Falls Church News-Press 2-25-2021 by Falls Church News-Press

February 25 – March 3, 2021

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Real Estate Assessments in F.C. Improve Despite Pandemic F.C. City Officials Said Assessments Are Up 2.7% Overall, Outpacing Estimates From End of 2020 BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

Pandemic? What pandemic? One might consider such a reaction to the City of Falls Church’s annual real estate assessments released this week.

They grew an impressive 2.7 percent overall, slightly ahead of estimates that the City has been operating from as recently as December. According to City Manager Wyatt Shields, in an interview with the News-Press Wednesday,

there were no surprises in the results announced by the Office of the Assessor’s chief officer Ryan Davis and appraiser Lisa Freeman. The slightly better than expected increase came as part of the $55 million growth attrib-

utable to the progress in the construction of the Founder’s Row large scale mixed use project now under construction at the intersection of W. Broad and N. West Street. “That major improvement and the spate of new individual

home construction and renovations around the City account for the growth,” Shields said. Shields said that as the economy begins to recover from the darkest days of the Covid-19

Continued on Page 5

F.C. Schools Reopen for Hybrid Learning at All Grade Levels BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

It seemed almost like the start of a new school year for the Falls Church City Public Schools this week. With all the system’s teachers and staff having received their second Covid-19 innoculation last week, this week for the first time since the onset of the global Covid-19 pandemic last March, all students began to occupy all of the City’s classrooms. Social distancing requirements for the students prevented a full return, however, as the whole system went into a hybrid mode, with some classroom learning and some still from home. The biggest event was the fact that students were being allowed into the new high school, just completed at a cost of $120 mil-

lion, for in-person classes for the first time. Also, Tuesday night the School Board approved its budget of $53.6 million to submit to the City Council for a final OK. That budget is within the guidance provided by City staff in December and provides for a step salary increase above a one percent cost-of-living adjustment. The two percent growth over last year is below the guidance of a 2.7 percent growth that the City Council stipulated in December, and of the $53.6 million total, $43.8 million will be sought from the City’s general fund. That budget will be woven into the City Manager’s proposed budget for the whole City that he will present March 8. The board authorized the renewal of the system’s lease-

Continued on Page 4

STUDENTS at the City of Falls Church’s yet-to-be-named elementary school listen to their teacher do some reading prior to dismissal earlier this week. (P��: C�� FCCPS P��/C�� S��)

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As unusual and unwelcome as a Covidcautious season could be, the girls basketball team for the City of Falls Church’s high school was happy to walk away from it with a Class 3 state title after a 65-49 victory over Spotswood High School on Saturday night.

Some artists prefer to tell their stories without any lyrics, with one of those being acoustic fingerstyle guitarist Yasmin Williams, who will be a featured performer for the Creative Cauldron’s “Passport to the World” showcase this Friday.

One of the first things people associated with recently deceased Temple Rodef Shalom Rabbi Emeritus Laszlo “Larry” Berkowits was that he was a Holocaust survivor. The founding member of the synogague survived the genocide while still in his youth.

INDEX

Editorial............................................... 6 Letters................................................. 6 Comment ................................ 7,12,13 News & Notes................................... 10 Crime Report .................................... 12 Calendar ........................................... 14 Business News ................................. 15 Classified Ads ................................... 16 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword ......... 17 Critter Corner.................................... 18

PAGE 2 | FEBRUARY 25 – MARCH 3, 2021

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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FEBRUARY 25 – MARCH 3, 2021 | PAGE 3

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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PAGE 4 | FEBRUARY 25 – MARCH 3, 2021

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

With Ribbon Cut at New High School, Students Welcomed for 1st Time

Continued from Page 1

purchase agreement with Apple, and adopted a “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” policy. The opening of the new school was acknowledged with a virtual ribbon cutting that was videotaped and presented to the public for the first time last weekend. Superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan led off that ceremony, which included celebratory remarks by officials ranging from U.S. Rep. Donald S. Beyer Jr., State Sen. Richard Saslaw, State Del. Marcus Simon, F.C. Mayor David Tarter and many others. That video can be seen on the City schools’ YouTube site and this week it passed 1,000 public views. Local dignitaries involved through the School Board and non-profit organizations like the Falls Church Education Foundation and Parent-Teacher organizations were also acknowledged, along with principals of the construction teams of Gilbane and others hired to execute the plans. Voters of the City were hailed

for their efforts in the passage of the $120 million school Bond referendum in November 2017 and the City government for its creative efforts in designing not only the school, but also the 10-acre West End Gateway project adjacent it on property where the current high school sits. That plan promises to bring more than adequate revenues into the City to fully cover the cost of the new school. Demolition of the old school is expected to be conducted by the developers of that property in May. While the constant turmoil generated by the past year’s transition to at-home and hybrid learning models has apparently contributed to the resignation of two of the School Board’s seven members — Lawrence Webb and Shawna Russell — in recent months and some organized citizen efforts to put up “Open the Schools” signs around town, the key decisions on such matters have been in the hands of Superintendent Noonan, who has often complained about a lack of leadership guidance from

higher sources, leaving him and his cohorts largely on their own. With “equitable access to courses, support services and other educational resources,” the policy document stated, the “School Board expects that differences in student performance by group will diminish each year,” while “each year reviewing results and considering if additional actions should be taken to enhance equity and inclusion.” Also at Tuesday’s work session, Jeanne Seabridge, director of Assessment and Accountability for the Falls Church system, presented a report based on the Northwest Evaluation Association, that has established the last year has not led to significant declines in student performance in the areas of math and reading, and that the system is exceeding the nation in those areas. She also reported that a new three-year grant has been added to the system’s agreement with Al’s Pals social and emotional learning program for the younger ages.

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MARY ELLEN HENDERSON MIDDLE SCHOOL teachers welcome back a student for their �irst day of in-person instruction since last March. (P��: C�� FCCPS P��/P�� N��)

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Beating Economic Downtrend Brought on By Virus Gives F.C. Sunny Future Outlook

Continued from Page 1

pandemic last year, it is hoped that pauses in some new developments will rev up again, bringing new jobs, indoor restaurant dining, retail rebounds and more new large scale development. He said he’s very hopeful, for example, that a new movie theatre company will be eager to come into the Founder’s Row project (following the bankruptcy of the company that had signed a lease to come in there last year, which was announced in the fall). All of this improves the chances that the real estate tax rate will not grow above its current rate of $1.335 per $100 assessed valuation. With the announcement of the new annual real estate assessments came the report that all properties in the City of Falls Church were reported to be valued at $4,570,946,700 ($4.57 billion), a 2.72 percent increase from Jan. 1, 2020, according to

a release City of Falls Church Assessors Office. New construction (valued at $72.68 million) accounts for 60.58 percent of the increase in assessed value in the City, and market appreciation accounts for the remainder. City assessments will be mailed to property owners in late February. Updated assessment information will be posted on the City website by March 2. Individual home owners are being told to expect to receive their individual assessments in the mail before the end of the month, and the tax rate will be set in late April by the F.C. City Council. Residential new construction accounted for $17.68 million of growth; commercial new construction accounts for $55.0 million of growth. Overall commercial property values increased 0.57 percent since January 2020 and multifamily property values decreased

2.78 percent; overall residential real estate values increased 4.07 percent over the last year. Single family homes and townhomes had varying changes but overall were up 4.21 percent and 4.62 percent respectively; and residential condominiums had varying changes but overall increased 3.12 percent. As set forth in the Virginia Constitution, real estate is assessed at 100 percent of fair market value. The City’s Office of Real Estate Assessment calculates property value annually using mass appraisal techniques that are standard in the real estate assessment industry. The notice of assessment is an appraisal of the fair market value of the property; it is not a tax bill. Property tax payments will be due in two installments on Dec. 6, 2021 and June 6, 2022; property owners will receive bills prior to these dates. The real estate tax rate will be determined on April 26, when the Falls Church City Council

FEBRUARY 25 – MARCH 3, 2021 | PAGE 5

adopts the Fiscal Year 2022 Operating Budget and Capital Improvements Program and sets the tax rate. Public hearings on the budget will be held during regular City Council meetings on March 22, April 12 and April 26 at 7:30 p.m. Individual assessments will be mailed later this month. City Hall has advised residents that after evaluating the assessment, homeowners wondering if their assessment is correct should ask the question, “Would my home sell for the assessed value if I put it on the market?” If the answer is “yes,” the assessment is probably accurate. If the answer is “no,” contact the Office of Real Estate

Assessment at 703-248-5022 (TTY 711). Deadlines for assessment appeals are Friday, April 2 for an Office of Real Estate Assessment review and Friday, June 4 for a Board of Equalization review. In Falls Church City Council actions at its meeting this Monday: It voted 6-1 to approve a modification of the negotiated terms with Mill Creek for the Founder’s Row project to substitute a third party escrow account for promises that a movie theater would be occupying the site. It heard a report from the City’s Use of Force voluntary committee, whose findings will be reported in next week’s NewsPress.

More at FCNP.com Rodef Shalom’s Purim Spiel Covers Book of Esther • In honor of Purim Spiel, or “Jewish Mardi Gras” according to Temple Rodef Shalom Rabbi Amy Schwartzman, members of the synagogue will be putting on a performance to tell the story of the Book of Esther, put often in a humorous and highly entertaining way to help bring the events of Esther to life

PAGE 6 | FEBRUARY 25 – MARCH 3, 2021 

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Vol. XXXI, No. 2 February 25 – March 3, 2021 • City of Falls Church ‘Business of the Year’ 1991 & 2001 • • Certified by the Commonwealth of Virginia to Publish Official Legal Notices • • Member, Virginia Press Association •

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Falls Church’s New High School

It is a truly inspirational, if unfortunately virtual, half-hour video introduced last weekend and available now on the Falls Church Public Schools’ YouTube channel. It serves as the ceremonial ribbon cutting for the City of Falls Church’s new $120 million high school — name to be determined — that is being occupied by students for the first time this week. The video can be viewed by the public at any time and yesterday it topped 1,000 views. It represents to us, and appropriately we think for all that was behind it and went into it in the Falls Church community, not only a highly functional public school brilliant in myriad ways, but a symbol, a veritable monument honoring the value of public education itself. Free public education represents a democratic society’s best guarantee and defense of its combined values of a science-based and freedom of thought-based social order. It was fitting that the City’s leading political figures, beginning with U.S. Rep. Donald S. Beyer Jr. and including State Sen. Richard Saslaw, State Del. Marcus Simon, Mayor David Tarter and many others who played roles in the singular achievement of constructing what surely has to be one of the nation’s premiere high school facilities. We add the News-Press to those taking their bows for this important inflection point in the City’s history. Since its founding 30 years ago, the News-Press has been an unwavering advocate for the City’s public schools, repeatedly making reasoned and compelling cases in its editorials for seeing to the school system’s needs even at times when in conflict with the wishes of City Hall, and distributing those ideas weekly to every household in the City. We didn’t just report or advocate, we pitched into the civic discourse at the highest level without fail to back the City’s schools this whole time. This is not to claim credit but to inform the community of an important aspect of the whole story and so it can recognize better the importance of a thriving local newspaper to any community. As avid students of the best of Western Civilization’s long march toward science and freedom, we take note of the ways in which, as the Renaissance began to flower, great public buildings grew up alongside mighty cathedrals, and both with their very architecture and visual artworks serving as public testaments to the power of creative and scientific thought. Falls Church’s new high school structure, with its state of the art technology and remarkable ambiances for open-minded discourse and learning, is a modern version of such highly functional and beautiful structures. Truly, the entire Falls Church community, past and present, deserves many mighty pats on the back, once social distancing constraints allow, for bringing the community to this historic moment. Going forward, we propose a mighty clock tower be added to proudly display this project to the wider world and to serve it, too (as long as it tells the right time).

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Excused Civic Absences Can Still Lead to Learning Deficits Editor, It’s easy to be thrilled that the Fairfax County School Board has made class time missed for civic reasons an excused absence. But let’s think about this a moment. I admit that I attended my high school class 50th reunion, but I’ve spent many of the years since then in the community college classroom. My wife also taught in the Fairfax County Schools. When we were in

high school, excused absences were hard to come by. Death in the family? Excused. Serious illness? Of a family member? Unexcused. Of the student? Clear symptoms were required. Participation in a school sponsored activity? Excused. Some years ago, however, these requirements were loosened: If parents knew about it and called in, it was an excused absence. Even the family vacation to Disney World was

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excused. The standards have loosened considerably. Students arrive in college believing that if they “explain” an absence, it’s okay. They won’t be penalized. They’ll get extra time to finish assignments. The problem with this is that no one seems to think about the fact that an absence mean that the student was not present for instruction, and states measure instructional time in hours and minutes. If parents and students measured it in the same way, perhaps it would be more precious to them and they’d hesitate to miss so much of it. The absences do add up, and sooner or later they become self-penalizing. Maybe I’m just a cranky retired

professor, but I wish students were learning that being out of class, regardless of whether the absence is excused, means instruction irretrievably missed. I’m not opposed to students being active in civic affairs, but as laudable as that is, it comes at a cost that has to be considered. John Hare Via the internet

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FEBRUARY 25 – MARCH 3, 2021 | PAGE 7

To Those Who Smoke or Are Obese: Get the Covid Vaccine ASAP B� E�� F��

As you may know, those with certain health conditions that increase their risk of severe Covid-19 currently qualify for the vaccine here in the Fairfax Health District. Among those conditions are smoking and obesity, or severe obesity. I believe that the known long-term risks of Covid-19 far outweigh the possible unknown risks of the new vaccines. I also weigh a bit more than I’d like. I checked my BMI online and confirmed that I qualify for the vaccine due to obesity. This would seem like a cause for celebration. And yet, I stared at my computer for about half an hour before I could bring myself to request an appointment. As much as I wanted to get the vaccine, I knew there would be a price to pay for this early access. Many of us have seen our healthcare provider friends and other essential workers posting excited selfies with their vaccine records. The vaccine selfie seems to be becoming a right of passage almost as essential as the second vaccine shot itself. It’s only a matter of time until HuffPost blasts our news apps with “6 Tips on How to Make Your Vaccine Selfie Shine! (and your personal information easier to read for identity thieves!)” I doubt we’ll see a rash of vaccine selfies from anyone receiving an early vaccine due to their weight or cigarette usage. The best-case scenario is that members of my cohort will likely keep their early vaccinations a dirty little secret. My fear, however, is that many

of us simply won’t request an early appointment at all. There is no shortage of news reports, tweets, and even sports forum posts featuring folks criticizing their officials’ decisions to

“Let’s be clear — the CDC didn’t put smoking and obesity on the conditions list to do anyone any favors, except of course keeping people alive.” prioritize these conditions as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends. Essentially, the question many are asking is: “If we give early vaccine access to smokers and the obese, aren’t we just incentivizing these bad habits?” My friends, if anyone in your life asks this question, I urge you to respond with a question in turn: “If I wait to get this vaccine until the date you think I’m supposed to get it and develop a severe case of Covid-19 in the interim, how much will you contribute to my medical bills and/or funeral costs? Dollar figure, please.”

Is that blunt? Absolutely. But sometimes a blunt response is the most effective vaccine to an asinine idea. Giving smokers and the obese vaccine priority isn’t encouraging anyone to maintain these health conditions, and it certainly isn’t encouraging anyone new to adopt them. As anyone who’s tried to quit smoking or lose weight can confirm, they’re not as simple as giving up bad habits. I’m not even convinced it’s fair to call them habits. You see, bad habits include tapping on your desk when you’re bored, or thinking you know more about high-risk medical conditions than medical professionals. These can be given up quickly and easily with a high degree of success. The high failure rates for conquering smoking (over 50 percent in the first year according to Respiratory Care) and obesity (90 percent overall according to Michigan Medicine) tell a different story. Smoking and obesity are less habitual and more addiction and affliction. These daunting statistics shouldn’t prevent anyone from trying to live a healthier lifestyle. Things that are worth doing are rarely easy. However, we have to be realistic about the practicality of expecting people to radically change their health in lieu of receiving a prioritized vaccination. Some may joke about buying cigarettes or gorging on fast food to get a vaccine more quickly. But let’s keep in mind that the joke works because it’s an absurd idea. No one’s jumping on Robinhood to buy

Philip Morris and McDonald’s stock to profit off an oncoming cigarette and hamburger boom. If people were actually incentivized to “get fat and smoke” by being given priority access to the vaccine, forget the moon, these stocks would be headed outside the solar system. They’d be going Voyager I. Let’s be clear — the CDC didn’t put smoking and obesity on the conditions list to do anyone any favors, except of course keeping people alive. CDC health experts studied health, have years of experience, did real research that didn’t involve binging YouTube videos, and this was their findings. So if you qualify for the vaccine due to a health condition that increases your risk of severe Covid-19, I urge you to sign up for an appointment with the Fairfax Health District and/or the CVS vaccine distribution program immediately. I’d also like to ask the community as a whole not to embrace hysterical and antiscientific attitudes. Please do not make anyone who currently qualifies for this vaccine feel any more self-conscious than they likely already feel. None of the CDC risk factors are ranked or placed in a hierarchy. However, their list is organized. The specialists sorted their list in a way that professionally made sense to them. Alphabetically. And that, neighbors, is the only way this list of conditions should be viewed. Erik Fessler is the President of the Falls Church Young Democrats

Q�� W�� Should people pushing for the full reopening of schools volunteer to make it happen? • Yes

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Last Week’s Question: Should the City of Falls Church start ticketing for live music noise violations?

• Not sure

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The News-Press welcomes readers to send in submissions in the form of Letters to the Editor & Guest Commentaries. Letters to the Editor should be no more than 350 words and writers are limited to one appearance every four weeks. Guest Commentaries should be no more than 800 words and writers are limited to one appearance every four months. Because of space constraints, not all submissions will be published. All submissions to the News-Press should be original, unpublished content. We reserve the right to edit submissions for length, grammar and accuracy. All submissions should include writer’s name, address, phone and e-mail address if available.

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PAGE 8 | FEBRUARY 25 – MARCH 3, 2021

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NEWS BRIEFS News-Press’ 1st ‘Spot of The Week’ is Today, Feb. 25 In a new initiative marking the 30th anniversary of the Falls Church News-Press consecutive weekly publication, the NewsPress is launching a weekly distribution day, “Spot of the week” at a local business starting today at 6 p.m. This week’s event, designed to mark the circulation of another new edition of the weekly, will be at Ireland’s Four Provinces Restaurant at 6 p.m. Nicholas Benton, founder, owner and editor of the mighty Falls Church News-Press, issued the following statement: “Dear Friends, Starting this Thursday, Feb. 25, as we enter our 30th year of consecutive weekly publication, the Falls Church News-Press will be hosting a free weekly Distribution Day event/party in the City of Falls Church from 6 – 8 p.m. to call attention to the publication and distribution of yet another edition of our weekly newspaper. “Today the event will be held at the Ireland’s Four Provinces Restaurant, Broad and Washington in F.C. No RSVP is required, but we’d love to see you. Each week we will pick a different local location to celebrate Distribution Day where the public can see and discuss the new edition, hang out with members of the editorial staff and support a local business, all at the same time. “Masking and social distancing will be observed. Hope you can join us this Thursday and if not, next week’s event, on March 4, will be at the Dogwood Tavern, 132 W. Broad Street.”

noting how “the last year has been a tough one for students, teachers and people in the community.” He hailed her service for a period as vice chair of the board. She becomes the second board member to resign in the last two months, following the departure of Lawrence Webb. Tuesday’s meeting marked the first for Webb’s Board-appointed temporary replacement, Sonia Ruiz-Bolanos.

Affordable Housing Forum On Zoom Sunday at 4 p.m. The League of Women VotersFalls Church and Citizens for a Better City are co-sponsoring a series of public forums to discuss the state of affordable housing in the city called “Affordable Housing Falls Church: Problems & Prospects.” The first of three forums will be held this Sunday, Feb. 28 at 4 p.m. A public Zoom link will be posted on the LWVFalls Church website. A panel of four longtime Falls Church leaders will be speaking at the forum: Former Mayor H. Alan Brangman, Former Mayor Brian O’Connor, Former Falls Church Housing Corporation leader Katharine Emmons and developer Robert Young, president of The Young Group and chair of the City’s Economic Development Authority. The panelists will discuss the efforts that have been made over the last 40 years to address the availability of affordable housing in Falls Church. The other two forums will focus on current developments and possible options for the future. The dates of those discussions will be released at a later time.

F.C. School Board Member Shawna Russell Resigns

Northam, Key Dems Hail New Law Banning Death Penalty

At Tuesday night’s virtual Falls Church School Board work session, the meeting opened with an announcement by Board member Shawna Russell that she is resigning her seat at the end of this month. Other members expressed their regrets at the loss of her contributions, with Phil Reitinger

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn, and Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw jointly issued the following statement today after both houses of the General Assembly passed legislation to ban capital punishment in the Commonwealth. House Bill 2263, sponsored by

Delegate Mike Mullin, and Senate Bill 1165, sponsored by Senator Scott Surovell, which are identical bills, now head to Governor Northam’s desk: “It is vital that our criminal justice system operates fairly and punishes people equitably. We all know the death penalty doesn’t do that. It is inequitable, ineffective, and inhumane. “Over Virginia’s long history, this Commonwealth has executed more people than any other state. And, like many other states, Virginia has come too close to executing an innocent person. It’s time we stop this machinery of death.”

New Space Panel Chair, Beyer Hails Mars Landing U.S. Rep. Don Beyer of Northern Virginia, just named chair of the House Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, hailed NASA’s successful landing of its Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover in the Jezero Crater on Thursday, completing a seven-month journey to the Martian surface. Perseverance’s main objective while on Mars is to search for evidence of ancient life and collect geological samples that are expected to be transported to Earth in subsequent NASA missions. Attached to Perseverance is the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, which will be used to attempt the first controlled flight on another planet. Perseverance is NASA’s fifth Mars rover and the agency’s ninth Mars landing. “Today years of scientific engineering and hard work are culminating in the landing of the Mars Perseverance Rover, an extraordinary achievement,” said Beyer. “Congratulations to the women and men who made this happen – your work is inspiring younger generations in STEM and you should be proud of a job well done. This is an incredible accomplishment for the human race, and I can’t wait to see the first aircraft flight over another planet to learn more about the findings from the rover.”

FEBRUARY 25 – MARCH 3, 2021 | PAGE 9

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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PAGE 10 | FEBRUARY 25 – MARCH 3, 2021

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Mustang Girls Win 1st State Title in Nearly 10 Years by Matt Delaney

Falls Church News-Press

As unusual and unwelcome as a Covid-cautious season could be, the girls basketball team for the City of Falls Church’s high school was happy to walk away from it with a Class 3 state title after a 65-49 victory over Spotswood High School on Saturday night. It was the program’s first state championship in almost a decade. “We talked a lot about being really thankful for the opportunity of even being able to play, and then the fact that we worked through the whole season and it culminated with the state championship, it’s just the icing on the cake,” head coach Chris Carrico said. The Mustangs’ “confident, but not cocky” motto was what guided them to an undefeated season at 16-0, and one that, after glancing at their record, seemed largely uncompetitive. Only William Monroe High School provided a viable threat in hindsight, with the Mustangs’ 44-33 home win over the Dragons on Jan. 22 being their smallest margin of victory. But Saturday’s championship

game against reigning Class 3 state champions, Spotswood High School, looked primed to spoil the girls’ perfect season early on. The Washington Post reported that the Trailblazers sprang out to a 9-2 lead, and had the Mustangs off-kilter with their full court press. “For the first five or six minutes of the game, we got sped up [by Spotswood],” Carrico said. “They came up with a full court press so we turned the ball over a couple of times, and we couldn’t make our free throws, which would’ve helped calm our nerves and stabilize our game on the court.” Once Carrico called a timeout to settle some of the butterflies in his team’s stomach, he saw the girls ease into their style of play. From then until halftime, the Mustangs outscored Spotswood by 11 points, giving the Falls Church crew a 31-27 lead at the break. A little breathing room emboldened the Mustangs defense to clamp down, with rotations tightening up and the Trailbalzers shooters forced to take contested jumpers. Another big change was their improvement on the glass, with the girls’ bigs snagging rebounds after

THE MUSTANGS pose with the trophy after toppling Spotswood High School 65-49 on Saturday night. It was the first championship the high school program has won since the 2011-12 season (Photo: Courtesy FCCPS Photo/Matt Hills)

Spotswood’s misses and helping notch 17 offensive rebounds on the other end. Entering the fourth quarter up 49-33, the Mustangs took one final plunge to put the game away for good. “Halfway through the fourth quarter, we went up by as much as

24 points,” Carrico said. “We were able to play the type of game that we wanted in the second half.” The title is the Mustangs’ first since the 2011-12 season. It’s also Carrico’s first as a head coach of the program he’s led for three years now. Sophomore forward Elizabeth

Creed led the Mustangs with 24 points, followed by guards junior Bella Paradiso and sophomore Peyton Jones with 12 and junior forward Megan Tremblay with 11. Creed also shot 67 percent from the field, helping lead the team to make 47 percent of their shots overall, and grabbed seven rebounds.

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New Citrus Options Join Arlington Lions Charity Sale Honey and Royal Tangerines (formerly “Temples”) and Valencias are joining its line up of products that are a part of the Northwest Arlington Lions’ citrus direct-to-you fundraising effort on Feb. 8 for ordering online thru March 31. Other citrus products for sale are Honeybells, Cara Caras, Red Grapefruit and Mandarins along with Vermont maple syrup and Georgia pecans that offers direct shipping to customers. For more information, call 703-5281130.

Spring Lawn Care Seminar Being Held on Friday Interested participants can learn what they can do now to improve and manage their lawn to make it a more environmentally friendly, less resource-intensive part of their home garden during this virtual event on Friday, Feb. 26 from 10 – 11:30 a.m. Extension Master Gardener Joyce Hilton will discuss the best types of grasses for the Northern Virginia area, specific springtime turf management practices, nutrient management and soil

testing, and basic pest and disease management. Free. RSVP at mgnv. org/events/ to receive a link to participate.

Boundary Between McLean & Langley High Adjusted The Fairfax County School Board voted to approve a boundary adjustment to alleviate overcrowding at McLean High School that was presented to the community as Option B. The boundary adjustment will realign students in the Colvin Run Elementary School split feeder area, a portion of the Spring Hill Elementary split feeder area, and a portion of Westbriar Elementary from Longfellow Middle-McLean High to Cooper Middle-Langley High. This adjustment identifies an estimated 190 students at the high school level and 78 students at the middle school level. The Board voted to phase in the changes as follows: Rising seventh grade students will attend Cooper Middle in the 2021-22 school year, with rising eighth graders grandfathered to remain at Longfellow Middle in the 2021-22 school year. Both seventh and eighth grade students will attend Cooper Middle in the 2022-23 school year. Rising

LAST WEDNESDAY, troops #2259 and #50066 joined forces to deliver cookies and $800 that they raised for their “Hometown Heroes,” the Children’s Hospital at Fairfax Inova. The money was raised in honor of Millie Owens, in troop 2259, who was a patient in January 2020. Millie’s surgeon, Dr. Leon Moores, and her oncologist, Dr. Varela, joined the girls to give out socially-distanced hugs and to receive the cookies. Millie is thriving, fully healed and grateful for her troop and their leaders who support her during good times and hard times. (P��: C�� J�� O��) tenth, eleventh, and twelfth graders in the area will be grandfathered and remain at McLean High. The high school boundary change will begin with rising ninth grade students in the 2021-22 school year; ninth and tenth grade students in the 2022-23 school year; ninth, tenth, and eleventh grade students

in the 2023-24 school year; and ninth through twelfth grade students in the 2024-25 school year. Rising ninth graders residing in the area changed will have the option to attend Langley High in 2021-22 or be grandfathered at McLean High with transportation provided through twelfth in the

2024-25 school year. The option chosen for the 2021-22 school year will determine the school through the 2024-25 school year and will not be able to be changed. The boundary adjustments will take effect in the 2021-22 school year with the phasing and grandfathering adopted.

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, 105 N. Virginia Ave #310, Falls Church, VA 22046

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A Penny for Your Thoughts

News of Greater Falls Church By Supervisor Penny Gross

In 1963, Fairfax County was a leading dairy producer in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In those days, the Dulles Access Road was framed by dairy farms and cows, lots of cows. The only buildings might be a barn, a silo, or perhaps a cowshed, and few vehicles were encountered on the 13-mile drive from the new Beltway to the fancy new airport. Results of the 1960 decennial Census counted 275,000 people in Fairfax County; by 1970, that number had increased to 454,000. Fairfax County was growing, and there was no turning back. That growth, and the men (yes, all were males) who worked to bring prosperity and progress to Fairfax County and the region, is the subject of “The Fight for Fairfax: Private Citizens and Public Policymaking,” a 2009 book which has been reissued in a 2020 version by George Mason University Press. The book, authored by Russ Banham, adds three chapters to the original, bringing the Fight for Fairfax to the contemporary: the arrival of Amazon and the Silver Line to Dulles. The dramatic change is recounted through the activities and insights of what was called the 123 Club, an informal amalgamation of business leaders, attorneys, developers, and a university president, who took the name from Route 123, formerly a country road that became a major thoroughfare, from McLean to the Occoquan and beyond. The names may be familiar – Sid Dewberry, John “Til” Hazel, Jr., Jerry Halpin, George Johnson, Milt Peterson, Dwight Schar, John Toups, and others. They used their influence and persuasion, a sense of purpose and, sometimes their own money, to achieve goals that would convert Fairfax County from a sleepy bedroom community, dependent on the federal government and defense contracts, into an international location renowned for its business opportunities, quality of life, outstanding public schools, and world-class medical facilities. Housing was a major focus, since many of the 123 Club members were in

the homebuilding industry. An interesting observation about the activities of these gentlemen, many who grew up during the Great Depression and World War II, was a recognition that, when they set out on their “fight,” communication was done in person, on the telephone, or by letter. No texts, emails, faxes, or other electronic means. Business relationships became personal friendships, despite their possible competitive natures, and those personal connections were crucial to winning. Many did not agree with the direction advocated by the 123 Club, and Banham discusses the political storms that ensued between development advocates and the Board of Supervisors. Central to those storms were Chairmen Jack Herrity, who was pro-growth, and Audrey Moore, who was diametrically opposed. Moore defeated Herrity in the chairman’s race in 1987, and Moore was defeated, in turn, by Mason District Supervisor Tom Davis, in 1991. Earlier board members in the fight included Joe Alexander (Lee), Harriet Bradley (Dranesville), Anne Wilkins (Mason), and Martha Pennino (Centreville), and the roles of County Executives Carlton Massey and J. Hamilton Lambert, although significant, seemed almost more like an elected official than an administrator. “The Fight for Fairfax” is an easy read, but you’ll want to pull out your local map to track the building that led to modern Fairfax today. Those cow pastures of the early 1960s are home to Fortune 500 companies, international businesses, and tens of thousands of residents. Banham’s narrative notes that it’s still a 13-mile drive from the Beltway to Dulles International Airport, but the metaphorical travel distance for Fairfax County to today was much farther.

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Our Moral Presidency, Part 1

The experts say that there is so much “pent up demand” in the economy right now, that as we move toward “clear” during this epic pandemic, by Labor Day hopefully, the savings rates that have accounts bursting at the seams will pour open like a randy deluge and there will be jobs and goodies galore. It’s true these economic hard times cannot be compared to anything we’ve seen in our lifetimes, because the cause was due entirely to noneconomic factors. But while that is no guarantee we won’t slip into a steep recession in the coming months, it is not at all likely. Still, moreover, the reason that is unlikely to be the outcome has more to do with the sane and visionary economic moves being made by the new FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS Biden administration than anything else. For now these moves center on the $1.9 trillion Covid relief package that needs to pass next week in the Congress and implemented as soon as possible. They do something that is very central to our future prospects for prosperity, they put significant financial resources directly into the hands of the public, buoying the buying power of the very people who’ve provided the engine for national economic growth in the period leading up to the latest interruption. Biden is going to be a very good president. Two developments of the past year that have not been appreciated enough but are decisive for our nation’s future are 1. The moral and political arousal of the American public that surged against the Trump insanity in the last four years and is now on a proverbial roll, and, 2. This movement’s successful “coup” against Trump as the incumbent president. This has been a political and moral reawakening in America since January 2017. The election of Trump so incensed what had by then already emerged as a new American majority that it was in the streets with millions of anti-Trump protesters from Day One. This new majority, nurtured through eight years of President Obama’s steady, noble and courageous leadership, could not react to Trump with passivity, not after all that had been revealed about his deep personal lack of character, much less criminal proclivities. It was Obama who set the stage for this not solely by the historical nature of his very role in America’s history as a Black American in the White House, but by the stellar and demonstrable character and dignity he and his family exhibited the whole time he was in charge. By that factor alone, he won re-election and could have won a third term if it were allowed. This was not expected, either. It was a surprising gift that has endured far beyond his White House years. It was expected that he would champion key civil rights causes, including for women and all minorities, but we did not know the extent of decorum and dignity that he would be bringing to his work. Unlike what America had seen in its White House since Eisenhower, Obama as its commander-in-chief was its true moral leader, as well. Carter could have been but was simply too far ahead of his time for his brand of progressive, inclusive religious reverence to catch on with the American people. It is now, though. Regrettably, with Nixon came a popular notion that even our top leaders are crooks, and that generally held until Obama and what we’d come to expect. So, with Trump the American people suddenly found themselves burdened with one of the most personally corrupt and depraved persons imaginable. This case went far beyond ordinary personal greed and corruption. This was a poster child of the most licentious, amoral degenerate ever seen in such corridors. Those with keener eyes to his lack of character could see from the very beginning that he’d do anything to advance the causes of his friends, such as Putin, and his own aspirations to dictatorial power in no way limited by any constraints that the rule of law or democratic values might impose. Fundamentally, whatever words or diagnoses notwithstanding, he was a very bad person, and shame on anyone claiming any moral authority to deny it. (To be continued).

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Nicholas F. Benton

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

Our Man in Arlington By Charlie Clark

Come March 1, a red-brick windowless box known to longtimers as Kann’s Department Store will bite the dust. George Mason University, which has used the Virginia Square building for multiple purposes since 1979, is creating space for its planned state-funded Institute for Digital Innovation. Prep work on the interior began in November, and construction fencing is up. “Select items were salvaged for potential reuse in the new building, including bricks and marble from the original structure, in the interest of honoring the history of Kann’s,” I’m told by Robin Rose Parker, a university communications strategist. The environmental impact report was quickly approved by county offices. The Mason staff have long been sensitive to the special place for the old Kann’s that beats in Arlington hearts — holding nostalgia gatherings for those who recall it as a law school. When I posted photos of the doomed building last week on Facebook’s “I Grew Up in Arlington, Va.,” more than 400 responses (and sad emoticons) appeared within 48 hours. “Sad to see it go. I went to law school there and fondly remembered getting my favorite winter coat there,” said one. Built in 1951 to compete with the Hecht Co. in nearby Ballston, the regional department store Kann’s became a three-story consumer adventure-land for thou-

sands. “Arlington Becomes Real Metropolis,” read the Evening Star’s account of its $4.5 million construction. Suburbanites flocked there for dresses, coats, shirts, fabrics, cosmetics, intimate apparel, toys, Buster Brown shoes, tableware and fine candy, plus its giftwrapping, beauty salon, photo studio and homey cafeteria. Former employees recalled it fondly: “My sister worked in the lingerie department one summer, and my mother was assistant fashion coordinator. I was in a few junior fashion shows. Kann’s was our go-to.” Another’s “grandmother worked there until she was 84. Kann’s was good about avoiding age discrimination.” One alum “worked in the lamp department and Trim-a-Tree during the holidays.” Kann’s annual rooftop lifesize Santa and reindeer became an anticipated annual spectacle. “I remember going there with my great aunt when I was 4,” one reminisced. “What impressed me was the escalators, chimes and announcements over the loudspeakers. It seemed a cross between Disneyland and the zoo.” In the early 60s, one mother “would find items she liked and watch them get reduced, then go on sale, then on clearance. She’d end up getting things for a dollar or two…a role model in stretching a dollar.” Another from that era got her first credit card from Kann’s. The downstairs “Kannteen” served tuna salad and “Cherry Smash, fries and barbecue on a

bun,” one recalled. The eaterie “had built-in ‘loops’ of counter space and you sat on stools,” wrote another. “The waitresses wore uniforms…complete with aprons.” Perhaps the oddest memory: “The toilets that popped up into a magical rim of blue light that was supposed to disinfect them.” By far the most vivid memory involved the live monkeys in a glass cage in the shoe department. Reports are that the squirrel monkeys from Brazil were named Teeny, Weeny, Eeny and Miney. No one seems to have a photo (WETA documentarians searched widely when they made the 2004 Arlington history “Heroes, History & Hamburgers”). That special store also embraced community affairs: “Free hearing Test, Given by the Quota Club of Arlington,” read the 1975 ad in the Arlington News. “Kann’s Cares.” *** The owner of one of Arlington’s historic Victorian homes is selling. Pam Jones, soon to leave the 1889 “Memory House” at 6404 Washington Boulevard in East Falls Church, has hence donated two original 1899 portraits of original owners Harry and Alice Fellows. In 1932, Harry Fellows became the first Arlington County Board chair and was mayor of Falls Church before the neighborhood shifted to Arlington in 1936. After the home’s new buyer declined, the Arlington Historical Society agreed to accept the paintings. Jones parts reluctantly with the quaint house, which in the past served as a bed and breakfast.

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CALENDAR LOCALEVENTS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27 Falls Church Farmers Market. The Falls Church Farmers Market runs every Saturday, where attendees will find fresh, local produce, meat, dairy, flowers & plants, honey, music and more. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Falls Church) 9 a.m. – noon. For more information, visit fallschurchva. gov/547/Farmers-Market-To-Go.

MONDAY, MARCH 1 Amazing Ants. Where exactly are ants marching to and why are they marching so much? Interested participants can join a naturalist as the group explores the amazing world of ants and learn about how everything is done for the hive rather than the queen. For ages 5 to 10. Register children and adults. To register, contact 703-228-4747. Long Branch Nature Center at Glencarlyn Park (625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington). 11 – 11:30 a.m.

TUESDAY, MARCH 2 Fabulous Frogs. Participants will learn about all the different kinds of frogs that hop around Northern Virginia. For ages 3 – 5 years. Preschool programs are offered throughout the year at both Gulf Branch and Long Branch Nature Centers. The theme for preschool programs is repeated during the month, so participants should register for only one session at each nature center per month. To register, contact 703228-4747. Long Branch Nature Center at Glencarlyn Park (625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington). 11 – 11:30 a.m.

VIRTUALEVENTS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28 Affordable Housing in the Little

City (online). The League of Women Voters will be hosting a seminar on the past, present and future of affordable housing in the City of Falls Church. The Zoom link is posted on the website of the Falls Church League of Women Voters at my.lwv.org/virginia/falls-church. 4 p.m.

MONDAY, MARCH 1 City Council Work Session (online). City Council work sessions are held the first and third Monday of the month, with the exception of August and December when only one meeting is held. These meetings are open to the public and are conducted to allow Council Members to discuss upcoming legislation and policy issues; the public is not generally invited to speak. All participating members of the City Council will be present at this meeting through electronic means. All members of the public may view this electronic meeting via www. fallschurchva.gov/CouncilMeetings. The meeting may also be viewed on FCCTV (Cox 11, RCN 2, Verizon 35). Video will be available after the meeting both online and on FCCTV. 7:30 – 11 p.m.

TUESDAY, MARCH 2 Town Hall: West Falls Church Project Updates. Interested attendees can join City of Falls Church staff and representatives from Falls Church Gateway Partners to learn more about how the West End project is progrssing. There will be a question and answer opportunity. For more information, visit the project’s website at fallschurchva.gov/1599/West-Falls-ChurchProject. Noon – 1:30 p.m.

THEATER&ARTS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26 “Passport to the World of Music” Live Streaming Series. Creative Cauldron returns with two performances this weekend as a part of its virtual “Passport to the World

GRIFFIN HOUSE will be performing at Jammin’ Java in Vienna on Saturday night. (Photo: GriffinHouseMusic.Com)

of Music’’ series. On Friday, Feb. 26, Yasmin Williams is an acoustic finger-style guitarist with an unorthodox, modern style of playing that produces refreshing sound. And on Saturday, Feb. 27, guests can enjoy the vocal stylings of Carl L. Williams as he explores the realms of Big Band, Musical Theatre and pop music. All Tickets are $15; both concerts will be live-streamed 7:30 p.m. on their respective show dates. Visit creativecauldron.org for tickets and information.

LIVEMUSIC THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25 Ken Francis Wenzel. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). 5 p.m. 703-2370300. Sol Roots Band. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 7:30 p.m. 703-2419504.

Rahmein’s Picks: A Stand Up Comedy Showcase (Indoors + Distanced). Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $10. 7:30 p.m. 703-255-1566.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26 Brook Yoder Trio. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 4:30 p.m. 703-2419504. The Lyon Kings. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-858-9186. Arctic Sky. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-237-0300. Flashback to The 80’s with DJ D. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $15. 8 p.m. 703-2551566. Josh Allen Band Live. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd.,

Falls Church). 8 p.m. 703-2419504.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27 Mary Shaver & Mike Tash. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 4 p.m. 703-2419504. TC Carter Band Live. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). 5 p.m. 703-2370300. The Rockits. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street, Ste A Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-8589186. Griffin House — Late Show. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $25. 8 p.m. 703-2551566. Groovequest Live and In Concert. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8 p.m. 703241-9504.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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B�� N�� N�� Quinn’s Auction Galleries Hosting Virtual Wine Auction Quinn’s Auction Galleries is hosting a virtual Wine Auction featuring a variety of wines from around the globe that will end Friday, Feb. 26 at 2 p.m. and a Bourbon and Whiskey Auction that will close Monday, March 1 at noon. Previews, by appointment only, and domestic and international shipping will be available for the wine auction only. There is no preview for the bourbon auction and items are available for local pick-up only. For more information about these or other auctions, visit www.quinnsauction.com.

Galleria Florist Moving to W. Broad Street on March 1. Galleria Florist is moving to 248 W. Broad Street in Falls Church on March 1. Galleria will continue to provide online and delivery service but will not open in the new space for walk-in business until April 1. The independent florist shop, known for its artistic flair, offers fresh cut flowers, original arrangements, potted plants, and original home décor items. Galleria Florist is owned and operated by Alisa Rabinovich who purchased the flower shop in 2015 from Carol Beales who founded it in 1991. For more information, visit https://galleriaflorist.biz/.

The Arc of Northern Virginia Hosting Annual “A Life Like Yours” Benefit Breakfast The Arc of Northern Virginia is hosting its annual “A Life Like Yours” Benefit Breakfast on Thursday, March 25, 8 – 8:30 a.m., via Zoom. The event will provide attendees the opportunity to learn more about the organization and its advocacy and services for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities and their families. It will also provide the opportunity for businesses to demonstrate their social impact in the community, and align with a cause and mission that impacts more than 39,0000 individuals and their families across northern Virginia. Businesses interested in supporting this event can learn more at https://bit.ly/3awFjHB.

Falls Church News-Press Celebrates 30th Anniversary By Supporting Chamber Members The Falls Church News-Press, a long-time supporter of the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce, is celebrating its 30th Anniversary by supporting Falls Church Chamber members as they struggle to stay in business during the pandemic. The News-Press will donate one free one-eighth page advertisement to new and renewing Chamber members through 2021. The Falls Church News-Press was founded by Nicholas F. Benton with support by the Chamber to provide a vehicle for local businesses to advertise to the Falls Church community. The paper has been printed and distributed to every household in the 22046 area code and to local businesses every week since it was established in 1991. For more information about the paper or chamber, visit www.fcnp.com and www.FallsChurchChamber.org. For information about the new Chamber member benefit, email Sally@FallsChurchChamber.org.

The White House Announces Several Reforms To Help Payroll Protection Program The White House has announced several reforms to help get Payroll Protection Program funding to the smallest businesses and those that have been left behind in previous relief efforts. The reforms include a 14-day period, starting February 24, during which only businesses with fewer than 20 employees can apply for relief through the Program to allow lenders to focus on these smallest businesses. Reforms are also directed to help sole proprietors, independent contractors, and self-employed individuals receive more financial support, eliminate an exclusionary restriction that prevents small business owners with prior non-fraud felony convictions from obtaining relief, eliminate an exclusionary restriction that prevents small business owners who are delinquent on their federal student loans from obtaining relief, and ensure access for non-citizen small business owners who are lawful US residents by clarifying that they may use Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers to apply for relief. For more information about these reforms and the administration’s steps to ensure equitable distribution of relief, visit www. whitehouse.gov.  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.

FEBRUARY 25 – MARCH 3, 2021 | PAGE 15

BECOME A MEMBER OF THE NEWS-PRESS & HELP US KEEP COMMUNITY JOURNALISM ALIVE & WELL IN THE LITTLE CITY.

Since 1991, the News-Press has been on a mission to provide independent and honest journalism to the Falls Church community. We recognize and appreciate the support the City, its businesses and residents have shown us for the past 29 years. Now, we need your help to continue with our mission. If you ﬁnd value in our work and believe the News-Press contributes to the betterment of the Falls Church community, please consider becoming a member today and help us keep you informed on all the happenings — big and small — in The Little City. Never before has the ﬁght to ensure a free press been more important.

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

PAGE 16 | FEBRUARY 25 – MARCH 3, 2021

C L AS S I F I E DS

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LEGAL SERVICES NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA The ordinance referenced below was given first reading on February 8, 2021. Public hearing, second reading, and final City Council action is scheduled for Monday, March 8, 2021 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon

thereafter as the matter may be heard. (TO21-01) ORDINANCE TO AMEND, REENACT, AND RECODIFY CHAPTER 14, “ENVIRONMENT,” ARTICLE III, “NOISE,” OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH TO REMOVE PROVISIONS DEFINING VIOLATIONS AS THOSE THAT DISTURB A REASONABLE PERSON, CREATE AN EXCEPTION FOR SMALL POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATION DURING DAYTIME, AND ALLOW LONGER DAYTIME HOURS IN COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS Public hearings will be held electronically. To speak on a public hearing item, complete a speaker form at www.fallschurchva.gov/ PublicComment before noon on the day of the Council meeting. Following submission of the form, you will receive emailed instructions to join the virtual Council meeting. Written public hearing comments may be sent until noon on the day of the meeting to cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov. Council members will attend the meeting through electronic means and members of the public may view the meeting at www. fallschurchva.gov/CouncilMeetings. Video will be available after the meeting at the same link. 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

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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We are pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap. All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.” This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereb y 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.

KIDS LOVE SCALLIWAG By Eileen Levy This is it, One of the ways At keeping fit!

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Crossword

A RTS&E NTE RTA I NME NT

FEBRUARY 25 – MARCH 3, 2021 | PAGE 17

by Margie E. Burke

Last Thursday’s Solution M I A T A S

S I S W I I L S C C A O U C S B L I A D E F C I M A D T V O C H R E W E L L S

STRANGE BREW

JOHN DEERING

Sudoku

A R T H R O

T E L E T U B B I E S

A M A Z E

Y O M A M A

S P O R T S S C T L A O A S P I T I D N D E O L W I N A

H E A D

I N N O C P E A N S T T C H A U R E I V N O G S

F A R I N A E L E N A

P E J O R A T I V E L S A T

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

By The Mepham Group

Level 1 2 3 4

Solution to last Sunday’s puzzle

NICK KNACK

2/14/21

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk. © 2021 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.

LO CA L

PAGE 18 | FEBRUARY 25 – MARCH 3, 2021

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

BACK IN THE DAY

C�� C��

25 � 10 Y�� A�� N��-P�� Falls Church News-Press Vol. V, No. 49 • February 22, 1996

Falls Church News-Press Vol. XX, No. 52 • February 24,, 2011

School Board Passes A Non-Contentious Budget On to Council

Last-Minute Deal De-Fangs Threatening F.C. Water

Bill

A “hold-the-line” budget of $17,313,446 which represents a 5.77 percent increase in City appropriations was unanimously approved by the School Board at its meeting last night. The budget includes improvements in technology for the schools.

Attorneys representing the City of Falls Church performed an 11thhour intervention in Richmond yesterday, preventing the passage of legislation that would have given Fairfax County the power to mandate customers to use its water system and not that of the Falls Church system.

MY SHELTER PETS ARE MY BEST FRIENDS MERRY...FEBRUARY, from Sookie, who actually took this photo in December, there’s just such a backlog of Critter Corner photos that this News-Press staff can’t keep up! (Thank you for your patience) Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! Send in your Critter Corner submissions to crittercorner@fcnp.com.

OLIVIA MUNN WITH CHANCE AND FRANKIE: ADOPTED 2014 AND 2016.

THESHELTERPETPROJECT.ORG

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

A RTS&E NTE RTA I NME NT

FEBRUARY 25 – MARCH 3, 2021 | PAGE 19

with

Yasmin Williams

FEBRUARY

25 AY

SD R U H T

Comedy Showcase Jammin’ Java 7:30 p.m. 227 Maple Ave. E., Vienna 703-255-1566 • jamminjava.com

26 AY

FRID

Arctic Sky The State Theatre

6 p.m. 220 N Washington St., Falls Church 703-237-0300 • thestatetheatre.com

The Lyon Kings Falls Church Distillers 6 p.m. 442 S Washington Street, Falls Church 703-858-9186 • fcdistillers.com

27 Y

RDA U T A S

Groovequest

BY MATT DELANEY

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

We’re drawn to music because, like all good art, it expresses something that words alone can’t describe. Of course, most music has lyrics to act as subtitles for the story it’s narrating, but there are a few artists who still prefer their tales only be told sonically. One of those is acoustic fingerstyle guitarist Yasmin Williams, who will be a featured performer for the Creative Cauldron’s “Passport to the World” showcase this Friday. The Woodbridge native came to playing guitar the way many of her generational peers did — through the video game Guitar Hero 2. After completing the entire game on its highest difficulty, Williams bought her first electric guitar and drew inspiration from the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Nirvana. Just over a year later she would transition to an acoustic guitar and was intuitively sought out for the fingerstyle, where the instrument is played while lying face-up on the musician’s lap. “It was kind of more natural for me to play on my lap actually than upright,” Williams said. “I could tap a lot easier. And also I could do percussive stuff, which kind of came naturally to me, like hit the guitar and make different drum sounds and all that.” These were decisions the 24-year-old made during her middle and high school years, showing some vision for where she would eventually want to go. Fingerstyle softened some of the hard rock edge she developed during her early years, pushing Williams in more of a folk-sounding direction. She released her first EP, “Unwind,” in 2012 while still in high school, debuting her unique approach to music in album form and showing Williams that it was more than novelty. “I had an album release for [Unwind] and a lot of people showed up and I realized that it wasn’t just a gimmick just because I played differently

YASMIN WILLIAMS. (P��: Y��W��.��) than other people,” Williams said. “I realized that I could write good songs, and going to college writing a lot of guitar music and learning how to write better music definitely cemented that for me.” Williams’ first EP featured notable songs such as “Guitka,” where she alternated between playing a miniature xylophone and tapping the guitar’s face with her right hand, while plucking the strings with her left hand. With her latest album, “Urban Driftwood,” she’ll be playing songs that she wrote using a double-neck guitar, with both necks featuring six strings and their own set of frets. Notable songs from the album include its title track that features Maryland-based musician Amadou Kouyate and “After the Storm,” a song Williams was inspired to finish writing following

last summer’s racial justice protests. Different musical instruments — some played by studio musicians, and others played by Williams herself — are also integrated into her performances, giving her songs a richer feel. During her performances, Williams uses a pedal to loop the music into her sets. The combination of sounds gives the music an almost lyrical quality. “If I didn’t think of my songs as having lyrics, I use notes on the guitar to change the inflection of how I play. It’s the same thing to me,” Williams said. Yasmin Williams will be performing for the Creative Cauldron’s all-virtual “Passport to the World of Music” series this Friday at 7:30 p.m. For tickets, visit creativecauldron.org.

Live & In Concert JV’s Restaurant

These singles whet the appetites of the FCNP editorial team this week:

8 p.m.

 Nicholas F. Benton – Happy Days Are Here Again by Jack Yellen

6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church

 Matt Delaney – Cariño by The Marias

703-241-9504 • jvsrestaurant.com

 

Nick Gatz – You and Tequila by Kenny Chesney

Ted White – I Get Around by The Beach Boys

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

PAGE 20 | FEBRUARY 25 – MARCH 3, 2021

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Falls Church News-Press 2-25-2021

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