February 22 – 28, 2018
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FOU N D E D 1991 • VOL. XXVIII N O. 1
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The Falls Church City School Board voted to approve the choice of the three finalists down from the initial five candidates who bid on the project to construct a new George Mason High School. SEE NEWS BRIEFS, PAGE 9
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F.C. School Board Votes to Ask 2.9% Budget Hike, Defying 2% ‘Guidance’ Smallest Increase in Decades Still Runs Afoul of Mandate
BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
Jim Snyder, the City of Falls Church’s economic development chief, told the F.C. Chamber of Commerce this week that the Target store on the ground level of the Lincoln at Tinner Hill on S. Washington Street is slated for a “soft opening” on March 6. SEE NEWS BRIEFS, PAGE 9
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If you want to stop school shootings, it’s not enough just to vent and march. It’s necessary to let people from Red America lead the way, and to show respect to gun owners at all points. SEE PAGE 14
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Landing a spot on “American Idol” is seen as once-in-a-lifetime launch pad for a music career. Lee DeWyze, “Idol” winner in 2010, shared his journey through the contest and how it shaped his path forward in the lead up to his show at Jammin’ Java tonight. SEE PAGE 17
INDEX
Editorial.................6 Letters...................6 News & Notes10–11 Comment ........ 12-14 Sports .................16
Calendar .......18–19 Classified Ads .....20 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword ..........21 Critter Corner......22
HUNDREDS GATHERED MONDAY at George Mason High School in Falls Church for a candlelight vigil to remember the victims and those affected by the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. last week. (P����: J. M������ W�����)
After Parkland Shooting, Gun Control Rally Draws 400 in F.C.
BY MATT DELANEY
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
A candlelight vigil organized by the Falls Church-McLean chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America Monday night saw hundreds of parents, students and local dignitaries turn out on short notice at George Mason High School in Falls Church to remember the 17 victims of the Parkland, Florida high school shooting last week, and to demand reasonable gun control laws. The event drew major coverage from regional TV and other media outlets.
Speakers at the event included the daughter of a victim of gun violence in Alexandria, a survivor from the Columbine shooting in Colorado in 1999, U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, Falls Church City Public Schools superintendent Peter Noonan, a representative from the Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center and members of the Moms Demand Action group. The event concluded with a candlelit vigil with participants promising not to forget the names of last week’s shooting victims and a renewed urgency for passing gun legislation that included the outlawing of assault weapons, stron-
ger background checks and greater awareness of mental health issues. Organizers from Moms Demand Action said that they’d prepared 400 candles for the event, and they were all used. The crowd spilled over from the school’s cafeteria into the adjacent outdoor area. Rep. Beyer’s comments included the following: “Change is only driven by the people who show up. And we must, must deal with the prevalence of gun violence in this country.
Continued on Page 4
The City of Falls Church School Board voted unanimously Tuesday night to support the final version of Superintendent Peter Noonan’s proposed budget request for the coming fiscal year that calls for a 2.9-percent increase over the current year’s budget. While the 2.9 percent represents the smallest growth in the School Board’s request in over a decade, it is still ahead of the strict 2.0 percent “guidance” it was provided with by the F.C. City Council in December, and sets up what could become a heated debate as the City’s budget process moves forward toward a final adoption in late April. “This is a responsible and responsive budget,” Noonan told the School Board Tuesday, with full appreciation for the special financial challenges of building a new high school. “This budget seeks only one third of what we really need. Apart from a 3 percent COLA (cost of living adjustment) for teachers, it adds only $116,000 to address all the needs we have. The City will offer a 3 percent COLA to its employees, so this is seeking fairness and equity.” School financial officer Kristen Michael added that operating within the 2 percent guidance would lop off $350,236, eliminating four teaching positions, International Baccalaureate coordinators at Mt. Daniel and Thomas Jefferson Elementary, and psychologist, counseling and special education positions. Board Vice Chair Phil Reitinger complained that the proposed budget, as voted on, cuts too much as
Continued on Page 5
PAGE 2 | FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018
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PAGE 4 | FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
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A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL organized by the Falls Church-McLean chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America Monday night saw hundreds of parents, students and local dignitaries turn out in memoriam for the 17 victims of the Parkland, Fla. shooting last week. (P����: J. M������ W�����)
Vigil Urges Solidarity & Desire for Policy Change Continued from Page 1
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“Let me give you some statistics. In 2016, more than 39,000 Americans were killed by guns: 96 Americans a day, 7 of them children. Every month, 50 women are killed by their husbands or their boyfriends. And last year, more than 23,000 Americans took their own life with a gun. “Do the math. Each one of us is expected to live at least 80 years, right? That means three million Americans will die by gun in our lifetimes. That’s five times all the combat deaths in every U.S. war put together. That’s more than the population of 19 different states. “Yet, we know what do. We keep hearing this is an impossible, unsolvable problem. I lived in Switzerland for four years. The rest of the world has this figured out, Germany, UK, France, Switzerland, etc. “Thoughts and prayers are meaningless. The passive acceptance of gun death is wrong, it is sinful, and it is express complicity in these senseless deaths. “The people in charge think they can just wait this out and not have to do anything. When the NRA talks about guns, they talk about freedom. Well, let’s push back. What about the freedom to go to school without having to worry? When the NRA talks about guns, they talk about the sacred Second Amendment. Well, I thought one of the parents in Parkland put it best. He
said, ‘What makes the Second Amendment more sacred than the life of my child?’” Among the comments reported from students of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in recent days included the following: “If all our government and president can do is send thoughts and prayers, then it’s time for victims to be the change we need to be (Emma Gonzales);” “We’ve sat around too long being inactive in our political climate, and as a result, children have died (David Hogg);” “We’re what’s making the change. We’re going to talk to these politicians tomorrow. We’re going to talk to them the day after that. We’re going to keep talking, we’re going to keep pushing until something is done because people are dying and this can’t happen anymore (Alfonzo Calderon);” “This has to be the last school this happens to (Jaclyn Corin);” “This could have all been prevented if people were doing their jobs. And the fact that us children have to start acting like the adults and start doing the jobs of the adults, it’s really sad that we have to take action when these people have studied all their life to do a job that they’re not doing (Melissa Camilo);” “The one fear we have is that nothing will change (Anthony Lopez);” “We have stuff to say, and we won’t be silenced after a matter of days, or even weeks (Sarah Chadwick).”
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
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FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 | PAGE 5
Council Mulls Final Edits to RFP for West End Development Plan by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
In another step to enhance the public transparency of the City of Falls Church and the City Schools’ efforts to build a new high school and commercially develop 10 acres of land at the west end of the City, another public town hall will be held this Sunday at the Community Center at 2 p.m. An update will be provided and questions and comments will be entertained. At this Tuesday’s F.C. City Council work session, another wide-open conversation about the content of the City’s “request for conceptual proposals” (RFP) due to go out to the commercial development community was held to hone the 22-page document prior to its official release on March 1. As the document is modified by Council suggestions, one new feature unveiled this week was a short “executive summary” at its opening which states, in part, that the City “is seeking a development partner for a premier 10.38 acre site adjacent to the West Falls Church Metrorail Station, I-66 and
Leesburg Pike/Route 7. The site is envisioned as a vibrant mixeduse development that incorporates compelling commercial components, delivers significant economic value, and creates an exciting sense of place.” The biggest issue Tuesday was the extent to which the RFP might be “too prescriptive” in its parameters, that it might deter a maximum participation from prospective developers. A minor dust-up occured when Council members David Snyder and Dan Sze squared off briefly after Snyder remarked that “we need to earn a lot of money from this site, we need to encourage more height, a higher FAR [“floor to area ratio” –ed.], to generate a huge financial contribution from this site, and thus the RFP “should not be loaded up too much” in the way of demands such that it may “inadvertently drive off” prospects. Sze challenged the concept, noting that environmental sustainability goals contained in the RFP raise the bar for developers who will be eager to meet such higher standards. Council member Letty Hardi
chimed in, “We all want to maximize the value of this site, but we also want to keep it clean and elegant.” As a substitute for “elegant,” Sze musingly suggested the word, “lyrical.” Mayor David Tarter warned, “We should not be too prescriptive at first.” He also suggested that a hotel should be put at the top of the list of desired possible uses of the site, since one would by far generate the highest net revenue to the City. Councilman Ross Litkenhous said he’d like to have the word “trophy” included and underscored the value of sustainability and resiliency components, and “would be happy to see it rise to a LEED Gold standard.” Many on the Council were present for a expert panel presentation hosted by the City’s Environmental Sustainability Council last week where the value of features like open space, flexibility and affordable housing were shared. A meeting of the Campus Coordinating Committee will be held this Friday at 7:30 a.m. to digest the latest proposed edits to the RFP.
School Board Agrees to 2.9% Budget Increase Request Continued from Page 1
it is. “We need additional counseling and psychology resources,” he said, ‘because our schools, as excellent as they are, are high-stress environments.” To hold the proposed increase to 2.9 percent, Noonan said, “has required some hard trade offs. I wanted a step salary and COLA increase. The addition of counselor and social worker positions are needed to retain what makes our school system special, our personal touch and that we feel like a family. In opening comments, Noonan said the goals of the system are to be “the best K-12 IB program in America and to use the impact of the IB program to positively address the needs of all stu-
dents,” mediated through an “Approaches to Learning” program that will be fully functional through all the City’s five schools by this June. The budget adopted Tuesday night is for $51,039,858 that includes a request for a transfer from the City of $42,211,546. By law City Manager Wyatt Shields is required to include the School Board’s full budget request in his recommended budget for FY19 that he will present to the City Council on March 12, beginning a deliberative process that is slated to conclude with the adoption of an overall budget, including the Schools, in late April. It will include the new real estate tax rate required to balance that budget.
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PAGE 6 | FEBRUARY 22 –28, 2018
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E D I TO R I A L
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Ban Assault Weapons, Nothing Less
The spontaneous surge of anger and resolve expressed by students of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, survivors of the killing spree by a lone gunman that took the lives of 17 of their classmates on Feb. 14 last week, has spilled over the nation like a wildfire. These young students went through the trauma of that incident up close and personal, many certain they would lose their own lives, huddled in some cases for hours in close proximity to their friends who were dead and mutilated by the effects of a military assault rifle. As such, they’re not afraid of anyone, much less the NRA, the evil courier of violent death presiding over a nation of despicable cowards under their influence. Their angry candor, many times spoken with an uncommon eloquence, has put to shame the politicians who have the blood money of the NRA spilling out of their back pockets while they attempt their usual dissembling, evading and double talking to do anything but cross their NRA masters. Now, while many of them are reeling and looking for ways to ameliorate this rage with talk of reforms – all, incredibly enough, stopping far short of even banning assault rifles – including the President, the NRA and Trump machine’s cultural arm is hurling brutal verbal attacks against these students. When Donald Trump Junior “likes” on Twitter the filthy accusations of some far-right bottom feeders accusing the students of being paid actors, you are seeing the seamless coordination of this disgusting and immoral machine from top to bottom. The pro-gun GOP in particular is fumbling into fomenting a political backlash the likes of which hasn’t been seen since at least the wake of Watergate, and maybe far more, still. Its attempt at containing the political tsunami that is burgeoning out of anyone’s control have been laughable. It is in times like these that the most severe victims of the assaults of the last years, sparked into a level of retaliatory anger that is not grounded in a football game loss, but in an acute existential violation of personhoods, rise up and do not seek, but demand, justice and retribution. Thus it is in the purview of the violated and oppressed women and children of this nation to define our political future now. It is almost sickening to watch grieving students and parents appealing to their oppressors for change in situations like this, to thank them for “listening.” It is only when these victims are speaking over the top of these tone-deaf politicians to the general public, in the form of calls to action, that their words resonate. No, Trump is never going to satisfy the raw emotions being felt across the nation right now. He’s the problem, not the solution. Nothing short of a total ban on assault weapons in the hands of the public can serve as a starting point for meaningful progress on this issue. Nothing less.
L������
Support Healthy Climate & Family Security Act
Editor, At a time when millions of Americans are still trying to piece back their lives after the global warming-fueled destruction of hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, not to mention wildfires and an unimaginably horrific mudslide in California, it is refreshing to see a constructive proposal emerge in Congress to reign in runaway climate change. The Healthy Climate and
Family Security Act was introduced last month by Northern Virginia’s Don Beyer in the House and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland in the Senate. It would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2020, 40 percent by 2030 and 80 percent by 2050. Emissions would be capped at those levels, and fossil fuel producers and importers would be required to purchase pollution permits at auction, with the pro-
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ceeds distributed to households as a quarterly dividend. Such an approach allows the market to steer the economy’s transition to low-carbon fuels without picking winners or losers or relying on regulation to dictate how our energy is produced. The dividend would help protect low-income Americans from the effects of higher energy prices, while a border adjustment would ensure that U.S. companies aren’t put at a disadvantage. It’s the type of common-sense policy that both progressives and conservatives should be able to get behind. Sarah Karush Falls Church
Ban the Sale of Assault Weapons In America Editor, Make America safer again. Ban the sale of assault weapons. Richard McCall Falls Church
[ LETTERS ] Email: letters@fcnp.com Mail: Letters to the Editor, c/o Falls Church News-Press, 200 Little Falls Street #508, Falls Church, VA 22046
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CO MME NT
FEBRUARY 22 – 28, 2018 | PAGE 7
G � � � � C � � � � � �� �� F.C. Small Businesses Are Integral to Our Community B� L��� D’A�������-I����
What is so hot it’s cool? Falls Church of course…and the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce’s Fire & Ice Awards Gala is the hottest ticket in town! When people think of Falls Church, three things typically come to mind: the impressive award winning school system; the responsive, approachable government; and the small, independently owned and operated businesses. As chair of the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce, my area of expertise is local business, and I would like to remind you that our amazing small businesses contribute thousands of hours and tens of thousands of dollars each year supporting our schools and local nonprofits. The Falls Church business community contributes directly to these local priorities while also supporting them through their property, business license, and other taxes. On Saturday, March 10, business leaders, elected officials, local decision makers, and members of the Falls Church community will gather at the Fairview Park Marriott for the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce’s Fire & Ice Awards Gala. The Gala is an annual event dedicated to honoring area businesses and the people who go above and beyond to help make Falls Church the special place that so many of us know and love. This is our opportunity to thank them for their efforts to support our community, and
I encourage everyone who supports business in Falls Church to join us in doing so. This year’s award recipients are integral members of our community. They are activists and leaders who strive to make life in Falls Church and our region a better place
“Our amazing small businesses contribute thousands of hours and tens of thousands of dollars each year supporting our schools and local nonpro�its.” to live, work, play, create, learn, and do business. The Chamber’s Awards and this year’s recipients are as follows: The Hap Day Chamber Appreciation Award is provided to a member of the business community who has helped support and build the Chamber and the local business community. This year’s honor will go to Julie Kelly and the team at the Hilton Garden Inn for their efforts to encourage tourism, promote local businesses, support
the schools, and work with World War II Honor Flights, as well as their ongoing support of the Chamber and its events. The James S. Elkin Award for Humanitarianism is granted to honor outstanding humanitarian efforts. This year’s award will go to The Falls Church Episcopal Church for their work supporting refugees, addressing racial disparities, and trying to make restitution for the enslaved people who built their church. The Carroll V. Shreve Award is presented for meritorious community service. This year the award will be presented to former Chamber chair Joe Wetzel of The Young Group in recognition of his work with Falls Church Arts, the McLean Project for the Arts, and helping small independent businesses find a home in Falls Church. And finally, the Chamber’s most coveted recognition, the Pillar of the Community Award, recognized Chamber members dedicated to family, community, business or profession who have made distinctive contributions to the enrichment of life in Falls Church. This year’s high honor goes to another former Chamber chair, Gary LaPorta. LaPorta, who owned and operated Miniatures from the Attic and who now works in the Falls Church Commissioner of the Revenue’s office, will be honored for his work supporting not only the Chamber and local businesses, but also Falls Church City’s Public Schools, Creative Cauldron,
Citizens for a Better City, to name a few. In addition to recognizing honorees, the Chamber Gala is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to socialize with the 200 business leaders, elected officials, and local decision makers while also enjoying a reception and silent auction, dinner, a live auction thanks to Quinn’s Auction Galleries’ David Quinn, and, courtesy of ROCK STAR Realtor Tori McKinney’s Entertainment Sponsorship, dancing the night away to the ever popular Sudden M Pac. The mission of the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce is to promote local business interests in order to foster economic prosperity and civic well-being in the greater Falls Church area. The Chamber’s award winners, both past and present, are the driving force behind this mission and the Chamber’s efforts to support better business for a better Falls Church. We invite everyone who has benefitted from the good works of this year’s award winners to join us as we thank them for their efforts and recognize them for their part in making Falls Church a hot place to do business and a really cool place to live, work, play, create, learn, and do business. For more information about the Chamber or to register to attend the Gala, visit www.FallsChurchChamber.org. Lisa D’Ambrosio-Irons is chair of the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce and senior vice president/business development manager at John Marshall Bank.
Q������� �� ��� W��� Do you think added transparency will improve Falls Church’s West End project? • Yes
• No
• Not sure
Last Week’s Question:
Do you think the new Falls Church real estate assessments represent “fair market values”?
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Email: letters@fcnp.com | Mail: Letters to the Editor, Falls Church News-Press, 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church 22046 | Fax: 703.340.0347
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PAGE 8 | FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
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THE YEAR OF THE DOG is officially upon us as Eden Center patrons celebrated flipping the Vietnamese New Year calendar this past weekend with a variety of festivities. The main event, the lion dances, that took place multiple times throughout the weekend attracted dozens of onlookers who awed at the choreography of the routine. Lions are seen as auspicious in Asian culture and the dances are performed in order to ensure the new year starts off with good fortune for its celebrants. (P�����: J. M������ W�����)
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FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 | PAGE 9
NEWS BRIEFS F.C. Schools Name 3 Finalists for H.S. Construction The Falls Church City School Board voted to approve the choice of the three finalists down from the initial five candidates who bid on the project to construct a new George Mason High School. Making the cut were the team of Clark Construction and Moseley Architects, the team of Davis/Smoot and Perkins Eastman, and the team of Gilbane/Stanley with Quinn Evans. The three were chosen by a Down-Select Committee of City Manager Wyatt Shields, Councilman Dan Sze, Planning Commission chair Russ Wodiska, School Board members Justin Castillo and Erin Gill, and School legal counsel Patricia Minson. with help from the City’s procurement officer Jim Wise and the Schools’ consultant Robert Jones. The three finalists will be given a “request for proposal” from the Schools on Friday, the new “request for proposal” having been thoroughly vetted and tweaked in public sessions of the School Board including Tuesday night. They will have until June to make their submissions and the “winning” team will be announced in July.
Panel Mulls Sustainability, Resiliency Issues The Falls Church Environmental Sustainability Council hosted a high-powered panel last Thursday night at the Henderson Middle School Library to offer thoughts and suggestions on a “resilient, sustainable” West End Economic Development Project” in Falls Church. Cory Weiss, chair of the council, moderated the panel that included Jay Wilson of the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment, Jon Penndorf of Perkins and Will, Mark Bryan of the U.S Green Building Council, Chris Brown of the Federal Realty Investment Trust, Victoria Davis of the Urban Atlantic Development, Mark Bailey of WGL Energy and Michael Stevens of the Capitol Riverfront BID. Over 60 attended the meeting, and members of the council used the panel to make suggestions for modifications in the City’s request for proposals to developers that will be sent out to developers on March 1.
Police Seek Public’s Help After 3 Vehicles Stolen Last Week City of Falls Church Police seek the public’s help in finding the person or persons responsible for stealing three vehicles and breaking into a fourth vehicle this week. Sometime between 6 p.m. on Feb. 13 and 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 14, two vehicles were stolen: a 2001 gold Toyota Camry and a 2010 red Honda Accord. Both vehicles were unlocked. In the same time frame, items were stolen from a third vehicle, including a jacket and cash. It is unknown if that vehicle was locked; however, there was no damage to the car. All vehicles were located in the center of town on W. Columbia St. and Little Falls St. Sometime between 10 p.m. on Feb. 15 and 6:30 a.m. on Feb. 16, a 2012 white Ford pickup truck was stolen from N. Oak St. with about $50,000 worth of construction equipment inside. There are two bumper stickers on the vehicle that read “Falls Church Youth Lacrosse” and “Maryland Fishing.” The bumper also has a rusted dent. The vehicle was left unlocked with the keys inside. City of Falls Church appreciate any information on these incidents or location of vehicles. Please call 703-248-5053 if you have information. Police also remind residents and their guests to lock their vehicles and homes and keep valuables out of sight.)
Target ‘Soft Open’ March 6, F.C. Econ Chief Says Jim Snyder, the City of Falls Church’s economic development chief, told a luncheon of the F.C. Chamber of Commerce this week that the Target department store on the ground level of the Lincoln at Tinner Hill project on S. Washington Street is slated for a “soft opening” on March 6. He said work on an intermodal transit center nearby on S. Washington is now underway with $7 million in federal money and that state money is being sought for the Haycock at W. Broad intersection. Snyder was present at the monthly luncheon with the new project manager for the West End Economic Development Project Lee Goldstein.
Del. Simon Wants Northam to ‘Send Down a Gun Control Bill’ At a town hall forum at the Falls Church Community Center Saturday, Virginia State Del. Marcus Simon said he would like Virginia Governor Ralph Northam to exercise his power to introduce a new gun control bill into the State Legislature in the wake of the Florida high school murders last week. Simon told the audience of 50 that the governor has the prerogative to do such a thing, and it would force the legislators to take a public stand. He said that something even very mild, like denying assault rifles to 19-year-olds, would help make it clear to citizens just how locked in Republicans in the legislature are to their pro-gun positions. Simon’s town hall was one of many held around the state by state lawmakers with the legislature at the “crossover point” in its annual session, when all bills that have passed one body (the Senate or the House) move over to the other body for consideration.
It’s beyond selling homes. When McEnearney Associates was formed in 1980, John McEnearney knew that he wanted to create a firm that went above and beyond selling and buying homes... He wanted to give back to the communities that helped grow the firm to over 360 Associates today. Every Associate that joins our firm stands behind a brand that invests in the communities that we live and work in. They are responsible for our enviable reputation. They are McEnearney Associates.
With sincere gratitude, thank you to the 60+ organizations and non-profits that we have worked with in the DC metropolitan region to strengthen our communities for the past 37 years. Animal Welfare League of Arlington Arlington Food Assistance Center Arlington Arts Festival Doorways for Women and Families Great Meadow International Homestretch National Capital Lyme/Tick Disease Walk The Arc of Northern Virginia Tuckahoe Home and Garden Tour UCM - Coat Drive USO - Marine Lunches Toys for Tots And many more...
Seminar for Buying/Selling at the Same Time Fall Properties Team hosts a discussion for homeowners who want to learn about the process of selling and buying a home with the same timeframe; how to manage this seamlessly and without major disruptions to your busy lives. WHEN Saturday, February 24 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM WHERE McEnearney Associates 4720 Lee Highway Arlington, VA 22207
Complimentary lunch included. Please RSVP to Bruce Fall 703.677.2812
Serving the Washington, DC Metro Area since 1980. 703.525.1900 | 4720 Lee Highway | Arlington, VA 22207
PAGE 10 | FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018
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News-Press
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Community News & Notes
THE FALLS CHURCH ENVIRONMENTAL Sustainability Council hosted a highpowered panel of experts on resiliency and sustainability in large-scale development projects last week that included Jay Wilson of the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment, Jon Penndorf of Perkins and Will, Mark Byran of the U.S. Green Building Council, Chris Brown of the Federal Realty Investment Trust, Victoria Davis of the Urban Atlantic Development, Mark Bailey of WGL Energy and Michael Stevens and Michael Stevens of the Capital Riverfront BID. See story elsewhere this issue. (Photo: News-Press)
IN RECOGNITION OF THIS AS Black History Month, the Falls Church City Council presented a proclamation to a large group of local citizens involved in organizing recognition activities this month in the Little City. (Photo: News-Press)
Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library Holds Book Sale
Tysons Corner Firefighter Receives Prestigious Honor
forward for consideration at the state level.
Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library (7584 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church) is holding their quarterly book sale with a large selection of books and media for all ages and interests next weekend, March 2 – 4. On March 2, the book sale will run from 11 a.m – 5 p.m; on March 3, it will run from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and on March 4 it will run from 1 – 4 p.m. All books are half off, and there is a special sale where customers can fill up a bag of as many books as they can fit for $10. For more information, call 703-790-4031, 703-338-3307 or e-mail tysonslibraryfriends@ gmail.com.
Lieutenant Raymond Foster, Fire Station 29, Tysons Corner, C-Shift was awarded the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), 2017 Fire Safety Commendation Medal for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Lieutenant Foster received the medal in a ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 10 at the Virginia State Capitol building with his family on hand. Lieutenant Foster, a ten year veteran of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, currently serves as the officer of Tiller Truck 429. He was nominated for, and received, the Fire Safety Commendation Medal from the Fairfax chapter of the SAR in October of 2017. The local chapter then put his name
HulaFrog Announces Most Loved Awards for Local Area HulaFrog, a website founded by suburban parents that connect local families to events and businesses as well as with the broader community in order to foster peronal connections among residents, has announced its “Most Loved” awards of 2017 for the website’s most frequented establishments throughout Northern Virginia. Local establishments that were recognized by the website include: “Most Loved Acting Studio” – Creative Cauldron (410 S. Maple Ave., Falls Church; “Most Loved Arts & Craft Center” –
Abrakadoodle Art Northern VA (150 Little Falls St., Falls Church); “Most Loved Kids Haircuts & Spa” – Didi Darif Salon (2626 N. Pershing Dr., Arlington); “Most Loved Ice Cream Parlor” – Lil City Creamery (114 W. Broad St., Falls Church); “Most Loved Martial Arts Studio” & “Most Loved Sports Classes & Camps” – NOVA Fencing Club (3431 Carlin Springs Rd., Suite E, Falls Church); “Most Loved Music Lessons” – Let’s Play Music (707 W. Broad St., Falls Church); “Most Loved Kid Friendly Restaurant” – Pizzeria Orso (400 S. Maple Ave., Falls Church); “Most Loved Swim Lessons” – Goldfish Swim School (7395 Lee Hwy., Falls Church) and “Most Loved Toy and/or Bookstore” – Doodlehopper 4 Kids (234 W.
Broad St., Falls Church).
Pianist Catalin Dima Joins Washington Sinfonietta Versatile and dynamic pianist Catalin Dima will be performing Beethoven’s Concerto No. 1 alongside the Washington Sinfonietta as a part of a concert titled “Haydn’s Surprise” this Saturday, Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m. at The Falls Church Episcopal Church (115 E. Fairfax St., Falls Church). $20 admission for adults, $15 for seniors and free for children 18 and under. Dima has been a prize-winner in many national and international competitions, and performed in numerous solo recitals and concerts in the US, Romania, France, Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.
Send Us Your News & Notes!
The News-Press is always on the lookout for photos & items for Community News & Notes, School News & Notes and other sections of the paper. If you graduate, get married, get engaged, get an award, start a club, eat a club, tie your shoes, have a birthday, have a party, host an event or anything else you think is worth being mentioned in the News-Press, write it up and send it to us! If you have a photo, even better! Because of the amount of submissions we receive, we cannot guarantee all submissions will be published, but we’ll try our best!
Community News & Notes: newsandnotes@fcnp.com | School News & Notes: schoolnews@fcnp.com Mail: News & Notes, Falls Church News-Press, 200 Little Falls St. #508, Falls Church, VA 22046
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Before moving to the US, Catalin Dima appeared regularly on many stages throughout Romania, such as the “Romanian Athenaeum,” “Oltenia Philharmonic Hall,” and “Mihail Jora Philharmonic Hall.” As the piano soloist of “Pitesti Philharmonic” for five seasons, he had the opportunity to perform and collaborate with many distinguished artists and conductors, such as Gheorghe Zamfir, Christian Badea, Alexandru Ganea and Cornel Țaranu. Currently Catalin is finishing his Doctoral degree at Shenandoah Conservatory, in Winchester, VA, under the guidance of distinguished Prof. John O’Conor. He holds a Master’s degree from Mannes School of Music, in New York (with Prof. Irina Morozova) and a Bachelor and Master’s degrees from the National University of Music Bucharest (with Prof. Dana Borsan).
Central Mich. University Visits Esteemed F.C. Alum Central Michigan University (CMU) president George E. Ross presented local resident, war veteran and CMU alumnus Harold Patrick (‘57) with a plaque commemorating his introduction into the CMU ROTC Hall of Fame and a shadowbox (made by his daughter, Kim Patrick) encasing his Army uniform and service ribbons to be displayed alongside the plaque. Per the official release on the CMU’s website: “Harold Patrick was commissioned to the U.S. Army with the 1957 CMU Reserve Officers Training Corps class. In 26 years of Army service, he completed two tours in Vietnam. He was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service in a combat zone and twice awarded the Legion of Merit for exceptional peacetime service. A lifelong believer in education, Patrick endowed
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his own scholarship program at CMU in 2006. The Col. Harold L. Patrick Scholarship Fund helps provide opportunities for Michigan high school students to attend college.” For more information, visit the university’s official website, cmich.edu.
FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 | PAGE 11
NAACP, Tinner Hill Celebrate Black History Month Interested residents can celebrate Black History Month with Fairfax County NAACP and Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation this Sunday, Feb. 24 at the Fairfax County Government Center (12000 Government Center Pkwy, Fairfax). Featuring speeches from: Sharon Bulova, Chairman, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Kevin Chandler, President, Virginia State Conference NAACP; Edwin Henderson, Founder, Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation; Catherine Hudgins, Hunter Mill District, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Phillip Thompson, President, Loudoun County NAACP. Also featuring performances by: Anointed Vessels of Unity, George Mason University; Dancers of Faith, Mount Pleasant Baptist Church; Herndon Middle School Step Team and Mount Olive Baptist Church Choir
Local Students Graduate from Longwood University A handful of local students graduated from Longwood University at the conclusion of the Fall 2017 semester, and one with distinct honors. Stephanie Louise Smith from Arlington, earned a Bachelor of Science degree, cum laude, in Liberal Studies while Adugna Mahteme G Mariam from Falls Church earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science.
THE ROCK STAR REALTY GROUP is decked out in beads after a festive day of Mardi Gras celebrations on Sunday, Feb. 11. The parade itself was rained out and had to be moved inside to to Clare & Don’s Beach Shack, but the Mardi Gras spirit was alive and well. (P����: R��� S��� R�����)
Fairfax Co. Channel Adds Black History Programs Fairfax County’s own nonprofit cable network, Fairfax Public Access (FPA), is premiering a special series of new films celebrating the heroism of black Americans in World War II and documentaries examining the Civil Rights movement, throughout February, Black History Month, 2018. The FPA cable network is carried by Verizon FiOS TV and Cox Communications in Fairfax County, and by Comcast in Reston. These specials will air on FPA SPIRITUAL TV 36 and FPA CHANNEL 10. “The story of the contributions and sacrifices of black Americans in the battle to defeat the forces of
fascism, during World War II, is a rich and powerful story – and one which deserves to be told,” states Chuck Peña, executive director of Fairfax Public Access Television. “The determination of dedicated activists during the Civil Rights Era changed the course of history that [benefitted] all Americans. The films exploring black Americans’ valor during World War II include “The Negro Soldier” (1942), which presents the role and history of African American soldiers – both men and women – in the service of their country with emphasis on the World War II fight against the Axis powers; “The Negro Sailor” (1945), presenting African Americans’ heroism in the U.S. Navy at sea during
the war against the Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan; “Teamwork” (1945), showing the importance of African American soldiers serving in the Army’s Red Ball Express and other units, during the liberation of Europe, following D-Day; and “Wings for This Man” (1945) and “Tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen” (1990), both of which celebrate America’s first black combat pilots – the Tuskegee Airmen, who served with great courage and were awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for “outstanding performance and extraordinary heroism over Europe,” 95 Distinguished Flying Crosses, one Silver Star, one Legion of Merit, 14 Bronze Stars, 744 Air Medals and Clusters, and eight Purple Hearts.
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
A Penny for Your Thoughts
News of Greater Falls Church By Supervisor Penny Gross
Fairfax County’s annual budget exercise began in earnest on Tuesday, as new County Executive Bryan J. Hill unveiled his proposed FY2019 budget. This is Mr. Hill’s first budget presentation, and his budget message noted that he was extremely impressed by the work of his predecessor and the county’s Department of Management and Budget. Mr. Hill succeeded Edward L. Long, Jr., who retired on Sep. 15, and Kirk Kincannon, who served as Acting County Executive until Mr. Hill joined the county staff on Jan. 2. Mr. Hill added that the proposed budget “recognizes the importance of county employees in keeping us moving forward and the work to be done on important issues like gang prevention and the opioid crisis, while maintaining our strong community services and programs.” Mr. Hill proposed a balanced budget that fully funds the School Board’s requested transfer (accounting for increased state revenues), and fully funds the compensation plan for all county employees. The proposed school transfer is $2.26 Billion, an increase of $95.10 million over FY2018. This amount includes both the operating transfer and school debt service. Mr. Hill reminded the Board that Fairfax County contains 14 percent of the Commonwealth’s population, and pays 24 percent of state income tax receipts, but receives only 23 cents back in state per dollar spending. That’s an important reminder when considering the lack of state support for education overall, as well as funding for Metro. The county’s compensation plan is fully funded, with an across-the-board 2.25 percent Market Rate
Adjustment (MRA). The MRA has not been fully funded during the past two budget years. The proposed budget also includes a recommendation to index the Living Wage to the MRA, which would increase from $14.50 to $14.83 per hour. Many county priorities are funded in the proposed budget. However, in order to make that happen, Mr. Hill recommended a 2.5-cent increase in the real property tax rate, from the current $1.13 per $100 valuation, to $1.155. Mr. Hill noted that, if adopted, the average homeowner tax bill would increase by $268. Assessments in most Mason District neighborhoods increased by five percent or less. One cent on the real property tax rate equates to $24.64 million. The Board of Supervisors will spend the next 10 weeks examining the proposed budget, making adjustments and changes before adopting a final budget on May 1. Budget public hearings will begin on Tuesday, April 10, and continue on Wednesday and Thursday, April 11 and 12, in the Board auditorium of the Fairfax County Government Center in Fairfax. The Mason District Budget Town Meeting will be held on Thursday, March 15, at 7 p.m., at the Mason District Governmental Center, 6507 Columbia Pike in Annandale. County Executive Hill and Chief Financial Officer Joe Mondoro will make a budget presentation, followed by a question and answer period. The meeting is open to the public, and I look forward to seeing you there.
On average, 1 in 6 Americans will get a foodborne illness this year. You can’t see these microbes, but they might be there. Always use a food thermometer to check if meat has reached a safe internal temperature before eating.
Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov. #BeUnderstood Job #: ADV_02008
Congressman Beyer’s News Commentary
Action After Parkland
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By Donald S. Beyer The shooting in Parkland, Florida, like the many mass shootings and school shootings before it, horrified the country. But the aftermath this time has been unlike the cycle of inaction we’ve sadly become used to. What is so different right now is that America’s young people, those directly impacted by the tragedy, are speaking out. They are leading other young people to march on state capitals, and soon in our nation’s capital, to demand action from their leaders. To those of us in Congress who have been fighting for gun reforms for years with little to show for it, this change has shown a ray of hope. So what do we choose to do in this moment, to change gun laws and save lives? I support a wide array of gun legislation. I will be an original cosponsor of the Assault Weapons Ban when it is reintroduced in the House in the coming weeks. I have been a vocal sup-
porter of reinstating funding for research into the causes of and potential solutions to gun violence at the Centers for Disease Control. And I will continue to push hard for universal background checks. But there is a measure that is particularly relevant in the aftermath of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that I have been focused on. Before a young man in Florida took 17 lives, there were an alarming number of warning signs which still failed to stop him from bringing an AR-15 rifle to the school which had expelled him. Last year I joined two colleagues to introduce a bill called the Gun Violence Restraining Order Act, which would give families and law enforcement a major tool to act on the red flags the perpetrators often display before making the decision to kill. Some experts argue that a law like this one could have prevented the shooting in Florida.
This measure could also go a long way to preventing suicides by enabling families to keep loved ones from getting guns when they are in a time of crisis. Connecticut, California, Indiana, Washington, and Oregon have all adopted variations of this legislation. They are saving lives without violating gun owners’ due process rights, and I believe we should expand them nationwide. This idea has drawn recent support from conservatives, gun advocates, and members of both parties. Most importantly, the Gun Violence Restraining Order Act is something that Congress could actually pass. I will continue working to build support for this and other measures which I believe could save American lives. Rep. Donald Beyer can be reached through his website at www.beyer.house.gov, on Twitter @RepDonBeyer or his office at (202) 225-4376.
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
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Our Man in Arlington By Charlie Clark
a comb.
Recycle me.
YOUR SON HAS
STUMPED YOU WITH A
CALCULUS QUESTION Do you:
To mark this February’s Black History Month, Central Library’s Center for Local History mounted a fresh exhibit of photos called “Growing Up Black in Arlington.” The shots of school kids, scouts and sports teams come mostly from the collection of Ernest E. Johnson. A commemoration of a different sort sprang up spontaneously on the Facebook page “I Grew Up in Arlington, Va.” Sydney Williams, a 68-yearold Washington-Lee High School graduate now living in West Bay, Cayman Islands, lit up the site with bittersweet recollections of growing up in Hall’s Hill. Some of his posts stirring up memories of segregation were “liked” by 300 or 500 Arlington alumni. “Hall’s Hill was a self-contained community. As children we did not have to venture out for much,” wrote Williams, who has a master’s in theology and worked in corrections in Virginia. “Ms. Allen’s store sold everything a kid could want — two-for-a-penny cookies, cold soda, fried bologna sandwiches, chips. If you did not want to walk down from the playground, you could go to Mr. Montrose’s bus (converted into a store). Hall’s Hill [was] selfsustained, walled-off, isolated, safe and secure. Segregation was great!”
(B) Create a diversion. (C) Hire a tutor. For yourself.
CRIME REPORT
Larceny from Building, 450 W Broad St (Panera), between noon and 12:30 PM on Feb 15, unknown suspect took an unattended purse left in a booth. Investigation continues.
Hit and Run, N Washington St/W Broad St, Feb 12, 7:45 PM, a vehicle stopped at the intersection was rearended by another vehicle which left the scene.
Larceny-Shoplifting, 167 Hillwood Ave (Virginia ABC Store), Feb 13, 7:10 PM, two suspects described as 1) female Hispanic, 5`2″, with black hair, wearing a black shirt and gray pants; 2) male Hispanic with black hair wearing a black jacket and blue jeans, took items and left the store without paying.
888.200.4005 AdoptUSKids.org
the segregation wall Arlington erected last March. Another white Facebooker recalled finding the 1951 deed to her North Arlington home that contained a covenant saying only Caucasians and gentiles could buy it. My brother Tom recounted regretfully the time as a Cherrydale kindergartener, he got talked into riding his bike to Hall’s Hill and hollering ‘N****r’ for the prize of 50 cents. Williams apologized for the unexpected discourse. “Even though it may appear that because of the racial climate of the times that it was hard or bad or unfair, that is not the case. Our parents prevented and shielded us from even thinking it was bad. Our childhood was wonderful, funny and interesting.” Williams does not minimize segregation. But he added, “Please don’t feel bad for us or apologize for what we had to go through. The truth is it made me the man I am today.” *** Caution, bicyclists! I’ve noticed a tragedy-waiting-to-happen on the W&OD bike path. When I drive my shortcut on N. Kensington St., between Wilson Blvd. and Carlin Springs Rd., I’ve had to slam on my car’s brakes for cyclists who come barreling onto the street from out of nowhere. There are, ahem, stop signs on the bike path on both sides of Kensington, and, yes, they apply to bicyclists. Ford F350 truck parked in front of a residence. Investigation continues.
Destruction of Property, 1230 W Broad St (Giant parking lot), Feb 13, between 2:20 PM and 3:20 PM, unknown suspect keyed a vehicle.
When it comes to being a parent, there are no perfect answers — just being there is enough. So don’t worry, you don’t have to be perfect to be a perfect parent. There are thousands of teens in foster care who will love you just the same.
Williams did not mean the Jim Crow laws and customs were fine. From 1950 to 1962, Hall’s Hill was “like a county within a county. I could not go to the movies [or] the pools” or use the close-by Arlington Hospital, he noted. “When I attended Stratford [Junior High], we still were not totally accepted as blacks,” he wrote. “I was the only black on Stratford’s basketball team…. Every night I had to walk through the white neighborhood in the dark by myself. I moved at a fast pace through dark places. I did not feel safe until I got to Lee Highway Peoples Drug Store.” Williams pays tribute to his grandfather, Edward T. Morton, one of the first black doctors from Hall’s Hill. “We had black educators, professional race car drivers, dentists, [and] excellent athletes,” he continued. Other colorful characters were called Popcorn, Chick or Mother Goose, and Pop Burrel. “Pop provided softball equipment for us” before the Recreation Department would, he said. Often saluting, Pop “would dress in his World War II uniform and march to the playground with a burlap bag of balls and bats and gloves for everybody. The only catch to him providing the equipment was he had to umpire. He was the worst.” Several white respondents mentioned the historic plaque for
C i t y o f Fa l l s C h u r c h
Week of Feb. 12 – 18, 2018
(A) Weep softly.
FEBRUARY 22 – 28, 2018 | PAGE 13
Stolen Auto, 300 blk W Columbia St, sometime between 9:30 PM, Feb 13 and 9:30 AM, Feb 14, unknown suspect stole a gold Toyota Camry from a driveway. Investigation continues. Larceny-Theft from Vehicle, 200 blk W Columbia, between 6 PM, Feb 13 and
9 AM, Feb 14, items of value were taken from an unsecured vehicle parked on the street. Stolen Auto, 300 blk Little Falls St, between 11:30 PM, Feb 13 and 6:30 AM, Feb 14, unknown suspect stole a red Honda Accord from a driveway. Investigation continues. Larceny, 7124 Leesburg Pike (George Mason High School), Feb 13, 2:18 PM, unknown suspect took an unsecured mountain bike from a bike rack. Investigation continues. Hit and Run, 200 blk Little Falls, between 1 PM and 1:21 PM, Feb 15, a vehicle parked on the street was struck by another vehicle which left the scene. Hit and Run, 6751 Wilson Blvd (Good Fortune Supermarket parking lot), between 1 PM and 1:50 PM on Feb 15, a parked vehicle was struck by another vehicle which left the scene. Stolen Auto, 500 blk N Oak St, between 10 PM, Feb 15 and 6:30 AM, Feb 16, unknown suspect stole a white
Driving Under the Influence, 6300 Leesburg Pike, Feb 17, 2:12 AM, a male, 35, of Silver Spring, MD, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence, second offense within 10 years. Larceny from Building, 200 blk S Cherry St, between Feb 3 and Feb 17, unknown suspect took a propane tank connected to a barbecue grill. Fraud-False Pretenses, 140 S Maple Ave (Bowl America), Feb 17, 11:48 PM, a group attending an engagement party left without paying their bill. Larceny-Shoplifting, 134 W Broad St (CVS), Feb 18, 12:52 PM, unknown suspect described as a young black male wearing a solid bright red hooded style jacket, black jeans, and red shoes with short dreadlock hair took an item and left the store without paying. Hit and Run, 6751 Wilson Blvd (Good Fortune Supermarket parking lot), Feb 18, between 5 PM and 6:25 PM, a parked vehicle was struck by another vehicle which left the scene.
PAGE 14 | FEBRUARY 22 – 28, 2018
NATI O NA L
It’s a Russian War on America
The 37-page indictment issued against 13 Russians and three Russian companies by Special Counsel Robert Mueller last week is one of the most shocking, revealing and troubling array of fullydocumented revelations about a wholesale assault on the domestic American democratic system ever. As much attention as it has received in the media, it has still been grossly underplayed for its significance. This has been, and continues to be, nothing less than acts of war against our very way of life. Let me repeat, these intrusions constitute hostile acts of war. They continue to this day. A Facebook post from yesterday, Feb. 21, attacking a student from the Parkland, Florida, high school where 17 students were murdered by a lone FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS gunman last week showed it originated in Russia! (Among Facebook’s recent reforms, apparently, has been to post the source of some of its postings). The student, David Hogg, a survivor of that hellish event, was assailed in the post as a stooge for CNN and the FBI. It came from Russia, America’s sworn enemy! We, the American people, must be indebted to Robert Mueller and his team for their diligence in developing the solid details presented in the indictment. There will be more, including indictments that will hit far closer to home, to the White House, that is. President Trump has been a compromised Russian stooge since the 1970s, when President Nixon under the guise of “detente” opened the door for thousands of Russian thugs to emigrate to the U.S. and set up shop in Brighton Beach to begin operations as the ruthless Russian Mafia. With the help of J. Edgar Hoover, who saw the move as a way to neutralize the existing Italian and Jewish mafias in the U.S., the import of the Russian Mafia proved to deepen the exercise of blackmail, strong-arming and corruption to a level far beyond what the other mafias performed. When Trump was getting started in his real estate business in Manhattan, he colluded with that Russian Mafia, which doubled as a spy operation for the Soviets in the U.S., and its control over contractors and workers. He’s been in their pocket ever since, interwoven into their corruption, money laundering and other schemes from 50 years ago. Now, the Mueller indictments does not go into that history, because it is beyond their scope, at least for these first indictments. These indictments go back to around 2013 when the scheme was cooked up in Moscow to unleash a flood of assaults on the U.S. democratic system through deception and deceit, involving plenty of cases of breaking U.S. law. These indictments pertain only to interventions by what the Russians called “Project Lakhta” in the U.S. by way of the social media, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, involving the establishment of a plethora of fake IDs, fake groups, fake “hashtags” and even fake events. It involved the use of unsuspecting people to aid in their schemes which aimed at sewing dissention and encouraging dropping out of the electoral process. It involved the recruitment of over 100,000 followers on one fake Facebook site, and pro-Trump and anti-Clinton public rallies that were organized through social media and held in Florida, Tennessee, New York and other places. It is never contended in the indictments that these efforts had no impact on the 2016 presidential election. In fact, reading the indictments, it is hard to imagine how the efforts could have had no effect. It is noted that the Russians concentrated their efforts on “purple states,” including Colorado, Virginia and Florida and involved creating “political intensity through supporting radical groups, users dissatisfied with the social and economic situation and oppositional social movements.” “They engaged in operations primarily intended to communicate derogatory information about Hillary Clinton, to denigrate other candidates such as Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, and to support Bernie Sanders and then-candidate Donald Trump,” an indictment says, and they “began to encourage U.S. minority groups not to vote in the 2016 presidential election or to vote for a third-party U.S. candidate.” One post said, “Choose peace and vote for Jill Stein. Trust me, it is not a wasted vote.”
Nicholas F. Benton
Nicholas Benton may be emailed at nfbenton@fcnp.com.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Respect Comes First, Then Gun Control
This has been an emotional week. We greet tragedies like the school shooting in Florida with shock, sadness, mourning and grief that turns into indignation and rage. The anger inevitably gets directed at the NRA, those who support gun rights and the politicians who refuse to do anything while children die. Many of us walked this emotional path. But we may end up doing more harm than good. If there’s one thing we’ve learned, it is that guns have become a cultural flashpoint in a nation that is unequal and divided. The people who defend gun rights believe that snobbish elites look down on their morals and want to destroy their culture. If we end up telling such people that they and their guns are despicable, they will NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE just despise us back and dig in their heels. So if you want to stop school shootings, it’s not enough just to vent and march. It’s necessary to let people from Red America lead the way, and to show respect to gun owners at all points. There has to be trust and respect first. Then we can strike a compromise on guns as guns, and not some sacred cross in the culture war. So I’ve been thinking about a group that’s in the trust and respect business. Better Angels is a nonprofit led by David Lapp, David Blankenhorn and a prominent family therapist, Bill Doherty. The team members travel from town to town finding members of the Red and Blue Tribes and bringing them together for long, humbling conversations. My New York Times colleague April Lawson has gotten involved with Better Angels and has been reporting back on its techniques. One of the most successful parts of the structured conversations is built around stereotypes. Doherty, the head moderator, asks the people at each gathering to name five major stereotypes that the other side throws at them. The Republicans invariably list “racist” first, followed by, say, “uncaring,” “uneducated,” “misogynistic” and “science deniers.” In a session Lawson attended, a Trump supporter acknowledged that the GOP has had a spotty record on racial matters, but it’s important to him that Blues know that’s not why he holds his opinions. Doherty says that the Reds feel shamed by the Blues to a much greater degree than the Blues realize. Reds are very reluctant to enter into a conversation with Blues, for fear of further shaming, but they often come to the table when they are told that this will be
David Brooks
a chance to “de-monsterize” themselves. At that session one Blue said she was really grateful to hear a Red acknowledge the Republican history on race. When Blues are asked about the stereotypes thrown at them, they tend to list “against religion and morality,” “unpatriotic” and “against personal responsibility” among their responses. They, too, relish the chance to clear the air. After the stereotypes are discussed, the room feels different. As one Red in Ohio told Lawson, “I think we are all pretty clear on one thing: Don’t tell us who we are and what we think.” Another Red was moved almost to tears by the damage categories do. “We’re not just cookie-cutter people; we’re individuals. Just because you don’t like something, you don’t have to ridicule it — you probably don’t understand it,” she said. “When someone’s heart is full up with something, and then you demean it without even listening to them — I hate that.” The discussions reveal other sensitivities. Some Blues didn’t want to enter a venue that had a “Don’t Tread on Me” flag on the wall. To Reds that was a neutral flag from U.S. history, but to Blues it carried all sorts of nasty associations. Reds were offended by the lawn signs that said, “Hate Has No Home Here.” The implication: Hate has no home in my house, but it does in yours. In another exercise, Reds and Blues ask each other honest, nonleading questions. Blues may ask Reds, “Name a safety-net program you can support.” Reds may ask Blues, “How do you balance having a heart with keeping health care costs under control?” By the end of the conversations, the atmosphere has changed. Nearly always somebody will say that the discussion was easy because only moderates were in the room, not the people who post crazy stuff on Facebook. The staff tries not to smile, knowing that some of the people were selected precisely because of the intense stuff they posted on Facebook. “This is not a civility organization,” Blankenhorn told Lawson. Better Angels is aiming to build a group of people whose personal bonds with their fellow citizens redefine how they engage in the political system. We don’t really have policy debates anymore. We have one big tribal conflict, and policy fights are just proxy battles as each side tries to establish moral superiority. But just as the tribal mentality has been turned on, it can be turned off. Then and only then can we go back to normal politics and take reasonable measures to keep our children safe.
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FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018 | PAGE 15
CHINESE EXCHANGE STUDENTS arrived stateside on Feb. 11 with their teachers and came to Mason to meet their host families and get acclimated ahead BEAUTY & THE BEAST JR. will be debuting at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School of joining the �low of the school day on Monday. Students have been going to this weekend with shows running from Friday, Feb. 22– Sunday, Feb. 24. Be sure to classes and �inding their way through “typical” American high school days, stop in to support these students. (P����: FCCPS P����/C���� S��) including catching basketball games. (P����: FCCPS P����/C������� J�� R��)
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ing this fundraiser. The work may be time-consuming, but it is also an ideal opportunity for attendees to meet other parents, FCHS staff and even their kids’ friends and teammates.
S����� N��� � N���� Henderson Students Show Out at Distrct X Chorus Event Five Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School students performed at the District X Chorus event this past weekend at Hayfield Secondary School. The students rehearsed the evening of Feb. 15, and all day Friday and Saturday morning, culminating in a concert on Feb. 17. The participants were Patrick McDonald, Sasha Geisinger, Natalee Cannon, Coral Rankin and Sam Mostow.
Honorable Mentions were earned by FCPS students. Winners in the regional competition came from 22 Fairfax County middle and high schools. Gold Key award winners from local schools include: Brooke Carmody of J.E.B. Stuart (Justice) High School – poetry; Emma Choi of George C. Marshall High School – flash fiction and poetry; Yeonjae Eom of Longfellow Middle School – poetry and Ally Liu of McLean High School – flash fiction.
Fairfax Co. Students Snag Gold Key Writing Awards
4th Annual Coach CJ Celebration Set for March 4
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) student writers won 22 Gold Key awards in the 2018 Regional Scholastic Writing Awards competition. In all, 112 Gold Key, Silver Key, and
Interested residents and current Falls Church High School students and alumni can join Team Joyner on Saturday, March 3 at the Annandale Volunteer Fire Department Social Hall (7128
Columbia Pike, Annandale) from 7 – 10 p.m. for the fourth annual Coach CJ Celebration. This event is fun for everyone and it will feature a DJ, dancing, hors d’oeuvres, desserts, beverages and a silent auction. Dr. Joyner presents scholarships each year to Falls Church High School (FCHS) swimmers & divers, as well as other students, in memory of her son, Clayton, who was a very popular swim coach at FCHS. Visit the Team Joyner Foundation webpage at teamjoynerfoundation.org to register for this event. Attendees are requested to keep an eye out for the concession schedule – the organizers will require a lot of help with concessions in order for the event to run smoothly. Organizaers are also requesting attendees to consider spending a couple of hours help-
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2 Henderson Students Make Their Mark in Contest Two Henderson students placed in the 2018 DC Metro Scholastic Art & Writing Awards as part of the regional competition for grades 7-12. Annika Bjorklund received Honorable Mention for her poem “An Ode to Odes” and Liam Timar-Wilcox received Silver Key for his poem “Hope.” Both students are members of the Mary Ellen Henderson Poetry Club and were encouraged to submit by Annie Castillo, a George Mason student who serves as the club’s mentor. Congratulations are extended to all those who participated.
Mason Senior Announced as Merit Scholar Finalist The National Merit Scholarship Program announced that David
Miller, a senior at George Mason High School, has advanced to finalist in the 2018 competition. Miller is among 15,000 finalists nationally. The students, who were selected based on scores on a PSAT qualifying test, will compete for some 7,500 scholarships worth more than $32 million, to be awarded this spring. Miller is among the highest-scoring entrants in Virginia and is among the top one percent of all U.S. high school seniors.
‘No Right Turn’ Sign Off Route 7 Regains Attention For more than 10 years, there has been a “No Right Turn” sign at the westbound Route 7 entrance to Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School. It was put there to reduce the number of accidents; rear-end collisions from cars cresting the hill in front of George Mason and broadside accidents into eastbound cars making a legal left turn. City of Falls Church Police say they plan to start enforcing the illegal westbound turn if the complaints about drivers disregarding the sign continue to rise.
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Mason Boys Swim to State Title, Girls Take 2nd BY MATT DELANEY
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
George Mason High School’s swim team took the pool by storm over the weekend when the boys won the Class 2 state title with 354 points while the girls fell just short, taking second in the state competition with 299 points. For Mason’s boys, this year’s title marks their fourth in the last five years. The girls are still seeking a state championship since 2015, having been runners-up in 2013, 2016 and 2017 before this season’s conclusion. The victory for the boys marked a hard-earned conclusion after a year of plotting their return to the state tournament, where they fell just short in 2017. This year, they were able to crush the competition, besting Maggie Walker Governor’s School (274 points), Clarke County High School (211 points) and Virginia High School (169 points). For the girls, there was a steep hill to climb. Since state champions are determined by both swimming and diving, Richmond-based rival Maggie Walker took first and second in the state diving competition at an
PREPPING FOR HER RACE is senior Hannah Rollins at last weekend’s Class 2 swim meet. Mason’s girls fell just short of eclipsing Maggie Walker’s lead at the meet, but were still able to jump from �ifth place last year to second in this year’s meet. (P����: C������� A�� A����) earlier date and gave the Dragons a significant cushion heading into the swim meet. Still, the girls made it interesting by narrowing Maggie Walker’s lead to less than 50 points, but couldn’t overcome the significant advantage the Dragons had attained.
“We were definitely a little more confident with the boys side. They were touched-out in a few events last year and really wanted to go against Maggie Walker, so they put a lot of pressure on themselves to deliver,” Mason head coach Meghan Wallace said.
“We knew the girls were going to be a lot closer, since the diving was likely going to affect them, but we were hoping for some top finish and they made a huge improvement in their placement.” Both teams leapt up the standings from the previous year. The
boys jumped from second to first in the state meet while the girls catapulted up three spots, going from fifth to second in 2018. Mason also won a plethora of events. The boys won the 200m freestyle relay, 200m individual medley, 100m backstroke, 100m breastroke and the 100m and 50m freestyle. Along with that, the girls won the 200m medley relay, 100m backstroke, 100m freestyle and were just touched-out in the 200m freestyle relay. Individual performers who excelled were Adam Janicki and TJ Roche, both who had two first place finishes, along with Sam Updike who set a state record in his individual first place finish. The 200m freestyle relay team of Ryan York, TJ Roche, Sam Updike and Matt Ng were the final winning pair. On the girls end Ellen Chadwick and Marie Roche both took first in their individual events, while the relay team of Hannah Rollins, Maddy DuBois, Marie Roche and Ellen Chadwick secured the first place finish in 200m medley relay. All in all, it was a solid showing for the Mustangs at the state tournament and happy ending to to a year of perseverance.
Mustangs Squeak by Stuarts Draft in Buzzer-Beating Finish BY MATT DELANEY
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
It’s not the postseason without a little drama and George Mason High School’s girls basketball team came to entertain when a buzzer-beating putback carried their 40-38 win over Stuarts Draft High School Tuesday night. A cloud of doubt hung over Mason (20-5) for most of second half as they watched a 20-12 lead coming into the third evaporate thanks to Stuarts Draft hot shooting and their own sputtering offense. Down 38-35 with a little over a minute remaining, hopes of another Class 2 state title berth were looking to end on a whimper. That was until junior guard Maddie Lacroix launched a straightaway three-pointer from downtown that caught the front lip of the rim and fell in. “We were just passing it around and no one was trying to shoot it,” Lacroix said. “So I just put it up and was glad it went in.” Stuarts Draft’s following possession was their own attempted straightaway trey — one that had characterized the Cougars’ comeback and became a bane for Mason in the second half. Though after a miss, a Mason rebound
and a timeout, the Mustangs had one last chance to seal the win and prevent overtime. With 18 seconds to work with, Mason fished for an opening inside and ultimately settled for another hopeful deep ball from Lacroix on the left wing that clanged off the rim. But the Mustangs prayers were answered when senior forward Kaylee Hirsch’s solid positioning allowed her to rebound and putback the game-winner as time expired, sending the Mason bench and stands into an elated frenzy. “We were like, ‘Damn, we’re going to end on this note?’” Mason head coach Michael Gilroy said. “But [Hirsch] makes a huge play and I thought [Lacroix’s] shot was going to be the gamewinner from where I was. And we did what I didn’t want them to do. I said ‘No three’s,’ but we hoist a three and get out of a here with a W.” The win was probably Mason’s ugliest in some time. The Mustangs were flatfooted throughout most of the first half and permitted Stuarts Draft’s offense to get away with lazy passes Mason would’ve devoured against most opponents. Offensively, the Mustangs
JUNIOR GUARD Maddie Lacroix’s deep three-pointer tied the game with under a minute remaining and put Mason in position to win against Stuarts Draft. (P����: C���� S��) telegraphed their intent to feed forwards inside for close-range buckets and seemed reluctant to shoot from deep to loosen up the Cougars’ tight 2-3 zone. But it wasn’t all forgettable. Sophomore forward Daria Douglas flirted with double-digit blocks as a defensive specialist who shut down Stuarts Draft’s best player in the fourth quarter. And senior guard Victoria Rund kept the offense afloat with her strong drives and heady ball movement that pulled Mason out of its slump in the second half. The Mustangs are hoping they
will regain the form they demonstrated against Central High School in the Bull Run District Championship game on Feb. 15. In that contest, Mason’s starters limited the Falcons to nine points total, including holding them scoreless in the third quarter — a common theme of the Mustangs’ winning performances — and took a 47-21 victory as well as their third consecutive district title. Mason can’t get too high on their horse just yet. They have a quick turnaround against East Rockingham High School tonight
at 7 p.m. at home in The Pit. A gutty win is worth celebrating, but a loss at this point in the region tournament still spells the end of their season. The Mustangs need to bring their best from the opening tip to keep their state tourney aspirations afloat.
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Read about how Goerge Mason High Schools boys basketball team fared in their regional opener against East Rockingham High School at www.fcnp.com.
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FEBRUARY 22 – 28, 2018 | PAGE 17
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Lee DeWyze
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Lee DeWyze Jammin’ Java 7:30 p.m. 227 Maple Ave. E., Vienna 703-255-1566 • jamminjava.com
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Dan & Chuck Clare & Don’s Beach Shack 6 p.m. 130 N. Washington St., Falls Church 703-532-9283 • clareandons.com
The Legwarmers The State Theatre 9:30 p.m. 220 N. Washington St., Falls Church 703-237-0300. • thestatetheatre.com
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Karl Stoll
BY MATT DELANEY
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
Landing a spot – and even more so, winning – “American Idol” is seen as once-in-a-lifetime launch pad for a music career. However, as previous “Idol” winners have shown us, being the last man (or woman) standing hardly foreshadows a steady music career afterwards. That’s why Lee DeWyze, “Idol’s” winner in 2010, shared with News-Press his journey through the contest and how it shaped his path forward in the lead up to his show at Jammin’ Java tonight. DeWyze was drawn to music at early age after his father introduced him to some of the classics: Simon & Garfunkel, The Mamas & the Papas, Peter, Paul and Mary as well as Led Zeppelin. But then he stumbled across one record that really connected him to the art form. “One of the earliest memories of music I have is when I reading the back of the Cat Stevens record, Tea for the Tillerman, and I understood what songwriting was for the first time and fell in love with it then,” DeWyze said. “Ever since it’s been symbolic for me as I put songwriting at the forefront of everything that I do.” The singer had his mind made up from a young age of what he wanted to do with his life. After a hitting a rough patch at school, DeWyze moved out of his parent’s home at 17 and grew up fast while chasing his dream of a music career. He released two albums through WuLi Records, titled So I’m Told and Slumberland. After some encouragement from friends, DeWyze auditioned for and landed a spot on “Idol” in the summer of 2009. It would be the following spring when DeWyze was crowned the winner of the show’s ninth season. The moment was undeniably great publicity for the burgeoning artist. But it was by no stretch of the imagination the intended pinnacle of his career, let alone a sign that any future progression could be taken for granted. “I didn’t go on the show to be famous or win
LEE DEWYZE. (P����: L������ R������, P����� B����) a competition [because] when it’s done, there’s no guarantee on anything. For me, I never wanted American Idol to be the wave I rode for the rest of my career. ” DeWyze continued. “I was a songwriter before I went on the show and that was always going to be what I was going to do.” Keeping that promise to himself is what helped DeWyze endure the inevitable highs and lows that come with a music career. While he wasn’t as prominent as a face in the industry, DeWyze’s songwriting chops led him to pen melodies for TV shows such as “The Walking Dead,” “Elementary,” “Suits,” “Shameless,” “Snatch” and “Nashville.” That talent allowed DeWyze to sustain his relevance in the business and preserve a core component of his original reason for blazing his way into music. The experience also guided him toward the
sound he wanted his latest album, Paranoia, to embody. DeWyze had been tinkering with new elements to add to his harmonies and finally got a chance to craft a work that represents the evolution he’d experienced as a songwriter and as a composer. “I never want to get bored in the studio and I wanted to step outside and make a more emotional, personal record,” DeWyze concluded. “I used a lot more electric guitar sounds, pianos and had a lot of space in the record because I wanted people to get lost in the music. It has a soundtrack-type feeling to it that I want people to live in each song like it’s its own little movie.” Lee DeWyze will be performing at Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E., Vienna) today at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at jamminjava. com.
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Jody Fellows – Miami by Will Smith
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FALLS CHURCHCALENDAR COMMUNITYEVENTS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22 1-on-1 Computer and Internet Tutoring. Get general personalized assistance to learn how to use the library’s downloadable collections (ebooks, digital magazines, music), customize your email, more efficiently search the web or better familiarize yourself with your smartphone, tablet or laptop. Registration required. Stop by the Reference Desk or call 703-248-5035 (TTY 711) for more info or to make an appointment. Mary Riley Styles Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 2 – 4 p.m. Make it @ the Library. Bring any craft from home to work on or make something from the library’s supplies. This month’s theme is fiber - knitting, crochet, friendship bracelets, string games or anything else you can imagine. This is not a class, but the group can
troubleshoot problems and learn new techniques together. For Grades 6-12, registration requested. Mary Riley Styles Library (120 N Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 7 – 8 p.m. 703-248-5034.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25 Town Hall: Updates on High School Campus Project, West Falls Church Economic Development Project. The Falls Church City Manager, Wyatt Shields, and other City and planning officials will make presentations and answer questions from interested attendees on the high school campus project and the West Falls Church Economic Development project that are set to officially enter the planning phase in the coming months. Community Center, Senior Center (Second floor of 223 Little Falls St., Falls Church). 2 – 4 p.m. For more information, contact the City’s Public Information Officer at pio@fallschurchva.gov or call 703-248-5003 (TTY 711).
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26 Preschool Storytime. Stories and fun for ages 0-5, or infants through kindergarten. Drop-in, no registration required. All storytimes are immediately followed by playtime with the Early Literacy Center toys. Mary Riley Styles Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 10:30 – 11 a.m. 703-2485034. Playtime with the Early Literacy Center. Explore educational and manipulative items (aka toys) to teach early literacy and social skills through play with other children. Ages birth to 5 years. No registration required. Mary Riley Styles Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. 703-248-5034. ESL Conversation Group. A general conversation group (for adults) learning English as their second language. Meets every Monday at regularly scheduled time. No registration required. Mary Riley
Styles Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 7 – 8 p.m. 703-248-5034.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27 Great Books Discussion. A “Great Books” discussion concentrating on literary classics (both traditional and modern) meeting in the evening on the second and fourth Tuesday of most months. This month’s book is “The Politics (selection)” by Aristotle. Open to all and no registration required. Mary Riley Styles Library (120 N Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 7 – 9 p.m. 703-248-5034.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28 Boost Your Fitness with Essential Oils. Learn how essential oils can support your body to reduce inflammation, recover faster, boost your immune system in your athletic pursuits. Registration required. Mary Riley Styles Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 7 – 8 p.m. 703-248-5035.
THEATER&ARTS
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23 “The Wolves.” Winter indoor soccer. Saturdays. Over quad stretches and squats, a team of young women prepares to defend the Wolves’ undefeated record, their banter spilling from tampons to genocide to the pressures of preparing for their adult lives. With an ear for the bravado and empathy of the teenage years, “The Wolves” explores the violence and teamwork of sports and adolescence, following a pack of 16-year-old girls who turn into warriors on the field. Studio Theatre (1501 14th St., NW, Washington, D.C.). $20. 8 p.m. studiotheatre.org.
THURSDAY, SATURDAY,FEBRUARY FEBRUARY 224 “Lady Day.” Helen Hayes Awardwinning actress, Iyona Blake (“Caroline or Change”) returns to the Cauldron to portray one of America’s most iconic jazz legends. In 1959, Billie Holiday, or “Lady Day” as she was called, performed one of her final shows in a run-down bar in South Philly. In Robertson’s award-winning play, Holiday engages the audience
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with salty, often humorous reminiscences of her troubled life as a travelling performer in a segregated south. With the help of her piano man, Jimmy Powers (played by Award-winning composer, actor Mark Meadows) she lets music tell her story, sharing soulful, heart-wrenching and bawdy songs from her most memorable canon. Creative Cauldron(410 S. Maple Ave., Falls Church) $30. 8 p.m. mosaictheater.org. “The Farnsworth Invention.” It’s 1929. Two ambitious visionaries race against each other to invent a device called “television.” Separated by two thousand miles, each knows that if he stops working, even for a moment, the other will gain the edge. Who will unlock the key to the greatest innovation of the 20th century: the ruthless media mogul, or the self-taught Idaho farm boy? The answer comes to compelling life in the regional premiere of this “firecracker of a play” (Chicago Sun-Times) by Aaron Sorkin. 1st Stage Theatre (1524 Spring Hill Rd., McLean). $33. 8 p.m. 1ststagetysons.org.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25 ”light years.” Acclaimed folk/ rock/indie band Eddie From Ohio’s Robbie Schaefer crafts a touching and funny world premiere musical portrait featuring Bobby Smith. A master storyteller, Robbie journeys from his childhood in India to the joys and struggles of growing up, pursuing his passion and raising a family. Entwined throughout is his cherished relationship with his father — and his father’s haunted past. Enriched with beautiful folkrock music, inventive lyrics and Robbie’s disarming humor, Light Years is a deeply personal tale of immigration, musical gifts and the steadfast bond between father and son.. Signature Theatre (4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington). $77. 2 p.m. sigtheatre.org.
LIVEMUSIC THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22 Jeffrey Osborne. The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria). $79.50. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500.
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Lee Dwyze with Frank Viele. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $20. 7:30 p.m. 703-2551566.
FEBRUARY 22 – 28, 2018 | PAGE 19
1964: The Tribute (encore performance the following night at the same time). Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd. Vienna). $38 – $42. 8 p.m. 703-255-1900. Dave Chappell Band. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8:45 p.m. 703-2419504. Field Shaman. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 9:30 p.m. 703-237-8333.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23 Dan & Chuck. Clare and Don’s Beach Shack. (130 North Washington St., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-532-9283. Shartel and Hume Duo. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-2419504. Danielle Nicole (full band) with Sydney Franklin. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $12 – $20. 8 p.m. 703-255-1566. Jimi Smooth and the Hit Time Funk Band. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 9 p.m. 703-241-9504. The Legwarmers — D.C.’s Biggest 80s Retro Dance Party (encore performance the following night at the same time). The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). $18. 9:30 p.m. 703237-0300. The Days. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 10 p.m. 703-237-8333.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24 Dave Chappell and Patty Reese. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 4 p.m. 703241-9504. Shartel and Hume Duo. Clare and Don’s Beach Shack. (130 North Washington St., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-532-9283. Shenandoah Run. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $20.
KEIKO MATSUI will be at The Birchmere in Alexandria this Sunday. (Photo: KeikoMatsui.com)
7 p.m. 703-255-1566. Karl Stoll & The Danger Zone. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 9 p.m. 703241-9504. Curtis Knocking. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 10 p.m. 703-237-8333.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25 Dixieland Direct. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 1:30 p.m. 703-241-9504. Twister Mister. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 4 p.m. 703-241-9504. Memphis Gold All Star Show. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703241-9504. Relay For Life of Beltway Presents: Relay-Palooza. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $15 – $25. 7:30 p.m. 703-255-1566.
Keiko Matsui. The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria). $45. 7:30 p.m. 703549-7500. The Rajas of Rhythm, Dougie. Galaxy Hut (2711 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). $5. 9 p.m.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26 Ana Tijoux presents Roja y Negro: Canciones de Amor y Desamor. The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria). $25. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500. Aaron Carter with Amy Guess. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $20 – $30. 7:30 p.m. 703255-1566. Wolf Blues Jam Weekly Show. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8:30 p.m. 703-241-9504. Whiskey Pull, The GLE’s, J. Bengoy. Galaxy Hut (2711 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). $5. 9 p.m.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27 The Musical Box performs The Black Show version of “Selling England by the Pound.” The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria). $45. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500. Robbie Fulks with Danny Burns. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $20 – $22. 7:30 p.m. 703255-1566. Sol Roots Show. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8:30 p.m. 703-241-9504.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28 Solo Acoustic Performance by Jimmy Gnecco (OURS) with Ronnie Shingelo. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $17 – $20. 7:30 p.m. 703-255-1566. Cherish the Ladies Live and In Concert. Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd. Vienna). $25 – $30. 8 p.m. 703255-1900.
Calendar Submissions Email: calendar@fcnp.com | Mail: Falls Church News-Press, Attn: Calendar, 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church, VA 22046 Be sure to include time, location, cost of admission, contact person and any other pertinent information. Event listings will be edited for content and space limitations. Please include any photos or artwork with submissions. Deadline is Monday at noon for the current week’s edition.
PAGE 20 | FEBRUARY 22 – 28, 2018
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STOP CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN
Help Wanted COACHING POSITION at Curves Falls Church. Please apply by email at curvesfallschurch@yahoo.com or bring your information in to our fitness club. 246-A West Broad Street 703-536-0140.
Public Notice NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA A public hearing and vote regarding the topic referenced below is scheduled for Monday, February 26, 2018 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as may be heard. AUTHORIZATION TO ISSUE A REQUEST FOR CONCEPTUAL PROPOSALS FOR THE WEST FALLS CHURCH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT All public hearings will be held in the Falls Church Community Center, Senior Center, 223 Little Falls St., Falls Church, Virginia. For copies of legislation, contact the City Clerk’s office at (703-248-5014) or cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov. The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, call 703-248-5014 (TTY 711). CELESTE HEATH CITY CLERK
GOOD CREDIT. GOOD JOB. GOOD REFERENCES. We are pledged to the letter andspirit 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.
BUT THE LANDLORD DENIED HER THE APARTMENT BECAUSE OF HER DISABILITY. AND THIS HAPPENS EVERY DAY. It’s against the law for landlords to deny your application, give you the run around, charge you more rent, or steer you away from a rental complex or neighborhood because of your disability. If you suspect housing discrimination, file a complaint with HUD or your local fair housing center, so we can investigate it.
To file a complaint, go to
hud.gov/fairhousing or call 1-800-669-9777
FAIR HOUSING IS YOUR RIGHT. USE IT. A public service message from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in partnership with the National Fair Housing Alliance. The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status or disability. For more information, visit www.hud.gov/fairhousing.
A RTS&E NTE RTA I NME NT
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Crossword
ACROSS
By David Levinson Wilk 1
2
3
4
5
6
14
15
17
18
20
21
22
23 28
32
33
8
9
26
27
37 40 43
45
46
48
59
25
36
42
49
55
13
31
39
47
12
19
24
35
44
11
30
34
41
10
16
29
38
58
7
50
56
51 57 61
60
62
63
64
65
66
67
© 2017 David Levinson Wilk
Across
52
53
54
1. Crème de la crème 6. A lot 11. Cry upon getting a tough crossword clue 14. "Boléro" composer 15. San ____, California 16. Winery container 17. Words after bum or thumb 18. Request at a ticket window 20. TV genre of "Key & Peele" or "Portlandia" 22. "Mi casa ____ casa" 23. Hawaiian instrument, for short 24. Spotted cat 28. Low-quality paper 30. The National League doesn't allow them, for short 31. Sign for a sold-out show 32. Website that's home to the Zach Galifianakis series "Between Two Ferns" 37. 53rd "state quarter" locale 38. April fools' sign? 39. Dragon roll ingredient 40. Bygone U.S. Postal Service mascot 41. Trucker on a radio 42. Hearty guffaw 44. "Qué ___?" ("What's up?": Spanish) 45. Address not in a phone book 46. Mark, as a survey square 47. Discounted 49. NNW's opposite 51. Infomercial, e.g. 55. Making jokes ... or a phonetic clue to solving three squares in this puzzle's grid
STRANGE BREW
1. Crème de la crème
FEBRUARY 22 – 28, 2018 | PAGE 21 sings country 34. Nobelist Bohr 35. Film library unit 36. Joe Biden's home: Abbr. 37. "American Gothic" artist 40. 1051, on monuments 42. Instruction to a woman in labor 43. Prancer's partner on Santa's team 45. Metallica drummer Lars ____ 48. Top fighter pilot 49. Head of a crime lab? 50. Alaskan panhandle city 52. Davis who won a 2017 Oscar for Best Supporting Actress 53. Positive quality 54. Company with a buck in its logo 56. Fuel that contributes to global warming 57. Key with only one sharp: Abbr. 58. Beaver's construction 59. FedEx rival 60. Big beer order
58. Fight 61. Bullwinkle, e.g. 62. King Kong, e.g. 63. It's rubbed on a cue tip 64. Many an early Internet adopter 65. Dim sum additive 66. Very, in slang 67. Matchmaking site with the slogan "Find your special Jewish someone"
DOWN
1. Undo 2. Gaggle : geese :: exaltation : ____ 3. Prestigious school group 4. Mogul who, when asked to name his greatest achievement, said "CNN" 5. Like some fans and fences: Abbr. 6. Artist's garb 7. Vessel often stowed upside down 8. "Lemme ____!" 9. Rock's ____ Mode 10. Billed to be 11. "Selma" director DuVernay 12. "Rumour ____ It" (2011 Adele hit) 13. Loved, with "up" 19. Satanic 21. Boss of fashion 25. Car brand once hawked by an eponymous "Joe" 26. Bond player after Brosnan 27. Vigor 29. Hertz rival 30. Pickle variety 32. De ____ (in practice) 33. Keith who, despite his surname,
JOHN DEERING
6. A lot
1
2
3
O V I D
P I N O N
C O D P R I A B C E M A G L E A K I M J O E R U S
Sudoku Level:
11. Cry upon getting a tough crossword clue
Last Thursday’s Solution N A S A
E A N E L O B M A E N C A L L I C P A I S
G O R I E R E P I C C S A
A N S E L M
V E R S A
E I N W A Y E N T
C A E R S S A O P S C A R T I S H S C W E A Y S N
E C O N A R T H R O
S P R T I S D T I D E I D O N A S A
H Y A C I N T H S E M P T Y
T O P A Z
S W E D E
H E E A N T
E P E E
A S P S
By The Mepham Group 4
14. "Boléro" composer 15. San ____, California 16. Winery container 17. Words after bum or thumb 18. Request at a ticket window 20. TV genre of "Key & Peele" or "Portlandia" 22. "Mi casa ____ casa"
1
23. Hawaiian instrument, for short 24. Spotted cat 28. Low-quality paper
LOOSE PARTS
DAVE BLAZEK
30. The National League doesn't allow them, for short 31. Sign for a sold-out show
Solution to last Sunday’s puzzle
NICK KNACK
1
© 2018 N.F. Benton
2/25/18
Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk.
© 2018 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.
LO CA L
PAGE 22 | FEBRUARY 22 – 28, 2018
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Critter Corner
BACK IN THE DAY
dog. lazy ick qu The fox sly p e d j u m the over dog. lazy is the Now for all time cows good co me to aid to the the ir of t u r e . pas
20 s Yearo Ag
is the Now for all time cows good co me to aid to the the ir of t u r e . p a s is the Now for all time cows good me to to coaid of the their.
20 & 10 Years Ago in the News-Press Falls Church News-Press Vol. VII, No. 51 • March 5, 1998
It is now the time fo r all good to go cows to aid of the p a s their ture . * * * Throw * * Pour it up. it up
Falls Church News-Press Vol. XVII, No. 52 • February 28, 2008
10 Year s Ago
It is now the time fo r all good to go cows to aid of the the ir pas ture . * * * Throw * * Pour it up. it up
Official: 8 City Council, 5 School Board Candidates Certified for May Election
F.C. Council’s City Center ‘Moment of Truth’ Tonight
As the deadline passed Tuesday for candidates to file for the May 5 election, Falls Church City Registrar Debbie Taylor reported that no last minute filings occurred, and the eight City Council and five School Board candidates previously announced will constitute the choices on the ballot. Voters can anticipate a robust competition for the four open seats on the City Council, while all five School Board candidates will run unopposed.
A special meeting of the Falls Church City Council will convene tonight at 7:30 p.m., with only one item on the agenda: the final approval of the $317 million, nineacre Atlantic Realty City Center project. If the Council follows through on the unanimous preliminary approval it gave to the project last month, it will be the single biggest development achievement in the history of Falls Church, and the biggest boon to the City’s flagging revenue base
Fa l l s C h u r c h
Business News & Notes
8 F.C. Businesses Earn ‘Most Loved’ Kudos Eight Falls Church businesses were voted “Most Loved” by Hulafrog, the website promoting “Local Things for Kids To Do.” Abrakadoodle Art Northern Virginia won Most Loved Arts & Crafts Center, Creative Cauldron was a co-winner Most Loved Acting Studio, Doodlehopper 4 Kids won Most Loved Toy and/or Bookstore, Goldfish Swim Club won Most Loved Swim Lessons, Let’s Play Music was a co-winner of the Most Loved Music Lessons, Lil City Creamery won Most Loved Ice Cream Parlor, Nova Fencing Club won Most Loved Martial Arts Studio and was a co-winner Most Loved Sports Classes & Camps, and Pizzeria Orso won Most Loved Kid Friendly Restaurant. Hulafrog connects parents to local events and businesses in their community as well as to each other. Parents can receive information on coupons, promotions, events, classes, camps, parties and more by registering on the site to receive emails. Hulafrog started in the Red Bank, NJ area and is now in over 250 markets representing 2,200 cities in 37 states. For more information, visit www.hulafrog.com/fairfax-springfield-va/most-loved-awards.
Next F.C. Chamber Mixer Hosted at Comfort Inn The Comfort Inn Arlington Boulevard is hosting the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce’s networking mixer on Tuesday, Feb. 27 from 5:30 – 7 p.m. The free event will include refreshments, networking, and a ribbon cutting for the newly renovated space. The Comfort Inn is located at 6111 Arlington Boulevard. For more information, visit the Chamber’s calendar at www.FallsChurchChamber.org.
The Center for Spirtual Enlightenment Hosting ‘Love Language’ Seminar The Center for Spiritual Enlightenment is hosting “The Law of Attraction: Discovering Your Love Language” on Wednesday, Feb. 28 from 7 – 9 p.m. Based on “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts” by Gary Chapman, the event will explore the five love languages, how to discover your personal love language, and how to build relationships that last. For more information, visit www.thecse.org.
F.C. Chamber of Commerce Gala, ‘Fire & Ice, ’ Set for March 10 The Falls Church Chamber of Commerce will host its annual awards gala on Saturday, March 10 at the Fairview Park Marriott. This year’s award recipients include Hap Day Chamber Appreciation Award winner Julie Kelly and the Hilton Garden Inn, James S. Elkin Award for Humanitarianism winner The Falls Church Episcopal, Carroll V. Shreve Award winner Joe Wetzel, and Pillar of the Community Gary LaPorta. The event includes a reception, a silent auction (online at 32auctions.com/FCCC2018,) dinner, a performance by Sudden M Pac thanks to Entertainment Sponsor ROCK STAR Realty, dinner, a live auction with David Quinn of Quinn’s Auction Galleries, and the Awards Program. Tickets are available at www. FallsChurchChamber.org. Business News & Notes is compiled by Sally Cole, Executive Director of Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce. She may be emailed at sally@fallschurchchamber.org.
MEET LILY, the Westie! She is the youngest associate at the Falls Church City Law Firm of Brooke-Devlin & Nester! She loves to greet clients and works hard to keep the attorneys, Morgan and Tony, in line. Lily began competing in dog shows when she was 6 months old and now, at only 16 months of age, is within 3 points of becoming a Champion. Lily’s Dad, Hector, competed at the 2018 Westminster dog show and Lily has high hopes of joining him there next year. Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! Send in your Critter Corner submissions to crittercorner@fcnp.com.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
SE NI O R LI V I NG
SENIOR LIVING
S����� N��� L���
When Age Catches Up With You BY MATLIDA CHARLES
KING FEATURES SYNDICATE
At what point do we finally cave in to aging? It’s different for all of us, but there are some things we eventually need to give up. Aren’t there? For me the breaking point in “I can do it myself” came recently when I started planning for a bit of redecorating. Tops on my list was painting a few rooms. I’m no neophyte when it comes to a paintbrush and roller – and a ladder. I painted my first room at age 16 and have painted at least some of every place I’ve ever lived since then. I have a 20-yearold ladder, a bit wobbly now but perfectly stable for zipping up and down while wearing a certain pair of shoes (also old) for grip. I even know just how far it’s safe to lean to the left or right without the ladder tipping. I’ve felt perfectly safe.
Until now. What, I’ve asked myself, would happen if I fell and there was no one here to help? I’ve thought about ways around that, including having a neighbor come over. But no, I wouldn’t enjoy what has always been a happy solitary task with music blaring. So where do you draw your line in the battle against aging? When do you stop shoveling snow? When do you ask for help carrying 40-pound bags of pet food? And when do you stop hanging from a ladder like a monkey while wielding a paintbrush? After making a few calls, my painting situation has been solved. A very nice young painter will be here to paint ceiling trim and the top 2 feet of walls while I, with feet firmly on the floor, paint everything else. I wonder I’ll have to give up next. *** So many seniors live alone,
and the last thing you want is to move just because the house becomes too much to handle on your own. Or maybe your property taxes went up and your $3 Social Security increase won’t cover it. What if you had a roommate? The first instinct might be to say no to that idea. You don’t want a stranger sharing your space. But think about that. What if you had someone to help shovel the walk the next time it snows? Or someone whose rent payment means you can stay in your home? Or even, on a more friendly level, someone to play chess or cards with? Start by calling the senior center, Council on Aging or local social services office to ask if they know of a roommate matching service. Once you locate one, be prepared to be extremely honest in what you’re looking for. If you can’t stand to be around people drinking alcohol, say so. If you go to bed early and need
FEBRUARY 22 – 28, 2018 | PAGE 23
the house quiet by a certain time at night, say that, too. The more honest you are, the more likely you are to find a roommate who is compatible. Be sure to have credit and background checks done. The best possible situation might be if there’s a college near you. A student who’s old enough
not to be required to live in the dorm (sophomore or older), who is tired of the noise of a dorm, who needs peace and quiet to study, who’s tired of cafeteria food, who is struggling on a budget ... that kind of roommate might be perfect. Don’t say no until you’ve given it some thought!
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PAGE 24 | FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2018
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Open Sunday 2-4pm
Coming Soon
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2177 Harithy Drive, Dunn Loring
Spectacular townhome that feels more like a detached house just minutes from Tysons Corner. Over 3500 sq feet on 3 finished levels-completely stunning! Offered in the Upper $900’s
416 Hampton Court | Falls Church City
Lovely renovated 2 BD/1.5 BA townhouse in the heart of the City. Come and experience urban living in the wonderful Winter Hill community. Offered at $380,000
Zillow Review
Stop by our Falls Church City office
Louise Molton Phone: 703 244-1992 louise@moltonrealestate.com
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Beautiful colonial on over 1 acre of land featuring 5 BD/3.5 BA, large dome shaped addition perfect for family room or dance studio! Walk to the Potomac River from this fantastic location. Offered at $750,000
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(conveniently located next to the Hilton),
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1007 Kennedy St, Falls Church City
Sunny & spacious 4 BR/3 BA brick home with new master suite. Large kitchen w/new appliances. Hardwoods, 2 fireplaces, bonus rooms & large Rec Room make for perfect entertainment space. Huge yard & stone terrace complete the outside. $899,000
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This 4 BR/4.5 BA Craftsman-style bungalow is a true masterpiece w/countless designer features and loads of energy efficient extras. With quick access to lively Ballston shopping, dining & entertainment along with proximity to the W&OD bike trail and I-66, this is sure to be your dream home.
Wakefield Chapel Woods Neighborhood Beautifully updated, this 5 BR/3.5 BA has new bathrooms and a new kitchen and is perfect for entertaining. Close to I-495, this home offers convenient access to shopping and commuting.
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