Falls Church-News 12-3-2020 by Falls Church News-Press

December 3 – 9, 2020

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FOU N D E D 1991 • V OL. X XX NO. 412

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F.C. Schools Postpone Reopening Until 2021

Worsening Virus Data Causes January Retry Date

BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

Falls Church City Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan announced in a statement Wednesday afternoon that there will be no in-person learning anywhere in the system between now and the first of January. The news continues to worsen on the spread of the Covid-19 virus in this region, he said. “Unfortunately, the information has not changed from last week when we decided to take a one-week pause,” he said. “We remain in a ‘high’ rate of burden and have substantial disease transmission in our region. “This is devastating news to all and is certainly not an easy decision to make or message to deliver,” he said. “We hoped that we would see improvements with the data that would move us back into the moderate range. That did not happen. In the end, we believe that moving the final two weeks of school prior to winter break online will allow us to recalibrate as a learning community and be prepared to return to school in January.” At the School Board meeting Tuesday night, Noonan cau-

tioned the board that data slated for posting yesterday morning might compel the decision. It turned out just that way with the daily numbers posted by the Fairfax Health Department at 10 a.m. Noonan is in the unenviable position of every school superintendent in the entire nation who has to fend for his or herself on critical decisions such as school openings and closure methods or “risk mitigation strategies.” Noonan noted Tuesday night despite the warnings of a new surge of Covid-19 cases nationwide, there is still no guidance coming from anywhere higher up about what to do. The same applies to all 132 school divisions in Virginia and for the U.S. as a whole as the federal government has been AWOL in terms of anything but providing raw data. “I am outraged that we have had to go nine months without guidance. It is an untenable situation,” said board member Shawna Russell Tuesday night. School Board chair Greg Anderson conceded that it is a very “frustrating” situation. It also applies to how the Virginia High School League

Continued on Page 5

THE IN-HOUSE ROASTING OPERATION at Rare Bird Coffee Roasters along W. Broad Street needs some room to spread its wings. So, owners and married couple Lara Berenji and Bryan Becker decided to purchase the large corner space adjacent to their shop. They plan to open the expansion in March. (P��: N��-P��)

Rare Bird Coﬀee Grows In Spite of Pandemic BY MATT DELANEY

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

Rare Bird Coffee Roasters is defying all of the downward economic trends during the coronavirus pandemic by planning to

expand its operation into the space next door, albeit with a slight delay in the original timeline. The food services industry has been one of the hardest hit throughout the Covid-19 timeline, with the Motley Fool reporting

that 64 percent of workers in those have experienced closures, layoffs or reduced hours. Consulting firm McKinsey and Company estimates that small businesses in the

Continued on Page 4

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Virginia U.S. Senator Mark Warner is ready for an American Renaissance following the conclusion of the election season. He’s focused on a second relief package for Americans amidst the coronavirus pandemic, and especially for those in his state. SEE STORY, PAGE 9

B�� Y�� W�� I�� CBC “S�� A��” City of Falls Church developer and chair of the Falls Church Economic Development Authority won the Citizens for a Better City’s first-ever “Shoutout Award” for leading the EDA’s effort to distribute microgrants to Falls Church businesses that were suffering from the Covid-19 pandemic. See News & Notes, page 9

E�� F�� C�� S�� F�� T� B� P�� M�� C�� The massive spending cuts in the proposed 2022 budget announced by WMATA general manager Paul Wiedefeld Monday include eliminating all weekend service and the closure of 19 as-yetunspecified stations on the system. Concerns are the East Falls Church Metro Station is to be cut. See News Briefs, page 15

INDEX

Editorial............................................... 6 Letters........................................... 6,18 Comment ................................ 7,12,13 News & Notes..................................... 8 Crime Report .................................... 12 Calendar ........................................... 14 Classified Ads ................................... 16 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword ......... 17 Critter Corner.................................... 18 Business News ................................. 19

PAGE 2 | DECEMBER 3 - 9, 2020

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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PAGE 4 | DECEMBER 3 – 9, 2020

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Corner Space on Broad St., Maple Ave. Proven Tough to Fill

Continued from Page 1

“accommodation and food services” won’t return to pre-pandemic levels of output until 2025. Try to keep that negativity away from Rare Bird, though. The coffee shop that also roasts its own product has become a City of Falls Church staple in its four years as a business resident and now looks to take over the former home of a STEM learning space on the corner of W. Broad Street and S. Maple Avenue. With the STEM center’s decline coinciding with the onset of the pandemic, it became a serendipitous moment for the coffee shop that had been eyeing more room for a while. “We were always trying to find a space to move our roasting facility, realizing there’s a lot of conflict between the use of our space for both...the cafe and the roasting,” co-owner Lara Berenji said. “All of the spaces we were finding were so huge they weren’t feasible cost-wise. When the neighbors decided not to continue, the landlord spoke to us and we worked something out, so it was because of Covid, in a sense.”

Rare Bird plans to make two cut-outs in the adjoining wall for more dining and roasting space. Berenji said that the greater space will also come with the coffee shop hiring a dedicated baker that will take on duties of making croissants, kouign-amann, scones, loaf cakes and cookies. But she said it also has the shop looking at some more menu items, including sandwiches, and potentially salads and soups as well. Berenji said that the hope is for the new section of Rare Bird to be open by March. Expect the shop to be open for longer hours, too, per Berenji, once the pandemic settles down. The City’s Commissioner of Revenue Tom Clinton said he found it remarkable that, as everything else in the economy is contracting, one of the City’s coffee shops is actually growing into taking on more space to meet its demand — especially a corner space that has become so hard to fill in the past few years. In recent memory, it was occupied by toy shop Doodlehopper 4 Kids, but Clinton said they moved into the interior of the same strip

for a less costly alternative. It was filled by the STEM learning space, but that run only lasted a year and a half before they ultimately moved out. A part of the reason Rare Bird has been so resilient is its roasting business. Berenji said that while it couldn’t serve customers from its storefront at the start of the pandemic, primarily due to her and co-owner husband Bryan Becker not wanting to put their staff at risk of contracting the virus, they were able to generate some revenue from coffee sales. Ricardo Lopez, the founder of Bellwether Coffee, wrote in QSR Magazine in May that coffee shops where roasting is done in-house have an advantage in the changing, post-Covid-19 landscape for the industry. As he put it, “Coffee shops who already roast their own signature coffees...are largely protected from potential supply chain disruptions — they don’t have to rely on other sources to get their roasted coffee product. They are often rewarded with brand benefits like customer loyalty and recognition, and are nimble enough to shift

THE FORMER STEM learning space next door to Rare Bird buckled due to the spot’s its expensive rent. (P��: N��-P��) ting and emailing the owners wondering when they could return to place their regular orders, Berenji said, and sales from their service side have kept them going once they did open for takeout over the past few months. She’s hopeful that with news of the vaccine, Rare Bird will welcome the return of its prepandemic levels of foot traffic.

all or a portion of their business online, which opens their business up to an even larger audience.” They also can minimize inventory risk, per Lopez, so they can adjust to demand more easily. However, wholesale customers have mostly dried up for Rare Bird, according to Berenji. Luckily, the store had a loyal customer base that was calling, tex-

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30% Increase in Infections Pushes Classroom Learning, Sports Back

Continued from Page 1

will proceed with athletic competitions going forward. Noonan said that a letter by a dozen school superintendents to Billy Hahn, the executive director of the VHSL, urging all winter sports to be cancelled has drawn no response, meaning that as of press time, sports are “full steam ahead,” for the season just getting underway. Noonan said that Mason High’s Director of Student Activities Marvin Wooten has been in touch with other divisions around the region where decisions would impact the current schedules for competition, including in Prince William, Rappahannock and Madison counties as well as Manassas Park in the City of Manassas. For Falls Church CitySchools, athletics are optional but learning is not, Noonan said. Also up in the air is the use of school facilities for the activities of the Falls Church Recreation

and Parks Department. Of concern, Noonan told the board Tuesday, is having the trust of the faculties of the schools. Pressure to open too soon can result in distrust by the teachers in the decision making processes around opening. “It starts from the standpoint that there are no 100 percent safe environments,” he said. “So far our risk mitigation strategies have been excellent with 90 percent compliance. But there has been a big jump in new cases in the last 9-10 days.” There has been a 30 percent increase in infections per 100,000 in Falls Church, he noted. In other School Board activity: • The board will meet jointly with the Falls Church City Council next Monday in an annual joint session out of which budget guidance for the upcoming fiscal year will be discussed. • Next Tuesday, the board is

scheduled to vote on whether or not to change the name of Thomas Jefferson Elementary School and/or George Mason High School following intensive discussions on the subject since June. A public hearing will be held prior to the vote. In comments to the board Tuesday, member Russell said that comments noted online in social media and listserv posts since the results of a survey on the matter showed most favored keeping the current names, “were quite contentious and in some instances, downright upsetting.” In all the “whys” given for why people voted the way they did, she noted, “not one of them indicated any covert or overt racist overtones.” • Board member Lawrence Webb announced his resignation from the board as of Jan. 1, and the board discussed the process for appointing a replacement early next year prior to the completion of his term in November 2021.

DECEMBER 3 – 9, 2020 | PAGE 5

Status Update on Monday, November 30

City of Falls Church Date

Cases Hospitalizations

Deaths # Cases per 100,000 People

Monday, November 30

103

697.3

Wednesday, November 25

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

Thursday, November 5

528.0

Monday, November 2

528.0

*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.

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E D I TO R I A L

A Continuum Toward Justice

There has been a robust and passionate civic dialogue in the City of Falls Church in recent months over the question before the School Board about whether the names of two of the City’s five schools should be changed. In this extraordinary year of “Black Lives Matter” reckoning following the George Floyd and other murders, Falls Church has been no stranger to the ferment, as the largest spontaneous march ever in the City’s history, led by high school students this summer, and frequent demonstrations of hundreds lining East Broad led by the Tinner Hill and other social justice groups have taken place. Among other things, this led to the formation of an active Police Use of Force Review Committee and a decision by the School Board in late June to consider a petition that it act to change the names of George Mason High and Thomas Jefferson Elementary because both of those Founding Fathers owned slaves at the time of the American revolution (even as they were both instrumental in the founding of our republic on the then-highly revolutionary grounds of “the inalienable rights of all persons”). Sadly, amid all the debate on this, the hundreds of letters submitted to the School Board and public testimonies, strong feelings have led to a growing environment of contention and disappointment. There are those for whom the honoring the enslavement of others by those Founders strikes deeply and hurtfully. Others are offended by the rush to change the names out of loyalty to all the students who proudly attended them over half a century. No doubt serious work remains in the striving for racial equality in this community. But Falls Church is not facing situations like in neighboring jurisdictions that involve removing the names of Confederate generals and politicians from schools, streets and other places. The Confederates were explicitly pro-slavery, and willingly shed the blood of American citizens to perpetuate it. Over 600,000 died in four years of open civil war. It is not only necessary it is imperative that the names of those racist traitors be purged from all public places. But in the Falls Church situation, the alternatives represent more a continuum of justice than a clash between freedom and slavery. At one end of this continuum, imperfect persons, indeed, nonetheless engaged in the heroic work of wrestling America free from the ageless scourge of tyranny and despotic injustice that encouraged and expanded the slave trade to begin with. It’s taken this long, and the work is not done yet, but since the 1790s, slavery has been eradicated and the rights of women and minorities have been expanded, all under the core principles our founders began with. So, if you want to point to the beginning of this continuum or a better, more current moment, we are all still honoring the imperfect yet virtuous long arm of justice that has and continues to compel us forward to a more perfect union.

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School Board Needs To Do Right Thing & Change Names Editor, The Falls Church City School Board needs to do the right thing and change the name of our high school and elementary school. As reasons to keep the current names, be it cost, tradition, memories, college reputation, or forgiveness of the slaveholders as men of their times, no excuse alleviates the harm done to just one student affected by systemic racism.

News-Press’ Matt Delaney illustrates his own white privilege in the official News-Press podcast when deriding the school board’s only elected black leader for his passionate words and the student board member for being emotional. The survey showing over 50 percent of respondents favoring no change was poorly constructed asking only two yes-no-no opinion

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questions without explanation of why the questions were asked in the first place. It was not a vote and cannot be treated as such. Some like Mr. Delaney feel that the community spoke to keep the names; others hear a different message, that we in Falls Church are unwilling to make our own changes in response to the call for justice in 2020. In the past, the school board has treated surveys as informational not definitive. The school board is the final authority in choosing a school name. Gordon Theisz Falls Church

Councilman Snyder: Honor the Survey, Keep The Names Editor, The School Board has done an excellent job of creating a forum for the expression of all views on whether the City should change the names of our high school and elementary school. Ultimately, the schools belong to the entire community, and the entire community has spoken clearly, although my own views differ.

Continued on Page 18

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

DECEMBER 3 – 9, 2020 | PAGE 7

G � � � � C � � � � � �� Christmas Comes Early With Trump Being Voted Out B� R. C�� R��, J�.

There will be no more deception from our new Chief Executive denying the Covid-19 virus (“We have turned the corner”) as there are more than 1,000 deaths daily with a total of 271,000 deaths in the U.S. Immediately there will be the restoration on Jan. 20, 2021, of a new Covid-19 Task Force to include Dr. Anthony Fauci and noted doctors, scientists and health officials to initiate and implement forthwith a national plan to control, manage and eliminate the Covid-19 virus. There will be no more calling the nation’s senior infectious disease doctor, Dr. Fauci, and his associates, “Idiots.” For the Cabinet and other important government positions, emphasis will be placed on capable, professional and experienced women, African Americans and other minorities. There will be no more future references to the medication hydroxychloroquine, which universally is disproved as a cure or a preventive for the Covid-19 virus, and no more reference to using Clorox and/or Lysol internally to treat the Covid-19 virus. There will be an immediate restoration of the National Security Council’s specialized department, disbanded by the previous Administration in its first 100 days, charged with the responsibility of preventing, and if necessary treating, the invasion of infectious diseases invading our country. (Note: The irresponsible and reckless abandonment of this department by the previous Administration caught the U.S .unprepared and has led to the

current national pandemic, causing an internal tsunami of sickness and deaths to our citizens.) Representing the United States, our new Chief Executive will immediately rejoin the World Health Organization and participate actively in plans to eliminate the planet of the

There will be no more calling the nation’s senior infectious disease doctor, Dr. Fauci, and his associates, “Idiots.” Covid-19 virus with a view toward preventing the recurrence of another worldwide pandemic. The prevailing racial animus built into the DNA of the current occupant of the White House as expressed in the “Muslim Ban” (whereby people from seven countries whose primary religion is Muslin were excluding from entering the U.S.) will be lifted. Comments expressing such animus about the people of Haiti, for example “We don’t need people from these s***hole countries, we need people from Norway” will be relegated to the ash heap of history. Former U.S. Sen. John McCain, disparaged by the outgoing Chief Executive because he was taken prisoner, who as a Navy pilot was

shot down by the Vietnamese, captured, imprisoned for seven years, tortured and injured irretrievably, and given a chance for freedom refused to be released unless his cellmates also were released, will be honored posthumously as a National Hero in a ceremony at the Rose Garden in the White House and presented by the our President with the Medal of Freedom. Never again will there be a reference by the new Commander-In-Chief that Americans who are taken prisoners during military battles will not be respected and there never again will members of our Armed forces referred to as “suckers and losers.” The new nation’s Chief Executive will condemn once and for all the heartless, despicable, shameless, unpardonable and overwhelmingly cruel policy of “Zero Tolerance:” Separating migrant children from their parents at the borders, placing the children in isolated cages with the supposed admonition “they are welltaken care of.” A task force will be formed to locate the parents of 545 children now defacto orphans as result of the policies of the outgoing Administration. The previous legalization of the so-called 800,000 “Dreamers,” (characterized correctly as “toast” by your author in a previous email) who are undocumented children arriving and growing up in the United States, who had an opportunity for U.S. citizenship revoked by the outgoing Administration, will be restored as intended originally granting them a pathway to U.S. citizenship. Contrary to the unsupported and decidedly false rhetoric from the previous presidential

campaign, there will be no abridgement of the Constitution’s Second Amendment in which our citizens have the right to bear arms. A case can be made, however, that the framers of the Constitution could not foresee the advance of weapon technology which included the rapid fire automatic guns and rifles such as the AR-15, which were designed for military purposes. That these rapid fire weapons are available to our citizens does not mean that they are to be used to slay one another, which has included innocent women and children. Therefore, it is assumed that under this new Administration, studies will be made for measures to be adopted to avert the body politic from using these weapons to slay one another, which diametrically is opposed to the use for which originally they were intended. The new Chief Executive and his Secretary of State will contact representatives of Iran with a view toward the restructuring of the Iran Agreement on terms favorable to all and to preventing the manufacture of nuclear weaponry. And lastly, the derogatory term “fake press” will be vaporized as the new Chief Executive will serve up the truth, as did JFK and FDR, both of whom had a patriotic and working relationship with nearly all of the free press, and both parties understood and respected the confidentiality of “background information.” And also the free press respected the need for secrecy in matters of national security. R. Conley Ricker, Jr. is resident of the City of Falls Church

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PAGE 8 | DECEMBER 3 – 9, 2020

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

C�� N�� N�� F.C. City’s Toy for Tots Campaign Ends Dec. 10 The Little City hopes to give children and teens in need a happy holiday through the Toys for Tots campaign. New, unwrapped toys for children and gifts for teens can be donated in boxes in City Hall (Police Lobby, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.) and outside the Community Center (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.). Donations are due by close of business on Thursday, Dec. 10. The Toys for Tots website also offers a Virtual Toy Box where individuals can choose gifts online and donate directly to the organization. Donors are asked to consider age-appropriate toys for all ages, but avoid realistic-looking weapons or gifts of food. Teens appreciate new, unwrapped sporting equipment, books, cosmetics, purses, watches, bath gift sets, electronics and more.

Vietnam Veterans December Meeting Cancelled The Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 227 holiday party and the December meeting are cancelled due to the growing

coronavirus threat. Bill and Leslie Lynch volunteered as the toy gift and new children winter clothing collectors for this community outreach that was done at the holiday party. Bridges to Independence family homeless shelter is the recipient. Wrapped toys with a tag that lists the toy’s gender and age and children’s winter clothing can be delivered to the Lynch’s home at 5328 Taney Ave., Alexandria, Va. 22304. Place the items under the blue tarp inside the screened carport. An online purchase needs to be wrapped with a note listing the child’s gender and age. Mail to the Lynch’s home. Donations are collected from now through Dec. 13. Cash donations are accepted. Mail check to Chuck Harris, 44020 Pandora Ct., Ashburn, Va. 20147. Check payable to VVA Chapter 227 and on the memo line: Toys Collection. Cash donations will be given to the shelter for holiday use. The project is not a budget item and relies on direct member participation.

McLean Student Journalists Win Major Awards McLean High School’s newsmagazine, The Highlander,

received the Pacemaker Award from the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA). Its editors are Nicholas Lohman, Dasha Makarishcheva and Ava Rotondo. The staff’s adviser is Lindsay Benedict. Student journalists who work on The Highlander news publication have also been named finalists in several 2020 NSPA individual awards categories. Being named a finalist in any of these categories means these student journalists are among the top 10 in the nation. McLean is the only school in Virginia to be represented in any of these categories. Finalists in individual awards categories include: News Story of the Year — “Supporting Future Changemakers” by Marina Qu; Social Justice Reporting — “Coming Clean” by Heran Essayas, Kyle Hawley, Nicholas Lohman and Ava Rotondo; Local Climate Change Reporting — “A Scorched Earth” by Ben Brooks, Dua Mobin, Marina Qu and Rebeka Rafi; Newsmagazine Cover of the Year — Coronavirus edition cover by Dasha Makarishcheva and Artist of the Year — Dasha Makarishcheva.

WITH BROAD STREET PHARMACY closing for good yesterday, everyone dropped by to see owner Reza Ghaderi as well as his employees Christina and James. The Stern family’s miniature poodle wanted to Ghaderi say goodbye as well and wish him and his staff health, happiness and hope. (P��: C�� B�� S��)

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LO CA L

DECEMBER 3 – 9, 2020 | PAGE 9

Sen. Warner Speaks on Covid-19 Aid, Transfer of Power & More

by Marrett Ceo

Falls Church News-Press

Virginia U.S. Senator Mark Warner is ready for an American Renaissance following the conclusion of the election season. He’s focused on a desperatelyneeded second relief package for Americans amidst the coronavirus pandemic, and especially for those in his state, but he envisions all the moving parts of the moment as an exciting new beginning for the country. A seasoned politician, Warner was just re-elected on Nov. 3 to his third Senate term. This is the second one he has won relatively comfortably. Prior to serving in the U.S. Senate, he was the 69th governor of Virginia from 200206. Warner also managed the 1989 campaign of former governor L. Douglas Wilder, the nation’s first African American governor and has served as a chairman of the Democratic Party of Virginia, as well as the Virginia Healthcare Foundation. Before getting involved in Virginia politics, he used his law degree and experience working in the Senate as a staffer for thenSen. Tom Dodd, which was a springboard to become an innovator in the telecommunications industry. After a few failed businesses, at one point even living in his Oldsmobile, Warner formed the group of patents that purchased Nextel. According to OpenSecrets. org, as of 2018 he is now the wealthiest member of Congress with a net worth of over $214 million. Warner reiterates his urgent desire to pass a second relief package for Covid-19 before the fiscal cliff of Dec. 31. He would have taken the $1.8 trillion figure that came from Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin before the election, but Democrat Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have disagreed over a passable number. Anything reasonable is what Warner ultimately thinks the Senate and House should take. The real concern Warner has about any package is the urgency of getting it passed quickly. He points out that a package should definitely happen while still on President Donald Trump’s watch before January when Presidentelect Joe Biden takes office. “If we wait until early February,

PASSING A COVID-19 RELIEF PACKAGE is the top priority for Virginia U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, and one he thinks should be accomplished while President Donald Trump is still in office. After that, ensuring a peaceful transfer of power and making an attempt as safe of an inauguration as possible to show that President-elect Joe Biden was legitimately chosen by the people. (Courtesy Photo) when people have gone for weeks without unemployment, people got six months back rent, back student debt, 30 percent of business (mainly restaurants ) more go out of business because they can’t maintain a way to do dining in the cold months, not good for economy or for Biden.” Essentially, right now Warner adds this is a time where legislators all are “playing with fire.” The senator points out one unfortunate fact about the pandemic — that Black and brown communities have been hit harder by Covid-19, healthwise and economically. Warner hopes the Senate will pass a bill going before the chamber entitled the “Jobs and Neighborhood Investment Act.” This legislation would make “substantial investments” in Blackowned banks and Community Development Financial Institutions or CDFIs for lower income neighborhoods, making equity investment in firms for the long term. Complicating the passage of a second Covid-19 relief package is a defense bill that must be passed soon, in addition to meeting a Dec. 11 deadline to come up with a package to keep the

federal government fully funded and avoid a shutdown. Congress won’t be back in session until after Thanksgiving. Warner hesitates to say that vaccines will be publicly available by Christmas, although he also points out that their development is up to 95 percent with the now three major companies. Three pieces of major legislation may seem like a bit much to do in a little amount of time, but Warner remains hopeful. He first points out his desire to deal with Trump’s orders on bringing U.S. troop levels down there and other areas, such as Iraq. Warner warns that the soldiers still stationed there and the U.S. allies are left “high and dry.” He firmly disagrees with the recent order to suddenly withdraw nearly 2,000 troops from Afghanistan to around 2,500 and nearly 500 troops in Iraq. If Democrats prevail in two U.S. Senate runoffs in Georgia on Jan. 5, Warner’s stature on the Senate Intelligence Committee will be elevated from Ranking Member to Chairman. Many issues could potentially come to the senator’s desk. He expressed relief that violence in the streets around Election Day, potential foreign interference, “people with

AK-47’s” didn’t pan out and voting went smoothly despite concerns by the intelligence committee, the FBI and other agencies. Despite several of Warner’s GOP colleagues remaining silent about Trump’s claims and actions, as well as how to deal with them, a lot of them have stepped up. “If there had been a Democratic president who had done these actions, they would have been filing impeachment papers,” Warner said. Regardless, Warner transfers further action on how to deal with the president’s proclivities and unorthodox behavior to the incoming Biden Justice Department, in addition to the New York state attorney general’s office who is handling issues related to Trump as well. “Donald Trump lives on playing himself as a victim. We shouldn’t play into that narrative,” Warner said. Warner is confident that there are enough Federal officials who will step up, including the military, on the transfer of power as Inauguration Day nears. With preparations being made for the swearing in ceremony taking place, he is both confident and cautious about making sure

Americans get to see Biden being sworn in on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in person, not a virtual inauguration. “Otherwise it plays into this Trump fallacy about the legitimacy of the Biden presidency,” Warner said. “I want the American people to see that picture of Biden, even with a covid limited crowd. We need to do it in a way that looks familiar to Americans.” Raising eyebrows two weeks out from the election, Warner reminds of Trump’s firing of Chris Krebs, who had headed up the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency in the Department of Homeland Security for not going along with the president’s “frankly fake claims” about election fraud. Warner is concerned about other agency heads such as the CIA or FBI possibly receiving the same treatment. He reiterates that the entire intelligence community will have to keep focus on their job, which is essentially to speak “truth to power.” “They need to tell this administration the truth, whether they want to hear it or not” Warner pointed out, before adding “In the Trump crowd, anyone that delivers bad news gets fired. That’s not how you keep a country safe.”

PAGE 10 | DECEMBER 3 - 9, 2020

HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

fcnp.com/holidayshopping2020

Make &

Your Shop Local Resources For The Holidays! December 10 - 17th issues Holiday Shopping Guide! Included in these 2 issues: • MarketSpace - our online business directory to give you local shopping options • Holiday Ad Spotlights offering gift suggestions for local shopping options • Gift Guides that will offer local suggestions for specific gift giving needs • Foodie Gift, Family Gift, Falls Church Branded Gift, Child Gift, Stocking Stuffer Gift, and others

If you are a local business and would like to be included in any of these holiday resources please contact Melissa Morse at mmorse@fcnp.com or 703-532-3267 Contact us for Discounted Participation Rates and even Free Options!

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE

DECEMBER 3 - 9, 2020 | PAGE 11

fcnp.com/holidayshopping2020

The City of Falls Church Recreation and Parks Department Presents

Holiday Gift & Craft Pop-Up Shops Saturdays through December 19 from 8 a.m. to Noon At the City of Falls Church Farmers Market (300 Park Ave.)

This Weekend, December 5 Jewelry Designs by Mary Ruth (beaded, leather, fabric jewelry), Herban Avenues (teas, soaps, scrubs, aromatherapy), and Jenny Paxton Calligraphy (ornaments, address stamps).

129.00

379.99 12/31/2020

www.fallschurchva.gov/PopUps

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PAGE 12 | DECEMBER 3 – 9, 2020

A Penny for Your Thoughts

News of Greater Falls Church By Supervisor Penny Gross

It’s December, but one would have to look at the calendar to be sure. Our front yard azalea is sporting fat pink blossoms, and last week I saw a camellia bush similarly attired, seemingly oblivious to the autumn leaves piling up nearby. Winter clothes still packed away, waiting for colder temps, which may, or may not, come, according to the forecasters, who predict a warmer-than-normal winter. A mild winter sounds about as exciting as mild salsa but, with the ongoing pandemic, mild is welcome. A peculiar seasonal change? Or an ongoing pattern of climate change? In the National Capital Region, local officials recently approved the Metropolitan Washington 2030 Climate and Energy Action Plan, which outlines collaborative actions the region should take to meet shared climate goals. The plan is a regional roadmap for mitigating climate change, but also ensuring resilience in the face of climate impacts. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Board of Directors approved a new greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goal for the region – a 50 percent reduction of GHG emissions below baseline levels, or 2005 emission levels, by 2030. A daunting goal, perhaps, but data shows that the region reached its original 2020 goal by 2017, so the next goal, though ambitious, appears to be achievable. The overall goal is reducing GHG by 80 percent by 2050. The greatest challenge may be that the region is growing in population at the same time, so reducing GHG emissions at the same time there is greater demand for energy, water, and transportation. Nonetheless, a cleaner energy grid, cleaner cars, and reduced vehicle miles traveled per person (even before the pandemic) aided the progress in

reducing emissions since 2005. On the flip side, the main drivers of increased emissions were more people, commercial space, and hydrofluorocarbons, such as those created for refrigeration. The regional plan, which was developed through COG’s Climate, Energy, and Environment Policy Committee (CEEPC) contains 25 suggested collaborative actions, in the areas of planning, equity, clean electricity, zero energy buildings, zero emission vehicles, mode shift and travel behavior, zero waste, and sequestration, which focuses on trees and tree canopy. The plan also assesses hazards and vulnerabilities, such as measuring the risk of extreme heat and weather events. Actions, which can be implemented both by private and public entities, include resilient infrastructure, improving storm drainage to lessen flood risk, and planting trees in communities and neighborhoods experiencing higher urban heat island temperatures. Much of the plan was developed under the CEEPC chairmanship of Falls Church City Councilmember Dan Sze, who passed away this summer. Although I was tapped to succeed Dan as CEEPC chair for the last few months of 2020 and steer the committee plan to adoption, the plan really is a tribute to Dan’s passion for the environment, his positive outlook, and his unfailing focus on doing the right thing, for his Little City, and for the entire metropolitan region. More about the plan can be found at mwcog.org/ documents/2020/11/18/metropolitan-washington2030-climate-and-energy-action-plan.  Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov.

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

CRIME REPORT Week of November 23 – 29, 2020

November 24 into November 25, unknown suspect(s) stole all the wheels from five parked cars.

Larceny of Motor Vehicle Parts, 500 blk Roosevelt Blvd. Sometime during the overnight hours of

Larceny - Shoplifting, 1100 blk W Broad St. November 25, 12:55 pm, an unknown suspect concealed

merchandise in a backpack and left the business without paying. Motor Vehicle Theft, 1100 blk W Broad St. November 25, 1:08 pm, an unknown suspect stole a vehicle that was parked in a commercial parking lot. Larceny - Shoplifting, 800 blk S Washington St. November 27, four unknown suspects entered a business, took several items of merchandise, and fled without paying.

Share Curiosity. Read Together. www.read.gov

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Senator Dick Saslaw’s

Richmond Report December is traditionally a busy month. It brings with it a series of holidays and gatherings of friends and family. This year, these wouldbe gatherings also come with a heightened risk of getting sick. Despite the good news of a vaccine for Covid-19 soon coming online, Virginia is joining the ranks of other states with rising infection and hospitalization rates. As we go to print, across this country we see increased social activity, growing fatigue from the duration of this pandemic, and a surging increase of positive tests, hospitalizations, and deaths. As President-elect Biden aptly put it, there were over a quarter of a million empty seats at the Thanksgiving dinner table. Sadly, these numbers are on the rise as we look ahead to the end of this year. You can make a difference in those statistics by simply wearing a mask (encouraging others to do so as well), keeping your distance when in public, and frequently washing your hands. I ask you to do your part to curb this pandemic. With guarded optimism, the Commonwealth is preparing for the initial shipments of the new vaccine coming online. The plan will be based on the production and limited supply of the vaccine. There will be a priority for inoculating individuals who need it most. Clearly, front-line medical workers, the residents and staff of nursing homes and other long-term facilities top that list for distribution. Sixteen Virginia hospitals, including INOVA, have been identified as capable of storing the vaccine. This is a good news story in the fight against Covid-19. For the last month, we have witnessed a bad case of denial from the leader of the free world. However, our democratic principles have proven to withstand this unprecedented situation. It is refreshing and inspirational to see the Biden/Harris team ascend to power. I applaud the patience and the efforts of Joe Biden to lead with compassion with an understanding of issues and consequences. He is laser-focused on uniting the nation, containing the pandemic, and rebuilding our economy. Six weeks remain until the Virginia Legislature convenes for its annual session. While both the House of Delegates and the Senate have Democratic majorities, the Republicans are taking a lesson from across the Potomac River to obstruct and derail thoughtful policy and productive lawmaking. Being deliberative

is essential to getting policy correct. Shutting the window of opportunity to thoughtfully conduct the people’s business can be as lethal as the pandemic we are fighting. We will have a busy session as we continue to address the fallout from the pandemic and many other pressing issues during a compact period of time. To begin with, we are fast approaching a full calendar year with many children not being able to attend school in-person. The digital divide is pronounced not only in other parts of the Commonwealth but in certain sections of our region as well. This has created an academic disadvantage and eventually will have a long-term spill-over into the workforce pipeline. The General Assembly will look to address the inequities in our public schools as well as make adjustments going forward to applicable benchmarks, testing, and appropriate funding. This is an obligation we will rise up to meet despite the political games some wish to play with our children’s future. It’s no state secret that frontline and essential workers have been asked to step up and lead during this pandemic. Many have put themselves at risk to serve others. Some have made the ultimate sacrifice and others may yet not know the longterm effects of their mission. At the Capitol, we are likely to see labor, medical, and economic issues that must be addressed. Fine-tuning the Commonwealth’s finances and budget will continue to dominate the legislative session. It is unclear what additional assistance will come from Washington with the new administration. What is abundantly clear is Virginia must operate in the black with a structurally-sound plan. Secretary of Finance Aubrey Lane has unveiled a forecast that calls for moderation. Governor Northam will deliver his proposed budget amendments on Dec. 16. These are a few of the key issues we will tackle beginning Jan. 13. With 140 elected lawmakers, we are never at a shortage of ideas. Over the last several months, I have been “meeting” (zoom, telephone) with numerous groups, stakeholders, and individuals on a plethora of issues. I encourage you to visit my website, www.dicksaslaw.com for resources that you may need to get through the coming months. To stay informed on legislative matters, consider signing up for my e-newsletter.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Light It Up This Season!

What has struck me most about driving around my neighborhood on December 1 of this most momentous and memorable year of 2020 was the amount of colorful, beaming and blinking holiday decorations that are already out and smiling at the world. Yes, they’ve come in full force much earlier than usual and I expect it is just the start of a trend. Indeed, I feel it. I want to jump in on this, too. I’ve always done my part in at my condo, stringing some lights, putting a wreath on the front door and, of course, finding an appropriatelysized tree for friends and myself to enjoy inside. But this year it’s not nearly so much about what’s inside, in that all FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS too familiar space that all of us in quarantine have grown so amazingly familiar with. Even lights and a tree and a creche won’t mean nearly so much this year as efforts to go outside and orchestrate a glorious message to the outside world. Don’t you agree? That’s what I am seeing happening all over town even as early as it is now. We’ve all been so cooped up this year. We’ve all been so besieged by this horrible, horrible president who just won’t go away even though he has lost the election, and by a lot. Oh my God, this man is the menace that causes us to think that we must have done something extremely wrong in our lives to deserve. Getting his image out of our minds is going to take years, and if he is doing all the crap he’s up to now only to raise $180 million from some of the solar system’s most gullible and tragic persons to run again in four years, then we won’t be done with him until, oh Lord. Have mercy on us. So, it is easy to see how glorious holiday cheer is a way to cleanse our otherwise deeply polluted consciousnesses. The images of Size 5X soiled trousers (Do you know how incontinent he really is? You don’t want to know) beneath a basketball-sized wad of silly putty, aka a head, grimacing beneath a red baseball cap wandering through a golf course, ugh, can best be countered with many a lighted angel and big Santa with reindeer. Extra bright. So, actually, it is not just to put away the images of the Hall of Crimson Holiday Tree Death that Melania fashioned for the White House the last couple of Decembers (mercifully, not this time). But it is actually because there is really quite a bit of positive news to drive our trips to the hardware store, our risky treks up the ladder and our never-before-tested limits to wattage on our front porches and lawns this year. Actually, I am banking on the fact that a lot of real, true joy and happiness is operating beneath all the decorating this season. This would be such balm in Gilead, such an unintended consequence, such a serendipity of the sorts our good old school preachers dished out like over-buttery holiday cookies to the flock every Saturday or Sunday of this bracing season. People, we need a glad season of joy this month. After all, for all the horrors of the past year, and face it, they cannot be undone, for all the terrible, terrible news of George Floyd events and caged children at our borders, the news before us is the imminent vaccine, achieved not because of but despite of all this, a new U.S. administration that will restore sanity to our corridors of power and work to get emergency assistance where it is needed most to us. This will not be heaven, but compared to what we’ve faced for the better part of 2020, it will be close enough for now. Go ahead. Let’s make our neighborhoods look a little more like heaven this year. Let’s end 2020 entirely unlike it began, or became. That TV commercial picturing a home so lit up it can be seen by an astronaut in space is what this is about. And if it’s not what’s on the outside of a house, how about inside in our hearts.

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DECEMBER 3 – 9, 2020 | PAGE 13

Nicholas F. Benton

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

Our Man in Arlington By Charlie Clark

Our county has largely been spared the racial tension and police violence that grabbed this year’s national news. But our insularity ended on May 31 when Arlington police, under a pre-agreement with the U.S. Park Police, responded illadvisedly to a request that its officers cross the Potomac and aid in the crackdown on Lafayette Square anti-racism protesters. The point — as it turned out — was for President Trump to safely show cameras a Bible at a nearby church. On June 1, wiser county leaders withdrew the officers. That prompted the creation in July of a work group to review Arlington’s own practices. Nationally relevant issues such as police training, perceived bias in treatment of minorities and rapid escalation to violence are being studied to determine whether our practices differ from others’ best. After the review is completed late this month, the county manager will forward recommendations to the county board. But a preview was offered Nov. 18 via an Arlington Committee of 100 presentation. The history of Arlington police, of course, mirrors our broader history, which included enforcement of segregation laws. The notion of “racist” Arlington cops just this fall was dramatized by the production streamed from the downtown Round House Theater of the 1996 play “Sleep Deprivation Chamber” by Adam P. Kennedy

and Adrienne Kennedy. It is based on a 1991 arrest of a young black man for a busted tail light that escalated into assault charges. At November’s panel, Kent Carter, vice president of the Arlington NAACP, said, “We have good operational lines of communications with the ACPD.” The group worked with Del. Patrick Hope to help the General Assembly this October include $6.6 million statewide for police body cameras to improve evidence gathering. But “without a seat at the table” for minorities, Carter added, “policing can get charged, with second- and thirdorder effects.” One disagreement: the NAACP has endorsed removing resource officers from schools because of “the number of cases referred out” showing minorities more likely to end up charged with a crime. But acting police chief Andy Penn (Arlington is searching for a permanent one) said the “primary role of a school resource officer is not to arrest students” but to provide a “model.” Successful policing has always “come from partnership with the community. You have to engage on a daily basis, in every interaction.” Penn cited 55,000 hours of training annually for new hires that addresses “use of force, implicit bias, fair and impartial policing, dealing with [people with] disabilities, active listening and communication.” The department’s March 2019 annual report showed that complaints against Arlington police

rose 55 percent from 2018 and 2019, with “five allegations of racially biased policing, which were investigated and unfounded.” New requirements that officers carry more military-style equipment are physically taxing, Penn said. A partnership with Virginia Hospital Center is helping the force ease stress through peer support, yoga and equine therapy. Marcia Thompson, consultant to the Police Practices Working Group, reported mixed views on whether Arlington police should live in Arlington. “Some say an officer doesn’t have a commitment to the community if they don’t live there. But some police say it’s unsafe if they go to the grocery store with people they’ve had to lock up.” With a starting salary of $56,000, Penn noted, it’s hard for an officer to live in Arlington. *** The Arlington Historical Society is pushing ambitious plans to improve its aging headquarters at the Hume School on S. Arlington Ridge Rd. “Arlington’s own artifact-rich museum is showing its wear and tear after nearly 130 years, and AHS is looking to make the museum more accessible and secure for our valuable collections,” said President Cathy Hix in the annual “bell-ringer” appeal. Also on the case is retired Arlington treasurer Frank O’Leary. As part of a coming online tribute to the late state Del. Warren Stambaugh, his group has raised $22,000 toward its $25,000 goal to fund a study of the needs of that vintage building. Donate at Arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org.

CA L E NDA R

PAGE 14 | DECEMBER 3 – 9, 2020

FALLS CHURCH

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

CALENDAR LOCALEVENTS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4 Woodpeckers. Interested participants can learn about these feathered residents of the park that can be heard, if you listen closely. The theme for preschool programs is repeated during the month, so please register for only one session at each nature center per month. For ages 3 – 5 years. Registration required. To register, contact 703-2284747. Caretakers must stay with their child during the program. Long Branch Nature Center at Glencarlyn Park (625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington). 11 a.m. – noon.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5 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.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6 A Tree’s Job Is Never Done. Interested participants will look into how trees, even when dead, are always providing for the environment. The group will hike around and look at the many uses trees have while alive and dead. For ages 6 – 12. Register children and adults; children must be accompanied by a registered adult. To register, call 703228-4747. Long Branch Nature Center at Glencarlyn Park (625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington). 11 – 11:30 a.m.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 7 Real Estate Tax Due (half). Half of real estate tax for City of Falls Church residents is due to the Treasurer’s office by the close of

business. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Falls Church). 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information, call 703-2485046 (TTY 711) or contact treasurer@fallschurchva.gov.

VIRTUALEVENTS THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3 New Yorker Discussion Group. If any residents enjoy The New Yorker but wish they had someone to chat about it with, they are encouraged to drop into the monthly New Yorker Discussion Group to share their thoughts on what they’ve read in a variety of articles. This month’s article is still to be determined. This discussion will be held online. Visit fallschurchva.gov/LibraryAtHome for details. 2 – 3 p.m.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 7 City Council Work Session (online). City Council work sessions are held the first and third 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; the public is not generally 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.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9 Gingerbread Houses Crafternoon (online). A Mary Riley Styles Public Library seasonal favorite returns in socially distant form for the holidays. Interested participants can pick up a kit curb-

MOTHER’S LITTLE HELPERS will be performing at The State Theatre on Friday. (Photo: Facebook. com/TheMothersLittleHelpers)

side and construct along with the group virtually. Grab & Go kit will be available starting Dec. 2 – Dec. 15 while supplies last. The craft video will remain available on the library’s Facebook page (facebook.com/mrspl) in the Crafternoon playlist.

LIVEMUSIC THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3 Honky Tonk Casanovas. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8 p.m. 703-2419504.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4 Mother’s Little Helpers: Tribute to The Rolling Stones. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-2370300.

Distanced!): Caligula Blushed (A Tribute to Morrissey The Smiths). Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $8 – $15. 8 p.m. 703-2551566. Gilbert Kalish, piano (virtual). Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd. Vienna). $20. 8 p.m. 703-255-1900. Swamp Pop. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8:30 p.m. 703-241-9504.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5 Wolf Trap Holiday Sing-A-Long From Home with “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band (online). Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd. Vienna). 4 p.m. 703-255-1900. U2TOPIA: A Tribute to U2. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-2370300.

Debonis Allen Band featuring Larry Joseloff. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 7 p.m. 703-858-9186.

Jimmy Faulkner Trio. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 7 p.m. 703-858-9186.

A Song & A Slice (Indoors +

Distanced!): Chris Timbers Band. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $10 – $15. 7:30 p.m. 703255-1566. Darlene Love “Love for the Holidays” (online). Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd. Vienna). 8 p.m. 703-255-1900.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6 Cosmic Karl’s Drum Circle Open Mic Live. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 5 p.m. 703-8589186. Calista Garcia Live. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-2370300. A Song & A Slice (Indoors + Distanced!): 7 Deadlies Performing Green Day’s “Dookie.” Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $10 – $15. 7 p.m. 703255-1566. Linwood Taylor. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 7:30 p.m. 703-241-9504.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Fa l l s C h u r c h

LO CA L

NEWS BRIEFS

DECEMBER 3 - 9, 2020 | PAGE 15

Embrace the warmth of family and create

PERFECT HOLIDAY

oments

Webb Resigns F.C. School Board Post Lawrence Webb, a member of the Falls Church City Council and School Board since 2008, announced his resignation as of Jan. 1 from the School Board on Tuesday. Webb announced he’ll be moving to Springfield to buy a home with his partner, Clifton. Webb said the announcement was “bitter sweet” for him. F.C. Superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan called Webb “one of the kindest, most thoughtful and supportive” members of the School Board, including during his tenure as chair of the board. Moving from Arlington to Falls Church in 2006, Webb ran and won a seat on the F.C. City Council in 2008 to become Virginia’s first African-American openly gay elected official. He failed in a bid for re-election in 2012 but was elected to the F.C. School Board in 2013 and re-elected in 2017, subsequently serving a stint as the board chair. School Board members lauded his service and said they’ll reserve a fuller expressions of appreciation for his work for a more formal recognition prior to his departure.

F.C.’s Curtin Hails D.C. Central Kitchen Move Michael F. Curtin Jr., known around Falls Church as Mike, has made another splash in the heady world of Washington D.C. life by announcing the D.C. Central Kitchen, for which he has been the chief executive for more than a decade, is moving to a posh (relatively speaking) location on the D.C. Waterfront, the Buzzard Point area south of Nationals Park in a Herbert S. Miller mixed use project that includes 480 residential units and 73,000 square feet of residential space. Miller, chairman and chief executive of Western Development Co., said in a rival newspaper, “I’ve known Mike and D.C. Central Kitchen for years and they are probably the most responsible and largest of the local groups that make a difference in the community in terms of helping people help themselves.”

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Concern Over Announced Metro Cuts Affecting East Falls Church Station The massive spending cuts in the proposed 2022 budget announced by WMATA general manager Paul Wiedefeld Monday include eliminating all weekend service and the closure of 19 as-yet-unspecified stations on the system. Concerns are that the East Falls Church station may be among the 19. Pressure is rising for the proposed new federal stimulus being negotiated in Congress include money to keep the system whole.

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New Number for Text Alerts in F.C. City Starting Thursday, Dec. 3, text messages from Falls Church Alerts will come from 88911 instead of 89361, the City has announced. Those who subscribe to text notifications should update the number in their phone. The City of Falls Church Alerts sends messages about emergencies via text, email, app notifications and phone calls. Subscribers can choose the type of alerts they receive (police emergencies, road closures, snow emergency route activation, trash and recycling collection delays, and more) and how they receive the alerts (email, text, push notifications from the Everbridge app, or phone calls). Phone calls are utilized typically just for large-scale emergencies.

F.C. Schools Launch ‘15 Days of Joy’ Starting last Sunday, the Falls Church City Schools are engaged in a ‘15 Days of Joy’ celebration this month that promotes focused activities to brighten the season locally. It began with Be Cozy on Nov. 30, followed by Be Adventurous Dec. 1, Be Local Dec. 2, Be Grateful Dec. 3, Be Shiny Dec. 4, Be Active Dec. 7, Be generous Dec. 8, Be nostalgic Dec. 9, Be Outside Dec. 10, Be Honorable Dec. 11, Be Appreciative Dec. 14, Be Warm Dec. 15, Be Curious Dec. 16, Be Sweet Dec. 17 and Be Toasty Dec. 18.

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Saslaw: Push to Add Roe V. Wade to Va. Constitution Virginia State Sen. and Majority Leader Richard Saslaw, who represents Falls Church, told an online gathering organized by the Northern Virginia Jewish Community Relations Council Monday that a push will be coming in the next Virginia legislative session in Richmond aimed at adding the essential content of the Roe V. Wade federal Supreme Court decision into the Virginia Constitution as a safeguard against a potential Supreme Court change.

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PAGE 16 | DECEMBER 3 - 9, 2020 AUCTIONS ATTN. AUCTIONEERS: Advertise your upcoming auctions statewide and in other states. Affordable Print and Digital Solutions reaching your target audiences. Call this paper or Landon Clark at Virginia Press Services 804-521-7576, landonc@vpa.net

HOME IMPROVEMENT Vinyl Replacement Windows Starting at $235* Installed w/Free Trim Wrap Call 804-739-8207 Siding, Roofing, Gutters and More! GENERAC Standby Generators. The weather is increasingly unpredictable. Be prepared for power outages. FREE 7-year extended warranty ($695 value!) Schedule your FREE in-home assessment today. Call 1-877-636-0738 Special financing for qualified customers. ATTN. CONTRACTORS: Advertise your business statewide and in other states. Affordable Print and Digital Solutions to reach Homeowners. Call Landon Clark at Virginia Press Services 804-521-7576, landonc@vpa.net

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Legal Notice Volunteers who live in the City of Falls Church are needed to serve on the boards and commissions listed below. Contact the City Clerk’s Office (703-248-5014, cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov, or www.fallschurchva.gov/BC) for an application form or more information. Positions advertised for more than one month may be filled during each subsequent month. Architectural Advisory Board (Alternate) Aurora House Citizens’ Advisory Committee Board of Equalization Citizens’ Advisory Committee on Transportation City Employee Review Board Environmental Sustainability Council Historic Architectural Review Board Human Services Advisory Council Towing Advisory Board (Towing Representative) Urban Forestry Commission Regional Boards/Commissions Advisory Social Services Board Fairfax Area Disability Services Board Long Term Care Coordinating Council

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

CLASSI F I E DS 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 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

The Planning Commission will consider the following items and recommendations to City Council:

(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: 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/ Founders-Row-Broad-and-West-Streets This location is fully accessible to persons with physical disabilities and special services or assistance may be requested in advance. (TTY 711)

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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).

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(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

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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.

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Crossword

ACROSS

By David Levinson Wilk 1

14 17

30 34

37 40 43

1. TRIAGE MD 6. OLD RUSSIAN RULER 10. CUTS FOR AGTS. 14. PRINCE HARRY’S MUM 15. EBB 16. GOT ____ DEAL 17. SEE 34-ACROSS 19. SUPERIOR BODY? 20. GOOD LISTENERS 21. WHERE SAILORS GO 22. SEE 34-ACROSS 27. PALMER AND SCHWARZENEGGER 28. WEST IN OLD MOVIES 29. PLUNKED BATTER’S STAT 30. FACTS AND FIGURES 31. UNIT FOR SURVEYORS 32. OBAMA ____ 33. SINGER DAMONE 34. LIKE EACH OF THE ANSWERS FOR 17-, 22-, 46AND 52-ACROSS ... OR EVERY CLUE IN THIS PUZZLE 37. SPY NOVELIST DEIGHTON 38. “I’LL TAKE THAT AS ____” 39. PURCHASES AT A GOLF PRO SHOP 40. COLL. SENIOR’S EXAM 41. ORG. FOR CARDINALS AND RAVENS 42. GRANOLA MORSEL 43. “SORRY, I CAN’T COME” 46. SEE 34-ACROSS 49. CHOICE WORD? 50. NOT BAMBOOZLED BY

STRANGE BREW

51. LO ____ 52. SEE 34-ACROSS 58. BOOK BEFORE DANIEL: ABBR. 59. “DIES ____” (LATIN HYMN) 60. WORDS OF SUPPORT 61. LOCH ____ MONSTER 62. VEND 63. VERY BOTTOM

DECEMBER 3 - 9, 2020 | PAGE 17

DOWN 1. SCHOOL EMAIL SUFFIX 2. UPHOLSTERY PROBLEM 3. FIST BUMP 4. TIP JAR BILL 5. STEVE OF “THE OFFICE” 6. SPINS 7. KAFKA HERO GREGOR 8. FOLK SINGER DIFRANCO 9. NOT WORKING ANYMORE: ABBR. 10. CALIFORNIA’S ____ VERDES PENINSULA 11. INDY 500 GEAR 12. INHALE 13. WORKOUT ATTIRE 18. “LETHAL WEAPON” FORCE, BRIEFLY 21. ALDER AND ELDER 22. ICE CREAM GOBBLER’S WOE 23. WHERE TO FIND SOME DRONES 24. HAWAII’S MAUNA ____ 25. NEIGHBORHOOD ORG. SINCE 1844

JOHN DEERING

Sudoku

26. WYATT OF THE OLD WEST 27. PUBLIC RELATIONS PEOPLE 31. WINDOW FIXTURES, FOR SHORT 34. DO PENANCE 35. FLIP (THROUGH) 36. ACTOR JARED 40. MIRACLE-____ 43. CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS FOUNDING MEMBER CHARLES ____ 44. REBUKE TO A TRAITOR 45. “DON’T STAY OUT HERE” 47. FLIRTATIOUS GESTURES 48. PALACE DWELLER 52. “____ THE SEASON ...” 53. MINER’S HAUL 54. SIGNATURE OBAMA LEGISLATION, FOR SHORT 55. DAFT 56. X-RAY ALTERNATIVE 57. OPPOSITE OF ‘NEATH Last Thursday’s Solution B E S O B M W S Q U I C M A P U R R A P E L B A Q U A D S P R E

B R A M

Q A E D A

U D D E R

I M I N G

N A T L S A C H O O K B R E A D I S E N D L Q U E E N Y U D N O I L R U P L E B E C A F N A T R F Z B O W L O U T H S S T A R T E E L E D D R E W S

P L A I N N B A N O Y P I K I L K Y I N N E

A I N G E

A N D I E

R E S T

F A M I L Y G U Y

A S S E S

T S O S

Q B U K E S

By The Mepham Group

Level 1 2 3 4

Solution to last Sunday’s puzzle

NICK KNACK

11/22/20

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 18 | DECEMBER 3 – 9, 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. 37 • November 30, 1995

Falls Church News-Press Vol. XX, No. 40 • Decmber 2,, 2010

State Corporation Commission Rules It Has Jurisdiction Over Electric Dispute

City of F.C. Ranked Best in Virginia For Recycling Rate, New Bins Due

The Virginia State Corporation Commission ruled Monday that it has jurisdiction in the on-going dispute between the City of Falls Church and Virginia Power over the City’s exploration of options for municipalizing the electrical power supplied to its residents.

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has released its annual recycling report, and recycling rates in Falls Church put the City at the top of its statewide list. The news comes just as the City is about to roll out its new wheeled refuse carts.

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LETTERS Continued from Page 6

It has always been a guiding principle for me that in our highly educated and engaged community a primary role of elected officials is to provide our citizens with full and accurate information, listen to and respect all views, and ultimately implement the wishes of our community as responsibly as possible. The real issues of assuring equity and fairness do not begin or end with name changes but rather are daily work we each must do. That is one major reason why for two decades, I have supported the schools and public safety for all, affordable housing, effective public transportation, and environmental quality while assuring wise use of resources and tax rates as low as practical, considering the governmental services our citizens expect and deserve. David Snyder Falls Church

Slaveowner Names Of Mason, Jefferson Should be Dropped

Editor, We appreciate the courageous statements of Vice Mayor Marybeth Connelly, Councilmember Letty Hardi and School Board member Lawrence Webb. Our children are ‘lifers’ and graduates of the Falls Church City schools. Our grandchildren are TJ Tigers. “How can we attend a school named after a slaveowner?” they asked. Their dad had the same question in the 1990s as a starting five basketball player at then-J.E.B. Stuart, now Justice High School. We are the City of Falls Church and we know

TO THE

EDITOR

that it’s the right thing to do. Change the name. June & Mike Beyer Falls Church

Respect The Will Of The People & Keep The School Names

Editor, Whatever the state of democracy at the national level, the question for us is whether it survives here, and in particular do members of the School Board (or the City Council who attempt to influence Board matters) respect the will of the people in expressing overwhelming opposition to renaming the Mason and Jefferson schools? With a message of opposition coming from every segment of the community the people have told the Board to unify rather than divide, to teach history rather than join the cancel culture and delete it, to practice the critical thinking required in our muchtouted IB program rather than binary thinking, and to spend no more time or money on school renaming. Opposition was expressed, from teenage students to octogenarians, by nearly 3 to 1 in a survey professionally administered by a company that prevented irregularities, and by more than 2/3 of Public Comments to the Board during 12 meetings, plus 17 of 26 verbal comments and 26 of 31 written comments during public hearings. This is not a community where the Board or Council “know better” than our highly educated citizenry. Moreover, the unacceptable weaponizing of “progressive” and the demagoguery displayed at the Board’s last meeting have no place in the City. Tom Johnson Falls Church

Mason, Jefferson Names Should Stay, Be Tool For Learning Editor, What is the role of education in promoting social justice and equality? How do our students obtain knowledge and experiences for becoming good citizens? Important questions through out our history and even more important today. Our Falls Church City School Board will vote next week about changing the names of George Mason High School and Thomas Jefferson Elementary both valued institutions in our community. As an educator who has taught in both for 30 years and have continued substituting for 20 more, I do not agree that the names should be changed. Our School Board contracted with an outside consultant for a survey that concluded that only about 26 percent of respondents agreed with a possible name change. The main reasons seem to be that these two men owned slaves and that the ownership of other human beings should never be acceptable then or now. However, these same men along many others who were also slave owners had the foresight to create a democracy that is like no other. Was it perfect? No, but it allowed for changes and growth that continues to this day. How do we educate our students within this dichotomy? Does it make any sense to just delete these names? No. Our schools should use this history as a basis for learning, for research, conversations, debates about understanding our history and how it influences us now and our future. The good, the bad and the ugly have to be addressed so that changes can continue. Our Falls Church City Schools are more than ready to meet this challenge. Is “our more perfect union” there yet? Again, no. Together, all of us need to work harder than ever to achieve our worthwhile goals. Lindy Hockenberry Falls Church

POLLY is a six month old French Bulldog. She’s a sassy girl who loves playing with her eight year old roommate Hayes. She not the sharpest tack but she sure is cute! Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! Send in your Critter Corner submissions to crittercorner@fcnp.com.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Fa l l s C h u r c h

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Business News & Notes

DECEMBER 3 - 9, 2020 | PAGE 19

BECOME A MEMBER OF THE NEWS-PRESS Get your news early!

Orangetheory Fitness Seven Corners Officially Open Orangetheory Fitness Seven Corners has officially opened in The Loren at 6410 Arlington Boulevard in Falls Church. Orangetheory is a heart-rate based High Intensity Interval Training total-body group workout that combines science, coaching and technology. Local officials, including Mason Supervisor Penny Gross, Falls Church Mayor David Snyder, Falls Church Vice Mayor Marybeth Connelly, City Council members Phil Duncan and Letty Hardi, and members of the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce helped welcome the gym, a sister to the Falls Church City location, to the community. For information about membership and Covid-19 precautions, visit 571-766-0809.

Arlington, F.C. Chamber of Commerce Host Breakfast Connections The Arlington Chamber of Commerce and the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce are co-hosting Breakfast Connections, an online networking event Thursday, Dec. 19, 8 – 9 a.m.. Tickets to attend the speed networking function are $10 for members of either Chamber, and $25 for non-members. For more information visit ArlingtonChamber.org or FallsChurchChamber. org.

Kensington Falls Church Sponsoring Free Training Class The Kensington Falls Church is sponsoring a free High Intensity Interval Training class with Ashley Ching of Body Dynamics, Inc. on Thursday, December 3 and Breathe with Kathryn from Body Dynamics on Thursday, Dec.10. Both will take place from 2 – 2:30 p.m. and are designed for working professionals, especially those who work in office environments or teleworking from home. For more information, visit www.bodydynamicsinc.com.

Eden Center Hosting Free Holiday Movie Night The Eden Center is hosting a free Holiday Movie Night featuring the film “Elf” on Saturday, Dec. 5, 6:30 – 9 p.m. The event will take place in the shopping center’s parking lot and include free popcorn and other family friendly surprises. The movie sound will be broadcast into vehicle speakers. The Eden Center is located at 6751-6799 Wilson Boulevard in Falls Church. For more information, visit their Facebook page or edencenter.com.

• Get the Front Page Early • Breaking Stories and more.. Visit our website for More perks! Since 1991, the News-Press has been on a mission to provide independent and honest journalism to the Falls Church community. We recognize and appreciate the support the City, its businesses and residents have shown us for the past 29 years.

Never before has the fight to ensure a free press been more important.

Quickway Hibachi Joins Crossroads Place Shopping Center Quickway Japanese Hibachi has signed a lease at Crossroads Place in Falls Church. Located just off of Leesburg Pike, at 3516 S Jefferson Street in Baileys Crossroads, Crossroads Place is also home to Longhorn Steakhouse, Chipotle, Starbucks, Olive Garden, Giant Food, Burlington Stores, Homegoods, and TJ Maxx. Quickway Japanese Hibachi was founded in 2012 and how has locations in 25 cities in the Washington Metro area, including one in Wilston Centre I by Seven Corners. For more information, visit levinmgt.com.  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.

Visit FCNP.com/members to become a member of the News-Press today

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

PAGE 20 | DECEMBER 3 - 10, 2020

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Falls Church-News 12-3-2020

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