Falls Church News-Press 11-23-2017 by Falls Church News-Press

November 23 – 29, 2017

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I�� T�� W�� F�� P�� L�� B�� C�� P�� The Fairfax Police Department will be launching a pilot body worn camera program in its Mount Vernon and Mason districts this spring, after unanimous approval from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors this week. SEE NEWS BRIEFS, PAGE 9

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As many as seven suspects are believed to have played a role in a grand larceny case that took place at Bach Tuyet Jewelers in Falls Church’s Eden Center earlier this month. An estimated $150,000 in the form of jewelry and cash was taken from the store.

F.C. Leaders Say ‘Project Executive’ Key to Campus Development Effort S��

Agreed That FullTimer Needed for Complex Effort

BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

its immediate neighbors and than other burgeoning suburban areas in the Washington, D.C. Metro area like Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Tacoma Park. Significant revenue-generating dining, entertainment, retail and service businesses need a “critical mass” of population to thrive, he said, and that has not yet been

Members of three leading City of Falls Church groups assembled Monday night at a work session to begin moving ahead on the George Mason High School campus development project in the wake of a rousing approval by voters of a $120 million school bond earlier this month. The first tier of decisions before the City Council, the School Board and the Planning Commission involved a response to City Manager Wyatt Shields’ proposal to establish a Campus Coordinating Committee that would be composed of two members of the Council, two of the School Board, one of the Planning Commission, a member of the Economic Development Authority, the City Manager and the School Superintendent. However, almost everyone who chimed in on the discussion Monday night said they felt having a single person, a “project executive” in the words of Council members Dan Sze and Letty Hardi, with a single-minded focus on all aspects of the project, is required. Although he did not propose it this Monday, the idea of such a role was obviously not new to Shields, because he told the News-Press after the meeting that his search for a new Economic Development Office chief at City Hall, which has been underway for months, may have to take the “project executive” role into account. “This project has got hundreds of issues coming up, not the least involving taking advantage of

Continued on Page 4

Continued on Page 5

SEE NEWS BRIEFS, PAGE 9

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With another fall sports season now in the books, George Mason High School teams and fans move on to the upcoming winter season that begins following the Thanksgiving holiday this weekend. SEE SPORTS, PAGE 17

INDEX Editorial.................6 Letters...................6 News & Notes10–11 Comment ....... 12–14 Sports .................17 Calendar .......18–19

Classified Ads .....20 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword ..........21 Critter Corner......22 Business News ...23

THE GEORGE MASON HIGH SCHOOL theater department’s production of “Spamalot,” a spoof based on the Monty Python works, knocked it out of the park in its �inal of three performances before a sold out audience at the GMHS auditorium Saturday night. Seasoned observers say it was one of the two best musical productions in 30 years delivered by the high school performers. See review, page 22. (P��: N��-P��)

Falls Church Veteran EDA Guru: Density Is Vital to City’s Future BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

The City of Falls Church has only begun to scratch the surface of its economic development potential, Ed Saltzburg, the City’s longstanding Economic Development Authority leader said here Sunday, but future growth will depend on some more significant population growth.

Saltzburg spoke to a meeting of over 30 people of the Village Preservation and Improvement Society meeting at the American Legion Hall Countering some popular misconceptions, Saltzburg said the City is far from overpopulated now, despite the increase from 9,500 to 14,300 in just over two decades. He said the City is considerably less dense, population-wise, than

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NOVEMBER 23 - 29, 2017 | PAGE 3

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Join Us for FallsChurch TreeFest

Pass the love, please. It’s holiday time at e Kensington! We’ve saved a place for you, at our table and in our hearts. Come share in the magic of e Kensington holidays as we gather for festivities, food and fun with family and friends. Help us make lasting traditions as we open our doors and spread a little cheer.

To kick oﬀ the season, please join us for our first holiday event, co-hosted with Falls Church Arts. Support your favorite cause with a donation or a bid for a chance to win a beautifully decorated holiday tree.

— Falls Church Tree Fest —

An annual holiday celebration and silent auction to raise money and awareness for Falls Church area nonprofits Thursday, November 30, 2017 from 4:30pm-7:30pm RSVP to 703-992-9868 or conciergefs@kensingtonsl.com

7 0 3 . 9 9 2 . 9 8 6 8 | 7 0 0 We s t B ro a d S t re e t , F a l l s C h u rc h , VA 2 2 0 4 6 w w w. T h e K e n s i n g t o n F a l l s C h u rc h . c o m

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Former EDA Chief Says Density is Key Continued from Page 1

achieved, despite a lot of new mixed use development, in Falls Church. He said that a population in excess of 20.000 will be needed to accomplish that. Tacoma Park has more than 20,000 now, and is no bigger than Falls Church in terms of area. Still, he said, the City is in excellent shape now and has a bright future. He said it is a blessing that the City did not attract large big-box retail since it began reaching out for serious development in the last 20 years. It’s such retailers who are hurting the most, and have a gloomy future because of the Internet. On the other hand, the City has attracted smaller service businesses offering everything from haircuts to nail grooming, and their future is much brighter in an area that is attracting more people. “Maybe I can’t buy clothes in Falls Church, but that may be a blessing, after all,” Saltzburg quipped. He said that restaurants and entertainment are the keys to the City’s economic future, along with a lot more multi-family residential where the cost to the City of providing services, including the education of school-aged children, is far less than the quarter-acre single family home. While eight homes fill eight quarter acre lots in the City, there are 100 units in just two acres in the Broadway, for example. That higher density has yielded a lot more revenues to the schools while the single family homes are on average in the negative. The 10 acres that the City is hoping to market for dense development on the high school campus site may be a catalyst that can spur the involvement of the Beyer Automotive effort at lot consolidation on the south side of West Broad, and entities such as WMATA, with almost two dozen underutilized acres at the West Falls Church Metro site, the University of Virginia-Virginia Tech property and the Atlantic Realty owners of the Giant shopping center, Falls Church Mayor David Tarter chimed in during the question and answer period. Saltzburg threw in one more element to the economic development mix: affordable housing. “Affordable housing is an economic driver,” he said. But the City’s stock of what is identified

as affordable housing is shrinking, and depends on owners of entities such as Merrill House not renovating their product. Even with the current City policy that requires a certain number of new units in mixed use projects to be set aside as “affordable,” the problem persists. Gary LaPorta reminded the audience that an “affordable” unit at one of the City’s new mixed-use projects still costs upwards of $1,800 a month, and to many younger or lower income families, that is hardly “affordable.” There were no solutions offered, except for the fact that new mixed use developments may feature smaller and smaller rental units, such as the efficiencies and single-room occupancies, known as SROs, that are beginning to catch on around the country in the context of the “tiny houses” movement. Neighboring Arlington’s move to permit secondary units on existing single family properties, known as “granny flats,” may be something that Falls Church could explore, even as it could run afoul of existing homeowners. What’s holding Falls Church back now, Saltzburg asked rhetorically Sunday concerning future economic growth. There’s not enough room, not enough places and not enough people, he said. There’s also competition in the area, high land costs, lack of population density and the considerable effort it takes the best developers to fill their existing retail spaces. He cited the case of local developer Bob Young’s effort to fill his new Southgate Shopping Center, also known as the Lily Building. Other developments have been less successful, at least in the short term, such as in the Lincoln at Tinner Hill project, which has a number of small retail units that have gone unfilled, even though Target has signed onto its larger retail space. The best economic development yields for the City, ranked in order, Saltzburg said, are hotels, grocery stores, mixed use projects, Class A office space and retail. Of late, developers of the Founders Row on W. Broad at N. West Street have been stalled by their inability to land a hotel, and Mayor Tarter has told the Insight developers of the E. Broad and N. Washington mixed use project, which won a preliminary approval to move ahead by the City Council last week, he’d like to see a smaller grocery store there.

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F.C. Campus Eﬀort Underway Continued from Page 1

opportunities that might arise from conversations with neighbors such as WMATA and the University of Virginia and prospects for environmental standards on the site,” Sze said. “We need a single point of contact at the top,” added School Board member-elect Greg Anderson. “We need a third party point person,” Council member Karen Oliver chimed in. “There is so much about this project that is entirely new,” said Mayor David Tarter, “The 10 acres are all new, the prospect of collaborating with neighbors is all new. We can’t afford to leave anything on the table to take full advantage of this.” The daunting prospects of the effort, now facing the policy makers since the issue of the bond referendum is no longer before them, began to sink in over the course of the meeting. Project milestones presented at the meeting followed two columns, one for the high school redevelopment and the other for the 10-acre commercial development.

The timeline on the school begins with the School Board’s imminent decision on the approval of a request for qualifications for school design and construction, followed by the approval of a short list of respondents by February and the issuance that month of a request for proposal for school design and construction. The final contract for that component is slated to be approved by July 2018, and the final school design readied by July 2019, with the notice to commence with the construction also coming that month. On the City Council side concerning the 10 acres for commercial development, the approval of Comprehensive Plan modifications will be due by February 2018, and the issuance of a request for qualifications (RFQ) for economic development also by February, followed in May 2018 by an approval of a short list of RFQ respondents. The Council would then approve a bond for $10 million in May 2018 and in June issue a formal request for proposal (RFP), with the choice of top-ranked respondents coming by next October.

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In May 2019 an approval of a master development agreement would come, including the approval of special exception entitlements associated with the plan. In June 2019 would come the approval of a bond for $60 million for initial construction, and for $50 million for the remaining amount in September 2020. The timetable has the opening of the new George Mason High School, an entirely new building, in the Summer of 2021 and in the Fall of 2021, the commencing of the commercial development component. Councilman Sze read a statement from the City’s Environmental Sustainability Council urging it to evaluate qualifications for the construction of the new school to be based on an ability “to deliver a balanced design that achieves Zero Energy status as defined by the United States Department of Energy.” The new high school “is a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity for the City to back up its commitments to environmental standards with a huge step forward,” it said.

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Falls Church As Spamalot

A standing ovation here for everyone involved in the extraordinary production of “Spamalot” at George Mason High School last weekend. In our book, it ranks as the single best musical comedy production performed there in the 26 years we’ve been covering the school, and that is a recognition we do not provide lightly. Its only competition overall since 1991 was the 2010 production of “Les Miserables,” with the late Samuel Waters in the lead, but, of course, that was not a comedy. In fact, we’d go so far as to propose “Spamalot” be considered for an encore in the spring, instead of, or in addition to, what’s otherwise in store. That’s just our way of underscoring how good we thought it was (see the Cappies’ review of the show on page 22 in this edition). Not only was it performed to a veritable tee, with the excellent timing being everything for making it really funny, but with an abundance of talent, as well, but it brought a measure of joy to the town that in these times needed it. With the kind of yoke (joke?) we collectively bear in the White House close by, reprising the fun that Eric Idle’s Tony Award winning play first brought to the Broadway stage in 2005 (based on the earlier also goofy Monty Python film from the 1970s) was remarkably refreshing. So was it, also, as a release and celebration of the City’s pressure cooker election this month that saw a referendum approving a bond for a new high school pass by a wide margin. We’ve deserved this show! Another wacky suggestion: If you’re not crazy about Falls Church’s official slogan, “The Little City,” then why not call us “Spamalot”? Of course, our town is not goofy enough (yet) for that, and trying “Camelot” would be pretentious, though thinking of our City Council as the Knights of the Round Table is intriguing. Still our existing “The Little City” slogan, local genius marketer Matt Smith’s creation, is looking better and better by the day, and keeping it will be fine with us, especially from the standpoint that we should “Always Look at the Bright Side of Life.” More than just laughs and joy, the high school’s choice of the production was laudable for its diversity-affirming qualities as well. With our new Superintendent of Schools in the audience, and our high school principal assuming a funny cameo part, the entire school system was behind the abundant welcome the play represented for all, including for its Lancelot character and his Herbert, who wound up dancing a marvelous bit to a song that proclaimed, “He can finally come out and say that he’s G.A.Y.(M.C.A.), He’s gay,” and concludes with the entire chorus yelling, “O.K.!” It brought the house down with rousing applause and cheers. When the two characters at the end shared vows, the Lancelot character proclaimed, “Who would think that this would still be controversial 1,000 years from now?” Bravo!

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Double Parking Should Be Prohibited on Broad St. Editor, I’ve witnessed, on a more and more regular basis, delivery trucks double parked on W. Broad St. for extended periods, impeding already slow traffic. Once, two were double parked within a block of each other. Technically, I guess this is OK because there are no signs posted prohibiting it but I can’t think of any other city that would allow this behavior on their main drag in the middle of the day.

The city should post signs prohibiting this and police should be more diligent in having these trucks move off the main drag, or schedule deliveries for early in the morning or late at night. In most cases, it is possible for the truck to pull off the street, at some inconvenience to them. But the convenience of travelers outweighs the additional steps needed to deliver goods. CA Raymond Falls Church

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NOVEMBER 23 – 29, 2017 | PAGE 7

Support Justice & School Board’s Sandy Evans B� G�� W��

Local citizens are being asked to sign a petition to recall Sandy Evans, a duly elected, hard-working, member of the Fairfax County School Board. Those pushing recall contend that this has nothing to do with the new name, Justice High School, but is all about the process. Really? Does anyone believe that if the School Board had not voted to rename J.E.B. Stuart that these same citizens would be circulating a recall petition objecting to the process? Clearly not. This is classic sour grapes and an orchestrated hissy-fit. If it was not about the name, why did this same allegedly “non-partisan” group work to defeat Karen Keys-Gamarra when she was a candidate for the School Board? Simply because she too felt it unwise to continue to honor a Civil War general who fought to keep an entire race of people enslaved. Interesting that Karen won overwhelmingly, especially so in the precincts closest to Stuart HS and despite the campaign against her. Apparently, folks are more open-minded than Karen’s opponents hoped they would be. Renaming the school is not exactly a radical idea, especially after Charleston and Charlottesville. Look at the types of people who marched in Charlottesville in defense of the Confederacy. Those who

are demanding that we must continue to honor J.E.B. Stuart are in bed with those in Charlottesville who demanded we continue to honor Robert E. Lee, they are just more erudite and sophisticated in their approach. Of course, they would take

“This is classic sour grapes and an orchestrated hissy-�it.” great umbrage at any suggestion that they had something in common, but the end goal is the same. Both wish to whitewash what slavery was about and the lasting damage it did to our country and to millions of Americans. Many of them still argue that slavery had nothing to do with the Civil War, and yet they suggest others are erasing history? What gall to be such historical revisionists while accusing others of erasing history. As to the recent school renaming process, those who opposed the name change had every bit as much input into the process as those who wished the name to change. They testified at every hearing; they sat on every study committee; they sent in countless emails; they met directly with School Board members and even

showed up uninvited at their homes. But they say they were ignored. While the name Stuart received the most weighted votes in the community’s September 16 recommendation, it did not receive the most raw votes; and that vote came after the school board had already decided to change the high school’s name. Deleting the initials “J.E.B.” was floated but did not have support from either side at July’s board meeting and ultimately had almost no support among the 12-member board. The process was also clear that the community vote was not a plebiscite but merely advisory and would lead to the Superintendent recommending multiple names to the school board which he then did by forwarding the five names that got the most votes in the community’s September 16 recommendation. One of those options, clumped together with various derivations of Thurgood Marshall, was in fact the word “Justice” but we are told that word never appeared on the ballot at all — a complete falsehood. The votes for a name other than Stuart (the incumbent) far outweighed votes for Stuart as did the combined votes for Justice, Justice Marshall, civil rights leader Barbara Rose Johns and local WW II hero Col. Louis Mendez, the three names the so-called Changers were championing. The school board did not ignore the

community’s September 16 recommendations, they weighed them heavily, debated them extensively and decided that the idea of Justice HS would be a way of honoring three nominated Americans: a revered Supreme Court Justice who lived in Lake Barcroft, a 16 year-old Virginia student who had the courage to challenge segregated schools in 1951, and a longtime Lake Barcroft resident who served heroically in WW II and in Korea and returned home to work in the field of education and whose children attended Stuart. Justice High School is a great name and will provide teaching moments about what the word means, about fairness, diversity and inclusiveness for years to come. The inflated costs will come down significantly. Band uniforms don’t cost $3,000 apiece, the football field can be repainted for $3,500, not $104,000, baseball jersey shirts for the 26 (not 45) athletes on the 2017 JV and Varsity rosters for home and away games will cost $2,000 not $20,000 and there is no need to spend $50,000 replacing a trophy case, etc. A major fundraising campaign can begin in December. Sometimes change is difficult to accept but as George Bernard Shaw once wrote, “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”

Q�� W�� Do you approve of the petition to recall Fairfax Co. School Board’s Sandy Evans? • Yes • No

Last Week’s Question:

Should the Falls Church City Council elect a new mayor in January?

• Unsure

Log on to www.FCNP.com to cast your vote

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Email: letters@fcnp.com | Mail: Letters to the Editor, Falls Church News-Press, 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church 22046 | Fax: 703.340.0347

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Happy Thanksgiving

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NOVEMBER 23 - 29, 2017 | PAGE 9

Better business for a better Falls Church!

NEWS BRIEFS Bryan Hill Named Fairfax County Executive Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors appointed Bryan Hill as county executive Monday, effective Jan. 2, 2018. Hill is currently the James City County, Va., administrator and clerk to its Board of Supervisors. He replaces Edward L. Long, who retired in September. Kirk Kincannon is currently acting as county executive. “The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is pleased to welcome Bryan Hill to Team Fairfax,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova. “Bryan brings impressive leadership, management, communications and budget experience to the table, and we look forward to working alongside him. Fairfax County is on a great track, and we are confident Bryan will continue to build upon a foundation of excellence for both our workforce and county residents.” Hill has been with James City County since 2014, and he previously spent seven years with Beaufort County, S.C., as deputy county administrator.

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2 Stabbed in Domestic Incident on Wilson Blvd. A man and woman are in the hospital this week after a domestic related stabbing in Falls Church. Fairfax County Police officers responded to a home in the 6200 block of Wilson Boulevard around 1:15 a.m., Monday, Nov. 20, and found a 40-year-old woman with a wound to the upper body. A preliminary investigation revealed she was stabbed by her boyfriend. The 45-year-old suspect was found inside the home with what appeared to be self-inflicted stab wounds. Both were taken to the hospital and are in serious, but stable condition. Fairfax County police have not released the name of the suspect to protect the identity of the victim.

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Fairfax Police to Launch Pilot Body Camera Program The Fairfax Police Department will be launching a pilot body worn camera program this spring, after unanimous approval from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors this week. This pilot program will be conducted with all operational uniformed patrol officers from two district stations, Mount Vernon and Mason. It will include 230 cameras and last for three months, with the option to extend it to six months. This comes following the Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission Final Report recommendations to outfit officers with body worn cameras. The pilot body worn camera program is designed to provide the Department with the opportunity to review police-community member encounters as they occur, as well as provide an additional degree of safety for officers as they patrol the streets. Cameras will be worn on the outside of the officer’s uniform or ballistic vest on a full-time basis to evaluate the technical merits of the software and equipment. The cameras that will be tested offer various features and mounts to capture the details of police-community member encounters without compromising the officer’s job tasks or safety. Prior to being issued the equipment, all officers will receive training. Officers will be expected to activate the body worn camera during any law enforcementpublic encounter related to a call for service, law enforcement action, subject stop, traffic stop, search or police service.

7 Suspects Sought in Eden Center Jewelry Heist As many as seven suspects are believed to have played a role in a grand larceny case that took place at Bach Tuyet Jewelers (BT Jewelers) at 6757 Wilson Blvd, Falls Church on Nov. 3 around 1:30 p.m. The group absconded with an estimated $150,000 in the form of jewelry and cash from a rear safe room. Store surveillance video shows the suspects entering BT Jewelers in staggered pairs with two at a time and are believed to be working together due to their arrival in the same vehicle — a Honda Odyssey minivan manufactured between 2004 – 2010. Once a few of the suspects occupied the clerk’s attention on one end of the store, a single suspect crawled through a swinging part of a locked door on the opposite end and obtained multiple items of value from the store’s safe room, which she then secured in a bag.The store owner is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individuals responsible. Anyone with information should contact Detective Kevin Ankney at (703) 248-5238 (TTY 711) or kankney@ fallschurchva.gov.

Correction: Kearney Book Website An item in last week's News Briefs incorrectly listed the web site for Susan Kearney's Book publishing venture. The correct web address is www.sunsetbeachbooks.com.

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Community News & Notes

MOVING UP IN THE WORLD. After Danica Roem (left) unseated Republican incumbent Bob Marshall for the 13th District’s seat in the Virginia Legislature GIVING BACK to those in need as they customarily do during the holiday sea- on Nov. 7, pop star Demi Lovato decided to help continue Roem’s victory lap son are the students and faculty of The Congressional School. More informa- by inviting the new politician as her date to the American Music Awards in tion about their efforts can be found on Page 11. (Photo: The Congressional School) Los Angeles Sunday night. (Photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty)

Lee Arts Center Artists Open ‘Pop Up’ Art Show

25th Annual Holiday Craft Show Set for Next Weekend

A “Pop Up” art show featuring 14 artist members from the Lee Arts Center in Arlington will take place on Saturday, Dec. 2 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m and will be hosted at McEnearney’s Associates’ real estate office in Arlington (4720 Lee Highway, Arlington). Ceramics, jewelry and prints will be for sale from a diverse array of artists and their unique styles – all of which are ideal items for holiday gifts or adding to a personal art collection. Fifteen percent of all sales will be donated to “Doorways for Women and Families.” Plenty of parking will be available to interested shoppers who wish to attend this local show.

The 25th Annual Holiday Craft Show returns to the Community Center (223 Little Falls St., Falls Church) next Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 2 and 3. A $1 weekend pass gets attendees access to 50 crafters and merchants selling unique handmade items, baked goods, and more. The show is open on Saturday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. The first day of the Craft Show provides fun opportunities for children with The Great Zucchini, Lunch with Santa and the Children’s Holiday Shoppe. The Great Zucchini performs his award-winning show Saturday at 9:30 a.m., keeping children

engaged with the wonder of magic, silliness of comedy and interactive nature of the show. Reference Activity Code 111206. The Children’s Holiday Shoppe at Cherry Hill Farmhouse is another holiday tradition. Just across the park from the Gift & Craft Show, volunteers help children select gifts for $6 and under. Free gift wrapping is provided. The fundraiser for the Friends of Cherry Hill is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 2. No registration required. Lastly, at the Lunch with Santa, children are $6 each for a meal catered by Clare and Don’s Beach Shack. There are two seatings: 11 a.m. and noon on Saturday, Dec. 2. Santa will be available for photos and grown-ups are wel-

come to take as many photos as they like. Advanced registration required. Register online (fallschurchva.gov/Register) or by calling 703-248-5027. Reference Activity Code 111-207. Registration is required for every person attending. Cost is $6 for children ages 2-12; Ages 13 and up can attend free with the purchase of Craft Show Shopping Pass ($1). Register online (fallschurchva.gov/Register) or by calling 703-248-5027. More information about all the events can be found at www. fallschurchva.gov/Holidays.

Victorian Society Hosts ‘The Spirit of Christmas Past’ On Sunday, December 3, the Victorian Society at Falls

Church is hosting “The Spirit of Christmas Past” at Historic Mount Hope on South Oak Street in Falls Church to benefit Creative Cauldron. Guests will visit the first floor of the 1870 home, decorated as it would have been during the Victorian era and will meet with docents representing past residents as they discuss how Christmas was celebrated in 1873, 1895 and 1917. Tickets are $10, and all proceeds will offset production costs for “The Snow Queen” which will run from Mar. 9 – 25, 2018 at Creative Cauldron. Tickets must be reserved in advance. For reservations or more information about the event, please contact Terry Hooper at vicsocfc@hotmail.com or terryhooperknapp@ aol.com.

Send Us Your News & Notes!

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

Community News & Notes: newsandnotes@fcnp.com | School News & Notes: schoolnews@fcnp.com Mail: News & Notes, Falls Church News-Press, 200 Little Falls St. #508, Falls Church, VA 22046

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Medicare 101 Seminar Slated for Nov. 27

Free seminar on your key choices in Medicare, and how to save money, offered by Fairfax County’s Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program. Monday, November 27, 6:30 – 8 p.m., Thomas Jefferson Library (7415 Arlington Blvd. Falls Church).

Congressional School Provides for Needy Families Students and teachers from Congressional School in Falls Church traveled to the Culmore Family Resource Center on Monday to deliver much needed food supplies in time for Thanksgiving. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Congressional School’s Thanksgiving food drive in support of the residents of the Culmore Family Resource Center in Bailey’s Crossroads. “Less than two miles from our campus, there are families living in poverty,” stated Head of School, Janet Marsh. “The Culmore Center helps to provide services and food to these families all year long and we hope that the contributions from our school community might help the families have a happier holiday season.” Congressional’s Thanksgiving

food drive is organized annually by seventh grade students as a service learning project. This year, the students encouraged community participation by setting grade-level goals and challenges with teachers offering bonus donations if their gradelevels reached their targets. In the end, the school gathered over 1000 perishable and non-perishable goods to be distributed to the Culmore residents. “The community we serve is extremely low income and our work is to connect the families we serve to resources and guide them to a path of self-sufficiency,” stated Nandred Navarro, Vice President of Community Based Services who coordinated with Congressional School on behalf of the Culmore Center. “Thanksgiving is family time and we like to provide extra help that day so they have enjoyment and feel special. Congressional School’s Thanksgiving Food Drive each year, provides an immense help to the Culmore Family Resource Center.”

Marshall Boosters Begin Tree And Holiday Sale The George C. Marshall High School boosters will run the annual Christmas Tree Sale from Nov. 25 – Dec. 17. The boosters will sell Christmas trees, wreaths, gar-

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land, White House ornaments and Marshall Statesmen Spirit Wear throughout the entirety of the tree sale. All proceeds from the sale will benefit Marshall’s athletic teams and other organizations. Hours will be 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Saturdays and noon – 6 p.m. on Sundays. Marshall High School is located just east of the 495 Capitol Beltway at 7731 Leesburg Pike in Falls Church.

A Very Victorian Christmas Sets the Table for Saturday Reenactors from the 1860s welcome friends and soldiers for holiday cheer in the midst of Civil War conflict this Saturday, Nov. 25 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Cherry Hill Farmhouse (312 Park Ave., Falls Church). Visitors can enjoy period carols, parlor games, light refreshments, and decorations including a Victorian-period Christmas tree and a children’s craft room.

Toys for Tots Drop Off at the American Legion American Legion Post 130 (400 N Oak St., Falls Church) is requesting unwrapped toys to be dropped for the Toys for Tots program on or before Dec. 10 between the hours of 3:30 – 9 p.m. any day of the week.

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ANOTHER WEEK, ANOTHER NEW BUSINESS JOINS THE CITY. This past Saturday members of Falls Church’s City Council and Chamber of Commerice celebrated the entry of ProBike FC within City limits. Those on hand to commemorate the event were (from left to right) the Chamber’s Chairman Board of Directors Joe Wetzel, Commissioner of Revenue Tom Clinton, Council member Dan Sze, Vice Mayor Marybeth Connelly, Mayor David Tarter and ProBike FC owner Nick Clark and the rest of his team (P��: C�� S�� C��)

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BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, USE YOUR HEALTH CARE FLEX SPENDING. CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT TODAY

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#BeUnderstood

A Penny for Your Thoughts

News of Greater Falls Church By Supervisor Penny Gross

Happy Thanksgiving! I am hopeful, on this traditional day for giving thanks, that everyone can put aside their differences, and recognize the many blessings we enjoy in this nation. Whether young, old or in-between, rich or poor, native-born or immigrant, regardless of belief or gender, we are so fortunate to live in America. And even more fortunate, perhaps, to live in Northern Virginia, where diversity is celebrated and welcomed, not mocked. Granted, not everyone agrees, but most public policies in our local jurisdictions focus on uniting, not dividing, The most recent example is the One Fairfax policy under consideration by the Board of Supervisors and the School Board. Last year, both bodies adopted a One Fairfax Resolution that directed the development of a racial and social equity policy to ensure that all individuals have an opportunity to reach their highest level of personal achievement. The policy establishes common, shared definitions; identifies areas of focus that support a thriving community and promote equity; and articulates the business procedures and infrastructure roles at a high level to support successful implementation of the policy. The intentional focus on racial and social equity positions Fairfax County government, along with the School Board, the community, and other sectors, including higher education, business, non-profit, faith, philanthropy, and civic organizations, to identify and address institutional and structural barriers to opportunity. Ultimately, facilitating full inclusion of the economic, social, and creative contributions of all county residents will result in greater economic security for families and a stronger local economy.

None of this will happen overnight, but the foundation has been laid over time, including Fairfax County’s Strategic Plan to Facilitate Economic Success, adopted in 2015. Research shows that equitable regions experience stronger, more sustained growth. Regions with lower income inequality and less segregation (by race and income) have more upward mobility. Companies with a diverse workforce achieve a better bottom line, and a diverse population more easily connects to global markets. This is the future. Working to improve the future now will reap dividends in coming years, often without the investment of dollars, but the investment of strategies, understanding, philosophy, and appreciation – for our similarities, as well as our differences. What better time than Thanksgiving to move this policy forward! Congratulations to Kathy Trichel, Mason District resident and fabulous volunteer at Green Spring Gardens, on the occasion of earning the Elly Doyle Park Service Award from the Fairfax County Park Authority. Kathy has volunteered for more than 13 years, as a Master Gardener, as a plant propagator, and as a FROG (Friend of Green Spring). Kathy is reputed to have two green thumbs (!), and also uses costumes, props, and a little drama, to interpret the cultural and natural resources for visitors to Green Spring Gardens. Fairfax County wouldn’t be the great place it is without loyal and dedicated volunteers – indoors and outdoors – and Thanksgiving presents another opportunity to say “thank you.”

SOME PARENTS WANT THEIR KIDS TO TRY HARDER. SOME KIDS ARE TRYING AS HARD AS THEY CAN. Learning and attention issues can look different to parents and kids. That’s why there’s Understood, a free online resource with answers, advice and tools to help your child thrive. Go from misunderstanding to understood.org.

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

Congressman Beyer’s News Commentary

Open Enrollment Is Here BY DONALD S. BEYER

The open enrollment period to shop for health insurance coverage in the Health Insurance Marketplace has begun, and will run until Dec. 15. Anyone who needs to sign up for coverage for 2018 or would like to find out more should visit Healthcare.gov, where you can shop for plans which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2018. Even for individuals who are healthy, health insurance can suddenly become vital. The out-ofpocket cost for a three-day hospital stay is $30,000, and a broken leg can cost up to $7,500. Health insurance helps protect you from unexpected costs like these. Coverage could be more affordable than you think. In 2017, many Virginia families qualified for financial help in the Marketplace. Nationwide, 8-in-10 people qualified for financial help in the Marketplace. For many, that meant they could find insurance premiums between $50 and $100 per month during last year’s

enrollment period. Here are some resources to help you get covered: • Health Insurance Navigators are available in our area to help you sign up for insurance, free of charge. You can find a navigator in your community through Enroll VA. • Check on your family’s eligibility for Medicaid or Family Access to Medical Insurance Security (FAMIS) programs through Cover Virginia. • Calculate potential Affordable Care Act subsidies or get answers to an array of questions about health insurance through the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation. · Federal employees can sign

up for plans through the open enrollment page at OPM. FEHBP enrollment runs 11/13–12/11. • Individuals 65 and older (and certain individuals under 65) qualify for Medicare. Medicare Fall Enrollment started Oct. 15 and ends Dec. 7. Go to: Medicare.gov I will continue my work in Congress to improve the US health care system, and to ensure that Americans can access and afford quality health insurance.

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 Rep. Donald Beyer can be reached through his website at www.beyer.house.gov, on Twitter @RepDonBeyer or his office at (202) 225-4376.

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Before anything else, we are all human. It’s time to embrace diversity. Let’s put aside labels in the name of love. Rethink your bias at lovehasnolabels.com

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YO U DON T H AV E T O BE SO STRONG BUT IF I’M NOT, WHO WILL?

Being a caregiver takes a special kind of commitment. We know your strength is super, but you’re still human.

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F I N D S U P P O R T F O R Y O U R S T R E N G T H.

Our Man in Arlington By Charlie Clark

My goal was to escape the megalopolis and glimpse some autumn leaves without journeying outside the Beltway. My destination: Roaches Run, the Arlington wildlife refuge that millions pass on the George Washington Memorial Parkway on their way to Reagan National Airport. I ended up making a surprise discovery. But first some background. Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary “is a popular spot for observing wintering waterfowl,” says a description from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. “During summer, osprey, green heron, red-winged blackbird, and mallard are common. In addition, summer vegetation along the lakeshore is alive with dragonflies and damselflies.” Maintained in part by the National Park Service, the natural lagoon across from airplane-watcher’s Gravelly Point near the Columbia Island Marina was first “civilized” in 1934-35. That’s when the Franklin Roosevelt Administration’s Civilian Conservation Corps was working up and down the parkway on sites linked by trails. “The CCC installed a tide gate to control flow from the Potomac River, cleared unwanted plants, graded the banks, and moved or planted 1,265 trees and shrubs,” says an account from the Living New Deal, a California-based research project. “For visitors, the

NOVEMBER 23 – 29, 2017 | PAGE 13

enrollees built a parking area surfaced with bituminous concrete and enclosed by a concrete cub and log guard rails,” it added. “Original development of the site also included a gamekeeper’s residence and feed storage house, although their exact locations are not known.” The 21st century brought archaeological field work at Roaches Run. Beginning in 2008, the Park Service began planning an environmental assessment (soliciting public comment in 2012) for a future project “to enhance visitor access, safety and education” at the site. Arlington County around the same time put in a request for study of the impact of a plan to construct a recreational boathouse for non-motorized craft nearby. In September 2014, then-Interior Secretary Sally Jewell made a publicized appearance at Roaches Run with students on National Service Day to encourage cleanup of trash (a problem that persists today). And in January 2016, Dominion Energy reported a transformer rupture at its Crystal City substation, which sent “an undetermined quantity of” mineral oil dielectric fluid to Roaches Run and the Potomac River. “Spill responders collected almost 30 oiled birds of different species, including great blue heron, lesser scaup, Canada goose and mallard,” the company’s after-action report said. All the fowl were cleaned and released. Fans of Roaches Run maintain a Facebook page. They describe (more knowledgeably than I could)

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

CRIME REPORT Week of Nov. 13 - 19, 2017

Larceny from Vehicle, 800 W Broad St, Nov 13, between 11:45 AM and 4:10 PM, both tags were removed from a vehicle Shoplifting 301 W Broad St (Harris-Teeter), Nov 13, 6 PM, a shoplifting incident was reported. The offender was identified and warrants have been obtained. Larceny from Vehicle, 400 blk Jackson St, Nov 14, loose change was taken from a vehicle parked overnight in a driveway. Larceny from Vehicle, 2700 blk Welcome Dr, between 9:30 PM, Nov 13 and 7:15 AM Nov 14, a small purse containing change was taken from a vehicle parked in a driveway.

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Larceny from Vehicle, 2700 blk Welcome Dr, between 8 PM, Nov 13 and 6 AM Nov 14, an unsecured vehicle was ransacked and items of value were taken. Larceny from Vehicle, 2700 blk Welcome Dr, between 6:30 PM, Nov 13 and 6:30 AM Nov 14, an unsecured vehicle was ransacked and items of value were taken. Tampering with Auto, 1300 blk Gibson Pl, between 7:30 PM, Nov 13 and 9:30 AM Nov 14, an unsecured vehicle parked in a driveway was rifled

through but nothing was taken. Larceny from Vehicle, 100 blk Dulany Pl, Nov 14, victim reported that overnight, loose change and an item of value were taken from an unsecured vehicle. Larceny from Vehicle, 300 blk Poplar Dr, between 9 PM, Nov 13 and 6 AM Nov 14, an unsecured vehicle was ransacked and items of value were taken. Larceny from Vehicle, 1000 blk S Washington St, between 8 PM, Nov 13 and 7 AM Nov 14, an unsecured vehicle was ransacked and items of value were taken. Smoking Violations, 6757 Wilson Blvd #24 (Le Billiards), Nov 14 7:11 PM, a male, 32, of Laurel, MD, was issued a summons for Smoking Violation in a Restaurant. Larceny from Vehicle, 1051 E Broad St (Koon’s Ford), Nov 15, a dealer tag was taken from a vehicle. Drug/Narcotic Violations, 7200 blk Leesburg Pike, Nov 15, following a routine traffic stop, a male, 31, of Fairfax, VA was arrested for Possession of Controlled Substance/Medication not prescribed to himself, Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

fishing for snakehead its waters and spotting American bald eagles, osprey, red tailed hawks, double crested cormorants, great blue herons, white egrets and ducks. The day I visited, straining to tune out the sounds and sights of urban traffic, I beheld gulls and a single heron standing mid-water at low tide. With the high-rises of Crystal City and the Boeing logo in the background, I stood near a downed tree and read a sign that said, “No washing, waxing or repairing vehicles.” Sharing the parking lot with me were a half-dozen cars, all occupied, their drivers studying mobile devices. It seems the nature-lovers’ Roaches Run, for some local citizens, has been re-purposed. It is now an extension of the airport’s passenger pickup cellphone waiting area. *** What may be Arlington’s least noticed cemetery came to my attention thanks to reader Tim Kirk. Hidden amidst shrubbery near the Sheraton Hotel, at the entrance to Washington Blvd. from Columbia Pike, lies a higgledy-piggledy array of dozens of graying tombstones. The 2009 Foxcroft Heights Neighborhood Conservation Plan suggests they are likely leftovers of African-American graves dating from Freedman’s Village days in 1870. Most remains from the cemetery long maintained there by the Odd Fellows Stevens Lodge (which burned down in 1963) were dispersed to Alexandria. What’s left seems a loving tribute. Drug Narcotic Violations, 450 W Broad St, Nov 15, 5:12 PM, a male, 32, of Washington, DC, was arrested on Felony charges of Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Codeine. Larceny-Theft from Building, 250 W Broad St (Falls Church Antiques), Nov 15, 3:30 PM, Items of value were taken. The offender is described as a white male in his 40’s, with a slender build, dark hair, and approximately 6’ tall. Investigation continues. Smoking Violations, 6757 Wilson Blvd #15 (H2O Cafe), Nov 16, 11:43 PM, a male, 56, of Springfield, VA, was issued a summons for Smoking Violation in a Restaurant. Graffiti – Destruction of Property, 200 Grove Ave (West End Park), Nov 17, 8:09 AM, graffiti was discovered on the skateboard ramp. Public Works notified. Drunk In Public – 100 blk W Broad St., Nov 17, 4:15 PM, a male of No Fixed Address, was issued a summons for appearing to be Drunk in Public. Bad Check – Larceny by False Pretense, 600 blk S Washington St., Nov 18, 1:08 PM, A victim was given a check for a refund which returned as insufficient funds. A warrant was issued for Larceny by False Pretense. Hit and Run, 1000 blk W Broad St., A vehicle was struck while parked causing damage to the left mirror. Hit and Run, 700 blk W Broad St., A vehicle was struck by another vehicle on the right front while traveling on W Broad St. The striking vehicle left the area without providing information.

PAGE 14 | NOVEMBER 23 – 29, 2017

NATI O NA L

The Turkey a Year Later

How’s that turkey looking to you this year, compared to last? The reference being to Thanksgiving, not the White House per se, still it goes to our national appetite and love of living, or not, after the last 12 months of Trump. To many, the shock effect of this past year may leave a gaping inability to appreciate just how much has changed in our perception of reality and national purpose since this day in 2016. The shocks have been in a wide number of areas, and starting with the positive, it was first reflected in the incredible women’s marches all across the U.S. the weekend after Trump’s inaugural. Those demonstrations affirming American core values against racism and sexism confirmed to us all that no matter how an aberration FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS like Trump might throw us off, it will not prevail. No other case of fascist coup in history has been met with this kind of reaction. We as a nation proved immediately that we’re far too used to our freedoms, freedoms rooted in an internalized sense of selfrespect and dignity, to tolerate what Trump tried to pull off his very first day in the White House. Recall that unbelievable attempt to cram an alternative reality down our mental throats by means of an “official” pronouncement that the Inaugural fiasco was something other than what we could all see it was with our own eyes? Historians will someday point to that episode starring the forgettable Sean Spicer as one of the most outrageous ever. The year has been a tug of war since between a delusional, worstever-by-far president and a healthy American majority (that cast three million more votes than Trump backers did) who’ve fought against Trump and his shameless, morally bankrupt supporters in Congress and among the nation’s financial elites. It culminated in the mini-revolt that was this November’s election results in Virginia and in local elections across the U.S. The Trump Front was obliterated and it is only a foretaste of what’s to come in the more significant mid-term elections a year from now. If there was anything to put a bounce back in the step and light up taste buds for that Thanksgiving turkey it was the watching the results of this month’s elections pouring in. Results in Virginia were so profound that newspaper copy editors were erroneously changing commentaries that announced “the biggest gains for Democrats since 1899” to 1999. Democrats, and their new allies including every anti-Trump current in the land, are suddenly asking themselves, “What do we have to do to keep Trump in office next year?” Based on how it’s been going, they see him as the key to their prospects for sweeping into the driver’s seats in Congress and state legislatures all across America. In this context, it’s hard to believe how downright stupid Republicans are who are marching lockstep into the teeth of this impending onslaught. Their resolve to do the bidding of their masters among the financial elites to pass an impossible tax reform into law is only the latest example. They failed on repealing Obamacare and they will fail on this tax reform gift to the rich. Every time they keep insisting on this, they dig themselves deeper into a hole from which they will not recover. The same goes for their stubborn resistance to any gun control. So what stands out amidst all this? The stupidity of the Republicans, I’d say, their inability to break from a lemming-like stampede to selfdestruction. But what stands out even more is the crass nihilism and moral bankruptcy that has become evident defining their personal and political lives. It extends to the so-called “religious right,” as well. The fundamentalist so-called Christians who’ve been carrying Trump’s water this past year are not aware yet how badly they’ve self-destructed in the minds of any reasonable Americans. While their core constituency may not care, they’ve survived by persuading enough in the mainstream that, at least, they’re sincere. That game is now over. All this without even mentioning the Russians interference, and the long-overdue “draining of the swamp” of predatory male chauvinist abuses, something which is relentlessly advancing toward the White House.

Nicholas F. Benton

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

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

This is a Man Problem

It is impossible to say too often or loudly how important a moment this is, when many women feel brave and empowered enough to speak up about being sexually assaulted or harassed by powerful men. It feels like a watershed, like something is fundamentally shifting. But the greatest measure of fundamental change will be when everyday offenses by everyday people are also named and shamed, the trickle down of speaking up. For most women, the perpetrator is not a Hollywood executive, or a sitting senator or an esteemed journalist. For most, there will be no news conferences if they come forward. There will be no celebrity attorney to sit at their sides and stroke their hands. There will be no morning news shows to praise their NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE courage. For most, the decision to speak up will still feel fraught and without sufficient benefit to outweigh the possibility of negative repercussions. That is where the majority of this battle must be waged, among the ordinary, the powerless, the invisible. These women (and some men as well, it must always be noted) are the true Silent Majority of victims. Speaking up, and even pressing charges when the law allows, will send a powerful message and will definitely have a chilling effect on this kind of behavior. Loss of livelihood and liberty after bad behavior is a strong deterrent. But I believe that something far more fundamental has to take place. We have to re-examine our toxic, privileged, encroaching masculinity itself. And yes, that also means on some level re-imagining the rules of attraction. First, let’s state the obvious. I’m a big believer in sexual liberty. Consenting adults should feel free to express their attractions as they please without shame or guilt. Just play safe. But, there is no “sex” without consent. To believe that is a twisting of terminology. Rape is not sex; it’s rape. Unwanted touching is not sexy; it’s assault. Sexual advances in a professional environment, particularly from a position of power, are highly inappropriate and could be illegal. Also in business environments, rubbing your penis against people — known as frotteurism, in case you’re wondering — masturbating in front of them, or even showing your penis is wrong and humiliating and possibly illegal. In fact, doing these things in almost all environments is wrong and possibly illegal. Also, if you make sexual advances on, or become

Charles M. Blow

involved sexually with, a minor, that is not a relationship. That is not dating. That is not even sex if it progresses to intimacy. That is a morally despicable sexual exploitation of a minor at least, and statutory rape at worst. Now that we have established that, we can move to the finer points. We have to focus on recognizing an imbalance of power during sexual dynamics so that men better understand the implicit “no” even when women don’t feel empowered to articulate a “no.” We have to focus on that space after attraction is sparked but before we are sure that it is mutual and reciprocal: The unrequited advance, the unwanted touch, the stolen kiss. We have to focus on the fact that jokes that objectify women are not funny. And we have to focus on the fact that society itself has incubated and nourished a dangerous idea that almost unbridled male aggression is not only a component of male sexuality, it is the most prized part of it. We say to boys, be aggressive. We say to our girls, be cautious. Boys will be boys and girls will be victims. We say, almost without saying it at all, that women are the guardians of virtue because an aroused man is simply an unthinking mass of hormones, raging and dangerous. We say that men in that condition are not really responsible for their actions, so it is up to women to do nothing to put them in that position. Dress more modestly. Don’t smile or laugh to the degree that it could be taken as flirtation. Avoid “this one” or “that one.” Don’t walk home alone. Don’t go out to drinks or dinner with the co-worker or classmate. Don’t meet in rooms with closed doors. This is the list of oppressions that women are read with religious rigor. These are the rules of the road. This is the outrage. Women are not responsible for men’s bad behavior. The idea that horny men can’t control themselves is a lie! Men have been so conditioned against emotional intelligence — that’s for women, we are told — that they are blithering idiots at reading the subtleties of allure or aversion. Guys become gamblers. They simply play the numbers. What nine women may find revolting the 10th may reward. They don’t even recognize what offense the nine may have experienced. They are blind to it. In the male mind, any peccadillo is excusable in the pursuit of compatibility. This kind of bulldozer, pelvis-first mentality is the foundation of the more aggressive, more intrusive behavior, and until we recognize that, we will count on the courts to correct something that our culture should correct.

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NOVEMBER 23 - 29, 2017 | PAGE 15

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The George Mason High School Boys soccer program is offering a soccer skills clinic on Saturday, Dec. 2 from 9:30 a.m. – noon on the Mustang turf field. There will be skills training for boys and girls in beginner (ages 4-8) and advanced groups (ages 9-13). Mason Boys soccer coaches and players will be the instructors. The cost is $40 with all proceeds going to help the team travel and compete in the Smoky Mountain Cup in Gatlinburg, Tennessee in March. Pre-registration is strongly recommended as participation will be limited to 30 players in each age group.

Mason’s International Night Is Right Around the Corner In two weeks, on Friday, Dec. 1, one of the most dynamic Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) programs will be held at George Mason High School’s (7124 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church) gym and cafeteria. International Night is an event for hundreds who have the chance to “travel” to over 25 countries, watch cultural performances, sample foods from around the world and explore the wide range of global connec-

tions and rich cultural traditions in the Falls Church city school community. See the Falls Church Elementary PTA website for many more details on the night’s activities and the volunteer needs. The event runs from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Volunteers are needed before and during the event to help make the night a success. To see the complete list of tasks that volunteers are essential for, visit signupgenius.com/go/20f0b4aa9ab2fa02international. Some jobs are as short as a half an hour.

Reminder: No School Wednesday – Friday

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Falls Church City Public Schools would like to remind students, parents and residents alike that there is no school for the rest of the week, from Nov. 22 – 24 in honor of the Thanksgiving Holiday. This added time is intended to allow students and staff to enjoy the time off from school before the big academic push that most classes will be experiencing in December prior to the extended winter holiday break. Schools will reopen on Monday, Nov. 27 at the regular times

Student journalists from two local Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) have been named Crown Award finalists by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA). Crowns are selected for overall excellence in a head-to-head comparison. During Crown consideration, publications are judged on their excellence as shown by their design, photography, concept, coverage and writing. A total of 1,100 publications were eligible for judging. All six of the FCPS nominated publications will receive either a Silver or Gold Crown Award at an award ceremony at Columbia University on March 16, 2018. Crown Award finalists from local FCPS schools are: “Columbian,” Marshall High School – Sam Hedenberg, adviser and “The Clan,” McLean High School – Meghan Percival, adviser.

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I-66’s ‘Outside the Beltway’ Project Meeting Draws Numbers in Oakton BY PATRICIA LESLIE

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

Boards, maps, photographs, aerials, videos and many staff members from the Virginia Department of Transportation were on hand at Oakton High School on Nov. 13 to furnish information for the almost 200 citizens who showed up for a design public hearing about “Outside the Beltway,” the mammoth $3.7-billion project which will transform Interstate 66. The roadway will stretch 22.5 miles from the 495 Beltway to University Boulevard in Gainesville, and will be built to “improve multimodal mobility” (of all kinds: pedestrian, biking, HOV, bus and even cars) to move more people while simultaneously enhancing safety. At the meeting, Susan Shaw, VDOT’s Northern Virginia Megaprojects director, presented benefits of the enterprise and screened a seven-and-ahalf-minute film which touted the project’s advantages. She cautioned attendees that no

public answers would be provided at the gathering since the focus was to listen to residents who signed up to speak. However, staff answered questions posed by attendees in one-on-one sessions gathered at the boards before and after the meeting: “What is the solid green line?” — The bike trail. “We live beside 66. Is that a permanent or a temporary drainage easement?” Newspaper accounts have described the conflicts between bicyclists and homeowners over the location of the new bike and pedestrian trail, whether it’s inside or outside the interstate’s noise walls. Bikers, who often attend VDOT meetings in their biking gear, want their trail to be outside the noise barriers (to avoid pollution) while homeowners want the opposite (to preserve security), but Monday was a love fest with several homeowners expressing support for the bike trail outside the wall (as long as it is not in their back yards). Due to bikers’ outcry (“We’ve

received a lot of input,” Shaw said), engineers and staff returned to the drawing board where they’re still working to find better solutions and redesign the trail which has now shrunk from five to three miles inside the wall. Twelve residents made public comments, including Julie Hirka who said VDOT has waffled on several important pieces of information, including supplying citizens with better knowledge of how the department will handle storm water mitigation, and provide explicit details on the noise barriers. She urged planners to avoid the “monstrosity” of design found at the Springfield 495/95 interchange, and she had a petition signed by 400 defenders of student rights at Stenwood Elementary School which sits adjacent to 66. Signers want to protect and strengthen pupils’ school experiences without interruption to the children by construction and its effects. Kris Unger of the Friends of Accotink Creek Watershed com-

A CITIZEN reviews a map of the bike and pedestrian trails that will run adjacent to I-66. (P��: P�� L��) pared the 66 project to a hurricane. Citizens won’t know what has hit them until it is too late: “I think a lot of people will be upset when trees start coming down.” He appealed to residents to attend transportation meetings and to frequently contact elected officials to let them know voters are interested and aware of what’s happening. (Virginia General Assembly delegates Mark Keam and Marcus Simpson attended Monday.) Right-of-way acquisition will begin soon. Express Mobility Partners which won the 50-year contract to “finance, design, build, operate and maintain the project” with VDOT, “has worked to minimize the right of way required,” according to a color brochure

available at the meeting. EMP has identified 10 residential relocations and 292 partial acquisitions to be taken, but no commercial properties. Comments about the project’s design will be accepted if received by the deadline, Nov. 29. Email Transform66@VDOT.Virginia. gov to submit comments. Completion of two express tolling lanes in each direction is scheduled for Dec. 2022. Other features are 4,000 new parking spaces, 18 miles of new bike and pedestrian trails, three general purpose lanes in each direction, and improved public transportation. Governor Terry McAuliffe led the project’s groundbreaking on Monday in Centerville.

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NOVEMBER 23 - 29, 2017 | PAGE 17

Mustangs Ready for Winter T�� W�� S�� BY MATT DELANEY

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

With another fall sports season seeing multiple teams reach the regional and state level of competition now in the books, George Mason High School teams and fans shift their attention to the upcoming winter season. A quick glance at this year’s slew of teams reveals a mix of specific expectations but a shared sense of positive vibes and talent to make each program interesting. Both girls and boys basketball intend to further their reputation throughout the state, wrestling welcomes a new coach who’s forging a new culture and swim & dive looks to continue its rich heritage at Mason.

Boys Basketball The 2016-17 season was a surprise to George Mason High School boys basketball team head coach Chris Capannola, who after leading a team to the 2A state semifinals the year before, was expecting the natural dip that came with graduating the seniorheavy roster. But sophomore scoring duo of guard Max Ashton and forward Hollman Smith took to their new roles on varsity without missing a beat and elevated the team to a 16-9 record and regional tournament berth. Now as juniors, Cappanola knows the two, along with senior guard Anish Chatterjee, will continue to pack a punch on the offensive side of the ball despite some new inflections to the scheme. Back on defense, the team is transitioning to an aggressive philosophy in order to dictate the action on both ends of the floor. “Adjusting to a new offense will take time, but the defensive philosophy is a 180 from last year. We are going back to pressure and trapping and pushing the pace. No more sitting back and slowing things down,” Capannola said. “Practices have been fast paced and energetic, we have a great group of kids who like and respect each other, they continually push and encourage their teammates. That is invaluable to have any chance of success.” Add in that the Mustangs can run 10 to 11 deep – another change from last year – and they’re in good shape to hang with all the best teams in the Bull Run district and potentially the region. But the latter remains to be seen in a stacked field. Right now Mason’s at the beginning of

this journey and will get a better idea as the season unfolds. The Mustangs next game is against Chantilly High School and is hosted at J.E.B. Stuart (Justice) High School on Nov. 30.

Girls Basketball

A quarterfinal berth in last year’s 2A state tournament was right where George Mason High School’s girls basketball team’s head Michael Gilroy was shooting for when the season ended 22-6 in March. But that was then. This year a new, more challenging path awaits the Mustangs with a combination of out of conference opponents and constantly improving region and state within the 2A classification. With eight returners, including seven seniors who’ve been with Gilroy since he started out in 2015, is an obvious plus for Mason’s aspirations for a second trip to the state tournament. However, Gilroy wants the team to look at its unity as its greatest strength, instead opting for a few standout players to serve as the crew’s engine. “I am expecting everyone to be a leader, I don’t want one or two captains, this year it is everyone’s job to speak up and lead,” Gilroy said. “I don’t want any of my players to be satisfied with their skill level and bball IQ, I want to come to the gym everyday with the mindset that we can always be better than we were the day before, individually and as a team.” Playing as that true team will give this group an edge that could push them to an unprecedented level. In season’s past the Mustangs have been able to find a surreal synergy and leave opposing teams searching for answers in the process. Though a consistency to that chemistry has eluded Mason and left room for improvement. This year is about finding that consistency. Mason will travel to National Cathedral School on Nov. 28 for their next contest.

Swim & Dive Returning to the pool for another winter full of promise is George Mason High School’s Swim & Dive team, which also witnesses a new head coach take the reigns with Meghan Wallace’s arrival. Wallace has a different philosophy from the team’s previous coaches and looks to work that into the practice regimen, while

cleaning up some of the team’s technical elements such as flip turns and dives. However, she knows she has a base group of talent to work with as Mason finds itself at the tops of the 2A region and state competition year-in and year-out. Most of all for Wallace and the team is pushing themselves outside their comfort zone and not getting stuck in any sort of specialized event, allowing the unit to be more flexible when in competition. “I am hoping all swimmers will improve not only in times but technique and the ability to swim more than just one stroke or their favorite stroke,” Wallace said. “Making sure kids are accountable for coming to practice and meets even if they aren’t swimming. I am hoping many will make it to states and that we will have a winning season, but that will just be a plus if that happens.” Mason dives into their season on Dec. 2 at Manassas Park Community Center against multiple opponents.

Wrestling A new year brings with it a new sense of optimism for George Mason High School’s wrestling team, which welcomes in Aaron Martinez for his first season heading the program. Though new, Martinez already has a vision for what he wants the team to be. That includes covering the most of the weight classes, and also encouraging individual studs in juniors Jack Felgar and Bryan Villegrass to shoot for 2A state championships that are well within their reach. It’s setting the stage for a season where Mason may finally be able to show themselves as a collective unit, rather than a small program with occasional standouts. “We are working hard to assist our wrestlers in mastering [their] techniques by setting up a well thought out program,” Martinez said. “In addition, we are striving for a very disciplined practice room to ensure a positive learning environment where the kids can focus on the task at hand without unnecessary distractions. Our room is being run similar to most martial arts programs – not a lot of voices at any given time, just a lot of hard work” The Mustangs will start their season on the road against King George High School in a dual match on Dec. 2.

GETTING OUT IN FRONT to start their race at the 2A State

cross country meet at the Great Meadow course on Nov. 11 were seniors Logan Funk (center) and Estelle Timar-Wilcox (right). Both top performers would go on to �inish within the top 15 as Funk took 12th and Timar-Wilcox was right behind her at 14th. Their strong showing earned them both All-State honors for the third time in their high school careers. Along with that, thanks to good runs from juniors Jo Sevier and Victoria Lecce and their �inishes in 31st and 33rd, respectively, Mason girls were able to snag a fourth place �inish as a team, marking the 15th consecutive season the Mustangs have accomplished that feat. (P��: C�� S��)

MATCHING EACH OTHER stride for stride during the final 400 yards of their race are senior Bill Comstock (left) and junior Henry Brorsen. The two kept close tabs on one another throughout the course and wound up placing 41st (Comstock) and 42nd (Brorsen) en route to the Mason boys nabbing a seventh place team finish in the state. This was the team’s best result since 2014 when the boys program had finished sixth in the state, so clearly the pendulum is beginning to swing upward again for the Mustangs male runners. With four of the Mason boys top seven runners returning to the fore next season in 2018, they’ll look to make a push that could land them within the highly-coveted top five slots in 2A State competition. (P��: C�� S��)

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PAGE 18 | NOVEMBER 23 – 29, 2017

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

FALLS CHURCHCALENDAR COMMUNITYEVENTS MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27 Preschool Storytime. Stories and fun for ages 0-5. Drop-in. All storytimes are followed by playtime with the Early Literacy Center toys. Mary Riley Styles Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 10:30 – 11 a.m. 703-248-5034 Playtime with the Early Literacy Center. Explore educational and manipulative items (aka toys) to teach early literacy through play. Ages birth to 5 years. No registration required. Mary Riley Styles Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. 703248-5034. Estate Planning. Learn how estate planning can help you control your assets and maintain good relationships among your heirs. Representatives from American Family Estate Planners will discuss this crucial document that is part

of your legacy. Lee Community & Senior Center and Park (5722 Lee Highway, Arlington) 1 – 2 p.m. 703-228-0555. ESL Conversation Group. A general conversation group (for adults) learning English as their second language. Meets every Monday (except holidays) at regularly scheduled time. No registration required; all are welcome. Mary Riley Styles Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 7 – 8 p.m. 703-248-5034.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28 Tiny Tot. For ages 18 – 35 months with an adult. Tiny Tot programs provide a wonderful opportunity to interact one-on-one with your child while discovering the wonders of nature. Each educational program will engage children with hands-on learning, and may include a variety of activities such as songs, crafts, finger-puppet plays and mini-hikes. Tiny Tot programs are offered throughout the

year at both Gulf Branch and Long Branch Nature Centers. Each program has a theme, but themes are not published ahead of time so that program coordinators have flexibility in exploring and incorporating all of the park’s aspects and its wildlife into the programs. The theme for each program is repeated during the month, so please register for only one program at each nature center per month. Adults must remain during the entire program. Registration required. Long Branch Nature Center (625 S Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington). $5. 10 – 10:45 a.m. 703-228-6535. Oh Nuts! Find out why squirrels and chipmunks are the masters of hide and seek. Ages 3 – 5 years old. Preschool programs are offered throughout the year at both Gulf Branch and Long Branch Nature Centers. The theme for preschool programs is repeated during the month, so please register for only one session at each nature center per month. Parents

are invited to stay and observe, or those with younger siblings may visit the rest of the building during the program. Parents must remain on-site. Registration required. Long Branch Nature Center (625 S Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington). $5. 1 – 2 p.m. 703228-6535.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29 55+ Social Art Swap. Senior residents are invited to bring their artwork or their own art supplies to create a piece onsite to swap. Art supplies will also be available for residents to use onsite, too. Each finished work will be traded for a single raffle ticket. Raffle numbers are drawn at the end of the event, artwork is selected from the created pieces. Network among other local artists as residents can take home a new piece for their art collection by the end of the event. Arlington Mill Community & Senior Center (909 S Dinwiddie St., Arlington). 6 – 8 p.m. 703-228-7369.

THEATER&ARTS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24 “An Act of God.” Written by 13-time Emmy Award winner David Javerbaum (“The Daily Show”), this exceptionally witty comedy delivers a new meaning to the phrase divine intervention. God is back. And he’s got a lot to say. Inhabiting the body of beloved DC actor Tom Story (Round House Theatre’s “Angels in America,” MetroStage’s “Fully Committed”), and flanked by his ever-faithful archangels, the Supreme Being gifts his mortals with an entirely new set of Ten Commandments in a sinfully funny whirlwind of comedy heaven. Signature Theatre (4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington). $40. 8 p.m. sigtheatre.org.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 225 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER “Nina Simone: Four Women.” Velvet-throated songstress Nina Simone hypnotized audiences with her signature renditions of standards from the American songbook. But on September 15, 1963, a devastating explosion in Birmingham, Alabama rocked our entire nation to the core, and from the memory of the four

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

little girls who were lost in this unimaginable tragedy came “Four Women” — along with Simone’s other activist anthems like “Mississippi Goddam,” “Old Jim Crow” and “To Be Young, Gifted and Black.” Through storytelling and song, “Nina Simone: Four Women” reveals how this iconic chanteuse found her true voice — and how the “High Priestess of Soul” helped define the sound of the Civil Rights Movement. Arena Stage (1101 Sixth Street., Washington, D.C.) $56. 7:30 p.m. arenastage.org.

“My Name is Asher Lev.” Adapted from the celebrated novel by Chaim Potok, a humorous and compelling journey of a young Jewish painter torn between his Hassidic upbringing and his desperate need to fulfill his artistic promise unfolds. As art and faith collide, Asher must choose between his cultural roots and his vast artistic promise. This stirring adaptation of a modern classic presents a heartbreaking and triumphant vision of what it means to be an artist. 1st Stage Theatre (1524 Spring Hill Rd., Tysons). $33. 8 p.m. 1ststagetysons.org.

Falls Church). 8:30 p.m. 703-2419504.

Shartel & Hume. Clare and Don’s Beach Shack. (130 North Washington St., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-532-9283. The Seldom Scene & Dry Branch Fire Squad. The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria). $45. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500. The Nighthawks and Skip Castro Band. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). $20. 8 p.m. 703-237-0300. The Birchmere Presents: Chaka Khan In Concert. Warner Theatre (513 13th Street, NW, Washington, D.C.). $69.50 – $129.50. 8 p.m. 202-783-4000. Colin Thompson Band. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 9 p.m. 703-2419504. The Days. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 10 p.m. 703-237-8333.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25

”Nothing to Lose (But Our Chains).” He’s a thought-provoking standup comic and an allaround good man…but he used to be a dangerous-ass mothafucka. “Nothing to Lose (But Our Chains)” tells the hilarious and harrowing story of how one black man went from six years in a state prison to a six-figure job in corporate America to a new life as an activist and satirist. Performed by Felonious and a cast of Chicago’s sharpest comedians, the latest installment in the long-running partnership between Woolly Mammoth and The Second City will combine sketch, stand-up, and music to remind us that true freedom comes only from within. Wooly Mammoth Theatre (641 D Street NW, Washington, D.C.). $51. 2 p.m.woollymammoth.net.

Koo Koo Kanga Roo – Afternoon Show with MC Lars (encore performance later that day at 6 p.m.). Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $15. 1:30 p.m. 703-255-1566.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 223 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER Dave Chappell Band. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd.,

NOVEMBER 23 – 29, 2017 | PAGE 19

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 26

LIVEMUSIC

CA L E NDA R

In Da Meantime. Clare and Don’s Beach Shack. (130 North Washington St., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-532-9283. The Exaggerations. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 4 p.m. 703-2419504. The Birchmere Presents: The Rebel, The Soul & The Saint Tour with Kirk Franklin, Ledisi and special guest PJ Morton. DAR Constitution Hall (17th & D St, NW, Washington, D.C.). $59.50 – $225. 7:30 p.m. 800-745-3000. David Bromberg Quintet. The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria). $45. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500. Mary Prankster Solo Acoustic Val

KIRK FRANKLIN will be playing at DAR Constitution Hall in D.C. on Saturday. (Photo: North Dallas Gazette)

Yumm + Rodney Henry. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $20 – $30. 8 p.m. 703-255-1566. Newmyer Flyer: The Songs of Burt Bacharach & Hal David. Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd. Vienna). $25 – $29. 8 p.m. 703-255-1900. Wicked Jezebel. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 9 p.m. 703-241-9504. The Later Late Show: Main Stage Comedy Showcase. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $10 – $25. 9:30 p.m. 703-255-1566. Rajas of Rhythm. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 10 p.m. 703-237-8333.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 26 Dixieland Direct. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 1:15 p.m. 703-241-9504. Ron McDonald. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls

Church). 4:30 p.m. 703-241-9504. Memphis Gold. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8:30 p.m. 703-241-9504. Dougie, We Capillaries. Galaxy Hut (2711 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). $5. 9 p.m.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27 Nathan Pacheco. The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria). $29.50. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500. Fullscreen Live presents: Issa Twaimz. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). $40. 7 p.m. 703-237-0300. Wolf Blues Jam Weekly Show. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8:30 p.m. 703-241-9504.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28 90’s Night. Clare and Don’s Beach

Shack. (130 North Washington St., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-5329283. Mappe Of featuring Peyote Pilgrim. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $12 – $20. 8 p.m. 703-255-1566. An Evening with Todd Rundgren. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). $45 – $150. 8:30 p.m. 703-237-0300. Sol Roots and Carly Harvey. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8:30 p.m. 703-2419504.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29 An Evening With Richard Shindell. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $25 – $30. 7:30 p.m. 703255-1566. Open Mic Night with Bob Hume and Martha Capone. JV’s Restaurant (666 Arlington Blvd., Arlington) 8 p.m. 703-522-8340.

Calendar Submissions Email: calendar@fcnp.com | Mail: Falls Church News-Press, Attn: Calendar, 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church, VA 22046 Be sure to include time, location, cost of admission, contact person and any other pertinent information. Event listings will be edited for content and space limitations. Please include any photos or artwork with submissions. Deadline is Monday at noon for the current week’s edition.

PAGE 20 | NOVEMBER 23 – 29, 2017

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Crossword

ACROSS

By David Levinson Wilk 1

46 50

1. Irritated state 5. Recipe instruction 8. All thumbs 14. Car air freshener shape 16. Keep for oneself 17. "Allow me to assist" 18. Checked for fingerprints 19. Directive to Herman Melville to develop the title character of his final novel? 21. Start of a number of Keats titles 22. Safety device 23. Image in Tiananmen Square 26. Ring ____ 27. "I Need a Girl" rapper's incantation? 31. The Beatles' ____ Pepper 32. Is sick 33. Summoned 34. "Where the Sidewalk Ends" poet Silverstein 35. "You can say that again!" 37. "Slumdog Millionaire" country 40. Popular tablet 41. Nordic airline 44. Bugs Bunny, when he's foiled his nemesis? 47. Man who might tip his cap 48. Took courses 49. Marx's "____ Kapital" 50. Songstress Lena 51. Someone who jumps over the remnant of a downpour? 55. "The magic word" 58. Go back further than 59. Office machine

Across

STRANGE BREW

1. Irritated state

NOVEMBER 23 – 29, 2017 | PAGE 21

60. Connects with 61. Alternatives to 'Vettes 62. The Oilers, on NHL scoreboards 63. Hot times in Haiti

38. Bolt go-with 39. POTUS #34 40. "We should get going" 41. Butler, e.g. 42. Actress Bening of "American Beauty" 43. Sound systems 45. Milk dispensers 46. Unhappy 47. Hawn of Hollywood 50. Dirt movers 51. Modest poker holding 52. Played for a sap 53. It's an OK city 54. Part of a flower 55. %: Abbr. 56. Upshot? 57. Prefix with -dermis

DOWN

1. Beer hall turn-ons? 2. Words from a nervous postman? 3. Goofy to the max 4. Beliefs 5. ____ code 6. Shoulder muscle, for short 7. "Maybe yes, maybe no" 8. GI's mess work 9. Earsplitting 10. Golden State campus inits. 11. Box office purchase: Abbr. 12. #26 of 26 13. Jan. 1 till now 15. "And ____ the field the road runs by": Tennyson 20. Fourposter, e.g. 23. One White of rock's White Stripes 24. Pub pint 25. Outdated 27. Stop working for good 28. ____-equipped 29. Burned rubber 30. Skillet, e.g. 32. 1956 Gregory Peck role 34. Vicious of the Sex Pistols 35. Big galoot 36. Scratch, say 37. "... ____ woodchuck could chuck wood"

JOHN DEERING

5. Recipe instruction

Sudoku Level:

8. All thumbs

Last Thursday’s Solution A S M A I S A B M E Z C E S F A R A D O S T E S L W A K E A L I A Z F A K E A L E R N O V O C H I C Y A N K

R E A P S A D R O I T

A W U L L R N L E M I W A T U Z D E E R A O R D I N G D O A A N N S O S

A S I A

I S S U E

H Z O E M R B C O R O M E N O A S I T R E R L A L F O N F R E L E B E N R

E L I A N

E L I T E

S A S S Y

B E L O W Z E R O

I M A G E

G S P O T

Z E O N O T

By The Mepham Group 4

14. Car air freshener shape 16. Keep for oneself 17. "Allow me to assist" 18. Checked for fingerprints 19. Directive to Herman Melville to develop the title character of his final novel? 21. Start of a number of Keats titles 1

22. Safety device 23. Image in Tiananmen Square 26. Ring ____ 27. "I Need a Girl" rapper's incantation?

LOOSE PARTS

DAVE BLAZEK

31. The Beatles' ____ Pepper 32. Is sick

Solution to last Sunday’s puzzle

NICK KNACK

11/26/17

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk.

LO CA L

PAGE 22 | NOVEMBER 23 – 29, 2017

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Critter Corner

BACK IN THE DAY

dog. lazy ick qu The fox sly p e d j u m the over dog. lazy is the Now for all time cows good co me to aid to the the ir of t u r e . pas

20 s Yearo Ag

is the Now for all time cows good co me to aid to the the ir of t u r e . p a s is the Now for all time cows good me to to coaid of the their.

20 & 10 Years Ago in the News-Press

Falls Church News-Press Vol. VII, No. 37 • November 27, 1997

It is now the time fo r all good to go cows to aid of the p a s their ture . * * * Throw * * Pour it up. it up

Falls Church News-Press Vol. XVII, No. 38 • November 22, 2007

10 Year s Ago

It is now the time fo r all good to go cows to aid of the the ir pas ture . * * * Throw * * Pour it up. it up

Customers in Shock as Charlie’s Pizza Closes

New Hilton Hotel in Downtown F.C.? Council Smiles on Plan

In a sudden and unexpected development, a Falls Church institution disappeared last Saturday from its location directly across from City Hall. Charlie’s Pizza, an immensely popular eating and meeting establishment since opening at its City Hall location seven years ago, closed last Friday night. During the day on Saturday, every fixture in the restaurant, including the kitchen sink, was removed, leaving it bare.

A new plan to bring an upscale Hilton Garden Inn to the blossoming West Broad Street corridor central to the City of Falls Church met with unexpected enthusiasm from the F.C. City Council and Planning Commission Monday. A joint work session held in the Community Center marked the first official unveiling of developer Bob Young’s latest project, and while favored, all Council members were not interested in the cookie-cutter Hilton architecture.

JUST CHILLIN during a lazy day around the house is Bailey, a 10-year-old Labrador mix who the Cascella family adopted back in 2008. After nearly a decade with the family, it’s clear they’ve both reached a deep level of comfort with one another. Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! Send in your Critter Corner submissions to crittercorner@fcnp.com.

KING ARTHUR (second from the left), played by Miles Jackson, stands in unison with some of his fellow Knights of the Round Table as they take part in one of “Spamalot’s” many musical numbers during Saturday night’s marquee performance. (Photo: News-Press)

Cappies Praise Mason’s Iteration of Monty Python Spoof, ‘Spamalot’ by Max Jackson

Special to the News-Press

Spam. Even when out of its can it maintains its shape, and, though strange, when prepared correctly, can be delicious. And just like the food, George Mason’s production of “Monty Python’s Spamalot” keeps true to form and is an absolute treat to watch. Based off of the classic 1975 movie “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” the musical adaptation “Spamalot” made its Broadway debut in 2005, running for over 1,500 performances and garnering 14 Tony nominations, winning three, including Best Musical. It follows King Arthur and the

Knights of the Round table in their quest to find the Holy Grail, constantly interrupted by all manner of random things, like a rude Frenchmen, fourth wall-breaks, and even God himself. George Mason’s production is full of charm and liveliness, and clearly the cast and crew have great respect for the original movie. Masterfully recreating the Flying Circus’ bizarre humor, everyone in the cast delivers the jokes with incredible charisma and timing. Accompanied by a superb orchestra, each song was imbued with its own personality and heart. As Arthur, Miles Jackson perfectly captured Graham

Chapman’s original oblivious nobility as the straight man, knowing exactly when to understate his otherwise cartoon-ish expressions to nail a joke. His singing skills match, with a powerful voice that never wavered through his spoton accent. Dede Colbert, as the Lady of the Lake, showed remarkable vocal range, not just with pitch but with expression of emotion. Commanding the stage each time she was escorted on by her posse of choir singers, her sarcasm and intensity captivated people’s attention. Rounding out the cast were the Knights of the Round Table, each with their own personality and comedic style. They brought

hilarity to every moment, from the punchlines to minute background reactions. Another standout supporting role was Will Langan’s Patsy. King Arthur’s loyal servant and horse-impersonator, he brought a sarcastic yet endearing charm to his character, highlighted with moments of honest emotion. And filling in the rest of the cast, the ensemble brought life to every single performance. The dead bodies on the cart, the French Taunter, the Knights of Ni, everyone was a pleasure to watch as they nailed the delivery of such classic lines. And everyone in the cast flawlessly delivered the physicality with amazing animation, which carried over to the dancing. Frenzied and lively to match the music, the dancers pulled off many styles of choreography. Each dance had a new feel that the performers executed without a hitch. The rather simple-looking set proved to be varied and interesting, with many ladders and entryways making even the performers’ entrances funny. Using every inch and level to pull off the physical

comedy, they squeezed whatever opportunity they could out of their set. Ben Salak’s lighting design was subtle, yet just enough, using vibrant greens and blues to establish the cartoon-ish element of the environments and songs. The props department clearly knew what they needed to recreate the Monty Python magic. While some props looked simple to match the ridiculous aesthetic, some were incredibly detailed, echoing Terry Gilliam’s original art design. The same goes for Delaney Theisz’s costume design, a mix of simple and extravagant clothing for the peculiar characters. There’s so much to congratulate with this show. Not only did every aspect demonstrate an appreciation for the source material, but everyone involved was clearly having an enormous amount of fun, which improved the audience’s already fantastic experience. As any Monty Python work should be, George Mason’s “Spamalot” was charming, outrageous, captivating, and indeed, very, very silly.

LO CA L

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

NOVEMBER 23 - 29, 2017 | PAGE 23

Fa l l s C h u r c h

Business News & Notes Cyclebar Opens in Falls Church Cyclebar is now open at 301 W. Broad Street in Falls Church. Cyclebar offers a fun and accessible experience for riders of all ages and fitness levels. Rides include music, energy-enhancing video graphics and rider specific performance data in a state of the art “CycleTheatre.” Free rides will be available for a limited time. For more information, visit www.fallschurch.cyclebar.com.

Local Restaurants Cooking on Thanksgiving Day Two local restaurants will be open Thanksgiving. Ireland’s Four Provinces, at 105 W. Broad Street, will offer its Thanksgiving buffet from 11:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. when the bar will open. Reservations are required by calling 703-534-8999. Bentley’s Diner, at 6654 Arlington Boulevard, will be open for breakfast from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. and for Thanksgiving dinner from 1 – 7 p.m.. Reservations can be made by calling 703-532-4100.

Small Business Saturday is this Weekend Small Business Saturday is this Saturday, Nov. 25. The shopping “holiday” was created by American Express to support the small business community as a counterpart to Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Small Business Saturday encourages holiday shoppers to patronize small, local, brick and mortar businesses. For information about the small business community holiday shopping options in Falls Church or the benefits of shopping locally, visit www.FallsChurchChamber.org. For more information about Small Business Saturday, visit www.americanexpress.com. For those philanthropically minded, Giving Tuesday is November 28. For more information on that designated day, visit www.givingtuesday.org and go to the Chamber’s website for a list of local nonprofits accepting holiday donations.

3 F.C. Chamber Events Set for Next Week Members of the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce and the local business community are invited to attend three events next week. The Chamber is hosting its annual nonprofit forum luncheon on Tuesday, Nov. 28 featuring remarks by Richard Crespin, CEO of CollaborateUp, and brief overviews of local nonprofit organizations. The Chamber’s monthly networking mixer, will take place the same day from 5:30 – 7 p.m., is co-hosted by Quinn’s Auction Galleries and Homestretch. Then, on Thursday, Nov. 30 from 5:30 – 7 p.m., Chamber members and the friends are invited to attend a sneak peek preview of Tree Fest Falls Church at Falls Church Arts Gallery at The Kensington. Details on each of these events are available at www.FallsChurchChamber.org.

TICKETS ON

SALE NOW

FEB 21-25, 2018

Grace Christian Academy Earns ‘Exemplary’ Accreditation The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod School Accreditation recently announced the exemplary accreditation of Grace Christian Academy in Falls Church. Grace Christian Academy has proven compliance with WELSSA’s educational standards and is a member in good standing. Schools working toward accreditation must complete a comprehensive self-study, host a site visit team of educators outside the school every five years, and develop and implement a school improvement plan to maintain accreditation. Established in 1973, the pre-k to 8th grade school is also accredited by the Association of Christian Teachers and Schools, and is recognized as a fully accredited private school in the Commonwealth of Virginia by the Virginia Council of Private Education as authorized by the Virginia Board of Education. For more information, visit www.gracechristianacademy.

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