Falls Church News-Press 3-7-2013

Page 1

March 7 - 13, 2013

FALLS CHURCH, VI R G I N I A • W W W. F C N P . C O M • FREE

FOUNDED 1991 • VO L . XXIII NO. 2

F���� C����� • T����� C����� • M��������� • M�L��� • N���� A�������� • B�����’� C���������

I����� T��� W��� A��������� A� L���� I� A������, T���� A������ Falls Church Police are looking for two suspects involved in a strong-armed robbery attempt in the parking lot of Don Beyer Volvo last week. SEE NEWS BRIEFS, PAGE 9

M���� G���� H���� A������ �� F���� F���

The George Mason High School girls basketball team crushed Northumberland High, 68-35, in the state quaterfinals to advance to the Final Four of the state tournament this weekend at VCU.

F.C. School Board Votes to Request 12.9% Increase in Funding from City

Spotlight Now Shifts to City Manager for His

Budget Plan Monday

BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

Under 2001 redistricting, Hull ceased to represent Falls Church as Scott’s 53rd District was reshaped to include the City. Upon his decision not to run again, Scott had the right to choose the means for finding a replacement, and he chose a full primary, which will be held June 11, coincidentally on his birthday. But while opting for a wideopen primary, Scott has also made it clear from the get-go who he

The Falls Church School Board voted Tuesday night to formally request a transfer of funds from the City of Falls Church that represents a 12.9 percent one-year increase, driven by a phenomenal growth in enrollment. The request is not as high as the 14.1 percent recommended last month by Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones, as some components Dr. Jones identified as “important” and “unfunded needs” were not included. The adopted School Board budget is for $40,937,800, including a transfer from the City request of $33,682,700. The vote was 5-2, with Greg Rasnake and Craig Cheney voting no. By law, in crafting his recommended budget to the City Council next week, City Manager Wyatt Shields must incorporate the full School Board request. Given guidance by the Council Monday night to keep his recommended budget to a projected 3.82 percent overall revenue growth rate, Shields faces an extraordinary challenge preparing his recommendations that he will present next Monday night. School Board chair Susan Kearney said that there is a lot of discontent with this budget due to the fact that few if any on the board think that the City Council will ultimately support its request. “It is almost insane in a city like this” that such is the case, she said. But she said the request need not lead to a big tax rate increase, suggesting that current surpluses

Continued on Page 5

Continued on Page 4

SEE SPORTS, PAGE 22

D���� B�����: T�� B�������� C������

In certain sorts of competitions, the most brutal player gets to set the rules. Everybody else feels pressure to imitate, whether they want to or not. SEE PAGE 12

T���� L�� J���� S���� �� ‘E������’

Set in the immediate aftermath of the war, “Emperor” is a solid and important look at a sometimesforgotten chapter in the World War II saga. SEE RICHARD ROEPER, PAGE 20

THE FALLS CHURCH SCHOOL BOARD engaged in intense deliberations Tuesday night prior to voting on its budget for the coming �iscal year that will now go to the City Council, where the budget needs to be approved for the requested enrollment-driven funding level or reduced to something less. (N���-P���� P����)

State Del. Jim Scott, Human Rights Champion, Won’t Seek 12th Term BY NICHOLAS F. BENTON

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

INDEX

Editorial.................6 Letters.............6, 15 News & Notes 10-11 Comment .......12-15 Business News ..15 Calendar ........16-17 Food & Dining.....18

Sports ...........22-23 Richard Roeper ..20 Classified Ads ....24 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword ..........25 Critter Corner......26

Virginia State Delegate Jim Scott’s long and storied career representing Northern Virginia, including the City of Falls Church, as a champion of human rights and affordable housing will end this year as he announced last Sunday he will not seek election to a 12th term this November. The news moved swiftly through regional political circles of both Democrats and Republicans,

and by Monday afternoon there was plenty of buzz about who might throw their hat into the ring to fill the seat. For the City of Falls Church, it marks the first state legislative open seat to surface in over 20 years. It was in November 1992 that Rep. Leslie Byrne became the first woman from Virginia ever elected to Congress, opening her 38th District state assembly seat. It was filled by Del. Bob Hull at a “firehouse primary” with a very low turnout.

PAGE 2 | MARCH 7 - 13, 2013

the

presents

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

FALLS CHURCH RESTAURANT WEEK MARCH 18 -24

Little City. Big Eats. Featuring a Week Full of Fantastic Dining Deals From: Applebee’s • Argia’s • Cafe Italia II • La Caraqueña • Clare & Don’s Beach Shack • La Cote d’Or • Curry Mantra 2 • Dogwood Tavern • Flippin’ Pizza • Hoang’s Grill & Susi Bar • Idylwood Grill • Ireland’s Four Provinces • JV’s Restaurant • Mad Fox Brewing Company • Meat in a Box • Open Kitchen Bistro • Original Pancake House • Pie-Tanza • Pilin Thai • Pistone’s Italian Inn • Pizzeria Orso • Red Hot & Blue • Sfizi • Sweet Rice Thai • Zpizza

FCRESTAURANTWEEK.COM

MARCH 7 - 13, 2013 | PAGE 3

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

52&. 67$5 5HDOW\ 2IIHULQJ 52&. 67$5 6HUYLFH

)25 6$/(

60

)25 6$/(

4?=> 63=>/. 38 0+66= -2?<-2 -3>C

>RS] YXO ] K NKddVSXQ ^R\OO VO`OV ^YaXRYWO \OXY`K^ON ^Y ZO\POM^SYX KXN SX ^SZ ^YZ WY`O SX MYXNS^SYX 3^] POK^_\O] SXMV_NO K ,<+8. 8/A 53>-2/8 aS^R MRO\\c MKLSXO^\c Q\KXS^O MY_X^O\^YZ] KXN ]^KSXVO]] KZZVSKXMO]% _ZNK^ON LK^R\YYW] \OZVKMOWOX^ aSXNYa] L\KXN XOa MK\ZO^SXQ \OPSXS]RON RK\NaYYN] KXN ^RO VS]^ QYO] YX +V]Y POK^_\ON K\O K ^R\OO LON\YYW] ^aY P_VV KXN ^aY RKVP LK^R] K \OM \YYW aS^R K PS\OZVKMO K NOX KXN K NOVSQR^P_V Z\S`K^O ZK^SY 9PPO\ON K^ #

1 5R\DO 6W $OH[DQGULD 9$

6 9LUJLQLD $YH )DOOV &KXUFK 9$

6WXQQLQJ OLJKW ILOOHG %5 %$ FRQGR LQ WKH KHDUW RI 2OG 7RZQ 6WHSV WR ZDWHUIURQW DQG RQO\ EORFNV WR UHVWDXUDQWV VKRSV 0(752 1HZ 3ULFH

*UHDW RSSRUWXQLW\ WR RZQ LQ )DOOV &KXUFK &LW\ %5 %$ WRZQKRPH RIIHUV XSGDWHG ZLQGRZV NLWFKHQ DQG 3HUJR IORRULQJ 1HZ 3ULFH

)HVWLYH &KDPEHU 0L[HU ZLWK 52&. 67$5 5HDOW\ 2SHQ .LWFKHQ

-KVV <Y]OWK\c >YNKc PY\ KX +ZZYSX^WOX^ ^Y @SOa ^RS] 1Y\QOY_] 2YWO

! !# ## 9PPSMO ! # ! .S\OM^

7HDP 7RUL )ULHQGV

/ 7KSV$ \Y]OWK\c TYXO]*VYXQKXNPY]^O\ MYW 3X^O\XO^$ aaa <Y]OWK\c=OVV] MYW

+XH &KDQ 2SHQ .LWFKHQ %ULWV RQ %URDG

)RU 52&. 67$5 6(59,&( ZKHQ EX\LQJ RU VHOOLQJ \RXU KRPH FDOO 7RUL ³

/RQJ )RVWHU 5HDO (VWDWH

52&. 67$5 5HDOWRU 7RUL 3HWHU 'RQRKRH %ODFN)LQQ 3XE

<Y]OWK\c 2KcO] 4YXO]

+]]YMSK^O ,\YUO\ 6SPO 7OWLO\ 8@+< >YZ :\YN_MO\] 0KVV] -R_\MR -S^c <O]SNOX^

ZZZ 7RUL5RFNV5HDO(VWDWH FRP

5($/725

(48$/ +286,1* 23325781,7<

WRULURFNVUHDOHVWDWH#JPDLO FRP

.HOOHU :LOOLDPV 5HDOW\ _ :LOVRQ %OYG $UOLQJWRQ 9$

7RUL 0F.LQQH\ //&

local

PAGE 4 | March 7 - 13, 2013

F.C. School Board Votes, 5-2, To Seek 12.9% Funding Hike

Continued from Page 1

and high savings levels in the City could mitigate the higher costs. Tuesday’s vote by the School Board followed two amendments that were introduced by Board member Greg Rasnake that both sought to increase the budget, but both failed. Rasnake said the choice was between austerity and investment in growth, and that it will continue to be difficult for the schools to get the resources they need if they continue to ask for less than they need. In fact, Rasnake favored a number $3.348 million higher than the Superintendent’s recommendation, in order to fund what the Dr. Jones called “identified, but not funded� needs. Rasnake said these needs include special education, English as a second language teachers, text book replacements, security cameras at all

the school entrances and buses, and pay increases to make the system’s teachers the highest paid in the region. “I think the community will support� paying for these needs, he said. “We don’t know what the community can afford.� He cited the Census data that places Falls Church first in the nation in household income, and said that any limits to pay “have been based only on anecdotal evidence.� As School Board chair,

Kearney used the distinctions Dr. Jones made in her recommended budget – identified as mandated, critical, important and unfunded identified needs – to present the board with four options. Dr. Jones’ budget proposing a a 14.1 percent increase in the requested transfer from the City called for funding aspects identified as mandated, critical and important, while “Scenario B� included all of what Dr. Jones identified as mandated and critical items, but

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

nothing more, for an increase of 12.9 percent. “Scenario C� covered all mandated items and half the critical items for an increase of 9.8 percent, and “Scenario D� included only mandated items for an increase of 6.5 percent. With the exception of Rasnake, who wanted the request to be higher, and Cheney who wanted it to be lower, the board – including Kearney, John Lawrence, Kieran Sharpe, Justin Castillo and Charlotte Hyland – settled on “Scenario B.� That “scenario� will preserve small classes, improve teacher compensation, provide added security and enable the transition of the eighth grade to the Henderson Middle School and the fourth grade from the middle school to Thomas Jefferson ele-

mentary, Kearney said. A graph presented during the discussions Tuesday showed that the division between the growth in City revenues and the size of the City’s transfers to the schools shows that, for the last three fiscal years, even as school enrollment has roughly paralleled the growth in City revenues, there have been successive gaps of $2.2 million, $3.6 million and $3.9 million. Added together, that means the schools have been underfunded, as a percentage of the total City revenues, by $9.7 million. Ira Kaylin from the Falls Church City Council and City Chief Financial Officer Richard LeCondre were present to watch the School Board discussion and vote.

We are pleased to introduce Dr. Edison Abril D.D.S.

)DPLO\ &RVPHWLF 'HQWLVWU\

Dr. Abril specializes in Periodontics & Implant Surgery. We accept most PPO insurances. We are located in the Flower Building 800 West Broad St. Suite 304, Falls Church, VA 22046 Hablamos espaĂąol

1 I P O F t w w w. we s t b r o a d d e n t a l . co m

Please let me know if you have plans to sell in 2013. I’m here to help!

,W PD\ QRW IHHO OLNH VSULQJ EXW WKH UHDO HVWDWH PDUNHW LV KHDWLQJ XS

Two Single Family Homes Just Sold in the City

,V \RXU KRXVH UHDG\ WR SXW RQ WKH PDUNHW" &DOO IRU D SURIHVVLRQDO PDUNHW DQDO\VLV WR SULFH DQG VWDJH \RXU KRPH

)RU 5HVXOWV FDOO &KULVW\ +HUWHO

(TXDO +RXVLQJ 2SSRUWXQLW\

300 Sycamore St. | Falls Church, VA 22046 Offered at $689,000

• Ellison Heights Brick Charmer • 4 BD, 1ž BA Cape in “the little cityâ€? ‡ ò mile to West Falls Church Metro • Award winning Falls Church City Schools

303 Pine St. | Falls Church, VA 22046

ZZZ &KULVW\+HUWHO FRP

1 .LQJ 6WUHHW /HHVEXUJ 9$

REAL ESTATE

Offered at $559,000

• 3 BD, 2 BA • Walking distance to West Falls Church Metro, stores, restaurants, etc‌ • Award winning Falls Church City Schools

How to sell FSBO

FSBO, For Sale by Owner properties.

I Take the Drama Out of Buying and Selling

Kim Maller, RealtorÂŽ

www.KimMaller.com ~ 703-606-2762 ~ kimsellsfallschurch@gmail.com

5($/725

Š

(48$/ +286,1* 23325781,7<

Come to our next class, 07 March 2013. Home Sellers who want to maximize the profit when selling, register at FREEFSBOSCHOOL.COM. Selling by-owner strategies and techniques will save you thousands. Learn insider secrets, and receive the education to be successful. This class will teach you the 5 Step home selling process. Register Online at our website FreeFsboSchool.com, and you will learn how to sell your home yourself to save the huge commission. Sponsor: RealtyDirect FC. For more information Email instructor: rayhamilton@mris.com.

LOCAL

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Del. Scott

Continued from Page 1

will be backing to replace him. That would be Marcus Simon, who was Scott’s aide in his first run for the Virginia general assembly in 1991, in the infamous race that Scott wound up winning by a single vote (earning him the affectionate nickname of “Landslide Scott”). Simon has also worked as an aide to former Fairfax County Board Chair Kate Hanley, who in her earlier days had a stint as a teacher at George Mason High. Del. Scott brought Simon to introduce him at a meeting of Falls Church movers and shakers this Monday. But Scott told the News-Press Tuesday that he has picked up on a lot of buzz about at least three others who may also want to run. Among those who’ve ruled it out is former State Del. Hull, who served for 17 years before being upset in a primary in 2008. Hull called Scott on Monday to congratulate him on his marvelous career. Scott told the News-Press that he plans to kick off his imminent retirement with his wife, Nancy, on a nine-day safari tour of South Africa the middle of this month.

TO

W

U

R

AT

CO AL I N U L RT VI 413 . W W

LN

O .C

He said he’d been considering the decision to end his legislative career for some time, but did not finally make up his mind until the end of the regular legislative session last week. He will return to Richmond to partake of the one day “reconvened” or “veto” session on April 3, and will continue to serve at monthly meetings of the House Appropriations Committee until his term officially ends at the end of the year. The June 11 primary will include a contest for the Democratic nominee as lieutenant governor, as Aneesh Chopra and Ralph Northam have announced, and there could be other challengers, as well. Republicans will not have a spring primary, but will chose their candidates at a May 17-18 convention. Getting on the primary ballot to compete for Scott’s seat is surprisingly easy. Between March 11 and March 28, a prospective candidate must gather 125 signatures of registered voters in the 53rd District and file them by 5 p.m. March 28 along with a check for $352.80. Party officials will certify the candidates qualified for the ballot on April 2. In a statement issued by his office on Sunday, Scott said, “I

feel privileged to have spent the last twenty two years as a member of the oldest continuously meeting legislative body in the new world, however, I’ve come to the decision that it is time to make room for new ideas and new voices.” He added, “I am very proud of the things I’ve been able to accomplish in nearly 40 years of public service, particularly in the areas of housing, conflict resolution, and technology.” The release noted the following highlights of Scott’s political career: • Early in his career in the House of Delegates, he introduced legislation to allow localities in Virginia to implement affordable dwelling unit ordinances to increase the availability of low cost and workforce housing throughout Virginia,. • He was a champion in Richmond for the George Mason University School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, which will break ground on its long awaited Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution in the Mason Neck area of Fairfax County later this year, • He introduced the legislation that created the office of Secretary of Technology in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and

7,200+ S O F LU X Q F T LIVING URY S PA C E !

M

$1,729,900

413 Lincoln Ave, Falls Church, VA 22046

OPEN SUN 1–4

Exquisitely designed ENERGY STAR® home with 6 bedrooms, 6½ bathrooms, 4 garage spaces, detached carriage house and more custom features than you could possibly imagine! Bright, open spaces and superb finishing touches throughout: gleaming cherry hardwood floors, elegant mouldings and shadow boxing, coffered ceilings, and plantation shutters. The gourmet kitchen, formal dining room and lovely outdoor spaces are perfect for entertaining. Upstairs is a luxurious master suite w/ a sitting room w/ gas fireplace, grand bathroom w/ Jacuzzi tub, and a private screened-in porch. Also find three more bedrooms, a Jack-and-Jill bathroom, a hall bath, and laundry room. Up one more level discover a spacious media room/bedroom with wet bar and full bathroom. The lower level is a finished walk-up daylight basement w/ rec room, additional bedroom and full bath. Enjoy myriad high-tech touches throughout, including an integrated sound system, motion detectors and security cameras, and several flat screen TVs with Dolby® 5.1 surround sound. Moments to shops, parks, biking trails, Metro and I-66.

Andy Biggers

Will Gaskins 703-963-4216 direct

703-821-8300 office will@thegaskinsteam.com

202-431-2515 direct

THEGASKINSTEAM.COM

703-821-8300 office andy@thegaskinsteam.com

March 7 - 13, 2013 | PAGE 5

STATE DEL. JIM SCOTT (left), announcing he will not seek election to a 12th term Sunday, brought the man he hopes will succeed him, Marcus Simon, to a meeting of friends and supporters in Falls Church Monday. (Photo: News-Press) together with U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly and U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf, worked on legislation at the state level to facilitate the increased use of telework in Northern Virginia. • Earlier, during his 20 year career (1971-1991) as a member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, he authored Fairfax County’s human rights ordinance. He was also instrumental in the

creation of the Office for Children and the implementation of the School Age Child Care program (SACC). Scott was first elected to public office in 1971 when he won election to the Fairfax County Supervisors from the Providence District. He was first elected to the House of Delegates in 1991, defeating his Republican opponent by the storied single vote.

PAGE 6 | March 7 - 13, 2013

One of the Nation’s Foremost Weekly Newspapers, Serving N. Virginia

(Published Weekly by Benton Communications, Inc.)

Founded in 1991

Vol. XXIII, No. 2 March 7 - 13, 2013 • 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 •

Nicholas F. Benton Owner & Editor-In-Chief nfbenton@fcnp.com

Jody Fellows Managing editor jfellows@fcnp.com

Leslie Poster News Editor lposter@fcnp.com

Nick Gatz Advertising Services Administrator ngatz@fcnp.com

Lou Emery Advertising lemery@fcnp.com

Marilyn Austin Classifieds maustin@fcnp.com

Charlie Clark, Helen Thomas, Johnny Weir, Tom Whipple Columnists Ted White Proofreader Julio Idrobo Circulation Manager delivery@fcnp.com

To Contact the News-Press phone: 703-532-3267 fax: 703-342-0347 email: fcnp@fcnp.com display advertising ads@fcnp.com classified ads classads@fcnp.com letters to the editor letters@fcnp.com subscriptions distribution & delivery delivery@fcnp.com www.fcnp.com The Falls Church News-Press is published weekly on Thursdays and is distributed free of charge throughout the City of Falls Church and the Greater Falls Church area. Offices are at 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church, VA 22046. Reproduction of this publication in whole or part is prohibited except with the written permission of the publisher. ©2013 Benton Communications Inc. The News-Press is printed on recycled paper.

EDITORIAL

Editorial

Our Schools: We Can Afford Them

There was no reason given, or even hinted, why the majority on the Falls Church School Board voted to shave important dollars out of their Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones’ recommended budget for the coming fiscal year. That is, other than being simply a symbolic pliant gesture to those on the F.C. City Council who will have the final say about how much they will or won’t let the schools have. It is especially curious given that no one really thinks the Council will rubber stamp the 12.9 percent increase in funding that the School Board voted 5-2 to request. Since they’re not going to approve a 12.9 percent increase, then why should the School Board not forward a budget, at a 14.1 percent increase, that the Schools actually need. The increase would be even higher than that if some important programs the Superintendent decided not to fund were included. There is a lot of feistiness on the current F.C. School Board, and time was spent at their Tuesday meeting this week rehearsing the credible arguments board members will be challenged to present as the overall city-schools budget now faces seven weeks of intense scrutiny and testing before a final City Council vote on April 22. But the point was well made that all this will play out with Council and School Board members, alike, unaware of how much the citizens of Falls Church, according to the U.S. Census on balance the wealthiest in the nation, are willing to pay. Those who show up at public hearings and town halls tend to be the same, noisiest citizens who usually howl the most about high taxes. Such occasions should be valuable for harvesting good new insights and ideas from citizens, but not at all to function as some kind of straw poll of wider sentiment. There are ultimately two ways to gauge that wider sentiment accurately. The first is conduct a serious poll that reaches beyond the filter of noisy activists. Actually, that would not be all that hard to do, assuming a polling firm could be contracted that is truly impartial with an ability to ask carefully-crafted objective questions. In such polls, the outcome is always a function of the way questions are asked. The second way is to measure public sentiment through the electoral process. In other words, if the Council raised taxes too much this year, then let the outcome of November City Council and School Board elections reflect that. It is true that no one likes to have to pay taxes. But anyone not an imbecile knows that their taxes pay for services they receive in exchange, and in that way just as their money goes to pay for things that don’t directly impact them, such as our national defense, so they should pay for the future prosperity and security of their nation by ensuring the next generation is well educated. Can Falls Church afford to pay for top-quality schools? Why not find out?

Letters

Urges Council to Think Hard About Project

Editor, In regards to the Harris Teeter project, I’d like to say this to the Falls Church City Council: Many of us understand the desire for growth in our city, and the eventuality of it. Everything must change, eventually. (There is a season, turn, turn, turn…) Many of us understand that “things don’t get done” without expense – yes, everything costs. We understand

“profit.” And many understand and desire variety and “convenience” when it comes to purchasing life necessities – like food. And we try (as we all should) to understand collateral damage all such projects have. It simply can’t be “all good.” So please, think about what has to happen and how it “inconveniences” those relatively few who live close to the project.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Platform 1. Keep the news clean and fair.

2. Play no favorites, never mix business and editorial policy. 3. Do not let the news columns reflect editorial comment. 4. Publish the news that is public property without fear or favor of friend or foe. 5. Accept no charity and ask no favors.

6. Give “value received” for every dollar you take in. 7. Make the paper show profit if you can, but above all keep it clean, fearless and fair.

Advertise in the

The News-Press is delivered to every household and many businesses in the City of Falls Church (22046), and to many homes and businesses (but not all) in the adjacent 22041, 22042, 22043, 22044 and 22205 zip codes. Its total circulation of 25,500 per issue is greater than any other newspaper in the distribution area, including dailies. For complete advertising information, call us or check out our web site.

Call 532-3267 or visit www.FCNP.com

All original and some syndicated content is accessible via the Falls Church News-Press online site, www.FCNP.com. FCNP.com also includes photos, stories, ads and more not appearing in the print edition.

For information on online advertising, please contact Nick Gatz at 703-532-3267 or ngatz@fcnp.com. ONLINE

Please “think ahead” – unlike anyone on past councils did (by the way) regarding new buildings on Broad Street (built over the last 20 years) and obvious rain waterrunoff issues for residents south of Broad. Think about them… no, they aren’t making any profit. They actually aren’t “part of the deal” at all. At best they may find it more “convenient” to walk to the store rather than drive to competitors. That is, if they don’t boycott this store entirely. Maybe, just maybe, ask yourselves… what would it take to keep those folks happy? Hey, I know… make them a

part of the deal! Give them something! If you’re going to insist on putting a rather hideous (and noisy) supermarket, essentially in their backyard – give them something for the “inconvenience” it will surely cost them. Knock-knock … hey, City Council? Figure it out. Don’t let it go, as did those before you – regarding rainwater runoff. We all know what that’s costing us now. Take care of your peeps. Parker Chapman Falls Church More Letters on Page 15

COMMENT

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

G u e s t C o m m e n ta ry

MARCH 7 - 13, 2013 | PAGE 7

The Reserve at Tinner Hill: ‘Bad Deal’ or Bad Math By Ed Novak

When is a conservative estimate of $500,000 in net new annual tax revenues to the City from the proposed mixed-use Reserve at Tinner Hill project a “bad deal”? Apparently, when compared to a hypothetical, never been achieved, 100 percent commercial, Class A+ trophy office building that maybe, possibly, hopefully someday, could be built on the environmentally contaminated property on South Washington and Maple. This, I respectfully suggest, is not just harmless wishful thinking. It is seriously bad math and, in my opinion, dangerous to the financial future of the City. Think there is a better deal out there than the Reserve at Tinner Hill? I don’t. Let me explain why, in real math. As proposed, The Reserve at Tinner Hill will consist of 40,000 square feet of grocery, retail, restaurant and office space, along with 224 residential units on a 2.2 acre site. All over structured underground parking. The apartments have been sized and designed to appeal predominantly to younger professionals and singles. The projected assessment will be in excess of $70 million. Total “net” tax revenue to the City (after accounting for school costs of new students) is projected to be between $500,000 and $1.2 million. In addition, the City will be receiving over $7 million in up-front “community benefits” in

the form of cash contributions to the school capital fund, affordable dwelling units, an attractive public park, undergrounding of utilities and various other items. Put a $70 million assessment in perspective: George Mason Square, in the heart of the City, with approximately 91,000 square feet

“Think there is a better deal out there than the Reserve at Tinner Hill? I don’t.” of commercial space and deck parking on a 2.7 acre site. Assessed at $16.6 million. That’s over $50 million less. Kaiser Foundation on North Washington Street? Assessed at $18.6 million on a 3.4 acre site. Broaddale Shopping Center on Broad Street? Assessed at $7.3 million on a 2.4 acre site. Any way you look at it, the proposed Reserve at Tinner Hill project will achieve an assessment that is 3 to 10 times the current, “real” 100 percent commercial assessments in the City. What about the school impact? Covered. Those costs have already been subtracted in the conservative $500,000 “net” new tax revenues to the City. In the five mixed use projects that

have been built in the last 12 years – Broadway, Byron, Spectrum, Pearson Square and Read Building – only one, Pearson Square, has had more students than originally projected. All the rest have fewer. And there is a specific reason for the Pearson Square anomaly. The City mandated Pearson Square be designed and built as a condominium. Notwithstanding changing market dynamics and industry experts that suggested it would be better designed as rental apartments with smaller units. As a result, when the condominium market receded and it was forced to convert to rental, the larger units were, by design, more affordable and appealing to families with children. Nonetheless, Pearson Square still achieves a net tax revenue which is three times the prior 100 percent commercial use of the property. Another real math example? The Byron. The 21,000 square feet of commercial space alone is assessed at $7.4 million. That’s $100,000 more than the entire Broaddale Village shopping center. The Byron’s 90 residential units are assessed at nearly $47 million. And, as of 2012, have 12 students in City public schools. I can throw darts and hit 5 random single family homes in the City that have over 12 students in the public schools. And pay property taxes on a cumulative assessment of under $4 million, let alone $47 million. Everyone agrees that it would be great if the actual annual net tax revenues ended up at the $1.2 million higher side of the projected

range. But to call the conservative end of the range – $500,000 per year – a “bad deal” for the City? Here are a few bad deals to ponder: First, the site remains a used car lot for the next decade and the City ends up with $80,000 a year in annual gross tax revenues instead of $500,000 to $1.2 million in “net” tax revenues and none of the $7 million in community benefits. Second, Lincoln Properties gives up and the property is redeveloped as 100 percent commercial retail strip with surface parking. That’s a “by right” development that requires no City Council approvals. And be worth about $10-20 million less in tax revenues to the City over the next 20 years. I could go on. But this isn’t all about dollars. I don’t live in the City, but I love it nonetheless. The Reserve is not just a financially good deal. It is also very attractive architecture and the type of development that will bring more younger professionals into the City to support existing retail businesses and restaurants. That’s good for everybody, and, overall, a great deal. Ed Novak is President of Nova-Habitat,  a development company based in Chevy Chase, Maryland. He has no professional or financial interest in The Reserve at Tinner Hill. He is a limited owner of Mad Fox Brewing Company.

Question of the Week Should the F.C. City Council adopt the School Board’s budget request? • Yes • No • Don’t know

Log on to www.FCNP.com to cast your vote

Last Week’s Question:

Should the F.C. City School Board adopt the Superintendent’s budget?

FCNP On-Line polls are surveys, not scientific polls.

[WRITE FOR THE PRESS] 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.

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

PAGE 8 | MARCH 7 - 13, 2013

the

presents

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

FALLS CHURCH RESTAURANT WEEK MARCH 18 -24

Little City. Big Eats. Featuring a Week Full of Fantastic Dining Deals From: Applebee’s • Argia’s • Cafe Italia II • La Caraqueña • Clare & Don’s Beach Shack • La Cote d’Or • Curry Mantra 2 • Dogwood Tavern • Flippin’ Pizza • Hoang’s Grill & Susi Bar • Idylwood Grill • Ireland’s Four Provinces • JV’s Restaurant • Mad Fox Brewing Company • Meat in a Box • Open Kitchen Bistro • Original Pancake House • Pie-Tanza • Pilin Thai • Pistone’s Italian Inn • Pizzeria Orso • Red Hot & Blue • Sfizi • Sweet Rice Thai • Zpizza

FCRESTAURANTWEEK.COM

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Fa l l s C h u r c h

LOCAL

March 7 - 13, 2013 | PAGE 9

News Briefs in Concert Tuesday, March 19 at 7:30 p.m. The Falls Church Episcopal 115 E. Fairfax Street

2 Assailants At Large in F.C. Assault, Theft Attempt A strong-armed robbery attempt occurred at 1231 W. Broad St. in the rear parking lot of Don Beyer Volvo last Wednesday, Feb 27, according to Falls Church Police. The victim reported he was approached by two suspects. The first attempted to grab his cell phone but the victim resisted. The second suspect then struck the victim in the head. The victim struggled with the two suspects and was able to break free and police were called. The victim was treated at the scene for minor injuries and released. The two suspects fled the scene on foot and were last seen headed towards Shreve Road. The first is described as a white male, approximately 5 ft. 8 in. tall, approximately 23 to 26 years of age, blondish hair, clean shaven with large gauge earrings. He was wearing a black t-shirt, black hooded sweatshirt, jeans, earphones and a necklace. The second suspect is described as a white male, approximately 5 ft. 6 in. tall, approximately 23 to 26 years of age with blondish hair, and clean shaven. He was wearing a white t-shirt, jeans and a black baseball type cap.

F.C. Report: Large Net Gains from Mixed Use Projects In a “Data and Analysis of Mixed Use Development” report on the impact of the City’s large scale mixed use projects by Falls Church City Manager Wyatt Shields to the F.C. City Council Monday, it was reported that the five projects completed since 2002 – the Byron, Pearson Square, Read Building, Spectrum and Broadway – have generated an average net $2.459 million in added revenues to the City, compared to about $363,560 that came from the properties before their development. It also showed that, of the increase in school enrollment in the last decade, less than 30 percent came from occupants of the new mixed use projects. The report also showed that the five completed projects, one under construction (Northgate) and two currently under Council consideration (Reserve at Tinner Hill and Rushmark’s Harris Teeter-based project) all totaled have occupied only 19.1 acres in the City’s 196 total acres zoned for commercial, industrial and mixed uses, or only 9.7 percent.

F.C. Arts Groups to Receive $25,000 from City Eleven groups and projects will share a $25,000 grant from the City of Falls Church if the City Council follows through on its plans this Monday. The Falls Church “City of Arts, Theater, Culture and History” (CATCH) and its foundation with volunteer representatives from a plethora of City boards, commissions and arts-related organizations, oversaw the deployment of the $25,000, with the largest recipient slated to be the World of Stories program at Creative Cauldron with $5,000.

Special Edition Featuring F.C. Restaurant Week Coming Next Week Next week’s Falls Church News-Press will be a special Food & Dining edition of the paper highlighting the first-ever Falls Church Restaurant Week. Running Monday, March 18 through Sunday, March 24, F.C. Restaurant Week will feature special dining deals from over 20 restaurants in and around The Little City. Restaurants just added to the official F.C. Restaurant Week roster include the newly renovated Argia’s, Meat in a Box, Pilin Thai and Sweet Rice. The full list of participating restaurants can be found at www.fcrestaurantweek.com. The details of every eatery’s Restaurant Week dining deal and much more will be featured in next week’s edition of the News-Press.

Fairfax Police Warn of Phone Scammers According to Fairfax County Police, dozens of seniors have been victimized by telephone scammers in recent weeks and police are urging residents not to give out, or verify, financial information over the phone. In the latest scam, victims are receiving calls from someone pretending to be from a utility company, delivery service or sweepstakes. Residents are told their service will be discontinued unless they pay by phone immediately. Frightened at the thought of no heat, power or phone, for example, victimized seniors provide their account numbers and payment information over the phone. Additionally, many of the calls are made under the pretense that the information is required to send out important documents such as new health insurance or social security cards. Typically, these calls arrive during the weekdays. Callers are both male and female; they may speak quickly or with an accent so that it may be difficult to understand what is said. Often, callers know basic information about the victim, including name, age and address. Police remind residents never to provide personal or financial information over the phone. Verify legitimacy of companies requesting funds using valid, official phone numbers. Residents who feel they may have been victimized should make a report at the Fairfax County Police Citizens Reporting System, fairfaxcounty.gov/police/crs/.

Tickets ($30 general admission) and information at

thediocese.net/tallis Debut of the

Episcopal Arts Series of the Diocese of Virginia

“AS NEAR EXTRATERRESTRIAL AS YOU CAN GET SITTING IN A CONCERT HALL” The Observer

The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia

LOCAL

PAGE 10 | March 7 – 13, 2013

News-Press

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Community News & Notes Eco Artist to Discuss Work At F.C. Arts Show Reception Falls Church Arts will celebrate its Eco Art show Thursday with a meet the artists reception at 7 p.m. at ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 S. Maple Ave. The event will feature a presentation and question-and-answer session by the show’s juror, Olivier Giron. A special program will highlight environmental issues with a presentation by Giron, whose environmental design training influences his artistic pursuit of promoting environmental consciousness. The Eco Art show represents more than a dozen artists whose work consists of found objects constructed into works of art. Art pieces range from constructions of cut-up credit cards in a mosaic to a seven-foot family tree sculpture. Driftwood with an uncanny resemblance to a crow made into a puppet and jewelry made out of last year’s calendar all await the visitors at ArtSpace Falls Church. Works by area visiting artists William Nell and Karen Spiering

are featured, as well as works by others including George Mason High School art teacher Marc Robarge. Falls Church Arts artists Jacqlyn Sickler, Paul Levy, John Maier, Shaun van Steyn, Robert Davidson, Teddy Wiant, Jennifer Branigan, Antonella Manganelli, Gregory Bryant, Llori Stein, Jolanta Noska, and Victoria Lakes present different visions of their art utilizing trash, elements of the environment, and photography to create awareness and organic beauty, and visually stimulate consciousness. The exhibit and reception are free and open to all. For more information, visit FallsChurchArts.org.

City of F.C. to Host Bike to Work Day Pit Stop The City of Falls Church will participate in Bike to Work Day 2013 on Friday, May 17, a regional event that drew a recordbreaking 12,000 participants last year. The City will host an official Pit Stop from 6:30 a.m. – 9 a.m. at Tricentennial Park on the Washington and Old Dominion

Trail at Grove Avenue. Riders can enjoy free food, beverages, giveaways, and raffles along with entertainment and more, courtesy of sponsors Bikenetic, Little River Yoga, Mike’s Deli at Lazy Sundae, Nourish Market, and Robeks. Registration is now open via the official Bike to Work Day website, which interested riders can get to by visiting fallschurchva.gov/BTWD. The first 12,000 bicyclists who register and attend will receive a free Bike to Work Day T-shirt and become eligible to win prizes. Businesses interested in sponsoring the City of Falls Church Pit Stop through donations of in-kind goods or monetary support should contact Wendy Block Sanford at wblocksanford@ fallschurchva.gov or 703-2485041.

VPIS to Kick Off Spring Tree Program Volunteering Falls Church Village Preservation and Improvement Society’s Neighborhood Tree

Program has announced its spring schedule of volunteer mulching and planting events. Tree mulching will take place Saturday, March 16, starting at 8:30 a.m. Volunteers can meet on Sherrow Avenue at Westmoreland Road and help to refresh the mulch rings around young trees by pulling away weeds, pruning basal suckers, and applying mulch, as well as hauling containers of mulch from the truck to the trees. Tree planting events are scheduled for Saturday, April 6, and Saturday, April 20. Those interested in volunteering should wear boots or heavy shoes, gloves, and clothes that can get dirty. Volunteers may bring their own tools, but tools will be provided. Children must be chaperoned. For more information, contact Seth Heminway, volunteer chair, at 703-389-7360.

Fairfax County Firefighters to Check Smoke Alarms at Homes On Saturday, from 9 a.m. – noon, firefighters will canvas

homes in selected neighborhoods throughout Fairfax County, checking for working smoke alarms, and provide family fire escape plans for residents. The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department partners with the U.S. Fire Administration in supporting the Install. Inspect. Protect. campaign. The initiative emphasizes “Smoke Alarms Save Lives.” More than 3,000 people die in home fires each year in the United States, most of whom are in homes without a working smoke alarm. A working, properly installed smoke alarm lowers the chances of dying in a fire. According to the National Fire Protection Association, between 2003 and 2006, almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. The smoke alarms that will be provided were made available by a grant from the Virginia Department of Fire Programs to Fairfax County as recipients of the “Get Alarmed” program.

The Cabaret fundraiser auction held by the Friends of Falls Church Homeless Shelter last Saturday was attended by more than 400 supporters of Curry Mantra 2 celebrated its grand opening Feb. 17, treating all who visited the shelter. Falls Church businesses, community organizations, faith commuits location at 1077 W. Broad St., Falls Church, between 1 and 2 p.m. to a free nities, and individuals contributed sponsorships, auction items, and food. The lunch. In attendance were cheerleaders for the Washington Redskins, who are event raised more than $45,000. Entertainment was provided by Blue Pop and the Plucker, Spoonerism, and Sudden M Pac. (Photo: Courtesy Joanne Maughlin) pictured above with staff of the new restaurant. (Courtesy Photo)

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

LOCAL

Dougherty Named Lions Club Distinguished Humanitarian

At the Falls Church Lions Club meeting last Tuesday, Dr. Vince Dougherty, a member of the Lions Club, was awarded the Lions of Virginia Distinguished Humanitarian award (see photo). For more than 20 years, Dougherty has been a leader of the local business community, assisting numerous causes, donating to charities, working with the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce, and helping Falls Church Lions charities. Dougherty’s support of Lions’ activities speaks only to one of many roles he plays in helping others. Over the years, he has contributed to charities, community organizations, and local causes like the Mission of Mercy, where he offers his time and talents to help those in need of dental work. Virginia Lions recognize outstanding commitment and dedication to the ideal of rendering humanitarian service by selecting members of the community for this honor.

McLean Student-Artists Invited To Enter Scholarship Contest High school students who want to further their interests in the fine arts are invited to enter the 2013 James C. Macdonald Arts Scholarship Competition. Sponsored by McLean’s Alden Theatre, the scholarship competition encourages artistic achievement and promotes study in the arts by high school students. The deadline for applying for this year’s competition is Monday, April 1. The competition is open to ninth- through 12th-grade students who reside or attend school in

INVENTORY IS REALLY LOW- SELLERS NEEDED!!

Roger Neighborgall received the Youngest (At Heart) Citizen award from the Falls Church City Republican Committee. He is pictured above (far left) with Jeannemarie Davis, candidate for lieutenant governor, and Falls Church Vice Mayor David Snyder, who presented him with the honor at the F.C. GOP’s candidate reception Feb. 24 at The Italian Café. (Courtesy Photo) Dranesville Small Tax District 1A. A $1,200 scholarship prize will be given to first-place winners in each of the following categories: dance, instrumental music, vocal music, theatre, and visual arts. Second-place winners in all five categories will receive $800. Third-place winners each receive $400. There are no restrictions on the use of the award money. Finalists must be present and prepared to perform at the final competition in the Alden Theatre at 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 23, to be eligible to receive an award. Application forms are available online and at the reception desk of the McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Ave. A non-refundable, $15 fee is required for each application form submitted. For more information, visit aldentheatre.org or send an email message

to Alden youth programs director Kathy Herr at kathleen.herr@fairfaxcounty.gov.

MPAartfest Seeks Artists For Fall Festival McLean Project for the Arts is looking for artists to participate in the seventh annual MPAartfest. McLean’s popular outdoor arts festival will be held on Sunday, Oct. 6, in McLean Central Park. Art-lovers flock to the park to see and purchase the work of 50 local and regional juried artists. With live music, a children’s art walk, Innovation Station for art activities, local food and more, MPAartfest offers activities for the whole family. Artists can find the application on McLean Project for the Arts’ website at mpaart.org/artfest.php. The deadline for application is May 1 and selected artists will be posted on the MPA website on June 1. MPA is located at 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean. For more information about MPA, visit mpaart.org or call 703-442-4724.

F.C. Students Named to Fall 2012 Dean’s Lists

Receiving the Lions of Virginia Distinguished Humanitarian award last Tuesday is Falls Church Lions Club member Dr. Vince Dougherty, center, who is pictured with Lion Don Farrow (left), treasurer, and Falls Church Lions Club President Brian Fleck (right). (Photo: Courtesy Barry Buschow)

March 7 – 13, 2013 | PAGE 11

Several students from Falls Church have been named to dean’s lists for the fall 2012 semester at colleges across the nation. Yael K. Urbach at Northeastern University, Tina Boortalary at St. Bonaventure University, Eion Oosterbaan at the University of Florida, Altinay K. Karasapan at Colby College, Julia Willis at Villanova University, and Jeffrey Klawiter at the Berklee College of Music earned dean’s list honors.

PAGE 12 | March 7 – 13, 2013

NATIONAL

The Brutality Cascade

Let’s say you were a power hitter during baseball’s steroids era. You may have objected to steroids on moral and health grounds. But many of your competitors were using them, so you faced enormous pressure to use them too. Let’s say you are a student at a good high school. You may want to have a normal adolescence. But you are surrounded by all these junior workaholics who have been preparing for the college admissions racket since they were 6. You find you can’t unilaterally withdraw from the rat race and still get into the college of your choice. So you also face enormous pressure to behave in a way you detest. You might call these situations brutality cascades. In certain sorts of competitions, the most brutal player gets to set the rules. Everybody else feels pressure NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE to imitate, whether they want to or not. The political world is rife with brutality cascades. Let’s say you are a normal person who gets into Congress. You’d rather not spend all your time fundraising. You’d like to be civil to your opponents and maybe even work out compromises. But you find yourself competing against opponents who fundraise all the time, who prefer brutalism to civility and absolutism to compromise. Soon you must follow their norms to survive. Or take a case in world affairs. The United States is a traditional capitalist nation that has championed an open-seas economic doctrine. We think everybody benefits if global economics is like a conversation, with maximum openness, mutual trust and free exchange. But along comes China, an economic superpower with a more mercantilist mindset. Many Chinese, at least in the military-industrial complex, see global economics as a form of warfare, a struggle for national dominance. Americans and Europeans tend to think it is self-defeating to engage in cyberattacks on private companies in a foreign country. You may learn something, but you destroy the trust that lubricates free exchange. Pretty soon your trade dries up because nobody wants to do business with a pirate. Investors go off in search of more transparent partners. But China’s cybermercantilists regard deceit as a natural tool of warfare. Cyberattacks make perfect sense. Your competitors have worked hard to acquire intellectual property. Your system is more closed so innovation is not your competitive advantage. It is quicker and cheaper to steal. They will hate you for it, but who cares? They were going to hate you anyway. C’est la guerre. In a brutality cascade the Chinese don’t become more like us as the competition continues. We become more like them. And that is indeed what’s happening. The first thing Western companies do in response to cyberattacks is build up walls. Instead of being open stalls in the global marketplace, they begin to look more like opaque, rigidified castles. Next, the lines between private companies and Western governments begin to blur. When Western companies are attacked, they immediately turn to their national governments for technical and political support. On the one hand, the U.S. military is getting a lot more involved in computer counterespionage, eroding the distance between the military and private companies. On the other hand, you see the rise of these digital Blackwaters, private security firms that behave like information age armies, providing defense against foreign attack but also counterattacking against Chinese and Russian foes. Pretty soon the global economy looks less like Monopoly and more like a game of Risk, with a Chinese military-industrial complex on one part of the board and the Western military-industrial complex on another part. Brutality cascades are very hard to get out of. You can declare war and simply try to crush the people you think are despoiling the competition. Or you can try what might be called friendship circles. In this approach, you first establish the norms of legitimacy that should govern the competition. You create a Geneva Convention of domestic political conduct or global cyberespionage. Then you organize as broad a coalition as possible to uphold these norms. Finally, you isolate the remaining violators and deliver a message: If you join our friendship circle and abide by our norms, the benefits will be overwhelming, but if you stay outside, the costs will be devastating. In his effort to fight what he regards as Republican zealots, President Barack Obama is caught between these two strategies. He never quite pushes budget showdowns to the limit to discredit Republicans, but he never offers enough to the members of the Republican common-sense caucus to tempt them to break ranks. Clearly the second option is better for dealing with the Chinese. Establish a Geneva Convention that bans cyberactivity against citizens and private companies. Establish a broad coalition to enforce it. Unfortunately, standard-setting is a dying art these days, so we are living with these brutality cascades.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

David Brooks

Mooching Off Medicaid Conservatives like to say that their position is all about economic freedom, and hence making government’s role in general, and government spending in particular, as small as possible. And no doubt there are individual conservatives who really have such idealistic motives. When it comes to conservatives with actual power, however, there’s an alternative, more cynical view of their motivations – namely, that it’s all about comforting the comfortable and afflicting the afflicted, about giving more to those who already have a lot. And if you want a strong piece of evidence in favor of that cynical view, look at the current state of NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE play over Medicaid. Some background: Medicaid, which provides health insurance to lower-income Americans, is a highly successful program that’s about to get bigger, because an expansion of Medicaid is one key piece of the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. There is, however, a catch. Last year’s Supreme Court decision upholding Obamacare also opened a loophole that lets states turn down the Medicaid expansion if they choose. And there has been a lot of tough talk from Republican governors about standing firm against the terrible, tyrannical notion of helping the uninsured. Now, in the end most states will probably go along with the expansion because of the huge financial incentives: The federal government will pay the full cost of the expansion for the first three years, and the additional spending will benefit hospitals and doctors as well as patients. Still, some of the states grudgingly allowing the federal government to help their neediest citizens are placing a condition on this aid, insisting that it must be run through private insurance companies. And that tells you a lot about what conservative politicians really want. Consider the case of Florida, whose governor, Rick Scott, made his personal fortune in the health industry. At one point, by the way, the company he built pleaded guilty to criminal charges, and paid $1.7 billion in fines related to Medicare fraud. Anyway, Scott got elected as a fierce opponent of Obamacare, and Florida participated in the suit asking the Supreme Court to declare the whole plan unconstitutional. Nonetheless, Scott recently shocked Tea Party activists by announcing his support for the Medicaid expansion.

Paul Krugman

But his support came with a condition: He was willing to cover more of the uninsured only after receiving a waiver that would let him run Medicaid through private insurance companies. Now, why would he want to do that? Don’t tell me about free markets. This is all about spending taxpayer money, and the question is whether that money should be spent directly to help people or run through a set of private middlemen. And despite some feeble claims to the contrary, privatizing Medicaid will end up requiring more, not less, government spending, because there’s overwhelming evidence that Medicaid is much cheaper than private insurance. Partly this reflects lower administrative costs, because Medicaid neither advertises nor spends money trying to avoid covering people. But a lot of it reflects the government’s bargaining power, its ability to prevent price gouging by hospitals, drug companies, and other parts of the medical-industrial complex. For there is a lot of price-gouging in health care – a fact long known to health care economists, but documented especially graphically in a recent article in Time magazine. As Steven Brill, the article’s author, points out, individuals seeking health care can face incredible costs, and even large private insurance companies have limited ability to control profiteering by providers. Medicare does much better, and although Brill doesn’t point this out, Medicaid – which has greater ability to say no – seems to do better still. You might ask why, in that case, much of Obamacare will run through private insurers. The answer is, raw political power. Letting the medical-industrial complex continue to get away with a lot of overcharging was, in effect, a price President Barack Obama had to pay to get health reform passed. And since the reward was that tens of millions more Americans will gain insurance, it was a price worth paying. But why would you insist on privatizing a health program that is already public, and that does a much better job than the private sector of controlling costs? The answer is pretty obvious: The flip side of higher taxpayer costs is higher medical-industry profits. So ignore all the talk about too much government spending and too much aid to moochers who don’t deserve it. As long as the spending ends up lining the right pockets, and the undeserving beneficiaries of public largess are politically connected corporations, conservatives with actual power seem to like Big Government just fine.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

NATIONAL

On Health Care’s Violation of Trust

The unusually high number of eye-popping scandals swirling around among the page one headlines these days, including the many speculations about why the Pope really quit (I’ll have more to say about that later), make it challenging to prioritize. Is it the Great Sequester, the once-every-600 years Papal resignation, the latest revelations about what is really going on in Afghanistan, or official U.S. drone-kill policy? Which among these matter the most? Or, is it that the President mixed fantasy world metaphors when he referenced a “Jedi mind meld” in his remarks about the Sequester last week? (For a nation that has been rendered impotent and passive by years of “mind melt” cultural and intellectual degradaFalls Church news-press tion, this, of course, is the subject of most of the concern and conversation.) Less publicized was the report last week that the Afghani government formally ordered U.S. troops out of the Helmand province of south central Afghanistan. The order came one day after a BBC report aired globally about conditions BBC journalists traveling with U.S. support troops found there. The report cited rampant corruption, including the Afghani military ordering spare parts for scores of totally-demolished vehicles piled in a parking lot, drug abuse (the province is reportedly one of the worst for poppy production) and the practice of using and abusing so-called “chi boys.” In the latter case, the practice, which smacks of some of the problems confronting the Vatican, is apparently widespread in Afghanistan, the subject of a PBS Frontline special, “The Dancing Boys of Afghanistan,” that aired last year. It involves the sexual exploitation of young boys by powerful older men, including those in the Afghani military. Hardly done in secret (except to the outside world), external manifestations of this practice were filmed by the BBC crew going on out in the open among the Afghani troops. Vatican-like, the response of the Afghani government was not to denounce and help in the prevention of such child-rape practices, but to order the investigation to stop. Beyond this, but an even greater indictment of the sordid world we live in today, the biggest scandal of the week is contained in the blockbuster report by Steven Brill about the nation’s $2.8 trillion health care market that filled the pages of the March 4 edition of Time magazine, entitled “Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us.” To quote Time’s managing editor Richard Stengel, “For the first time in our history, we are devoting the entire feature section of the magazine to a single story by one writer: a powerful examination of America’s health care costs. The 24,105 word story, reported and written by Steven Brill, inverts the standard question of who should pay for health care and asks, instead, Why are we paying so much?” Stengel added, “Have you actually looked at your hospital bill? It’s largely indecipherable, but Brill meticulously dissects bills and calculates the true costs. He employs a classic journalistic practice: he follows the money, and he does it right down to the 10,000 percent markup that hospitals put on acetaminophen.” Brill, according to the magazine, spent seven months deciphering such hidden costs in hospital bills, and the report is startling and, one would hope, may mark a sea change in both the conversation about and practice of health care in the U.S. today. It could have the same impact that a single edition of Life magazine had in June 1969, long prior to the publication of “Pentagon Papers,” credited with causing a major turn in American public sentiment toward the Vietnam war. Over the protests of the U.S. military, with the front page headline, “The Faces of the American Dead: One Week’s Toll,” the magazine reprinted in a high school yearbook format 12 pages of 242 mostly 18-to-20-year-old boys killed in one week in Vietnam. Time’s exhaustive article could generate a similar effect. Needless to say, the rich and powerful in the industry, including in the pharmaceutical industry, will do their best to gloss over the report, to dismiss it with dissembling generalities. It’s also 44 years later, and maybe the public is numb to such glaring injustices by now.

March 7 – 13, 2013 | PAGE 13

Nicholas F. Benton

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

Repent, Dick Cheney Dick Cheney certainly gives certainty a black eye. In a documentary soon to appear on Showtime, “The World According to Dick Cheney,” America’s most powerful and destructive vice president woos history by growling yet again that he was right and everyone else was wrong. R.J. Cutler, who has done documentaries on the Clinton campaign war room and Anna Wintour’s Vogue war paint room, now chronicles Cheney’s war boom. “If I had to do it over again,” the 72-year-old says chillingly of his reign of error, “I’d do it over in a minute.” Cheney, who came from a family of Wyoming Democrats, says his conservative bent was strengthened watching the anti-Vietnam War protests at the University of Wisconsin, where he was pursuing a doctorate and dodging the draft. “I can remember the mime troupe meeting there and the guys that ran around in white sheets with the entrails of pigs, dripping blood,” he said. Maybe if he’d paid more attenNEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE tion to the actual war, conducted with a phony casus belli in a country where we did not understand the culture, he wouldn’t have propelled America into two more Vietnams. The documentary doesn’t get to the dark heart of the matter about the man with the new heart. Did he change, after the shock to his body of so many heart procedures and the shock to his mind of 9/11? Or was he the same person, patiently playing the courtier, once code-named “Backseat” by the Secret Service, until he found the perfect oblivious frontman who would allow him to unleash his harebrained, dictatorial impulses? Talking to Cutler in his deep headmaster’s monotone, Cheney dispenses with the fig leaf of “we.” He no longer feigns deference to W., whom he now disdains for favoring Condi over him in the second term and for not pardoning “Cheney’s Cheney,” Scooter Libby. “I had a job to do,” he said. Continuing: “I got on the telephone with the president, who was in Florida, and told him not to be at one location where we could both be taken out.” Cheney kept W. flying aimlessly in the air on 9/11 while he and Lynn left on a helicopter for a secure undisclosed location, leaving Washington in a bleak, scared silence, with no one reassuring the nation in those first terrifying hours. “I gave the instructions that we’d authorize our pilots

Maureen Dowd

to take it out,” he says, referring to the jet headed to Washington that crashed in a Pennsylvania field. He adds: “After I’d given the order, it was pretty quiet. Everybody had heard it, and it was obviously a significant moment.” This guy makes Al Haig look like a shrinking violet. When they testified together before the 9/11 Commission, W. and Cheney kept up a pretense that in a previous call, the president had authorized the vice president to give a shoot-down order if needed. But the commission found “no documentary evidence for this call.” In his memoir, W. described feeling “blindsided” again and again. In this film, the blindsider is the eminence grise who was supposed to shore up the untested president. The documentary reveals the Iago lengths that Cheney went to in order to manipulate the unprepared junior Bush. Vice had learned turf fighting from a maniacal master of the art, his mentor Donald Rumsfeld. When he was supposed to be vetting vice presidential candidates, Cheney was actually demanding so much material from them that there was always something to pick on. He filled W.’s head with stories about conflicts between presidents and vice presidents sparked by the vice president’s ambition, while protesting that he himself did not want the job. In an unorthodox move, he ran the transition, hiring all his people, including Bush senior’s nemesis, Rummy, and sloughing off the Friends of George; then he gave himself an all-access pass. He was always goosing up W.’s insecurities so he could take advantage of them. To make his crazy and appallingly costly detour from Osama to Saddam, and cherry-pick his fake case for invading Iraq, he played on W.’s fear of being lampooned as a wimp. But after Vice kept W. out of the loop on the Justice Department’s rebellion against Cheney’s illegal warrantless domestic spying program, the relationship was ruptured. It was too late to rein in the feverish vice president, except to tell him he couldn’t bomb a nuclear plant in the Syrian desert. “Condi was on the wrong side of all those issues,” Cheney rumbled to Cutler. Cheney still hearts waterboarding. “Are you going to trade the lives of a number of people because you want to preserve your honor?” he asked, his voice dripping with contempt. “I don’t lie awake at night thinking, gee, what are they going to say about me?” he sums up. They’re going to say you were a misguided powermonger who, in a paranoid spasm, led this nation into an unthinkable calamity. Sleep on that.

comme nt

PAGE 14 | MARCH 7 - 13, 2013

A Penny for Your Thoughts

News of Greater Falls Church By Supervisor Penny Gross

When Fairfax County Executive Edward L. Long, Jr., presented his first Advertised Budget Plan for Fiscal Year 2014, there was little doubt that optimism about a relatively strong recovery from the “Great Recession” had plummeted since adoption of last year’s budget. The FY13 budget had assumed that federal tax cut issues and debt ceiling issues would be resolved, and the nation would not go over the fiscal cliff. Sequestration would be avoided, and a federal budget would be adopted. That was last spring. What a difference a year makes. None of the expectations that Congressional leaders could, or would, act to devise a rational resolution to the budget and sequestration impasse came to fruition, and not just Fairfax County, but the entire nation, is reeling from the announced cuts for everything from national security to national parks. The region and the Commonwealth of Virginia especially are hard hit. Nearly everyone in the region knows someone who will be furloughed as either a federal employee or a government contractor. The many military installations across Virginia will have cuts to programs and facilities, especially the port of Norfolk where many of the Navy’s largest ships were scheduled for maintenance that now will be curtailed. While the full effects of sequestration may not be felt on local budgets for several months, the reductions in workforce will have a deleterious effect on what people buy, or invest in, or spend discretionary income on. Local revenues rely heavily on taxes – real estate, personal property, sales – so when those collections or values are down, delivery of needed programs and ser-

vices are affected. Mr. Long’s proposed budget plan recommends a school transfer of nearly $1.9 billion, or 52.6 percent of the budget. The School Board has requested an additional $61.7 million, which would require three cents more on the real estate tax rate, in addition to the two-cent overall increase recommended by Mr. Long. Only two new programs are included in the proposed budget plan. Mr. Long rolled out a two-year framework for adoption of future budgets, which will enable the Board of Supervisors to receive forecasts more frequently and provide guidance for staff to develop the next budget plan, along with a menu of options to address any shortfalls. In Virginia, localities are required to adopt a balanced budget by May 1 of each year. A multi-year budget also enables better community engagement into the process. The other new program is the STRIVE (Sustainable Training, Resources and Incentives for Valued Employees) initiative. While Mr. Long’s proposed budget does not include compensation increases for county employees, it does provide for employee development and succession planning. The compensation portion of STRIVE will have further discussion by the Board after budget adoption in late April. The county’s annual budget reflects the philosophy and priorities of Fairfax County – good schools; safe streets; a clean, sustainable environment; livable, caring, and affordable communities; efficient transportation network; recreational opportunities; taxes that are affordable. The challenge is to balance priorities with revenues, and maintain the kind of community we all want to call “home.”

Congressman Moran’s News Commentary

How the Sequester Affects the 8th District By James P. Moran

Last week, harmful budget cuts known as “sequestration” went into effect. The impact of these acrossthe-board reductions is beginning to be felt across the country, and specifically in the 8th District. Sequestration cuts every federal employee, agency, and program, placing no priority on even the most sensitive and important government functions, from FBI investigations to air traffic control. Sequestration requires federal agencies to cut $85 billion from their budgets, but with little more than half of the fiscal year remaining, these cuts will be even more painful. Much of sequestration’s impact will begin to be felt around April 1. But the 65,000 federal employees who live in the 8th District and tens of thousands of Virginians who work for government contractors may already be seeing the impacts of sequestration. According to the Office of Management and Budget, most federal employees can expect to be furloughed, and some federal workers may be furloughed for as many 22 days before the end of the fiscal year on September 30 – reducing their monthly take home pay by 20 per-

cent. Many government contracts are not being renewed, and new contracts are being delayed, resulting in companies shedding workers. Dr. Stephen Fuller, a professor at George Mason University, reports that Virginia could lose up to 200,000 jobs. Last week, I joined Senator Tim Kaine, Congressman Gerry Connolly, and representatives from U.S. air travel associations and employee organizations to highlight the impact sequestration would have on air travel. Once FAA, TSA, and Customs and Border Patrol furloughs begin, security checkpoint waits could increase by as much as an additional hour and thousands of passengers would miss connecting flights due to wait times at customs. Some of the other far-reaching effects of sequestration include: • Potential loss of 854 education jobs in Virginia • 70,000 young children nationwide will be forced out of the Head Start program • 2,100 fewer USDA food inspections • 1,928 fewer small businesses loans • 600,000 participants dropped

from food stamps and WIC programs • Delayed disability claims processing and payments I voted against the Budget Control Act that created sequestration. It was a bad deal for our country and our region. Some Republicans in Congress have lauded sequestration as a victory for the limited government movement. But with nearly 40 percent of our region’s economy tied to the federal government, Northern Virginians know the devastating economic impact of large and indiscriminate cuts. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the sequester alone will reduce GDP growth by 0.6 percentage points this year, risking a return to recession. As Congress faces its next manufactured crisis, the expiration of federal funding on March 27th, I will continue working to support a package that contains both targeted spending cuts and revenue increases. Congress must resolve our longterm deficit and debt challenges without jeopardizing our economic recovery, compromising our national security or disrupting the operations of the federal government.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Senator Dick Saslaw’s

Richmond Report The 2013 General Assembly of the Legislature came to a close on February 23. This year was the short session, consisting of some 46 days at the Capital. The shorter legislative session did not stop the onslaught of thousands of introduced bills. Not being a budget year, we were merely tasked with making amendments to the existing document. Of course, there were hundreds of requests – most went unmet. Here are a few highlights of the General Assembly that will become law soon. Virginia ranks 48th in per capita Medicaid spending. We have one of the highest income thresholds in the nation for eligibility. The passage of the Affordable Healthcare Act in 2010 was to open Medicaid programs to people with incomes up to 138% of the national poverty level. The federal government would pay the entire cost for three years of healthcare insurance and then reduce payment to around 90%. For the Commonwealth that amounts to about $2B annually – money paid by Virginians through their federal taxes. Governor McDonnell lead the opposition to this and worked diligently to defeat any bipartisan efforts to recoup Virginia tax dollars, which would apply to providing access for healthcare outside the emergency room treatment which is commonplace for indigent patients. Those of us that have healthcare insurance often see a significant rise in annual premiums to cover the least cost effective care of an emergency room visit for the poorest of patients. Aside from providing coverage to an additional 400,000 Virginians, it is estimated some 30,000 new jobs would be created in health-care related fields. This should have been a logical next step, but it was not. Despite the record low spending for the uninsured in Virginia, we will be looking at Medicaid reform measures to revamp the program and its costs. We voted to create a Commission to incorporate the Medicaid expansion sometime in 2014 after those reforms are in place and when Virginia has a new Governor. I have spent many columns discussing the transportation crisis plaguing the Commonwealth. Gridlock is an economic albatross in many ways – it impairs our ability to move people and

goods in a timely and cost efficient manner; it impacts our pocket books and our quality of life in lost time; and it contributes to excess pollution, just to name a few consequences. For the better part of the last decade we have made unsuccessful attempts at breaking through the logjam of “no new tax” campaign pledges versus doing what is in the best interests of Virginians. The 2013 bipartisan legislative compromise that we achieved is a significant move forward. Our region will be the beneficiary of some local options for remedying some of the infrastructure problems. More importantly, there will be money for mass transit and rail as well as the Silver Line to Dulles. This is a significant component for the urban centers that are the economic engine of the Commonwealth. Although it has taken several years, the legislature has made texting while driving a primary offense. Clearly, this is not an issue restricted to our youth – it is a serious public safety problem. The best news we can share about enlightened gun control is the fact that no additional NRA supported bills came to pass. Regrettably, we did nothing to address the ownership and use of assault weapons in our communities. I believe in the Second Amendment but our society has evolved since its adoption, including the manufacturing of air to surface missiles and semiautomatic weapons that can fire off hundreds of rounds per minute. We return to the Capital City on April 3 for the Reconvene Session. Right now, the Governor is reviewing all of the bills passed. He can sign, amend or veto them. This Governor is known for a very “active pen” – last year he amended more bills than Mark Warner did in all four years as Governor. I would like to add my personal thanks to Delegate Jim Scott for his many years of service to our community. This past year in particular, Jim and I worked closely on a number of bills and budget amendments requested by the City. Best wishes in your future endeavors, Jim! Finally, I appreciate hearing from so many of you during the session and throughout the year. Please mark your calendar for our

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

A nything

but

S t ra ig h t

A New Pope

As the College of Cardinals slinks into Rome to elect a new Pope, the usual chorus of eternal optimists and media lapdogs follow close behind. The secular press is ecstatic because they can pose as pious while lifting sagging newspaper sales and static cable ratings. Beaten down progressive Catholics will do their predictable dupe dance, hoping against all odds that an almost modern pontiff will be elevated to the throne. Of course, we already know the outcome, given that the last two Popes stocked the pool of bishops and cardinals with ideological clones, ensuring conservative continuity. If this weren’t bad enough, the former Pope will be looking over the new boss’ shoulder and has even installed his live-in “personal assistant,” to serve the Pope-elect, guaranteeing he has eyes and ears inside the Vatican. But even if my dire assessment were completely off base, it would take nothing short of a miracle to avert failure for the next Pope and a crisis of faith for believers. Here are four reasons why the next Pope will be met with nearly insurmountable challenges, no matter how talented or charismatic: 1) The Death of Miracles: In the days of ubiquitous camera phones and recording devices it is nearly impossible to stage miracles that can’t be debunked. This intrusion of reality and realism unsparingly erodes the Vatican’s aura of mysticism and magic, making modern Popes and Bishops look all too human. Furthermore, orthodox religions like Roman Catholicism depend on a façade of purity, particularly of the sexual variety. I don’t need to rehash the already $3 billion in church settlements with the victims of pedophile priests to point out that the hierarchy is about as pure as the driven snow – in New York City. Finally, the Vatican’s appearance of infallibility and supernatural authority are dependent on the cooperation of obsequious media outlets and amenable public officials who agree to sell the grand illusion. However, the Internet has created a world of gadflies who have broken the rigid, self-interested monopoly of those who once were able to portray the Vatican with rose-colored glasses. A new Pope will not be immune from the pressures of modern media in a wired world. 2) Ongoing Scandal: Seedy new stories of priestly misconduct are so frequent that they are no longer shocking. One has to be living in a fantasy world to think these daily outrages will subside with the selection of a new pontiff. The unrelenting drip of debauchery that has chipped away at the Roman Catholic Church’s reputation will surely continue. This will include new outrages from the crop of Cardinals in Rome today, and may well involve the new Pope himself. Given the sordid history of recent years, what assurances do the faithful have that their new leader won’t be shamed with fresh allegations that he either participated in or covered up child sexual abuse? Such a scenario isn’t far-fetched when one considers the meteoric downfall of once beloved Cardinals Roger Mahoney of Los Angeles and Keith O’Brien of Scotland. Stanching the wound will be nearly impossible, since so many key clergy are compromised. To end the nightmare, the new pope would have to hire private eyes to investigate every bishop in the world – and then purge the ones whose scandals are ticking time bombs. Without such drastic measures, there are surely more scandals to come and they will constantly shadow the papacy. 3) The System Is Broken: By banning female priests, excluding openly gay ones, demanding celibacy, and a having a history of protecting the church’s reputation – instead of innocent youth – the hierarchy has created the ideal conditions for a Perfect Storm of Scandal. Until the underlying rules are drastically altered and the Vatican chooses to join the modern world, nothing will change and the horrific headlines will keep coming. 4) Developing World Disaster: There are those who believe that an historic selection of a Pope from the developing world might boost the church’s reputation. This would be true if it were someone enlightened, in the mold of Bishop Desmond TuTu. However, the church has deliberately recruited “leaders” who hold archaic views on social issues. This could easily invite a whole new series of problems, such as retrograde attitudes towards women or cultural homophobia. Just imagine the uproar if a Pope from an African nation made the foolish claim that homosexuality is a “western import” or supported Uganda’s right to enact its odious “Kill the Gays” bill? Such plausible scenarios would further degrade the Vatican’s ability to retain members in Europe, North America, and much of Latin America. It would take an historic leader, with courage, charisma and conviction, as well as honesty and integrity, to turn this sinking ship around. Does anyone truly see such an extraordinary person at this week’s conclave?

Wayne Besen

COMMENT

Our Man in Arlington By Charlie Clark

On the mercifully few occasions when I engaged in boyhood fisticuffs, I had no inkling that my drama was unfolding on soil with a notable history of one-on-one violence. A few steps from my Arlington childhood home, off North Glebe Road just up from Chain Bridge, lies the probable location of an infamous dueling ground of the early 19th century. If you pull your car over, you can read the historic sign erected by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources in 2000. Here on April 8, 1826, witnesses watched the famous duel between two American political luminaries: Henry Clay of Kentucky and John Randolph of Virginia. Clay, of course, would become known in Congress as the Great Compromiser. But the two men that day were hardly in a compromising mood. The clash – like many in the era that accepted dueling as a way to defend one’s honor – erupted over personal insults. Clay, 49, a southerner, had just become Secretary of State for President John Quincy Adams – whom Sen. Randolph of Roanoke, 53, loathed for his abolitionism.

Clay’s political horse-trading offended Randolph, who stood in the Senate and called Clay, among other quaint epithets, a “blackleg,” which meant an unsavory gambler. Such calumnies on the chamber floor raised a host of political stakes and legalisms. So Clay challenged the acid-tongued Randolph to give him satisfaction. “No one had the right to demand an explanation for remarks in the Senate, least of all a member of the executive branch,” wrote Clay biographers David S. Heidler and Jeanne T. Heidler. Randolph wanted to duel across the Potomac on his native soil, even though the tradition was illegal. The completion of the Little Falls Bridge (a Chain Bridge predecessor) had opened a new dueling ground a convenient carriage ride from Georgetown. The site at what is now Randolph Street and Glebe Road inspired a fascinating review of the geography by Ruth M. Ward in the 1981 Arlington Historical Magazine. Massaging a variety of sources, she places the dueling ground 50 to 75 feet south of Fort Marcy (off G.W. Parkway), on the back of Pimmit Hill Palisades. On that snowy-rainy Saturday at around 4 p.m., Clay and Randolph

News-Press

TO LETTERS THE EDITOR Continued from Page 6

City Shouldn’t Engage in Any ‘Social Engineering’ Editor, Last week’s Falls Church NewsPress editorial, “Will F.C. Reverse The Income Gap?” is an example of discrimination, bigotry and racism very seldom seen in print. Your statement, “In short, an enlightened City leadership would work to ensure the City is less white, and less rich...” is offensive to me and offensive to anyone who believes that a person’s race, nor economic status, should be a determination of a person’s worth to society. In addition, the City leadership’s responsibility to its citizens is not to engage in social engineering by imposing an arbitrary “quota” on the City’s race or economic status, but to ensure that there is, in fact, no discrimination permitted. You reference affordable hous-

ing as “It need not be dependent on added government spending so much as on a political willingness to permit the private sector to develop the kind of affordable housing which would be profitable and also benefit families further down the income scale.” Falls Church policies do not prevent the private sector from building affordable housing. Instead, I believe you are suggesting that Falls Church provide tax breaks for housing designated as “affordable.” It is not the responsibility of the City to social

MARCH 7 - 13, 2013 | PAGE 15 arrived with their “seconds,” military officers and politicos. Friends had sought desperately to dissuade the two from going through with the duel, for which Randolph had chosen pistols at 10 paces. During the run-up, Randolph recklessly promised to receive Clay’s shot passively and avoid making his wife a widow, as recounted in Michael Lee Pope’s book The Hidden History of Alexandria, D.C. “If I see the devil in Clay’s eye,” Randolph told friends,” I may change my mind.” Clay stood before a small stump, Randolph by a low gravelly embankment. The two saluted. After an accidental premature shot by Randolph, each fired once, Randolph hitting the stump and Clay’s ball ricocheting off the gravel. After their seconds reloaded the weapons, Clay fired and hit the gravel again, but a projectile pierced Randolph’s billowing coat. Randolph shot in the air. “I do not fire at you, Mister Clay,” he proclaimed. “You owe me a coat, Mister Clay,” said Randolph. “I’m glad the debt is no greater,” replied Clay. They shook hands. The outcomes of my own boyhood “duels” are lost to history. But my recollection is that they ended with a similar gained wisdom.

engineer housing based on race or economic status. As you well know, Falls Church relies on taxes to function and provide services to its citizens. To ensure profitability of affordable housing through tax breaks will require unnecessary higher taxes for the remainder of the 12,500 City residents. In closing, I have two additional comments: 1. Your challenge to Falls Church to “buck the trend in the new Brandeis University study showing the wealth gap between blacks and white...” is not only racist and discriminatory, but a very tall order for the “Little City” of 12,500 people in 2.2 square miles. 2. Your Goal No. 2. is not a goal but an opinion.

Nick Caramanica Falls Church

Your Family Dentist If you are in need of dental care, we are here to help 4555 Bnktlah` Ohjd Rthsd @ Falls Church, Va 22041

6/2,306,8511 ¤ vvv-cq,nubg`qdmjn-bnl

CALENDAR

PAGE 16 | March 7 – 13, 2013

Community Events Thursday, March 7

Saturday, March 9

Children’s Story Time. Ages 2 – 5 years. Mary Riley Styles Public Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). Free. 10:30 a.m. 703248-5034. F.C. Rotary Club Meeting. The governor of the club’s district will present an update of Rotary year plans and activities. Harvest Moon Restaurant (7260 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). $11 optional dinner. 6:30 p.m. FallsChurchRotary.org. Arts Reception. Falls Church Arts will celebrate its Eco Art show with a meet the artists reception and a talk by juror Olivier Giron highlighting environmental issues. ArtSpace Falls Church (410 S. Maple Ave., Falls Church). Free. 7 p.m. fallschurcharts.org. Concert. The NOVA Alexandria Band will perform a children’s concert. Rachel M. Schlesinger Hall (3001 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria). Free. 7:30 p.m. leckstein@nvcc.edu.

F.C. Farmers’ Market. Vendors offer fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables, cheeses, meats, baked goods, plants, and wine. City Hall Parking Lot (300 Park Ave., Falls Church). Free admission. 9 a.m. – noon. 703-248-5077. Arlington Homeshow and Garden Expo. Visitors can learn about improving their homes by talking with local builders and designers and attending seminars on home remodeling and financing. Thomas Jefferson Community Center (3501 2nd St. S., Arlington). 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. arlingtonhomeshow.org. Habitat Restoration. Volunteers can restore the local ecosystem in a City park including removal of invasive vegetation and replanting with native species. Cherry Hill Park (312 Park Ave., Falls Church). 10 a.m. – noon. fallschurchva.gov/volunteer. Book Launch Party. Young Adult author Aimee Agresti will celebrate the arrival of her second book in the Gilded Wings series, Infatuate. One More Page Books (2200 N. Westmoreland St., Arlington). 5 p.m. 703-300-9746. Concert. Choralis, with soloists Danielle Talamantes, soprano, and

Friday, March 8 Book Talk. Elizabeth Black will discuss The Drowning House. One More Page Books (2200 N. Westmoreland St., Arlington). 7 p.m. 703-300-9746.

&

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Send community event submissions to the News-Press by e-mail at calendar@fcnp. com; fax 703-532-3396; or by regular mail to 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church, VA 22046. Please include any photos or artwork with submissions. Deadline is Monday at noon for each week’s edition.

Kerry Wilkerson, bass, will presents a lightly-staged concert of opera choruses and arias from “Carmen,” “La Bohème,” “Aida,” and more. Washington-Lee High School Auditorium (1301 N. Stafford St., Arlington). $30 – $55; $5 for students 13 – 22, free for children 12 and younger. 7 p.m. 703-2372499.

Sunday, March 10 Old Dominion Chrysanthemum Society Meeting. The Old Dominion Chrysanthemum Society will present a program with a question and answer session by Doug Mertes covering nearly 50 of years of building and maintaining backyard water gardens, from old bathtubs to the present day garden. Falls Church Community Center (223 Little Falls St., Falls Church). Free. 2:30 p.m. 703-560-8776. Concert. Philippe Chao, viola; Kathryn Brake, piano; Eva Cappelletti Chao, violin; and Elizabeth Kluegel, soprano, will perform. Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ (5010 Little Falls Road, Arlington). $10 suggested donation. 4 p.m. rockspringucc.org.

Monday, March 11 Children’s Story Time. Ages 2 – 5 years. Mary Riley Styles Public

Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). Free. 10:30 a.m. 703-2485034.

Tuesday, March 12 Children’s Story Time. Ages 18 – 36 months. Mary Riley Styles Public Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). Free. 10:30 a.m. 703-2485034. Book Talk. Sandra Grimes will discuss Circle of Treason. One More Page Books (2200 N. Westmoreland St., Arlington). 7 p.m. 703-300-9746.

Wednesday, March 13 FCCPS Pyramid Chorus Concert. More than 300 singers from Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School, and George Mason High School will perform, and will come together for a final performance piece including all singers. Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School (7130 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church). 7 p.m. fccps. org. Poetry Contest Reception. Poetry will be read, refreshments will be offered, and prizes will be awarded to winners of the library’s youth poetry contest. Mary Riley Styles Public Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). Free. 7 p.m. 703-2485034.

Theater Fine Arts Thursday, March 7

“The Tempest.” On the water-filled stage, visual poetry will bring Prospero’s magical island to life. A romantic drama of epic proportions emerges from the depths as spirits, monsters, witches, drunken fools, and lithe lovers contort and cavort with all the passion and bravado imaginable. Through March 24. Synetic Theater (1800 S. Bell St., Arlington). $35. 8 p.m. synetictheater.org.

“The Convert.” As colonization looms over Southern Africa in the mid-1890s, a teenage girl flees a forced marriage in her village and lands in an African missionary’s household. Caught between her loyalties to her family and culture but indebted to a new Christian God, she must choose where her heart truly belongs. Through March 10. Woolly Mammoth Theatre

(641 D St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $35. 8 p.m. woollymammoth.net.

“The Motherf**ker With the Hat.” An unfamiliar hat in Jackie’s living room threatens his relationship, his parole, and his fledgling sobriety in this intoxicating and cheerfully vulgar look at the complicated recovery from love and other addictions. Through March 24. The Studio Theatre (1501 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $49. 8 p.m. studiotheatre.org.

Friday, March 8

“Peter Pan and Wendy.” When Peter Pan flies into the nursery of the Darling home, Wendy is captivated by his promise of adventure in Neverland. With the help of some of Peter’s fairy dust, Wendy and her brothers are on their way. Second to the right and then straight on till morning is the magical address that

brings them face to face with mermaids, Indians, and the notorious Captain Hook and his pirate crew. Through March 24. ArtSpace Falls Church (410 S. Maple Ave., Falls Church). $15; $12 for students and seniors. 7:30 p.m. creativecauldron.org.

Saturday, March 9

“Raggedy Ann and Andy.” A new doll, Babette, has arrived in the playroom only to be whisked away by Prince Leonard-the-Looney-Hearted. Raggedy Ann and Andy spring to action and climb out of the playroom window into the “deepest, darkest woods” to rescue Babette. In this hilarious and free-wheeling romp, the dolls encounter numerous crazy characters on their quest. Through March 17. McLean Community Center’s Alden Theatre (1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean). $10. 3 p.m. mcleancenter.org.

CALENDAR

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

March 7 – 13, 2013 | PAGE 17

live_music&nightlife Thursday, March 7 David Kitchen Band. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 6:30 p.m. 703-2419504. The Fabulous Dialtones. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $13. 7:30 p.m. 703-255-1566. Elaine Paige. The Birchmere (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria). $65. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500. Helen Reddy. Through March 8. The Barns at Wolf Trap (1635 Trap Road, Vienna). $45. 8 p.m. 703938-2404. Deer Tracks with F.O.X. Black Cat (1811 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $12. 8 p.m. 202-667-7960. Albino Rhino with Ian of The Velvet Ants. Iota Club and Café (2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). $8. 9 p.m. 703-522-8340. Nate Ihara. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 9:30 p.m. 703-237-8333.

Friday, March 8 Luke Brindley and Friends with Norman Rockwell. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $15. 7:30 p.m. 703-255-1566. Megan Mullally with Nancy and Beth. The Birchmere (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria). $29.50. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500. Young Relics. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 9

p.m. 703-241-9504. Cobra Collective. Iota Club and Café (2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). $10. 9 p.m. 703-5228340. Kepone with Office of Future Plans and Daria. Black Cat (1811 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $12. 9 p.m. 202-667-7960. Covered with Jam. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 10 p.m. 703-237-8333.

Saturday, March 9 Karen Collins and the Backroads Band. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 4:30 p.m. 703-241-9504. Rusted Root with Joel Plaskett. 9:30 (815 V St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $25. 6 p.m. 202-265-0930. Toby Lightman with Cassidy Ford. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $15. 7 p.m. 703-2551566. Enter The Haggis. The Barns at Wolf Trap (1635 Trap Road, Vienna). $22. 7:30 p.m. 703-9382404. Todd Snider, Elizabeth Cook, Chuck Mead, and Kevin Gordon. The Birchmere (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria). $25. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500. The Highballers with Human Country Jukebox and Avril Smith and Friends. Iota Club

and Café (2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). $10. 9 p.m. 703-5228340. The Ruins. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 9:30 p.m. 703-241-9504. The Billy Triplett Trio. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 10 p.m. 703-237-8333. Irresponsible with Numa and Tiptoe Disco. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $13. 10 p.m. 703-255-1566. Django Django with Night Moves. 9:30 (815 V St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $20. 10 p.m. 202-265-0930.

Sunday, March 10 Andrew Acosta and The New OldTime String Band. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 5 p.m. 703-241-9504. Leon Redbone with Evan Young. The Birchmere (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria). $35. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500. Night Beds with Indians and Cat Martino. Black Cat (1811 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $12. 8 p.m. 202-667-7960. Rah Rah with Two Hours Traffic. Iota Club and Café (2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). $10. 8:30 p.m. 703-522-8340. Chris and Chick Hall. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 9 p.m. 703-241-

9504.

Monday, March 11 Julie Slonecki. Iota Club and Café (2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). $5. 8 p.m. 703-522-8340. Leverage Models. Black Cat (1811 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.). $10. 8 p.m. 202-667-7960. Phone Home, Newport Stress, and Laurel Chor. Galaxy Hut (2711 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). $5. 9 p.m. 703-525-8646.

Tuesday, March 12 Graham Alexander, TheRuinCity, Vivacious, Holly Would, Spark The Fire, and Audrey. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $13. 6 p.m. 703-255-1566. George Thorogood and the Destroyers. The Birchmere (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria). $45. 7:30 p.m. 703-549-7500. Jon Bell with Brad Doggett. Iota Club and Café (2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). $12. 8 p.m. 703-5228340.

Wednesday, March 13 Alleghany St., Blasberg and Sgroi, Matt Tarka, Folk Rock Taking Over, and Ethan Schaefer. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $13. 6:30 p.m. 703-255-1566. Paul Thorn. The Barns at Wolf Trap (1635 Trap Road, Vienna). $24. 8 p.m. 703-938-2404.

Planning Ahead... Saturday, March 16 – Concert. The band Isle of Treora featuring Maddy O’Neill-Dean will play a lively evening of Irish music. Musicians will perform on fiddle, banjo, guitar, bouzouki and bodhran in the intimate atmosphere of the Farmhouse parlor. Cherry Hill Farmhouse (312 Park Ave., Falls Church). $15. 8 p.m. 703-248-5171.

W

ho wouldn’t be excited about an evening filled with “acrobats, freaks, roustabouts, barkers, dandies and women of questionable virtue”?!? If any of the above tickles your fancy, then Gilded Lily Burlesque and The Carny Preacher Productions presentation of Carnivalesque – a spectacle of Burlesque, Circus and Sideshow – is for you. Taking The State Theater stage at 9 p.m. this Saturday, the show features a variety of acts reminiscent of the traveling circus days of old. Jugglers, contortionists, magicians, aerial and pole artists, a “bevy of buxom beauties and handsome hunks,” and a whole lot more will be on display, so go and get your ogle on.

What: Carnivalesque When: Saturday, March 9, 9 p.m. Where: The State Theatre,

220 North Washington Street, Falls Church See thestatetheatre.com for tickets and more information

Saturday, March 16 – Fundraiser. The McLean Choral Department will offer a Renaissanceera performance and dinner for its 60th annual Boar’s Head Feast fundraiser. A sit-down, three-course dinner will be served family-style with food provided by La Madeleine of McLean. A king’s court will introduce performers while royal servers wait on the evening’s guests. McLean High School (1633 Davidson Road, McLean). 6:30 p.m. $28; $23 for seniors and children 12 and younger. mhschoralsociety.com.

Calendar Submissions 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.

Email: calendar@fcnp.com Fax: 703-342-0347; Attn: FCNP Calendar Mail: 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church, VA 22046

FOOD&DINI nG

PAGE 18 | March 7 – 13, 2013

Restaurant Spotlight

:+< 3$< (;75$ 72 6,7 $7 $ &+()Âś6 7$%/(" 6,77,1* $7 285 &+()Âś6 &2817(5 ,6 21 7+( +286(

2SHQ şS‍ۑ‏Q DGMHFWLYH ¹

1RW VKXW DIIRUGLQJ IXOO YLHZ UHFHSWLYH WR QHZ LGHDV

.LWFKHQ NL&+‍ۑ‏Q QRXQ $ VSDFH HTXLSSHG IRU SUHSDULQJ DQG FRRNLQJ IRRG

1R ZDOOV VHSDUDWH RXU JXHVWV DQG RXU FKHIV DW 2SHQ .LWFKHQ %LVWUR &RPH H[SHULHQFH WKH VLJKWV VPHOOV DQG WDVWHV RI KDQGPDGH IRRG XVLQJ IUHVK LQJUHGLHQWV 2SHQ .LWFKHQ %LVWUR LV D SURXG UHFLSLHQW RI WKH 6QDLO RI $SSURYDO IURP 6ORZ )RRG '& DOO RXU IRRGV DUH KDQGPDGH ZLWK VHDVRQDO LQJUHGLHQWV DQG ORFDOO\ VRXUFHG ZKHQHYHU SRVVLEOH

ZZZ RSHQNLWFKHQ GFPHWUR FRP +RXUV

6XQGD\ 0RQGD\ :HGQHVGD\ 7KXUVGD\ SP SP )ULGD\ 6DWXUGD\ SP SP :LQH 7DVWLQJ 0RQGD\ SP SP 7XHVGD\ 5HVHUYHG IRU 3ULYDWH (YHQWV

$GGUHVV

/HHVEXUJ 3LNH )DOOV &KXUFK 9$

“Voted one of the

Best Breakfasts

Hot Pancakes

by the Readers of Bethesda Magazine, 2012�

warm sweet sticky and buttery - thereby impossible to resist! FREE PARKING ALL LOCATIONS!

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

BETHESDA • 7700 Wisconsin Ave. • 301-986-0285 ROCKVILLE • 12224 Rockville Pike • 301-468-0886 FALLS CHURCH • 7395 Lee Highway • 703-698-6292 www.OPHRestaurants.com

Like us on Facebook

Caribbean Plate

29

133 E. Annandale Road, Falls Church 703-942-8580 thecaribbeanplate.com

Caribbean 7 Plate

133 E. Annandale Road

Falls Church

Caribbean Plate may have opened its doors this winter, but this new Falls Church restaurant is serving up island cuisine that brings to mind much warmer days. A tropical transformation takes place when stepping in from the chilly outdoors. Bright tones of orange, green, and blue color the walls. A beach scene, with an oversized parrot at the foreground, plays out across one length of the restaurant. Big beach umbrellas hanging from the ceiling, lined in festive lights, cover the dining room. Fish bob around the coral in their massive 200-gallon tank. At the center of this oceanfront decor is a counter where customers can place their orders from a varied but not overwhelming menu. Several menu sections, each with its own colorful placard mounted behind the counter, offer a handful of options to choose from. The meat pies and empanadas are the first attentiongrabbers, though, as the palm-sized dough pockets are ready-made and waiting for selection in a clear counter-top container. The Jamaican Meat Pie ($3.49) variety is, like the others, served as a bit of pastry crimped at its edges, this selection filled with loose ground meat that is spiced but mild. The Pepper Shots ($4.95) among the starters, despite the intimidating name, are similarly timid with heat. Here, a quartet of ruby-red roasted piquillo peppers are stuffed with cheese and ground meat, with savory flavors complementing the sweetness of the peppers. Sandwiches, at $7.25 apiece with a side, are a bargain lunch pick. The Jerk Club has tender but plain chicken as its focus, but the addition of strips of bacon, a slice of smoked gouda cheese, and tangy aji mayo make for a flavorful sandwich. Served on two massive planks of grilled garlic bread, the sandwich is built for hearty appetites, and sides like red beans, island rice, and fried yucca ensure hunger is satisfied. The Rum-Glazed Plantains ($1.75 for an order) are a stand-out side; the glistening slices of syrupy plantain are cooked to soft sweetness. The Charcoal Chicken is highlighted among the entree options. Slow roasted and served with two sides, the chicken ranges in price from $6.49 for a quarter of a chicken, dark meat, up to $15.95 for the whole bird. The chicken is served from the charcoal oven with lightly charred skin and moist meat. The basic charcoal variety is flavorful, but jerk and hot flavors ratchet up the heat. The Curried Chicken ($7.95) is the most popular of the platters menu section. The dish offers pieces of chicken, tender and barely clinging to the bone, in a mild red curry made sweet with coconut milk and served with a side of rice. While starters, snacks, salads, sandwiches, platters, desserts, and more vie for attention, the drinks should not be overlooked. The coffee is pressed freshly by order, and blended coffee drinks come in flavors that range from the standard vanilla to the intriguing pumpkin pie. The Greek yogurt smoothies – made with fruit, cane sugar, and honey – come in a few sweet flavor combinations and are easily sipped. Affordable eats, crowd-pleasing heat levels, and a range of sweet and spicy Caribbean fare are big draws to this new restaurant, and the “snowquester� raging outside makes the idea of an island getaway at Caribbean Plate all the more appealing.

Hours:

Monday – Sunday: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

— Leslie Poster

NATIONAL

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

MARCH 7 - 13, 2013 | PAGE 19

The Peak Oil Crisis

An Electric Car in Your Future? by Tom Whipple

Falls Church News-Press

Every now and again some good news shows up, so this week I am going to share it with you. It has to do with electric-powered cars. Now hybrids have been on the market for a decade or so and modern battery-only models for about three years. While the hybrids are selling pretty well, sales of batteryonly models have been way below expectations. The reasons for this are simple. For the most part battery-only cars cost more than similarly powered internal combustion vehicles; they have limited range which may be sufficient for most trips, but leave people in fear of running out of power; the time it takes to recharge a battery is far longer than the refilling of a gas tank; and finally there are limited places where they can be recharged unless one has invested in a home recharging station. These factors have led to a spate of recent stories in motoring magazines and the mainstream press saying electric cars are a lost cause and that even 10 or 20 years from now they will never amount to more than a few percent of cars on the road. Despite this gloomy assessment, car manufacturers in Asia, Europe, and the U.S. continue to spend billions developing new models of electric cars that soon will be on the market. Are these industrial giants as stupid as the commentators make out, or perhaps are they taking a longer view than just current sales figures? The trump card of the electric car is simply that it does not use gasoline or diesel as a source of power. Even the partially-electric hybrids use fossil fuels much more sparingly. One can talk about the carbon emissions from coal-fired electric stations used to charge electric cars, but this is a manageable problem within the foreseeable future. Stories disparaging electric cars never mention where the cost and availability of gasoline likely will be in the future. Oil prices have been increasing at about 7 percent a year for the past decade and there is no reason, short of a major economic depression, why such increases will not continue. Gasoline and diesel prices in non-subsidized and heavily taxed Europe are already approaching

‘

T

$10 a gallon. There is little reason to think that gasoline prices in the U.S. which are already in the vicinity of $4 a gallon will not be markedly higher, perhaps even unaffordable, before the decade is out. At say $10 a gallon, calculations concerning the economics of electric cars change markedly, even with expected improvements in conventional car mileage. In Europe, which at the moment is taking the dangers of global warming more seriously than other parts of the world, much of the impetus for building electric cars is to comply with

hese

new

technologies

ing the range of electric cars, and even offering an affordable way of storing intermittent power generated by wind and the sun. The first announcement came in February 2012 from a startup in California, called Envia, which announced that they had developed a battery cathode made of manganese for lithium ion batteries that would allow electrical energy to be stored at a density of 400 watt-hours per kilogram as compared to 100-180 watt-hours in current batteries. This announcement was followed shortly by one made in March of last year from another California startup, CalBattery, who said they were developing a new lithium ion battery anode material that would allow electric cars to go three times further at a battery life-cycle cost 70 percent less than that of current batteries. Last October CalBattery announced that independent tests had verified that their new silicon-graphene anode material was showing an energy density of 525 watt-hours per kilogram which should clearly allow three times longer ranges for electric cars – provided of course that this new anode material can be introduced into batteries that will last long enough to useful. Last week Volkswagen announced that they are going into limited production with their XL1, a two seat car that has been under development for a decade. The latest iteration of this highly streamlined car is a diesel powered hybrid which is supposed to get some 261 mpg on diesel fuel when the hybrid electric boost is considered. While a car that is made largely of carbon fiber, magnesium and aluminum is likely to be too expensive for the mass market, it gives a strong indication that light, hyper-aerodynamic cars can be built that will consume very small amounts of fossil fuels – or electricity. These recent announcements suggest that the technology is available to keep motorized societies running a while longer without ever increasing quantities of fossil fuels and their accompanying carbon emissions.

battery offer

the

”

prospects of greatly lowering the cost of batteries and more. the increasingly tough emissions standards. Even in California current and future emissions rules are making electric cars an attractive option for manufacturers and are part of the reason they continue to be developed in the U.S. A recent study concluded that the price of a mid-range car in the U.S. is now about $32,000 making the cost of buying and operating such a vehicle prohibitive for a family of median income everywhere except the Washington, D.C. region. Part of the ever-increasing cost of new cars is the drive for better fuel economy from internal combustion engines. Unless the economy recovers markedly in the next few years, sales of standard sized cars are likely to decline rapidly in the US making smaller cars and perhaps alternatives to the internal combustion engine more attractive. If the electric car batteries were much cheaper, the range longer, and recharging faster and more readily available, such vehicles just might catch on as an attractive option in the face of ever increasing gasoline costs. This is where the good news comes in, for in the last year what may prove to be highly significant advances in battery technology have been announced and partially verified. These new battery technologies offer the prospects of greatly lowering the cost of batteries, increas-

 Tom Whipple is a retired government analyst and has been following the peak oil issue for several years.

handcrafted american furniture

lOllinG cHaiR

special weekend

saving s event March 9th - 10th

8661 Leesburg Pike, Tysons Corner Sat: 9am-6pm & Sun: 9am-6pm

select from a large collection of our handcrafted furniture at reduced prices. Join us saturday at 4pm... Meet Tom Moser, college professor turned furniture maker, as he talks about the 40-year story of Thos. Moser, america’s premiere hardwood furniture company. wine and cheese will be served from 4pm-6pm. For more information, call 800.708.9045, or visit thosmoser.com.

Outer Banks, NC Vacation Homes! Over 500 Vacation Homes, from to Kill Devil Hills to rindley Corolla,Duck Outer Banks, Oceanfront each to Soundfront, Private Pools, VACATIONS & SALES

Hot Tubs, Pets and More…

Book Online at www.brindleybeach.com

1-877-642-3224

“ S E R V I C E F I R S T … F U N A LWAY S ! ”

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 20 | MARCH 7 - 13, 2013

)R[HV 0XVLF

)\RXU LQQHU

‘Emperor’

UHH

35,9$7( /(66216 Ć '(*5((' 7($&+(56 $// ,167580(176 Ć $// 67</(6 Ć $// $*(6

PXVLFLDQ

678'< :,7+ 86 6287+ :$6+,1*721 67 )$//6 &+85&+

/(66216 Ć 6$/(6 Ć 5(17$/6 Ć 5(3$,56

T H E L A N D Y O U K N O W, T H E S T O R Y Y O U D O N ’ T.

STARTS FRIDAY, MARCH 8 AND IN THEATRES EVERYWHERE SORRY, NO PASSES

CheCk LoCaL Listings for theatres and showtimes •

PRESENTED IN 7.1 DIGITAL SURROUND IN SELECT THEATRES

washington suburban press F.C. Wired: fcnp.com thur 3.7 3-61x8 sp all.ogp-3-61x8-4c.0307.wsp

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

by Richard Roeper

Universal Press Syndicate

The poster for “Emperor� shows Tommy Lee Jones as Gen. Douglas MacArthur in gigantic silhouette, his corncob pipe nearly the same height as the American man and Japanese woman at the bottom of the frame, deep in the embrace of what appears to be Forbidden Wartime Movie Love. Only the title tells us this won’t be your standard-issue World War II movie. In fact, save for flashbacks, “Emperor� is set in the immediate aftermath of the war. The embers are still burning through much of Japan, and the nation is on its knees, with the defeated Emperor Hirohito behind palace doors while MacArthur and his team debate his fate. Indeed, this big-picture tale occasionally pauses for a starcrossed romance about an American college student-turned-soldier and the Japanese woman he continues to love even after their countries are at war. But, as is the case with most of the elements in “Emperor,� the cliches are relatively few and spaced apart, and the tear-jerking and profound moments are authentic and well-earned. Matthew Fox’s thin voice and chiseled looks make him seem more like a veteran of campus life than the worst war the world has

ď‚Ťď‚Ťď‚Ť cast&credits Gen. Bonner Fellers .... Matthew Fox Gen. Douglas MacArthur .Tommy Lee Jones Aya Shimada .............. Eriko Hatsune Takahashi .......... Masayoshi Haneda Gen. Kajima . ........ Toshiyuki Nishida Emperor Hirohito . Takataro Kataoka

ever known, but he nonetheless gives a solid performance as Gen. Bonner Fellers, who’s given the task of overseeing one of the most crucial postwar American military investigations. In a mere 10 days, Fellers must determine if Emperor Hirohito should be arrested and tried for instigating the war against the United States and overseeing unspeakable atrocities – or if he will be allowed to remain in charge. The latter would send the message to the Japanese people that the postwar American mission is not to occupy and control, but to facilitate the rebuilding of the nation and the recovery of its people. As “Emperor� tells it, MacArthur will make his decision almost solely on the basis of Fellers’ report. (MacArthur spends much of his time posing for dramatic photos and working the press as he eyes a post-military run for president.) Tommy Lee Jones looks like

Roadside Attractions presents a film directed by Peter Webber. Screenplay by Vera Blasi and David Klass, based on the novel by Shiro Okamoto. In English and Japanese, with English subtitles. Running time: 98 minutes. MPAA rating: PG-13 (for violent content, brief strong language and smoking).

he brought his own pants and demeanor to the set, then allowed the costumer to outfit him with uniform, sunglasses and hat, and instantly transformed himself into MacArthur. The performance is a bit hammy and Hollywood at times, with MacArthur occasionally delivering a one-liner so good you can practically see it on the screenwriters’ laptop. But Jones adds welcome spark to a movie that more than once (make that more than twice) gets a little too bogged down in the details. Whether Fellers is interviewing various Japanese officials during his investigation or reflecting on his romance with the niece (the lovely Eriko Hatsune) of a Japanese general, we’re constantly reminded of the vast differences between the American and Japanese cultures. Director Peter Webber and screenwriters Vera Blasi and David Klass clearly have an enormous respect for and devotion to detail, but there were times when I wanted to raise my hand and say, “Is this going to be on the midterm?� “Emperor� is expertly photographed, whether we’re following Fellers through the blue-tinged rubble of a bombed-out village or flashing back to the pastel-colored romance in the States. (I’m still not sure why it seems as if two out of three “remembering better days� flashbacks involve the man chasing the laughing woman through a forest, a field or at the beach. When you were falling in love, did you ever chase or were you the chasee in such a tableau?) Not for a second is this some Fox News Channel-baiting, American retro guilt film. It was a just and right war for the Allied Forces, and the good guys won. But “Emperor� makes it clear this was a devastating war for both sides, with repercussions far beyond 1945. There’s room to credit American and Japanese leadership for their joint efforts to find a common foundation for rebuilding, even as there was still simmering hatred in both quarters. “Emperor� is a solid and important look at a sometimes-forgotten chapter in the World War II saga.

Loca l

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

March 7 – 13, 2013 | PAGE 21

Fa l l s C h u r c h

School News & Notes F.C. Education Foundation Gala Set for May 17 The date of the ninth annual Falls Church Education Foundation Gala and Monte Carlo Night is Friday, May 17, at 6:30 p.m. at Washington Golf and Country Club. All proceeds will target teacher and staff requests for Falls Church City Public Schools and will support Education Foundation operations. For information about how to sponsor the event, contribute an auction item, buy tickets or sponsor a teacher’s gala ticket, contact Debbie Hiscott, interim program director, at dhiscott@fcedf.org.

TJ Elementary Students Track Construction with Website While construction of the new Thomas Jefferson Elementary School wing progresses, students have been busy observing, documenting, interviewing, and photographing the process. All they have collected can now be found on their own website, tjconstructionjunction.com, which they produced themselves. Visitors to the site will find answers to construction-related questions, word searches and student art work about the project.

MEH & Mason Students Top Nat’l History Day Competition Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School and George Mason High School students competed in the National History Day Regional Competition at

Mount Vernon High School last Saturday. All 22 seventh- and eighth-grade competitors demonstrated outstanding research in their projects and presentation skills in their interviews. The seventh- and eighth-grade team from MEH/GMHS had the most first-place winners and overall award winners of the 16 schools that participated at the regional competition. Thirteen of these students will compete at the State Competition in Williamsburg on April 20. Jimmy Ferguson placed first in the Historical Paper category, and Navi Chahil placed third. Kaitlyn Bruno, Olivia Taliaferro, and Angela Dilao placed first in the Group Performance category, and Anna Dubro placed third in the Individual Performance category. Annette Schlitt and Mary Klemic, and Arijeet Sensharma, Jarman Taylor and Ben Cohen, both placed first in the Group Web Site category. Meghan Murphy, Adwoa Ankuma, Grace Johnson, and Meredith Johnson placed first in the Group Exhibit category.

Mason Musicians Ace District X Assessments The 80-member George Mason High School Wind Ensemble received Superior Ratings during District X High School Band Assessment. The group performed last Friday night at West Potomac High School at the District X Band Assessment, which included high school ensembles from Fairfax County and the cities of Alexandria and Falls Church.

Competing in the category of the most difficult music, Level VI, the Mason High Band received superior ratings for its performance of Sacred Harp, Third Suite and El Capitan from the three performance adjudicators.

MEH Scientists Take Part in Regional Fair This past weekend, several Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School seventh-grade students participated in the INTEL Regional Science Fair hosted by Arlington County Schools. More than 13 schools from the Arlington, Fairfax, and Falls Church areas were represented. Nathan Sperry took first place in chemistry, and was selected to advance to state competition. Julia Burleson and Anahis Davidian took third place in chemistry, and Aziz Shaik earned an honorable mention. In medicine/health, Ben Sharrer took first place and Danielle Hatziyannis took third. Lydia Grund and Cindy Lay, and Katie Mills and Celine Diz took second place in engineering. Marlo Fowler placed first in botany, and Freddy Bruner and Ben Wong placed first in physics.

TJ Teams Compete in Regional Odyssey of the Mind Tourney More than 100 Thomas Jefferson Elementary School students participated in the Odyssey of the Mind Virginia Region 11 tournament held last Saturday. TJ was represented in the cre-

Read Across America Day brought some familiar characters from “The Cat in the Hat” to Mount Daniel School. Pictured above, costumed for the day, are Assistant Principal Kristen Cunningham, Principal Kathy Halayko, secretary Peggy Ball, Chief Technology Director Rik Jowers, and Special Education teacher Allison Moriarty. As part of the annual celebration, dozens of guest readers tell stories for children. This year’s readers included Falls Church Police Chief Mary Gavin, Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones, and BIE Community Partnership Coordinator Marybeth Connelly. (FCCPS Photo) ative problem-solving competition by 15 Division I teams and five Primary Division teams. At the tournament, TJ teams contributed over 10 percent of the Division I and Primary Division entrants, more than any other school in the region. Thomas Jefferson teams brought home one first-place, two second-place, and one third-place ribbon, and six more teams finished in fourth through sixth place. The ARTchitecture – The Musical Team C finished in first place overall; this team also earned the highest divisional score for their spontaneous presentation. This is the second year in a row that team members Parrish Pipestem, Collette Barth, Colson Board, Daniel Trauberman, Felix Barth, and Kurt Barth, coached by Valerie Barth, have earned first place. They will represent TJ at the state tournament at John Champe High School on April 13.

Online Auction to Benefit Chesterbrook Underway The Chesterbrook Elementary School’s online auction is underway. All proceeds go to the Chesterbrook PTA to support the school by providing educational enrichment opportunities, from classroom purchases to technology upgrades. Participants can bid on tickets to see favorite sports teams or the best of regional theater. Local dance, fitness, and yoga studios have donated classes that can be bid on, as well. Additional classes can teach winning bidders a new instrument or language. Gourmet foods, gift baskets, and a selection of toys for all ages are also available in the auction. The auction closes March 10 at 10 p.m. To register for the online auction, visit biddingforgood. com/chesterbrook.

Student actors took the stage last Thursday when “Honk! Jr.,” a modern-day retelling of the classic story The Ugly Duckling, opened to a packed house at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School. With singing and dancing, the young performers told a story about acceptance and love. (FCCPS Photos/Marybeth Connelly)

SPORTS

PAGE 22 | MARCH 7 – 13, 2013

Mason High Girls Hoops Head to State Final Four by Drew Costley

Falls Church News-Press

George Mason High School’s girls varsity basketball team dominated Northumberland High School with a 68-35 victory in the Group A, Division 2 state quarterfinals, and will move on to Virginia Commonwealth University for the semifinals of the state tournament. The Mustangs got off to a slow start against the Indians last Saturday, who notched the first points of the game thanks to a 3-pointer from junior guard and team captain Tylisha Crockett. This resulted in an early time-out called by Mustangs head coach LaBryan Thomas. “He just told us that we started flat,” said junior guard Jaya Chavern, who hit a 3-pointer to tie the game right after the timeout. “We needed to pull ourselves together and get pumped up, get excited for this game. This was a really big game and we didn’t have a lot of energy.” The Indians retook the lead after sophomore forward Katie Goodwin fouled Northumberland junior forward Katie Crowther while she was shooting. Crowther

hit her first foul shot, missed the second and Mustang senior forward Stephanie Cheney grabbed the rebound. Cheney passed the ball to sophomore guard Ava Roth, who found Cheney on the other end of the court for two points. The Mustangs never lost the lead after that trip down the court, which put them ahead 5-4. “After I called that time-out and got them re-focused we started playing pretty good,” Thomas said. He said that the girls were having trouble getting to their positions in the 1-3-1 zone defense the Mustangs use against teams at the beginning of games. Cheney’s field goal was the start of a 5-0 run, which ended when Crowther hit another foul shot, this time after being fouled by sophomore forward Gen Schmitt. The Mustangs outscored the Indians 11-5 for the remainder of the quarter and finished with a 21-10 lead. The Mustangs kept building on their lead in the second quarter with a 7-0 run early in the period. They concluded a 9-0 run at the end of the first half after Chavern was fouled by freshman guard Rajaa Shabazz while she was shooting a 3-pointer. Chavern

hit all three free throws and the Mustangs finished the half with a 39-17 lead. Cheney scored 17 of her 25 points in the first half. Despite an early turnover at the beginning of the half, the Mustangs went on an 8-0 run to start the third quarter to go ahead by 30 points. Northumberland actually outscored George Mason 11-10 after that initial run, but finished the third quarter down by 29 points. The Mustangs finished off the Indians by outscoring them 11-7 in the fourth quarter. In addition to her sixth straight game scoring 20 or more points, Cheney also grabbed 18 rebounds and blocked five shots. Goodwin scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Chavern scored 10 points and dished out three assists. Roth, the other half of the Mustang dual point guard back court, scored four points, grabbed six rebounds and six assists against the Indians. She didn’t get much playing time as a freshman on the team last season, but is beginning to show the confidence of a seasoned veteran. At one point in the game Roth came down the court against Indian senior guard and team captain Nia Jones, who was pressing

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Mason senior forward Stephanie Cheney reaches out to block a shot by her Northumberland High School opponent last Saturday during the Group A, Division 2 state quarterfinals. Mason advanced to the state semifinals with a 68-35 victory over Northumberland. (Photo: Gary Mester) whichever Mustang guard came up the court with the ball. Roth shook Jones with a crossover and drove into the lane. “A lot of people don’t give her a lot of credit but she runs this show for us,” Thomas said. “Between her and Jaya, they do a great job of getting the ball up the floor and getting us into our offense and I don’t think we’d be where we are if we didn’t have those two.” In the state semifinals, the Mustangs will take on a Floyd County High School team who has only lost three games all season and has a point differential of over 1,000 points against opposing teams. Thomas said that

Floyd County is the best team the Mustangs have had to face all season – even better than the team from East Rockingham High School to whom George Mason lost twice. “We need to come out strong from the very beginning. Floyd County is a very competitive team, very talented from what I hear,” Cheney said. “I haven’t seen them play, but with Floyd, there’s no messing around. In any state semifinal there shouldn’t be messing around.” The Mustangs are scheduled to take on the Buffaloes tomorrow morning at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Siegel Center.

MEH Hockey Claims Victory Over Georgetown to Finish Winning Season

The Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School club ice hockey team beat the Georgetown Titans team 11-4 last Friday in the season finale at Ft. Dupont Ice Arena in Washington, D.C. Brendan Bernstein led MEH, scoring his team’s first six goals, beginning with four in the first period, off of assists by Henry Middlebrook, Tom Ferrick, Andrew Fischer and Alec Reusch. MEH goalie Jack MacKinnon frustrated Georgetown throughout the first period, snuffing every shot the Titans could throw at him until the Titans finally got on the board with 34 seconds remaining in the period with bullet low from Zach Cosgrove under MacKinnon’s pads, making the score 4-1. MEH countered early in the second with Bernstein scoring again off of an assist by Jack Meteyer to make it 5-1. Georgetown then made a run, with Cosgrove scoring twice to make it 5-3 with 3:32 left in the period. But MEH remained unfazed, as Bernstein again found the back of the net off of an assist

by Alex Wang. At the end of second period, MEH led 6-3. In the third period, Georgetown finally found enough defense to slow Bernstein, only to have his teammates step up and fill the void, beginning with Jackson Oppel’s goal off of assists by Reusch and Michael Sevachko at the 13:09 mark. Fischer added a goal one minute later, slamming home a pass from Sevachko to make the score 8-3. The Titans’ Cosgrove attempted to rally his team with 10 minutes remaining, scoring his fourth goal off of assists from Ben Plant and Shane McGrath. But that would be the last goal Georgetown would muster, as MacKinnon rejected every other shot the Titans sent his way. MEH, however, still had scoring to do. With 4:12 remaining, Ethan Rosenberger took Cole McDowell’s pass in the high slot and whipped it over the Titan goalie’s glove to make the score 9-4. Meteyer added a goal with 3:41 remaining with assists from Middlebrook and Jacob Jafari to

Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School hockey players (pictured above from left to right, wearing George Mason High School jerseys, front row) are Jackson Oppel, Henry Middlebrook, Ethan Rosenberger, Jack MacKinnon, Jack Meteyer, Jacob Lechner, Tom Ferrick, (back row) Coach Stan Fendley, Jacob Jafari, Brendan Bernstein, Cole McDowell, Alec Reusch, Alex Wang, Andrew Fischer, and Michael Sevachko. Patrick Brown, Ryan Henderson, and Alex Kryazhev are not pictured. (Photo: Paul McDowell) make it 10-4, and McDowell finished the rout for MEH at 1:39 with a back-door goal off of assists by Meteyer and Jacob Lechner to

make the final score 11-4. MEH finished at 4-5-1 in league play and 6-5-2 overall, giving the second-year team its first winning

season. Tryouts for next season can be scheduled through info@masonhockey.org.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Spo rts

MARCH 7 – 13, 2013 | PAGE 23

Mason Hoops Assistant Coach Holds ‘Longest Legs’ Record by Drew Costley

Falls Church News-Press

Falls Church’s Svetlana Pankratova was always the tallest one in her class. Starting in kindergarten in Volgograd, Russia, where she grew up, she was always at the head of the line when the children were arranged from tallest to shortest. But it wasn’t until 2002 that she realized she might be a world record holder for what became the longest part of her body – her legs. “It wasn’t easy because kids do tease you,” said Pankratova, an assistant coach for the George Mason High School girls basketball team. “They tease whenever something is – I wouldn’t say not normal – but when something is different. So I would get teased a lot for being tall.” It was difficult for Pankratova and her mother to find clothes for her to wear growing up, especially pants. But she didn’t notice that her legs were exceptionally long until she was a teen. “I never thought about it when I was growing up,” Pankratova said. “I just never paid attention to my legs.” In retrospect, Pankratova gained a new perspective on how long her legs were. She recently looked at an old photo taken of her at 12 or 13 with her basketball team and noticed that her legs came up to her teammates’ shoulders. That was around the time she got her start in basketball. Pankratova started out as a swimmer, but her height made her stand out to local basketball coaches, who encouraged her to come out for the basketball team. Her decision to play basketball ended up allowing her to travel the world. After she graduated high school, Pankratova played college basketball for a year in Russia before being recruited by Virginia Commonwealth University. During this time, she met her now husband, Jack Gosnell, who was working in St. Petersburg as the U.S. General Counsel. She said the transition to a new country was difficult at first, and she experienced a culture shock for the first couple

of months she was in the U.S. But the hardest part was getting used to the rigorous training her new team did in preparation for the basketball season. “It was more running in practices, it was more physical,” Pankratova said. “So it took me a little time to adjust to that. But after that I think it was fine.” Pankratova’s career at VCU ended in 1995, but she still holds two school records for her contributions to the women’s basketball team. She has the most blocked shots in a career (176) and the most blocked shots in a single season (75). After graduating from VCU in 1997, Pankratova played basketball in Portugal, Israel, and Spain, where she retired in 2000. Two years later, a friend of Pankratova saw a news story featuring a British woman who claimed to have the world’s longest legs for a woman. She showed Pankratova the article and suggested that Pankratova may in fact be the woman with the world’s longest legs. That’s when Pankratova contacted the Guinness Book of World Records to verify the claim. At first, she thought it was a “silly idea,” but she went ahead with the plan after being encouraged by her friend. It took six years, a lot of documentation and plenty of emails and calls to prove that she had the longest legs. “It’s not like I was always on top of it,” Pankratova said. “I had other things to do and just kind of let it go.” Finally, in 2008, Pankratova was notified that she had the world’s longest legs for a woman, their length measured at four feet, four inches of her overall six-foot-five height. That year, she went on a media tour around the U.S. after the news of her world record broke and traveled to London to promote the 2009 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records, the first edition in which she appeared. Pankratova reconnected with Gosnell, who lives in Falls Church. The two had lost touch for several years before Pankratova got back in touch with him and, after corresponding over the internet for a while, she decided to move back to the U.S. at the end of 2010. They

married in August 2011. LaBryan Thomas, head coach of George Mason High School’s girls varsity team, found out that Pankratova lived in the area and invited her to start working with the girls basketball team in the middle of the 2010-11 season. Pankratova’s work with the girls basketball team, perennial contenders for the state championship, has given her yearly chances to visit her alma mater in Richmond, where the state championship is played. “It’s great – we go there because we’re in the final four, because we’re going for the state championship,” Pankratova said. “And it also feels good because I played there and I’m there with the team who has a lot of success.” She said being a coach at George Mason has been a great experience after being away from the game for a decade. “I’m grateful for the opportunity for me to work with them,” Pankratova said. “Because I stopped playing basketball ... so it was great to get back to basketball and I really do enjoy it and it brings all the nice memories back and I just enjoy giving them what I know to help them any way I can.”

Svetlana Pankratova holds the Guinness Book world record for longest legs, measured at four feet, four inches long. (Courtesy Photos)

PAGE 24 | MARCH 7 - 13, 2013

BUSINESS & SERVICE DIRECTORY

Professional Services

Lawn & Garden

Hauling

Eat2Win Nutrition

Seven Brothers Landscaping Service

Always Something Inc.

Nutrition Consulting Services for Adolescents and Adults Carla Sidhu, MS, RD Registered Dietitian carla@Eat2WinNutrition.com

703.608.0280 www.Eat2WinNutriton.com Helping you Eat2Win @ Sport @ Play and @ Life Let me help you meet your healthy New Year's Resolutions

Robert Beatson II

Attorney/Accountant, Former IRS Attorney Admitted to DC, MD, VA & NY Bars

All Federal, State, Local & Foreign Taxes Individual • Business • Trusts • Estates • Wills

Spring Cleanup, mulching, mowing, edging, trimming. Residential & Commercial Tree Service & Snow Removal

703-241-4990

703.919.4456 Free Estimates

Paver & Flagstone Patios, Walkways, Walls Plants / Trees / Stacked Fieldstone

WET BASMENT? WET YARD?

Water Proofing Exterior Foundations Remove Standing Water / French Drains Downspout Extensions / Dry River Beds •No sub-contractors, or day labors. •The Owner is physically on your job site.

Free Estimates 703.919.4456 Lic/Ins www.ReynoldsLandscapingOnline.com

703-798-3590 or 301-340-2951

Painting

Philip Walsh Trial Lawyer

BRADWELL PAINTING SERVICE

www.beatsonlaw.com

• Personal Injuries & Death • Motor Vehicle Accidents • Contract Disputes • Malpractice Claims • Liability Claims

Free Consultation Call 703-448-0073 Hablamos Espanol: 703-798-3448 E-mail: walsh.associates@gmail.com

703-866-6225

Interior/Exterior Painting Highest Quality Paints & Workmanship Drywall Repairs, Power Washing Deck Staining Free Estimates, Licensed Excellent References

WalshLawAssociates.com

Accounting

Mike’s Carpet Cleaning

•Stretching•Mold Experts •Upholstery • 24 Hour Emergency Water Damage We Clean the White House! Call Mike 703-978-2270

A - Cleaning Service since 1985

Insured, Bonded and Licenced Independently owned Commercial & Residential

703-892-8648

www.a-cleaningserviceinc.com

Homes for Rent

Services

FALLS CHURCH/FAIRFAX COUNTY: 3BR/1.5BA, 3 Level Cape. New Carpet;

GIT RID OF IT Professional Junk Re-

Paint; Appliances. Driveway, Fenced Yard, Walkout Basement. Pet Considered. $1995/

moval. We remove/haul everything! Family Owned. Call Mike at 703-533-0094 for FREE estimate. www.getitremovedva.com

mo, 703-560-6978 After 6 PM Wanted

HOUSE CLEANING SERVICE Avail-

Help Wanted DRIVERS: Start up to $.40 per mile. Home

Weekly. CDL-A, 6Mos. OTR Exp. Required. 50 Brand New Coronados You’ll be Proud to Drive! 877-705-9261

EXPERIENCED TAX PREPARER

needed in Falls Church during tax season. Part-time or full-time. Fax resume 703-6718011 or email terry@terryljonescpa.com

SALES PERSON for a Grocery/Deli. Use of Meat Slicer Required! 30-40 Hours/Week. Must Own a Smile and have Good People Skills! Call 703-379-8080 to schedule interview date and time. English Required.

classads@fcnp.com

Masonry

Rugs Lord Oriental Rugs

Serving the Tysons Corner Area for 30 years We guarantee the best quality and low prices

Service: Junk Removal / Hauling

Clearning & Restoration (Free Pick Up)

Low rates and fast service. Licensed and Insured.

Sell by Trade Appraisal

For more information Call David

(703) 848-7900

(703) 217-6697

www.lordorientalrugs.com

Other Services

Home Improvement

CRJ Concrete Driveways - Patios - Sidewalks Licensed & Insured

571-221-2785 JOSEPH HOME IMPROVEMENT

Drywall • Paint Exterior / Interior, Bath & Kitchen Remodeling, Basements, Ceramic Tile, Deck, Fences. Patios, Electric, Plumbing, Clean Garage, All Kinds of Hauling. www.josephhomeimprovements.com Joselozada27@yahoo.com Joseph Cell 703-507-5005 Licensed Work Tel 703-507-8300

Handyman Service

Our 20th Year

CadleMasonry.com Local brick n’ stone mason installing patios, walkways, steps, chimneys, etc. Specializing in repairs. Local references. Free Estimates.

703-698-1390

Licensed

Insured www.columbiabaptist.org/cifa

Health & Fitness

All repairs, plumbing, drywall, doors, windows, rotted wood, siding, gutters, lighting + more FREE estimates, insured Call Doug (703)556-4276

703-534-4202

www.novahandyman.com

Make Life Worth Framing

artandframeoffallschurch.com

Cleaning Services 5 Rooms deep cleaned only $115

-

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

able 7 days a week. Week, biweekly, monthly or one time. Good references in Falls Church City. 10 years experience. For further information call me at 703-901-0596. Senior discount, Ask: Susy.

Wanted To Buy 2013 POOL MEMBERSHIP for Lee

Graham Pool. Please call Jane at 703328-5280.

Public Notice Public Notice

The Board of Zoning Appeals of the City of Falls Church, Virginia will hold a public hearing on March 14, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 300 Park Avenue, for consideration of the following subjects:

Make a Joyful Splash!

ORGANIC DRY CLEANERS

with Eileen Levy

Grand Opening Special Price for First 100 Customers For Every 10 Garments - 1 Free Other Discounts Available Shirt special $1.25/per shirt

Create unique art masterpieces using acrylics, water-based oils, pencils and an innovative variety of tools and brushes. Held at Creative Cauldron Monday, Tuesday Evenings 7-9 pm 410 S. Maple Avenue On-going enrollment

1055 Broad Street Falls Church, VA 22046 703-356-9867

Enroll on-line at www.creativecauldron.org Or call 571-239-5288

C L AS S I F I E D S a. Variance application V1543-13 by Rebecca Tax, owner of Clare and Don’s Beach Shack, to allow a front yard setback of 5 feet instead of 14 feet on the Northeast side of the property (Park Place) and 8 feet 6 inches instead of 14 feet on the Northwest side (North Washington St) to allow construction of a rooftop deck to shelter semi-outdoor seating, on premises known as 130 North Washington St, RPC # 53-104-012 of the Falls Church Real Property Records, zoned B-2 Central Business, said property owned by MG Partners LLC. b. Appeal application A1542-13 by EBLA, LLC to appeal Warning Notice of Violation # DDS2013 0102-01, on premises known as 1101/ 1103 West Broad Street, RPC # 52102-051 of the Falls Church Real Property Records, zoned M-1 Light Industrial, said property owned by EBLA, LLC. Information on the above items is available at the Zoning Division, West Wing, City Hall, Suite 300W.

VOLUNTEERS WHO LIVE

in the City of Falls Church are needed to serve on the boards and commissions listed below. Contact the City Clerk’s Office (703248-5014, cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov, or www.fallschurchva.gov) for an application form or more information. Requests for reappointments must also be made through the City Clerk. Applications are being ac-

cepted until the end of the month. Vacancies that have been advertised for more than one month may be filled during each subsequent month before month’s end. Architectural Advisory Board Board of Equalization Environmental Services Council Historic Architectural Review Board Historical Commission Human Services Advisory Council Public Utilities Commission Retirement Board Regional Boards/Commissions: Fairfax Area Commission on Aging Long Term Care Coordinating Council.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the City Manager will present the FY2014 BUDGET at the City Council Meeting on Monday, March 11, 2013. First reading of the budget and a public hearing will take place on Wednesday, March 27, 2013 (rescheduled from Monday, March 25th because of Passover). The public hearings will continue at the regular Council Meetings of April 8th and April 22nd. The second reading of the budget, and final Council action, is scheduled for Monday, April 22, 2013. Council will hold

budget work sessions between March 18th and April 22nd. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the City Council will hold two public Town Hall Meetings on the FY14 Budget on Saturday, March 16, 2013 and Saturday, April 13, 2013 -- from 10:00 a.m. -- Noon, in the Teen Center of the Community Center. The public is invited to attend to discuss the budget and related issues. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the regularly scheduled City Council Meeting of Monday, March 25, 2013 has been rescheduled for Wednesday, March 27, 2013 in observance of Passover. All public hearings will be held in the Council Chambers, 300 Park Avenue, 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). KATHLEEN CLARKEN BUSCHOW CITY CLERK

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Crossword

ACROSS

By David Levinson Wilk 1

2

3

14

4

5

6

7

8

9

11

12

13

28

29

30

31

46

47

48

16

15

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

32 34

10

35

33

36

37

38

39

41

40 42

43

44

45

49 51

52

50

53

58

54

55

56

57

59

60

61

62

63

64

© 2013 David Levinson Wilk

Across

1. Garten of the Food Network 4. Bigwig 9. “____ of God” (1985 film) 14. Boxer’s wear 16. Took the wheel 17. Drunkard 18. Target of October ads 19. What the employee said she was to her boss after hitting the lottery jackpot? 21. Hike: Abbr. 22. Roof application 23. Play (with) 24. A child’s worst nightmare? 32. Mr. T’s TV gang 33. Lena of “Chocolat” 34. Mediterranean relative of a star of “The Sopranos”? 40. “This Is How ____ It” (1995 #1 hit) 41. Was sick 42. Walt Disney biopic that focuses heavily on the creation of Mickey and Minnie? 46. RR stop 49. Military branches: Abbr. 50. “____ calling?” 51. “Cutting to the chase ...” (or a hint at solving 19-, 24-, 34- or 42-Across) 58. Make a pass at 59. Kentucky’s northern border 60. O3 61. Pink Floyd’s “The Wall,” e.g. 62. “Lost” actor Jeff 63. Chases away

1. Garten of the Food Network

March 7 - 13, 2013 | PAGE 25

64. ____ milk

Down

1. “Gotcha, bro” 2. “Stop! That’s totally wrong!” 3. Bureau 4. Where kroner are spent: Abbr. 5. Others, to Octavian 6. Beginning trumpeter’s sound 7. Promise 8. QB Favre and others 9. Daily or weekly 10. Mushroom 11. “Me? Impossible!” 12. Deadlocked 13. Rev.’s address 15. “Good buddy” 20. Japanese “yes” 24. Call ____ day 25. “Tutte ____ cor vi sento” (Mozart aria) 26. Industrial container 27. “Um ... er ...” 28. Washerful 29. Building annex 30. 2002 Nas hit “One ____” 31. Diciembre ends it 32. Mine, in Marseille 34. Toddler’s age 35. Publisher often seen in PJs 36. Teacher’s deg. 37. Caesar who quipped “The guy who invented the first wheel was an idiot. The guy who invented the other three, he was a genius”

CHUCKLE BROS Brian & Ron Boychuk

4. Bigwig 9. "____ of God" (1985 film)

38. Dutch ____ disease 39. ATM charge 43. “Yankee Doodle Dandy” Oscar winner 44. 40% of fifty? 45. Rich couple on the Titanic 46. Starts of some brawls 47. Bullfighter 48. Bad way to be lead 50. Beat to a froth 51. “____ With a ‘Z’” (1972 TV concert) 52. Texter’s “From a different viewpoint ...” 53. What the fourth little piggy had 54. “Call on me! I know the answer!” 55. Puerto ____ 56. “The Ballad of John and ____” 57. B’way signs of success 58. Cooperstown attraction: Abbr.

Sudoku

Last Thursday’s Solution M O D E A D E L Y E S S D I E A S L A N T

P A I D A V I A S L I A T

A B N E G A T I V E

T E E P A D S

L E I G H

O T T A M O I

T P L H R E O M A E A D R E A I D N E S T K A B O G G A S I L A R A L L S E

D A R R E N F R I G G

F R I A R K A Y L A I L A

S A N D O W V I I N R G T O E S G T U A T S S

A T O N E S D O O R

S A N A N T O N I O

H B O

A N T E

S E S E R S S

S A F E L Y

By The Mepham Group

Level: 1 2 3 4

14. Boxer's wear 16. Took the wheel 17. Drunkard 18. Target of October ads 19. What the employee said she was to her boss after hitting the lottery jackpot? 21. Hike: Abbr. 22. Roof application

1

23. Play (with) 24. A child's worst nightmare? 32. Mr. T's TV gang 33. Lena of "Chocolat" 34. Mediterranean relative of a star of "The Sopranos"? NICK KNACK

1

© 2013 N.F. Benton

Solution to last Sunday’s puzzle

3/3/13

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.

© 2013 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.

LOCAL

PAGE 26 | MARCH 7 – 13, 2013

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Critter Corner

BACK IN THE DAY

laz y The dog. c k q u i fox sly p e d jum e r o v lazy the g . d o is Now time the all for o d g o to cows

20 s Yearo Ag

e c o mthe to of aid i r t h e re. pastu w N o the is e t i m all for o d g o to cows e c o mthe to

20 & 10 Years Ago in the News-Press Falls Church News-Press Vol II, No. 50 • March 4, 1993

Falls Church News-Press Vol XII, No. 52 • March 6, 2003

It is no the timw e for g o all o cows d to go to the aid of the pa stu ir re. *** **

10 Year s Ago

Thr ow it up. Pour it up It now is the time for all go od cows to go the to aid

Lasso Hints at New Business Tax Hike As Proposed Budget Unveiled Monday

Young Group Unveils Plans for Mixed Use Development on 700 Blk. of W. Broad

City Manager David Lasso presents his recommendations for the coming fiscal year’s $25 million Falls Church budget to the City Council Monday night, kicking off the annual tussle over taxes and spending that will be the focus of public attention over the next two months. Fireworks have already begun in response to a letter mailed by Lasso to leaders of the Falls Church business community last week suggesting that a range of business tax increases will be in order.

Anticipating final adoption by the Falls Church City Council in April of a new “special exception” ordinance raising the building height limit, local developer Robert Young unveiled ambitious plans in an exclusive interview with the News-Press for a massive mixed use project in the 700 block of W. Broad St. The $50 million project will include 92 high-end oneand two-bedroom condominiums above 40,000 square feet of commercial space.

Longtime F.C. Resident Dorothy Henry Dies Dorothy Henry, a writer and editor at the Department of Agriculture before she retired in 1999 and a longtime activist in community affairs and the Democratic Party in Northern Virginia, died Feb. 15 at her home in Washington, D.C., of cardiopulmonary disease. She was 88. From 1979 to 1999, Ms. Henry was a supervisory writer and editor at the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the Department of Agriculture. From 1972 until 1979, she served as a legislative assistant to former U.S. Congressman Donald M. Fraser, Democrat of Minnesota. A native of Forest Park, Illinois, Ms. Henry was recruited by the Chicago office of the War Production Board in 1943 and was sent to Washington, D.C. to be a secretary during World War II at the agency’s Washington office. During the war, she was a volunteer at the Stage Door Canteen in the old Belasco Theatre on Lafayette Square. She worked her way through George Washington University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history, was editor of the school newspaper, The Hatchet, vice-president of the Student Council, and was presented with the Ernie Pyle Award for Outstanding Journalism. After World War II, she was an editorial assistant for Kiplinger Magazine and a news reporter for the Washington Bureau of the London Times. Later, she was a columnist and news reporter for the Northern Virginia Sun from 1958 to 1961 and was Public Relations Director for the United Givers Fund campaigns in Northern Virginia for six years. She researched two best-seller non-fiction books, The Woman in

the White House, by Marianne Means and The Honeycomb, by Adela Rogers St. Johns. In the 1950s and 1960s, Ms. Henry was a volunteer in Falls Church community affairs and Democratic party politics. A lifelong Democrat, she managed political campaigns for national, State and Northern Virginia candidates. She testified before the Virginia legislature in 1963 to do away with the State’s poll tax as a requirement for voting, and worked to keep Virginia’s public schools open during Massive Resistance in 1965 after the Supreme Court’s desegregation decision. She was a charter member and in 1963-64 President of the Northern Virginia Woman’s Democratic Club and a member of the Falls Church Democratic Committee and National Women’s Democratic Club. She was a member of the Inaugural Committees for Presidents John

F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. She canvassed votes for Adlai Stevenson (1952 and 1956), John F. Kennedy (1960), Lyndon B. Johnson (1964) and Hubert H. Humphrey (1968). Ms. Henry compiled the first complete voters’ list for the City of Falls Church for use by campaign workers. She served on the groundbreaking committee of George Mason University. She was a founder and past president of the Falls Church Ki-Wives and a member of the Falls Church Woman’s Club and the Friends of the Falls Church Library. Her marriage to Judge A. Burke Hertz ended in divorce. She is survived by two sons, A. Bradley Hertz of Salt Lake City, Utah and Douglas Burke Hertz of Ukiah, California, and a daughter, Lois Crane Hertz (Menderson) of Washington, D.C., as well as nine grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

CORRECTION In the February 21 – 27, 2013, edition of the News-Press in the article “J.E.B. Stuart Names Gym for Coach, Teacher” we incorrectly reported that Ron Wilson attended Salem State University. He attended Fayetteville State University.

FRANK, 4, loves squirrels, snow, tennis balls, and the dog park. He is one of the darker chocolate Labrador Retrievers in town. He is easily fooled by statues that look like people and sculptures that look like animals. An essential member of the Kissel household, Frank pulls his weight by fighting a War on Cats.

REV. JOHN F. KURTZKE JR., C.S.C. March 28, 1951 – Feb. 28, 2013 Rev. John Francis Kurtzke Jr., C.S.C., 61, died at Holy Cross House, Notre Dame, Ind., on Feb. 28, 2013. He was born on March 28, 1951, in Queens, N.Y., the eldest of eight children of Dr. John F. and Margaret M. (Nevin) Kurtzke. Fr. Kurtzke graduated from Gonzaga High School, Washington, D.C., in 1969. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics in 1973; a Master’s of Philosophy and a Candidate in Philosophy from UCLA in 1975 and 1977, respectively; and a Ph.D. in mathematics from UCLA in 1978. He was received into the Congregation of Holy Cross on Aug. 18, 1979 and made his First Profession of Vows on Aug. 9, 1980. He earned his M.Div. in Theology from Notre Dame in 1984 and served as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Mathematics. Fr. Kurtzke made his Final Profession on Sept. 1, 1984, and was Ordained on April 13, 1985. Fr. Kurtzke was assigned to the University of Portland from 1985 to 2004 to teach mathematics and was also the Chairman of the Mathematics Department for six years. He served as a Visiting Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Notre Dame from 1993 to 1994, after which he returned to Portland. After treatment for a cerebral hemorrhage at Mayo Clinic in November of 2004, he moved to Holy Cross House and later worked as a clerk in the Notre Dame Library. Fr. Kurtzke was assigned to Fatima House in 2006 and moved back to Holy Cross House in 2010. Fr. Kurtzke is survived by his parents Dr. John and Margaret Kurtzke of Falls Church, Va.; his sisters: Catherine (Steven) Brown, Joan (Phillip) Brennan, Elizabeth (Keith) Siebert, Christine (Paul) Hughes; brothers: Dr. Robert (Leala) Kurtzke and James (Kate) Kurtzke; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a sister, Patricia. Visitation and a Wake Service were held on March 4, 2013, at Moreau Seminary, Notre Dame. The Funeral Mass was March 5, 2013, at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame. Kaniewski Funeral Home, South Bend, Ind., handled arrangements. Memorial contributions in support of the mission and ministries of the Congregation of Holy Cross can be made to: United States Province of Priests and Brothers, Office of Development, P.O. Box 765, Notre Dame, IN 46556-0765 or online at donate.holycrossusa.org.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

n

ACCOUNTING

n

Diener & Associates, CPA.. . . . . . . . . 241-8807 Eric C. Johnson, CPA, PC . . . . . . . . . 538-2394 Mark Sullivan, CPA. . . . . . . . . . . 571-214-4511 Hassans Accounting & Tax Services . 241-7771 Hahn & Associates, PC, CPAs. . . . . . 533-3777 n

n

ARCHITECTS

Ajalli Architects PLLC, Permit Dwg. . . 880-1633 n

ATTORNEYS

Mark F. Werblood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534-9300 Sudeep Bose, Former Police Officer. 926-3900 Beatson Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 798-3590 Walsh & Associates.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 448-0073 Janine S. Benton, Esq. . . . . . . . . . . .992-9255 n

n

n

n

n

COMPUTER SERVICES

n

n

n

n

DENTISTS

n

Family Dentistry, Nimisha V Patel . . . 533-1733 Dr. William Dougherty . . . . . . . . . . . 532-3300

n

EYEWEAR FLORISTS

Falls Church Florist, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . 533-1333

BOOK BINDING

n

BUSINESS SERVICES

n

n

www.healthybyintention.com. . . . . . . . 534-1321 Stone House Retreat.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 541-9597 Sheraton Premiere Women’s Massage403-9328

FRAMES

Art & Frame of Falls Church . . . . . . . 534-4202

GIFTS

n

Stifel & Capra. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407-0770

MASSAGE

REAL ESTATE

Merelyn Kaye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .790-9090x218 www.helpfulmortgage.us . . . . . . . . . . 237-0222 Casey O’Neal - ReMax . . . . . . . . . . . 824-4196 Rosemary Hayes Jones. . . . . . . . . . .790-1990 Leslie Hutchison. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .675-2188 The Young Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .356-8800 Shaun Murphy, Realtor . . . . . . . . . . . 868-5999 Susan Fauber. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 395-8741

LAWN & GARDEN

CadleMasonry.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 698-1390 Masonry Specialist LLC . . . . . . . . . . . 443-2308

PHOTOGRAPHY

Gary Mester, Event, Portraits. . . . . . . 481-0128 n

JUNK REMOVAL

MASONRY

PET SERVICES

Feline Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 920-8665 n

J Reynolds Landscaping LLC . . . . . . 919-4456 Seven Brothers Landscaping. . . . . . . 241-4990 n

PAINTING

Bradwell Painting Service . . . . . . . . . 866-6225 n

Always Something, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . 217-6697 n

Point of View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237-6500 n

INSURANCE

n

State Farm Insurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . 237-5105

EQUIPMENT RENTAL/SALE

VA Outdoor Power Equipment . . . . . . 207-2000

HOME IMPROVEMENT

MUSIC

Academy of Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 938-8054 Columbia Institute of Fine Arts. . . . . . 534-2508 Foxes Music Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533-7393

HEALTH & FITNESS

FC Heating & Air Service . . . . . . . . . . 534-0630 One Time Home Improvement. . . . . . 577-9825 Joseph Home Improvement . . . . . . . . 507-8300

COUNSELING

Josette Millman, APRN . . . . . . . . . . . 855-0396

n

Curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 536-0140 Eat2Win Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 608-0280 Falls Church Jazzercize Fitness Ctr 622-2152 Sacred Well Yoga and Healing . . . . . 989-8316

CONCRETE

CRJ Concrete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 571-221-2785

BANKING

Jon Rizalvo, PAYCHEX . . . . 698-6910 x27045

CLEANING SERVICES

HANDYMAN

Handyman Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556-4276

www.kevintpearson.com . . . . . . 301-305-1279

BCR Binders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534-9181 n

n

Maid Brigade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 823-1922 A-Cleaning Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 892-8648 Eco Green Dry Cleaners LLC . . . . . . 356-9867 Mike’s Carpet Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . 978-2270

n

Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust Co.. . . 519-1634 BB&T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241-3505 TD Bank/www.TDBank.com. . . . . . . . 237-2051 Acacia Federal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506-8100 n

n

AUTOMOTIVE

Beyer Volvo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237-5000

CHIROPRACTOR

Dr. Solano, solanospine.com . . . . . . 536-4366

ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES

Falls Church Antique Company . . . . . 241-7074 Antique Annex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241-9642

MARCH 7 -13, 2013 | PAGE 27

n

RUGS

www.lordorientalrugs.com . .. . .. . . . . 848-7900 n

TAILOR

Tailor Lee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534-8886

MEDICAL

Dr Gordon Theisz, Family Medicine. . 533-7555

All numbers have a ‘703’ prefix unless otherwise indicated.

AIRLINE CAREERS BEGIN HERE

To see your business here, call us at 703-532-3267, fax 703-342-0352 or E-Mail us at ADS@FCNP.com

Become an Aviation Maintenance Tech. FAA approved training. Financial aid if qualified – Housing available. Job placement assistance. SCHEV certified. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance

888-245-9553

HOMEOWNERS WANTED! ALL 2012 STOCK MUST GO! $ $ SAVE THOUSANDS $ $

Be a demo homesite for our maintenance-free Kayak Pool. Save thousands with this unique opportunity. Call now for a free backyard survey!

877-606-7858

Lifetime Warranty ● Large Selection Maintenance-Free Self-Cleaning Pool Financing Available... Easy on Any Budget

95 $6,995 !

New and Used Pools America’s Choice For Quality Swimming Pools Visit Us at www.newandusedpools.net If You Can Find Another Pool Built As Well As a Kayak, We Will Give You the Kayak Pool FREE!

MEDICAL CAREERS BEGIN HERE

Train ONLINE for Allied Health and Medical Management. Job placement assistance. Financial Aid if qualified. SCHEV authorized.

Call 888-354-9917 www.CenturaOnline.com

PAGE 28 | MARCH 7 - 13, 2013

&RQWUDFW 3HQGLQJ )DOOV &KXUFK &LW\ %XLOGLQJ /RWV

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Open Sat and Sun 1–4pm

Coming Soon

7101 Kaiser Place | Falls Church VA 22042

833 Herbert Springs Rd | Alexandria VA 22308

Lovely mid century modern home on large corner lot & cul de sac featuring 3 BD/ 2 BA. Updated and great location. Offered at $489,000

Luxury Waterfront Living in Alexandria,VA. Approx 10,000 sq ft of exceptionally appointed living space overlooking the Potomac River. Offered at $3,900,000

Under Contract

&RQWUDFW SHQGLQJ RQ WZR EXLOGLQJ ORWV ORFDWHG RQ TXLHW WUHH OLQHG VWUHHW D VKRUW ZDON WR DZDUG ZLQQLQJ HOHPHQWDU\ VFKRRO DQG ([SUHVV %XV WR 0HWUR (DFK ORW DSSUR[LPDWHO\ VT IW =RQHG % 3ULFHG DW HDFK

0HUHO\Q .D\H

0HHWLQJ 5HDO (VWDWH QHHGV VLQFH 7KHUH LV QR VXEVWLWXWH IRU H[SHULHQFH +RPH 2IILFH H PDLO PHUHO\Q#ND\HV FRP

10325 Lynch Lane | Oakton VA 22124

Spectacular 5 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms Sekas home on over 1/2 acre lot. Offered at $1,449,900. Representing Buyers

Under Contract

1906 Armand Ct | Falls Church VA 22043

Gorgeous home in L’Ambiance of McLean featuring 5 bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms and many upgrades. Offered at $1,274,900. Representing Buyers

Inventory is Low! Thinking of Selling? Call Me Today!

Louise Molton

NVAR Top Producer Phone: 703 244-1992 Email: louise@agentlouise.com

“Turning Houses into Homes!�

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.