Falls Church News-Press 12-22-2022

by Nicholas F. Benton Falls Church News-Press

According to News-Press sources, the U.S. Congressional 2022 Omnibus spending bill expected to be passed and signed this Friday includes substantial funding for two programs in the City of Falls Church championed by U.S. Rep. Don Beyer.

Beyer’s office confirmed this with Falls Church Deputy City Manager Cindy Mester this week, Mester has said. The two programs included in the bill are one for $600,000 for “green vehicle fleet upgrades and replacements” and another for $1,500,000 for a multimodal transportation infrastructure improvements. In a city the size of Falls Church, these are no mean amounts.

On an entirely separate track, the offices of Virginia’s two U.S. senators, Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, yesterday announced $842,140 in federal funding to help homeless veterans in Virginia access affordable housing with the bulk of the funding going to the Fairfax County Redevelopment and

by Brian Reach Falls Church News-Press

The last time the big star dropped at the intersection of W Broad and Maple, ushering in the New Year at the City of Falls Church Watch Night event that had become a 22-year tradition, everybody cheered as

January 1, 2020 arrived… not knowing a global pandemic, just over the horizon, would prevent the event’s return in 2020 and 2021. After nearly three years that inarguably (and to say the least) did not go as expected, the Watch Party’s return is a welcome one for a city that has missed it dearly. “That is

what traditions are for,” says Keith Thurston, President of The CATCH Foundation and its Watch Night Falls Church program, “to provide a sense of ongoing stability, while New Year’s provides that sense of renewal and optimism.”

First held December 31, 1998, the year the Little City cel -

ebrated the 300th Anniversary of its founding, the Watch Party now returns for its 23rd year with exciting activities, entertainment, dancing, and (of course) the Big Star – to ring in 2023 Falls Church style while celebrating the return of this

Last-Minute Holiday Events

Looking for fun ways to wrap up the holiday season? This guide will help those in the DMV area find the perfect, festive events and shows to take their family, friends or neighbors to just in time to finish out the holidays.

Theater Reviews: Wicked & Into the Woods FCNP’s Mark Dreisonstok and Kylee Toland review the classic stories and music of ‘Wicked’ and ‘Into the Woods,’ being performed at the Kennedy Center and Signature Theatre.

by Kylee Toland Falls Church News-Press

Water Skiing Santa

The longest-running water ski Christmas show is back for the 2022 holiday season. Waterskiing Santa normally takes place along the historic Old Town Alexandria Waterfront from the Founders to Point Lumley Park. Check their Facebook for updates.

waterskiingsanta.com

Baltimore Christmas Village

Through Christmas Eve, December 24, the Baltimore Christmas Village is back at the Inner Harbor. The 30-foot-tall Christmas Pyramid returns along with a 65-foot tall, illuminated Ferris wheel and a brand-new Christmas Village Carousel that allows one to ride on a reindeer.

baltimore-christmas.com

National Harbor Christmas Tree Light Show

The National Harbor Christmas Tree Light Show will take place nightly this year through December 31st. The show at the epic 56-foot Christmas tree will occur every 30 minutes from sundown until 9 p.m. On Saturdays, it starts at 5:30 p.m. and kicks off with a fireworks show.

nationalharbor.com/events/ nightly-holiday-tree-light-show/

Zoolights at the National Zoo

Until December 30th, one can enjoy a family trip to the zoo at night with paid admission to Zoolights at the National Zoo. While going to the zoo during the day is fun and exciting, seeing it at night lit up with Christmas lights is a great way to add some magic to the trip.

nationalzoo.si.edu/events/ zoolights

Georgetown Glow in DC

Georgetown Glow is an exciting light and art installation that will be on view throughout downtown Georgetown. This free DC event will run through the third weekend of January. It will feature artists and their works and is sure to be an Instagram-worthy event.

georgetownglowdc.com

Bull Run Festival of Lights

Every year until just after New Year’s Day, experience the Bull Run Festival of Lights, 2.5 of miles illuminated holiday light displays. Drive the festival route from the comfort of one’s car; turn off your headlights and just follow the magical glow.

novaparks.com/events/bull-runfestival-of-lights

Meadowlark’s Winter Walk of

magic of The Washington Ballet’s The Nutcracker. (Photo: Michelle Pendoley)

lights. (Photo: Kelly Gilfillen)

Through Christmas Eve, the Baltimore Christmas Village is back. (Photo: Kory Aversa)

Housing Authority ($415,494) and the Virginia Housing Development Authority ($315,641) for use throughout the state.

Three smaller amounts under $41,000 each will go to Richmond, Roanoke and Staunton housing authorities.

This comes following last week’s announcement by the two senators that over $940,000 in federal funding is coming to help Virginians with disabilities access affordable housing and after another announcement they made in September, that over $4.2 million was coming for affordable housing in Virginia, in which context Sen. Kaine introduced the Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2022 aimed at protecting veterans and low income families from housing discrimination.

Concerning the “green fleet” fund for the City of Falls Church, $600,000 was requested to upgrade the City’s Public Works Division fleet with electric and hybrid vehicles and to install 10 electric vehicle chargers at the Robert L. Goff Property Yard at 7100 Gordon Road. Two other charging units contained in

the request already exist at City Hall.

So, the total vehicle purchase is expected to be an even dozen with six fully electric and six hybrid to accommodate additional positions needed for supporting private redevelopment inspections and public capital infrastructure projects.

The additional fleet vehicles are a net energy savings due to the fact that they will involve eliminating fossil fuel vehicles and utilizing smaller more efficient vehicles where appropriate.

The program provides replacements for five Chevrolet Silverado hybrids, one Ford E15 van, and one Kia Sportage that have exceeded their useful life, according to Mester, by having increased maintenance costs and decreased average miles per gallon. One Silverado currently averages 8.4 miles per gallon.

By obtaining this grant, the City will purchase two Ford e-Transit Vans, six Ford Maverick Hybrids, four Ford F150 Lighting electric vehicles, will install ten chargers with remote communications capability at the property yard, and remove the current vehicles listed above from service.

A blend of fully electric and

hybrid was determined to be the best solution, at this point, given the type of available vehicles that match the public works functional needs and duration that some vehicles may need to operate such as during an emergency or overnight work inspections.

These trucks will allow for reduced emissions, improved gas mileage, supply a sufficient number of vehicles for Public Works’ needs, and accommodate for the Department’s growth over the last few years. All vehicles purchased with the requested funds follow the City’s green fleet goals, policies, and objectives.

Concerning the multimodal transportation infrastructure, the City requested $1,500,000 to include pedestrian (sidewalk, crosswalk, intersections), bicycle, bridge, and traffic calming improvements.

The funds requested will be used to correct deficient infrastructure, enhance bridge infrastructure and pedestrian and bicycle facilities throughout the City. The activities are included in the definitions of the federal surface transportation block grant program.

According to Mester, all proj-

ects implemented with the requested funds are in the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP), follow the City Comprehensive Plan guidelines, and will align with and complement the regional long-range goals for transportation planning.

All potential projects will share one main objective, she said, which is to increase safety for all transportation methods (particularly transit, pedestrian and bicycle), to reduce congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, to enhance existing transportation networks, and to maintain and repair existing infrastructure.

The requested funds will be used for repair, enhancement, and/ or construction of the following types of facilities: bridges, sidewalks, crosswalks, pedestrian signals, mid-block pedestrian crossings, lighting, bicycle signs and signals, bicycle lanes and shared-use lane markings, bicycle parking, traffic calming, traffic monitoring, multimodal transportation management programs such as the Capital Bikeshare program, improvements or capital, and trails.

In addition, the requested

funds can also be used for the following activities:

Intersection improvements such as the addition of bumpouts and reconfiguring of curb ramps, to achieve compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and state regulations; Relocation of traffic and utility poles and utility lines underground when such relocations support transportation alternatives and bicycle transportation facilities as described above, or improve compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act; bridge inspection, maintenance, repair, and replacement activities; and all phases of design, engineering, right-of-way acquisition, construction, and project management activity.

Also the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission’s Community Requests submission made through U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly’s office with Rep. Beyer’s support, along with a City Council support letter, for the Envision Route 7 Bus Rapid Transit project was funded. with $2 million for preliminary engineering.

Meadowlark’s Winter Walk of Lights

Meadowlark’s Winter Walk of Lights is an elegant garden trail decorated with a million sparkling lights, perfect for a date night or family holiday outing. The half-mile, one-way walk through the enchanting Meadowlark Botanical Gardens (Vienna, VA) features lighted nature themes and animated displays along a paved trail. Open now through January 8.

novaparks.com/parks/meadowlark-botanical-gardens

Ice & Lights: The

VA). Ice & Lights–The Winter Village at Cameron Run offers a fun, unstructured outdoor family experience. Explore unique light displays, snap family pictures or selfies, stomp a tune on the newest light-up feature, and take a spin on the outdoor ice rink. Tickets are available for the Village Only or Village and Ice Skating evenings through January 1.

novaparks.com/parks/cameron-run-regional-park/thingsto-do/ice-lights-the-wintervillage-at-cameron-run

Downtown Holiday Market

The 18th Annual Downtown Holiday Market, Washington D.C.’s

the heart of the District this year. downtownholidaymarket.com

Ford’s Theatre “A Christmas Carol”

Join the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future as they lead the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge on a journey of transformation and redemption. Originally conceived by Michael Baron, this music-infused production captures the magic and joy of Dickens’s Yuletide classic. Running until December 31st.

fords.org/performances/ current-and-upcoming/a-christmas-carol-2022/

Washington Ballet’s “The Nutcracker”

winter wonderland at Cameron Run Regional Park (Alexandria,

Experience the magic of The Washington Ballet’s charminglyDC The Nutcracker! This celebrated production is set in historic 1882 Georgetown with George

Washington, King George III, and other historical figures. Join Warner Theatre again with family and friends or start a new holiday tradition with loved ones. Running until December 31st.

washingtonballet.org/events/ the-nutcracker-2022/

ICE! at Gaylord National Resort

Gaylord National Resort will celebrate the Christmas season with the return of the hotel’s longtime beloved holiday tradition. ICE! will run through December 31 after a twoyear hiatus. Using more than 2 million pounds of ice, the amusing holiday classic, ‘A Christmas Story’ will be

brought to life in ice sculpture form.

christmasatgaylordnational. marriott.com/

Winter Lantern Festival

Winter Lantern Festival will debut a spectacular holiday light adventure at the Lerner Town Square in Tysons through February 12th. The Lerner Town Square at Tysons will be transformed into a dazzling world of light with over 1000 Chinese lanterns; all handmade by artisans with decades of experience.

winterlanternfestival.com/ events/dc-winter-lantern-festival

Bad Faith Confirmed in The January 6 Report N������� F. B�����

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

For almost all of us, there is no need to delve further beyond the detailed and dense 154-page executive summary that the House January 6 Committee presented earlier this week along with its formal referral to the Justice Department for criminal behavior of former president Trump.

Some complained that the executive summary was too long, those with such damaged attention spans that they can’t get beyond five pages or so, which is the common length that such summaries usually take in deference to said attention deficits. But in this case, the summary is what is most likely to become one of the best selling reports of all time, because it reads like a thriller and is so compelling in the indictment it represents.

The point of the extended summary is to tell the whole story, even if not in the intricate detail that D.C. pundits, in particular, seem so easily trapped in such that they miss, as the saying goes, “the forest for the trees.”

The “forest” in this case is the overwhelmingly criminal intent behind the grueling insistence by Trump that he stay in power despite losing a national election by over seven million votes. This man was willing to step all over the basic rights of each and every one of us to get his way. He is no more loyal to his sycophant fans than his sworn enemies, because he demonstrated for us all to see and experience a profound disdain for what we all are entitled to, a fair vote.

This is the long and short of it, and if it is helpful to see it in the context of this winter holiday season, then it is summarized as one of history’s more compelling cases of actions taken “in bad faith.”

It is not the kind of “good faith” that we celebrate with candles and other symbols of cosmic light in this time of year, but the kind of “bad faith” that is associated with betrayal and deceit. Don’t forget that the stories of supernatural interven-

tions into our small human lives, whether as presented in the Nativity, Hanukkah or some other form, aim to elicit from us all “good faith” to endure our human condition with compassion and love to the effect of bringing us all to a better place.

In this context, it is worth noting that in the Christian version of these stories, it is a cynical denial of truth itself in Pontius Pilate’s nihilistic relativism calling into question truth’s very existence, as such, so as to wash his hands of responsibility for the execution of an innocent man of “good faith,” however else traditions may characterize him, that set the stage for the dramatic last phase of this account.

Yes, it is the correlation of truth and good faith that defines these traditions that have endured as the best currents in our shared history for these last couple thousand years, at least. As slow as this progress has been, it has been accelerated in the last couple hundred years by the truly revolutionary concept contained in the American Declaration of Independence that “all men (and women) are created equal,” which led to Abraham Lincoln’s unexpected determination to fight the southern insistence on the perpetuation of slavery and which took the high aspirational form of the Eleanor Roosevelt’s post-World War II International Declaration of Human Rights.

This is the context by which to read in the January 6 Committee’s report the terrible crimes of Trump and his wide array of associates – can we say virtually the entire Republican Party at this point?

Trump has done this: he has eclipsed the crimes of Benedict Arnold, of the southern confederates, even of a U.S. president (John Tyler) who chose to become an elected official in the treasonous southern confederacy. Trump is now America’s worst case.

A lot of others were swept into his cauldron of nihilistic lies and deceit, and for many, the pathway to their own redemption will not be easy. But speaking metaphorically, as Sherman said during our Civil War, “War is hell,” and the only way to end it is to vanquish the enemy.

Our Man in Arlington

B� C������ C����

Herewith a nearly forgotten local Christmas story.

Trinity Presbyterian Church, up the “hillside” from Westover Village, boasts an outdoor chapel in the woods, a rich history of activism in the 1950s civil rights movement and the onetime location on its property of the grave of 19th-century plantation owner Basil Hall (1806-1888). That name-sake for Arlington’s AfricanAmerican community of Hall’s Hill, a cruel enslaver, owned much of the land where Trinity now stands, but his grave was moved in 1939 to the Oakwood Cemetery in Falls Church.

The ambitious parishioners of Trinity—founded in the 1940s, its 75th anniversary celebrated in 2019—once made their mark regularly at Christmastime on the Arlington skyline.

The tale, sketched in church member-author Gil Klein’s history booklet “Trinity at 75: The History of a Welcoming Church,” was recently elaborated upon to me by a congregant from nearby Tara-Leeway Heights neighborhood, Rick Rhoads, seconded by his boyhood friend Blake Rhodes.

It was just after Thanksgiving in 1952 when Trinity’s Pastor Bill Foster and Lt. Buss Bayliss of the Arlington Police led a committee that had a brainstorm. They carpentered together a 16-foot wooden frame shaped like the Star of Bethlehem. In the slats they drilled holes to hold light sockets and commandeered

coffee cans painted white to act as reflectors, as detailed in an Evening Star feature for Dec. 21, 1963. Using manly strength, they pulled it up the hill behind the church building (opened in 1948) and bolstered it with a thick cable between two oak trees. It would soon be paired with a large wooden cross that Trinity could display during Lent. In the second year, a 50-foot section of three-inch pipe was used to elevate the lighted star.

Then in 1957 church member Henry McCloud, who owned a construction company, upped the ante to make the star more impressively visible. At a sheet metal shop in Franconia, he fabricated a 60-foot steel tower. It was trucked over on a double trailer with cranes to be installed on Trinity’s six-acre, 100 feet-high hill, lifted, via a winch and cable, onto a poured concrete foundation. From then on, the annual installation of the star could be accomplished in just three hours.

For the next two decades, the annual Christmas star display at Trinity Presbyterian would be seen from as far away as Four Mile Run in Alexandria. Pilots flying into National Airport were reported pointing it out to passengers. But just as “all things must pass,” the church’s skyline star tower was eventually worn down by the elements and became unsafe. A new generation took over the pews of Trinity.

“My friends and I used to play a lot in the woods behind Trinity in the 1970s and early 1980s,” Rick Rhoads recently recalled.

“There were remnants of the Star Tower which I suspect had fallen into disrepair and stopped being used in the early 1970s. The tower and foundation must have been removed in the early 1980s. What was amazing back then,” he added, “is that none of the adults in the neighborhood seemed to know anything about it; I don’t even remember it being brought up by members of the church.”

The spirit of the Christmas tale, however, lives on.

***

Rep. Don Beyer’s bill to remove Robert E. Lee’s name from Arlington House appeared to be dying in the final days of the 117th Congress.

The proposal pressed by descendants of those enslaved there before the Civil War has drawn nearly 1,300 names on a Change.org petition, notes spokesman Steve Hammond. The bill would rename what since 1972 has been “Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial” as simply: “Arlington House National Historic Site.”

A Beyer spokesman told me chances slipped when it was not attached to the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act cleared Dec. 8. I’m told there’s a small chance the version co-sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine could be attached to the major spending bill pending this week.

6 |

22 - 28, 2022

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Founded in 1991

Vol. XXXII, No. 45 December 22 - 28, 2022

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E ditorial

EDITORIAL

Baby, It’s Cold Outside!

As we navigate through another winter holiday season, let us all be reminded that it is going to be cold outside, even if not severe in the manner of points north and west even this week. So, everyone who is involved in being out there serving the people’s interest deserves to be shown an extra portion of consideration, patience and gratitude. Remember even the nastiest of folks are mere mortals, and we remain hopeful that for those, visits from Dickens-ish shocks to the sensibilities will turn them nicer. There is gradually a greater appreciation in our society for the fact that we don’t all fit neatly into Norman Rockwell images of the perfect holiday revelry (as much as we love Mr. Rockwell’s work), and that solace is often the most important ingredient for the season.

Don’t forget to show a little extra kindness for those who deliver your mail, and newspaper, rake your leaves, do your chores or serve you a meal at a restaurant. We all have our aches and pains, physically or emotionally, and they should not be minimized the way others may expect us to. But the best antidote to pain is to reach out beyond one’s self in a meaningful way to offer a smile and words of kindness to another person, especially if that is a person from whom one expects nothing in return.

There are two parables in the New Testament that, in our humble view, best capture the spirit of what this is all about, and they are the parables of the “Pharisee and the publican” and the “good Samaritan.” In the first one, the self-righteous religiosity of the self-obsessed Pharisee, who prays in public so that people can see him behave this way, is contrasted to the quiet self-effacing prayer of the humble publican, who seeks only the grace that can come from a sincere and private vows seeking redemption and forgiveness. While too many of today’s ugly charlatans posing as tel-evangelicals and their ilk typify the former, a true spiritual focus achieves the latter.

The parable of the good Samaritan is also self-explanatory in a similar way, contrasting the self-righteous who ignore the plight of a person in a ditch to that of the non-religious person who out of sheer compassion offers help to the disabled stranger.

To the extent anyone seeks to be in better touch with ultimate things this time of year, may we suggest a sincere focus on one or both of these parables can work wonders, not forgetting that the real publicans and real Samaritans are in our midst in droves in the here and now.

Doing what in the Jewish faith is called a “mitzvah,” a good deed, is the best “balm for the sin-sick soul,” as words to a wonderful old hymn put it.

This season should be seen as a practice field for honing an ability to behave in such a way all year around.

L etters to E ditor

Former Interim School Head’s Report

Editor,

I’ve been busy with heavy consulting studies around the nation, writing books, and enjoying semiretired life in South Florida with my wife. Our 52nd wedding anniversary is in a few days!!

As you know, I had said repeatedly that my assignment in FCCPS was my last ‘gig’ as an interim. Well, much to my wife’s dismay, I have climbed into the saddle once again as an interim superintendent of the 80,000 student Brevard County School District, which began Friday at 10 a.m.

when I was appointed.

The district is in turmoil. The political and ideological split board’s (with a newly elected majority) first act upon being sworn in was to fire the superintendent (a lifer in the community and district)! He had been doing a terrific job the last 5 years.

Politics, especially in Florida with a governor who wants to be President has made life miserable for schools. six Florida superintendents of huge, county districts have been removed in the past two months. They all are hard up for superintendents, so much so that all of them have contacted me.

Dr. Robert Schiller Former Interim Superintendent of F.C. Public Schools

Continued from Page 1

beloved tradition. “It feels good to resume the tradition and provide an outlet for people to come and enjoy themselves.” says Thurston. Those interested in volunteering for the event may contact Diana Bossa with the CATCH Foundation at dfbozza@gmail.com.

Missing from this year’s festivities will be Barb Cram, whose activism and volunteerism in the arts and throughout Falls Church life brought us the Watch Party. “Barb led Watch Night for years –and it was one of her favorite events on the calendar, setting a positive mood for the new year.” recalled Thurston. Barb passed away in June 2020 at the age of 73.

Local restaurants and pubs will remain open during the event, with several offering walk-away items for those who want to keep checking out the event. Though the forecast calls for temperatures roughly 20 degrees above average, those who get chilly can enjoy warming stations set up throughout the event (or support a local business while they warm up). Returning this year is Virginia Tourism’s “Loveworks”

sign, which always provides a great photo opportunity.

The 100 block of W. Broad St. will be closed (between Washington St. and Maple Ave.) from 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Parking is available along Park Ave. (follow event signage).

Via metro, take Orange/Silver to East Falls Church, take the WO&D bridge across N. Washington St, then head south on N. Washington St. to W. Broad.

Head to The Historic Falls Church (115 E. Fairfax St.) for guided historic church tours beginning at 7 p.m., followed by Andrew Acosta & The Electric Band performing at 8 p.m. Families with young children will want to stop by Falls Church Presbyterian (225 E. Broad St.), with activities starting at 7 p.m. including puppet shows, face painting, and Victorian-style dress-up photography (courtesy of the Victorian Society at Falls Church) – then listen or dance along to the Northern Light Dance Band Orchestra at 8 p.m. Head back to The Welcome Tent (100 W. Broad St., at Washington St.) to regroup, get information on the evening’s festivities, or thank volunteers! With W. Broad St.

is transformed into pedestrianfriendly Fun Alley (100-200 W. Broad St.), with activities ranging from a Rock Climbing Wall to Mechanical Baby Shark Rides (an all-ages take on the mechanical bull). Follow Fun Alley to Maple Ave to find the Main Stage (200 W. Broad St., at Maple Ave), with live

Band starting at 7:30 p.m. on the Fairfax County Showmobile. At 11 p.m., everybody returns to the Main Stage for the pinnacle of the evening’s festivities, with Jeffrey Garofalo returning as Emcee for the countdown and big star lowering as the clock strikes midnight!

munity in and around the City of Falls Church. “Families see their friends and neighbors and are reminded of what a great place Falls Church is to live,” says Thurston, “and the event provides a welcoming charm for visitors being introduced to the City for the first time.”

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HOLIDAY

Churches Holding Christmas/Christmas Eve Services

by Kylee Toland Falls Church News-Press

The Falls Church Presbyterian

Christmas Eve Service: 8:00 p.m.

Christmas Day Service: 10:00 a.m.

McLean Baptist Church

Christmas Eve Service: 7:00 p.m. Christmas Day Service: 10:00 a.m.

Immanuel Presbyterian Church

Christmas Eve Family Service: 4:00 p.m.

Christmas Eve Service of Lessons and Carols: 6:00 p.m.

Christmas Eve Communion Service: 10:30 p.m.

Christmas Day Service: 10:00 a.m.

The Falls Church Episcopal Festal Holy Eucharist

Christmas Eve: 10:30 p.m. Holy Eucharist (Christmas Day): 10:00 a.m.

Columbia Baptist Church

Christmas Eve Service: 5:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.

Dulin Methodist Church

Christmas Eve, Family Service: 5 p.m.

Christmas Eve, Lessons & Carols: 8 p.m.

Christmas Day Worship Service: 10:00 a.m.

Christ Crossman United Methodist Church

Christmas Eve Service: 5:00 p.m. Christmas Day Service: 10:00 a.m.

Galloway United Methodist Church

Christmas Eve Service: 5:00 p.m.

Christmas Day Service: 11:00 a.m.

St. James Catholic Church

Christmas Mass (Christmas Eve): 7:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m. & 12:00 a.m. Christmas Mass

Christmas Day: 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m. & 2:30 p.m.

The Falls Church Anglican Church

Christmas Eve Services: 4:00 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Christmas Day Service: 10:00 a.m.

ST. PAUL’S

EPISCOPAL CHURCH BAILEYS CROSSROADS

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP

DULIN METHODIST CHURCH hosts their Christmas Eve Service at 5:00 p.m. on December 24th and their Christmas Day Service at 10:00 a.m. (Photo: Dulin Methodist Church)

FALLS CHURCH PRESBYTERIAN Church’s Candlelight Christmas Eve service. (Photo: Falls Church Presbyterian Church)

Local Churches Open to the Public for Holiday Services

St. Anthony’s Catholic Church

Christmas Eve Services: 8:30 a.m., 5:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m. & 11:00 p.m.

Christmas Day Services: 8:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Citylight Church

Christmas Eve Service: 4:00 p.m.

Little Falls Presbyterian Church

Christmas Day Service: 10:00 a.m.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

Candlelight Christmas Eve Service: 7:30 p.m.

Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ

Christmas Eve Service: 4:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Christmas Day Service: 10:00 a.m.

Saint Phillip the Apostle Catholic Church

Christmas Eve Mass: 6:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Christmas Day Mass: 9:00 a.m.,11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. & 4:00 p.m.

St Paul’s Lutheran Church

Christmas Eve Service and Communion: 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Christmas Day Communion: 10:00 a.m.

First Christian Church

Christmas Day Service: 10:15 a.m.

Friendship United Methodist Church

Christmas Eve Service: 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Christmas Day Service: 11:00 a.m.

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

Christmas Eve Service: 5:00 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.

Christmas Day Service: 8:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:15 a.m. & 12:30 p.m.

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church

Christmas Eve Service: 4:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.

Sleepy Hollow United Methodist Church

Christmas Eve Service: 5:00 p.m. Christmas Day Service: 11:00 a.m.

St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church

Christmas Eve Service: 7:00 p.m. Christmas Day Service: 9:00 a.m.

St Mary’s Orthodox Church

Christmas Eve Service: 5:00 p.m.

Christmas Day Service: 9:00 a.m.

St Patrick’s Episcopal Church Christmas Eve Service: 7:00 p.m.

Victory Community Church

Christmas Eve Service: 2:30 p.m., 4:00 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.

at The Falls Church

ST ANTHONY’S CATHOLIC CHURCH will have various Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services. (Photo: St. Anthony’s Catholic Church)

‘Wicked’ at Kennedy Center Proves Kind Entertainment for the Holidays

by Mark Dreisonstok

In “Glinda of Oz,” a classic book in Frank L. Baum’s “Wonderful Wizard of Oz” series, one reads these opening lines: “Glinda, the good Sorceress of Oz, sat in the grand court of her palace, surrounded by her maids of honor—a hundred of the most beau-tiful girls of the Fairyland of Oz. […] Glinda smiled, glad to see hermaidsmixingplaywithwork.” In contrast to this idyllic scene in Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” the Tin Woodman warns us of “the Wicked Witch of the West [who] will enchant us and make us her slaves.”

This smooth morality of the good witch Glinda versus the evil Witch of the West is called into question in the musical“Wicked,”inwhichoneexperiences life from their sides and learns that “good” vs. “evil” is too simple a dichotomy.

Like few other 1930s movies, the MGM classic “The Wizard of Oz” is widelywatchedbyahugeswathofthe US population, due to the film’s wonderful melodies, engaging characters, and a fairy tale come alive out of a wistfulAmericansetting. Thetwentyfirst century musical “Wicked” complicatesthisveryworld,providingthe

backstory of Glinda the Good Witch (played excellently that evening by understudyJackieRaye)andElphaba, the“WickedWitchoftheWest”(Lissa DeGuzman in a wickedly good performance). The audience learns they were roommates in a Harry Potterstyle Hogwarts boarding school, with Elphabaadiligentstudentandcapable of great kindness. Glinda is annoyingly superficial and at times vindictive. YetGlindaandElphababecome friendsandgrow Theydeveloptheir supernatural powers, although their school is not a Hogwartian school of magic. Gradually, various external circumstances as well as seminal experiences force them to take on the roles of “good” Glinda and “evil” Elphaba to the outside world, while maintaining their basic goodness and holding on to their friendship in the faceofuneasyconditions. Thenagirl named Dorothy with her house from Kansas (wafted to Oz by a cyclone) lands and kills Elphaba’s sister (a part enactedwellbyKimberlyImmanuel).

The current show illustrates why “Wicked”hasbecomesuchapopular Broadwaymusical Therearememorabletunes,suchas“NoOneMourns the Wicked,” itself a memorable performance by a talented Jackie Raye.

Her incandescent performance and singing are all the more astonishing as she was the understudy taking on a main role the night we saw the performance. She made the part her own!

Elissa DeGuzman’s moment as Elphaba is spectacular as the witch rising from the stage into the air for a wonderful “Defying Gravity.” John Bolton has his moment as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz in a much more traditional Broadway song, “Wonderful,” sung wonderfully. Natalie Venetia Belcon truly shines as Madame Morrible in a duet with Mr. Bolton in “The Wizard and I.”

This current cast with their wonderful voices and performances preserves the intent of the production and even fosters the dynamic friendship between the two leads. The show keeps its promise to convey the backstory of the original Oz books and film and engage us in the lives of Elphaba, Glinda, and their true natures as both try to discover their true purposes in life.

Audiences will relate to this performance, as most audience members know the original film, to which there is an occasional homage. A scene in the wizard’s palace of the imposing machine “Wizard of Oz” channels

the original movie, but in an original way, and the arrival of Glinda in the Emerald City presents a stage set as glitzy, glassy, and emerald green as anythingintheMGMmoviemusical.

Nonetheless, there are so many plot intricacies that we must recommend familiarizing oneself with a sum-mary of “Wicked” before attending theshow.

All in all, this is a splendid production of “Wicked,” thanks to a wonderful cast, superb direction by Joe Mantello, the

settings of Eugene Lee (especially memorable is a bat-like dragon with glowing eyes which watches), and the lighting of Kevin Posner. Likewise, the costumes of Susan Hilferty especially connect us to the classic Oz narrative of our childhoods while suggesting new directions in order to break the surface and go “beyond good and evil.”

The production at the Kennedy Center runs through January 22, 2023.

Signature Theatre’s Twist on ‘Into the Woods’ Brings Magic to the Stage

by Kylee Toland Falls Church News-Press

With the holiday season coming to a close and the new year just around the corner, Signature Theatre is finishing up 2022 with their eye-opening, tearinducing and applause-worthy production of the beloved musical “Into the Woods.”

A 1987 production, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, “Into the Woods” intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales, mainly “Cinderella,” “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” and “Rapunzel.” These fairy tales tie in with the main focus of the musical: a baker and his wife, cursed by a witch, are unable to have a family and must find various items related to the classic fairy tales to break the witch’s spell.

When taking a seat for the show, the stage is designed in a way that excites the audience members and prepares them for what is to come. Branches and leaves adorning the walls and stage transport the audience

into the woods with the characters, while purple and green lighting provide the illusion of nighttime — the central setting of the musical.

Signature Theatre’s cast never disappoints with a performance, and this production solidifies how talented the actors of Signature really are. Even if certain characters receive more lines or musical numbers, each character plays a pivotal role in the show and makes each performance memorable.

Although it’s very tough to pinpoint who “stole the show” based on the cast’s fantastic individual performances, Maria Rizzo’s role as The Witch is enough to make one smile, gasp, laugh and even cry. Normally playing the role of Cinderella’s stepmother in the show, Rizzo gives The Witch a humorous, yet dark edge that has the audience in the palm of her hand.

Her vocal range is jaw-dropping, especially her emotional number “Last Midnight” which is comparable to Broadway legend Indina Menzel’s rendition of “Defying Gravity” in “Wicked.”

Although the runtime of the show is about two and a half hours, the story flows quickly and naturally. This production of “Into the Woods” appeals to adults, children and those who enjoy comedy, fantasy, romance or musicals in general. Even those who aren’t familiar or fond of musicals will be left awestruck due to the monologue and dialogue-heavy portions of the production.

With a wide range of musical numbers, some longer or shorter than others, there will be at least one song that sticks with an audience member. An obvious crowd favorite is the opening song “Into the Woods” that is sung throughout the musical in various scenes. This number can be a challenge for a cast to sing due to its quick lyrics and dependence on the actors to be in sync with and follow each other. The same can be said about “Your Fault” which is so fast-paced and energetic it can make one’s heart race. However, the emotional second-to-last number “No One is Alone” can bring tears to one’s eyes due to the spectacular singing of

“Into the Woods” will be

performed at Signature Theatre until January 8th, 2023. Tickets for the show can be found at https://www.sigtheatre.org/ events/202223/into-the-woods/.

EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES test fast friendships as a house wafted from Kansas lands in Oz. (Photo: Joan Marcus)

Katie Murray (Cinderella), Jake Loewenthal (The Baker), David Merino (Jack) and Alex De Bard (Little Red Riding Hood).

“INTO THE WOODS” by the Signature Theatre cast ties in magic, humor and emotion to perform an eye-opening, smile-worthy production (Photo: Zachary Flick)

By Supervisor Penny Gross

For decades, perhaps centuries, children were cautioned during the holidays to “be good little boys and girls,” or else Santa Claus would put a lump of coal in their Christmas stocking instead of gifts. Children today may relate to coal only through those old stories; the coal chutes and bins that were part of home heating systems for centuries have been replaced by electricity and natural gas, cleaner fuels to be sure, but not the stuff of fairy tales. Nonetheless, a lump of coal still is an appropriate aphorism for this time of year, as we review who and what was “good or bad” in Mason District, just in case Santa reads this column! (“Good” receives a candy cane.)

Candy canes to all those residents in Northern Virginia jurisdictions who contributed coats, socks, and gloves to Ukrainian relief earlier this year. The outpouring of support for Ukraine under siege was incredible, and Paxton Van Lines delivered more than 27 tons of goods to Wilmington, North Carolina for shipment to Ukraine and Poland.

Candy canes also to the Hidden Oaks Nature Center, which re-opened in July after renovations and expansion funded by voter-supported Park Bonds. Nature Playce, where kids can explore nature, make mud pies, and get a little dirty in a safe space, is fun for parents and children alike.

A lump of coal to red light runners and STOP sign busters who seem to be increasing on our local streets. Does saving a couple of seconds by ignoring safety rules really make a difference in arrival times? Or does it make everyone else’s commute more dangerous? Pedestrian deaths have doubled in Fairfax County this year, a grim reminder to slow down and pay attention.

A lump of coal, sadly, to Fairfax County’s leaf collection efforts this year. Earlier and more abundant leaf fall, and staff and equipment shortages, combined to make some streets treacherous as piled leaves take up parking and travel lane space. Extra crews have been dispatched, but service levels defi-

nitely are not meeting residents’ expectations.

A candy cane to Cathy Parr, a Mason District resident with multiple disabilities, who was crowned Ms. Wheelchair Virginia for 2022. Cathy traveled to Michigan for the national pageant; her smile alone could win awards!

A candy cane to Jake’s Ice Cream at Barcroft Plaza. Owner Robin Rinearson has a unique business plan: the manager and staff at Jake’s, named for her nephew, all are young adults with special needs, who are earning a paycheck and serving their community. The ice cream is yummy, and I’ll bet that you can get a sundae with crushed candy canes on it this week!

A candy cane, yes, a candy cane, not a lump of coal, to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) for its response to appeals from the Culmore community to make pedestrians, and drivers, safer in that busy stretch of Route 7. Following a bilingual community meeting this summer, VDOT extended pedestrian signal times, installed flexible bollards on Glen Carlyn Drive, and is engineering additional sidewalk improvements in the corridor.

Candy canes to our public safety employees – police and fire and rescue. Last Friday’s fire academy graduation assigned six of the 21 recruits to fire stations in Mason District. Their careers are just beginning; their contributions to the community likely will be life-changing for many.

As you celebrate the season with friends and family, you can find your own recipients of candy canes and lumps of coal. Hopefully, there will be more of the former and few of the latter.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

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

Extortion/Blackmail, Roosevelt Blvd, December 14, 8:26 PM, an incident of extortion was reported

Fraud, W Broad St, December 12, 12:29 PM, an incident of fraud was reported

Larceny from Building, Wilson Blvd, between 7:50 AM, December 10 and 1 PM, December 12, unknown suspect(s) took an unattended item of value.

Fraud, W Broad St, December 12, 3:22 PM, an incident of fraud was reported.

Counterfeiting-Forgery, Poplar Dr, December 13, 12:03 PM, a check which had been placed in a USPS mailbox at 800 W Broad St on December 6 at 10 AM, was intercepted by unknown suspect(s) and altered. Investigation continues.

Extortion/Blackmail, Gundry Dr, December 15, 8:56 PM, an incident of extortion was reported.

Drunk in Public/Trespass, Wilson Blvd, December 16, 4:50 PM, a male, 32, of Washington, DC, was arrested for Drunk in Public and Trespass.

Larceny from Building, Little Falls St, December 17, between 7 PM and 9:10 PM, an item of value was taken from an unsecured backpack.

Driving Under the Influence, Hillwood Ave, December 17, 10:28 PM, a male, 22, of Arlington, VA, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence.

Community News

Barkley Pet Spa Taking Donations for the Holidays

Barkley Square Pet Spa is taking donations for the Homeward Trails Animal Rescue. Starting December 9th through the 23rd they will accept donations in their front lobby. Please come by any day, Monday — Saturday, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. to drop off donations.

The 25th Annual “Tribute to Hank Williams” plays the Birchmere Music Hall on Friday, December 30 at 7:30 p.m. This country, honky tonk, swingin’ extravaganza of musical friends collaborating to bring to life classic songs from the real roots of country music.

Winter Lantern Festival Debuts for Holiday Season

Winter Lantern Festival will debut a spectacular holiday light adventure at the Lerner Town Square in Tysons starting December 16 through February 12th. Created by Kaleido Arts & Entertainment Group, Winter Lantern Festival will feature a total of over 10,000 of LED Chinese-inspired artisan lanterns, along with live performances and on-site food vendors.

Winter Lantern Festival comes to the Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia area for its first immersive DMV Winter Lantern Festival. From

New York with 150,000 annual guests, 3 years in a row, this is an experience for the whole family. Running until 2/12/23, the Lerner Town Square at Tysons will be transformed into a dazzling world of light with over 1000 Chinese lanterns; all handmade by artisans with decades of experience. The lanterns and bright displays will light the night and bring warmth this holiday season.

Winter Lantern Festival will feature over ten thousand handmade Chinese lanterns created by over one hundred artists, illuminated by LED lights, that can reach up to 30 feet high across 60 acres. Located in the Lerner Town Square at 8025

They appreciate in-kind donations of supplies to help with caring for their animals as well as helping with the administrative side of rescue. Animal needs include dog leashes, bath and beach sized towels, training treats, Martingale style collars – all sizes, Frontline for dogs and cats – all sizes, high quality canned cat food, high quality canned dog food, hot dogs, string cheese and tough toys like Kongs and Nylabones.

Office needs include white copy/printer paper, Brother toner cartridges TN-760, Brother toner cartridges TN-221 black and color and postage stamps. Gift cards needed include gas stations, Amazon, Target, WalMart, Costco, Safeway and Home Depot. Cleaning supplies needed include bleach, laundry soap, dish soap, paper towels, toilet paper and nitrile gloves –all sizes.

Grammy winners Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer host the evening with Daryl Davis and Prairie Home Companion stars Robin and Linda Williams (Staunton, VA). The Honky Tonk Band includes Patrick McAvinue on fiddle (Country Current) and Alex Lacquement on bass.

Hank Williams’ was a consummate country songwriter, with hits that included “So Lonesome I Could Cry,” “Your Cheatin Heart,” “The Lovesick Blues” and “Jambalay.” He died at the age of 29, on New Year’s 1953, leaving behind a legacy of songs and performances that will not be forgotten. In the six years of his recording career, Hank Williams songs created the definition of the perfect country song. This popular show brings together an all-star cast of friends who get together just once a year to celebrate the songs of a country music idol.

On the morning of Wednesday, Dec. 14, the tenth anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting, survivors, and gun violence prevention activists gathered outside the National Rifle Association’s (NRA) headquarters in Fairfax, Va. Protests have been held outside the NRA headquarters every 14th of the month since the Sandy Hook shooting, 120 in total.

Speakers, including survivors and activists across several gun violence prevention groups, shared their stories of gun violence and urged the U.S. Senate to pass a national assault weapons ban before the end of the current session. The event comes after this year’s mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, Highland Park, Ill. and Buffalo, N.Y., where assault weapons were used in the attacks.

The demonstration began at 10 a.m., the time of the start of the Sandy Hook shooting, and an interfaith group of clergy read the names of victims of the shooting. At least several hundred participants attended the event.

Hanks Williams Tribute Show Hosted by Birchmere Hall

On Sandy Hook Anniversary, Activists Protest at NRA HQ

City of Falls Church Holiday Closures Happening Soon

City of Falls Church gov -

AT A SWEARING IN ceremony for new promotions for veterans of the Falls Church Sheriff’s Department Tuesday held at the F.C. City Hall, the following were there (left to right: Lt. A. Verdon, Sgt. C. Ayoub, Sheriff M. Cay, Arlington-Falls Church Circuit Court Clerk P. Ferguson, Lt. G. Jones.

AT LAST WEEK’S Falls Church City Council meeting, a formal presentation was made to announce the winner of the 2022 Chet DeLong Award for Outstanding Service to Mary Riley Styles Public Library’s Beth Meadows. The award is given to a “library employee or volunteer who exemplifies the civic life of Chet Delong.” (News-Press Photo)

THE FALLS CHURCH EPISCOPAL hosted their live nativity walkthrough on Saturday, December 17th. The event featured a walkthrough of the nativity scene along with live animals, carol singers and Christmas lights. (Photo: Ellie Bangay)

ernment programs and services will be closed for the upcoming holidays, except for the Farmers Market, as listed below:

City Hall (300 Park Ave.): Closed Friday and Monday, December 23 and 26. Closed Monday, January 2, 2023.

Community Center (223 Little Falls St.): Closed Saturday and Sunday, December 24 and 25. Building available for Farmers Market patrons on Saturday. Closed Saturday, December 31, 2022, and Sunday, January 1, 2023. Building available for Farmers Market patrons on Saturday.

The Mary Riley Styles Public Library (120 N. Virginia Ave.): Closed Friday through Monday, December 23 through 26. Closed Sunday and Monday, January 1-2, 2023.

Weekly Farmers Market (City Hall Parking Lot, 300 Park Ave.): Open Saturday, December 24. Open Saturday, December 31.

F.C. Teen Receives YoungArts Award

Church, Virginia from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, has received a 2023 YoungArts award in Classic Music. Lin has been recognized for the caliber of her artistic achievement and joins 702 of the most accomplished young visual, literary, and performing artists from throughout the county. Selected through the organization’s prestigious competition, YoungArts award winners, all 15–18 years old or in grades 10–12, are chosen for the caliber of their artistic achievement by esteemed discipline-specific panels of artists through a rigorous blind adjudication process.

YoungArts award winners join a distinguished community of artists and are offered creative and professional development support throughout their careers. A complete list of the 2023 winners is available online at youngarts. org/winners.

For the duration of her

career, Lin is eligible for exclusive creative and professional development support including a wide range of fellowships, residencies and awards; microgrants and financial awards; virtual and in-person presentation opportunities in collaboration with major venues and cultural partners nationwide; and access to YoungArts Post, a free, private online platform for YoungArts artists to connect, collaborate and discover new opportunities.

Recreation and Parks Advisory Board Hiring Soon

The Recreation and Parks Advisory Board of the Falls Church City Council is looking for two Falls Church City adult residents to fill vacancies on the board. The Board meets on the second Wednesday of each month (excluding July and August) at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Center. Caroline Carmody and Anand Colby, recently joined the Board as

Meridian High School and are looking forward to opportunities to provide their ideas to the Board on topics such as Special Events, hobby classes, and youth and adult sports. Joining the Board is an excellent opportunity for one to do the same as well as assist in the development of the newest park, the Fellows Property, and improvements to the existing parks, i.e., Berman Park. People are invited to the next meeting on December 14th to see if they are interested in joining them.

Goodwin Living Centers Receives Highest Ratings

On Tuesday, November 15, 2022, U.S. News & World Report released its annual “Best Nursing Homes” list for 2022-23. Both Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads (GHBC) and Goodwin House Alexandria (GHA) received the highest ratings.

To develop the “Best Nursing Homes” list, U.S. News reviewed more than 15,000 short-term and longterm nursing care centers throughout the country, covering every state and nearly 100 metropolitan areas. Out of all those evaluated, 2,426 (16 percent) centers received the “Best Nursing Home” distinction.

According to the U.S. News website, this year’s ratings were the first to feature measurements on weekend staffing and infection rates that led to hospitalizations. This newly available data provides even more information about how nursing homes rate when it comes to the safety of their residents. For the 202223 listings, GHA and GHBC each received the “HighPerforming” rating in both the Short-Term Rehabilitation and Long-Term Care categories. “High-Performing” is the highest level of recognition offered.

Sophia Lin of Falls

FALLS

THE 25TH ANNUAL “TRIBUTE TO HANK WILLIAMS” plays the Birchmere Music Hall on Friday, December 30 at 7:30 p.m. This country, honky tonk, swingin’ extravaganza of musical friends collaborating to bring to life classic songs from the real roots of country music (P���� C�������: C���� F���)

50 YEARS OF MT. DANIEL ELEMENTARY school’s former staff are shown here gathered at Anthony’s Restaurant as they do several times a year. Michele Horacek organizes the luncheons and, according to multiple sources, lots of Falls Church City Public Schools stories are shared. (N���-P���� P����)

2022

LIVE MUSIC THEATER & ARTS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22

KARL STOLL & LINWOOD TAYLOR SHOW

JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8:00 p.m. (703) 241-9504

MAYSA

Birchmere Hall (3701 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria). 7:30 p.m. (703) 549-7500)

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23

DEAD MUSICIAN STEW

JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8:30 p.m. (703) 241-9504

BROOK YODER

Clare & Don’s Beach Shack

(130 N Washington St, Falls Church) 5:30 p.m. (703) 532-9283

JOHN KADELICK'S FURTHURMORE

The State Theatre (220 N Washington St, Falls Church, VA) 7:00 p.m. (703) 237-0300

SPIKE BURTON

Solace Outpost (444 W Broad St., Falls Church). 8:00 p.m. (571) 378-1469

FRANKLIN MUSIC

Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad Street, Falls Church). 9:30 a.m. (703) 237-8333

CHARLES ESTEN W/ N'EST PAS

Birchmere Hall (3701 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria). 7:30 p.m. (703) 549-7500)

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22

Which Way to the Stage

A playful yet profound comedy about friendship, ambition, and what happens when dreams fall just out of reach. Broadway superfans Jeff and Judy eager ly await their idol Idina Menzel after her performance in If/ Then at the stage door every night. But when a sexy stranger enters the scene and upends their decades-long friendship, the musical theater aficionados have to go off book to rewrite their own finale. Performed at Signature Theatre until January 22nd. 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23

Wicked

The Broadway sensation

looks at what happened in the Land of Oz… from a different angle. Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin— smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she

meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships… until the world decides to call one “good,” and the other one “wicked.” Performed at the Kennedy Center. 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS |

JOHN KADLECIK is an American guitarist and founding member as the lead guitarist for the Grateful Dead tribute band Dark Star Orchestra. A new album called "On The Road" came out on November 23rd. He will be performing at the State Theatre at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, December 23rd. (Photo: Mike Weinstein)

"WHICH WAY TO THE STAGE" is a playful yet profound comedy about friendship, ambition and what happens when dreams fall just out of reach. Showing at Signature Theatre. (Photo: Jen Buzzell)

NOTICE

TO THE PUBLIC OF AN APPLICATION BY VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY D/B/A DOMINION ENERGY VIRGINIA FOR REVISION OF RATE ADJUSTMENT CLAUSE: RIDER OSW, COASTAL VIRGINIA OFFSHORE WIND COMMERCIAL PROJECT, FOR THE RATE YEAR COMMENCING SEPTEMBER 1, 2023 CASE NO. PUR-2022-00187

•Virginia Electric and Power Company d/b/a Dominion Energy Virginia (“Dominion”) has applied for approval to revise its rate adjustment clause, Rider OSW.

•In this case, Dominion has asked the State Corporation Commission (“Commission”) to approve Rider OSW for the rate year beginning September 1, 2023, and ending August 31, 2024 (“Rate Year”).

•For the Rate Year, Dominion requests a revenue requirement of $271 million, which would increase the monthly bill of a typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per month by $3.29.

•A Hearing Examiner appointed by the Commission will hold a telephonic hearing in this case on May 9, 2023, at 10 a.m., for the receipt of public witness testimony.

•The Hearing Examiner will hold an evidentiary hearing in this case on May 10, 2023, at 10 a.m.

•Further information about this case is available on the SCC website at: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Information

On November 1, 2022, Virginia Electric and Power Company (“Dominion” or “Company”) filed with the State Corporation Commission (“Commission”) an annual update with respect to the Company’s rate adjustment clause, designated Rider Offshore Wind (“Rider OSW”), pursuant to Code § 56-585.1 A 6 (“Application”). Through its Application, the Company seeks to inform the Commission of the status of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial Project (“CVOW” or “Project”) and to recover costs associated with the Project.

On August 5, 2022, by its Final Order in PUR-2021-00142, the Commission, among other things, approved the Company’s request for approval of Rider OSW for recovery of costs associated with the Project. The Final Order further directed the Company to file annual Rider OSW update proceedings on or before November 1 of each year. According to the Application, the Project is proceeding on time and on budget, consistent with the timelines and estimates the Company provided in its original filing. The Company represents that the total Project cost forecast remains $9.8 billion, including approximately $1.4 billion of combined transmission costs. The Application states that there have been no material changes to the Project since the Company’s filing in Case No. PUR-2021-00142. The Company requests that the Commission approve the updated expenditures for the Project, subject to subsequent true-ups, and find that such expenditures are reasonable and prudent in order to fulfill the Company’s service obligations as a public electric utility. In this proceeding, Dominion has asked the Commission to approve Rider OSW for the rate year commencing September 1, 2023, and extending through August 31, 2024 (“Rate Year”). The Company is requesting a total revenue requirement of $271 million for recovery in Rider OSW for the Rate Year.

If the proposed Rider OSW revenue requirement 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 OSW on September 1, 2023, would increase the bill of a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours per month by approx- imately $3.29. Dominion indicates it has calculated the proposed Rider OSW rates in accordance with the same methodology as used for rates approved by the Commission in the previous Rider OSW proceeding, Case No. PUR-2021-00142. Interested persons are encouraged to review Dominion’s Application and supporting documents in full for details about 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 Application and supporting documents and thus may adopt rates that differ from those appearing in the Company’s Application and supporting documents.

The Commission has taken judicial notice of the ongoing public health issues related to the spread of the coronavirus, or COVID-19. In accordance therewith, all pleadings, briefs or other documents required to be served in this matter shall 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. 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 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.

The Commission entered an Order for Notice and Hearing that, among other things, scheduled public hearings on Dominion’s Application. On May 9, 2023, at 10 a.m., the Hearing Examiner assigned to this case 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 or before May 3, 2023, 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

On May 10, 2023, at 10 a.m., in the Commission’s second floor courtroom located in the Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, the Hearing Examiner will convene a hearing to receive testimony and evidence related to the Application from the Company, any respondents, and the Commission’s Staff. Electronic copies of the public version of the Application may be obtained by submitting a written request to counsel for the Company, Vishwa B. Link, Esquire, McGuireWoods LLP, Gateway Plaza, 800 East Canal Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, or vlink@mcguirewoods.com

On or before May 5, 2023, any interested person may submit comments on the Application electronically by following the instructions on the Commission’s website: scc.virginia. gov/casecomments/Submit-Public-Comments. Those unable, as a practical matter, to submit comments electronically may file such comments by U.S. mail to the Clerk of the State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2118. All comments shall refer to Case No. PUR-2022-00187.

On or before January 27, 2023, any person or entity wishing to participate as a respondent in this proceeding may do so by filing a notice of participation with the Clerk of the Commission at: scc.virginia.gov/clk/efiling. Those unable, as a practical matter, to file a notice of participation electronically may file such notice by U.S. mail to the Clerk of the Commission at the address listed above. Such notice of participation shall include the email addresses of such parties or their counsel, if available. A copy of the notice of participation as a respondent also must be sent to counsel for the Company. Pursuant to 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 5 VAC 5-2030, Counsel, of the Rules of Practice. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-2022-00187.

On or before March 31, 2023, each respondent may file electronically with the Clerk of the Commission at scc.virginia.gov/clk/efiling any testimony and exhibits by which the re- spondent expects to establish its case, and each witness’s testimony shall include a summary not to exceed one page. Any respondent unable, as a practical matter, to file testimony and exhibits electronically may file such by U.S. mail to the Clerk of the Commission at the address listed above. All testimony and exhibits shall be served on the Commission’s Staff, the Company, and all other respondents simultaneous with its filing. In all filings, respondents shall comply with the Commission’s Rules of Practice, as modified by the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing, including, but not limited to: 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-2022-00187.

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 Commission’s Rules of Practice, the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing, and the public version of the Application and other documents filed in this case may be viewed on the Commission’s website at: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case Information

VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY

Library’s

DeLong Award

Presented to Beth Meadows

At last week’s Falls Church City Council meeting, a formal presentation was made to announce that the winner of the 2022 Chet DeLong Award for Outstanding Service to the Mary Riley Styles Public Library was Beth Meadows. The award, as announced by the Library Foundation chair Jessica Sabo, is given “to a library employee or volunteer who exemplifies the civic life of Chet DeLong, who served on the library Board of Trustees for more than 25 years, volunteered up to 300 hours at the library each year, helped establish the Library Foundation, and more.” The award includes a cash prize of $1,000.

The award was first presented in 2020 to Eric Albrecht who started the library Circulation Services Department in 2004. Last year, the award was presented to Claudia Gutierrez, who began as a volunteer in 2010 and rose through the ranks to become Senior Administrative Assistant to the director.

Ms. Meadows started at the library in 2006 as a substitute, moved to the Circulation Department, transitioned to a librarian position with the Adult Services department in 2015, becoming the point person for the Adult Summer Reading program, helped provide library materials to homebound patrons and coordinated outreach with Falls Church Senior Center.

David Meredith Named ‘Best CEO for Diversity’ Again

Falls Church native and Boomi chief executive David Meredith has won Comparably website’s ‘Best CEO for Diversity” in its Largest Company category for the second year in a row. The rankings are based on 15 million anonymous ratings from employees across 70,000 companies. Comparably is described as “a leading workplace culture and corporate brand reputation platform.”

Boomi is described as an “intelligent connectivity and automation leader,” Meredith, currently Boston area based, grew up and went to high school in Falls Church. He ranked in the Top 50 for “Best CEO 2020” during his tenure as a public company CEO on the NASDAQ, being recognized across two category-leading tech organizations and alongside some of the biggest corporations like Google, Microsoft, and IBM.

SmartAssets Ranks F.C. 8th Among Charitable Givers

Generous residents of the City of Falls Church are ranked among the most charitable in the entire U.S., according to a recent report from the Smart Assets website, which studied IRS data for its new report. The study measured how much money people donate as a percentage of their net income and the proportion of people in each county who make charitable donations.

The top ranked jurisdictions are: 1. Morgan County, Utah, 2. Teton County, Wyoming, 3. Charles County, Maryland, 4. Prince George’s County, Maryland, 5. Benton County, Arkansas, 6. Utah County, Utah, 7. Marin County, California, 8. Falls Church, Virginia, 9. Wasatch County, Utah, 10. Summit County, Utah.

Sen. Warner Weighs In On Web ‘Dark Patterns’

Virginia’s U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner released the following statement after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that Epic Games, Inc. –the creator of the popular video game Fortnite – would pay $520 million over allegations the company violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and deployed design tricks, known as dark patterns, to dupe millions of players into making unintentional purchases:

“I’m glad to see the FTC cracking down on the use of manipulative dark patterns against children. Companies and platforms that cater to young people have a responsibility to protect their users — not to target them with deceptive interfaces that manipulate them into ceding their personal information or making unwanted purchases. I will continue working to pass my DETOUR Act in order to establish greater safeguards for users of all ages.”

Sen. Warner has been a leader in Congress pushing for increased transparency and protections surrounding user data and privacy. His legislation, the DETOUR Act, would prohibit companies from using deceptive dark patterns to manipulate users into handing over their data.

Lies, Damned Lies and ‘Underlying’

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Tuesday’s inflation report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics was incredibly good — that is, it was too good to be credible. On their face, the numbers seemed to show that inflation has stopped dead in its tracks or, more accurately, that it is back down to more or less the Federal Reserve’s long-run target of 2 percent. However, few analysts believe that the fight against inflation has already been won; hey, even I don’t believe that.

But how do we come to that conclusion? How do we extract the signal from the noise? Part of the answer is to smooth out the data by looking at changes over several months. Much reporting in the media focuses on changes over the past year, but that seems like too long a window in a rapidly changing economy. Like many other economists, I’ve been focusing mainly on three-month changes.

Even that, however, isn’t enough to correct for wild price swings that clearly shouldn’t be driving economic policy. Back in 1975, Robert Gordon of Northwestern University suggested focusing on inflation excluding volatile food and energy prices; this so-called core measure has become a standard way to assess “underlying” inflation. Since then, other measures have also been proposed, and until recently, they all tended to tell more or less similar stories.

Depending on which measure you choose, underlying inflation is anywhere from almost 7 percent — way above the Fed’s target — to less than 1 percent, well below the target. That’s not helpful!

I don’t think this is mainly a data problem. What we have, instead, is a conceptual problem: What do we mean by “underlying” inflation, anyway? The answer, I’d argue, is that we mean two different things, which have been fairly well aligned in the past but aren’t at all the same thing now.

Median inflation, calculated by the Cleveland Fed, tries to smooth out volatility by looking at the rate of inflation of goods in the middle of the overall distribution, with half of other goods experiencing higher inflation, half lower.

Trimmed mean inflation is conceptually similar but throws out less information, excluding only the biggest and smallest 8 percent of price changes.

Traditional core is the original measure, excluding only food and energy prices.

“Supercore” is traditional core, further excluding shelter inflation — I’ll talk in a second about why you might want to do that.

Superdupercore (my phrase) is supercore with the further exclusion of used-car prices, which have fluctuated wildly in recent months.

Furman core (also my term) is a measure calculated by Harvard’s Jason Furman (following up on a suggestion by yours truly). It goes back to traditional core but replaces shelter inflation as calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics with market rents as estimated by private companies such as Zillow.

Why are these measures looking so different? A lot of it has to do with housing. Official statistics estimate the average amount paid by renters; Americans who own their homes are assumed to pay an “Owners Equivalent Rent,” which is an estimate of what they would be paying if renting their houses to themselves, an estimate mainly based on actual apartment rents.

These rents, actual and imputed, make up almost 40 percent of traditional core inflation; in practice, they play an even more dominant role in median and trimmed-mean inflation. But here’s the thing: Most renters are on long-term leases, so official rent estimates, which are based on what people actually pay, mostly reflect what new tenants were paying many months ago.

Ordinarily, that’s not a big issue. But wild things have been happening in rental markets lately. There was a huge surge in demand for more space in 2021, probably driven by the rise in working from home, which has now petered out. As a result, new-tenant rents had soared but are now falling. And official rent measures are therefore basically reflecting what was happening a long time ago rather than what’s happening now.

Measures that use official housing costs are highly elevated because they’re still reflecting a rent surge that is now basically behind us, while measures that either exclude housing or use current market rents are much lower.

Now comes the conceptual problem I mentioned earlier: What does “underlying” inflation mean, anyway?

One possible answer is that it means inflation driven by generally excessive spending rather than issues specific to particular sectors of the economy.

What many economists probably have in mind, however, is something else: They’re worried about inflation getting “entrenched” in the economy. Textbook models of inflation say that once businesses and workers have come to expect persistent inflation, that inflation becomes self-perpetuating, because people set prices and wages based on the belief that everyone else will be raising prices and wages in the future. And once inflation has become entrenched, the story goes, getting it down again requires a nasty economic slump.

People do expect elevated inflation over the next year, probably because they’re extrapolating from elevated gas prices earlier this year. But medium-term inflation expectations are quite low. There’s just no sign of inflation getting entrenched.

So where are we in the inflation fight? Until recently, it was clear that overall spending was rising too fast to be consistent with low inflation, and my superduper core measure suggests that this may still be true. I certainly understand why the Fed isn’t ready to declare victory yet.

But given the absence of evidence that inflation is getting entrenched, victory may be a lot closer than many people imagine.

By PAUL KRUGMAN © 2022 The New York Times

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letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap. All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.” This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 367-8530. Toll free call (888) 551-3247. For the hearing impaired call (804) 367-9753.

Falls Church News-Press Vol. VII, No. 40 • December 18, 1997

Brangman Wants All Future Mayors Elected by Voters

In the context of rumblings around town over the eight City Charter changes being contemplated by the Falls Church City Council, Mayor Alan Brangman floated a ninth major change this week in a memorandum to Council members.

Falls Church News-Press Vol. XXII, No. 42 • December 13, 2012

F.C. Vice Mayor Lashes Out Against McDonnell’s ‘Arm Teachers’ Remark City of Falls Church Vice Mayor David Snyder lashed out at the remarks of Va. Gov. Bob McDonnell, saying that McDonnell’s suggestion that teachers and principals should be armed to prevent Connecticut elementary school-like tragedies “appalling and incredibly stupid.”

RILEY DOG loves standing watch for squirrels, treats, and snuggling. During her walks around Falls Church she will only make left or right turns, never wanting to turn around.

Falls Church Business News & Notes

Burke & Herbert Combine Titles

Burke & Herbert Financial Services Corp. in Alexandria reported that its CEO, David Boyle, has been elected board chair, effective Jan. 1. Boyle will replace former CEO E. Hunt Burke as chairman, though Burke will remain chair of the bank subsidiary, Burke & Herbert Bank Trust, and will continue to serve on the holding company’s board of directors. As Virginia’s oldest continuously operating bank, it prepares to begin selling its shares on the Nasdaq as a means of both raising capital and raising its profile with investors. Its shares currently trade on the Pink Sheets. Burke & Herbert has $3.6 billion in assets and about 20 branches in Northern Virginia. As of June 30, it had the No. 15 market share in Greater Washington, with $3 billion in deposits.

Fairview Park Hotel Renovation Completed

Marriott International has completed a $11 million-dollar revitalization of the 395-room Falls Church Marriott Fairview Park. This includes a renovated lobby, a modernized fitness center, two new junior ballrooms, 27,000 square feet of meeting space and Tandem, a new restaurant and cocktail lounge. The makeover design was inspired by the early settlers to the Falls Church area, likely part of the Algonquian, Siouan and Iroquois nations. The hotel’s redesign celebrates details from these communities with artifacts, objects and drawings in combination with modern functionality. The property has more than 27,000 square feet of meeting space with a Grand Ballroom that can accommodate up to 1,200 people. The 16-story hotel is owned by Lakewood Hotel Group and managed by Marriott International.

Museum Plan Recognized

Falls Church-based OSS Society received promising news this month on Capitol Hill. The wording in the National Defense Authorization Act gave official recognition to a planned facility known as the National Museum of Intelligence and Special Operations. Charles Pinck, president of The OSS Society, acknowledged that this should boost the fundraising goal of about $100 million to develop and launch the museum at the mixed-use Kincora development in Ashburn. The society was created to honor the efforts of Gen. William J. “Wild Bill” Donovan and his Office of Strategic Services, the precursor to the CIA.

Free Metro Rides New Year’s Eve

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority has announced free metro rides during the last hours of 2022. Metro announced extended hours to 2 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 1 and free fares from 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 31 through closing. When taking Metrorail and Metrobus after 8 p.m. on Dec. 31, riders do not need to pay with their SmarTrip card. Regular fares and hours will resume at 4 a.m. on Jan. 1 for Metrobus and 7 a.m. for Metrorail.

Grants for Women-Owned Businesses

IFundWomen and Johnnie Walker have come together to provide support to “trailblazing” women-owned businesses that continue to push boundaries and grow, helping their businesses succeed. Ten recipients of the First Strides Grant will receive a $10,000 grant and one year of coaching services through IFundWomen. Submit your application by December 31. Visit https://www.ifundwomen.com/ johnniewalker for more information.

 Business News & Notes is compiled by Elise Neil Bengtson, Executive Director of the Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce. She may be emailed at elise@fallschurchchamber.org.

Falls Church School News & Notes

MHS Robotics Team Looking for Sponsors

Ever want to build a robot? Or help pay for one? The Meridian High School Vae Victis 1418 Robotics Team is looking for sponsors and mentors for their 2023 build season (January-April).Visit 1418.team/ for more information.

Support GIVE Day for FCCPS

GIVE Day (Get Involved, Value Everyone) will take place on MLK Day Of Service — Monday, January 16, 2023. All students across the division (Pre-K through 12th grade) are invited to the Secondary Campus to help with the community service projects set up by the GIVE Day Clubs. Please contact Erika Toman: erikadewald@gmail.com.

Nominate FCCPS Staff for Awards

The 2023 FCCPS Employee Awards program is open for nominations. Everyone is invited to recognize a teacher, specialist, or support staff employee for their dedication to students and schools. There are three awards: Falls Church Education Foundation Teacher of the Year Award, Professional Specialist of the Year Award, Support Staff Employee of the Year Award. For more information, visit https://www.fccps.org/o/fccps/page/ employee-recognition-awards

Meridian Offers MYP Certificate to Students

The Meridian Middle Years Programme (MYP) certificate is a new opportunity to recognize outstanding efforts and achievements by 9th and 10th grade students. The Meridian MYP certificate will be offered for the first time to current 9th grade students (class of 2026). The current 9th graders were introduced to the certificate during a recent Stable class.

All current 9th graders are eligible for this certificate because of the structure and support that occurs through their course completion, including Stable (advisory time) to complete the 10th grade Personal Project and participate in some service opportunities during school. The certificate is an opportunity to engage in active and reflective work, much of what students are already doing to support and prepare for selected 11th and 12th grade pathways. MYP Certificate participation is encouraged but not required and does not impact participation in the 11th and 12th grade Diploma Programme (DP) or Careers-related Programme (CP) courses.

Tuba Player Performed at Kennedy Center

Henderson 8th grader Nicholas (David) Machak played tuba on Monday, December 12th, in the Kennedy

Mustangs Split Pair of Home Games, Now Sit 5-5

by Ryan McCafferty

The Meridian boys’ basketball team has alternated wins and losses throughout much of its 2022-23 season so far, and that trend continued this past weekend as the Mustangs lost to Spotswood on Friday night by a score of 64-53, but then bounced

back to beat North Stafford 49-33 on Monday.

Spotswood is expected to be a contender at the state level, and the Mustangs simply couldn’t keep up with their firepower despite Daylen Martino, Wyatt Trundle, and Will Davis all scoring in double figures. Isaac Rosenberger then led the charge against North

Center’s 49th annual “Merry TUBACHRISTMAS.” From the Kennedy Center website: 2022 is the 49th year of Merry TUBACHRISTMAS events which are presented throughout the world. TUBACHRISTMAS was conceived in 1974 by Harvey Phillips as a tribute to his teacher and mentor William J. Bell, born on Christmas Day, 1902. Since Paul Lavalle conducted the first TUBACHRISTMAS in New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza Ice Rink, musicians of all ages have gathered annually to perform traditional Christmas music arranged by American composer Alec Wilder on the tuba and euphonium.

MHS Selected as IREX & National Science School

After a competitive application process, Meridian High School has been chosen to participate in the World Smarts STEM Challenge, a virtual exchange initiative that supports STEM education in the United States and Ghana, funded by the National Science Foundation and implemented by the global education and development organization IREX. The program aims to improve students’ STEM skills, strengthen cross-cultural communication, and develop global competence while enhancing students’ enthusiasm an commitment to STEM learning and careers. The program will take place from January – May 2023.

Stafford with 17, while Martino added 12 in what assistant coach Rusty Payne described as “another quality win.”

Meridian faced Herndon High School on the road this past Tuesday, and lost 45-43. The Mustangs won’t be in action again until after the calendar turns to 2023.

CHRISTMAS EVE

SATURDAY, DEC. 24th

5p.m. - Our family Servicein-person and livestream Glow stick lighting and sing "Silent Night"

8 p.m. - Lessons & Carols in-person and livestream

Featuring brass and seasonal music, scripture, Holy Communion and candle lighting. Have your juice and bread ready for livestream Communion

513 East Broad St, Falls Church 22046 703-532-8060

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25th

CHRISTMAS DAY

10 a.m. - Worship Service

Celebrate with us the day of Christ’s birth! in-person and livestream

NEW YEAR'S EVE • SAT, DEC. 31st 7p.m. - Worship Service - in-person A Service of Scripture, prayer and taize chant

NEW YEAR'S DAY • SUN, JAN. 1st 10 a.m. - Worship Service in-person and livestream

An opportunity to begin a new year with God and neighbor.

@dulinfallschurch dulinchurch.org - dulin church