Falls Church News-Press 2-16-2023

February 16 - 22, 2023

The

Big Turnout For Meeting On Changes To T-Zones

Planning

After Deadline Wednesday

by Brian Reach

After the News-Press deadline last night, the Falls Church Planning Commission was scheduled to take up the controversial issue of modifications to the City’s transition zones ordinance.

Last Thursday, Falls Church residents gathered at Mary Riley Styles Public Library for a community forum on the City’s proposed changes to the City Council transition zones, or “T-Zones.” Proposed changes are considered problematic to existing homeowners here, as they are perceived to encroach on existing residential areas, and resulted in a strong showing of residents, with more than 50 in attendance at the event, hosted by The League of Women Voters.

Similar turnout was expected for the Planning Commission meeting last night, where recommendations to the City Council were finalized. City Council will decide later this month whether to approve the changes.

T-Zones consist of about 24 acres

Continued on Page 3

CROSSING GUARD APPRECIATION

Eileen

by

Eileen Hecht Levy, 93, a native of London’s East End who as a child was shipped from home along with thousands of other children to reside in countryside foster homes to avoid the relentless of Nazi bombing of London, and subsequently brought

F.C. Helps With Earthquake Relief

In the wake of the devastating earthquake that affected Turkey and Syria, F.C. residents and businesses are finding ways to lend a helping hand by creating fundraisers, encouraging donations and more.

ee Page 13

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a buoyant, irrepressible spirit and optimistic, upbeat cheer to wherever she found herself, including most recently over two decades as an art teacher and devoted friend of the Falls Church News-Press, died early Saturday morning after a lengthy illness.

Levy was a frequent contributor to the News-Press, most recent-

ly providing children’s weekly Scalawag cartoons, and riding in many a News-Press entry in Falls Church Memorial Day parades and D.C. Pride parades, where she was an automatic magnetic hit with many hundreds along the parade route who rushed to her car side to greet and engage in her welcoming embraces.

Her stories of the struggles of a

Mardis Gras in Falls Church

As some locals prepare to celebrate “Fat Tuesday” next week, Patricia Leslie shares upcoming events and activities that F.C. residents, religious or not, can take part of before Ash Wednesday.

See Page 15

Jewish girl to survive and endure during the years of England’s war against the Nazis were an enduring source of inspiration to all who knew her. She came to America in the late 1940s to marry an American GI, Arnold Schollnick, and raise three children in Rochester, New York —

FALLS CHURCH CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT and FCCPS surprised Public Safety Aides for Crossing Guard

Day, including Public Safety Aide Mohamed Barry (pictured above). ( Photo: Marybeth Connelly )

Nicholas F. Benton Falls Church News-Press

Falls Church News-Press

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Man Killed on Orange Line Between Dunn Loring & West F.C.

A man, unidentified as of this report, was killed yesterday as the result of being dragged by a Metrorail car eastbound on the Orange Line from Dunn Loring in the direction of the West Falls Church station. He was carrying something that apparently got stuck between the doors closing on a train car which caused him to be dragged along and killed. His dog was found in the rail car at the West F.C. station, according to Metro reports.

Cauldron’s ‘Diagnosed’ Earns D.C. Theatre Arts Review

DC Theatre Arts website published a provocative review of Falls Church’s Creative Cauldron’s latest production, “Diagnosed,” a new play by Iyona Blake now running through March 5. The review, under the headline, “A Shop Stocked With Hurt and Healing,” states, “The compelling theme that drives the dialogue of ‘Diagnosed’ is an unvarnished view of the Black feminist experience with mental health, but Blake captures a subtle undercurrent of self-loathing that many Black women carry when grappling with the double co-morbidity stigma of obesity and the withering criticism from overbearing mothers and siblings that Lydia carried all her life and finally buried on her mother’s grave.”

Benton Hails Feinstein As She Declines Re-Election Bid

With the formal announcement this week by U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein (D-Ca) this week that, at age 89, she will not seek reelection in 2024, News-Press Owner Nicholas Benton joined the global chorus of those hail ing her lifetime of service dating to her first election to public office in 1969. Benton got to know Feinstein by running against her in the general election for mayor San Francisco in 1975. Neither won that race won by the late George Moscone, who subsequently was murdered in office along with supervisor Harvey Milk in 1978.

F.C. School Board Mulls Later Start Times

While still nowhere close to a final decision, the Falls Church School Board

engaged in an extensive discussion on the proposition of later start times for middle and high school students Tuesday night, based on the findings of the CDC, American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Sleep Medicine of the considerable benefits of pushing start times back to 8:30 a.m.

Oak Street Bridge Work Begins With Detours

Long overdue work on the Oak Street bridge near the Oak Street Elementary began this week, with resulting rerouting and detouring of traffic that will remain in effect until the end of 2023, the F.C. School Board was informed at its meeting Tuesday.

Walkways to the school, such as the “Tiger Trail,” remain open as the bridge undergoes its first upgrades since 1953.

Beyer Appointed to Joint Economic Committee

U.S. Rep. Don Beyer of Northern Virginia Tuesday thanked House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries for his appointment to serve as Senior House Democrat on Congress’ Joint Economic Committee (JEC). Jeffries announced the move late last week.

Beyer said: “In the past three years the U.S. economy saw unprecedented chaos, experiencing one of the swiftest recessions in history and then, under President Biden’s leadership, the strongest job gains on record. Throughout this economic turmoil the Joint Economic Committee worked to identify and advocate for policies which helped fuel the American recovery, which has been stronger and more sustained than many thought possible.”

He added, “We still have many problems to grapple with, including inflation, global economic challenges stemming from wars and supply chain issues, the climate crisis, and economic inequality. I look forward to tackling these and many other major issues with my colleagues on the Joint Economic Committee dur ing the 118th Congress under the leadership of ChairmanDesignate Heinrich, and I thank Leader Jeffries for his trust in me to continue serving in this important position of economic leadership in Congress.”

of land in total and are mostly along N. Washington St. and Park Ave., with some satellite areas along the outskirts of City limits. Their purpose are to provide a buffer between quiet residential neighborhoods and the intensity of the major thoroughfares of Broad St. and Washington St. Proposed changes would allow for an increase in townhomes, small multi-unit structures like duplexes, and retail one would expect to find along a small town’s main street, such as flower shops, boutiques, book stores, and eateries. Not on the list of acceptable commercial uses are parking lots, boarding houses, lodging houses, and rooming houses.

The meeting revealed significant unrest and confusion among residents, who expressed dissatisfaction with the City’s level of engagement with the community so far, as well as concerns that proposed changes

review after the Council decision on adopting the proposals. If adopted, the changes will be extensive enough to constitute a new “first reading” by City Council, followed by another round of community input, meetings, and review.

“It’s tough,” said Paul Stoddard, Director of Planning for the City.

“There’s a lot of terminology wrapped up in everything.” He pointed to canopy coverage minimums and impervious surface limits as one example of confusion.

Another concern expressed by community members was whether the City was doing anything to encourage home ownership over renting. Stoddard explained that Virginia code excludes the City from mandating certain elements of development, such as whether units are available for purchase or as rentals, but that T-zone requirements, can influence the outcome.

Only four percent of the 6,077

dos, usually reserving the hassle of managing rentals in properties with significantly more units.

The proposed changes to residential uses in the T-zones include replacing a three-acre minimum lot size for townhouses with a 1-acre maximum lot size. This would encourage the development of small, independent rows of townhomes.

Under the changes, no new single-family homes would be allowed, with a “grandfather” clause proposed for existing homes. Townhouses will be permissible through special use permits, and up to four-unit buildings will be allowed by right, within the smaller lot size.

Several changes have been proposed to the height, setback, impervious surface, canopy cover, and building coverage parameters for both commercial and residential buildings. Most changes are being proposed largely to accommodate smaller lot sizes, such as increasing

by a 40 foot maximum, with a 50 foot maximum after a 10 foot step-back.

Perhaps the most significant change relates to the affordable housing efforts in the T-zones. City Council initially recommended requiring that 10 percent of all new

nue received as a result of T-zone improvement would be earmarked for the development of affordable housing.

If the Planning Commission recommendations were approved this week and adopted by City Council,

since 1952 reico com

OVER FIFTY COMMUNITY members showed up for a T-Zone update from the Planning Commission. (Photo: City of Falls Church)

F.C. Artist Eileen Levy Remembered as Cherished Soul

Stephen, Gary and Janine. Later, she married a storied ophthalmologist, Dr; Chauncey Levy.

In the mid 1990s she moved to F.C. to be near her daughter, an attorney who at the time was married to News-Press owner Nicholas Benton, and who has remained a loyal friend of Benton and the paper.

Levy taught many art classes for the F.C. Department of Recreation and Parks and local entities such as the Creative Cauldron and had

many colorful floral entries in local art shows. In declining health in her last years, she was under the care of her faithful daughter Janine and pup, Lili.

Comments posted online from among her many friends in F.C. included the following:

She was so vibrant (Leslie Byrne). What a life and what a legacy! (Ben Finzel) She was such a loving spitfire! (Sally Cole) The world is a smaller place with the passing of Eileen. What a lady! (Gordon Theisz) She always greeted me with, “How is my hand-

some man?” and then a nice hug. She was pure sunlight. (Jon Wiant)

She was an incredible person, I could talk with her for hours. (Jody Acosta) She will be missed by many in different worlds. (Shaun VanSteyn) She was so much fun and always up for adventure. I’m filled with great memories that I’ll cherish (and laugh at) forever. (Stacy Hennessey) She was a treasure. (Steven Gregory Smith.)

She had an artist’s soul and appreciated beauty so deeply. (Donna Englander) The joys she gave through her immense and continuous kindness! I will forever be grateful for how she influenced me through her insights and beautiful aura. (Debra Z. Roth) She was a great lady. (Steven A. Rogers)

A celebration of her life will be held this Sunday, Feb. 19, at the F.C. Art Gallery, 700-B W. Broad St., Falls Church, at 5 p.m.

EILEEN HECHT LEVY, Falls Church’s grand artist and art instructor in residence and cherished friend of the News-Press, died at age 93 this week. (New-Press Photo)

$350 million in savings for electric customers? We’re all ears.

Legislation being considered by the Virginia General Assembly strengthens regulatory oversight and lowers the cost of electricity, saving Dominion Energy customers at least $350 million. That means a savings of about $6 to $7 a month for the average residential user, according to the State Corporation Commission, the agency that regulates utilities in Virginia. In a time of high prices for food, clothing and gas, it’s commonsense rate relief that will help us continue to do what we do best: meet the needs of our customers.

To take action, visit DominionEnergy.com/RateRelief.

paid for by dominion energy

Students Need More Snooze Time

It is puzzling to us to observe how difficult it is for the Falls Church School Board to do what is to us the obviously right thing and push back the start of the school day to 8:30 a.m., as recommended by a wide range of professional groups such as the Centers for Disease Control (CBC), the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Association of Sleep Medicine, all cited at this week’s School Board meeting.

Yes, the change would require some major adjustments in the bus schedules not only for middle and high school students, but it is obvious to us how important this change is for the quality of education, by virtue of being mindful of the quality of life and capacity for learning, of what’s being offered to students in the Falls Church public school system.

Documentation of sleep deprivation among teenagers has been provided in publications such as The Atlantic in an article entitled “Why American Teenagers Are So Sad,” and many other places. The scientific experts all say that teenagers require eight to ten hours of sleep a day to retain optimal capacities for learning and respect for circadian rhythms of optimal individual functioning. Studies have demonstrated beyond a doubt that sleep deprivation dulls the capacity of the individual to learn, think clearly and benefit from discourse. The CDC, for example, noted that lack of sleep is a contributing factor for student use of drugs such as alcohol and tobacco.

So far, California is the only state to mandate that no classes begin before 8:30 a.m. but three others are now considering it (New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts). Valuing the goal of being the best school division in the U.S., the Falls Church Schools would seem to be an obvious choice for advancing this cause. We can only hope that, as a model division, Falls Church would jump to the head of the line on this matter.

But, as Tuesday’s School Board meeting showed, there are what appear to be huge, if not even insurmountable, stumbling blocks having to do with the need to sync bus schedules in this small system and account for the impact of afternoon sporting events, especially “away games,” on all that. It is no small matter given the huge participation level of F.C. students in afterschool sports.

But if the Falls Church schools are first and foremost about effective learning, it seems to us this cannot be overlooked. Board vice chair Tate Gould was right this week noting how this move would be exclusively for the well being of the students, with minimal if any collateral benefits to the system as a whole or others engaged with it.

Yet that to us is all the more reason why it needs to become an educational priority in, of all places, a system that strives to be optimal if not superior.

Platform

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2. Play no favorites, never mix business and editorial policy

3. Do not let the news columns reflect editorial content

4. Publish the news that is public property without fear or favor of friend or foe.

5. Accept no charity and ask no favors.

6. Give ‘value received’ for every dollar you take in.

7. Make the paper show a profit if

Front

Last week, the NewsPress ran a photo of Creative Cauldron’s new production

‘Diagnosed.’ In the caption for the photo, the wrong picture credit was placed as a “Courtesy Photo,” when it should have been credited to William T. Gallagher. The News-Press apologizes for this error.

2023 Camps & Schools

Pages 7-11

Summer Camps Help LGBTQ+ Teens Fight Isolation

by Brian Reach

Summer camps provide an excellent setting for all youth to socialize, learn, make friends, and enjoy themselves in a safe setting. For LGBTQ+ youth – especially trans youth – an inclusive camp can also provide deeply-needed social and emotional support.

For most LGBTQ+ youth, there are not many others who share their identity within their immediate school or community, causing many to struggle with exploring, expressing, or being themselves without fear of rejection, judgment, or harassment. Further compounding this outsider feeling, hate groups across the U.S. are currently targeting trans youth through an unprecedented wave of bills introduced in state legislators, including Virginia – and regularly flooding school board meetings with hateful and inaccurate rhetoric.

Camp Free2Be, located in Arlington, offers such an experience with a one-week day camp for transgender, nonbinary, and gender-diverse youth ages 6-14.

They also provide a “Junior Counselor” program for teens ages 15-18 to serve as role models and assist with programming.

The camp was founded by Director Liz Matthews, who also facilitates the Northern Virginia chapter of He She Ze and We, a Richmond-based organization that serves families with transgender loved ones through support, education, and advocacy. She was seeking out a positive summer experience for her daughter, who is trans, but she wasn’t ready for a stay-away camp far out of state. “I wanted her to find her tribe – her community” said Matthews, who says the program has grown from eight campers to over twenty, with almost as many Junior Counselors, since its inception five years ago.

Registration for Camp Free2Be is currently open at bit.ly/ FCNP0223cf. This year the camp is being held in collaboration with SMYAL, an organization focused on empowering LGBTQ+ youth.

Kelly Merrill, mother of a trans teenager in Hanover County, decided to send her son to a genderdiverse program after a positive experience at a playgroup for other

trans kids. Merrill first brought her son to the group just after he came out as trans, at the age of ten, because he was feeling alone at school.

“He was the only trans person he knew or had even heard of.” Merrill recalled. “He was pretty sure he was strange and unlike anyone ever, which led to some serious isolation issues.” Coincidentally, Merrill was able to find the group through the aforementioned He She Ze and We, via their main operation in Richmond.

The initial experience didn’t go smoothly. “At first he was very upset by the experience, assuming he was the only trans kid there. I guess he was assuming he’d be able to tell.” said Merrill, who had to explain to him that the group was exclusively for other trans kids. “When we told him that every kid there was trans, he lit up in delight and relief!”

“For just one week of his life he got that chance to be just like everyone else.” Merrill added. Her son now attends a local summer camp that is affirming and friendly. He hopes to be a counselor there one day.

Mustang Basketball Finishes Regular Season With a Win

BY RYAN MCCAFFERTY

The girls’ basketball squad at Meridian High returned home on Tuesday night for their regular season finale, playing host to William Monroe. The JV team got the evening started with a win, and then the Mustangs’ seniors were given recognition before the Varsity game tipped off at 7:30. Meridian wasted no time

break, but the Mustangs answered with a 10-0 run of their own to span the remainder of the third quarter, and the result was never in doubt. Head coach Chris Carrico emptied his bench early in the fourth as the Mustangs won by a final tally of 55-20, ending their regular season with a 20-1 record with the lone loss coming back in December. Elizabeth Creed scored 17 points to lead the way, while Nora Stufft also

FCCPS Strategic Plan: A Living Document, Not a Dusty Binder

by Peter Noonan Superintendent of F.C. Schools

We can all agree that the words “Strategic Plan” aren’t nearly as exciting as “First Day of School,” “Graduation,” or “Snow Day.”

However, in Falls Church City Public Schools (FCCPS), there’s much to be excited about as we implement a new Strategic Plan, with significant initiatives and programs already underway.

Last spring, FCCPS completed a year-long strategic planning process with more than 1,000 participants generating big ideas and robust discussion for the future. We are now turning those ideas into meaningful action in five areas of focus: Investing in Our People; IB Infused Teaching & Learning; Wellness, Equity & Belonging; Resource Management & Continuous Improvement; and Communication & Engagement. The actions in these focus areas encompass every facet of the school division. Some are continuations of programs; others are brand new. In this caring community, all FCCPS employees are involved as part of their daily work.

Here are some of the great things

underway in each Focus Area: Investing in Our People FCCPS is committed to being the school division of choice for employees, and a number of new initiatives are making this happen.

•Employees are participating in a tuition reimbursement program with Northern Virginia Community College and can take classes to learn English or earn Teacher Licensure or an Associate’s Degree.

•A Professional Development committee is working to improve and expand the professional development programs that are offered to staff so that employees can grow personally and professionally. School and central office administrators are participating in leadership professional development, as well.

• A Compensation Study is underway to ensure that FCCPS salaries are competitive. Additionally, many employees earn Extra Pay for Extra Duty (EPED) stipends as coaches or club advisors, and a committee is conducting a structural review.

• The following salary and benefits are included in the Superintendent’s Proposed FY 24 Budget, which is still under consideration and will be finalized in May.

º 2% COLA and Step Increase for eligible employees, and a longevity bonus for those at the top of the scale.

º Health insurance rate decrease for employees who work less than full-time.

º Six weeks of paid parental leave.

º Increase the sick leave payout for employees with more than five years of service.

IB-Infused Teaching & Learning

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme is the backbone of FCCPS. In order to make IB more understandable, our staff are creating presentations, websites, and videos, along with stories and photos in The Morning Announcements.

•We are working to extend IB teaching and learning to Jessie Thackrey Preschool.

•At both elementary and secondary schools, changes to report cards and grading are communicating student progress more accurately to families. For example, students at the middle and high school are using a new progress report format that asks them to reflect on their quarterly progress to identify strengths and areas for growth by goal setting.

•At Meridian High School students are registering for the IB Career-related Programme, which is a new option for 11th & 12th grade students, and participating in the Academy of Sustainable Thinking, which provides students with an understanding of the role humans play in impacting the social, environmental, and economic effects on the world.

• In cooperation with many historians and the Falls Church Education Foundation, the creation of an Inclusive Local History curriculum is underway and will be incorporated in all grades.

Wellness, Equity & Belonging

•Employee groups are working to identify and remove barriers to equitable access so that all students and families are welcomed and able to be involved.

• A Parent Survey is being drafted that will be launched this spring.

•School-based activities supporting student and staff wellness are taking place.

Resource Management & Continuous Improvement

•Employees have been participating in Focus Groups, a Superintendent’s Forum, and tak-

ing advantage of opportunities to identify needs and opportunities for growth.

•The City of Falls Church and FCCPS will be working with a new financial institution, which will streamline the work of the Finance Department and reduce fees.

Communication & Engagement

•ClassTag is a communications app that allows teachers and parents to communicate in their preferred language.

•Parent liaisons are working to ensure that multilingual families are connected and included in the FCCPS community.

•A Communications Survey launched this week. Everyone in the community is invited to respond. The survey is at fccps.org/survey. This is just a snapshot of work that has begun and a preview of the next five years. FCCPS is grateful to everyone who is bringing the Strategic Plan to life — employees, parents, students, and community members.

For additional details, including performance measurements for each part of the plan, visit fccps.org/strategicplan.

FCCPS Strategic Plan: Midyear Update

Investing in Our People Wellness, Equity & Belonging

• D evelopment of divisionwide team focused on removing barriers that prevent equitable access

•Parent survey being drafted for spring release

Equity Division Leadership Team identifying barriers that prevent equitable access to school programs

•Alignment of Multi-Tiered System of Support practices across schools

•Piloting "FCCPS Takes 10 Check-In" to monitor well-being

•School-based activities supporting staff wellness

Communication & Engagement

•Communications survey underway

•Streamlining teacher communication with elementary parents via ClassTag

•Parents can select preferred language to communicate with teachers

•Parent liaisons working with multilingual families

•Where to Find FCCPS Information flyer coming soon

Resource Management & Continuous Improvement

•Focus Groups held to gather information on staff needs

•Superintendent's Advisory Committee convened

•Increased use of, and training on, technology like employee

Intranet and Frontline

•Bank change & new equipment to increase efficiency of finance team

•School Staff Advisory Councils (SAC) ensure strong communication between staff and leadership

Budget Proposal aligned with Strategic Plan

School Action Plans aligned with Strategic Plan

People involved in project implementation

•Compensation Study underway

•EPED Committee at work on structural review

•2 days of religious holiday leave available per year

•Professional Development Planning Committee convened

•360 Leadership Development of site-based and central office administrators

•Tuition reimbursement program for employees to learn English or earn Teacher Licensure or Associate's Degree. 12 employees participating Spring 23.

Proposed in FY24 Budget

•2% COLA and Step Increase

•Health insurance rate decrease for less than full-time employees

•6 weeks paid parental leave

•Sick leave payout increase for employees with more than five years of service

IB Infused Teaching & Learning

•New elementary report cards

•Secondary grading & reporting changes

•IB Career-related Programme authorization pending

•Academy for Sustainable Thinking in development

•Inclusive Local History K-12 curriculum project

•Work to increase understanding of IB in the community

•Expanded opportunities for collaboration across schools and grade levels

•IB PYP Programme development support visit planned for Jessie Thackrey Preschool

fccps.org/strategicplan for more information including performance indicators

Donate to Used Shoe Drive

Donate old/used shoes to boxes outside the Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School and Meridian High School front office from February 13th — 17th. All donations will be sent to Shoes4Souls, a non-profit organization providing shoes to those in need.

Substance Abuse Panel Coming Soon

On Wednesday, February 22 at 7:00 p.m. — 8:30 p.m., families and community members can join the Virginia Family Network for a virtual panel presenting the latest information about how schools are addressing youth substance abuse. School division leaders from local school divisions will share current challenges, how they are addressing them and how families can get help. RSVP at bit.ly/NVFNsubstancepanel

Henderson 7th Graders Take on Philadelphia

Seventh-grade Civics students traveled to Philadelphia to visit the National Constitution Center. The interactive educational experience brought the material from the classroom alive for students. They participated in the cultural ambassadors program through the theme of the 1st Amendment — Freedom of Speech. They explored interactive exhibits focused on the Civil War & Reconstruction, the 19th Amendment & Suffrage Movement, and the Three Branches. They interacted with the Founding Fathers in Singers Hall and watched an immersive show about the con-

CAMPS & SCHOOLS

They also had a Q&A opportunity with a Federal Judge from New Jersey who spoke about how she deals with 1st amendment rights cases in her position.

MHS Swim and Dive Compete In Finals

The Meridian Swim & Dive Team competed in the Region 3B Championships at Colgan High School. The Mustangs came away victorious as the Boys Team are the Region 3B Champions, and the Girls Team are the Region 3B Runner-up. The chase for both teams came down to the last relay of the day – the 400 Free. The Boys Team won with just a 44-point difference thanks to the relay team and the Diving team for giving the team a 53-point advantage leading into Saturday’s Swim Meet. The Girls Team was victorious over District Rival Brentsville’s Girls Team by just 4 points but could not match Maggie Walker’s 140-point advantage.

The team travels to Richmond next week, February 16-17, for State Championships.

Congrats to District Honors Chorus

Congratulations to Asha Nath, Megan Tombul, Isabel Pierce, Ailene Neal, Izzy Baskins, Eudora Neal, Matthew BlossBaum, Aubrey Marrow, and Alex Steinbach for magnificent performances in the District X Honors Choruses this weekend. These students were selected for these choruses during auditions last November. A special congratulations to the students that were selected for All Virginia Honors Chorus: Eudora Neal has been selected for the SATB

OVER THE COURSE of this school year, MHS sophomore Allie Zagorski has taken the lead in developing a series of instructions for tasks in the vivarium on campus. (P����: N����� J����)

How ‘Sex, Drugs, Rock’ Killed Progressivism

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

Recently, CNN commentator and host of the Sunday morning “Global Public Square” TV interview show Fareid Zakaria praised a new book by his journalistic colleague, Ron Brownstein, entitled, “Rock Me on the Water, 1974, the Year Los Angeles Transformed Movies, Television and Politics.”

In that book, Zakaria opined, the sheer energy and non-conformist nature of the counterculture of that era is chronicled. As such it provided a unique insight into the highly creative elements that, he contended, led to the U.S.’s technological boom and vast superiority in that arena on the globe since. Well, maybe Zakaria can be forgiven for his eagerness to paint a rosy picture of what Brownstein writes about in that book.

But coming from my own intense engagement with that era, I have to say that Zakaria’s is a very one-dimensional perspective and as such obscures the active dissembling that wound up defining the era not in a positive way.

What nobody wants to acknowledge (for fear of being uncool or whatever) is the weapon that was used effectively against the rising youth revolt of that period, inclusive of its civil rights, anti-war, feminist and gay liberation manifestations. The weapons were not primarily stodgy old fashioned values, the way it is almost always conveyed, but the opposite.

The ruling, anti-democratic classes of that age went with the imposition of what I have chosen to call “radical anarcho-hedonism” as its weapon of choice to defang the truly serious social ferment of that era.

They used the most sophisticated tools of counterinsurgency at hand to that end, building on the demonstrably effective means of Pavlov (of Pavlov’s dogs), for example, and other cynical social engineers.

It is instructive to consider how the theories of mental conditioning demonstrated in the 1959 novel by Richard Condon that was turned into a very troubling movie, “The Manchurian Candidate,” that starred

Angela Lansbury and Frank Sinatra in 1962.

There were a ton of layers to this social offensive as it penetrated the culture through the so-called counterculture of the 1960s and masqueraded as variants on the civil rights, anti-war, feminist and gay liberation movements that were increasingly impacting that era.

To those of us who were there, there was a very serious difference between the legitimate efforts of those social upheavals and the imposition on them of the “anarcho-hedonist” counterinsurgency.

In fact, it was the challenge of that counterinsurgency to camouflage their disruptive role and to convince the wider population that they were one in the same with the insurgency they were tasked with undermining.

I was in the middle of all this and could discern enough of what was really going on to be aware and highly critical of it all. It didn’t take a rocket scientist, in my view, to see what was happening. But it seemed there was no effective means to expose or speak out against it.

All the organized social institutions speaking for the “movement” had been corrupted to one degree or another by the dissembling tactics of the counterinsurgency, mostly in the form of the overwhelming appeal of “sex, drugs and rock and roll.”

So, in short, the legitimate insurgency in the U.S. in that era was led by the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the pro-civil rights and related expressions of compassion defined by the music of Peter, Paul and Mary, Simon and Garfunkel and others.

It was countered by the nihilism and jaundiced sexism that swept that scene, including by the music was invented, developed and promoted by counterinsurgency think tanks and disseminated through groups like the Grateful Dead to promote lyrics deliberately devoid of any references to social issues.

Instead, drugs like LSD were promoted by experiments with Ken Kesey, too, for their anti-social impact, and women were degraded through the promotion of so-called “sexual freedom” and pornography.

These elements killed the progressive movements of the previous decade to the point that the radically reactionary movements could take a foothold, advancing through a radical form of libertarian selfish self interest to become the so-called Reagan revolution and all the misery that has arisen from that ever since.

Our Man in Arlington

As it has done often throughout history, Arlington is resisting edicts from Richmond, this time on the pending controversial standards for how K-12 schools should teach history.

The ideological changeover from the Northam to the Youngkin administration last summer turned the once-every-seven-years standards-writing process into a political fracas. The standards as originally drafted by educators and topic specialists reflected input from two special new bodies — Northam’s African American History Education Commission along with the Culturally Relevant and Inclusive Education Practices Advisory Committee.

But Youngkin — acting amidst the national conservative movement to block the collegiate-level “critical race theory” from public schools as too negative — appointed new Education Board members who asked for time to study the draft some found vague. Then came revisions by an outside consultant that removed many references to civil rights history and holidays and restored Greece and Rome as the only ancient civilizations to make note of. Even Youngkin himself was displeased, so it was back to the editing room.

“Whitewashed,” is the term used by Atif Qarni, Northam’s education secretary now at Temple University. “It pretty much wiped away black and brown voices,” he told a Feb. 8 session of the Arlington Committee of 100. With Arlington Public Schools panelists, he spoke after Superintendent Francisco Duran in December told

the school board the Younkin approach “ignores history and leaves students feeling unseen,” so Arlington will continue its diverse curriculum.

Kerri Hirsch, Arlington’s director of curriculum and instruction, noted that while standards form the instructional core, they represent a minimum, and locals “have autonomy to add other topics.” An example is teaching grades 1-3 about the positive achievements of the ancient Mali civilization in Africa before tackling the sadder topic of slavery in grade 4. “We are mindful of being inclusive so that students see themselves and recognize people who may not be like them. We present students with facts, but rather than tell them what conclusions to draw, we show primary sources” and address “uncomfortable truths in our history.”

Terrell Fleming, supervisor of social studies for the Office of Academics, said Arlington high school students will pilot the new College Board Advanced Placement unit on black history just rejected by conservatives in Florida. At the elementary level, he cautioned, teachers are generalists and not content-specific, and time is tight in the 178-day school year. “We do what’s in the best interest of students,” anticipating “what they will ask about,” which includes social justice movements, slavery and voting rights at appropriate ages. Change over the past 400 years “was the result of average individuals making a conscious effort.” Planners also seek to “infuse black joy in our cur-

riculum.”

Local historian Alfred Taylor expressed concern that schools focus on national figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks at the expense of local people kids can “relate to, see and touch.” Rather than addressing only slavery and civil rights, why not add more about black achievement “before and after” those eras?

The APS staffers said they include such references.

Qarni accused the Youngkin team of flouting state law at a time of political polarization due to a “lack of understanding” of the expertise of educators. Stressing concepts over facts, he hopes that after public comment this month to see a return to the standards as originally delivered.

***

Black History Month brings showings of the new public TV documentary on Arlingtonraised singer Roberta Flack.

But there’s an oddity in the celebration of the gospel and classical-trained pianist who topped 1970s charts with “Killing Me Softly,” “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” and “Feel Like Making Love.” Nowhere does it mention that she grew up here and attended Hoffman-Boston High.

Only in an interview discussing civil rights does Flack mention her former neighborhood of Green Valley. Local folks tell me she’s known to avoid owning her Arlington connection. My inquiries to director Antonino D’Ambrosio went unanswered, despite the irony that her girlhood was spent walking distance from WETA and PBS.

F.C. Lends a Hand in Turkey-Syria Earthquake Aftermath

BY KYLEE TOLAND

Last Monday, Turkey, Syria and surrounding areas were struck with a devastating earthquake, leaving millions of people dealing with injuries, homelessness and the fatalities of family and friends. Only one day later, the City of Falls Church and neighboring communities have been doing their part in lending a hand with the relief.

For some F.C. residents, the earthquake is a reminder that any type of help can make a huge difference. Husband and wife Mustafa and Ozlem Onerci are local organizers for a fundraiser that is raising money for the Turkish Philanthropy Fund’s — a nonprofit organization — Earthquake Relief Fund. According to Onerci, $7 million has been raised so far and more can be donated through donate.tpfund.org/ fallschurch.

“To the extent that I know of the Turks and Turkish Americans in F.C., no one was directly impacted,” Onerci said, “but the sorrow that it created is immense in the Turkish American community in F.C. and the larger metro DC region.”

Borek-G Cafe & Market, known around the city for their “Turkish Mom’s Cookin’,” has set up a donation site at their location on 315 South Maple Avenue for those who want to drop off coats, jackets, socks blankets and “whatever [they] can get to help out.” These donations will be taken to the Turkish Embassy Huseyin Kaygusuz, the owner of Borek-G along with his mother, said once he put out that the market was accepting donations on social media, customers and locals began reaching out to see how they could contribute.

“I think people might realize that even though you might [be able to] only donate a dollar, or even ten cents, the fact that you are doing or saying anything, somebody else notices and gives $1,000,” Kaygusuz said. “Sometimes I feel like instead of making a change, you can spark someone else to make the change.”

The Tinner Hill Hair Salon, owned by Atilla Eren, asked their customers and others to bring in winter clothing, sleeping bags, medicine, diapers and more to send to both Turkey and Syria. Eren stated the Falls Church community was both “generous” and “kindly” in their efforts to help out by donating

these items.

“We couldn’t thank Falls Church and the surrounding communities enough,” Eren said.

In the neighboring Fairfax County, members of the Virginia Task Force 1 were deployed to begin helping impacted citizens the same day the earthquake had occurred. 79 members of the force, along with six dogs, are currently working with Turkey’s government to help in rescuing people who may still be trapped in collapsed buildings, as well as provide equipment the country may not have to deal with the devastation.

Mutlu Kaya owns the locally well-known Turkish-Mediterranean restaurant Yayla Bistro, along with his brothers. Kaya stated he talked to his mother — who lives with his father in Turkey — the day before the earthquake about an upcoming visit to the United States in June.

“The next day, she and my father were homeless,” Kaya said. “They just have no shelter.”

Although it took a while for Kaya and his brothers to reach his parents, they were eventually able to learn that they were okay, despite them having to evacuate quickly from

collapsed.

“I was shaken and didn’t know what to do,” Kaya stated. “We are here now and trying our best to get through this.”

To help those in need in both Turkey and Syria, Yayla Bistro has teamed up with World Central Kitchen — a nonprofit organization that provides meals in response to “humanitarian, climate and community crises.” Kaya said he wanted his restaurant to collaborate with the organization after seeing WCK’s founder José Andrés “reputable” work in Haiti and Ukraine.

“We thought his organization was the best organization to team up

with,” Kaya said. “We just wanted to really go to the heart of what happened and help people out.”

The fundraiser Yayla Bistro and World Central Kitchen have set up encourages people to “ensure” that affected individuals will have a warm meal, as Kaya explained that Andrés is giving supplies to restaurants on the ground that are “feeding 40,000 meals a day” due to donations. So far, over $9,000 has been raised towards the listed $15,000 goal.

As for why residents in the city and surrounding areas should donate to fundraisers such as the Bistro’s, Kaya’s answer is a simple one: “If I was in this situation, I would ask [people] to help me.”

RECENT EARTHQUAKE in Turkey and Syria caused building collapses, many left homeless and without resources. (P����: M���� K���)

Falls Church Business News & Notes

Fitness Experts: Get Ready for the Mayor’s Fitness Challenge

In advance of the Mayors’ Fitness Challenge with Vienna and Fairfax, the Falls Church Chamber will have a presentation on fitness at the luncheon on Tuesday, February 21. Four fitness experts will discuss ways to move, strengthen, stretch, and heal. The speakers are Kavon Atabaki of Functional Fitness, Barbara Benson of Body Dynamics, Olivia Jeffers of Karma Yoga, and Holly Winters of Burn Boot Camp. The Challenge runs March 18 – May 13 and all forms of exercise qualify with the time logged for credit. The City of Falls Church was named the second healthiest community in the nation by U.S. News and World Report in 2022. The luncheon is open to the public and reservations are taken on the chamber website, www.fallschurchchamber.org.

Federal Funding for Black Chamber

The Northern Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce (NVBCC) has been awarded $300,000 in Federal funding from the Fiscal Year 2023 government spending legislation. The NVBCC is celebrating their initiatives and support in a Congressional Funding event on Friday, February 17, 9:30 – 11:30 am, at Jirani Coffee House in Manassas. Sen. Tim Kaine will be the keynote speaker. The NVBCC is the only Chamber of Commerce to receive congressional funding.

Inova and Children’s Hospital Joint Venture Update

Falls Church-based Inova and DC’s Children’s National have run Pediatric Specialists of Virginia (PSV) under a 10-year partnership, and to meet the changing needs of patients and their families, have decided to scale back and move some subspecialty areas to their own operations. The goal is to expand their care by serving kids with complex medical needs, many of whom see multiple specialists for chronic conditions. Children’s National has expanded its Northern Virginia outpatient cardiology services with a total of seven locations. The two will continue to run PSV for select services.

BAE Employees Honored at Black Engineer of the Year

The 37th Black Engineer of the Year Awards given at the STEM Global Competitiveness Conference will recognize twenty-one employees of BAE Systems, Inc. Twenty employees will receive the Modern Day Technology Leader Award and one employee will receive the General Johnnie Wilson Legacy Award. The BEYA STEM Conference is hosted by Career Communications Group’s US Black Engineer & Information Technology magazine.

Outdoor Dining: Virtual Community Meeting to Discuss Proposals

The City of Falls Church is hosting a virtual community meeting Tuesday, February 21 at 2:00 p.m. to discuss the future of outdoor dining. While the pandemic emergency declaration ended, relaxed regulations are set to expire soon. The city is proposing a zoning ordinance amendment and new permit application process for outdoor dining use. The meeting is intended to share information and gain feedback before the policy and process are finalized. More information is available on the city website, http://fallschurchva.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1307, and the link to join the meeting is http:// www.fallschurchva.gov/OutdoorDiningMeeting

YHB Elects Next CEO

Tom Milburn was elected to succeed Scott Moulden as CEO of the Winchester accounting firm, Yount, Hyde & Barbour (YHB) on October 1. The decision was made in advance to provide for smooth client transitions, key projects and the strategic plan. Moulden’s five-year term ends in September and he will continue to serve in other roles. During his tenure, YHB acquired five accounting firms, increased the number of employees, and expanded into Maryland. The firm offers accounting, auditing, tax, wealth management and risk advisory services. It is the 11th largest accounting firm in Virginia by the number of CPAs in the state.

Mardis Gras 2023: How F.C. is Celebrating ‘Fat Tuesday’

by Patricia Leslie

It’s almost time for Christians to party hearty, and non-Christians are invited, too.

Tuesday is the annual celebration of Mardi Gras, or what churchgoers call, Shrove Tuesday when revelers fete the day and night before dawn when Lent arrives on Ash Wednesday to usher in six weeks of fasting and penance, following the example of Jesus Christ who fasted for 40 days in the desert, resisting the devil.

Some local churches will mark Tuesday with free pancake suppers and bacon, sausages, fruits and beverages. Weekend party goers can find area dances, parades, music, and even a Mardi Gras beer inspired and brewed by True Respite in Rockville.

Falls Church Episcopal at 115 E. Fairfax Dr. is hosting its free annual

in Falls Church, will fete the night away from 8:00 p.m. 11:59 p.m. with beads and “some fine Nawlin’s Swamp Pop tunes” by the Sookey Jump Blues Band. (Cover $10.) It will also serve “king cake,” a seasonal tradition, similar to a coffee cake but with icing in Mardi Gras colors of green, gold, and purple and a tiny plastic baby hidden inside. The baby brings good luck to the recipient who is expected to make next year’s king cake.

The Tower Club at Tysons, 8000 Towers Crescent Drive, will celebrate Mardi Gras on Tuesday with a masquerade party, 5:30 p.m. — 8:30 p.m. ($88 non-members; $40 members).

Costumes are optional, but masks are “a must!”

Masks are another tradition, dating from the 15th century but the practice of disguising identity and making merrier has lasted for six centuries. Float riders in New

choose the contenders.

The International Club will celebrate Mardi Gras on Feb. 24 at the Embassy Row Hotel at 2015 Massachusetts Ave. NW in D.C. with swing lessons beginning at 7:00 p.m. and a dance starting at 8:00 p.m. Partners and dance experience are not needed, but dressy clothes, especially Mardi Gras attire, are! Pay $35 for the lesson (and a glass of champagne) or $25 for no lesson and dance to the sounds of the Foggy Bottom Whomp-Stompers.

Celebrate this weekend in D.C. at Barracks Row at 8th Street, Southeast, near the Eastern Market Metro Station, and see a sidewalk parade on Friday, Feb. 17th at 6:00 p.m. or Saturday, Feb. 18th at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Beads, live music, and more are promises by merchants.

Not far away is the Wharf’s parade set for Saturday, Feb. 18, from 3:00 7:00 p.m. at 665 Water Street SW which will have floats, stilt walkers, the Washington Nationals’ Racing Presidents and a king and queen. A dance party follows at 4:30 p.m. with music by the Naptown Brass Band, and fireworks at 6:30 p.m.

Take a free shuttle to the Wharf from the National Mall or L’Enfant

Plaza Metro Station.

Records show Lent dates from 1000 A.D. and that the British were eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday in the Middle Ages. The practice was to eat up all the butter and fatty foods before Ash Wednesday and the time of repentance, like now.

Burning palms from last year’s Palm Sunday services is another Shrove Tuesday tradition. The ashes are then used at church services on Ash Wednesday, including “ashes-to-go” in front of St. John’s

Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square in Washington, from 8:30 a.m. — 9:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m.

During Lent, Christians make self-vows to give up something as a means to test self-discipline, but a priest told me, you can add something, too, that’s good for you which, in my case, would not be sweets.

(Pause) Yikes! Does this mean.....?

With the end of Lent comes Easter and Jesus’ resurrection, the promise of eternal life and forgiveness of sins for all who believe in him. Rejoice!

A Penny for Your Thoughts News of Greater Falls Church

By Supervisor Penny Gross

Fairfax County’s Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR), also known as VA-Task Force 1 or USA01, depending on the location of the search and rescue mission, was deployed to assist in the search for victims of the earthquake that occurred on the Turkey/Syria border last week. The USAR team consists of county fire and rescue personnel, along with some civilian trainers and K9 search dogs. The Fairfax USAR team was created in the 1980s and is deployed upon request of the U.S. State Department and USAID for overseas catastrophes, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for emergencies in the United States. When the team is called up, the federal government reimburses the county for overtime and other expenses related to the deployment.

For many years, the USAR team was headquartered at Jefferson Station 18 on Arlington Blvd., but that space proved too small for the burgeoning amount of gear and equipment needed by the team to answer increasingly complicated search and rescue missions. When deployed, the team joins with other rescue personnel (USA-02 from Los Angeles County is working with our Fairfax Team in Turkiye) and the USAID Disaster Assistance

Response Team (DART). Small groups of both teams were assigned to survey and scrutinize the local area for potential live victims, but actual rescue operations may be done by larger groups of rescuers with the necessary equipment to pull people out of the rubble. Even with hope fading a week after the earthquake, the team has assisted with four live rescues. Turkish authorities are asking teams to conduct searches of large collapsed structures, such as apartment buildings, including delayering the buildings floor by floor. This is extremely intensive and dangerous work, but team members observe stringent safety protocols and deploy with highly trained structural engineers and equipment. If one main objective is to aid in rescue, another main objective is to ensure that every member of the team gets home safely. As of press time, the only reportable injury was to a K9 dog who suffered a minor laceration to his paw clambering over concrete, rebar, and glass in search of life. The good news is that he was treated and remains operational.

There is an eight-hour time difference between Virginia and Turkey, so communications can be difficult, but USAR team members try to conduct regular virtual

Larceny/Destruction of Property, Wilson Blvd, February 6, 12:26 AM, unknown suspect took items of value from an unsuspecting victim. Suspect ultimately identified and warrants have been obtained for Petit Larceny and Destruction of Propert

Shoplifting, W Broad St, February 8, 11:55 AM, a subject recognized from a prior visit entered a business and removed

meetings with family members and colleagues back home. The connections to home and family help assuage the horrors of the work at the earthquake sites. More than 36,000 people have perished, and hundreds, perhaps thousands more, still may be entombed in the crushed buildings. Sadly, as time passes, the chances for additional rescues diminish, and the rescuers turn to recovery operations. At the same time, the international community is working to provide shelter, food, and medicine to the survivors. It is winter in the Middle East; water and power grids were destroyed, and many of the survivors were living in refugee camps after fleeing from war and famine in their own countries. Humanitarian aid is needed; monetary donations can be made through the American Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, UNICEF, and other well-known non-profits. Americans are generous people; when our USAR team’s mission is completed, people in Turkey and Syria still will need help.

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

items of value. Suspect described as a heavy set white male, 20`s, 5`5”, with medium length blonde hair.

Fraud, Roosevelt Blvd, February 8, 9:12 PM, an incident of fraud was reported Trespass, S Maple Ave, February 11, 10:45 AM, a male, 43, of no fixed address, was issued a summons for trespass.

Assault, W Broad St, February 12 1:48 PM, an employee was assaulted by a customer. A Felony warrant has been obtained.

Delegate Marcus Simon’s Richmond Report

As the 2023 short session winds down, the most significant legislation we have left to work on are the two budget bills amending the two-year state budget plan we adopted last year.

As the saying goes, a budget is a reflection of one’s priorities, and the House and Senate budgets released last week underscore the stark contrast in priorities between the two chambers and the two parties. With a staggering $1 billion difference between them, the Democrats and Republicans in Richmond clearly have very different visions for Virginia’s future.

Unfortunately, the House budget, crafted by Republicans, falls short in meeting the needs of hardworking Virginians. At the heart of the budget are over $350 million in corporate tax breaks, which disproportionately benefit big businesses rather than the average Virginian. This, in turn, puts critical services like our schools, roads, and healthcare in jeopardy. It is evident that the Republican party is more concerned with appeasing their corporate donors and extremist base than ensuring that middle-class Virginians have the resources they need to succeed.

At a time when inflation is causing significant strain for many households, it is simply unacceptable that the House budget proposes middleclass Virginians pay a higher tax rate than our wealthiest corporations. As we delve deeper into the budget negotiations, we will be keeping a watchful eye on this discrepancy and advocating for the needs of all Virginians.

The House budget is a cause for concern on multiple fronts. Notably, it includes a provision for $50 million to be directed towards lab schools, which diverts much-needed attention and funding away from our public school system. Additionally, the House budget eliminates language that allows for state-funded abortions in certain fetal abnormality diagnoses — a critical access point that is currently allowed in state law. This, coupled with a $13.4 million reduction in the VA Cannabis Control Authority budget, presents a worrying picture of the House GOP’s priorities.

The House budget also fails to allocate funds for important programs, such as the Firearm Violence & Prevention Center and the Cover All Kids healthcare initiative. These are just a few of the more prominent

disparities between the House and Senate budgets.

I worked with Leader Don Scott to improve the House version of the budget. Together, we had amendments drafted and introduced that would have addressed real issues facing our communities — issues that Virginians care deeply about, such as school funding, abortion access, gun violence prevention, and protecting our democracy. It was our hope that these amendments would help bridge the gap between the House and Senate budgets.

Specifically, our amendments would have kept the corporate tax rate at its current level and allocated the revenue to fully fund our school systems in Virginia. They also would have kept the top tax bracket the same as it is today and used the additional revenue to raise teacher pay to the national average — an 11 percent increase over what teachers in Virginia are paid today.

None of these amendments were adopted, but it gave us an opportunity to showcase our priorities while forcing a vote on these important issues. Although I voted against this version of the budget, the process is far from over. There is still time to make changes as the House and Senate budget conferees will have to come together to close the budget gap, giving both Chambers another opportunity to vote on a better budget . Either way, the General Assembly is constitutionally bound to create a balanced budget, which always makes the last few weeks of session interesting.

While I was back in the district for a few days, I hosted office hours at Northside Social and greeted dozens of constituents who stopped by to say hello, lobby me for various priorities, or simply thank me for serving. I look forward to scheduling a number of in-person post-session events to update you all.

Finally, I wanted to take a moment to thank the Dranesville District Democratic Committee for hosting an amazing brunch and straw poll.

I’m proud to announce that I received more overall votes than any other candidate in any race in the mostly-just-for-fun straw poll and outpaced my likely primary opponent with over 98 percent of the vote.

 Delegate Simon may be emailed at DelMSimon@house.virginia. gov

Community News

The Tinner Hill Social Justice Committee of Falls Church and Vicinity is hosting a series of five free workshops to discuss race, social justice and being anti-racist. The first free workshop focuses on developing conversation skills — active listening, compassionate confrontation and clarifying complex terms — to help people understand how to have difficult conversations about race and be anti-racist in their communities. The free, non-secular event, will take place on February 25th 1:00 — 4:00 p.m. EST at the Falls Church Presbyterian Church at 225 West Broad Street. Go to https://www.tinnerhill.org/events to register.

Kids Worldwide Compete to Combat Climate Change

It’s said children are the future and it’s the children who just may have the answer to that age-old question at the finals of the 31st annual Future City Competition, at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C Engineer’s Week, February 18 to 21, 2023.

tors, and family members, all with a passion for science and a desire to change the world, will descend on the nation’s capital to compete as the 2023 Future City Regional Winners following a five-month-long competition addressing the topic of climate change.

Virginia Suspends Covid Emergency Allotment Benefits

Virginia residents will soon lose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Covid-19 emergency allotments, something community organizers say will impact food security for thousands. Enrollment increased from 330,000 state participants when the program launched in March 2020, to 470,000 current participants, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

SNAP is a federal nutrition assistance program that provides benefits to qualifying lowincome individuals and families, according to the government. The final issuance of emergency allotments will take place on Feb. 16.

The USDA grants waivers that allow select states to issue emergency allotments of benefits, according to the agency. These waivers are based on a public health emergency

declaration by the Department of Health and Human Services and are applicable when a state declares an emergency or disaster, such as the pandemic.

The decrease in benefits comes after Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which ended the additional allotments.

FCCPS School Board Chairs to Hold Office Hours

FCCPS School Board Chair

Laura Downs and Vice-Chair

Tate Gould will hold “office hours” at Sfizi Cafe (800 W Broad St) on Tuesday, February 21, from 6:00 p.m. — 8:00 p.m. Parents, students, teachers, staff, and community members may drop by (no registration required) to ask questions and offer feedback in a casual environment. As this will not be a private setting, community members who prefer to have a private exchange with the School Board can locate members’ email addresses at: fccps. org/school-board.

Arlington Artist to Present Installation at RiverRun

Award-winning Arlington author, artist, and designer Edwin Fontánez will be among

week to

celebrate the annual 39th birthday (not!) of chief Nicholas Benton. born on that day include William Henry

tional artists participating in the Kennedy Center’s upcoming festival RiverRun: art nature impact. The festival, curated by Vice President of International Programming Alicia Adams, is inspired by the saying “Rivers are the arteries of life.” The festival begins on World Water Day (March 22) and closes on Earth Day (April 22).

For his participation, Edwin Fontánez is creating an immersive installation entitled River Island/Isla de Ríos, inspired by his award-winning children’s picture book “On This Beautiful Island.” River Island/ Isla de Ríos wil l be open daily in the Welcome Pavilion in the REACH at the Kennedy Center from April 4 — 16.

A resident of Arlington for more than 25 years, Edwin Fontánez has dedicated his artistic and literary career to sharing the culture and traditions of his Puerto Rican heritage through his company Exit Studio Publishing, established in 1994.

Oak Street Bridge Replacement Extends Closure

An extended road closure started Monday to accommodate the South Oak Street

bridge replacement over Tripps Run in the City of Falls Church. S. Oak Street will be closed to through traffic between Timber Lane and S. Lee Street, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. The closure will last through late 2023.

Vehicles will be able to reach properties on S. Oak Street between Timber Lane and S. Lee Street but will not be able to travel past the point of bridge replacement in either direction. Drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians are encouraged to use caution in active work zones and look for new traffic patterns.

Pedestrian access will be maintained along S. Oak Street between Timber Lane and S. Lee Street.

Arts & Humanities Council to Discuss Public Art Policy

Join the Arts and Humanities Council (AHC) on Thursday, February 16, at 9:30 a.m. for their monthly meeting.

The AHC will be discussing the role of public art in the community, the goals and values the group wants to demonstrate with public art, and the process of developing public art in the City of Falls Church. Community members can attend in-person in the Dogwood Room at City Hall or virtually using the link in the events calendar.

STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED in the annual GIVE Day activities (“GIVE” standing for “Get Involved, Value Everyone”) in the City of Falls Church presented the results of their efforts to the Falls Church City Council Monday night (shown here) and again on Tuesday night to the F.C. School Board. Their considerable contributions were warmly received by both bodies. (News-Press Photo)

THIS WEEK IN THE LITTLE CITY

Committee meeting City Hall (300 Park Ave., Dogwood A-B, Falls Church), 9:00 a.m. — 10:30 a.m.

James Stevens

test — and the most art-centric Mardi-Gras event in the area. Whino at Ballston Quarter (4238 Wilson Blvd., Floor 2, Arlington, VA), 8:00 p.m. — 2:00 a.m.

Arts and Humanities Council Meeting

Arts & Humanities Council meeting. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Dogwood A-B, Falls Church), 9:30 a.m. — 11:00 a.m.

Environmental Sustainability Council Meeting

Environmental Sustainability Council and Energy Transition Subcommittee meeting. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Dogwood A-B, Falls Church), 7:30 p.m. — 9:30 p.m.

The Comics of "Flatbush

Misdemeanors"

The cast from Showtime’s Flatbush Misdemeanorsdeliver standup comedy. Kennedy Center Club at Studio K (The Reach, 2700 F St. NW, Washington, DC), 7:30 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 17

Budget and Finance Committee Meeting

City Council Budget and Finance

James Stevens performs. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church), 9:30 p.m. — 12:30 a.m.

Electoral Board Meeting

Electoral Board meeting. City Hall (300 ParkAve., DogwoodA-B, Falls Church), 2:00 p.m. — 5:00 p.m.

"Meridian's Got Talent"

Featuring a judging panel, emcee, and a host of 25 acts, from comedians to vocal solos to dancers to rock and jazz bands. Proceeds benefit the Tri M Music National Honor Society and the 2023 Prom. Meridian High School Auditorium (121 Mustang Alley, Falls Church), 7:00 p.m.

(the) Unruly Theatre Project

Enjoy a night of laughs with the professional teen improv company bringing comedic performances to the community! Arts Herndon (750 Center St., Herndon, VA), 7:00 p.m. — 8:00 p.m.

Arty-Gras Party & Costume Contest

Artomatic hosts Arty-Gras, a party and costume con-

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 18

Presidential Family Fun Day

Celebrate Presidents Day, Honest Abe, and all things presidential at the National Portrait Gallery's annual Presidential Family Fun Day. Activities, tours, and more. National Portrait Gallery (8th and G Streets NW, Washington, DC), 11:30 a.m. — 3:00 p.m.

Chili Cook Off

Do you have what it takes to be considered the best chili maker in the area? Settle Down Easy Brewing (2822 Fallfax Dr., Falls Church), 12:00 p.m. — 5:00 p.m.

Family Festival with Special Guests

Batman, Cinderella, and Spiderman are making a special appearance at Shipgarten's family festival this weekend! Playground, moon bounces, crafts, kids corner, prizes, and a photo booth! Shipgarten (6579 Colshire Dr., Tysons, VA), 1:00 p.m. — 6:00 p.m.

Mardi Gras at The Wharf

Bringing New Orleans to DC! Celebrate Mardi Gras with a lively parade down Wharf St., a dance party with live music, and a special fireworks finale. District Pier at The Wharf (101 District Sq. SW, Washington, DC), 3:00 p.m. — 7:00 p.m.

GMU Mens Basketball vs. LaSalle

GMU Mens Basketball takes on LaSalle University. EagleBank Arena (4500 Patriot Cir., Fairfax, VA), 4:00 p.m.

GMU Mens Volleyball vs. King University

GMU Mens Volleyball takes on King University. GMU Recreational Athletic Complex (4350 Banister Creek Ct., Fairfax, VA), 5:00 p.m.

GMU Womens Tennis vs. Mount St. Marys

GMU Womens Tennis takes on Mount St. Mary's. Burke Racquet and Swim Club (6001 Burke Commons Rd., Burke, VA), 6:45 p.m.

Black Thought: Streams of Thought

Artist Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter’s StreamsofThoughtconversation series returns for an intimate discussion with renowned artist Titus Kaphar. Documentary ShutUp andPaintwill be screened. Kennedy Center Terrace Theater (2700 F St. NW, Washington, DC), 7:30 p.m.

The Rockits Band

The Rockits Band performs. Solace Outpost (444 W. Broad St., Falls Church), 8:00 p.m.

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 19

NOVA Central Farm Markets

Featuring fresh local meat, produce, dairy, baked goods, food-togo, flowers, and ice cream. Table seating, live music, kids club activities, chef demos, special events and much more! The Church of the Holy Redeemer (543 Beulah Rd., Vienna, VA), 8:30 a.m. — 1:00 p.m.

Visit Reston's New Zoo

Drive through an interactive safari to feed and interact with a wide array of wildlife with the whole family! After 4:30 p.m., enjoy

Lumagica: The Great Migration Light Show, designed to educate, inspire, and rekindle your sense of wonder. Tickets required. Nova Wild (1228 Hunter Mill Rd., Reston, VA), 10:00 a.m. — 4:30 p.m.

The 1619 Project — A New Origin Story

The 1619 Project illuminates the legacy of slavery in the U.S. and highlights the contributions of Black Americans to society. Nikole Hannah-Jones will discuss the project, its reception, and her book The 1619 Project — A New Origin Story . Register at bit.ly/fcnp0223fc. The Alden Theatre (1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean, VA), 2:00 p.m. — 3:00 p.m.

Diagnosed

While searching for inner peace, an African-American woman who inherits a family-owned boutique creates a safe space for women to share stories of hurt, trauma and healing. Creative Cauldron (410 S. Maple Ave., Falls Church), 2:00 p.m.

Celebration of the Life of Eileen Levy

Join family, friends, and community members for a celebration of the life of Eileen Levy, 93, long-time City resident and FCNP contributor. Refreshments will be served. Falls Church Art Gallery (700-B W. Broad St., Falls Church), 5:00 p.m.

Sunrise Sunset Drag Bingo

Join Hostess with the Mostess Evita Peroxide and a wonderful cast of artists/entertainers for an entertaining evening with games galore! Reservation recommended in advance at bit.ly/fcnp0223db. Clare and Don's Beach Shack (130 N. Washington St., Falls Church), 6:00 p.m.

MONDAY FEBRUARY 20

Black Like Me Art Exhibit

Featuring multiple local artists. Zenith Downtown Gallery (1111 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC), 8:00 a.m. — 7:00 p.m.

Presidents Day Closures

Most City programs and services are closed for President's Day. City Hall and Mary Riley Styles Public Library are closed. Falls Church Community Center is open 8:00 a.m. — 10:00 p.m. Falls Church (city-wide), all day.

ILLUMINATED CREATURES ON DISPLAY at NOVA Wild, Reston's new Zoo. Enjoy an 800,000 LED light show after dark or their drive-through Safari Experience during the day. (Courtesy Photo)

EVENTS, MUSIC, SPORTS, THEATRE & ART

(Scavenger) "Hunt for Washington"

Uncover clues about Alexandria and George Washington. Explore places in Old Town Alexandria associated with the General. Start by printing a clue sheet from washingtonbirthday.com at home, then traverse the heart of Old Town using your sleuthing skills to find answers to the clues. Old Town Alexandria (Various Locations, Alexandria, VA), all day.

Washington's Birthday Celebration

Special activities honor and celebrate George Washington's 291st birthday. Visitors get free admission to Mount Vernon on February 20 and 22, Presidents Day and Washington's actual birthday. Tickets are limited and are first come first served. Activities include demonstrations, character performances, and birthday cake.

Mount Vernon (3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy., Mount Vernon, VA), 9:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m.

The Lion King Community Day Celebration

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of The Lion King on Broadway. Festivities include show-themed workshops led by Disney Theatrical Teaching Artists (separate passes available upon registration) and other activities for the whole family. A celebration of black joy! Register at bit.ly/fcnp0223lk. National Museum of African American History and Culture (1400 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC), 10:15 a.m. — 5:30 p.m.

George Washington Birthday Parade

The nation’s largest George Washington birthday parade marches a one-mile route through Old Town. Featuring drum corps, color guards, bands, organizations, and of course George and Martha Washington. Old Town Alexandria (King St., Alexandria, VA), 1:00 p.m.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21

Launching The Future

Space exploration has inspired artists since its very beginning. The exhibition features 16 works by artists including Andy Warhol, Kehinde Wiley, Nam June Paik, William Wegman, Annie Leibovitz, Dan Namingha, and Robert Rauschenberg. Included are two of Warhol’s iconic Moonwalk prints depicting Buzz Aldrin on the lunar surface. National Academy of Sciences, West Gallery (2101 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC), 9:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m.

Chamber Networking Luncheon

Monthly networking opportunity over lunch. Join Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce members, community members, business owners, and civic leaders for an informative presentation and delicious meal. Register at bit.ly/fcnp0223fcc.

Italian Café (7161 Lee Hwy., Falls Church), 11:30 a.m. — 1:15 p.m.

Outdoor Dining Community Meeting

The City will be hosting a virtual community meeting about the future of outdoor dining after the end of the emergency declaration, and encourage community members to join to learn more and provide feedback on a proposed zoning ordinance amendment and new permit application process for outdoor dining uses. Virtual meeting (register at bit.ly/FCNP0223od), 2:00 p.m.

Government Operations Committee Meeting

City Council Government Operations Committee meeting. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Oak Room, Falls Church), 3:00 p.m. — 4:00 p.m.

Fatma Turgut & Demir Demirkan

Fatma Turgut and Demir Demirkan perform. Jammin' Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna, VA), 7:30 p.m.

Mardi Gras Mixer

A festive evening of light networking and celebrating Mardi Gras on Fat Tuesday. Live music and King Cake. Café Kindred (405 N. Washington St., Falls Church), 5:30 p.m. — 7:00 p.m.

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 22

Ask The Council Session

The public is welcome to attend this session to meet with City Coun-

cil members and ask questions in an informal setting. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Oak Room, Falls Church), 9:00 a.m. — 10:00 a.m.

Operation EarthWatch

February meetup. Students in grades K-5 and their caregivers are invited to work on this month's activities. Pre-register at bit.ly/ fcnp02ew. Mary Riley Styles Public Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church), 4:00 p.m.

School Board "Office Hours"

FCCPS School Board Chair Laura Downs and Vice-Chair Tate Gould invite parents, students, teachers, staff, and community members to ask questions and offer feedback in a casual environment. Community members who prefer to have a private exchange with the School Board can locate members' email addresses on the FCCPS website.

Sfizi Cafe (800 W. Broad St., Falls Church), 6:00 p.m. — 8:00 p.m.

Human Services Advisory Council Meeting

This meeting was rescheduled from 2/16. Falls Church Human Services

Advisory Council meeting. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Laurel Room, Falls Church), 6:30 p.m. — 7:30 p.m.

GMU Womens Basketball vs. St. Joseph's

GMU Womens Basketball takes on St. Joseph's University. EagleBank Arena (4500 Patriot Cir., Fairfax, VA), 7:00 p.m.

Teens and Substance Abuse Panel

Families and community members are invited to join the Northern Virginia Family Network for a virtual panel presenting the latest information about how schools are addressing youth substance abuse. School division leaders from local school divisions will share current challenges, how they are addressing them and how families can get help. Virtual Panel (Register at bit.ly/FCNP0223dg), 7:00 p.m.

Breakdown & Afterburner Horns

Breakdown, Afterburner Horns perform. JV's Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church), 8:00 p.m.

AMERICANSAGABY HUBERT JACKSON, on display as part of Zenith Gallery's Black Like Me exhibit.

(courtesy photo: AmericanSagaby Hubert Jackson)

SPACE EXPLORATION AND MORE are depicted in art at NASA's Launching the Future exhibit.

(Courtesy Photo: Moonwalkby Andy Warhol)

National

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We are pledged to the 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.

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF PETITION FOR REINSTATEMENT AND REVISION OF A RATE ADJUSTMENT CLAUSE, DESIGNATED RIDER RGGI, BY VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY

D/B/A DOMINION

ENERGY VIRGINIA CASE NO. PUR-2022-00070

•Virginia Electric and Power Company d/b/a Dominion Energy Virginia (“Dominion”) has applied for approval to reinstate and revise its rate adjustment clause, Rider RGGI, for recovery of projected and actual costs related to the purchase of allowances through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (“RGGI”) market-based trading program for carbon dioxide emissions.

•Dominion requests approval of a revenue requirement of $373,214,000. According to Dominion, this amount would increase a typical residential customer’s monthly bill using 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per month by approximately $4.64.

•A Hearing Examiner appointed by the State Corporation Commission will hold a telephonic hearing in this case on May 1, 2023, at 10 a.m., for the receipt of public witness testimony.

•An evidentiary hearing will be held on May 4, 2023, at 10 a.m., in the Commission’s second floor courtroom located in the Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

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

On May 5, 2022, Virginia Electric and Power Company (“Dominion” or the “Company”) petitioned the State Corporation Commission (“Commission”) to suspend, effective July 1, 2022, its rate adjustment clause (“RAC” or “Rider”), designated Rider RGGI, that was approved in Case No. PUR-2020-00169 (“Suspension Petition”). The Rider recovers the Company’s costs related to the purchase of allowances through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (“RGGI”) market-based trading program for carbon dioxide emissions. In Case No. PUR-2020-00169, the Commission approved projected allowance costs of $167,759,000 for the period ending July 31, 2022, subject to true-up for the actual costs subsequently approved by the Commission for that period.

On June 15, 2022, the Commission granted the Company’s Suspension Petition, ordering that Rider RGGI be suspended, and the Rider RGGI Projected Cost Recovery Factor be reset to $0.00/kilowatt-hour (“kWh”), effective July 1, 2022. The Commission further directed that Dominion recover pre-July 31, 2022 RGGI costs through both Rider RGGI and base rates (subject to further review in a future Rider RGGI actual cost true-up proceeding, and in the Company’s 2024 triennial review proceeding).

On December 14, 2022, the Company filed a Petition, seeking Commission approval to reinstate and revise Rider RGGI (“Petition”). According to the Petition, the Company seeks to account for allowance costs incurred and recovered through Rider RGGI prior to the Rider’s July 1, 2022 suspension. Additionally, the Company seeks to reinstate Rider RGGI to recover deferred RGGI compliance costs incurred after July 31, 2022, and those projected to occur over the period of September 1, 2023 through August 31, 2024 (the “Rate Year”). For purposes of this proceeding, the Company states that it has assumed that Virginia will withdraw from RGGI on December 31, 2023, and accordingly has not projected any RGGI-related compliance costs to be incurred after that date.

Code § 56-585.1 A 5 e permits a utility to seek approval of a rate adjustment clause for recovery of: projected and actual costs of projects that the Commission finds to be necessary ... to comply with state or federal environmental laws or regulations applicable to generation facilities used to serve the utility’s native load obligations, including the costs of allowances purchased through a market-based trading program for carbon dioxide emissions. The Commission shall approve such a petition if it finds that such costs are necessary to comply with such environmental laws or regulations.

In its Petition, Dominion states that for the period August 1, 2022 through December 31, 2023, it will require approximately 31,000,000 carbon dioxide (“CO2”) allowances to cover CO2 emissions from its Virginia-based generation fleet, with approximately 7,000,000 CO2 allowances for the Rate Year. The Company states that it intends to follow a programmatic approach by purchasing most of its required allowances in the RGGI quarterly auction, using the secondary market to fulfill any deficiencies. The Company states that it assumed a weighted average price of $13.52 per allowance, based on futures contracts for 2022 and 2023.

The Company states that its aggregate Virginia jurisdictional revenue requirement for RGGI-related costs from the time Virginia joined RGGI in 2021 through December 31, 2023 is expected to be approximately $640 million. For the period prior to August 1, 2022, the total revenue requirement was $267 million on a Virginia jurisdictional basis. The Company states that it recovered $84 million of the $267 million through the initial Rider RGGI in effect from January 1, 2022 through June 30, 2022, and that the remaining amount of $183 million is being recovered through base rates in effect as incurred. For the period from August 1, 2022 through December 31, 2023, the Company projects a revenue requirement of approximately $373 million on a Virginia jurisdictional basis, which the Company is proposing to recover during the Rate Year through the reinstated Rider RGGI.

The revenue requirement for Rider RGGI includes a Projected Cost Recovery Factor (“Projected Factor”). According to the Petition, the Projected Factor reflects the revenue requirement necessary for recovery of amortization expense for CO2 allowances as well as projected financing costs on the unamortized purchased CO2 allowance balance. Additionally, the Company states that the Projected Factor includes the amortization of deferred costs, including financing costs, incurred prior to the Rate Year. The Company states that no Actual Cost True-Up Factor is included in this proceeding because all differences between costs incurred and amounts recovered through Rider RGGI through July 31, 2022, will be recovered through base rates. In this proceeding, the Company seeks approval of a total revenue requirement of $373,214,000 for the Rate Year.

If the proposed Rider RGGI 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 RGGI on September 1, 2023, would increase the bill of a residential customer using 1,000 kWh per month by approximately $4.64. Interested persons are encouraged to review the Petition and supporting documents for the details of these and other proposals.

TAKE NOTICE that the Commission may apportion revenues among customer classes and/or design rates in a manner differing from that shown in the Petition and supporting documents and thus may adopt rates that differ from those appearing in the Company’s Petition and supporting documents.

The Commission entered an Order for Notice and Hearing in this proceeding that, among other things, scheduled public hearings on Dominion’s Petition. On May 1, 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 April 26, 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 by calling (804) 371-9141. This public witness hearing will be webcast at scc.virginia.gov/pages/Webcasting

On May 4, 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 Petition from the Company, any respondents, and the Commission’s Staff.

To promote administrative efficiency and timely service of filings upon participants, the Commission has directed the electronic filing of testimony and pleadings, unless they contain confidential information, and require electronic service on parties to this proceeding.

An electronic copy of the Company’s Petition may be obtained by submitting a written request to counsel for the Company, Elaine S. Ryan, Esquire, McGuireWoods LLP, Gateway Plaza, 800 East Canal Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, or eryan@mcguirewoods.com

On or before March 7, 2023, any person or entity wishing to participate as a respondent in this proceeding may do so by filing a notice of participation 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 State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2118. Such notice of participation shall include the email addresses of such parties or their counsel, if available. The respondent simultaneously shall serve a copy of the notice of participation on counsel to the Company. Pursuant to 5 VAC 5-20-80 B, Participation as a respondent, of the 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 5-20-30, Counsel, of the Rules of Practice. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-2022-00070. For additional information about participation as a respondent, any person or entity should obtain a copy of the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing.

On or before March 21, 2023, each respondent may file with the Clerk of the Commission, at scc.virginia.gov/clk/efiling, any testimony and exhibits by which the respondent expects to establish its case. 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. Each witness’s testimony shall include a summary not to exceed one page. All testimony and exhibits shall be served on the Staff, the Company, and all other respondents simultaneous with its filing. In all filings, respondents shall comply with the Rules of Practice, as modified herein, including, but not limited to: 5 VAC 5-20140, Filing and service, and 5 VAC 5-20-240, Prepared testimony and exhibits. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-2022-00070.

On or before April 26, 2023, any interested person may submit comments on the Petition by following the instructions found 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 with the Clerk of the Commission at the address listed above. All such comments shall refer to Case No. PUR-2022-00070.

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 Rules of Practice.

The Company’s Petition, the Commission’s Rules of Practice, the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing, and other documents filed in the case may be viewed at: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Information

VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY

BACK IN THE DAY

25 & 10 Years Ago in the News-Press

Falls Church News-Press

Vol. VII, No. 48 • February 12, 1998

City Hall Reeling from Resignation of Chief Finance Officer Scott

The News-Press has learned that “philosophical differences” with City Manager Hector Rivera over the handling of city staff led to a decision to resign last Saturday.

C ritter C orner

Falls Church News-Press

Vol. XXII, No. 51 • February 14, 2013

27th Annual ‘Wammies’ Brings Greater D.C. Region’s Music Devotees to F.C. Falls Church’s venerable State Theatre will once again this year be the host venue for the annual Washington Area Music Association’s awards fete known as the “Wammies.”

Local Girls Flag Football Team Wins National Title

by Ryan McCafferty

The Virginia Hurricanes, a youth sports organization based out of Arlington, Virginia, earned some major attention this past week when its 10-andunder girls’ flag football team won the national championship during the NFL Pro Bowl festivities in Las Vegas. The Hurricanes were represented by the NFL’s New York Jets after winning the New Jersey regional title last June, and were treated to a meet-and-greet with several members of the team during their stay in Vegas.

It’s the fifth total national title for the Hurricanes among all age groups, and the second consecutive for the 10-andunder club – however, most of the girls on this year’s team weren’t on last year’s, making the feat even more impressive. The Hurricanes actually sent two squads to Las Vegas, and in a twist of events had to play against each other during the second round of the tournament,

following a first round bye for the eventual champions.

The Hurricanes then defeated units from Tampa Bay and New England en route to winning the tournament Finals by a final score of 20-13. They trailed on two separate occasions during the championship game, but fought back and emerged victorious as the top seeded team in the bracket.

“They showed great resilience,” head coach Mike Rivera stated via a phone interview on Monday. “They didn’t give up or panic when they were down, they made very few mistakes.”

Flag football is one of the fastest-growing youth sports in America, particularly for girls, as Rivera made note of, claiming that the scene has “exploded” over the past few years. However, unlike many of their opponents whose focus is flag football and only flag football, these girls consider their latest accomplishment just the icing on the cake. Many of them also play sports such as soccer and

basketball at a highly competitive level, with several having already built chemistry with each other from playing together on different teams.

“It was a wonderful opportunity for them to play at the highest level,” said Chris Pryor, a Falls Church resident whose daughter Emma was part of the championship squad. “But they’re accustomed to winning.”

“The commitment these girls have, they just find time to make it all work,” Rivera added. “Just a great group of kids.”

Safe to say, the greater D.C. area is ripe with young athletic talent. Right down the street, Falls Church’s own Meridian High School has sent its girls’ basketball squad to the State Finals in consecutive years, and looks to once again be one of the top programs in the district this season. The Hurricanes’ success is just another example of our region’s bright future, and above all else, the experience for the young girls was one they’re sure to never forget.

SIX MONTH OLD FRENCH POODLE COSETTE takes on a fire hydrant in Bar Harbor Maine. Cosette visits shut ins and assisted living facilities in Falls Church.

Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! Send in your Critter Corner submissions to crittercorner@fcnp.com.

Faces of Falls Church

In the City’s response efforts to the pandemic, many heroes within the community used their strengths to ensure the Little City remained safe and resilient, including Emergency Manager Joe Carter. Carter was most recently named the 2020 City Employee of the Year by the City of Falls Church, which was paused for two years due to the pandemic. On being given this honor, Carter stated, “I’m truly honored and humbled to be named employee of the year by my peers for 2020, and extremely blessed to be part of such a remarkable community.” The other City Employee of the Year, Veronica Prince will be featured next week. ( Photo: Joe Carter)

THE VIRGINIA HURRICANES, a 10-and-under girls’ flag football team based out of Arlington, Virginia, earned some major attention this past week when it won the national title. (Courtesy: Chris Pryor)

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF AN APPLICATION BY VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY FOR APPROVAL OF ITS 2022 DSM UPDATE PURSUANT TO § 56-585.1 A 5 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA CASE NO PUR-2022-00210

• Virginia Electric and Power Company (“Dominion”) has applied for approval to: implement new demand-side management (“DSM”) programs, which includes new programs to supplement the overall DSM Portfolio, new Program Bundles, as well as associated requests for additional funding; to expand the eligibility for a previously-approved DSM program; and to revise its Riders C1A, C2A, C3A, and C4A, by which Dominion recovers the costs of its DSM programs.

• Dominion requests a total of $107,442,503 for its 2023 Riders C1A, C2A, C3A and C4A. According to Dominion, this amount would increase the bill of a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month by $0.24.

• A Hearing Examiner appointed by the Commission will hold a telephonic hearing in this case on May 16, 2023, at 10 a.m., for the receipt of public witness testimony

• An evidentiary hearing will be held on May 17, 2023, at 10 a.m., in the Commission’s second floor courtroom located in the Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

• Further infor mation about this case is available on the Commission’s website at: scc.virginia.gov/pages/CaseInfor mation

On December 13, 2022, Virginia Electric and Power Company (“Dominion” or “Company”) made a filing pursuant to § 56-585.1 A 5 of the Code of Virginia (“Code”), the Rules Governing Utility Rate Applications and Annual Infor mational Filings of InvestorOwned Electric Utilities of the State Corporation Commission (“Commission”), the Commission s Rules Governing Utility Promotional Allowances the Commission s Rules Governing Cost/Benefit Measures Required for Demand-Side Management Programs the Commission s Rules Governing the Evaluation, Measurement, and Verification of the Effects of Utility-Sponsored Demand-Side Management Programs, and the directive contained in Ordering Paragraph (4) of the Commission s August 10, 2022 Final Order in Case No PUR-2021-00247 (“2021 DSM Order”). Specifically, Dominion filed with the Commission an application requesting: (1) approval to implement new demand-side management programs (individually, “DSM Program” or “program” and collectively with other DSM Programs, the “DSM Portfolio”), which includes new DSM Programs to supplement the overall DSM Portfolio new DSM Program Bundles (“Program Bundles”), as well as associated requests for additional funding; and (2) approval of an annual update to continue the rate adjustment clauses designated Riders C1A, C2A, C3A, and C4A (collectively the “Application”). In its Application, the Company requests approval to implement the following new DSM Programs as the Company’s “Phase XI” programs which include “energy efficiency” (“EE”) and “demand response” (“DR”) DSM Programs as these ter ms are defined by Code § 56-576:

• Residential Customer Engagement (EE)

• Residential Energy Efficient Products Marketplace (EE)

• Residential Peak Time Rebate (DR)

• Non-residential Custom (EE)

• Residential Electric Vehicle Telematics (Pilot) The Company also seeks approval of the following four new Program Bundles:

• Residential Income and Age Qualifying Bundle (EE) Non-residential Income and Age Qualifying Bundle (EE)

• Non-residential Prescriptive Bundle (EE)

• Residential Home Retrofit Bundle Dominion proposes an aggregate total cost cap for the Phase XI programs in the amount of approximately $149.5 million. Additionally the Company requests the ability to exceed the spending cap by no more than 15%.

The Company asserts that the total amount of spending proposed in this Application on EE programs when combined with the Company’s prior requests for EE spending since the passage of the 2018 Grid Transfor mation and Security Act (“GTSA”), consists of a proposal for approximately $713 million of the required $870 million, excluding any amount of projected lost revenues Further, the Company asserts that the total amount of spending proposed in this Application on EE programs targeting low-income individuals, when combined with the Company’s prior requests for EE spending since the passage of the GTSA and the Virginia Clean Economy Act, consists of a proposal for approximately $110 million of the proposed $713 million, excluding any amount of projected lost revenues

The Company requests, through revised Riders C1A, C2A, and C3A, recovery of projected costs for September 1, 2023 through August 31, 2024 (“2023 Rate Year”) associated with DSM Programs previously approved by the Commission in Case No PUE-2011-00093 (Phase II), Case No PUE-2013-00072 (Phase III), Case No PUE-2014-00071 (Phase IV), Case No PUE-2015-00089 (Phase V), and Case No PUE-2016-00111 (Phase VI), in addition to projected 2023 Rate Year financing costs on the Actual Cost True-up Factor deferred balances associated with the DSM Programs approved in Case No PUR-2018-00168 (Phase VII) and Case No PUR-2019-00201 (Phase VIII). Additionally the Company requests through recently approved Rider C4A, to recover the projected 2023 Rate Year costs for applicable DSM Programs in Phases VII and VIII, applicable DSM Programs approved in Case No PUR-2020-00274 (Phase IX) and Case No PUR-2021-00247 (Phase X), as well as for applicable DSM Programs in Phase XI, including the proposed Program Bundles

The two key components of the proposed Riders C1A, C2A, C3A and C4A are the projected revenue requirement, which incorporates operating expenses for all programs and capital costs (including amortization expense) related to the Phase X - Voltage Optimization Program that are projected to be incurred during the 2023 Rate Year, and a monthly true-up adjustment, which compares actual costs for the calendar year 2021 True-up period to the actual revenues collected during the same period. In the Application, Dominion requests the following:

(“ROE”) of 9.35% for the period subsequent to the date of that Final Order In addition, the Company states that the capital structure used in the calculation of the revenue requirement reflects the methodology approved by the Commission in the 2021 Triennial Review Proceeding. For the time periods prior to the Final Order in the 2021 Triennial Review Proceeding, the Company states that it is utilizing a ROE of 9.2% as approved by the Commission in Case No PUR-2019-00050.

If the proposed Riders C1A, C2A, C3A, and C4A for the 2023 Rate Year are approved, the impact on customer bills would depend on the customer’s rate schedule and usage According to the Company implementation of the proposed Riders C1A, C2A, C3A, and C4A on September 1, 2023, would increase the monthly bill of a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month by $0.24. The Company represents that it has calculated the revised Riders C1A, C2A, C3A and C4A rates in accordance with the same methodology approved in the 2021 DSM Order

Dominion also seeks to expand the eligibility of the DSM Phase IX Agricultural Program. Specifically the Company requests Commission approval to offer the DSM Phase IX Agricultural Program to its residential customers in addition to non-residential customers

Dominion states that the Company has complied with the Commission directives and filing requirements relevant to this instant filing, specifically the Commission s directives in its Final Order in the Company’s Evaluation, Measurement, and Verification (“EM&V”) proceeding, Case No PUR-2020-00156. The Company requests Commission approval of Phase XI Program EM&V Plans

Interested persons are encouraged to review the Application and supporting documents for the details of these and other proposals

TAKE NOTICE that the Commission may apportion revenues among customer classes and/or design rates in a manner differing from that shown in the Application and supporting documents and thus may adopt rates that differ from those appearing in the Company’s Application and supporting documents

The Commission entered an Order for Notice and Hearing that, among other things, scheduled public hearings on Dominion s Application. On May 16, 2023, at 10 a.m., the Hearing Examiner 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 10, 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 Hearing Examiner to call during the hearing to receive your testimony This infor mation may be provided to the Commission in three ways: (i) by filling out a for m on the Commission s website at scc.virginia.gov/pages/Webcasting; (ii) by completing and emailing the PDF version of this for m 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 17, 2022, 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 from the Company, any respondents, and Staff on the Company’s Application.

To promote administrative efficiency and timely service of filings upon participants, the Commission has directed the electronic filing of testimony and pleadings unless they contain confidential infor mation, and required electronic service on parties to this proceeding.

An electronic copy of the Company’s 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 10, 2023, any interested person may submit comments on the Application by following the instructions found 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 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-2022-00210.

On or before March 8, 2023, any person or entity wishing to participate as a respondent in this proceeding may do so by filing a notice of participation 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 The respondent simultaneously shall serve a copy of the notice of participation on counsel to the Company Pursuant to Rule 5 VAC 5-20-80 B Participation as a respondent of the Commission s Rules of Practice any notice of participation shall set forth: (i) a precise statement of the interest of the respondent; (ii) a statement of the specific action sought to the extent then known; and (iii) the factual and legal basis for the action. Any organization, corporation, or government body participating as a respondent must be represented by counsel as required by Rule 5 VAC 5-20-30, Counsel of the Rules of Practice All filings shall refer to Case No PUR-2022-00210.

On or before March 29, 2023, each respondent may file with the Clerk of the Commission, at scc.virginia.gov/clk/efiling, any testimony and exhibits by which the respondent expects to establish its case 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 Each witness’s testimony shall include a summary not to exceed one page All testimony and exhibits shall be served on Staff the Company and all other respondents simultaneous with its filing. In all filings respondents shall comply with the Commission s Rules of Practice, including 5 VAC 5-20-140, Filing and service; and 5 VAC 5-20-240, Prepared testimony and exhibits All filings shall refer to Case No PUR-2022-00210.

Any documents filed in paper for m 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 public version of the Company’s Application and other documents filed in this case, the Commission’s Rules of Practice, and the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing may be viewed at: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Infor mation VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY