Falls Church News-Press 12-10-2020 by Falls Church News-Press

December 10 – 16, 2020

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FOU N D E D 1991 • V OL. X XX NO. 43

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F.C. School Board Unanimously Passes Name Changes to Mason, TJ Both Name Change Items Received 7-0 Votes From Board, Advisory Committee Being Set Up For New Names BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

After six months of a lengthy and often contentious debate involving the entire City of Falls Church community, the Falls Church School Board voted unanimously Tuesday night to change the names of two of its five schools, ones named for

U.S. founding fathers who famously owned slaves, George Mason and Thomas Jefferson. George Mason High School, more than 60 years in existence and on the verge of moving into a new $120 million campus, will have its name changed to a new name yet to be determined. The same goes for the Thomas Jefferson Elementary

F.C. Superintendent Releases Statement On Name Changes Following Tuesday night’s unanimous vote by the City of Falls Church School Board to change the names of two of its schools — those named for Founding Fathers who owned slaves — Falls Church City Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan issued the following communique Wednesday to “FCCPS Families and the Community,” which we reprint here in full: Noonan Statement on School Name Changes Dear FCCPS Families and Community, Last night the School Board voted 7-0 to rename both TJ and GMHS. The action was not taken lightly. The decision reflects the Board’s overall belief that we must respect and uphold the dignity of every student, staff member, and community member in FCCPS so they too can achieve in a system

unbridled from the legacy of slavery, discrimination, and systemic oppression. When I arrived in FCCPS nearly four years ago, I shared with the staff, students, families, and community what my four pillars, or core values, were and continue to be. They are: Be innovative, Be collaborative, Be ethical, Ensure equity and excellence for all students. Being an ethical leader charged with ensuring equity and excellence for all students means that I must work to ensure that all students feel valued, are seen and treated as equals, regardless of their race, ethnicity, ability, gender, gender identity, social class, or creed. In collaboration with so many, including fellow educators, community leaders, and students,

Continued on Page 5

School. Board members spoke to the strongly-felt sentiments of students, teachers and citizens alike, even though an informal survey conducted by a consulting firm in October showed over two to one preferred keeping the current names. Most said they found the decision difficult and changed their

minds over the recent months. Board chair Greg Anderson said, “It is possible to have two opposing things be true at the same time,” citing the seminal contributions of both to the founding of the republic contributing to the ability to have the kind of heated discussions associated with this issue, and the fact that they owned over 900 slaves. “I

find changing the names both in the best interest of the community and necessary.” The board took two votes, one for each school and both were unanimous. The renaming process will follow the guidelines outlined in the Falls Church City Public Schools’

Continued on Page 4

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AN UNDATED AERIAL PHOTO depicts the original George Mason High School campus, with Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School in the rear. The Falls Church School Board voted to change the name of Mason High this week, along with Thomas Jefferson Elementary, and the City of Falls Church’s West End Project will completely remake this area in the coming years. This picture is quickly becoming a scene from the past. (P��: C�� C�� W��/D�� D�� I�� S��)

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For as dark of a year as its been, it couldn’t have turned out any brighter for Brown’s Hardware in Falls Church. A lackluster winter season for 2019-20 had the shop hurting for business. The cabin fever of the cornonavirus pandemic provided just that. See Story, page 9

C��, H�� E�� T�� M�� F�� T�� Y�� Christmas parishioners and Hanukkah congregants aren’t as willing to let these events be all virtual as they were in the spring for Holy Week, even if it’s still a hefty chunk of how they are “gathering” to end the year during their religious celebrations. See Story, page 16

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Many won’t be leaving town for this nontraditional Thanksgiving, but for those staying at home and missing the good fare and family time, there’s no need to give up the one day when we can gorge ourselves and express thanks for the bounty we have. See Story, page 16

INDEX

Editorial............................................... 6 Letters.......................................... 6, 22 Comment ................................ 7,14,15 News & Notes............................. 10,11 Crime Report .................................... 14 Calendar ........................................... 18 Business News ................................. 19 Classified Ads ................................... 20 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword ......... 21 Critter Corner.................................... 22

PAGE 2 | DECEMBER 10 - 16, 2020

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DECEMBER 10 - 16, 2020 | PAGE 3

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PAGE 4 | DECEMBER 10 – 16, 2020

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THE SCHOOL BOARD deliberates what to do about the names of George Mason High and Thoma Jefferson Elementary at its meeting last night. (S��: N��-P��)

Survey Results Not Seen As Deﬁnitive Continued from Page 1

regulations. Superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan will accept individuals’ nominations to sit on an Advisory Study Committee to the School Board for each school name. The committees will recommend five names to the School Board. The Board will announce the timeline for the work at an upcoming meeting. In his statement that closed the board’s debate on the matter Tuesday, Chair Anderson said, “My duty as a School Board member is to make decisions for our schools, on behalf of the community, that are in the best interests of our students. To me, that means gathering public input, weighing it with other information, and ultimately making a choice that I believe will best serve our students.” He noted there have been 12 public meetings, two public hearings and 3,400 responses to the survey, which he acknowledged was controversial because it showed a wide majority of respondents in favor of keeping the current names. However, Anderson pointed out that the survey was not a referendum involving the entire community, but a sampling of the perceptions of the participants, and he stressed that the opinions and views of all “have been heard and listened to” by the board. Board member Susan Dimock said that key to her is “what’s my role” in the process of advancing the system’s policy to ensure that “all are welcomed, celebrated and cared for.” Board member Shawna Russell

said that she issued a call to civility in a diverse community knowing “there are good people who are not racists on both sides,” and that Mason and Jefferson “provided us with free speech and a free press” but “made reprehensible choices.” It is her job as a board member, she said, to act on behalf of the students, for whom none can feel less worthy. Laura Downs said she’d changed her mind several times, noting that “actions reflect values,” and that decision to change the names is “one step in the right direction.” Phil Reitinger said that each side is “right in part.” He said the survey “accurately reflected the view that the achievements of the founders outweigh that they owned slaves. But “in this time, in this place” it is best to vote to change the names. Reitinger said he was informed by the U.S. presidential election, where 81 percent of voters in Falls Church “rejected the keeping of children in cages, the smearing of good people and the stoking of division at every turn. I feel the need to change course, and do more.” Shannon Litton said that changing the names “is extremely relevant in the present.” Lawrence Webb spoke extensively on the subject at the previous board meeting and affirmed his vote for the name changes. Lawrence Webb, the board’s only Black member, said, “I will concede that Thomas Jefferson and George Mason contributed to the founding of our country and that will cement them as important figures in our history...but enslaved another group of people to bet-

ter themselves. To hear that it was acceptable at the time does bother me...I hope this [vote] sparks a conversation of how Blacks have contributed significantly to the founding and building of this country.” Of the nine from the general public who testified at Tuesday’s meeting, former history teacher in Falls Church and the parent of three graduates of the F.C. School System, Joseph Bracken was among those who urged keeping the current names. On the other hand, a spokesman for the Mason High Student Council Association executive board urged the name changes “to demonstrate we have learned from history, to put the voices of the marginalized as the forefront. Dr. Jennifer Santiago, the director of Equity and Excellence for the Falls Church City Public Schools, testified that “there is no majority rule as a factor in matters such as this,” noting the experiences of the white and affluent cannot compare to those who live with the experience of racism. The changes will be symbolic, she said, “but real, sending a message that change is at hand.” Chair Anderson summed up the discussion saying, “Two opposing things are true about both George Mason and Thomas Jefferson. It is true that both men made fundamental contributions to the formation of the United States. The Virginia Declaration of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are foundational to the U.S. and our

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Noonan: Time to ‘Put Our Nation’s Stain Of Slavery’ in Textbooks, Not on Schools

Continued from Page 1

like the school board, I, too, have listened intently to and learned from those most impacted by the name change. To be sure, the issues are complex and multifaceted. But now is the time to hold space for our Black colleagues, students, and community members and affirm their dignity and calls to put our nation’s stain of slavery and human bondage in its proper place — not embodied by our school’s namesakes, but included in the pages of our history books. Consider just one narrative here: Recently, the school board heard from a parent faced with a choice. Send her Black child to TJES, a public school named after the person who held her ancestors as property as an enslaved person, or to a private school she could ill afford. For her daughter’s well-being, she scraped together the funds and chose the private option. Empirical evidence suggests that if a student is

uncomfortable or feels unsafe in their learning environment, that student is at a disadvantage in the learning process. We can no longer put our students, staff, and community members of color in a position where they feel unsafe or disadvantaged. For some, the renaming of schools may seem performative, but I assure you it reflects our division’s deep work. We have spent several years in dialogue and reflection about racial equity and justice and have been implementing systemic changes to reflect our commitments to educational excellence for all. Not changing the names at this juncture would be incongruent with whom we have become as a system and a people. Moving forward, we will continue to revise and restructure curriculum through an equity lens, we will continue with our professional learning with respect to equity, we will offer for the first time a course on African American History at the high

school, we will continue to hone our hiring and retention practices to support a broad representation of people of color in FCCPS, and yes...we will continue to tell the history of Thomas Jefferson and George Mason in its entirety. Moving forward, I invite all of us to continue to be reflective, thoughtful, and caring towards each other, towards our students, staff, and community. And particularly those people of color who have endured systemic trauma in their lives, during this pandemic, and during this movement for racial justice in the aftermath of the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmed Arbery, and too many other Black people. We must show in actions and deeds that we continue to walk towards justice and build communities where all people can live with dignity, free from discrimination, and systemic oppression. Now is the time. Sincerely, Peter

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DECEMBER 10 – 16, 2020 | PAGE 5

Status Update on Monday, December 7

City of Falls Church Date

Cases Hospitalizations

Deaths # Cases per 100,000 People

Monday, December 7

122

825.9

Thursday, December 3

112

758.2

Monday, November 30

103

697.3

Wednesday, November 25 97

656.2

Monday, November 23

609.3

Thursday, November 19

682.2

Monday, November 16

555.1

Thursday, November 12

555.1

Monday, November 9

534.8

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

PAGE 6 | DECEMBER 10 – 16, 2020 

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Hailing the School Board’s Decision

It was remarkable and unexpected that the Falls Church School Board voted unanimously Tuesday night to remove the names of Founding Fathers from two of its five public schools on grounds those persons were slave owners at the time of the American revolution in which each played major roles. It was that the vote was unanimous that made it a surprise, because the issue had generated very divided and often contentious responses since the School Board decided to take up the issue in June. Numerous board members testified Tuesday that their views on the matter had changed even more than once during the course of the deliberations and School Board chair Greg Anderson noted Tuesday, “There are times when two opposing things can be true at once. This is one of those times.” The fact that the vote was unanimous will hopefully help the community to come to closure on this matter and move on. There have always been boisterous dissenters in town who oppose the prevailing majority on almost everything. They will undoubtedly persist for a time on this one, especially on the grounds the board decision flew in the face of an unscientific poll conducted by a consulting firm that showed a two-to-one preference the other way. But we found the arguments of all the board members Tuesday night to be compelling by situating the spirit of the Founding Fathers not in the context of the 1790s, but in today’s world and in their duties as board members to advance the best educational environment affirming the full enfranchisement of all going forward. One astute observation: the Founding Fathers themselves would not want schools named for them, because they knew the process they’d set in motion toward justice and equality necessarily involved evolution in the effort. The board vote Tuesday was another step in the spirit that Mason and Jefferson sought to advance with their great seminal achievement. There is a lot in the history of Falls Church that needs reckoning in the wake of failures to advance a “more perfect union” in the last 250 years. But it is also true that while the City’s neighbors were going pell-mell naming schools for racist Confederate and pro-segregationists to protest Supreme Court desegregationist moves in the 1950s, Falls Church resisted and instead chose names of relatively far more progressive Founding Fathers instead. Also, the City’s main non-VDOT-controlled thoroughfare was named for Abraham Lincoln, the arch-enemy of the racist Confederacy. So, it has not been all bad, or good. The next big question is what the new school names — replacing George Mason and Thomas Jefferson — will be. That will also be a challenge for the entire community, but one which we hope can be settled in a way that keeps a positive community spirit intact in Falls Church. We hail the board’s bold action Tuesday and are eager to help engage the process of selecting new names.

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Removing Founders’ Names Should’ve Been Done Earlier Editor, We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Under the Constitution was a Bill of Rights that protected all citizens of the new nation, but not all people enjoyed the benefits and privileges of that document. In particular enslaved blacks were specifically excluded from those rights and privileges. The drafters of the Constitution did not consider enslaved blacks to be equal

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humans. The Constitutional Convention of 1787 memorialized the thinking of the framers by instituting the Connecticut Compromise, which counted three-fifths of a slaveholding state’s slave population toward its total population. This relegated enslaved blacks to being no more than three-fifths a person. The framers also structured a Slave Trade Compromise that forbade Congress from banning the slave trade for 20 years. For the North, this meant the slave trade hypothetically could be banned in the future, while the South was given a 20-year grace

period to continue the trade. George Mason was a prominent framer of the Constitution and member of the Virginia gentry. He was a proponent of slavery and prospered from the enforced servitude of enslave blacks. Thomas Jefferson is a Founding Father of the United States and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. He was also the owner of over 600 enslaved blacks. He, like Mason, benefited from the Compromises that the

Continued on Page 22

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DECEMBER 10 – 16, 2020 | PAGE 7

Hanukkah Symbolizes Togetherness, Even With Pandemic B� R�� J�� S��

Tonight — on Thursday, Dec. 10 — Jews will light the first candle of Hanukkah, bringing our community an early and well-needed Festival of Light. The holiday’s name means “dedication,” and its observance celebrates the rededication of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabean revolt of 165 BCE. Tradition tells us that when the temple was restored, the oil in its lamp was running short. In a miracle, it lasted the eight days needed to ensure that the eternal light did not go out. This week, while we cannot gather like we do every other year, Jewish families will follow the traditions of singing songs, spinning a top called a dreidel to win pieces of candy, giving gifts and eating foods made with oil — to remember the oil for the eternal light — potato pancakes called latkes, and jelly donuts called sufganiot. While I love all these traditions, I see Hannukah’s beauty in the simplicity of its essential ritual: lighting candles each night for eight nights and setting the menorah in the window, in view of the street. The menorah symbolizes a quiet commitment, calling us every year to rededicate ourselves to spreading light, standing up for our beliefs and standing with every other community in

doing the same. In addition to a blessing over lighting the candles, Jews recite a second blessing in gratitude for the miracle of survival some 2000 years ago, “in those days at this time.” Today, one community celebrating our

“While I love all these traditions, I see Hannukah’s beauty in the simplicity of its essential ritual: lighting candles each night for eight nights and setting the menorah in the window, in view of the street.” survival and defending our own beliefs is not enough. All of us must stand with each other, affirm the beauty and importance of our many religious traditions and

ensure the well-being of every family among us. My own congregation, Temple Rodef Shalom, felt this value expressed by the people of Falls Church two years ago, when we held a service lighting 13 candles, for the 11 Jews killed in a synagogue in Pittsburgh, and two African Americans in a Kentucky supermarket, during the same week. We opened our service to the public and were overwhelmed by the response. Everyone there — people representing every religion and group in our region — was moved by the sight of over two thousand people crowded into our building. At the end of the service, 40 interfaith clergy from the area ascended onto the bema in a show of solidarity and comradery. Where 2,000 years ago, each of us had to stand for ourselves, today, we all stand together. Coming together in our gathering places is a fundamental way to break down barriers and build relationships. Over the past eight months, during which such gatherings have been impossible, we are reminded of their importance. Now, especially as winter comes, we are forced to find other ways to connect. And, just as we need to stand with each other when any one community is under threat, we must come together and help each other when dangers to health and financial hardship threaten many among us.

Q�� W�� Are you satisfied with the F.C. School Board’s decision to drop the names of Mason & Jefferson? • Yes

• No

• Not sure

Visit www.FCNP.com to cast your vote

[WRITE FOR THE PRESS]

This week, while the pandemic kept me from leaving my own home, I met over Zoom with nearly 300 of my neighbors in another interfaith gathering. We shared our experiences and our concerns as we face this unique challenge. We heard from parents, struggling to help their children learn in online school; from workers who have lost their jobs and from one employee at a local grocery store, whose job is to sanitize the shelves, tables, checkout counters and payment consoles the customers will use. Every day, he risks his own health to protect the rest of us. He admitted that he is nervous to go to work in the morning and stay there all day. We were powerless to change that reality. However, I believe it meant something to him to be seen and heard. Each individual among us faces a different challenge in this moment, and every group has a different way of spreading our light. Like a kindled menorah shining in the window, we must affirm and be true to our own beliefs. We must look for the opportunities that exist to see each other’s experience. And, we must find ways to stand together. Wishing all of you a season of faith, light and hope. Jeffrey Saxe is a Rabbi at Temple Rodef Shalom

First chance — 68%

Wait a little bit — 18% Last Week’s Question: Wait while — 14% When will you take the a Covid-19 vaccine once it’s available?

68%

First Chance

18% Wait a Little Bit 14% Wait a While FCNP On-Line polls are surveys, not scientiﬁc polls.

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NEWS BRIEFS Zak Bradley Chosen as New F.C. Public Works Director

The City of Falls Church has selected Zak Bradley as the Director of Public Works. Mr. Bradley served as Interim Director since Mike Whitfield left the position in June 2020. “Zak has proven himself as a knowledgeable and creative leader as interim director,” said City Manager Wyatt Shields. “His forward-thinking leadership and high level of customer service are the perfect fit for the City’s complex needs.” Bradley said, “This is a dream opportunity for me to not only further my career, but make a larger, lasting impact on the community and City as a whole. The department has a great team and I look forward to the opportunity to continue to advance the success of the City.” Bradley joined the City of Falls Church in Feb. 2019 as a Transportation Engineer in the Department of Public Works. He previously worked in engineering with Carson Land Consultants and the City of Blue Ash, Ohio. He has a Master’s Degree in Engineering from the University of Cincinnati and a Bachelor’s of Science in Civil Engineering from Trine University. Mr. Bradley is also a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) and Certified Floodplain Manager (CFE).

Waste Collection Delays May Occur Over Holidays

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The City of Falls Church’s contracted solid waste collection service, American Disposal, is asking customers to be ready for possible delays in collection over the holidays: “While all our services remain essential, our main focus will be collecting trash and recycling material first. During this fall season we have found the volume of yard debris to be extremely difficult to manage. If any of your material is not collected on your normal service day, rest assured we will return to pick up your material as soon as possible. In some cases, it may be as long as a week delay with yard waste collection,” a spokesman said. “During the Christmas and New Year’s holiday weeks we ask that you please spread out your trash and recycling material between collection days to help ensure collection. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we continue to live and work in unpredictable times.” Customers can help prevent collection delays — and keep workers safe during the pandemic — by doing the following: Wipe down handles and surrounding area of containers, Break down cardboard boxes and place inside containers, Spread out the amount of trash and recycling placed out on collection days to ensure collection.

Herring Defends Virginia Values Act Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring is again defending the Virginia Values Act in court, this time in a lawsuit filed in Loudoun County Circuit that seeks to block both “the policy of the Commonwealth’ to ‘[s]afeguard all individuals . . . from unlawful discrimination’ in places of public accommodation and employment—including discrimination based on ‘sexual orientation’ or ‘gender identity,’” as well as the “newly enacted statute [that] prohibits discrimination in health insurance coverage ‘on the basis of gender identity or status as a transgender individual.” Today, Herring filed a brief asking the Loudoun County Circuit Court to dismiss the case Calvary Road Baptist Church v. Herring. “The passage of the Virginia Values Act was a monumental achievement and the Commonwealth became the first southern state to enact these sweeping anti-discrimination protections for the LGBT community,” said Attorney General Herring. “We are all Virginians, and we all deserve to be treated fairly and to live free of fear of discrimination just for who we love, what we look like, where we come from or how we worship. I won’t stop defending the Virginia Values Act and all other Virginia anti-discrimination statutes so we can continue to protect Virginia’s LGBT community,” he said.

Jersey Mike’s Offers Grant to Wreaths Across America

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Today, national nonprofit Wreaths Across America (WAA) is proud to announce that Jersey Mike’s Subs, a fast-casual sub sandwich franchise with more than 2,500 locations nationwide including a recently opened location in the City of Falls Church, has made a $300,000 challenge grant to support the mission to “Remember, Honor, Teach.” Through this donation, Jersey Mike’s has once again stepped up help WAA reach its goal of placing a live balsam veteran’s wreath on every headstone at Arlington National Cemetery. Starting Dec. 7, through Dec. 14, 2020, every $15 wreath sponsorship made at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/ JerseyMikes will be matched by the company, up to $300,000. Since 2010, Jersey Mike’s has supported WAA’s mission with more than $2.2 million dollars.

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DECEMBER 10 – 16, 2020 | PAGE 9

Interest in Small-Time Projects Reverses Brown’s Hardware’s Slump

by Matt Delaney

Falls Church News-Press

Idle hands do the devil’s work, hence the reason so many people dedicated their time at home during the coronavirus pandemic to tackling fixer-upper projects. The staff at Brown’s Hardware in Falls Church has seen it all the past nine months as customers came in looking to knock out their honey-do lists. “Almost anything you can think of, they did,” said John Taylor, the owner and manager at Brown’s. “You wouldn’t be making it up, even if you did make it up.” And for as dark of a year as its been, it couldn’t have turned out any brighter for Brown’s. Taylor told the News-Press that the snowless 2019-20 winter had left the store in a bad spot. By the end of January, no snow shovels or ice melt had been moved and sleds remained untouched. “At first I thought we’d close down. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen,” Taylor said. “But we were allowed to stay

MULCH, SOIL AND SEEDS were all been big sellers at Brown’s Hardware during the warmer months as people invested in their gardens during the lockdowns. (Photo: News-Press) open, which was a good thing because people were going nuts at home not having something to do.” Extra time to handle odds and end jobs have brought tons of foot traffic through the door. From patching holes in the wall

to stopping a leaky toilet or painting the basement, Brown’s steered people in the right direction. Repairing screen doors was another task that had multiple customers coming in, according to Taylor. One of the areas in which the

hardware store saw exceptional growth was its gardening section. “The yards out there are beautiful,” Taylor said. “They’re in the greatest shape they’ve been in in years.” Mulch, top soil and seeds

were a hot commodity throughout the spring and summer months. In a normal year, Taylor said Brown’s would sell about four truck loads of mulch. That number was more than doubled this year to 10 truckloads. And seeds would barely make it to store shelves before being gobbled up by consumers. Improving their house gave a boost to people’s mental health as well. According to a survey by CouponFollow, 90 percent of homeowners took on a Do-ItYourself project during the lockdowns and more than 60 percent were successful. Just as Taylor said, some of the leading projects were bathroom repairs, house painting and yard decor. Industry News reported that quarantine was the top reason (55 percent) people said they chose to do a home improvement project during this time period, while another chunk said they did them just for enjoyment (49 percent) and one-third said it helped their mental health during the pandemic.

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PAGE 10 | DECEMBER 10 – 16, 2020

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Community News & Notes

IRELAND’S FOUR PROVINCES customers donated tons of toys to Falls Church City Schools students, which they’ve done for the past 10 years. There was no friends and family party this year to distribute the gifts, but (from left to right) F.C. Education Foundation’s Debbie Hiscott, Tammy Brennan from the 4P’s and Vice Mayor Marybeth Connelly were there to round them up. (Photo: Courtesy Marybeth Connelly)

JOHN NOTHAFT, the director of music ministries at Lewinsville Presbyterian Church in McLean, recently released his book, “Old McHandel & His Musical Farm,” which has been selling at Foxes Music in Falls Church and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. (above). (Photo: Courtesy Lisa Greenfield/Greenfield Communications)

Mason High Mental Health Club Selling T-Shirts The Minds Matter Club at George Mason High School, whose mission is to bring awareness to and end the stigma surrounding mental health, is holding its firstever fundraiser. The club is selling gray t-shirts that say “Mental Health Matters,” with 90 percent of its proceeds going towards the American Foundation

for Suicide Prevention and the other 10 percent going toward the club for future campaigns, projects and fundraisers related to mental health awareness. The club wants to use the shirt sale to bring awareness to the cause, and raise money for this organization’s suicide prevention research. To purchase a shirt, visit customink.com/fundraising/minds-matterclub-american-federation-for-suicide-prevention-fundraiser.

Jefferson Village Holiday Decorating Contest Is On The Jefferson Village Civic Association is sponsoring its annual Holiday Decorating Contest. Residents throughout the neighborhood, which spans homes to the western side of Graham Road in the stretch between Lee Highway and Arlington Boulevard, are in full decorative mode while the civic association’s board prepares for judging later in December. JVCA will have prizes to award to top homes in three different categories. With many families choosing to stay home for the holidays this year, JVCA’s hope is to help make the Jefferson Village neighborhood feel that much more festive for the children and each other — no matter

a resident’s beliefs or electrical skill. The civic association’s judges will be looking at every house from Madison Place to Rosemary Lane, Chestnut Avenue to Farragut Avenue. But if anyone sees a neighbor whose efforts definitely deserve attention, they are asked to share their efforts with the neighborhood on nextdoor.com/p/ rjFLhYbb95y9?utm_source=share. In addition, the Greenway Downs Civic Association, which constitutes the neighborhood immediately north of JVCA’s area, has invited all Jefferson Village residents to participate in their upcoming “Eat, Give, Bark!” event on Saturday, Dec. 12 at noon. The holiday pup parade will start at Jefferson Village Park (on the corner of Jefferson Ave and Adams

Place) and end up at Custis Parkway around the basketball courts, where there will be three food trucks, including a specialty popcorn truck. While the food trucks are present (from noon – 3 p.m.), Greenway Downs will be hosting a food and coat drive for those in need. Bins will be set up for donors to drop off gently used coats and non perishable food items.

Longfellow Middle Pianist Competes As Division Finalist Longfellow Middle student Sophia Lin will compete as a division finalist in the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) southern division junior piano competition. Lin has been studying piano for eight years and is a student of Marjorie Lee. In the current 2020

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!

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Virginia Music Teacher Conference, Lin has won the first prize for all three competitions: MTNA Junior Piano Competition, Virginia State Competition and Virginia Concerto Competition. Lin is an active volunteer who has performed in many community centers, including the Kennedy Center, the hospital at the National Institutes of Health, and senior homes in Maryland and Virginia.

6 – 8 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite nativity animal. The nativity will allow cars only (no pedestrians) to enter and exit from the church’s Broad Street lot from the eastbound lane (no left turns into the driveway from westbound Broad Street). A Falls Church police officer and marked car will be posted at the entrance. Also, there will be no parking in the lot.

Creative Cauldron Has Two Shows Available to Stream

1st-Ever Jolly Jamboree Taking Place on Dec. 16

Two Creative Cauldron productions are available to be streamed for interested viewers who are missing the theater experience. “Cinderella’s Dream” — An original movie musical made by kids, for kids. When middle schooler Ella has trouble at school, she wishes life could be as simple as it seems in her favorite childhood story—until she finds herself trapped in the fairytale world! Featuring a professional soundtrack and special effects. 60 minutes, $15 rental for 72 hour streaming. For more information, visit creativecauldron.org/cinderellas-dreammovie.html. “ON AIR” — This musical has been recreated as an audio play. “ON AIR” tells the story of the beginning of radio in America, set amongst the presidential election, the movement for women’s suffrage, prohibition and the everyday trials of an ordinary family. Featuring Helen Hayes award winner for Outstanding Performer in a Musical, Nora Palka, this project is available to stream on demand until Dec. 13. creativecauldron.org/onair-broadcast.html.

Join the Journey, an international Christian nonprofit that works to end poverty through small loans and worship, is holding its firstever Jolly Jamboree on Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. This virtual event will have speakers from the nonprofit’s international community giving inspirational talks and musical acts to ring in the Christmas season. Tickets are $10 and all profits go toward funding loans for entrepreneurs in Zambia.

Drive-Thru Nativity at F.C. Episcopal on Dec. 17 Falls Church Episcopal (115 E. Fairfax St., Falls Church) will be holding a drive-thru nativity for scene on Thursday, Dec. 17 from

Request for Volunteer Help To Move Out of Mason In the next two weeks, work needs to be done to get ready to move from the old George Mason High School building into the new high school building. The Mason Parent-TeacherStudent Association is calling for volunteers to assist teachers and staff in packing and labeling the crates. While much of the packing has already been completed, there are several large projects that remain to be done in the areas of science, English and the fine arts. The volunteer work in packing should be seen as a show of appreciation for the Mason staff and helps free up precious time for teachers and staff to meet student needs. Those interested are asked to consider signing up for a masked and dis-

KIM MARINUS, President, New Dominion Women’s Club (front row, right), presents Lucy Pelletier, Interim Executive Director of the Falls Church-McLean Children’s Center, with a check for $1,200 to support the Center’s early childhood literacy programs. Also pictured, (back row from left) Renee Boyle, Development Director, Megan Ling, Assistant Director, both of FCMLCC; Brent McKenzie, Government Relations and Community Outreach Manager, Transurban; and Jennifer Salopek of the New Dominion Women’s Club. (P��: C�� M�� S��/N�� D�� W��’� C��)

tanced shift or two to help out. To sign up, visit https://www.signupgenius. com/go/10c0d4ca5ab23abf9c16packing.

Haycock Teacher Turns Treehouse Into Classroom Haycock Elementary School teacher Nellie Williams decided to upgrade her backyard treehouse for her to use as a classroom during the Covid-19 pandemic. Williams, who is a gifted education teacher at Haycock, had been teaching from a tent after schools shut down in the spring, but was inspired by the possibility of refur-

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bishing her daughters’ old treehouse. During the evenings over seven weeks this summer, Williams and her husband set out to upgrade the structure. “As you can imagine, having everyone working from home has its drawbacks and the thought of having my own space and being able to ‘go to work’ sounded pretty awesome at the time,” said Williams. But the treehouse — which hadn’t been used in years — needed a lot of work. So the Williamses began by replacing the rope ladder with

stairs, refurbishing the porch, laying down new flooring, insulating the treehouse, adding power, and burying ethernet cable so the treehouse could have Wi-Fi. The finished product has both heat and light, and Williams said she’s set to teach during colder weather. In addition to having a short commute, Williams said her new teaching space is a perfect fit. “I think anyone that has the opportunity to create their own space, especially a unique one, should absolutely go for it,” she said. “Being able to work in my treehouse has made my year!”

PAGE 12 | DECEMBER 10 - 16, 2020

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF 2020 RENEWABLE PORTFOLIO STANDARD (RPS) FILING BY VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY D/B/A DOMINION ENERGY VIRGINIA CASE NO. PUR-2020-00134

• Virginia Electric and Power Company d/b/a Dominion Energy Virginia (“Dominion”) has submitted its 2020 Renewable Portfolio Standard (“RPS”) Filing. The Filing includes Dominion’s RPS Development Plan and requests for approval to construct new solar facilities and to enter into new solar power purchase agreements. • Dominion requests approval of Rider CE with a revenue requirement of $10,575,000 over the 2021 rate year. According to Dominion, this amount would increase a typical residential customer’s bill using 1,000 kilowatt hours per month by $0.19. • Due to the ongoing public health emergency related to the spread of the coronavirus, or COVID-19, the State Corporation Commission will hold a telephonic hearing in this case on February 12, 2021, for the receipt of public witness testimony. • An evidentiary hearing will be held remotely on February 17, 2021, via Microsoft Teams, for the receipt of evidence of Dominion, respondents and Commission Staff. • Further information about this case is available on the SCC website at: scc.virginia.gov/pages/ Case-Information. During its 2020 Session, the Virginia General Assembly enacted Chapters 1193 (HB 1526) and 1194 (SB 851) of the 2020 Virginia Acts of Assembly. These duplicate Acts of Assembly, known as the Virginia Clean Economy Act (“VCEA”), became effective on July 1, 2020. The VCEA, inter alia, establishes mandatory renewable energy portfolio standards (“RPS”) for Virginia Electric and Power Company (“Dominion” or “Company”) in new § 56-585.5 of the Code of Virginia (“Code”). Subdivision D 4 of Code § 56-585.5 requires Dominion to submit annually to the State Corporation Commission (“Commission”) plans and petitions for approval of new solar and onshore wind generation capacity (“RPS Filing”). The Commission must determine whether the RPS Filing is reasonable and prudent, given due consideration to the following factors: (i) the RPS and carbon dioxide reduction requirements in Code § 56-585.5; (ii) the promotion of new renewable generation and energy storage resources within the Commonwealth, and associated economic development, and (iii) fuel savings projected to be achieved by the plan. The Commission’s final order regarding any RPS Filing is required by Code § 56-585.5 D 4 to be entered by the Commission not more than six months after the date of such filing. On October 30, 2020, Dominion submitted its RPS Filing to the Commission (“2020 RPS Filing” or “Petition”). The 2020 RPS Filing requests the Commission: (i) approve the Company’s annual plan for the development of new solar, onshore wind, and energy storage resources (“RPS Development Plan”) in connection with the new RPS program (“RPS Program”); (ii) grant certificates of public convenience and necessity (“CPCNs”) and approval to construct and operate three solar generating facilities totaling approximately 82 megawatts (“MW”) (“CE-1 Solar Projects”) pursuant to Code § 56-580 D and the Commission’s Filing Requirements in Support of Applications for Authority to Construct and Operate an Electric Generating Facility; (iii) approve a rate adjustment clause (“RAC”) to recover the costs of the CE-1 Solar Projects and related distribution and transmission interconnection facilities, designated Rider CE, pursuant to Code § 56-585.1 A 6 (“Subsection A 6”) and the Commission’s Rules Governing Utility Rate Applications and Annual Informational Filings; and (iv) make a prudence determination for the Company to enter into six power purchase agreements (“PPAs”) for the energy, capacity, ancillary services, and environmental attributes of approximately 416 MW of solar generating facilities owned by third parties pursuant to Code § 56-585.1:4 (“CE-1 Solar PPAs”). RPS Development Plan The Company states that its RPS Development Plan reports on the Company’s progress toward meeting the solar, onshore wind and energy storage development targets outlined in the VCEA and presents the

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Company’s development plan for solar, onshore wind and energy storage facilities through 2035. Including facilities that are in operation, under construction, or proposed for approval, including the CE-1 Solar Projects and the CE-1 Solar PPAs, the 2020 RPS Filing shows that Dominion has a total of 1,391 MW of solar and onshore wind construction and purchases as of June 30, 2020. For energy storage, the 2020 RPS Filing shows the Company has 16 MW of energy storage in operation, under construction, or in preconstruction.

The Company’s RPS Development Plan calls for additional investment in solar, onshore wind and energy storage in the short and long term. The Company states in furtherance of these plans, it will issue annual requests for proposals (“RFPs”) for development proposals and third party PPAs for new solar and onshore wind projects. The Company states that it also intends to issue annual RFPs for small-scale solar projects to support development of small-scale solar resources. The Company calculated the projected incremental monthly bill impact associated with the RPS Development Plan and the RPS Program over the next 15 years for residential, small general service and large general service customers. The Company projects, for example, that the monthly bill of a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours (“kWh”) per month will increase by approximately $39.02 by 2035 to reflect the incremental impact of the costs of the RPS Development Plan and the RPS Program. The Company notes that these bill projections are not final, and all customer rates are subject to regulatory approval. CE-1 Solar Projects The Company seeks CPCNs and approval to construct and operate the CE-1 Solar Projects, which consist of three solar generating facilities: (i) the approximately 20 MW (nominal alternating current (“AC”)) Grassfield Solar Project located in the City of Chesapeake (“Grassfield”); (ii) the approximately 20 MW (AC) Norge Solar Project located in James City County (“Norge”); and (iii) the approximately 42 MW (AC) Sycamore Solar Project located in Pittsylvania County (“Sycamore”). According to the Company, the total estimated costs for the CE-1 Solar Projects are approximately $168.2 million, excluding financing costs, or approximately $2,051 per kilowatt at the total 82 MW (nominal AC) rating. The Company asserts that the CE-1 Solar Projects are needed to comply with the VCEA, to serve customers’ capacity and energy needs, and to comply with carbon regulations. The Company states it selected the CE-1 Solar Projects from a 2019 RFP (“2019 Solar-Wind RFP”) for additional utility-scale solar and onshore wind generating facilities in Virginia. As proposed, the CE-1 Solar Projects would be composed of ground-mounted, single-axis tracking solar panel arrays with an expected operating life of 35 years. The Company states Grassfield is expected to be in-service by December 2021, and Norge and Sycamore are expected to be in-service by late 2022. Rider CE In this proceeding, Dominion asks the Commission to approve Rider CE for the initial rate year beginning June 1, 2021, and ending May 31, 2022 (“Rate Year”). Pursuant to Subsection A 6, the Company seeks approval for its accrual of allowance for funds used during construction (“AFUDC”) of the CE-1 Solar Projects, and to recover the costs of the CE-1 Solar Projects and the related distribution and transmission facilities through proposed Rider CE. The costs of the CE-1 Solar PPAs will not be recovered through Rider CE. Pursuant to Code § 56-585.5 F, the Company proposes Rider CE to be applicable to all of the Company’s Virginia retail customers as a non-bypassable charge, irrespective of whether a customer purchases electric supply service from a competitive service provider (“CSP”), subject to two exceptions. The Company proposes to exempt a customer meeting the accelerated renewable energy buyer requirements pursuant to Code § 56-585.5 G and any customer with a peak demand in calendar year 2019 that exceeded 100 MW and that elected to purchase electric supply service from a CSP prior to April 1, 2019, pursuant to Code § 56-577 A 3. The three components of the proposed total revenue requirement for the Rate Year are the Projected Cost Recovery Factor, the AFUDC Cost Recovery Factor and the Actual Cost True-Up Factor. Because the Grassfield solar project is projected to commence commercial operations during the Rate Year, the revenue requirement for the Rate Year includes separate pre- and post-commercial operations date (“COD”) amounts for Grassfield. The annualized Projected Cost Recovery Factor revenue requirement totals $8,109,000 and $8,478,000 for the pre- and post-COD periods, respectively. The Company’s proposed annualized AFUDC Cost Recovery Factor revenue requirement for the pre- and post-COD periods are approximately $3,220,000 and $1,557,000, respectively. Thus, the total annualized revenue requirement requested for recovery during the pre-COD period of $11,329,000, and the total annualized revenue requirement requested for recovery during the post-COD period of $10,035,000 will produce approximately $4,721,000 and $5,854,000 in pre- and post-COD revenues, respectively. Therefore, the

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Company is requesting a total revenue requirement of $10,575,000 in Rider CE for service rendered during the Rate Year.

Sycamore Solar Project

DECEMBER 10 - 16, 2020 | PAGE 13

Norge Solar Project

For purposes of calculating the revenue requirement in this case, Dominion utilized a rate of return on common equity (“ROE”) of 9.2%. This ROE is the ROE approved by the Commission in PUR-2019-00050. If the proposed Rider CE for the Rate Year is approved, the impact on customer bills would depend on the customer’s rate schedule and usage. According to Dominion, implementation of its proposed Rider CE on June 1, 2021, would increase the bill of a residential customer using 1,000 kWh per month by approximately $0.19. CE-1 Solar PPAs Prudence Determination In its 2020 RPS Filing, Dominion also seeks a prudence determination from the Commission with respect to six CE-1 Solar PPAs pursuant to Code § 56-585.1:4 H. The six CE-1 Solar PPAs consist of: (i) the approximately 20 MW (AC) Watlington Solar Project located in Halifax County; (ii) the approximately 20 MW (AC) Pleasant Hill Solar Project located in the City of Suffolk; (iii) the approximately 118 MW (AC) Chesapeake Solar Project located in the City of Chesapeake; (iv) the approximately 75 MW (AC) Wythe County Solar Project located in Wythe County; (v) the approximately 170 MW (AC) Cavalier Solar Project located in Isle of Wight County and Surry County; and (vi) the approximately 12.5 MW (AC) Rivanna Solar Project located in Albemarle County.

Grassfield Solar Project

Dominion asserts that the CE-1 Solar PPAs are needed to comply with the VCEA, to serve customers’ capacity and energy needs, and to comply with carbon regulations. According to the 2020 RPS Filing, the Company selected the CE-1 Solar PPAs from the same 2019 Solar-Wind RFP from which it also identified the CE-1 Solar Projects. The 2020 RPS Filing states that the CE-1 Solar PPAs have a positive customer net present value when compared to market purchases. The Company further states that it allocates PPA costs between energy, capacity, and renewable energy certificates (“RECs”) based on their forward value at the time the PPA is executed. The Company states that the costs allocated to energy will be recovered through the fuel factor, the costs allocated to capacity will be recovered through base rates, and the costs allocated to RECs will be recovered through a separate RPS Program RAC. The allocation factors applicable to the CE-1 Solar PPAs are 71.9% to energy, 12.9% to capacity, and 15.2% to RECs. Interested persons are encouraged to review the Petition and supporting documents for the details of these and other proposals. TAKE NOTICE that the Commission may apportion revenues among customer classes and/or design rates in a manner differing from that shown in the Petition and supporting documents and thus may adopt rates that differ from those appearing in the Company’s Petition and supporting documents.The Commission entered an Order for Notice and Hearing in this proceeding that, among other things, scheduled public hearings on Dominion’s 2020 RPS Filing. On February 12, 2021, at 10 a.m., the Commission will hold a telephonic hearing, with no witness present in the Commission’s courtroom, for the purpose of receiving the testimony of public witnesses. On February 10, 2021, any person desiring to offer testimony as a public witness shall provide to the Commission (a) your name, and (b) the telephone number that you wish the Commission to call during the hearing to receive your testimony. This information may be provided to the Commission in three ways: (i) by filling out a form on the Commission’s website at scc.virginia.gov/pages/ Webcasting; (ii) by completing and emailing the PDF version of this form to SCCInfo@scc.virginia.gov; or (iii) by calling (804) 371-9141. This public witness hearing will be webcast at scc.virginia.gov/pages/ Webcasting. A public evidentiary hearing shall be convened at 10 a.m. on February 17, 2021, and shall be held remotely with no party present in the Commission’s courtroom to receive the testimony and evidence offered by the Company, respondents, and the Staff on the Company’s 2020 RPS Filing. Please see the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing for further details on the evidentiary hearing. The Commission has taken judicial notice of the ongoing public health emergency related to the spread of the coronavirus, or COVID-19, and the declarations of emergency issued at both the state and federal levels. In accordance therewith, all pleadings, briefs, or other documents required to be served in this matter should be submitted electronically to the extent authorized by 5 VAC 5-20-150, Copies and format, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (“Rules of Practice”). Confidential and Extraordinarily Sensitive information shall not be submitted electronically and should comply with 5 VAC 5-20-170, Confidential information, of the Rules of Practice. For the duration of the COVID-19 emergency, any person seeking to hand deliver and physically file or submit any pleading or other document shall contact the Clerk’s Office Document Control Center at (804) 371-9838 to arrange the delivery. Pursuant to 5 VAC 5-20-140, Filing and service, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice, the Commission

has directed that service on parties and the Commission’s Staff in this matter shall be accomplished by electronic means. Please refer to the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing for further instructions concerning Confidential or Extraordinarily Sensitive Information. An electronic copy of the Company’s 2020 RPS Filing may be obtained by submitting a written request to counsel for the Company, Sarah R. Bennett, Esquire, McGuireWoods LLP, Gateway Plaza, 800 East Canal Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, or SBennett@mcguirewoods.com. Interested persons also may download unofficial copies from the Commission’s website: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Information. On or before February 12, 2021, any interested person may file comments on the 2020 RPS Filing by following the instructions found on the Commission’s website: scc.virginia.gov/casecomments/SubmitPublic-Comments. All comments shall refer to Case No. PUR-2020-00134. On or before December 18, 2020, any person or entity wishing to participate as a respondent in this proceeding may do so by filing a notice of participation. Such notice of participation shall include the email addresses of such parties or their counsel. The respondent simultaneously shall serve a copy of the notice of participation on counsel to the Company. Pursuant to Rule 5 VAC 5-20-80 B, Participation as a respondent, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice, any notice of participation shall set forth: (i) a precise statement of the interest of the respondent; (ii) a statement of the specific action sought to the extent then known; and (iii) the factual and legal basis for the action. Any organization, corporation, or government body participating as a respondent must be represented by counsel as required by Rule 5 VAC 5-20-30, Counsel, of the Rules of Practice. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-2020-00134. On or before January 4, 2021, each respondent may file with the Clerk of the Commission and serve on the Staff, the Company, and all other respondents, any testimony and exhibits by which the respondent expects to establish its case, and each witness’s testimony shall include a summary not to exceed one page. In all filings, respondents shall comply with the Commission’s Rules of Practice, including 5 VAC 5-20-140, Filing and service; and 5 VAC 5-20-240, Prepared testimony and exhibits. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-2020-00134. Any documents filed in paper form with the Office of the Clerk of the Commission in this docket may use both sides of the paper. In all other respects, except as modified by the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing, all filings shall comply fully with the requirements of 5 VAC 5-20-150, Copies and format, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice. The Company’s 2020 RPS Filing, the Commission’s Rules of Practice and the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing may be viewed at: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Information.

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A Penny for Your Thoughts

News of Greater Falls Church By Supervisor Penny Gross

The coronavirus pandemic is changing a lot of holiday celebrations and traditions, and one casualty is the annual Mason District Holiday Town Gathering. For the first time in 25 years, that annual kick-off to the holiday season, sadly, is cancelled, but I hope that we can return to our usual format — including live entertainment, refreshments, and door prizes, in December of 2021. My annual State of Mason District report also is delivered during the Town Gathering; the event may have been cancelled, but my annual report is not! It is being presented, starting Wednesday, December 9 at noon on my county webpage, www. fairfaxcounty.gov/mason, and can be viewed on cable Channel 16 on Sundays at 5 p.m., Tuesdays at 8 p.m., and Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m., also starting Dec. 9. For convenience, following is a precis of my report. The 2020 calendar year began with the newly elected Board of Supervisors and School Board holding get-acquainted retreats. Other than the fact that more than half of the meeting attendees had been in elected office for barely one month, it seemed that 2020 was getting off to a normal start. Black History Month and the Asian Lunar Festivals attested to the broad diversity of our community. County Executive Bryan Hill presented his proposed budget on Feb. 25, with new programs and services, expanded library hours, affordable housing initiatives, an increase in the school transfer, and compensation enhancements for county staff. It also recommended a small increase in the real property tax rate. The Mason District Budget Town Meeting was scheduled for March 12, the same day that Virginia Governor Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency in the Commonwealth because of Covid-19. The meeting went on as scheduled, but life changed dramatically afterward. Within weeks, it became readily apparent that the proposed budget would become a curious artifact of the past — all the assumptions and all the work that had gone into building the proposed budget had to be replaced in weeks, not months. Gone were the new programs and services, the school transfer, compensation increases, and the real property tax rate increase.

The revised budget predicted revenue losses of more than $150 million, and a bare bones budget was adopted, with no joy on any side. Virtual meetings became the rule of the day, day-after-day. Masks and social distancing were necessary; no more handshakes or hugs. Following George Floyd’s death in June, a memorial rally was organized quickly at the Mason District Governmental Center parking lot. Hundreds of people, including many young students, participated, and shared their intense belief that Black Lives Matter. The usual summer events — free summer concerts, civic association picnics, and Fourth of July parades — had to be canceled. The wildly popular Taste of Annandale, and its 5K run, were cancelled. Schools remained closed, and parents learned to juggle, sometimes with great frustration, the responsibilities of work and children’s learning. Nevertheless, county services persevered. The Board of Supervisors created the Fairfax RISE program from CARES Act funds, and awarded millions in 10, 15, and 20-thousand-dollar grants to nearly 5000 small businesses. Additional CARES Act funding covered personal protective equipment for county staff, contact tracers for the Health Department, and additional elections staff for the 2020 presidential election. That extra staff was tested, as more than 600,000 voters cast ballots in Fairfax County; 400,000 of those cast absentee ballots in person, including at two satellite locations in Mason District, or absentee by mail ballot, with very few complaints. The environment, land use, and transportation also figured significantly in Mason District this year, and I will provide Part II of my annual report in next week’s column. In the meantime, please stay safe and healthy, wear a mask or face covering, and observe social distancing, especially when holiday shopping at our local businesses.  Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov.

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CRIME REPORT Week of November 30 – December 6, 2020 Destruction of Property, 800 blk W Broad St. Between November 27 and November 28, unknown suspect(s) damaged a parked car by breaking the windshield. Larceny - Shoplifting, 1200 blk W Broad St. December 3, 4:42 pm, an unknown suspect concealed merchandise in multiple bags and left the business without paying. Larceny from Building, 1000 blk E Broad St. December 3, an

unknown suspect stole a wallet from the locker room of a fitness center. Destruction of Property, 500 blk Great Falls St. December 4, unknown suspect(s) damaged a car by breaking a rear window. Destruction of Property, 200 blk E Fairfax St. December 4, 10:18 pm, an unknown suspect was heard kicking the front door of a residence, resulting in damage to the door frame. Larceny - Shoplifting, 6700 blk Wilson Blvd. November 25, 4:42

pm, two unknown suspects entered a business, concealed merchandise in bags, and left without paying Larceny - Shoplifting, 500 blk S Washington St. November 6, 2:53 pm, an unknown suspect was seen on video surveillance concealing an item of value and then leaving the business without paying for the merchandise.

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

From the Front Row: Delegate Kaye Kory’s

Richmond Report One of the responsibilities of the General Assembly that I have been focusing on more and more over the past several sessions is criminal justice reform. I was successful in my drive to mandate that incarcerated women in Virginia be provided menstrual products as needed without charge. In the 2020 session I passed legislation ensuring that proper medical care for pregnant inmates and for those who have given birth while in prison is readily available; and that visitation policies (time, frequency, age of visitor) are family-centered when appropriate. Since the outset of the Covid-19 health and economic state of emergency, I have learned that many families are struggling to maintain personal contact with their incarcerated members. This connection is especially critical now when inperson visits are not permitted. Widely available video visitation is a reasonable response to this need. The federal government and some states (Minnesota, South Carolina, Pennsylvania) have already developed, or are in the final stages of developing, programs enabling the incarcerated and their families to remain connected. Family video visits offer an effective strategy for facilitating re-entry and preventing recidivism. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and her colleagues have cited a study entitled, “The Family and Recidivism”: Studies have demonstrated that family contact is a valuable source of support during incarceration and that those who regularly connect with family members experience lower rates of recidivism after release. (klobuchar. senate.gov/public/cache/files) Virginia currently works with a successful pre-release program, Assisting Families of Inmates (AFOI), AFOI organizes and arranges for family video visits with inmates. AFOI’s program is made possible be-

cause of those who generously volunteer their time. However, the cost of these video visits is prohibitive for many families — a problem that severely limits the reach and effectiveness of the program. Family members engaging in these visits are charged $8 for 20 minutes and up to $20 for 50 minutes. This can become a cost that most of the families cannot meet as the pandemic continues unabated. Consider that video visits via Zoom available to non-incarcerated Virginians are free for 40 minutes or less and for $12.50/month can include up to 100 participants for an unlimited number of visits. At this time, there are not enough volunteers or enough contributed resources to handle the existing needs for video visits in our prisons through the Family Prison Video Visits facilitated by Global Tel Link (GTL). And GTL has its problems, as evidenced by the class action suit filed against it in Maryland for allegedly inflating the cost of calls. A reasonable solution to this increasingly dire situation is to direct federal (TANF) funds already allocated to Virginia to support the families who would benefit from video visits with incarcerated family members. I am working with Senator Adam Ebbin to draft and file budget amendments which allocate at least $250 of those funds to expand the AFOI programs to areas of the state currently without any video visitation programs. Not only is this a humane course of action, but also a prudent way to invest in positive re-entry experiences when those incarcerated are released back into their communities. Best wishes during the upcoming holiday season. May it bring renewed hope for the future. I wish you continued good health and the fortitude necessary to carry on during these challenging times.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

A True Democratic Revival Awaits Us

Perhaps we should begin to rethink a little the significance and potential consequences of Trump’s ongoing denialism about the election, not so much from the fact that he’s a madman and sociopath, but from the standpoint that he can still bring about a lot of harm to the American body politic by his ongoing lunacy. Of course, there’s no way he’s going to alter the outcome of the presidential election or present Joe Biden from taking office next month. But it is becoming worrying that so much of the Republican establishment continues to cling to his delusions. It may be that it’s not so much a case of kookery as it is a calculated if desperFALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS ate move to actually render the U.S. ungovernable by unleashing so much pure mayhem as Biden attempts to restore sanity and reason. This, of course, would go along with the original thesis that Trump is a tool of Putin, and his behavior since the Nov. 3 election surely seems to amplify that. He’s done nothing but disassemble the democratic process in every way he can, and what he’s doing on the way out as a leader is even more telling that this is all part of a coup-like process of bringing down America. Indeed, we should truly think about why there is so little attention being paid by the media and the opposition party to what Trump is up to now. Yes, he is raising hundreds of millions of dollars by continuing to insist on the outlandish claim that he won the November election. Some pundits consider that his primary motive. I’m not so sure, and the reason is that so much of the leadership of the GOP continues to go along with his zaniness and won’t concede the election, either. They must be thinking that there is a lot of political capital to be gained from two important facts: 1. He was president for four years and, 2. Over 70 million people voted for him this time. This is no time to be casting him adrift, for heaven sake. He’s still got a lot going for him that can be deployed to make the next four years under Biden a living hell. Now, this is being underplayed for the usual political reasons. The GOP wants to play it close to the chest for the time being and the Democrats want to downplay the potential of this because they want to keep their base in a feel-good mode in hopes they can grab those last two Senate seats in Georgia next month. But the reality is that the entire GOP apparatus is hanging in there behind Trump, even his line now becomes crazier and crazier. This is worrisome, and if it plays out, with Limbaugh remaining in place and key crazy Republicans in Congress echoing Trump’s worst claims, then we could begin to see the Trump phenomenon escalate into a lot of violence and social chaos. Nobody seems to have an answer to this problem, and I can’t say there’s an easy one out there that I can see. But here’s the reality: At the grassroots, sane citizens have to get and remain far more engaged in the future of our democracy. No one should be allowed to get away with displaying a Confederate or Nazi flag, for example, without being roundly confronted as an enemy of the U.S., a traitor plain and simple. This means that for millions of us, we really do need to brush up on our American history, and recognize more clearly who’s been on our side and who’s been against us down through the years. We have to study the Federalist Papers and other key founding documents, the speeches and legislative initiatives of Lincoln and FDR, the two greatest leaders of the nation in times of crisis in our history. The Hamilton musical was a good start. But the essential parameters of democracy need to be taught with greater clarity and held tightly the way our forebears did in the trenches where our freedoms were fought out against degenerates defending racism and white supremacy. A genuine national revival of democratic values awaits our enlistment.  Nicholas Benton may be emailed at nfbenton@fcnp.com.

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DECEMBER 10 – 16, 2020 | PAGE 15

Nicholas F. Benton

Our Man in Arlington By Charlie Clark

‘Tis the season — and the era in history — to pay it forward. I give loud credit to all who respond to the pandemic by giving to those in need. But there’s one special category: Those who help strangers when opportunity knocks even though they may never be thanked or learn whether their deed succeeded. My daughter Elizabeth, one of many Arlington Public Schools staffers currently forced to labor solely online, was standing frazzled at the checkout in the Falls Church Trader Joe’s last month. The middle-aged woman beside her suddenly realized that she had piled an array of groceries on the counter but had left her wallet at home. “Sorry,” the employee said sympathetically, “but the store can’t allow buying now and paying later.” The customer grew flustered. So my daughter offered to cover the purchase. The teary-eyed woman took down her address and, yes, within a week a check arrived inside a Christmas card. My friend Rich Long recalls his misadventure on the Potomac several years back when he swam in the National Triathlon. During Saturday practice, he lost his allimportant swimming goggles. Next day, he showed up with a spare pair. But mounted conspicuously on a pole near the Lincoln Memorial were his favored goggles. “Small thing, but a nice thing,” he says.

College student Maggie Campbell shared the pay-it-forward tendencies of the Lebanese Taverna restaurant on Old Dominion Drive. In May 2017, she had recently returned from a trip to Europe, which is why the crossbody bag she carried to lunch at the taverna contained her passport. But Campbell left the lunch without the bag, stressing out later, worrying she had left her passport God-knows-where. But in August, after her return to Ohio University, her mother got a call from Lebanese Taverna. They had her bag. Though initially reluctant to open it, the restauranteurs mustered the wherewithal to contact the mom. You never know when you might be the one who needs the good deed. This September, my wife and I bought a new VW Passat. We sold our decade-old Honda Accord to WeBuyAnyCar. com. The paperwork went swimmingly. Except that two weeks later, we tried to enter the Dulles Toll Road. Oops. We realized we had never removed the EZ-Pass transponder from the old Honda! That omission had passed unnoticed by the broker and dealer who sold our used vehicle. Quickly, at the Wolf Trap exit, we fed cash to the toll machine and, as I drove, my wife phoned VDOT. She read the congenial clerk our new license plate number. Matched the records. New transponder will be mailed right away. Problem solved.

Or so we thought. In late November we got a notice that our EZ-Pass account had been drained of $210. It needed replenishment. Turns out the initial new owner of our Honda had been toll-booth passing at our expense. Then, due to a license number mix-up, someone else continually traversed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel on our dime. After we phoned VDOT and reconfirmed our number, officials investigated. Last week we received an apologetic email saying we would receive full credit. The only thing we know about the drivers in this series of mishaps is that none was Paying it Forward. *** An elderly gent whose heritage straddled both Arlington and Falls Church left us on Nov. 24. George Robert Crossman, whose farmer-grandfather George Grant Crossman in 1892 built what became the historic farmhouse on Arlington’s North Underwood St., died at 94 in a Falls Church retirement home, his daughters confirmed. Current owners of the Crossman farmhouse, Buzz McClain and Leslie Aun, told me Crossman paid a surprise visit several years ago. “The house was never that color,” he exclaimed, noting they had replaced the white color scheme with a Victorian green with yellow trim. Crossman would know. He spent summers in the 1930s and ‘40s working the 60-acre dairy farm, on land that today is Bishop O’Connell High School.

PAGE 16 | DECEMBER 10 – 16, 2020

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SCENES OF CHRISTMAS PAST at Columbia Baptist Church show the congregation holding candles during their annual Christmas Eve service. Senior Pastor Jim Baucom laments the loss of the inperson celebration of faith this year since, as he puts it, “you can’t replace being in a room full of people.” (Photo: Courtesy Columbia Baptist Church)

F.C. Houses of Worship Take Varied Approach To Seasonal Celebrations

by Matt Delaney

Falls Church News-Press

There’s been an unfortunate tendency throughout the coronavirus pandemic where religious holidays sync up with spikes in Covid-19 cases. But Christmas parishioners and Hanukkah congregants aren’t as willing to let these events be all virtual as they were in the spring, even if it’s still a hefty chunk of how they are “gathering” to end the year. From Protestant and Catholic churches to nearby temples, a wide range of methods are being employed to make sure the spirit of the season is acknowledged and the communal sense intact. With Hanukkah kicking off Thursday (tonight), local Jewish celebrants at Temple Rodef Shalom will have a plethora of virtual events to take part in during all eight nights of the holiday. Rabbi Amy Schwartzman told the News-Press that the temple is offering a virtual program for families at around 4:30 p.m. such as an

art project or story project, followed by virtual lighting of the menorah at 5:30 p.m. Later into the night around 8:30 p.m., Schwartzman said that adult learning opportunities about Hanukkah will also be offered, such as poetry relating to or history about the holiday. Hanukkah isn’t considered to be as major of a Jewish holiday compared to other ones that take place earlier in the fall, per Schwartzman, so it’s normally a family-focused week. But with the high demand for virtual events — such as worship services doubling from 300 people in-person to around 600 throughout the pandemic — the rabbi said that Temple Rodef Shalom has spent more money and manpower behind the festival of lights. One live event congregants will get to participate in is a drive-in service at Wolf Trap’s parking lot on Saturday night. There, families can watch from various screens and listen in on shortwave radios while clergy takes the stage (six feet apart, of course) leads the service and the attendees through songs. It’s build-

ing off a tradition the temple established during their more significant autumn holidays. “We’ve had a number of holidays since the fall where we gathered in the parking lot,” Schwartzman said. “Hundreds of cars — hundreds — have come to attend the services.” There are three parishes that are leaning toward limited, sometimes outdoor, in-person gatherings. The Falls Church Episcopal is looking at doing abbreviated 25 minute services where attendees can reserve a spot in advance, come masked up and stay distanced while outdoors on the church grounds. Reverend Andy Anderson said that idea has been floated in consultation with medical professionals who work on the church’s board. They aren’t concerned, but Anderson did note some alarming statistics that he found — such as, in a group of 25 people in Northern Virginia, there’s a 30 percent chance someone has the virus; that number jumps to 60 percent in a group of 100 people. The short gathering, according

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

to Anderson, would involve hearing some Christmas carols as well as the Christmas Story, saying a few prayers, sharing communion and then having a soloist sing “Silent Night” before everyone goes home. F.C. Episcopal makes the final decision this weekend as to whether it will go through with that plan, but it will at least offer a drive-thru living nativity by the church’s E. Broad Street entrance on Dec. 17. “It may be the one year where we have to bite the bullet and say no to these gatherings,” Anderson said. “We’re trying to balance out people’s spiritual needs with our call to love our neighbors and care for ourselves.” Saint James Catholic Church is holding in-person masses, as many Catholic churches have throughout the Arlington Diocese since May 31, according to Very Reverend Paul Scalia. Thorough cleanings and mask wearing are already required by the church, but it’s also added more masses to thin out the crowds for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Typically eight masses would be spread out across the two days and have now been bumped up to 11. Along with that, the church is also streaming its mass into Saint James Catholic School’s gym, where overflow crowds will be seated in order to accommodate the demand for the services. Father Denis Donahue said that Saint Philip’s in the greater Falls Church area will also be holding 10 masses — up from its usual six during Christmas time. Parishioners will need to reserve spots in advance of the mass in order to visit, which can be transparently done through the church’s website that will tell prospective attendees how many people are already reserved for each service. It’s a useful tool, according to Donahue, because demand to attend mass has actually increased in recent weeks. St. Philip’s events that are being moved outside, per Donahue, are the Christmas Story reenactments it holds on Christmas Eve. So before the English mass, it will be held in the church parking lot, and another one will be held after the Spanish mass. Columbia Baptist has been holding small, in-person gatherings as well, as they had been throughout most of most of the summer and fall, but will opt to go virtual for the Christmas season. The church’s annual musical that it puts on has been canceled — which Senior Pastor Jim Baucom said is usually an event that brings out large crowds. The same goes for its Christmas service, where

he said he holds multiple services in a day. As the News-Press reported during the spring, Baucom was well aware that this pandemic was not the “snow day” most others were treating it as. He knew it would likely have a year-long course, and that’s why his team began planning for how to do Christmas back in the summer. Still, having to cancel the in-person congregation for Christmas is especially painful for the pastor. “There’s a real loss here. And it’s acutely felt that people miss each other,” Baucom said. “For me, Christmas Eve is an amazing night. Normally we’d do five services and it’s standing room only. And you just can’t replace that. When it comes to celebrating faith, you can’t replace being in a room full of people.” The amount of monetary and food donations Columbia Baptist has received, as well as its growing virtual ministry, has been a bright spot for the church though. But even then, Baucom worries it will be hard to get people back in the door once normal does return. Dulin United Methodist Church is keeping with its own commitment to virtual celebrations by doing an encore of how it celebrated Easter — having families send in photos of themselves from their Thanksgiving or early Christmas celebrations so Pastor Dave Kirkland can look at the “crowd” while he leads his sermon. Kirkland said the Methodist church has some onerous restrictions about gatherings that he didn’t want to ignore, and those restrictions resulted in the church canceling its own living nativity scene that’s usually held on its grounds. The same goes for the Christmas play put on by Sunday School students. Even with those events being negated, Dulin is holding a virtual choir and orchestra concert titled “Celebrate the Season” where kids send in their recordings and the church puts it together to be played on Sunday at 4 p.m. online at dulinchurch.org. Dulin has also been able to keep up its angel tree, where parishioners buy gifts for a designated organization in a wedding registry-style. This year, they’re sending gifts to those being helped out by Falls Church nonprofit, Homestretch. Kirkland, like everyone else, mourns the lack of community this year, but is trying to remain optimistic. “We’ve done our best to adjust, and we’re trying to make the most out of what we’re going through right now,” Kirkland said.

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DECEMBER 10 – 16, 2020 | PAGE 17

Life of Benton’s Relative & Civil War Veteran Explored In Latest Biography

by J. Roslyn

Special to the News-Press

Drafting a biography of an ordinary man who lived and died over one hundred and thirty years ago is an enormous task, it is even more difficult when the ordinary man is your great, great grandfather. Falls Church News-Press founder and publisher Nicholas F. Benton took on that task and has produced a fascinating book that weaves documented biographical facts with family lore and wider historical events. John Avery Benton (1831-1886) was Nick Benton’s great great grandfather. He was a farmer in Wisconsin before he enlisted in the Union Army and marched with Gen. William Sherman through Georgia and the Carolinas. For many years, he was a logistical supply line coordinator and cook for the 32nd Wisconsin regiment. When the war ended, John Avery, suffering from tuberculosis

caught while serving, made his way back to his farm and family. Nick Benton captures the essence of John Avery’s life as a veteran of the Civil War. John Avery, sick with TB, and probably with PTSD from the nightmare of living with bloody slaughter for four years, farmed for a few more years and raised his family. But moved by the plight of so many in the wake of the war, women, children, including orphans and disabled veterans, he felt called to move to the ministry, despite lacking official training, where he became the mission superintendent and chaplain at a state prison in Waupun, Wisconsin. Later he founded his own church in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where he died. The Civil War is not a subject from the distant past. Nick Benton’s great aunt, born in 1902, remembered meeting John Avery’s daughter. Another child of a different Civil War veteran received his pension until her death a few

years ago. At what point does family research become historical research or vice versa? Nick Benton demonstrates that genealogical family research is always historical research, and the research never really ends. As records found in dusty church and city hall basements continue to be digitized, historians will continue to learn the little reported day to day facts of post war America in the second half of the nineteenth century. Those facts will bring us closer to knowing the life that John Avery Benton, a veteran with a disability caused by his service in the war, was both forced and chose to live after the war. Indeed, considering the fact that the Civil War is such recent history, there is a shocking lack of knowledge on how the war impacted life in America only 155 years ago. Nick Benton’s well-researched biography of John Avery Benton

is thoroughly insightful about the America of that time. The path that John Avery followed in his life, from farmer to soldier to farmer and then to the clergy, mirrors the path that a service-disabled veteran might take in the 21st century, including the devastating effects of PTSD. “John Avery Benton: The Life

of a Civil War Veteran Transformed by the Greatness of His Time,” is a grounded story about the life of a veteran in post-war America. It is available on the usual online sources for $10 but also from the Falls Church News-Press, 105 N. Virginia Ave., Suite 110, F.C. 22046, the weekly that Nick Benton founded and has run for 30 years.

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PAGE 18 | DECEMBER 10 – 16, 2020

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FALLS CHURCH

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

CALENDAR LOCALEVENTS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12 Falls Church Farmers Market. The Falls Church Farmers Market runs every Saturday, where attendees will find fresh, local produce, meat, dairy, flowers & plants, honey, music and more. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Falls Church) 8 a.m. – noon. For more information, visit fallschurchva. gov/547/Farmers-Market-To-Go. Trail Exploration Hike. Kids can be the leaders of this nature hike through Glencarlyn Park. Each participant will get the chance to lead the group to explore the trails and discover different habitats, with a naturalist along for the ride. Ages 6 – 10. Meet at Long Branch Nature Center. To register, contact 703-228-4747. Long Branch Nature Center at Glencarlyn Park (625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington). 1:30 – 3 p.m.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13 Nature Hike. A nature hike led by a naturalist who will identify trees, plants, and different types of wildlife all while making a connection to the beauty that is in the local environment. Families. Register children and adults; children must be accompanied by a registered adult. To register, contact 703-228-4747. Long Branch Nature Center at Glencarlyn Park (625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington). 10 – 10:45 a.m. Evergreen Hike. Pines, hollies, mountain laurels and some other plants stay green all winter long. Participants will look for these and other evergreens on a hike from Long Branch Nature Center to a mountain laurel thicket in Glencarlyn Park. Along the way, the group will talk about how being evergreen helps these plants survive. Families. Register children and adults; children must be accompanied by a reg-

istered adult. To register, contact 703-228-4747. Long Branch Nature Center at Glencarlyn Park (625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington). 2 – 3 p.m.

VIRTUALEVENTS THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10 Teen Advisory Board (online). Teens in grades 7-12 can join the library’s Teen Advisory Board. TAB members will give input on decoration and equipment/supplies in the new Teen Space at the renovated library as well as programming and new book purchases. This program will be held online via Zoom. For more information or to apply, visit the website at fallschurchva.gov/672/ Teen-Volunteers. 4 – 5 p.m.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 14 City Council Meeting (online). City Council meetings are held the second and fourth Monday of the month, with the exception of August and December when only one meeting is held. These meetings are open to the public and are conducted to allow Council Members to discuss upcoming legislation and policy issues and the public is invited to speak. All participating members of the City Council will be present at this meeting through electronic means. All members of the public may view this electronic meeting via www.fallschurchva.gov/CouncilMeetings. The meeting may also be viewed on FCCTV (Cox 11, RCN 2, Verizon 35). Video will be available after the meeting both online and on FCCTV. 7:30 – 11 p.m.

THEATER&ARTS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12 Creative Cauldron Telethon. Creative Cauldron is hosting a virtual telethon from its new live streaming studio to serve as its

ROB MAYS will be holding two back-to-back performances at Jammin’ Java in Vienna on Saturday. (Photo: JamminJava.Com) end of year fundraiser with artists from all over the Washington, D.C. region and hosted by Matt Conner. Those who tune in can expect performances from Helen Hayes winners, community voices, stories from local students and, of course, the vivacious energy of the host-with-the-most, Matt Conner! The stream will take place this Saturday from 5 – 10 p.m. on creativecauldron.org as well as Facebook.com/creativecauldron.

Lady Limbo. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-237-0300.

LIVEMUSIC

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10 (Indoors + Distanced) Free Movie & A Slice: “It’s A Wonderful Life.” Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). 7 p.m. 703-255-1566. Sol Roots Band. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8 p.m. 703-241-9504.

Britton James. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 7 p.m. 703-858-9186. (Indoors + Distanced) Free Movie & A Slice: “Elf.” Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). 7 p.m. 703255-1566.

A Song & A Slice (Indoors + Distanced): An Acoustic Afternoon with Rob Mays. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). 1 & 3 p.m. 703-255-1566. Vienna Teng Live. Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd. Vienna). $10. 2 p.m. 703255-1900.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11

Stealin’ the Deal. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 3:30 p.m. 703-241-9504.

Broke Superstars. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 4:30 p.m. 703-241-9504.

Nowhere Men — An Acoustic Tribute to The Beatles. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St.,

Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-2370300. FFME’s Merry Tripmas! Toys for Tots donations. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 7 p.m. 703-858-9186. Skinny Wallace Band. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 7:30 p.m. 703-241-9504.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13 Daryl Davis & Patsy Stephens Holiday Show. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 3:30 p.m. 703-241-9504. Grateful Jams. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 5 p.m. 703-858-9186. Comedy Night. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-237-0300. Josh Allen Band Christmas Show. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 7:30 p.m. 703-241-9504.

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B�� N�� N�� The Kensington Falls Church Continues Take 30 for You Classes by Body Dynamics, Inc. The Kensington Falls Church sponsored Take 30 for You classes by Body Dynamics, Inc. continue with Breathe on Thursday, Dec. 10 and Cardio Dance on Thursday, Dec. 17. These classes, held from 2 – 2:30 p.m., are designed for working professionals, especially those who work in office environments or teleworking from home. For more information about these classes, visit www.BodyDynamicsInc.com.

The Eden Center Will Show Elf the Movie for Free In Its Parking Lot The Eden Center will show the movie “Elf” for free in its parking lot on Saturday, Dec. 12. Festivities, including free popcorn and family friendly surprises, will go from 6:30 – 9 p.m. The family favorite flick will be shown on a large screen with the sound played through car speakers. The show was rescheduled from its original date last weekend due to high winds. The Eden Center is located at 6751-6799 Wilson Boulevard in Falls Church. For more information, visit www.EdenCenter.com.

Audacious Aleworks and Bakeshop Partner With Better Together to Raise Funds Audacious Aleworks and Bakeshop have partnered with the Better Together movement to raise funds to purchase gift cards from local businesses to be donated to those in need. Through Sunday, Dec. 13, donors will receive a Better Together pint glass and a beer pour from Audacious Aleworks or a special 4-pack of cookies from Bakeshop. For more information, visit the Better Together Falls Church Facebook Page.

The Neighborhood Barbershop Create Holiday Decoration Award Dustin Foley and The Neighborhood Barbershop have created the “Clark W. Griswold Annual Local International Commemorative Holiday Decoration Major Award of the World Award” and challenging local businesses and residents to decorate for the holiday season. For more information, visit The Neighborhood Barbershop’s Facebook Page.

The State Theatre is Hosting Online Auction to Raise Funds The State Theatre is hosting an online auction to raise funds for the live music venue and its employees. The auction includes concert posters and the opportunity to post a personal message on the theatre’s marquee for a day. Funds raised will help keep the popular music and event venue in operation until live shows can commence. The auction, which runs through Dec. 31, is at www.32auctions.com/StatetheatreVA. For more information about The State Theatre, visit www.thestatetheatre.com.

Lazy Mike’s To Temporarily Close For Health, Safety Issues Lazy Mike’s Deli is closing temporarily to re-evaluate health and safety issues. Plans are to reopen Dec. 17 with new winter hours. Clare & Don’s Beach Shack also closed temporarily but plans to reopen by the time this paper is published. For more information, visit their Facebook pages.

24 Hour Fitness Reopens in Falls Church 24 Hour Fitness has reopened at 1000 E. Broad Street in Falls Church. The gym is open daily from 5 a.m. – 9 p.m. and masks are to be worn at all times. Virtual coaching is available. For more information, visit 24 Hour Fitness – Falls Church Super-Sport’s Facebook page.

The Falls Church Chamber of Commerce Will Host Its Report to the Membership The Falls Church Chamber of Commerce will host its Report to the Membership, along with its Annual Ugly Sweater and Tie contest, during a Zoom event on Tuesday, Dec. 15 from noon – 1 p.m. There is no fee but reservations are required and donations are appreciated. For more information, visit www.FallsChurchChamber.org.  Business News & Notes is compiled by Sally Cole, Executive Director of Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce. She may be emailed at sally@fallschurchchamber.org.

DECEMBER 10 - 16, 2020 | PAGE 19

PAGE 20 | DECEMBER 10 - 16, 2020 HELP WANTED Professional Home Cleaner wanted, to take care of general cleaning...am willing to pay $550/Week, contact me at emmylovelyhome@ gmail.com, for more details.

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PUBLIC NOTICE Variance application V1618-20 by FCGP Development LLC, applicant, for variances to Section 48-933 to allow 1) the stacking of parking spaces and 2) placement of columns less than three (3) feet from the drive aisle within a parking garage, for the purpose of constructing a parking garage and residential condominium on premises known as 7124 Leesburg Pike, RPC #52221-006 of the Falls Church Real Property Records, zoned B-2, Central Business. Variance application V1619-20 by Michael Beyer, applicant and owner, for variances to Section 48-1265(1) to allow 1) five (5) wall signs instead of two (2), and 2) total wall sign area of approximately 78 square feet instead of 50 square feet, on premises known as 1119 W. Broad Street, RPC #52102-069 of the Falls Church Real Property Records, zoned M-1, Light Industrial. Variance application V1620-20 by Mariam Garriga, applicant and owner, for a variance to Section 48-263(3)a, to allow a side yard setback of 9.2 feet instead of 10 feet for the

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

CLASSI F I E DS

purpose of constructing a 2nd story addition on premises known as 333 Grove Avenue, RPC #51-216-046 of the Falls Church Real Property Records, zoned R-1B, Medium Density Residential. Public hearing on the above matter is scheduled for December 17, 2020, 7:30 PM, or as soon thereafter as the item may be heard. All participating members of Board of Zoning Appeals will be present at this meeting through electronic means. All members of the public may view the meeting virtually. Public comment and questions may be submitted to zoning@fallschurchva. gov until 7:00 pm on December 17, 2020. Virtual meeting link, agenda and application materials will be available the week prior to the scheduled hearing at: http://www. fallschurchva.gov/BZA Information on the above application is also available for review upon request to staff at zoning@fallschurchva.gov.

PUBLIC NOTICE PLANNING COMMISSION NOTICE: The meeting for which this agenda has been posted will be held pursuant to and in compliance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, Section 2.2-3708.2 and state and local legislation adopted to allow for continued government operation during the COVID-19 declared emergency. All participating members of Planning Commission will be present at this meeting through electronic means; and all members of the public are welcome to view the meeting at www.fallschurchva.gov/PC and on FCCTV (Cox 11, RCN 2, Verizon 35). On December 16, 2020, at 7:30 p.m., the City of Falls Church Planning Commission will hold a virtual public meeting. Public comments will be accepted electronically only until the end of the public hearing. Please submit comments to plan@fallschurchva.gov. The Planning Commission will consider the following items and recommendations to City Council: (TO20-24) ORDINANCE TO AMEND ARTICLE IV, DIVISION 10, “B-2 CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT”, SEC. 48-488. “SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS” TO ADD PROVISIONS FOR CONSIDERATION OF USES NOT OTHERWISE PERMITTED BY-RIGHT FOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS ON SITES DESIGNATED AS SPECIAL REVITALIZATION DISTRICT FOR EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGNATED FOR MIXED-USE ON THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN MAP (TO20-23) ORDINANCE TO AMEND, REENACT AND RECODIFY FALLS CHURCH CITY CODE CHAPTER 38, SUBDIVISIONS, TO PROVIDE STANDARDS FOR VERTICAL SUBDIVISIONS OF PROPERTY The Planning Commission will also consider and take action on the following item:

This location is fully accessible to persons with physical disabilities and special services or assistance may be requested in advance. (TTY 711) In accordance with VA 15.2-1720, the public is hereby notified that the City of Falls Church Police Department has recovered the following bicycles: MAKE MODEL COLOR Trek MT220 RED MAGNA ANZA GRY/PURPLE MARIN Bayview Trail BLK/BLU UNK UNK BLU/PINK MYSTIC MURRAY PURPLE TRANSEO GT BLK/BLU MONGOOSE MANEUVER BLK/BLU MONGOOSE IBOC ZERO G SX BLU NOVARA DUSTER RED TREK ANTELOPE 800 BLK/BLU DIAMONDBACK CLARITY GRAY NEXT GAUNTLET RED JAMIS EUREKA GRY SPECIALIZED EXPEDITION BROWN HUFFY STALKER BLACK To claim any of these items, please provide proof of ownership to: City of Falls Church Police Department Property/Evidence Unit 300 Park Ave., G2 Falls Church, VA 22046 703-248-5060 (please call for appointment)

ABC NOTICE First Watch Restaurants, Inc., Trading as: First Watch #446, 5880 Leesburg Pike Falls Church, 22041. The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) for a Wine & Beer On Premises; Mixed Beverage On Premises. Jay Wolszczak, Secretary, Chief Legal Officer, Authorized Signatory First Watch Restaurants, Inc., the Operating Member of First Watch #446. NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.

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APPLICATION TO AMEND APPROVED FOUNDERS ROW SITE PLAN (MUNIS# 2013-1165) TO INCLUDE A PROPOSED MURAL ON THE EASTERN FAÇADE AS RECOMMENDED BY THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES COUNCIL AND ARCHITECTURAL ADVISORY BOARD. Meeting agenda and materials will be available on the following page prior to the public meeting: http://www.fallschurchva.gov/PC. The application materials for the Founders Row proposal is available on the project webpage: http://fallschurchva.gov/1381/

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KIDS LOVE SCALLIWAG By Eileen Levy Thanks for kindness, It’s hard to know but You succeed. In all you do you are indeed true.

A RTS&E NTE RTA I NME NT

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Crossword

ACROSS

By David Levinson Wilk 1

43 46

50 52

45 48

57 61

1. *2004 Kelly Clarkson tune 5. Calvin of fashion 10. Giant banking firm founded in Hong Kong in 1865 14. Language of Bangkok 15. Italian scientist after whom an electrical unit is named 16. Beige-ish 17. ____ of faith 18. Splendor 19. Physician with a daily talk show 20. *1971 Led Zeppelin tune 23. Foliage-viewing mo. 24. “The British ____ coming!” 25. *1991 Red Hot Chili Peppers tune 31. Name placeholder in govt. records 34. Small 35. Follower of Brown. or Rice. 36. Move text here and there 37. *1962 Neil Sedaka tune 41. Homer Simpson outbursts 42. “Wait Wait ... Don’t Tell Me!” airer 43. Juan’s ones 44. Cousin ____ of 1960s TV 45. *1992 Billy Ray Cyrus tune 48. Danson of “The Good Place” 50. Co. acquired by Verizon in 2015 51. What actors in musicals often do ... or what’s needed in each of this puzzle’s starred clues 58. Have on 59. Audibly floored

STRANGE BREW

DECEMBER 10 - 16, 2020 | PAGE 21

60. Liver secretion 62. IV + IV 63. It’s no short story 64. “What do ____ in return?” 65. Actress Hathaway 66. Female rapper with the 2005 hit “Here We Go” 67. *1980 Kurtis Blow tune

Down 1. Georgia’s capital: Abbr. 2. “That was close!” 3. “So-o-o relaxing!” 4. “Good grief!” 5. Bellyache 6. Olympic swimmer Ryan 7. Vogue rival 8. Slanted in print: Abbr. 9. ____ the Great, detective of children’s stories 10. “Napoleon Dynamite” star Jon 11. Bug barrier 12. Warner ____ 13. Slangy response to “Why?” 21. “Reward” for poor service 22. Actor Kilmer 25. “You are!” retort 26. Transport that usually features sleeping cars 27. African migrators 28. Designer of Spain’s Guggenheim Museum 29. Ore-____ (frozen taters brand) 30. 1921 play that introduced the word “robot” 32. In the ____ of 33. “Who am ____ judge?” 36. Tallest active volcano in

JOHN DEERING

Sudoku

Europe 37. Uganda’s Amin 38. Pixar’s “Monsters, ____” 39. Globe shape: Abbr. 40. Lightsaber battles 45. Org. that encourages flossing 46. Chinese revolutionary Sun ____ 47. Big to-do 49. Otherworldly 51. “____ Green” (Kermit the Frog song) 52. Philosopher who asked “What is enlightenment?” 53. Lab assistant in many a horror film 54. Blue-skinned race in “Avatar” 55. News item that its subject never reads 56. Close by, in poems 57. “On cloud nine” feeling 58. Big coal-mining state: Abbr. 61. Sci-fi visitors Last Thursday’s Solution E R D O C D I A N A U P P E R L E A B A L L P A R N O L D D A T A A L V I C A N O T E O A N F L C R O W N F E E N I E M E I N T E Z E K I S N E S S

T W I R L S

S A M S A

A R N E I T

Y M A C L C A E S T R O R A O N O Y G R A E E L L

P A L T O E R S A E R E P S G E G R T O O T O U N A I C N A

C R A S H H E L M E T

T A K E A B R E A T H

S W E A T P A N T S

M M O A R E D I R

By The Mepham Group

Level 1 2 3 4

Solution to last Sunday’s puzzle

NICK KNACK

11/29/20

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

LO CA L

PAGE 22 | DECEMBER 10 – 16, 2020

BACK IN THE DAY

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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25 � 10 Y�� A�� N��-P�� Falls Church News-Press Vol. V, No. 38 • December 7, 1995

Falls Church News-Press Vol. XX, No. 41 • Decmber 9,, 2010

Council Tackles Homeless Shelter Ordinance Monday

Affordable Housing Leaders Say: ‘Falls Church Doesn’t Want Us’

A controversial ordinance to permit limited operations of emergency homeless shelter facilities in Falls Church comes before the City Council for a final vote this Monday night. The ordinance was drawn up in response to a request by Dulin United Methodist Church.

The stunning announcement by the Falls Church Housing Corporation last week to withdraw any future requests for funding support from the City of Falls Church and to redirect any efforts to achieve new affordable housing gains to projects outside the City’s limits

Name Changes Continued from Page 4

republic. “It is true that both men owned enslaved people, as many as 900 individuals over their lifetimes. It is true that was common among the Founding Fathers. That doesn’t make it any less reprehensible. “It is not revisionist history to say that both men achieved great things, and both men committed reprehensible acts. That’s true history, and nothing we do tonight will change it. “It doesn’t change history to ask: Are these two men appropri-

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LETTERS Continued from Page 6

Constitutional Convention of 1787 initiated and implemented. Both men were southerners and supported the positions of the slave-owning southern states. To honor them for their deeds in establishing this country may seem okay to some, but I believe that we need to look at all of their deeds to determine if they need to be honored by our community. Their place in history certainly cannot be changed, but how they are honored is up to us in the present. We are not rewriting history by removing their names from our schools, but we are acknowledging that some of what they stood for is not okay with us now.

ate namesakes today for schools in a division committed to antiracism? After careful consideration, I come to the conclusion that they are not.” John Wesley Brett, the director of communications for the school system, issued a statement to the News-Press, “When this renaming process began during the pandemic, public meetings had already moved online. The board sought to provide as many outlets as possible for students, parents, staff and community members to express their views under less than ideal conditions. These included a combination of written comments, virtual public hearings and the survey. “If someone didn’t want to, or

TO THE

EDITOR

To take any other position is akin to complacency or worse yet, agreement with their thinking. Our neighboring jurisdictions have already made these changes — we should have been first. Alan Brangman Falls Church

Too Risky To Rename Schools After People Now

Editor, Thank you for your comprehensive coverage of the school renaming debate. In response to the survey commissioned by the School Board — which showed that a sizeable majority of our community opposed changing the

couldn’t find the time, to write a letter, or Zoom virtually into a public hearing, the survey was a quick way to register thoughts. The board used a third-party company (K-12 Insight) to do their survey to retain impartiality, but it was not a scientific survey similar to a political poll with a margin of error. This was just an extra avenue to voice an opinion. “On the flip side, if the board were to solely rely on survey results, then they would be ignoring the hundreds of written comments and the hours of public hearings also held. It was the combination of input they said moved them to the decision Tuesday night.” names — several individuals have stated, quite fairly, that the opinions of historically marginalized individuals should receive significant weight. The Board’s survey, however, didn’t break out responses from such individuals, and so it appears that there has been no serious effort to find out what they think. I am troubled by the fact that a decision is being made based on assumptions, rather than facts, about the opinions of such individuals. Assuming that the Board proceeds with the renaming as announced, I suggest that the Board not name the schools after anyone, and instead opt for a name like “Falls Church City High School.” By my reckoning, we’re about a decade away from canceling Martin Luther King, Jr., for #MeToo and anti-LGBT problems, and other historical icons are sure to follow. Honoring a human being is simply too risky. Kristin Shapiro Falls Church

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PAGE 24 | DECEMBER 10 - 16, 2020

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