Dec. 2 - 8, 2021
Falls Church, Virginia • w w w . fc n p . c o m • Free
Founded 1991 • Vol. XXXI N o . 42
The City of Falls Church’s Independent, Locally-Owned Newspaper of Record, Serving N. Virginia
Watch Night to Return This NYE
Changing Seasons
Set to return after last year’s cancellation. by Amanda Snead
Falls Church News-Press
Watch Night, a New Year’s Eve celebration that involves closing the street in the 100 block of West Broad in Falls Church, has been a tradition in the Little City for many years now, leaving citizens disappointed last year when it was cancelled for the first time ever due to the pandemic. But according to its new team of organizers, it’s back! Citizens will be getting more information as the date nears, but the big news is that they can plan on spending that big night right in the center of the Little City as thousands have for the last 25 years. The event grew out of the realization that New Years is often a celebration designed for adults, leaving children and parents unsure of what to do. Given the number of families in the city, a group got together with the idea of creating a family-
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NOBODY DOES IT BETTER than Mother Nature herself when it comes to exploding beauty, and every fall season is the same for how she manifests herself throughout town in this Tree City, USA. (Photo: Gary Mester)
Merelyn Kaye Feted With FCNP Lifetime Honor
by Nicholas f. benton
Falls Church News-Press
The warmth of this special holiday season (special because it is a recovery from a year of pandemic lack) combined with this year’s milestone of the 30th anniversary of the
Falls Church News-Press’ unbroken weekly publication, has compelled the News-Press to use this occasion to publicly announce and salute its first ever Lifetime Honoree, longtime Falls Church resident, local realtor par excellence and generous community leader Merelyn Kaye.
Merelyn Kaye’s quiet contributions to the wider Falls Church community have been legendary, and that has included her role in the early success of the News-Press. She remains to this day the only local business person who has advertised in every single edition of the News-
Press since Day One in the maiden edition of the paper that hit the streets on March 28, 1991. It has been a win-win situation all along. She has made it known that the News-Press was a major
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Inside This Week Supporting Local Businesses This Holiday
There’s lots of ways to support small businesses this holiday season and find something for everyone on your list. Whether you haven’t started shopping yet or just need something last minute. See Holiday Guide, Pages 12 and 13
Ways to Help Fight Food Insecurity This Season
See Pages 12-13
The season of giving is upon us. As the holidays approach, there are many local families facing food insecurity. Many local resource centers are in need of help to allow them to continue aiding families. See Article, Page 2
Index
Editorial................................................ 6 Letters.................................................. 6 Comment..........................................7,8 Crime Report....................................... 8 News & Notes.................................... 10 Calendar............................................ 16 Business News.................................. 17 Classified Ads.................................... 20 Comics............................................... 21 Critter Corner..................................... 22