Charlotte, NC and Raleigh, NC, with a portfolio totaling over $6 billion. Hoffman and Associates is also the managing member of HoffmanMadison Waterfront in Washington, D.C., a joint venture with Madison Marquette, which developed The Wharf, a $3.6 billion, 3.5 millionsquare-foot neighborhood along Washington, D.C.‘s waterfront. Other large-scale, neighborhood developments include Seaboard Station, West Falls, Parcel B at Audi Field and Union West. Hoffman and Associates’ current residential portfolio includes Waterfront Station II, 4600 Fairfax Drive, Amaris, VIO, The Bower, 525 Water, The Tides, The Banks, The Channel and Incanto. Hoffman & Associates has offices in Washington, D.C. and Raleigh, North Carolina. Falls Church’s ambitious West
Falls project is a 10-acre community that will offer modern condominium residences, apartments and senior living, lively shopping and dining destinations, active outdoor spaces, a wellness-focused medical office, a hotel, and more. The community promises an unparalleled connectivity, with easy access for pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as proximity to
the West Falls Church Metro and major thoroughfares such as I-495, the Dulles Toll Road, and I-66. At the center of West Falls is The Commons, a central outdoor space that features lively greenery, ample seating, flexible spaces with moveable furniture, fire pits, a fountain, and more, making it a perfect setting for events and gatherings.
Rendering of Project New Senior Living Project, The Reserve.
F.C. $8 Million Ahead With Sale of HITT, Va. Tech Site
The sale of the Virginia Tech 7.41 acre site (7054 Haycock Road) was completed last week. The City and Virginia Tech sold the site to Converge West Falls LLC, with the City’s share of the sale proceeds being $8,429,000. The City Council approved the sale of the site and set the terms in August 2022 after a series of public meetings on the subject. The Converge West Falls LLC
site is immediately adjacent to the West Falls project and will include: A new corporate headquarters for HITT Contracting in a solar-powered, net-zero emissions building. the Virginia Tech National Coalition for Smart Construction – a lab space for emerging techniques and materials in the construction field, residential apartments with ground
floor retail, and the extension of West Falls Station Boulevard through the site. “This closing marks an important milestone in a decade-long planning effort initiated by the City of Falls Church,” said Falls Church Mayor David Tarter. “We are excited about having the national headquarters of HITT Contracting and the Virginia Tech Coalition for Smart Construction
as neighbors to our West Falls project.” In 2014, the City boundary line was adjusted with Fairfax County, bringing the George Mason High School campus into the City limits. The F.C. School Board supported the concept of contributing 10 acres of its property for commercial development to help finance the new Meridian High School.
As a first step in planning the school site, the City invited Fairfax County, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, and WMATA to join in planning a more vibrant, environmentally sustainable, walkable, and transitoriented future on their sites. They responded with plans that complement the City’s West Falls project and will enjoy regional and statewide significance.
Thank you!
To all the voters of Falls Church City and the Greater Falls Church Community I want to relay my heartfelt thanks for your support during the campaign. It is indeed humbling to me that so many were willing to support a third-party candidate. I also think it is extremely noteworthy that while statewide we saw a lot of vitriol and personal attacks from campaigns, here in our community there was none of that. Just friends and neighbors running on the merits of individual positions and goals. I wish our newly elected Officials all the best at the City, County, and State Levels.
A hot bowl of pho at Eden Center. Voted best shopping center in the DMV!
Thank you all again for the trust as this was a huge step forward for the Libertarian movement here in Northern Virginia and I am indebted to each of you. Yours in Peace, Love, & Liberty, Dave Crance (L)
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
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Youngkin’s Losing ‘Compromise’ Falls Church Mother Presents Was Similar to Solomon’s Test Self-Written Book on Children as Leaders Nicholas F. Benton FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
It is a true revelation, as yet considerably underappreciated, to discover that the essence of Trump’s hold on such a large segment of the U.S. adult population comes from a gut level, existential fear of him from his middle aged straight white male supporters, who react to him as mental and emotional children faced with a terrifying schoolyard bully. The key to undoing him, therefore, does not lie in any rational undertaking, but in the deprogramming of institutional cowardice within this so-called base. Citing his legal high crimes and other indiscretions does no good in this regard, they will only reinforce his hold on them as a bad person and threat to them. In this context, Trump gets added support from three added components to this equation. First, there are the selfish self-interested creeps of greed-obsessed capital who see no problem if they raid, dismantle and destroy anything in their path, including democracy, to extract a few bucks and temporal hedonistic jollies. Second, there are the elite among cowards, those of the political world who have their pants down, virtually, and butts extended to acquiesce to whatever perceived “orders” come from the baddest kid on the playground. Third, there are the sworn enemies of American democracy, the foreign powers of Russia and China and their junior partners Iran and North Korea. These entities use their superior profiling and related propaganda and mind-bending techniques to influence the Trump population by feeding their paranoia and fear. In particular it has been the Russians, with their self-estimated great superiority in matters of human cognition and its influencers, who have spent decades mastering and executing mind-bending techniques, the U.S. population being major guinea pigs, that are the biggest players in this field. They’ve been assisted in the Trump era by their effective agents of influence in high places, including Steve Bannon, Paul Manifort, Steve Miller, Rand Paul, the rag-tag gang of Trump
influencers in Congress, and of course, Trump, himself, Putin counted on a second Trump term to fully carry out his plans for the undoing of NATO with his agent in the White House, but he instead was forced to resort to a messy invasion of Ukraine and now the unleashing of Hamas terrorists to deflect attention away from Ukraine. Make no mistake, the Trump game plan for holding onto the White House despite losing the 2020 election came directly from Moscow, even up to this very day. Putin fully intends to succeed in placing Trump back into the White House next year, and with that, the long-aspired fall of NATO and Europe. The combination of brainwashed straight white males resorting more and more to violence and hate crimes, greed-obsessed and anti-democratic business elements. spineless, amoral sycophants in the U.S. Congress and major news media and a full-court press from Moscow’s psychological warfare operations aimed at calling into question the very existence of truth, is and will prove, indeed, very tough to beat. The major media is doing its part by burying these connections in its ongoing coverage, which only adds to Trump’s viability in the eyes of his base. So, wherein does our hope lie? It falls squarely on the shoulders of our nation’s women, who have been the only potent force since Trump was first installed in January 2017, who brought out millions to protest his inauguration. It is amazing to me how few men in high places appreciate this, except to refer to women (“suburban women,” no less) as just one element of a wider constituency that otherwise includes the leadership of mostly white men. But the abject failure of Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin in the state’s midterm elections this month (Democrats won control of both houses) was due to his deluded notion that extending an abortion limit to 15 weeks constituted a “winning compromise.’ Solomon in the Old Testament learned the truth about the proper mother of a child by promoting a compromise of cutting the child in half and giving half to each. The real mother, of course, said no, because the life of the child was more important. Slicing up a woman’s control of her body, as Youngkin proposed, was similar.
by Patricia Leslie
A Falls Church mother of two boys in city schools presented her new book about enabling children to flourish as leaders which she presented Nov. 8 at a joint meeting of the PTAs at Meridian High, Mary Ellen Henderson Middle and Falls Church City Elementary schools. Autumn Swain’s first and only book (another one is in the works) is titled “The Playground Leader: Life-Changing ABC’s for the Whole Family” which grew from her passion and experience working with youths at a non-profit organization. Why wait for children to grow up when all their talents and abilities could benefit the world now, she asks. Swain said one-third of today’s global population is under 20 years old. Imagine harvesting their energies, talents and curiosities to use today and visualize the increase in well being and hope. “They can be leaders for today, not just tomorrow,” Swain said. Young people show they can lead, in spite of subconscious signals they are not qualified. “Some of our greatest hope is found in our young; it’s where the most untapped potential lies” and where “making the world a better place exists.” Show your children real life examples and ask them questions instead of telling them what to do. Greater success results when they help with answers. By integrating a plan for your children, instead of telling them tasks to do after school, she herself found success with her boys by posting chores on the refrigerator. It’s not only the young who can benefit from her strategies. Adults can find answers to realizing their own goals by finding the time to do all those things they’ve thought about for so long. The time to begin is now. In her talk Swain said it is possible to do what you want to do by being flexible and changing your life a little bit. She cited a recent personal example of trying to find more time to read and exercise. Because her husband was out
AUTUMN SWAIN (RIGHT) spoke about her new book “The Playground Leader” at the joint FCCPS PTA meeting on November 8, while also taking time to sign them. (Photo: Patricia Leslie) of town for several days, she was not able to go to the gym as often as she liked but she can take a walk and listen to audiobooks. She said it’s important to do something you enjoy or you won’t want to continue it. How can anyone pursue balance in life when we’re all so busy? Life can be overwhelming. It happens and it’s always happening, she said, but it’s important to recognize life’s social, mental, physical, spiritual and economic aspects and keep them aligned for when one goes out of balance, the other areas will be impacted. Concentrate on the area you think needs the most attention. Do what you know you can keep doing and be flexible when you
know you have to be. Accept change. “We want our kids to be flexible,” Swain said, and we want to be flexible, too.” She quotes Mother Teresa in her book: “None of us including me ever do great things but we can do small things with great love and together do something wonderful.” Before Swain talked, Tara Villano, Meridian’s PTSA president, introduced David Jeck, the new interim head of secondary schools for Falls Church who briefly addressed the groups who met at Meridian. Swain said she wrote her book “to make a difference.” It’s for sale on Amazon in paperback, audio, and Kindle formats.
PAGE 6 | NOVEMBER 16 - 22, 2023
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E ditorial
E D I TO R I A L
Awesome Data on City & School Growth
The news was grand as presented by Falls Church City Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan at the School Board meeting Tuesday. Buried amid swarms of small print data was the unmistakable news that the City has its aggressive growth under control, that there will be no shortages of facilities or resources moving forward at the schools or for vital services. The one intangible is the challenge of finding talent to fill the jobs that are open here, and that’s certainly a factor not unique to Falls Church, the Northern Virginia region or nation. Yes, there will be lots of new people in town as residential projects now under construction come to completion next year. In addition to what we already have, there will be 247 new condominiums and 400 apartments coming online in the West End project, 339 new apartments at the Broad and Washington project and 280 new apartments at the Founders Row 2 at W. Broad and S. West Street. But this is coupled with a dramatic decline, for better or worse, in the birthrates of the region, down 17 percent in Fairfax and 23 percent in Arlington. The data also shows that it is not the new large scale mixed use projects that are causing population growth problems in the Little City. Tracked over a decade, the demonstrable bulk of students still come from the City’s single family detached homes, by a margin of 2,343 to 983 students in the Falls Church Public Schools. It is not new mixed use projects, but the ongoing process of teardown and expansion of single detached homes here that is by far the driver of student growth, and 62 percent of students come from the single detached family home category, compared to only nine percent from newer mixed use apartments. In a statement to the News-Press yesterday, Council member Marybeth Connelly stated, “The City’s Vision statement highlights the importance of a growing population. Falls Church is ready for growth because the whole City, general government and school leadership, has been making the right moves for nearly 20 years. We’ve expanded all of the school facilities. We are in the midst of a multi-year plan to bring in mixed use buildings that provide great places for people to live, space for desired businesses, along with substantial tax contributions. Our City is better than it was 20 years ago thanks to many visionary leaders and it will keep getting better into the future because we are successfully enacting this visionary plan.” The related element of this is the prospect for significant and permanent reductions in the real estate tax rate that we can expect in the immediate future. To the extent there is push-back against this remarkable record of expansion and wealth, it is doomed to rely on cooked numbers and unfounded fears. We are not yet a community driven totally by rationality and the benefits of progress we can shape for ourselves, but we’re getting there.
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L etter to E ditor
Net Zero Emissions Target Editor,
On Monday night the City Council voted unanimously to adopt a new greenhouse gas emissions reduction target for the city, of Net Zero emissions by 2050. This matches the goals set by our neighbors in Fairfax and Arlington, as well as
the 2050 target of the Paris Climate Accords. Personally, I’m proud of the leadership from our city council and staff, especially Interim Deputy City Manager & Environmental Sustainability Coordinator Andy Young. I’m glad I live in a city that values being a leader in climate action. Now comes the real work of actually meeting our goals. Joseph Schiarizzi
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
A Penny for Your Thoughts
News of Greater Falls Church By Supervisor Penny Gross
The Virginia elections are done for this year, and newly elected candidates must now prepare for the tough job of governing. Most will find that their new job is hard work; it’s not glamorous, it’s not headlines, it’s just a lot of work to address constituent issues and move the Commonwealth and its local jurisdictions forward. There were 398 Board of Supervisor seats on the ballot in 2023; 10 of those were in Fairfax County, where eight incumbents were re-elected, and two new members, Andres Jimenez and James Bierman, will represent Mason and Dranesville Districts, respectively. All 95 Virginia counties had seats up for election; 241 incumbents won re-election and 42 incumbents lost. Write-in candidates won in Greene, King and Queen, and King William counties. Winners included 190 Independents (many county candidates do not run with a party identification); 155 Republicans, and 51 Democrats. By percentage, the turnover in the Virginia General Assembly was the largest in memory. A third (34 members) of the House of Delegates will be new. The Senate will have 17 new members, or nearly half of the chamber. Ten new Senate members had previous service in the House of
Delegates. The Senate remains under Democratic control (21 Democrats; 19 Republicans, and one race not yet called at press time), and the House flipped, narrowly (51 Democrats and 49 Republicans). Some shared leadership may be necessary to move legislation desired by either side. Local ballot questions also provide some insight into the mood of the electorate. Fairfax County’s $435 million school bond question passed with the usual percentage, more than 65 percent approving. Loudoun County voters overwhelmingly approved bond referenda totaling more than $578 million for schools, transportation, and public safety projects. In Gloucester County, however, a $39.6 million bond question for capital improvements — fire and rescue stations, schools, and parks — failed by more than 13 points. In other election results, parimutuel wagering failed in Manassas Park, and City of Richmond voters voted down, for the second time, authorization for casino gambling. One very unusual election question was on the ballot in the tiny Town of Hurt, in Pittsylvania County. Hurt has 1269 residents, and the ballot question asked the Virginia General Assembly to amend the Hurt Town Charter to reduce the
number of members on the Town Council from six to four. In the final count, 85 percent of the voters rejected the proposal. These and other election results were presented at the annual Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) Annual Conference in Bath County. It was the last VACo conference for some attendees, including me, because of retirements following long years of public service. VACo advocates on behalf of millions of Virginia residents in its 95 counties, and the annual conference is an opportunity for county officials to find that “sweet spot” that enables them to work together, regardless of urban, suburban, or rural makeup. County issues like public education, transportation, public safety, and mental health treatment largely are shared. Only the scale is different. Good stewardship of taxpayer dollars also is a shared responsibility, and many of the newly elected public officials will learn that sooner, rather than later.
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
CR IM E R E PORT Week of November 6 - 12, 2023 Destruction of Property, S Washington St, on November 3 and November 6, graffiti was reported to have occurred. Larceny from Building, W Broad St, between November 1 and November 6, an unknown suspect stole credit cards and cash from a wallet inside victim’s jacket. Simple Assault, Hillwood Ave, Nov 7, an unknown suspect assaulted an employee. The suspect is described as a male wearing a grey/black puffer coat, khaki pants, and brown boots. Identity Theft/Credit Card Fraud, Founders Ave, Nov 8, a known suspect utilized the victim’s identity to open a credit card and made fraudulent purchases. Stolen Automobile/Identity Theft, Hillwood Ave, Nov 8, victim reported an unknown suspect using a stolen identity to rent a vehicle that was never returned. The unknown suspect is described as a female. The stolen vehicle was later
recovered by Prince George Police Department. Shoplifting, W Broad St, Nov 9, an unknown suspect took items of value without paying. The suspect is described as a male wearing light colored pants and a black sweatshirt with “FOXTROT” printed in white. Stolen Automobile, Hillwood Ave, Nov 9, an unknown suspect stole a black Toyota XB. The vehicle was later recovered by the Metro Transit Police Department. Driving under the Influence/Unreasonable Refusal, S Washington St, Nov 11, a male was arrested for driving under the influence and unreasonable refusal. Driving under the Influence/No Valid OL, S Washington St, Nov 12, a male was arrested for driving under the influence and no valid operator’s license. Commercial Burglary/Destruction of Property, W Broad St, on November 11 and November 12, an unknown suspect forced entry to a door and took money from a cash box. Simple Assault, W Broad St, Nov 12, a victim was assaulted by a known suspect.
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Delegate Marcus Simon’s
Richmond Report Last week’s election brought a wave of change to the General Assembly. There are 34 new delegates-elect – 20 new Democrats and 14 new Republicans. With a new ruling Democratic majority of 51 to 49 in the House and 21 to 19 in the Senate. Let me take this opportunity to thank those who helped make this happen – my constituents and supporters. With all the 13th District ballots counted, I earned 82 percent of the vote in Falls Church. It’s clear I wouldn’t be where I am without you and I can’t express how honored I am to continue representing the Little City and the new 13th District. With City Councilmember retirements, including my good friend Phil Duncan, this paved the way for some new members of the Falls Church City Council. Letty Hardi handily won re-election and will now be working with the newest councilmembers, Justine Underhill and Erin Flynn. On the School Board, Jerrod Anderson won reelection and we can welcome Bethany Henderson and Amie Murphy as the newest members. I also want to congratulate our new state senator, Saddam Salim. He and his campaign team worked diligently to earn the votes and support of our mutual constituents this past year. And the winning doesn’t stop there. Congratulations to Andres Jiminez for winning the Mason District Supervisor race, Jimmy Bierman for the Dranesville District Supervisor race, and to Dalia Palchik for winning reelection as Providence District Supervisor. However, the biggest headline is that Democrats took control of the House of Delegates again with a slim majority of 51 to 49 AND we will have the first person of color ever to be Speaker of the House of Delegates. We also maintained control of the state Senate. This was a major rebuke to Governor Glenn Younkin and a setback for his presidential ambitions. Hopefully, he’ll be humbled by the result and step back from some of the incendiary actions he took during his early years, with executive orders establishing a teacher snitch line, and attempting to limit teaching of history under the guise of a ban on divisive concepts in the classroom. Virginians were clear that they trusted Democrats running for state legislative offices to protect their fundamen-
tal rights, including the right to access abortion as medical care. After two years of the Governor’s antics, I think parents in Virginia saw what the parents’ rights slogan meant to MAGA Republicans and realized it wasn’t what they had in mind when they heard that term. Voters chose candidates who promised to promote and protect public education and allow local school districts, with robust parental involvement, to make decisions about how to run schools in their communities. One of the most striking things about this year’s elections, some would call it eye-popping, was the amount of money spent. We saw multi-million-dollar campaigns waged on both sides for legislative seats of only about 80,000 constituents with about 25-30 thousand voters. The massive amount of campaign cash plus the time and effort required to raise it is becoming almost absurd. This election proved the most expensive yet in Virginia. In the final stretch to Election Day, Democrats outraised Republicans, particularly in the House races — $14.2 million compared to $8.4 million. Consequently, I think this is an area where both parties might be willing to take a fresh look at Virginia’s anything goes approach to campaign finance. With a divided Government with Democrats firmly in control of the legislature and a Republican Governor, the opportunities to pass transformative legislation on any topic will be limited for the next two years. One area that may be ripe for compromise though, given what we just witnessed in this year’s cycle, is the issue of Campaign Finance Reform. Even the mega-donors may be interested in being able to tighten up the purse strings, as long as the rules of the road apply to everyone the same way. Every year that I have been in office, I have introduced a form of campaign finance legislation, whether it’s to require independent audits, banning personal use of campaign funds, or strengthening our campaign ethics laws – just to name a few. The only thing different in 2024 is that this issue is one that can work within the confines of the new makeup of the General Assembly and with our current Governor. So, let’s see what we can do in 2024.
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Food For Neighbors Helps Local Schools in the Form of Red Bags by Kylee Toland
Falls Church News-Press
Local high schools in Falls Church saw red this Veteran’s Day weekend, but not in an angry way. On Saturday, November 11, Food for Neighbors (FFN) — a nonprofit organization focused on providing food support for students — held their Red Bag event at Luther Jackson Middle School. The event allows people to donate food and toiletries for local schools, in which this recent time helped students at Luther Jackson Middle School and Falls Church, Annandale and Justice high schools. “It is important that residents of the Falls Church area support FFN because our four pantries consistently run out of food each month; there is more demand than we currently can fulfill meaning we need more donors.,” the organization’s Falls Church area manager Paula Prettyman said. “I donate to FFN because it is really easy to make a big impact; five times a year my family purchases an additional grocery bag of food and leaves it out to be picked up on the scheduled Saturday morning.” Collections for the Red Bag program happen five times a year. Dur-
ing November 11th’s event in the Falls Church area, 28 drivers and their helpers collected 4,850 lbs of food and toiletries donated by 353 households, with 75 volunteers helping with the delivery of donations. Across Northern Virginia, 167 drivers and 800 volunteers collected, sorted and delivered 24,643 lbs of food and toiletries which will help students in 42 schools in Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun counties. “In addition to other wonderful community members, approximately 25 businesses, organizations, and other groups participated by providing food drives and/or hands-on support,” Prettyman said. Food for Neighbors began in 2016 after founder and executive director Karen Joseph was witnessing children asking for food and learning that the food insecurity rate was “extremely high” at Herndon Middle School where she was a ParentTeacher Association (PTA) president. As a “mom and parent,” Joseph said the Red Bag program was started by “rallying” her neighbors to give food to local middle and high school students in Herndon, which then eventually expanded to other local counties in Northern Virginia. “It empowers the local commu-
FOOD FOR NEIGHBORS HELD its 5th Red Bag event of the year at Luther Jackson Middle School where volunteers helped collect, sort and deliver necessary items for local students. (Photo: Kurt D’mello) nity to take care of the kids,” Joseph said. “I think once people know [about food insecurity] and become aware of that, they realize that there are organizations that they can participate with or donate to in order to help feed the teenagers.” The reason behind the Falls Church area hosting a Red Bag event was simply because “schools raise their hand” and ask for help, accord-
ing to FFN’s community liaison Renee Maxwell. “I love how [the Red Bag Program] is amazingly flexible because it allows us to address the schools that we’re partnering with,” Maxwell said. “It’s very easy for us to expand to new schools requesting support.” Maxwell, who also has been volunteering for FFN since 2016, said the program and event is a way
for community members of all ages and backgrounds to come together and help collect, sort and deliver necessary items for students. “It’s a wonderful, energetic event,” Maxwell said. “We couldn’t do it without the schools because it’s the social workers, counselors and parent liaisons who are identifying the students who need the most help.”
Veterans Day 2023 in Falls Church
Veterans Day in Falls Church began with the Falls Church City Ceremony hosted by the Greater Falls Church Veterans Council, followed by the annual Falls Church VFW Veterans Day open house. The News-Press thanks all veterans locally, regionally and nationally. (Photos by Dave Crance and Sally Cole)
The Falls Church City Ceremony hosted by the Greater Falls Church Veterans Council featured music from the Falls Church Concert Band, keynote speaker Lt. Col. William Schmittel, Esq., US Army retired, and a reading of the names of the city’s fallen Veterans by American Legion Post 130.
The F.C. VFW Veterans Day open house included the Voice of Democracy and Community Awards. Council Member Marybeth Connelly was recognized for her efforts to recognize the Fallen Veterans of the Vietnam Conflict that were GMHS alumni in addition to her work on the VFW Voice of Democracy Scholarships Program. Kush Desai of Marshall HS was recognized as this year’s VFW Voice of Democracy Scholarship winner. Local Thrift Falls Church was recognized for their support of the Veterans and the VFW through both sponsorship and assisting with donation processing.
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NOVEMBER 16 - 22, 2023 | PAGE 9
2023 Holiday Arts &
Entertainment Guide
Pages 9-21
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Statesmen Theatre’s Powerful Matthew Shepard Tribute
by Brian Reach
Falls Church News-Press
2023 EDITION! ALL-NEW HOLIDAY FUN!
DECEMBER
2, 9, & 10,
Last weekend, George C. Marshall High School’s Statesmen Theatre opened their 202324 season with The Laramie Project, which follows the community of Laramie, Wyoming after the murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay 21-year-old University of Wyoming student. The production marks the 25-year anniversary of the hate crime that claimed Shepard’s life. As a gay man who grew up in the 1990s, I was a bit skeptical that a high school theater production would be able to do justice to the impact Matthew Shepard’s murder had on the world. Shepard’s death took place just six months before the massacre at Columbine High School in Colorado ushered in an era of active shooter drills and ever-increasing gun violence in schools, and years before any current students were born. Would the significance of this hate crime — one that shocked a nation, and world, into speaking about homosexuals as people first — be fully conveyed? Bernie DeLeo, Marshall’s drama director, says he selected The Laramie Project as this year’s production in response to a surge in antiLGBTQ+ legislation and rhetoric in the politics of today. After 15 years of teaching middle and high school theater with Fairfax County Public Schools, this is his final season, and in his farewell statement he says “I have watched with frustration and anger the erasure of LGBTQ+ books, plays and rights happening across the country over the past years, and I decided to take a stand.” Despite record approval for LGBTQ+ rights, even within the Republican party, GOP politicians have flooded legislative dockets in 47 states with anti-LGBTQ+ bills that, largely, target schools — and in particular trans students. In 2021 a record 250 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced across state legislatures in the United States, followed by 315 in 2022 and over 500 so far in 2023. “The script is an examination of a tragedy that is 25 years old as of last month, and it is still sadly relevant in the current political climate,” DeLeo notes. Beginning just as Matthew Shepard is dis-
covered, tied to a split-rail fence and left to die after being brutally robbed, beaten, and tortured, The Laramie Project delves into the lives of the real people affected by the events in Laramie, Wyoming. Under the direction of DeLeo and co-director Olivia Tate, the cast and crew of Marshall High’s Statesmen Theatre delivered a moving and thought-provoking glimpse into a community that, reeling from the tragedy, is overwhelmed by media attention — and questioning how such a crime could happen there. “Live and let live,” a dictum repeated several times by characters describing a Laramie that, to them, could not possibly be home to a vicious hate crime, is systematically deconstructed as the truth comes out about the tragedy, and as Shepard eventually loses his six-day battle to survive. A refrain of “Laramie isn’t like that” is heard as community members process the tragedy aloud on stage — but, as they continue, it ultimately becomes clear that silence actively contributes to stigma, which leaves room for, if not encourages, hate capable of manifesting such a violent act. Eventually, the toxic nature of the taboo surrounding homosexuality results in the admission: “we’re exactly like that” — a message that transcends time and place, leaving a palpable feeling of somber self-reflection in the auditorium. Laramie could have been anywhere. Perhaps the most powerful moment of the production takes place during Shepard’s funeral, when members of the community created a wall of “angel wings” to block Westboro Baptist Church picketers and their signs. Over the course of the production, the commitment and talent of the student actors — each of whom transitioned between multiple roles throughout the production — resulted in a thought-provoking experience that moved the audience through feelings of sorrow, selfreflection, compassion, forgiveness, and ultimately hope. By bringing this production to stage, the Statesmen Theatre not only showed their talent for storytelling, but delivered to the community a timely message about the need to actively embrace diversity and compassion in the face of hate.
2023
LINCOLN THEATRE 1215 U ST NW TICKETS AT GMCW.ORG ASL TICKETS OR GROUPS OF 10 OR MORE, CALL 202-293-1548
ANGEL WINGS BLOCK the Westboro Baptist Church picketing of Matthew Shepard’s funeral in a powerful production by Marshall HS’s Statesmen Theatre. (Courtesy Photo)
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Creative Cauldron’s Pinocchio Brings Bold Showmanship
by Patricia Leslie
The talents of Creative Cauldron’s founder Laura Connors Hull and legendary crew members Matt Conner and Stephen Gregory Smith present bold showmanship and originality in their newest Cauldron production, “The Adventures of Pinocchio” and as it’s said in Spanish, “Las Aventuras de Pinocho.” With original music and lyrics by Conner and Smith, the young actors in the show (almost 40!) perform the oft told tale of Pinocchio whose “father” Gepetto (played by perennial Cauldron favorite, Gus Knapp) is a lonely old man who made a real boy out of a piece of wood. Creative’s version (with understandable Spanish spoken intermittently) begins with Pinocchio having a bad dream, chased by a shark with huge teeth! But his friends, the puppets on a nearby shelf, calm him down with stories of what he experienced to become “real.” Like (most) boys and girls, Pinocchio remembers he was not perfect and disobeyed his father from
time to time, going astray to seek adventure which he easily found! Along his meanderings, Pinocchio met all sorts of unsavory characters, like a sly fox (Zoe FolseSibert), a cat (Emerson Thiebert), “bad boys” (Alec Goldenberg, Henry Gill, Emre Silva, Emerson Kelleher, Miles Weiss), a snail (Diana Alison) and many others who try to trick him, the sorts of creatures we may run across in our own real lives as we grow up. Hanging around Pinocchio is a blue fairy (Lenny Mendez who also co-directs) in a beautiful gown with a magic wand who comes to his rescue whenever he lands in dire straits (often) and when he doesn’t tell the truth and his nose grows. Ouch! (Always tell the truth and mind your parents!) ‘Pinocchio’ ends happily, of course, when Gepetto and the wooden but real boy unite to live happily ever after. In Creative’s story, girls play both Pinocchio roles: June Tuss is the wooden Pinocchio and Marie Solander is the real boy. After the play ended and in a
short Q and A session, Tuss said the nose was hot to wear, but she had no trouble enlarging it in the show, the audience not even aware of her actions growing it, perhaps due to 15 rehearsals and James Morrison’s skilful lighting tricks. Many of the cast members serve dual roles, sometimes up to three, dancing, singing, and moving about in unison somehow on the small stage, soon to change once Creative Cauldron moves to its new home next year. (Theatre lovers are invited to make donations.) Other actors in “Pinocchio” are Andrea Valenzuela, Sophie Silva, Emma Howell, Bibi Barba, Hannah Courtney, Ava Bitici, Peyton Beauchemin, Don Juan, Syra Shah, Isla Bitici, Sasha Courtney, Sarah O’Halloran, Ella Harvey, Lillian Henderson, Allison Harman, Whit Jenkins, and Cora Brock. The theater’s Margie Jervis designed the sets and costumes, the apparel, worthy of an exhibition themselves and none alike! Adorable with wigs in all colors, sprouted hats (some with a springboard), brightly colored scarves,
ruffles, yellow pants, a green skirt, flowers and more to suit weasels (Isabella Silverman, Kelso Hunt and Aida Gibson), a crow (Madeline Varho), and a donkey (Arthur Bitici), among many of the characters. Nicholas J Goodman is stage manager. The Bitici Group at Keller Williams and Zoya’s Atelier are major sponsors. Creative’s “Pinocchio” is sure to delight all ages, especially youngsters who can never see or hear enough favorite stories. This is the last season for Creative Cauldron at Pearson Square since it’s
going to a new 5000 square-foot space, but it needs money to make the move. Like $150,000 this year! (Where is that blue fairy?) To contribute to the theatre’s new venue, visit creativecauldron.org. “Pinocchio” is staged Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m., and Sunday at 4 p.m. through Nov.19. Students, $18; adults, $20; family 4-packs, $65 (use code 4PK). Discounts for groups of 10 and more. Duration is about 90 minutes without intermission. 410 South Maple Ave., Retail 116, 703436-9948.
JUNE TUSS (Pinocchio Puppet), Andrea Valenzuela, Sophie Silva, Emma Howell, Bebe Barba, Hanna Courtney, Ava Bitici, Peyton Beauchemin, Syra Shah, Isla Bitici, Sasha Courtney, and Sarah O’Halloran (Puppet Ensemble) (Photo: William T. Gallagher Photography)
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'Annie' Recalls Musical, Comic Strip at Falls Church by Mark Dreisonstok
“Little Orphan Annie” began in 1924 as a comic strip and, a decade later, emerged as a radio serial. The comic strip and particularly the radio series presented young Annie having exotic adventures— trekking to a hidden jungle temple or visiting an island lagoon threatened by pirates. Accompanied by her faithful dog Sandy, her trademark exclamation was “leapin’ lizards!” In 1976, her story was transformed into an award-winning musical, “Annie,” which remains popular today in both stage and movie versions. The current production by Falls Church High School’s Spotlight Theater Company will please those with fond memories of both the Broadway musical and the “Annie” films, while also cleverly acknowledging Annie’s comic-strip origins. The story, set in the 1930s, opens with eleven-year-old Annie in an orphanage run by the cruel Miss Hannigan. Annie escapes to look for her missing parents, meeting the dog Sandy (arf!) along the way. She also meets the fabulously wealthy Oliver Warbucks and other friends who introduce her to a kinder world than the one she left behind…though she must still evade unscrupulous people wishing to take advantage of her, such as the villainous Rooster and his girlfriend Lily St. Regis. Ellie Whitfield plays Annie, capturing both the look and the mannerisms of her character marvelously. Her rendition of “Tomorrow” is both touching and memorable. She is later accompanied by a talented ensemble (consisting of “orphans” Addie Whitfield, Delaney Quinn, Viv Anaribas Flores, Sydney Glenn, Leslie Fon, Ellie Child, Nadia Shutov, and Olivia Arnella) for an engaging and boisterous “It’s the Hard Knock Life.” Colt Armstrong performs the part of Oliver Warbucks in full voice; his singing part in “N.Y.C.” is a standout. Quinn Lopez is a perfect Miss Hannigan, channeling a 1930’s-style New York City accent and suavely singing the cynical “Little Girls” with a Kurt Weil-style musical backing. Lam Vu as Rooster and Dara Kearney as Lily add to the spirit of the proceedings as they seek to glide through life smoothly (and unethically) on “Easy Street.” Kate Schlageter-Prettyman is also excellent as Grace Farrell, Warbuck’s assistant, dueting with Annie in “I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here.” Audiences will also enjoy the performance of Shetland sheepdog Whimsy Cheddarbean, a well-trained therapy dog portraying Annie’s dog Sandy! The bright musical score is provided by a student orchestra conducted by Dr. CJ Redden-Liotta, and the fine choreography is by Stacey Claytor of C4Performing Arts Dance Studio. The performance includes
clever nods to the comic-strip origins of the musical with screen projections on the sides of the stage resembling Sunday comic-style panels; sometimes characters emerge from these “comic pages”! Most were created by McKenna Cobb, the production’s student assistant director. One such panel features torn wallpaper and the barren interior of an orphanage with children’s drawings framed like paintings. New York City skyscraper silhouettes are also seen in colorful, comic-strip style frames. Other nice touches include Art Decostyled movie theatre logos and wonderful period costumes designed by the team of Isabelle Paparella, Camilla Isabella Garcia, Sophie Veas, and Sydney Grimard. A cathedral-style radio plays a 1930’s Jello dessert jingle and a radio announcer (the pre-recorded voice of Nathaniel Clock) introduces the vintage radio soap opera “Ma Perkins,” imbuing the production with retro authenticity to return us to Americana of the Depression Era. We had an opportunity to speak with director Elizabeth De Marco, who told us that she “chose this piece because it would highlight some of the natural talent we have in our company. We have around 90 members of the cast and crew participating.” An additional reason to do “Annie,” she says, is: “I think we could all benefit from a better ‘Tomorrow’ as well!” “Annie” runs at Falls Church High School on November 16, 17, and 18 at 7 p.m. as well as November 19 at 3:00 p.m. A portion of show proceeds will be donated to charities serving homeless teens. Tickets can be purchased at fchsdrama. org/events/upcoming-events.
ANNIE’S “ORPHAN” friends Kate (Sydney Glenn) and Tessie (Leslie Fon). (Photo: Cordelia Dreisonstok)
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Dorothea Lange Exhibition on Display at National Gallery of Art
by Patricia Leslie
Dorothea Lange’s pictures show people drastically affected by economic conditions including homeless persons, migrants, prisoners, laborers, indigenous people from the American West and more, those “in need.” Lange’s works sparked documentary photography, according to the National Gallery, and captured the “profound social iniquities of the period.” In many ways, her pictures spanning the eras from the Great Depression to the 1960s, seem to precede by almost a century the time and reality when she took them, environments and circumstances which surround us today and which we tend to ignore. Philip Brookman was the consulting curator for the department of photographs at the National Gallery who emailed: “Yes, Dorothea Lange was an environmentalist. She helped document the climate and land use issues that drove farmers from their land during the great depression. Then in 1956 she photographed a project called “Death of a Valley” with photographer Pirkle Jones....about the impact of the postwar economic boom on land use in Northern California. They photographed the damming and flooding of the Berryessa Valley to create a new reservoir to capture water that supplied the growing population and irrigation of new crops.” Lange was born in Hoboken, N.J. where her childhood was upended by two events which shaped her life: polio and the
abandonment of her family by her father. Dorothea was seven when she contracted polio with its lifelasting physical, emotional and every other kind of effects one could guess, and she was 12 when her father left. The family had to move to cheaper dwellings which Dorothea’s mother found in New York. Growing up then in a single-parent household and while her mother worked, Dorothea was free to roam the streets of New York, to see, observe, and remember. The name of the exhibition is “Seeing People.” As an adult, Lange made her way to San Francisco where she worked with local artists and photographers, including Ansel Adams. She successfully ran a portrait studio for 15 years, taking pictures of “high society,” subjects she shelved for street society when the Great Depression took hold. Sarah Greenough is senior curator and head of the department of photographs for the National Gallery who assisted with the show. She emailed that Lange’s pictures hang today because “we felt that the issues Lange addresses in her photographs—poverty, migration/immigration, racism, environmental degradation—are still relevant today. In addition, we felt that the values Lange reveals in her pictures—especially the importance of empathy— are ones that are important for us to remember.” (The National Gallery also wanted “to celebrate the very generous gift from Dan Greenberg and Susan Steinhauser of 168 Dorothea Lange photographs.”)
During World War II Lange worked for the War Relocation Authority documenting some of the 120,000 Japanese Americans who were driven from their homes and businesses by the government to domestic prisons or “detention centers” as they were called. One of her photos shows a grocery in Oakland, California where the American-born owner posted a sign on his family’s store the day after Pearl Harbor was bombed: “I AM AN AMERICAN,” it said. Nevertheless, the family was forced to a detention center in Arizona where they were incarcerated for more than two years,
never to return to Oakland, another shameful chapter in American history. Lectures to accompany the exhibition will be held in the Gallery’s East Building Auditorium at 12 p.m., Jan. 28, 2024 with Brookman and artists Carolyn Drake and Susan Meiselas, and at 12 p.m, March 10, 2024 with senior lecturer David Gariff to discuss Portraits and People: 10 Women Photographers, 1920–2020, to include Lange, Zanele Muholi, and Nona Faustine. Registration is required to attend the March 10 event in person or virtually, presented during Women’s History
Month: tickets.nga.gov/ events/018ae22c-66b4-f1b9f111-c7e2c28f90b1. An illustrated exhibition catalog with more than 200 pages is available in the shops or online. Parking is free on Sundays in the District where drivers may take advantage of the large U.S. Capitol parking lot at Third and Pennsylvania NW, a block from the National Gallery where I have always found a spot. Several Metro stations are close by, but I get off at the Smithsonian stop and walk about 15 minutes through the National Mall to see the exhibitions there.
EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD Mother from Oklahoma, now a California Migrant, March 1937.
DROUGHT REFUGEES from Oklahoma Camping by the Roadside, Blythe, California, August 17, 1936.
JAPANESE AMERICANOWNED Grocery Store, Oakland, California, March 1942.
All photos by Dorothea Lange; all gifts of Daniel Greenberg and Susan Steinhauser, National Gallery of Art, Washington
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2023 Holiday Roundup Shows
A Christmas Carol:
41st Annual Christmas Revels:
At Ford’s Theatre on November 17 — December 31. fords.org/performance/ a-christmas-carol-2023
At the GW Lisner Auditorium from December 15 — January 5. revelsdc.org/shows-events/ christmas-revels Commedia Christmas Carol: At Traveling Players Studio on December 1 — 10. travelingplayers.org
An Irish Carol: At Keegan Theatre on December 2 — 31. keegantheatre.com/ portfolio/ an-irish-carol-2023 Continued on Page 16
Christmas Revels. (Photo: Ryan Maxwell Photography)
Both Sides Now at Signature Theatre. (Photo: Signature Theatre)
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2023 Holiday Music, Markets, Shows, Art Shows
The Golden Fish:
Snow Maiden:
Madeline’s Christmas:
At Synetic Theater on December 8 — January 7. synetictheater.org/events/ the-tale-of-the-fishermanand-the-golden-fish
At Synetic Theater on December 9 — January 6. synetictheater.org/ events/snow-maiden-2
At Creative Cauldron on December 1 — 17. creativecauldron.org/ madelineschristmas.html The Nutcracker: At Meridian High School on December 9 — 10. kintzmejiaballet.org Dash: The Musical: At The James Lee Community Center Theater on December 8 — 17. providenceplayers. org/about-us/productionhistory/2023-2024-season/ dash-the-musical
A Christmas Carol: At The Little Theatre of Alexandria on December 1 — 16. ci.ovationtix. com/35489/production/1158018 The Lion, the Unicorn, and Me: At the Terrace Theater at the Kennedy Center on December 8 — 10. kennedycenter.org/wno/home/20232024/lion-unicorn-me
The Nutcracker: At the Opera House at the Kennedy Center on November 22 — 26. kennedy-center.org/ whats-on/explore-bygenre/dance/2023-2024/ bw-nutcracker Miracle on 34th Street: At Gilliam Stage on November 16 — December 27. bartertheatre.com/big-shows/ miracle-on-34th-street
Falls Church Holiday Tree Festival (Photo: Lorraine O'Rourke).
I’ll Be Home for Christmas:
I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas:
At Barter’s Smith Theatre on November 22 — December 24. bartertheatre.com/big-shows/ ill-be-home-for-christmas
At Gillam Stage on November 28 — December 23. bartertheatre.com/big-shows/ i-want-a-hippopotamus
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2023 Holiday Music, Markets, Shows, Art Ragtime:
The Nutcracker:
At Signature Theatre until January 7. sigtheatre.org/ events/202324/ragtime
At Kenmore Middle School on December 8 — 10. balletnova.org/events/ production/b5eb98ed0df1-4f6483eb-8d76210a392f
Cirque Dreams Holidaze: At MGM National Harbor on December 15 — 17. mgmnationalharbor.mgmresorts.com/en/entertainment/ cirque-dreams-holidaze.html Pretty Woman: The Musical: At The National Theatre on December 12 — 17. broadwayatthenational. com/show/pretty-womanthe-musical
Swept Away: At Arena Stage on November 25 —December 30. arenastage.org/ tickets/2023-24-season/ swept-away
Bad Medicine Holiday Sketch Show:
Murder on 34th Street:
At the DC Improv Comedy Club on December 12. dcimprov.com/shows/ main-showroom/bad-medicine-holiday
At the DC Improv Comedy Club on December 21. dcimprov.com/shows/ main-showroom/murderon-34th-street
A Christmas Carol: At W-3 Theater on December 2 — 3. workhousearts.org/calendar/ christmas-carol Continued on Page 18
Public Obscenities: At Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company until December 23. woollymammoth.net/productions/ public-obscenities
Gay Men's Chorus of Washington Holiday Mariachi Herencia de Mexico at GMU (Photo: Show (Photo: Courtesy GMCW) Courtesy of GMU Center for the Arts)
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2023 Holiday Music, Markets, Shows, Art Shows
Frosty:
A Christmas Tale:
At the Alden Theatre on December 19. mcleancenter.org/events/ barter-players-frosty/
At Galloway United Methodist Church on November 30 — December 4. gallowayumc.org/ blog/2023/11/30/a-christmas-tale-a-john-maxwelloriginal-play The Nutcracker:
Mclean Holiday Arts & Crafts Festival (Photo: Mclean Community Center)
At the Center for the Arts Concert Hall at George Mason University on December 16 — 17. cfa.calendar.gmu.edu/ tchaikovsky-8217-s-thenutcracker-with-the-fairfax-ballet
Markets/Festivals McLean Holiday Arts & Craft Festival: At The McLean Community Center on December 1 — 3. nvhg.org/shows-1/mcleanholiday-art-%26-craftsfestival NVHG Thanksgiving Art & Craft Show: At the Vienna Community
Center on November 24 — 26. nvhg.org/shows-1/ nvhg-thanksgiving-art%26-craft-show Christmas Market & Holiday Craft Show:
At John Carlyle Square on December 9. visitalexandria.com/events/alexandria-christmas-marketholiday-craft-show Fairfax City Holiday Market: On December 1 — 3 and 8 — 10. fairfaxva. gov/government/parksrecreation/special-events/ holiday-market
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2023 Holiday Music, Markets, Shows, Art
Holiday Gift and Craft Show and Children’s Gift Shoppe: At the Falls Church Community Center on December 2 — 3. fallschurchva.gov/643/ Holiday-Gift-and-CraftShow Ethiopian Xmas Market & Small Businesses Holiday Market: At Springfield Town Center On December 2 – 3. 37th Annual Holiday Craft Show: At Fairfax High School
on November 18 — 19. fairfaxva.gov/government/ parks-recreation/specialevents/holiday-craft-show Sons of Norway Christmas Festival and Bazaar 2023:
At Sons of Norway Washington Lodge on December 1 — 2. norwaydc.org/festival-2023 Mosaic Holiday Village: At District Ave in Fairfax on November 18 – 19 and December 16 – 17. mosaicdistrict.com/ events/event/holiday-giftfair/?event_id=9695
Falls Church Holiday Tree Fest:
At Ireland’s Four Provinces on December 1 — 2. vpis.org/culture/ vpis-tree-fest FONA Winter Festival: At the National Arboretum On December 2. fona.org/seasonal-festivals/ Del Ray Artisans 28th Annual Fine Art & Fine Jenny Levythat is Cupid Wilson is the Chief Elf in the Craft Holiday Market: Remove the line says and TreeKerri Pick-Up Sunday
Providence Players Production of Dash. (Photo: Chip Gertzog)
Remove the lines that say – We invite --- more details At the Del Ray Ad our webpage info www.vpis.org 7th Annual Holiday Sip & eventbrite.com/e/7thArtisans Gallery annual-holiday-sip-shopShop: At Café Kindred: On December 1 – 23. tickets-740959980247 delrayartisans.org/event/ On November 16. holiday-market-2023/
Continued on Page 20
Eighth Annual Falls Church Tree Fest A festive fundraiser for our community service organizations, sponsored by the Village Preservation and Improvement Society (VPIS).
Friday, December 1st, 5 pm to 9 pm & Saturday, December 2nd, 1 pm to 9 pm* *Bidding stops at 8:30 p.m.
Ireland’s Four Provinces Located inside Art and Frame of Falls Church
105 West Broad Street, Falls Church
www.vpis.org
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2023 Holiday Music, Markets, Shows, Art Winter Works: Workhouse Arts Center 12/9, 6-9pm workhousearts.org/ calendar/winterworks Jeff Huckleberry Performance: Tephra ICA, Reston, VA. November 18, 4pm. tephraica.org/events/jeffhuckleberry-performance An Adventure of Being: Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington Sept 9 - Dec 17. Mocaarlington.org
Public Obscenities at Woolly Mammoth (Photo: Julieta Cervantes)
Art Exhibits
Umbrella Art Fair:
Intersection: Identity & Culture:
11/17-19 1325 5th St. NE, Washington, DC. eventbrite.com/e/ umbrella-art-fair-tickets-736701272337
Falls Church Arts 11/18-1/7
9th Annual Glass National: Vulcan Gallery 11/4/2023-1/14/2024. workhousearts.org/ calendar/9th-glass
Valearts at Arts Herndon: Dec 1 - Jan 2. artsherndon.org/exhibits 2023 Holiday Fest: Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria. Dec 2 12-6pm. torpedofactory.org/events
Sharing in the Delight of the Season: Studio 19 Scope Gallery, Alexandria. 12/4-31. torpedofactory.org/events Cushner, Lost Europe On the Edge of Memories, Rachel Rotenberg, Franklin White: An American in Venezuela, Song of Songs: Fruitful Relationships, Nature’s Tapestry: American University Museum, through Dec 10. american.edu/cas/museum Music Washington Balalaika Orchestra Concerts: At the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theater on November 18 and Kenmore Auditorium On November 19. balalaika.org
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2023 Holiday Music, Markets, Shows, Art
2023 Holiday Cabarets:
It’s a Jazzy Christmas:
At Creative Cauldron On December 5 — 20. creativecauldron.org/ holidaycabarets.html
At the Alden Theatre On December 9. mcleancenter.org/events/ its-a-jazzy-christmas
GMCW’s The Holiday Show:
Navidad Flamenca:
At Lincoln Theatre On December 2 — 10. gmcw.org/the-holiday-show
At the Alden Theatre On January 6. mcleancenter.org/events/ furia-flamenca-navidadflamenca
Both Sides Now: Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen: At Signature Theatre On December 5 — 23. sigtheatre.org/ events/202324/both-sidesnow-joni-mitchell-andleonard-cohen
CCS’s Annual Holiday Concert: At Capital City Symphony On December 17. capitalcitysymphony.org/ upcoming-events/ 2023/12/17/sleigh-ride-ccssannual-holiday-concert
Christmas with the King’s Singers: At the Washington National Cathedral On December 15. cathedral.org/calendar/ christmas-with-the-kingssingers-3 Choralis Christmas Concert: At The Falls Church Presbyterian Church On December 1. fallschurchpresby.org Sing Out for Joy:
At Columbia Baptist Church On December 9 — 10. columbiabaptist.org/ christmas
Chanukah Concert:
At Temple Rodef Shalom on December 10. templerodefshalom.org Christmas Concert: At Dulin Methodist Church On December 17. dulinchurch.org A Little Christmas in the Little City: At Christ Crossman UMC On December 9. ccumc.churchcenter.com/ registrations/events/1954409 Gloria: A Concert of Carols: At Galloway United
Methodist Church On December 14. gallowayumc.org/ blog/2023/12/14/gallowayarts-presents-gloria-concert-of-carols-december-14 Mariachi Herencia de Mexico: At GMU Center for the Arts On December 10 Tickets at cfa.calendar.gmu. edu/mariachi-herencia-dem-233-xico Magical Musical Holiday Step Show: Fichandler Stage On December 8-17. arenastage.org/ tickets/2023-24-season/ step-afrikas-magical-musical-holiday-step-show
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Fa l l s C h u r c h School News & Notes MHS Band Students Ready to Work As part of the MUSIC Days fundraiser through December 3, Meridian High School musicians will be out in the community working to earn money for their once-in-a-lifetime trip to play at Carnegie Hall in New York City in April. All proceeds from these jobs goes directly to help pay for their spring trip to the Big Apple where they will play on stage at Carnegie Hall and in a band exchange program with an arts high school in Brooklyn, NY. Let the capable, hardworking NYCbound musicians help with odd jobs this fall. For more information or to place a job request, visit: forms. gle/JqoAvJXJzwHDF8Ww5 or
email musicdaysgmhs@gmail. com.
Meridian Graduate Completes Basic Training This fall, Meridian Class of 2023 graduate Marshall Davies graduated from the Army basic training. At Henderson Middle School, the hallways were filled with a card for every George Mason/Meridian High School graduate who has served or is serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. The card has each graduate’s name and graduation year and is organized by their branch of service.
PTA Art Program Needs Pieces The National PTA Reflections
SCHO O L
program provides opportunities for recognition and participation in the arts, boosting student confidence and success in the arts and life. Each year, over 300,000 students in Pre-K through Grade 12 create original works of art in response to a student-selected theme. This year’s theme is “I am hopeful because…” Elementary students can give their artwork to the office at their school along with the permission form and artist statement. The deadline to enter is November 21.
Meridian Bands “Get the Blues” at N38 Studios The Meridian Guitar and Contemporary Band class had
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
THE MERIDIAN GUITAR and Contemporary Band class had an opportunity to learn about performing, mastering, mixing, and producing music at N38 Studios in Falls Church. (Photo: Carol Sly) an extraordinary opportunity to learn about performing, mastering, mixing, and producing music at N38 Studios in Falls Church with professional musicians and owners Buddy Speir and Sarah Marks. Buddy is a long-time friend of Meridian Music and a George Mason graduate. The studio was filled with blues as 20 musicians recorded drums, piano, bass, and guitars on a track featuring improvisations and blues melodies. Musicians who played solo improvisations included Connor Mock, Jonathan Gideon, Charlie Rydell, and Jack Kreul. So that you know – the recording will be shared shortly. It was a great day as the musicians learned about the music industry.
8th Graders Recognized for Outstanding Effort
CONGRATULATIONS TO all the 8th graders for completing their Community Service Project. These students were recognized for exemplifying an IB learner profile attribute or outstanding effort in a category. (Photo: FCCPS)
Congratulations to all the 8th graders for completing their Community Service Project. These students were recognized for exemplifying an IB learner profile attribute or outstanding effort in a category: •Activism recognition: Sherlyn Gideon, Tricia Abedejos, Kritika Gosain, Mira Bracken, Aarya Kamboh, Olivia Cohen, Sophie Silva, Bridget Creed, Ellie Barba, Elaina Rosenberger, Christopher Thompson, Will Creswick, Megan Fitzgerald, Sophie Schmittel. •Eco-friendly / Environmental recognition: Adelia Bouldin, Lyla Anderson, Lukas Vo, Sasha Joseph, Sasha Courtney
•Equity and Diversity recognition: Evan Iglehart, Zach Miller, Liam Felderman •IB learner recognition: Kenton Scheifele, Jack Rasmussen, Grace Taylor, Lillian Henderson, Valerie Katen, Fatima Rahman, Grace Barry, Madeleine Kim, Emelina Johnson •Most impactful category: Makiree Riddick, Aabis Malik, Millie Owens, Eleanor Berg, Lorelei Gallaway •Outstanding display category: Kira Yamashita, Alexis Sharon, Zorah Randhwa, Jane Riblett, Nika Tempkin •Outstanding website category: Joseph Downs, Josue Castillo Cruz, Ainsley Malloy •Sustainability Category: Margaret Ashbrook, Ava Rosenbusch, Erica OteroHecht, Robert Kaplan, Taha Hasan, Gavin Hegenbart, Long Nguyen.
Grad Night Fundraiser Coming Soon Join fellow Meridian High School parents for a fun evening at the Grad Night Senior Spectacular Happy Hour Fundraiser. The Grad Night Senior Spectacular (Formerly All Night Grad Celebration) is a safe and inclusive party on graduation night that the entire Falls Church City community funds and organizes. It will be held on Friday, November 17 from 5 p.m. — 7 p.m. at Viget (105 West Broad Street, Falls Church). Buy tickets at meridianhsptsa.org/store/p25/Grad_ Night_Senior_Spectacular_ Happy_Hour_Fundraiser.html.
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NOVEMBER 16 - 22, 2023 | PAGE 23
Fall Sports Wrap Up At Meridian, Field Hockey Is State Runner-Up by Ryan McCafferty
That’s a wrap on fall sports season for the Meridian Mustangs, and it was another successful one for multiple teams. Most notably, girls’ field hockey competed in the State Finals after beating Poquoson 1-0 on Friday at Virginia Beach’s Kellam High School, but they fell 6-0 to now three-time defending champion Tabb. Still, it was an amazing season for the girls, who ended with a final record of 21-1, and four players – Cassie DuBois, C.C. Carmody, Delaney Flanagan, and Lucy Hladky – were named to the All-Regional first team, while Lila Deering, Gia Khan, and goaltender Briana Corry all made the second team. Additionally, DuBois was awarded
the Regional Player of the Year while head coach Anne Steenhoek was the Coach of the Year. The girls’ cross country team also competed in states, and finished eighth overall as a group as Molly Moore’s 31st place individual result led the way. Tucker Albaugh also competed individually for the boys, and finished 65th in his race despite battling an illness. Congratulations to both squads on another great season! Finally, football’s year wrapped up with a 49-20 loss at Brentsville in the regional playoffs, ending their campaign with a 4-7 record. Still, that’s several games improved from the onewin 2022 season, and things should be looking up once again in 2024 as the young group continues to gain experience.
MUSTANGS CROSS COUNTRY Team finishes 8th Place in State Tournament. (Photo: FCCPS/Jeff Buck)
MUSTANG FIELD HOCKEY team makes Virginia State Class 3 Championship, they fell to Tabb High School in Virginia Beach on Saturday. (Photo: MHS Athletics)
High Hopes For The 2023-2024 Basketball Season at Meridian High by Ryan McCafferty
With fall coming to an end and winter set to begin, that means we’re only a couple weeks away from the tip-off of basketball season for the Meridian Mustangs, who are set to put two very competitive teams on the court this year. The boys return virtually their entire team from last year that lost in the Regional Semifinals, as Wyatt Trundle was the only graduating senior. Big man Grant Greiner is the headliner as a returning All-District player, but point guard Daylen Mar-
tino could emerge as the star as he looks to build off of an impressive freshman season. Isaac Rosenberger, Boston Fitzpatrick, and laser threepoint shooter Will Davis all look to have increased roles as well, and Jarrett Jardine, who missed the end of last season with an injury, should be back to form. Meridian also brings in a transfer in winger John Lyman, who should make an immediate impact. Meanwhile the girls lost two starters in Elizabeth Creed and Peyton Jones, but returned the other three as Maureen Tremblay, Ellie Friesen, and Nora Stufft headline a group
that played in the State Semifinals a season ago. Chris Carrico’s bunch always operate with a “next one up” approach and should be unfazed by the departures, as several of last year’s reserves will look to fill in those roles while some newcomers should have opportunities to earn minutes as well. The Lady Mustangs have put together a tough non-regional schedule in order to prepare against quality opponents, and should be a well-oiled machine once again come playoff time. There’s a good chance that both teams could be among the best in the region this winter.
We have time for our loved ones. Not the flu. GetMyFluShot.org
CA L E NDA R
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
THIS WEEK AROUND F.C. THURSDAY
NOVEMBER 16 Arts and Humanities Council Meeting
Arts and Humanities Council meets. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Dogwood A-B, Falls Church), 9:30 a.m. — 11:00 a.m.
Stuff the Truck & Friendsgiving
Human Svcs. Advisory Council Meeting
Human Services Advisory Council meets. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Dogwood A-B, Falls Church), 6:30 p.m. — 7:30 p.m.
Historical Commission Meeting
Historical Commission meets. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Oak Room, Falls Church), 7:00 p.m. — 9:00 p.m.
Supporting Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation. Pet friendly. Suggested donations include dog/ cat toys, treats, and unopened food. The Kensington Falls Church (700 W. Broad St., Falls Church), 3:00 p.m. — 6:00 p.m.
Board of Zoning Appeals meets. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Council Chambers/Court Room, Falls Church), 7:30 p.m.
7th Annual Holiday Sip & Shop
Env. Sustainability Council Meeting
Enjoy light bites, seasonal cocktails and wine while you shop local vendors. Café Kindred (405 N. Washington St., Falls Church), 6:00 p.m. — 8:00 p.m.
Board of Zoning Appeals Meeting
Environmental Sustainability Council and Energy Transition subcommittee meet. F.C. Senior Center (223 Little Falls St., Falls Church), 7:30 p.m. — 9:30 p.m.
FRIDAY
NOVEMBER 17 Budget and Finance Committee Meeting
Budget and Finance Committee meets. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Oak Room, Falls Church), 9:00 a.m. — 10:30 a.m.
Ukulele Baby Lap Time
For ages 0-24 months. A short lapsit with a story and songs on ukulele. Mary Riley Styles Public Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Lower Level Conf. Rm., Falls Church), 10:30 a.m. — 11:00 a.m.
Watercolor Demo by Deborah Conn
Deborah Conn demonstrates her technique in creating portraits using a painting surface of crinkled tissue paper. McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean, VA), 11:00 a.m.
SATURDAY
NOVEMBER 18 Falls Church Farmers Market
Shop the award-winning market every Saturday, year-round! City Hall Parking Lot (300 Park Ave., Falls Church), 8:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m.
Bicycle Master Plan Update
Bicycle Master Plan Update Community Open House. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Dogwood A-B, Falls Church), 10:00 a.m. — 11:00 a.m.
Open Season Workshop
Speakers discuss health benefits for federal employees and retirees. Fairfax County Government Center (12000 Government Center Pkwy., Fairfax, VA), 10:00 a.m. — 2:00 p.m.
Timeless Crafting: Moravian Stars
this
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CREATE PORTRAITS using a painting surface of crinkled tissue paper, Friday at McLean Community Center. (Courtesy Photo)
Join for a workshop of this historic craft. Cherry Hill Farmhouse (312 Park Ave., Falls Church), 2:00 p.m. — 4:00 p.m.
The Romantic Clarinet
Betty Bley performs Elgar, Weber, and Schubert. Tickets at washingtonsinfonietta.org. The Falls Church Episcopal (115 E. Fairfax St., Falls Church), 7:30 p.m.
SUNDAY
NOVEMBER 19 Chanukah Bazaar
All your holiday favorites and more will be in stock. Come early, as the most sought-after items sell out quickly, or shop online at bit.ly/ FCNP1123cb. Temple Rodef Shalom (2100 Westmoreland St., Falls Church), 8:00 a.m.— 2:00 p.m.
Mosaic Holiday Village
Saturday and Sunday. Celebrate the season while supporting local artisans. Mosaic District (2905 District Ave., Fairfax, VA), 11:00 a.m.
9th Annual Hope Family Fun Festival
Families with children who have experienced the loss of a loved one enjoy an afternoon of food and fun! Free registration required at bit.ly/ FCNP1123hf. Oak Street Elementary School (601 S. Oak St., Falls Church), 2:00 p.m. — 5:00 p.m.
Dancing Hearts Ensemble
“Mozart to Milonga” takes you on a journey from classical music to Latin rhythm. St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church (3241 Brush Dr., Falls Church), 4:00 p.m.
Drag Bingo with Evita Peroxide
at bit.ly/FCNP1123gv. McLean, VA (address provided upon ticket purchase), 6:00 p.m. — 8:00 p.m.
MONDAY
NOVEMBER 20 Daytime Art Critique Group
Meets the third Monday each month. Free and open to all levels. Falls Church Arts (700B W. Broad St., Falls Church), 12:00 p.m. — 2:00 p.m.
City Council Work Session
Open to the public and conducted the first and third Monday of the month to allow council members to discuss upcoming issues. Watch live or on-demand at bit.ly/FCNP1123cc or on FCCTV (Cox 11, RCN 2, Verizon 35). City Hall (300 Park Ave., Dogwood A-B, Falls Church), 7:30 p.m. — 11:00 p.m.
TUESDAY
NOVEMBER 21 Arm Chair Travel: Eastern Canada
Monthly travel video exploring destinations around the world, the third Tuesday each month. This month, explore Eastern Canada from Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island to Quebec and Ontario. F.C. Senior Center (223 Little Falls St., Falls Church), 1:00 p.m. — 2:00 p.m.
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 22 Thanksgiving Closures
With drag performances, bingo, interactive competitions, prizes, and more! Tickets at bit.ly/FCNP1023db. Clare and Don's Beach Shack (130 N. Washington St., Falls Church), 5:00 p.m. — 8:00 p.m.
FCCPS schools are closed, reopening on Monday. FCCPS (School buildings, Falls Church), all day.
Celebrate Gun Tragedy Prevention Champions
Pre-Thanksgiving fiesta with D.J. Pandu, $3 margaritas, $5 beers and chilcanos, and $6 cocktail specials. A percentage of proceeds help buy toys for children in need. Inca Social (2670 Avenier Pl., Vienna, VA, and 1776 Wilson Blvd. Unit 1, Arlington, VA), 12:00 p.m. — 9:00 p.m.
Celebration of departing Dem. delegates Eileen Filler-Corn, Elizabeth Guzman, Kathleen Murphy, and Kenneth Plum for achievements in gun tragedy prevention. Tickets
Friendsgiving Party for a Cause
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Falls Church
NOVEMBER 16 - 22, 2023 | PAGE 25
Donate Your Car
Imagine the Difference You Can Make
Business News & Notes
• Every donated vehicle will be properly recycled,
Architect Robert Beach Honored The Fairfax County History Commission honored local architect, Robert Beach, with the Distinguished Achievement Award at the 19th Annual History Conference. The award noted his support of the Commission for 22 years and his expertise in historical restorations. It cited the creation, design, and installation of the Turning Point Suffragist Memorial at the Occoquan Regional Park as his most significant contribution. This is the only national suffrage memorial that honors every Suffragist who participated in the movement. Congressman Gerald Connolly entered the award recognition of Mr. Beach into the Congressional Record.
Pullups for Tanzania Functional Fitness VA is participating in the Tanzania Water Fund’s annual pull-ups for water fundraiser where participants will do pull ups to help raise awareness to the people of Tanzania who have to walk an average of five miles a day for access to “clean” water. Kavon Atabaki’s rationale is that “walking five miles for water is hard, pull ups are hard, let’s do one to raise awareness for the other.” Stations will be set up for participants of any level of strength. The second half of the event is the actual fundraising. The community is invited to participate on Saturday, November 18, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at Functional Fitness.
Local Business Anniversaries Nothing Bundt Cakes in Seven Corners is celebrating its 4th Anniversary. Today, they will donate 20 percent of their sales to their nonprofit neighbor, Lost Dogs and Cats Rescue Foundation. Congratulations to Katie Lewis. And Panjshir Restaurant is celebrating its 38th year in Falls Church. Congratulations to Esmat Niazy.
eCommerce Bootcamp The Virginia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is holding a free webinar on growing online sales for your business on November 21, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. The session will cover upgrading websites and costs, available e-commerce platforms and how to select the best one for your needs, how to set up and manage storefront or service portals, and how to use the data and marketing to increase sales. Cameron Nelson, Technology Advisor with SBDC leads the session. The meeting link will be shared upon registration at clients.virginiasbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=900430033.
Cognosante Milestone The VA contracted Cognosante to develop and execute a cloud migration strategy to move over 350 Department of Veterans Affairs production applications. Its cloud operations and migrations services teams leveraged and enabled technologies enabling the VA to transition its systems to the VA Enterprise Cloud five months early.
B-21 Bomber Takes Flight Northrop Grumman built the U.S. Air Force’s B-21 Raider, and it is currently in the in flight testing phase. This is the sixth-generation nuclear-capable stealth bomber and replaces the B-1 and B-2 bomber fleet. The B-21 Raider has long-range and mid-air refueling capabilities that will bring conventional and nuclear weapons to U.S. forces worldwide. Business News & Notes is compiled by Elise Neil Bengtson, Executive Director of the Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce. She may be emailed at elise@fallschurchchamber.org.
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PAGE 26 | NOVEMBER 16 - 22, 2023
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News-Press
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Community News & Notes
FALLS CHURCH CITY’S Boy Scout Troop 1996 collected 433 lbs, of food donations this weekend. The donations came from their assigned collection area in Fairfax City, and the donation went to St. Leo The Great Catholic Church in Fairfax. (Photo: Allison Stevens)
Temple Rodef Shalom to Host Two Upcoming Events On Sunday November 19 from 8:30 a.m. — 2:00 p.m., as well as on Sunday, December 3 from 10:00 a.m. — 2:00 p.m., Shop Judy’s Place, a pop-up holiday store for kids in the community to do their holiday shopping, will be held at Temple Rodef Shalom (2100 Westmoreland Street, Falls Church). On Sunday, November 19 and Sunday, December 3 from 8:00 a.m. — 2:00 p.m., Temple Rodef Shalom’s Chanukah Bazaar will be held at 2100 Westmoreland Street, Falls Church.
Free Fall Festival for Families Who Have Lost a Loved One On November 19th, the non-profit Hope for Grieving Families will present its 9th Annual Hope Family Fun Festival. The day of fun activities is free for families who have lost a loved one and who live in the greater Washington DC and DMV area. The yearly event features games and activities, prizes and giveaways, yummy treats,
a gamer truck, music, a moon bounce, face painting, therapy and companion animals, and much more. Attendance is limited to the first 200 families.
Sponsor a Wreath for Oakwood On December 16th, the second annual Wreaths Across America event will take place at the historic Oakwood Cemetery in Falls Church. Join other members of the community along with the hosts, the Falls Church Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, for a ceremony followed by wreath layings honoring over 100 military veterans. Consider sponsoring a wreath to specifically support the Oakwood Cemetery. Deadline for sponsoring is November 28th. wreathsacrossamerica.org/VA0282P.
Britepaths Seeks Donations to Provide Meals to Families Fairfax-based nonprofit Britepaths is seeking financial donations from the community to provide Thanksgiving and December holiday food assistance to 265 families with identified needs whose children
CONGRESSIONAL SCHOOL IN Falls Church just wrapped up a successful soccer season with its Girls’ Varsity Soccer team landing a decisive 6-0 first-place win in the Capital Athletic Conference season playoffs. (Photo: Alyce Penn)
attend Fairfax County Public Schools that Britepaths partners with in the Fairfax High School and Justice High School pyramids. Donations are welcome through December 31 and may be made through Britepaths’ website at: britepaths.org/holiday.
McLean Project for the Arts to Host Inaugural MPA Inspires Art enthusiasts, collectors, and jazz lovers alike are invited to join McLean Project for the Arts (MPA) November 18 and 19 for MPA Inspires: A Weekend of Collecting and Connecting. This inaugural weekend-long celebration will take place at MPA Downtown, the organization’s hoped-for new supplemental space located in The Signet building at 6910 Fleetwood Road in McLean, VA. The Alumni Art Exhibition Showcase will feature work by more than 60 MPA alumni artists.
Welcoming Falls Church Literacy Center Call for Volunteers Welcoming Falls Church reports that the Adult and Family Literacy Center has 59
students in the English language program, supported by dozens of adult and high school volunteers. Classes are on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at Oak Street Elementary, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. through December 14. Registration for the spring semester will be in January. Volunteers may contact WFCLiteracy@gmail.com to learn how to become involved.
Falls Church Nonprofit Culmore Clinic Adds Vision Suite Thanks to a communitywide effort, Culmore Clinic has launched a Vision Suite on site, and will welcome their first patients starting November 16. At their Open House last month, they made it official with a ribbon cutting. Volunteer Ophthalmologist Dr. George Patterson did the honors. At the time Culmore Clinic did not have the equipment to provide eye care. The doctors responded by providing Culmore Clinic a “wish list” of equipment and materials, and said if Culmore Clinic could collect this equipment, they could provide vision care. This would be the first time in the
nonprofit’s 16 year history that vision services would be offered on site.
I-66 EMP Contributes $5,000 Toward Power Pack Program In a continued effort to fight hunger among school kids in Northern Virginia, I-66 Express Mobility Partners (I-66 EMP), builder and operator of the 66 Express Outside the Beltway, donated $5,000 to the Power Pack program run by Fairfax-based nonprofit partner Food for Others. The donation will provide 7,500 nutritious meals plus milk, juice, and healthy snacks to approximately 1,250 food-insecure students throughout Fairfax County. Launched on Sept. 15, Food for Others’ Power Pack program provides two breakfast items, two lunch items, two dinner items, two snacks, milk, and juice every week to students dealing with food insecurity. Currently the program serves some 3,900 students at 52 public schools around Fairfax County.
City to Unveil New 20 MPH Sign to Launch Safety Campaign City of Falls Church offi-
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
cials will unveil a 20 mph sign tomorrow, November 16 at the 200 Block of Little Falls Street (outside the Community Center) to launch the “20 is Plenty” pedestrian safety and speed reduction campaign. Speakers include City staff, police, members of City Council, and members of the Citizens Advisory Committee on Transportation (CACT).
D.C. Rally Brings in 300,000 Attendees By Debra Roth An estimated 300,000 attended the Israel Solidarity/Bring the Hostages Home rally in the national mall in Washington D.C. Tuesday, including a contingent from Falls Church and the Temple Rodef Shalom. They joined groups from across the country and ones representing various countries, races, and religions. The rally, facing the Capitol, sang with renowned performers, listened to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jefferies who came together on the stage with Republicans Mike Johnson, the House speaker, and Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa. They joined hands as Schumer chanted: “We stand with Israel.” Other speakers included Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism and Israeli activist Natan Sharansky. The rally was held at the highest security level but was peaceful. Said one guard: “We expected and were prepared for incidents but the crowd was wonderful.” Among the crowd were clusters of people carrying the LGBTQ+ rainbow flag decorated with Stars of David, the Jewish symbol. There were participants across the age spectrum. Falls Church’s Del. Marcus Simon commented in a message to the F.C. contingent, “Wish I could be there — thanks for representing.”
“Intersection: Identity and Culture” Opens at F.C. Arts For this exhibit, “Intersection: Identity and Culture,” artists were invited to share works expressing the intersection of their identity and their culture of origin or the culture in which they find themselves. The all-media show at Falls Church Arts brings together thirty-eight artworks that explore this exhibit theme. The show opens on Saturday, November 18 with an open reception from 7:00 — 9:00 p.m. The Juror’s Award will be announced during the
evening, and artists will be on hand to answer questions about their inspiration and process. Participants employed a range of media, including watercolor, mixed media, acrylic on canvas collage, gel plate monoprint and woodblock prints, oil, clay, water and ink on paper, wood, and monotype, among others. Participating artists include: Asia Anderson, Ken Beerbohm, Blanca Belisario, E. Bolotas, Alonzo Crawford, Vitalino Deleon, Fariba Doroudian, Erin Endean, Miki Nishida Goerdt, Kara Holman, Pamela Huffman, Farida Hughes, Maria Kinnane, Alison Kysia, Xixi Luo, Steve Mabley, Nicole Maloof, Sheldon McClendon, Cynthia Miller, Eileen O’Brien, Rebecca Perez, Michael Potashnik, William Rollins, Maryam Sakhaeifar, Andrea Salzman, Arleen Cannata Seed, Joan Slottow, Susanne Tabet, Maxwell Torgersen, and Bobbi Wolcott.
Salvation Army Kettles are Out for the 2023 Holiday Season This year, Kettle supporters can have peace of mind knowing not only will their contributions directly impact those in their community who rely on services provided by The Salvation Army, but they can easily do so with Tap-To-Give. By simply tapping their card on one of three devices attached to Salvation Army kettles, donors can donate $5, $10, $20 or a combination and provide essential support to individuals and families facing hardship. Kettles officially kicked off on November 10 at Toyota of Woodbridge. Community members who are looking to volunteer at Red kettles across the DMV can sign up for Red Kettle shifts at registertoring.com/ until December 23.
AHS Convenes County for Celebration of USA’s 250th On November 6, the Arlington Historical Society (AHS) convened the first community meeting to plan Arlington’s celebration of the United States’s Semiquincentennial (or 250th Anniversary) in 2026. AHS has been designated by the Arlington County Board as the official coordinator of Arlington’s celebrations taking place from now until 2027. In a standing room only conference room at the Bozman Government Center were representatives of Arlington’s civic life including service and neighborhood organizations, the arts and the performance arts, and veterans’ groups as well as offi-
LO CA L cials from the National Park Service and Joint Base Fort Myer-Henderson Hall. All present asked questions, offered ideas, and committed to continued involvement. Events will reflect all of Arlington, the people, diversity, and outsized role in the history of the United States, celebrating a revolution of ideas and who we are as a county, state, and country. The next meeting is planned for early 2024 where it is expected that more groups will join the effort and they’ll divide into workgroups and committees.
NOVEMBER 16 - 22, 2023 | PAGE 27
Islamic Relief USA to Distribute Turkeys in Falls Church To help address food insecurity and rising grocery bills that have become more common in the past year, and with Thanksgiving fast approaching, Islamic Relief USA will be distributing 320 turkeys each on Thursday, November 16 in Falls Church and Alexandria to underserved populations, while supplies last. It will be held at the Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center (3159 Row St., Falls Church) from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., and ALIVE (4646 Seminary Road, Alexandria) from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Shepherd’s Center Seeks Additional Volunteer Drivers Shepherd’s Center of McLean-Arlington-Falls Church (SCMAFC), an all-volunteer organization, is seeking additional volunteers to support its mission of providing free transportation to seniors for medical and dental appointments or run errands to grocery stores and pharmacies. There were 2,362 rides in 2022 and 2,758 rides have been provided thus far this year. Of the rides provided this year, 57 percent were medically related, 17 percent grocery, and 21 percent for physical therapy. The Center has added 35 new drivers this year and 83 new riders, so there’s a continued need for additional volunteers. There is no set quota; volunteers are free to choose when and how often they drive. They can choose rides that are oneway or round trip. The best part is not only do drivers help those in need, they also get to meet wonderful folks, often with very interesting backgrounds and stories to tell. For detailed information or to apply, please visit the Center’s website https://scmafc.org/volunteer or call (703) 506-2199 and leave a message.
A CONTINGENT FROM Falls Church, including Temple Rodef Shalom, attended the Israeli Solidarity/Bring the Hostages Home/ Stop Hate-Stop Antisemitism and Love Rally in D.C. Tuesday that drew an estimated 300,000. Pictured here are Debra Z. Roth, F.C. Human Services Advisory Council Chair, Isaac Dorot, Julia and Gregg Malakoff. Not pictured but present were Lori Silverman, F.C. School Board Member, and Anna and Andrew Gibson. (Photo: Debra Roth)
“INTERSECTION: IDENTITY AND CULTURE” is the new exhibit on display at F.C. Arts, opening on November 18. Art pieces such as Asia Anderson’s piece “Dakota” (shown above) will be featured at the gallery. (Photo: Asia Anderson)
PAGE 28 | NOVEMBER 16 - 22, 2023
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA The City Council will hold a public hearing on the following matter on Monday, November 27, 2023 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard. NOTE: This item was rescheduled from 11/14/23 at the request of the applicant. AN APPEAL TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO REVERSE THE HISTORIC ARCHITECTURAL ADVISORY BOARD’S DENIAL OF AN APPLICATION TO RAZE A PROTECTED STRUCTURE AT 1011 FOWLER STREET All public hearings will be held in the Council Chambers, 300 Park Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia. Remote participation information at www.fallschurchva.gov/publiccomment. Comments may also be sent to cityclerk@ fallschurchva.gov. For copies of legislation, contact the City Clerk’s office at (703-2485014) or cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov or visit www.fallschurchva.gov/councilmeetings. The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, call 703-248-5014 (TTY 711).
CELESTE HEATH, CITY CLERK
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
NOVEMBER 16 - 22, 2023 | PAGE 29 NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF A PETITION BY VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY FOR REVISION OF RATE ADJUSTMENT CLAUSE DESIGNATED RIDER SNA UNDER § 56-585.1 A 6 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA CASE NO. PUR-2023-00171
· Virginia Electric and Power Company (“Dominion”) has applied for approval to revise its rate adjustment clause, designated Rider SNA. · In this case, Dominion has asked the State Corporation Commission (“Commission”) to approve Rider SNA for the rate year beginning September 1, 2024 through August 31, 2025 (“Rate Year”). · Dominion requests a revenue requirement of $94,941,005, which would increase the monthly bill of a typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity by $0.85 per month. · A Hearing Examiner appointed by the Commission will hold a telephonic hearing in this case on April 24, 2024, at 10 a.m., for the receipt of public witness testimony. · A hearing on the Petition shall be convened at 10 a.m. on April 24, 2024, or at the conclusion of the public witness hearing, whichever is later, in the Commission’s second floor courtroom located in the Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, to receive the testimony and evidence of the Company, any respondents, and the Staff. · Further information about this case is available on the Commission’s website at: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Information. On October 3, 2023, Virginia Electric and Power Company (“Dominion” or “Company”) filed a petition (“Petition”) with the State Corporation Commission (“Commission”) for revision of a rate adjustment clause (“RAC”), Rider SNA, for the costs associated with the preparation of the applications for Subsequent License Renewal (“SLR”) to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to extend the operating licenses (the “SLR Component”), and the projects reasonably appropriate to upgrade or replace systems and equipment deemed to be necessary to operate Dominion’s Surry Units 1 and 2 and North Anna Units 1 and 2 safely and reliably in the extended period of operation (the “Capital Upgrade Component”) (collectively, the SLR Component and the Capital Upgrade Component comprise the “Program”). The Company seeks revision of Rider SNA for the rate year commencing September 1, 2024 through August 31, 2025 (“Rate Year”). The Petition explains that in Case No. PUR-2021-00229, the Commission approved Phase I of the Program, consisting of the Company’s subsequent license renewal applications and 33 Capital Upgrade Component projects. The total estimated costs for Phase I are approximately $1.2 billion. The Company filed the instant Petition as the second annual update to Rider SNA pursuant to the Commission’s Final Order in Case No. PUR-2022-00162. In its Petition, Dominion states that Phase I of the Program is proceeding on time and on budget, and that the Company received license renewals for the Surry Units on May 4, 2021. The Company asserts that it continues to pursue the subsequent license renewal application for North Anna Units 1 and 2 and has submitted materials to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (“NRC”). The Company states that the NRC is scheduled to issue the supplemental safety evaluation report and the draft supplemental environmental impact statement in October 2023. The Company further asserts that it expects to receive the North Anna SLR in July 2024, which is prior to the commencement of the Rate Year in this proceeding. The Company states that in this proceeding, it is seeking to recover costs for North Anna incurred after February 28, 2022, which were deferred pursuant to the Commission’s 2021 Rider SNA Final Order. The Company asserts it has continued to implement the Capital Upgrade Component projects consistent with the scheduled station outages and outage events at both stations, and that it has successfully performed work on six projects at Surry and one project at North Anna during the scheduled outages. The three components of the revenue requirement for Rider SNA are the Projected Cost Recovery Factor, the Allowance for Funds Used During Construction (“AFUDC”) Cost Recovery Factor, and the Actual Cost True-Up Factor. According to the Petition, the Projected Cost Recovery Factor consists of projected net plant balances as of the monthend immediately preceding the Rate Year (i.e., as of August 31, 2024) in determination of the rate base and the calculation of financing costs on rate base. The AFUDC Cost Recovery Factor represents the amortization of the unrecovered AFUDC accrued from March 1, 2022, through August 31, 2022. According to the Petition, the additional AFUDC is the remainder of financing costs on North Anna Units 1 and 2 deferred for recovery in Case No. PUR2021-00229. The Actual Cost True-Up Factor will recover from, or credit to, customers any under-/over-recovery of costs from the most recently completed calendar year. The total revenue requirement requested for recovery for the Rate Year through Rider SNA is $94,941,005. The Company asserts that it has allocated costs to the Virginia jurisdiction and customer classes using its 2022 Production Demand Allocation Factor, consistent with the way production plant costs for the Surry and North Anna facilities are allocated in the cost of service. If the proposed Rider SNA is approved as proposed, it would incrementally increase the residential customer’s monthly bill, based on 1,000 kilowatt hours per month, by $0.85 compared to the current Rider SNA. Interested persons are encouraged to review the Petition and supporting documents for the details of these and other proposals. TAKE NOTICE that the Commission may apportion revenues among customer classes and/or design rates in a manner differing from that shown in the Petition and supporting documents and thus may adopt rates that differ from those appearing in the Company’s Petition and supporting documents. The Commission entered an Order for Notice and Hearing in this proceeding that, among other things, scheduled a public hearing on Dominion’s Petition. On April 24, 2024, at 10 a.m., the Hearing Examiner appointed to this case will hold the telephonic portion of the hearing for the purpose of receiving the testimony of public witnesses. On or before April 17, 2024, any person desiring to offer testimony as a public witness shall provide to the Commission (a) your name, and (b) the telephone number that you wish the Commission to call during the hearing to receive your testimony. This information may be provided to the Commission in three ways: (i) by filling out a form on the Commission’s website at scc.virginia.gov/pages/Webcasting; (ii) by completing and emailing the PDF version of this form to SCCInfo@scc.virginia.gov; or (iii) by calling (804) 371-9141. This public witness hearing will be webcast at scc.virginia.gov/pages/Webcasting. Beginning at 10 a.m. on April 24, 2024, the Hearing Examiner will telephone sequentially each person who has signed up to testify as provided above. Beginning at 10 a.m. on April 24, 2024, or at the conclusion of the public witness portion of the hearing, whichever is later, in the Commission’s second floor courtroom located in the Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, the Hearing Examiner will convene a hearing to receive testimony and evidence related to the Petition from the Company, any respondents, and the Commission’s Staff. To promote administrative efficiency and timely service of filings upon participants, the Commission has directed the electronic filing of testimony and pleadings, unless they contain confidential information, and has required electronic service on parties to this proceeding. An electronic copy of the public version of the Company’s Petition may be obtained by submitting a written request to counsel for the Company: Timothy D. Patterson, Esquire, McGuireWoods LLP, 800 East Canal Street, Richmond, Virginia, 23219, or tpatterson@mcguirewoods.com. Interested persons also may download unofficial copies of the public version of the Petition and other documents filed in this case from the Commission’s website: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Information. On or before April 17, 2024, any interested person may file comments on the Petition by following the instructions found on the Commission’s website: scc.virginia.gov/casecomments/Submit-Public-Comments. Those unable, as a practical matter, to file comments electronically may file such comments by U.S. mail to the Clerk of the State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2118. All comments shall refer to Case No. PUR-202300171. On or before January 8, 2024, any person or entity wishing to participate as a respondent in this proceeding may do so by filing a notice of participation at scc.virginia.gov/clk/efiling. Those unable, as a practical matter, to file a notice of participation electronically may file such notice by U.S. mail to the Clerk of the Commission at the address listed above. Such notice of participation shall include the email addresses of such parties or their counsel. The respondent simultaneously shall serve a copy of the notice of participation on counsel to the Company. Pursuant to Rule 5 VAC 5-20-80 B, Participation as a respondent, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (“Rules of Practice”), any notice of participation shall set forth: (i) a precise statement of the interest of the respondent; (ii) a statement of the specific action sought to the extent then known; and (iii) the factual and legal basis for the action. Any organization, corporation, or government body participating as a respondent must be represented by counsel as required by Rule 5 VAC 5-20-30, Counsel, of the Rules of Practice. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-2023-00171. On or before February 20, 2024, each respondent may file with the Clerk of the Commission, at scc.virginia.gov/clk/efiling, any testimony and exhibits by which the respondent expects to establish its case. Any respondent unable, as a practical matter, to file testimony and exhibits electronically may file such by U.S. mail to the Clerk of the Commission at the address listed above. Each witness’s testimony shall include a summary not to exceed one page. All testimony and exhibits shall be served on the Commission’s Staff, the Company, and all other respondents simultaneous with its filing. In all filings, respondents shall comply with the Commission’s Rules of Practice, including 5 VAC 5-20-140, Filing and service, and 5 VAC 5-20-240, Prepared testimony and exhibits. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-2023-00171. Any documents filed in paper form with the Office of the Clerk of the Commission in this docket may use both sides of the paper. In all other respects, except as modified by the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing, all filings shall comply fully with the requirements of 5 VAC 5-20-150, Copies and format, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice. The public version of the Company’s Petition and other documents filed in this case, the Commission’s Rules of Practice, and the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing may be viewed at: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Information. VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY
PAGE 30 | NOVEMBER 16 - 22, 2023
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Dogs and the Holidays: It Doesn’t C ritter C orner Have to be Chaos
by Stephanie Oppenheimer, CPDT-KA
earlier in the day, with plenty of • Your dog is a notorious time to sniff and explore. Put counter- and coffee table-surfer. your puppy on a long leash and This scenario, perhaps more than let him chase and pounce on any other, calls out for barriers to eliminate this crime of opporThanksgiving is next week, leaves. Play with them enough so tunity for thieving canines. If and you’re hosting. Maybe you’ve recently welcomed a that if someone asked, “Has your kitchen has doors, close new puppy into your home, and your dog had mental stimulation them. If it has doorways narrow he’s not even potty trained let and physical exercise today?” enough for gates, insert them. If alone trained to stay off the cof- you could honestly answer, your house is open-concept, get free-standing gates to block off fee table. Or, you have an adult “Yes.” • Your guests are set to arrive, the kitchen. dog who long ago decided that Put appetizers on a taller jumping is way more fun than and your dog goes wild when sideboard with plates for your sitting politely when Gramma greeting a guest at the door. Meet your guests outside, guests, rather than using the cofvisits. with your dog on a leash. Take fee table. Just as you wouldn’t What to do?! First, a reality check: You a little walk – even if it’s just leave a toddler in a room full of won’t be able to train your dog around the driveway – since a hot stoves, don’t leave a dog in to be a perfect citizen within the dog can’t jump on guests if he’s a room full of tantalizing food. • Your house is a no-shoes next week – and probably not busy walking with you. Let your within the next month, either, as guests go inside the house first, zone, but your dog loves chewthe winter holidays start filling and follow behind them so your ing shoes. Rather than giving dog is the last one in; he can’t your dog a shoe buffet, stow our calendars. Training takes time, and as bark and jump at arriving guests shoes behind closed doors or in anyone who has tried to incor- when he’s not there to face them a basket that can be placed on a shelf. porate new habits into their own in the foyer! If arrivals will be too spread • Your puppy isn’t fully potty lifestyle knows, there are no quick fixes. Rather, dogs need out for that, try this: Set your trained. 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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
The LGBTQ+ Reach
by Brian Reach
Falls Church News-Press
Transgender Awareness The Williams Institute estimates that 1.4 million Trans people live in the U.S. — though this number is likely larger due to survey respondents concealing their identities due to stigma and fear. As our country’s views on same-sex couples evolved, especially after gay marriage was legalized, religious conservatives shifted their focus to Trans individuals, increasingly attacking them with hateful legislation, rhetoric, and violence. Over 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced in the U.S. during the 2023 legislative session, with 233 targeting LGBTQ+ students, and the majority of those focused squarely on Trans youth. On November 13 we recognized the Transgender Day of Remembrance, which kicked off Transgender Awareness Week, November 13-19. In order to be aware, we must make a conscious decision to be informed. Stigma and discrimination have devastating effects on the lives of queer, in particular Trans, individuals. CDC data has shown that, while five percent of straight youth report attempting suicide within the year, that number more than quadruples for gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth — 23 percent. In a survey by The Trevor Project, a full 28.8 percent of Trans and nonbinary youth reported attempting suicide within the year. Additionally, 37 percent of Trans/nonbinary students reported being physically threatened or harmed, shown to triple suicide risk. One third reported parental rejection, shown to increase suicide risk eightfold. The term Transgender describes individuals whose internal sense of self includes a gender identity different from their assigned sex at birth. This is separate from sexual orientation, which describes an individual’s romantic attraction to others. A Trans woman may be attracted to women, considering herself a lesbian, while another may be attracted to men and consider herself heterosexual — and so on across other combinations of gender and sexual orientation. The AMA and all credible medical/psychological organizations have repeatedly asserted that sexual orientation and gender identity are not psychological or medical disorders — and that accepting and affirming both optimizes quality of life. Our obsession with categorizing folks has always marginalized outliers, and Trans individuals are no exception. In the 1500s European colonizers documented gender non-conformance observed in indigenous populations, and scholars have referenced the “gendercide” that followed. In 1629 the Virginia Court in Williamsburg forced a gender non-conforming individual to wear a mix of men’s and women’s clothing. In the late 1600s Massachusetts criminalized cross-dressing.
The Nazis targeted LGBTQ+ individuals relentlessly, as I’ve noted in previous weeks. Magnus Hirschfield, German sexologist and physician who oversaw the first modern gender affirmation surgeries, and author of The Transvestites — which said society needed to adapt to the sex characteristics and erotic desires of individuals, not the other way around — was called “the most dangerous Jew in Germany” by Hitler himself. The majority of documentation of Trans existence, at least prior to the age of video and electronic records, is found in court records of individuals being criminally tried for dressing or behaving in ways that challenged gender-based expectations. The rest has been, largely, erased from history. Gender and sexual orientation are complex, personal, and individual. It is well-established that attempts to force an individual to change either do not work — legally or through the physical and emotional torture of “conversion therapy.” As we intentionally center the experiences of Trans individuals this week, let’s all take some time to learn, reflect, and grow. I highly recommend reading the following: bit.ly/FCNP1123ta, bit.ly/FCNP1123tr, and bit.ly/FCNP1123tv.
NOVEMBER 16 - 22, 2023 | PAGE 31
Shop Local - Nov 30
Transgender Remembrance Below are the Trans individuals whose lives were violently cut short in 2023. Listed are their names, ages, and dates/locations of death. London Price, 26, 10/23/2023, Miami, FL Lisa Love, 35, 10/17/2023, Chicago, IL A’nee Johnson, 30, 10/14/2023, Washington, D.C. Dominic Dupree, 25, 10/13/2023, Chicago, IL Chyna Long, 30, 10/8/2023, Milwaukee, WI YOKO, 30, 9/19/2023, New Orleans, LA Sherlyn Marjorie, 35, 9/17/2023, Albuquerque, NM Thomas “Tom-Tom” Robertson, 28, 8/17/2023, Calumet City, IN Luis Angel Diaz Castro, 22, 8/12/2023, San Juan, PR DeVonnie J’Rae Johnson, 28, 8/7/2023, Los Angeles, CA Camdyn Rider, 21, 7/21/2023, Winter Park, FL Jacob Williamson, 18, 6/30/2023, Monroe, SC Chanell Perez Ortiz, 29, 6/25/2023, Carolina, PR Ashia Davis, 34, 6/2/2023, Highland Park, MI Banko Brown, 24, 4/27/2023, San Francisco, CA Koko Da Doll, 35, 4/18/2023, Atlanta, GA Ashley Burton, 37, 4/11/2023, Atlanta, GA Ta’Siyah Woodland, 18, 3/24/2023, St. Mary’s County, MD Cashay Ashanti Henderson, 31, 2/26/2023, Milwaukee, WI Zachee Imanitwitaho, 26, 2/3/2023, Louisville, KY Unique Banks, 21, 1/23/2023, Chicago, IL Maria Jose Rivera Rivera, 22, 1/21/2023, Houston, TX Tortuguita, 26, 1/18/2023, Atlanta, GA KC Johnson, 27, 1/14/2023, Wilmington, NC Jasmine “Star” Mack, 36, 1/7/2023, Washington, D.C.
December Issues: Charitable Giving, Holiday Markets, Festive Menus, Church Services & More.... To Advertise In the Paper: Call: Sue Johnson sjohnson@fcnp.com • 703-587-1282
PAGE 32 | NOVEMBER 16 - 22, 2023
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Happy Thanksgiving EN
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100 S Cherry St. - Falls Church City Spacious Wrens Corner Townhouse with a Detached Home feel & Amazing curb appeal. 3 Bedrooms, 3.5 Bathrooms with over 2,800 sqft of living space, Hardwood Floors & Elegant Crown Moulding throughout. Main Level Entry Foyer Opens to Dining Room and Formal Living Room w/ Gas Fireplace. Large Country Kitchen Opens to Family Room w/ Wood Burning raised hearth Fireplace in brick wall, exiting to Private Brick Patio area. Upper Level Features Spacious Primary Bedroom Suite w/ Large Walk-in closet & full Bath. Two additional Bedrooms share a second full bathroom. Lower Level Features Rec Room with Raised Hearth Brick wood burning Fireplace & full wet bar. Office/Den (can easily convert to Bedroom), & full Bathroom. Close to Downtown Falls Church City, and only a mile to East Falls Church Metro Station. Offered at $1,095,000
2809 Lee Oaks Ct #202 Falls Church 2BR/2BA 2nd floor condo in Lee Oaks - Large Kitchen, combo Dining/Living Room w/ wood burning fireplace. Small Den, and Sunroom. Spacious Primary Bedroom w/ Private Bath and walk-in closet. Second Bedroom & Second full bathroom. Less than 3 Miles to 3 different Metro Stations. Offered at $385,000
If you are looking to Buy, Sell, or Rent in 2024 please call Chris or Matt for a No Obligation consultation.
Chris Earman
Matt Earman
Member NVAR Residential Top Producer Club Weichert, Realtors - Chairman of the Board Club
Member: 2022 NVAR Residential Top Producer Club Weichert, Realtors - Ambassadors Club
(703) 628-4541 | Chris@EarmanRealEstate.com
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