April 11 – 17, 2019
Fa lls Chur c h, V i r g i ni a • ww w. fc np. c om • Fr ee
Fou n d e d 1991 • Vol. X XIX N o. 8
Falls Church • Tysons Corner • Merrifield • McLean • North Arlington • Bailey’s Crossroads
Inside This Week Focus on the F.C. Housing Market
The News-Press’s spring Real Estate special explores Falls Church housing trends, how credit scores affect home buying, the development of Bailey’s Crossroads and more.
See Real Estate Guide, pages 13–20
Man Charged With Murder of GMHS Grad Jerry Alan Harbison, 33, of Alexandria has been charged with second degree murder in the death of 2002 George Mason High graduate Matthew Watson.
24 West End Decision Makers Meet, Project Deadlines Loom Play Ball!
Last Minute Push For ‘Outward Focus’ Of Huge Project
by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
So, a record number of these races are now being hotly contested, and that includes in primaries, where in the case of this area, Democratic incumbents are facing primary challenges in key races, including one non-state race, the election for the Commonwealth Attorney in the Arlington-Falls Church area.
An extraordinary work session was held in the F.C. Community Center following the regular City Council business meeting last Monday where two dozen of the City’s most important decision makers interacted with the development team to move the process for the proposed 10.3-acre west end project closer toward a May 13 deadline to execute the agreement. Willing to forego most of the national college basketball championship game, even with the University of Virginia in that final (and one Council member, Letty Hardi, sporting her UVa colors), the decision makers were notified by Falls Church City Manager Wyatt Shields of a letter from Fairfax County about the project, but were assured that the terms of the land transfer with the county that traded the City’s water system for that land stipulated that terms of a 70 percent-30 percent split use of the site provided the City “total discretion” in that execution. “There has been a lot of interaction with the county in the last four years in the zoning, planning and political processes and all partners are well informed. The original agreement was that the 70-30 split is at the total discretion of the City,” Shields said. The county’s letter suggested that the matter might not be so completely resolved, however,
Continued on Page 5
Continued on Page 4
See News Briefs, page 9
Move to Renovated F.C. City Hall Imminent
Falls Church City Manager Wyatt Shields told the F.C. City Council Monday night that the time to move back into the newly renovated and expanded City Hall is arriving. See News Briefs, page 9
Mason Boys Rolling Through April
Settling into their winning ways, George Mason High School’s boys soccer team racked up three more victories this past week to keep its April spotless. See Sports, page 24
HELPING THOW OUT first pitches at Opening Day ceremonies for the Falls Church Kiwanis Little League last Saturday were former FCKLL players and current George Mason High School varsity team members (left to right) Brian Murphy, Jay Nesson, Erik Martin, Aidan Clark, Sean Butler, and Johnny Asel. (Photo: Mary Asel)
3 State Senate Candidates, 2 For Attorney Vie in F.C. Debate by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
Index
Editorial................ 6 Letters.................. 6 News & Notes.10–11 Comment...... 12, 21 Business News.. 23 Sports................ 24
Calendar...... 26–27 Classified Ads.... 28 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword......... 29 Crime Report..... 30 Critter Corner..... 30
The election season is hot and heavy already, not only with the presidential sweepstakes grabbing headlines nationally, but with the unique situation that Virginia has: hosting the only comprehensive elections in the U.S. in 2019. That is, every state legislative seat will
be on the ballot this November, and unlike recent years, this time both houses of the state legislature are in play for control by one party or the other. When the Democrats picked up 15 seats in the House of Delegates in the 2017 election, it brought them within one seat of controlling that body, and it is already a virtual tie in the State Senate.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
PAGE 2 | APRIL 11 - 17, 2019
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Networking Luncheon with Congressman Don Beyer The Congressman will speak about issues that are important to the business community.
THURSDAY, April 18 from 11:30 — 1:15, at Mad Fox Brewing Co. — 444 W. Broad Street Reservations are required email info@fallschurchchamber.org or register online at www.FallsChurchChamber.org. Tickets are $30 for Chamber members, $35 for non members. An additional $5 will be charged for walk-ins.
Silver Sponsors
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Tuesday, April 23 from 5:30 — 7:00 pm
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Providence Players Presents
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Mature themes and language. Not for young audiences.
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Adults $20 Students/Seniors (62+) $17
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PAGE 4 | APRIL 11 – 17, 2019
West End
Continued from Page 1
stating that “the relationship between the (City’s development) proposal and the Boundary Line Adjustment Agreement between the City and the county...are being handled separately by the county and the City.” Shields reiterated Monday that there is nothing being “handled,” actually, that it was all worked out in the original agreement. Otherwise, the county’s letter opined about aspects of the developers’ Special Exception Entitlement (SEE) application, most significantly observing that the plan “restricts access to Chestnut Street by eliminating an existing left turn into Chestnut from westbound Route 7,” and urges that “Public access easements should be provided to ensure that development to the north, on the Virginia Tech and WMATA sites, can access the road network on the (City) site.” Two two dozen people at Monday’s extraordinary work session included the entire F.C. City Council, City staff led by Shields and Carly Aubrey, who was named
LO CA L the City’s Employee of the Year for her work on this project, City Attorney Carol McCoskrie, most of the members of the Planning Commission and the Economic Development Authority, both of which have already approved the plans with unanimous votes, the superintendent of the City schools and School Board chair and representatives of the developers’ team led by Evan Goldman of EYA. If there was any new slant to the discussion, it focused on providing for an “outward” focus of the plan, to avoid the “fortress” look that Mayor David Tarter said Merrifield’s Mosaic development has. It was noted that the Planning Commission approval came with the recommendation that the intersection of Route 7 and Haycock at the edge of the project be crafted into a “City gateway,” and that the project “have an outward focus” toward the surrounding community. Councilman Ross Litkenhous offered that the need to avoid the “fortress” look also involves the prospect for bringing adjacent properties in the City, the Federal Realty-owned shopping centers housing a Giant Foods down to a Staples, and the Beyer Automotive property, which has involved an
assembly of smaller properties and the OK last week for construction of a new showroom on the site, aimed at enabling designs to advance for a bigger, consolidated plan. Goldman stressed that expert landscaping “will soften the entire project,” and that what he called “wow factor” architecture and other aspects will come into the process once the special exceptions and contract agreement have been achieved. Planning Commissioner Lindy Hockenberry said she hopes the project will be as a “shining star,” with collaboration between the developers, and the some 1,000 residential units they plan to build there, and the adjacent high school for community use of its fields and open spaces. Superintendent Peter Noonan said that such public access to the fields is already being discussed and will be encouraged. Goldman said he’s met with the president of Federal Realty, and Shields said a meeting with the City’s economic development team and Federal Realty is scheduled. “Now is the time to begin thinking aboutB:9.75” Federal Realty’s 10 acres and the T:9.75” Beyers’ 20 acres,” Mayor Tarter said. S:9.75”
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
The Planning Commission’s Melissa Teates noted that the City Planning Department is now crafting the next of its small area plans that will focus on the area in the City adjacent the west end development. Council member David Snyder said adequate concern needs to be focused on the needs of police and fire services. Shields said the plan is now to proceed with the structured parking facility that will be shared by the schools (with 187 parking spaces) and the development’s hotel, senior housing, residential and retail users. With the week of spring break looming, the Council is not scheduled to meet this coming Monday, but will reconvene on April 22 to finally adopt the coming Fiscal Year 2020 budget. This last Monday’s meeting included the presentation of proclamations by Tarter and the Council honoring Aubrey as the Employee of the Year, Julio Idrobo as the Steve Sprague Affordable Housing Advocacy champion, Public Safety Communicators’ Week, and the legacy of the late and beloved pediatric dentist Frank Aquila. Sharon Schoeller hailed the
upcoming dedication of the Miller House group home for the developmentally disabled. The ribbon cutting for that new facility on N. Washington Street is scheduled for April 23. On the issue of a task-force proposed increase in funding for the City’s senior, disabled and veteran tax abatement program (from $140,000 to $265,000) under Council consideration, Councilman Litkenhous expressed his opposition to the abatement, but support for the deferral program, saying it butts up against many other unmet needs in the budget. But City Treasurer Jody Acosta stressed again that the abatement program is effective for keeping seniors in their homes longer, and the City’s current program is among the stingiest in the region. Councilwoman Hardi said that “helping the most vulnerable in the community sends an important signal,” while also urging the City to set aside money for affordable housing. Councilman Phil Duncan asked why the City’s relief program is already the least in the area. “We should be more competitive,” he said. “This is a value we all share.”
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LO CA L
APRIL 11 – 17, 2019 | PAGE 5
Attorney, Senate Candidates Face Off in F.C.’s LWV Debate
Continued from Page 1
This produced the first major debate among contenders in the June 11 Democratic Primary to include candidates who will be on the ballot in the City of Falls Church. The event was hosted by the Falls Church and George Mason High School chapters of the League of Women Voters last Sunday at the GMHS auditorium. A spirited crowd gathered for the two-part debate, run entirely by the Mason student members of the LWV. In the first part, veteran incumbent Dick Saslaw squared off against two challengers, Yasmin Taeb and Karen Torrent. In the second part, incumbent Commonwealth Attorney Theo Stamos squared off against her challenger, Parisa Dehghani-Tafti. There’s more. In Falls Church we have local elections to look forward to this fall, including for three of the seven seats on
the City Council and the School Board. In that case, while the election is not until November, the filing deadline for candidates is the same as the June 11 primary date. So far, only two candidates, one for the City Council and one for the School Board, have filed their paperwork. Incumbent Phil Duncan filed his paperwork this week, according to Voter Registrar David Bjerke, and first-time candidate Laura Downs has filed to run for School Board. In the midst of all the monumental decisions for new school construction and robust economic development that the City is currently undergoing, lost in the process for many are these upcoming elections. The relatively smooth annual budget process in the City, in the context of the heavy decisions on capital improvements and economic development, this spring has certainly lowered the tem-
perature of electoral conversations around town, and there has been scant evidence yet of who may, or may not, be running, even though the deadline for qualifying for the ballot is not that far off. Getting on the ballot in Falls Church is a relative breeze, too. There’s no money required, and only 125 signatures of registered voters in the City. Forms need to be filled out certifying qualifications, declaring candidacy, stipulating economic interests and listing donors. While Duncan has made it official, Mayor David Tarter and Council member Letty Hardi have not yet tipped their hands about plans for another four-year term. The News-Press has also not yet heard whether three incumbent School Board members — current chair Erin Gill, Phil Reitinger and Justin Castillo — intend to run again or not. In addition to Saslaw’s 35th
CHALLENGER PARISA DEHGHANI-TAFTI (left) squared off against incumbent Commonwealth Attorney Theo Stamos last Sunday in the first major debate before the June 11 primary. (Photo: News-Press) State Senate District seat, the 53rd House of Delegates seat held by incumbent Marcus Simon will be on the November ballot. Simon has no primary challenge, unlike Saslaw or neighboring Arlington State Sen. Barbara Favola, and has yet to learn whether one or more opponents will appear on the bal-
lot against him in November. There is a lot of activity in the Democratic primaries this year because polls are showing the Democrats stand a good chance to win control of both the Senate and House in Richmond, and
Continued on Page 22
PAGE 6 | APRIL 11 – 17, 2019
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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. ©2019 Benton Communications Inc. The News-Press is printed on recycled paper.
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F.C. Budget’s Little Things Really Matter
It’s coming down to that time when the City of Falls Church’s City Council votes to adopt the coming fiscal year operating budget, which this season tops $99 million and includes no changes in any of the tax rates in the City, including the real estate rate currently at $1.355 per $100 of assessed valuation. Special features of this year’s budget are the almost record-low increase in the transfer to the schools at just 2.1 percent, the flat tax rate, and the fact it is all occurring while the City is engaging in the most ambitious capital improvement package in its history. The final vote on the budget will occur on Monday, April 22. What can be frustrating with the annual budget crafting process, however, and from which this years’ deliberations have not been immune, are the ways in which a big budget of $99 million so often comes down to contentious arguments over veritable nickels and dimes in the final hours. There are four areas where this is happening this time. First, there is a dispute among members of the Council over whether a task force-recommended modest increase in City funds to allow for tax abatements for senior citizens, the disabled and veterans will be approved. This increase is deemed important to help seniors stay in their homes, rather than move away and their homes be sold to families with bushels of school aged children that the City will have to educate at $19,000 a year. From that standpoint, it is just smart and in the interest of all taxpayers, but some argue that increasing the abatement option is unfair. The Little City’s new rate would still be lower than what neighboring jurisdictions do, and it is self-evident to us that this is a very modest cost that should be allocated. Second, there’s the small request from the City’s Registrar of Voters to increase the hours of his assistant from part to full time in the face of the City’s torrid population growth and history of high voter turnout. Again, we support this added allocation request. We want the City to continue to enjoy its stellar reputation at the ballot box, one of the most valuable amenities we all enjoy. Yes, there are other “unmet needs” requests in the budget, but our registrar has gone to the trouble to make his needs well-known, and deserves to be given his request. Third, there is the issue of affordable housing, and we’re being promised it will be addressed more effectively soon. But it is a woeful shortcoming as of right now. Finally, the City is doing so many things, yet devotes so little to public information and outreach through the media, even though it enjoys one of the region’s very few remaining quality community newspapers. It needs to allocate funds to take advantage of this asset to the benefit of the whole community.
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VDOT Should Allow Localities Care for Streets Editor, The Virginia Department of Transportation is in competition with its Maryland counterpart, Baltimore-Washington Parkway pothole severity, as it fails to take care of neighborhood streets. The Greenway Downs community has streets with grass growing down the middle of
them; and Custis Parkway, which is a rough as a washed-out country road, has been forgotten for years. It appears to be time for VDOT to give up its domination of area streets and allow our cities and counties to provide needed repairs. Robert Mansker Falls Church
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APRIL 11 – 17, 2019 | PAGE 7
We Need a Commonwealth’s Attorney Committed to Reform B� P����� D�������-T����
For nearly 20 years, as a public defender, innocence attorney and law professor, I’ve worked to identify and fix the mistakes of the criminal justice system. My experience in criminal justice is deep, broad, and diverse. I’ve practiced at all levels, from trial to the Virginia Supreme Court. I investigate serious crimes: arson, rape, murder — without the assistance of government resources. I obtained the first DNA exoneration in D.C., which unearthed a lab analyst’s false testimony, leading the FBI to launch an investigation of hundreds of cases. This work requires me to know state laws and constitutions and complex areas of federal and Constitutional law. I have to be up to speed with forensic science, including the most recent advances in DNA testing technology. I also have to understand the research behind wrongful convictions, including issues with eyewitness identification, interrogations, and false confessions. I have seen the ways the system can and does go wrong, giving me valuable 20/20 hindsight. I can distinguish between good and junk science, spot a false confession, and train prosecutors not to replicate mistakes. I decided to run for Commonwealth’s Attorney because I noticed that our criminal justice system here in Arlington and Falls Church City doesn’t reflect our values. Although we are one of the most forwardthinking, reform-minded, and inclusive
communities in Virginia, we are lagging behind on criminal justice reform. So I knew I had to step up. In Charlottesville, cash bail hasn’t been used for almost 20 years because it unfairly
“We should be a leader on criminal justice reform, not lagging behind. And I believe we can get there.” keeps poor people jailed while rich people walk free. Yet in our community, we still use this unfair and ineffective system. No one should sit in jail just because they can’t afford to get out. And people who pose a danger shouldn’t be released, no matter how much money they have. As Commonwealth’s Attorney, I would work with our legislators and pretrial services to end cash bail. Prince William County and other jurisdictions have established mental health courts to divert those with mental illnesses from the criminal justice system. We have not. The Bureau of Justice Assistance provides funding for communities to create mental health diversion programs. But here, we leave that money on the table. As a
result, over half of our jail population is being treated for mental illness. Though we have a well-run jail with an excellent sheriff, it is simply not a place to effectively deal with mental illness. Those with mental illnesses should be treated, not incarcerated, and as Commonwealth’s Attorney, I would work to establish a mental health docket. Nearby Loudoun County has a restorative justice program in place, which studies show leaves victims more satisfied and decreases recidivism. We have no such program here. I would work to implement a restorative justice model in nonviolent and juvenile cases where the victims agree to it. While Commonwealth’s Attorneys in other jurisdictions signed a brief supporting Governor McAuliffe’s plan to restore voting rights to 200,000 returning citizens, our Commonwealth’s Attorney opposed the Governor and supported a lawsuit to block him. This doesn’t reflect our community’s values. Further, restoring voting rights is associated with lower recidivism, which would make us safer. I support the restoration of voting rights for those who have served their sentences. Over the course of just six years there have been over 3,200 prosecutions for marijuana possession in our jurisdiction. These cases don’t make us safer and disproportionately affect people of color. We have one of the worst racial disparities in marijuana possession arrests in the Commonwealth:
a black person is eight times more likely than a white person to be arrested for marijuana possession in Arlington and Falls Church, even though these populations use marijuana at the same rates. We can do better. I wouldn’t waste resources prosecuting simple possession of marijuana, and would instead focus on serious crimes with real victims. And, I would use available grant money to collect and share data to better understand how to address racial disparities. I’ve lived in this community for 12 years; my children attend public schools here; I’ve served on the steering committee of the Arlington Democrats; and I serve on the Criminal Justice Committee of the local NAACP. I know that our community is compassionate, forward-thinking, and diverse. We should be a leader on criminal justice reform, not lagging behind. And I believe we can get there. We can keep our community safe and pursue justice for victims and survivors without sacrificing our values. We can build a criminal justice system that is humane, transparent, and fair. But to do it, we have to elect a Commonwealth’s Attorney who is committed to reform. That’s why I’m running and I hope to earn your vote in the primary on June 11. Parisa Dehghani-Tafti is seeking the Democratic nomination for Commonwealth’s Attorney for Arlington County and the City of Falls Church in a primary this June.
Q������� �� ��� W��� Is there a cause for concern regarding Falls Church’s housing market? • Yes
Last Week’s Question:
Should Falls Church focus on affordable housing at its West End development?
• No • Not sure
Visit www.FCNP.com to cast your vote
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 | APRIL 11 - 17, 2019
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
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LO CA L
APRIL 11 – 17, 2019 | PAGE 9
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NEWS BRIEFS Move Back to Renovated F.C. City Hall Imminent Falls Church City Manager Wyatt Shields told the F.C. City Council Monday night that the time to move back into the newly renovated and expanded City Hall is arriving. Packing up at the temporary 400 N. Washington St. site will begin next week, and Friday, April 19, that facility will close. Over that subsequent weekend and Monday, the unpacking and setting up back at the regular City Hall will occur, and will be open for business on Tuesday, April 23. Shields said that a formal dedication of the new facility will be set at a time yet to be determined.
Man Charged With Murder in Death of Mason High Grad The suspect who police say was in an altercation that resulted in the death of 2002 George Mason High School graduate Matthew Watson has been charged with murder, it was reported last Friday. Jerry Alan Harbison, 33, of Alexandria has been charged with second degree murder after Fairfax County Police detectives consulted with the Office of Chief Medical Examiner and the Office of the Commonwealth Attorney. Police say that Watson, 36, was found unresponsive in his apartment in the 6600 block of Tower Dr. on Feb. 21 after sustaining life threatening injuries during an altercation with Harbison near the Beacon Hill apartments. He was taken to an area hospital where he placed on life support before he died on Feb. 27. Harbison turned himself in last Thursday, April 4, and is being held without bond at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.
Loren Bruce, City Planner, Still Needs Liver Donor The sister of the City of Falls Church planning department’s Loren Bruce has issued a missive stating that a hoped-for donor for the new liver that Bruce requires has not been approved by the medical staff at Penn Medical for the procedure, and that now a new donor is being sought. Human donors, in the case of liver transplants, can regrow their livers and fully recover. Their donations can bring a whole new life to recipients. Bruce’s health, suffering from his condition of hepatic encephalopathy, has been deteriorating since he was diagnosed last June and he can no longer work or drive. Interested persons, including prospective donors, can learn all the details at Bruce’s website, www.lorenbruce.com.
Idrobo Honored With Housing Advocacy Award Julio Idrobo, Falls Church resident and former Chair of the City of Falls Church Housing Commission, is the recipient of the 2018 Sprague Housing Champion Award for Affordable Housing Advocacy. Idrobo was recognized at Monday night’s City Council meeting. The Sprague Housing Champion Award is presented to an individual in the Falls Church community who advocates for affordable housing and takes proactive, tangible steps to advance housing opportunities throughout the community. The award was created in memory of Steve Sprague, a defender of affordable housing, community volunteer, and City resident who previously served as chair of the Housing Commission. Idrobo was a member of the Housing Commission for six years, serving as chair for four years. Idrobo helped guide the commission to realize the housing needs for an inclusive City by defending the diverse makeup of City residents with a variety of incomes and cultures. He volunteers with Casa de Northern Virginia, an organization providing pro bono services to the immigrant community. Idrobo was a passionate advocate for the passing of the DREAM Act on Capitol Hill. He also served on former Governor McAuliffe’s Virginia Latino Advisory Board, and currently serves as co-chair of the Colombia Human Rights Committee based in Washington D.C. A native of Spain, Idrobo grew up in Colombia where he obtained a Bachelor Degree in Law. Idrobo moved to United States as a refugee in 2002, where he soon started his own business, eventually becoming a real estate agent in 2007. He currently works as circulation manager for the Falls Church News-Press.
Street Sweeping Begins Next Week in F.C. Street sweeping returns to the City of Falls Church the week of April 15. The City asks the community to move vehicles off the streets from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the day their area is scheduled for street sweeping. The schedule for the week of April 15 is subject to change for weather: Monday, April 15 and Tuesday, April 16: residential areas south of Broad St., Thursday, April 18 and Friday, April 19: residential areas north of Broad St., Commercial areas and municipal parking areas will be swept in the evening and overnight.
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NOTICE OF PROPOSED REAL PROPERTY TAX INCREASE (TO19-04) ORDINANCE SETTING THE RATE OF TAX LEVY ON REAL ESTATE FOR TAX YEAR 2020 AND ON PERSONAL PROPERTY, MACHINERY AND TOOLS AND ALL OTHER PROPERTY SEGREGATED BY LAW FOR LOCAL TAXATION IN THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH VIRGINIA FOR TAX YEAR 2019 The City of Falls Church proposes to increase property tax levies. 1. Assessment Increase. Total assessed value of real property, excluding additional assessments due to new construction or improvements to property, exceeds last year’s total assessed value of real property by 2.28 percent. 2. Lowered Rate Necessary to Offset Increased Assessment. The tax rate which would levy the same amount of real estate tax as last year, when multiplied by the new total assessed value of real estate with the exclusions mentioned above would be $1.325 per $100 of assessed value. This rate will be known as the “lowered tax rate”. 3. Effective Rate Increase. The City of Falls Church proposes to adopt a tax rate of $1.355 per $100 of assessed value. The difference between the lowered tax rate and the proposed rate would be $0.03 per $100, or 2.26 percent. This difference will be known as the “effective tax rate increase”. Individual property taxes may, however, increase at a percentage greater than or less than the above percentage. 4. Proposed Total Budget Increase. Based on the proposed real property tax rate and changes in other revenues, the total budget of the City of Falls Church will exceed last year’s by 7.24 percent. Public hearings on the increase will be held on April 8 and April 22, 2019 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as they may be heard, in the Community Center, Senior Center, 223 Little Falls St., Falls Church, Virginia. The hearings shall be open to the public. The City Council will permit persons desiring to be heard an opportunity to present oral testimony within such reasonable time limits as shall be determined by the City Council. For copies of legislation, contact the City Clerk's office at (703-248-5014) or cityclerk@fallschurchva.gov or visit www.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).
PAGE 10 | APRIL 11 – 17, 2019
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News-Press
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Community News & Notes Local Revitalization Group Holds Monthly Meeting The Bailey’s Crossroads Seven Corners Revitalization Corporation (BC7RC) will holds its monthly meeting at 7:30 p.m. on April 16 at the Mason District Government Center (6507 Columbia Pike, Annandale) to hear a presentation from Fairfax County’s Planning and Zoning Department on ZMOD, the County’s Zoning Ordinance Modernization Project. BC7RC will also give an update on several projects that are going on in the Bailey’s Crossroads/Seven Corners revitalization area including expected dates of completion for current projects in development. THE RECIPIENT OF THE F.C. Steven Sprague Award for Affordable Housing Advocacy, Julio Idrobo (third from right), was joined in a celebratory moment at Monday’s Falls Church City Council meeting by (left to right), F.C. Housing Commission members Jordan Hicks, Pete Davis, Joshua Shokoor and (far right) Brenda Heffernan. Second from the right is F.C. Housing and Human Services chief Dana Lewis. See item, News Briefs. (Photo: News-Press)
HONORED AS THE CITY of Falls Church Employee of the Year at Monday’s F.C. City Council meeting was Carley Aubrey (second from left) shown with (left to right), her mother Carly, Carly’s daughter, Meaghan DeCelle of the City’s Human Resources department, Paul Stoddard, head of the Planning Department where Carly works, and Jerry Barrett and Leanne Berthiaume, members of the Employee Review Board (Photo: News-Press)
DMV 2 Go Bus Parks Itself In City of F.C. This Friday The full-service DMV 2 Go bus will be in front of City Hall (300 Park Ave.) on Friday, April 12 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. The accessible mobile office provides all DMV transactions including: Applying for and renewing driver’s, hunting and fishing licenses; obtaining E-Z pass transponders, REAL ID cards (including photos) and Virginia’s veterans ID cards; obtaining copies of driving records, vehicle titles, license plates, decals and transcripts as well as obtaining certified copies of Virginia vital records including birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates; ordering disabled parking placards or plates; taking road and knowledge tests and updating an address after a move for DMV and voter registration. Customers should be prepared with the required documents to complete transactions.
Home Show & Garden Expo Slated for April 27 The Arlington Home Show & Garden Expo will be held at
Kenmore Middle School (202 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington) on Saturday, April 27 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The main theme will be sustainable landscaping practices and how they can have a positive impact on the health of a home garden and the value of a property. This year’s family-friendly community event offers classes on turf alternatives, edible landscaping and energy smart landscape lighting solutions. Extension Master Gardeners at the “Ask the Master Gardener” table will answer any questions on a variety of topics such as composting, mosquito and tick control and vegetable gardening. For class times, visit arlingtonhomeshow.org/free-classes. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Extension Master Gardeners by calling 703-228-6414 or emailing mgarlalex@gmail.com.
Culmore Clinic Expands, Moves to New Location On Tuesday, Culmore Clinic cut the ribbon at its new host site at First Christian Church of Falls Church (FCCFC) (6165 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church). Less than a mile away from its current location, this move will continue a long-standing partnership with FCCFC. Founded by a group of interfaith volunteers, healthcare providers and donors, Culmore Clinic has offered medical care, counseling services as well as specialty referrals to low-income adults in the Bailey’s Crossroads community since 2007. For the last eight years the clinic has been operating its two-day healthcare clinic from Columbia @ Crossroads Baptist Church. The clinic grew exponentially at this location and was named as “One of the Best Nonprofits” by Catalogue for Philanthropy. The new site at FCCFC will permit Culmore Clinic to add a third operating day to its regular
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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
LO CA L Show dates, which take place over two consecutive weekends, as follows — Friday, April 26 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 27 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m. and Friday, May 3 at 7:30 p.m. All shows are at Marshall High School’s main auditorium. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for students and seniors and $5 for children under 12. Tickets can be purchased online at itickets.com/events/421324. html or the Box Office before each performance. For more information, visit statesmentheatre.org.
Nurse Joins INOVA Staff & Receives Warm Farewell
TAKING EVERY OUT TO THE OL’ BALL GAME. The Falls Church Kiwani’s Little League started its 71st spring season over the weekend. Weather was perfect for the annual parade to nearby Westgate Elementary School, while a series of high schoolers threw out their own first pitches to get the catcher warmed up before giving the mound up to Delegate Marcus Simon and City of Falls Church Mayor David Tarter, who’s first pitches came right after. (Photo: Courtesy Cayce Ramey) schedule, increasing and improving patient services around technology, infrastructure and office operation. The clinic addresses the difficult access to healthcare in the community. Fifty-seven percent of Bailey’s Crossroads residents are uninsured, with barriers such as affordability, language and documentation being a few main examples.
‘Sound of Music’ Comes To Marshall High The perennial favorite about a delightful problem solver named Maria, comes to Marshall High School (7731 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church) this month with the opening of “The Sound of Music.” In addition to Marshall’s High School theatre students, this production will feature contributions
April 18th Maundy Thursday Service Project with Pizza 5:30 pm Fellowship Hall Holy Eucharist 7:30 pm Historic Church
from students at Lemon Road, Stenwood, Westbriar and Wolf Trap Elementary schools. “The Sound of Music” is considered to be one of the world’s most beloved musicals. Award winning and timeless, this story of a young woman who uses the healing power of music to find herself resonates more today than perhaps it did when it won five Tony Awards in 1959.
The Victim Information Bureau of Suffolk’s (VIBS) Sexual Assault Nurse/Forensic Examiner (SANE/SAFE) Program would like to extend its sincere gratitude and appreciation to Christine Banfield RN, BSN, NYSAFE, SANE-A, SANE-P for her dedication and service to the program since 2015. Banfield has accepted a registered nurse position at Inova Fairfax Hospital (3300 Gallows Rd., Falls Church). In Virginia, she plans to join the SANE program in her new community, so she can continue to use her skills to help those affected by abuse. During her time with VIBS SANE in New York, Banfield provided sexual assault survivors with trauma-informed emergency medical care, forensic evidence collection and, when needed, court testimony. Over the last two years, Banfield has led the medical program in her capacity as clinical nurse supervisor. Her 24/7 availability to consult in “real time” provided additional support to her colleagues during difficult or complicated cases.
April 19th Good Friday Historic Church Open for Quiet Prayer Noon - 3 pm Children’s and Family Service 5:30 pm Main Sanctuary Liturgy of Good Friday 7:30 pm Historic Church
APRIL 11 – 17, 2019 | PAGE 11 During her tenure as Supervisor, Banfield was awarded two additional certifications from the Commission for Forensic Nursing Certification of the International Association of Forensic Nurses. These certifications, SANE-A and SANE-P, were earned after rigorous coursework and comprehensive exams, and confirmed her expertise in both Adult/Adolescent and Pediatric forensic exams. VIBS SANE program wishes Banfield well on the next step in her professional career.
Stuart Graduate Named Pitcher of the Week Haverford sophomore pitcher Nathan Bass, a graduate of J.E.B. Stuart (Justice) High School, has been named the Centennial Conference Pitcher of the Week for the week ending March 31, the conference office announced in a release on Monday. This is the first weekly honor for the Falls Church product. Bass currently leads the Centennial Conference with a 0.89 earned run average and a 0.74 WHIP. His 33 strikeouts are good for sixth in the conference, while his K/9 ratio is far and away the tops in the Centennial at 14.61. For comparison, Jack Corkery of Swarthmore is second in that statistic with 11.70 strikeouts per nine. On a national scale, Bass is seventh in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings, while his ERA is the 23rd-lowest in NCAA Division III. Bass’s WHIP is the seventh-best total in the nation. Haverford (9-9, 2-0 CC) returns to action on Tuesday, heading to conference foe Muhlenberg for a 3:30 p.m. first pitch in Allentown as the Centennial Conference slate continues into the final month of the regular season.
April 20th Holy Saturday A Service for Those Who Mourn 9 am Churchyard Chapel April 21st Easter Sunday Festive Eucharist with Children’s Chapel Easter Celebration on the lawn following the 9:30 & 10:00 am services 8:00 am & 9:30 am Historic Church 10:00 am Main Sanctuary
PAGE 12 | APRIL 11 – 17, 2019
CO MME NT
A Penny for Your Thoughts
News of Greater Falls Church By Supervisor Penny Gross
Some call climate change “the moral imperative” of our time. Others consider climate change as overblown rhetoric. Wherever one stands on the issue, we know that overall temperatures on the planet are increasing, storms are more frequent and intense — heavier rains, hurricanes and tornadoes in areas not previously prone to them, widespread blizzards — and science is telling us more about our changing climate than we might want to know. In June 2004, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, on my motion, adopted the county’s first 20-year Environmental Excellence Vision Plan. Chairman Gerry Connolly, working with community groups, originated the framework for the plan, asked me to chair the Board’s Environment Committee, and to carry the plan to fruition. The plan was shaped around two principles: 1) conservation of our limited natural resources must be interwoven into all government decisions, and 2) the Board must be committed to provide the necessary resources to protect our environment. It was organized into six areas: growth and land use; air quality and transportation; water quality; solid waste; parks, trails and open space; and environmental stewardship. In 2015, again on my motion, the Board began a lengthy community process to evaluate the plan and update it where needed. The majority of the plan was achieving its goals, but a new chapter addressing climate change was added, and the renewed plan was re-adopted by the Board in 2017. Importantly, the county’s Environmental Excellence Vision Plan never sat on a shelf somewhere. It is a living document, utilized every day by county staff. The document is expanding, too. Last month, after more than a year of legal research and community outreach, the Board adopted a new C-PACE (Commercial Property Assessed Clean
Energy) ordinance that incentivizes business owners to update their buildings to be more energy efficient. C-PACE allows for third-party financing, not tax dollars, to provide environmental benefits. In this year’s budget, an Office for Environmental and Energy Coordination is being established. Two new positions will augment existing staff deployed from other county agencies to develop a communitywide energy and climate action plan, or CECAP. Last week, the Board’s Environment Committee reviewed the 18-month timeline for initiation of a plan, decided it was too long, and knocked six months off! Also last week, the Board of Supervisors and the School Board created a Joint Environmental Task Force (The JET) to further collaborate on energy efficiencies, like rooftop solar panels. Supervisor Dan Storck and I are the county appointees; Karen Corbett-Sanders and Pat Hynes are the school system appointees. We’ll meet on April 30 to organize next steps, and JET membership is anticipated to include community and business members. Centenary birthdays are rare, and should be celebrated with fervor and delight, which is exactly what happened on Sunday when family and friends gathered to celebrate Mildred Dodson’s 100th birthday. Bright and perky in a pink outfit that mirrored the cherry blossoms outside, Mildred told me that she still lives in the house she and her husband bought in the early 1950s. Mildred has seen many changes since then, but proves that Mason District and Fairfax County still is a good place to live, work, learn, and age gracefully. Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov.
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
SPRING 2019 | PAGE 13
Real Estate Spring 2019
Report Shows F.C. City Sales Down, Local Agents Tell a Different Story
by Matt Delaney
Falls Church News-Press
A recent report shows the City of Falls Church’s home sales dropped precipitously over the past year. But local purveyors and observers of the market are pushing back against the definitive nature of the report’s findings. Conducted by Chicagobased real estate analytics firm ShowingTime using its Market Watch tool, the figures show that Fairfax County and the City of Alexandria saw slight bumps in their sales while Arlington County, the City of Fairfax and the Little City itself all witnessed
declines. The drops were mostly modest in surrounding jurisdictions, but Falls Church sank the lowest with a 33 percent decline from February 2018 to February 2019. Coupled with an increase in inventory — which outside of Washington, D.C., the City was the only other municipality to experience that, according to the report — and a rise in assessments, Falls Church appeared to be getting more expensive while also witnessing a weakening market that was struggling to move properties. For a locality that banks on real estate taxes to help fund its quality of life, the news
could easily be seen as troubling. But according to some who track the City’s real estate market, such as Falls Church City assessor Ryan Davis, he doesn’t believe the numbers are as declarative of the local market’s health as they purport to be. “It depends on sample size, because we have so few sales in the City, it could just be that sales got pushed back or moved forward,” Davis said, explaining that sellers try to time their sales in order to avoid making another mortgage payment. “If you get a couple of people to move it in a month it can cause percentage difference to look big. At roughly
“COMING SOON” signs typically mean the property is on the market in a sellers paradise like the City of Falls Church. Local real estate agents believe the level of interest in the City hasn’t waned despite a recent report’s findings. (Photo: News-Press.) 200 sales per year, so about 18 a month, for it to go down 33 percent that’s six sales. I could very easily see six sales being moved up because people wanted to miss that mortgage payment.” Using Bright MLS data, which ShowingTime also extrapolat-
ed its conclusions from, Davis checked the patterns himself. He noted that while sales were down 10 percent overall from 2017 (222) to 2018 (201), when comparing the January and February
Continued on Page 14
INSIDE: Credit Score Misconceptions page 15 | Bailey’s, 7 Corners Seek Commercial Facelift page 18 | F.C. Home Sales #s pages 19–20
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PAGE 14 | SPRING 2019
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Varying Data Sources Makes Market Analysis Confusing Continued from Page 14
sales of 2018 (11) to 2019 (15) there was a marginal increase in year-over-year activity, contrasting ShowingTime’s findings. Better Homes & Gardens real estate agent Heather Embrey has an office located on N. Washington Street and does a fair bit of business in the City. To her, the problem could lie in the varying databases that agents, analytics firms and regional real estate groups, such as the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors (NVAR), use. She brings up her own experience of switching over from an MRIS system to Bright MLS and the confusion that caused. Embrey specifically notes how her former system only had a few statuses that could be assigned to a property — such as active, contingent, non-contingent and sold. With some new designations that Bright adds, for example “pending” and “under contract,” it can skew the data to give different impressions of the market. “I sit on the board of directors for our local association, and it’s been a huge problem for us because we don’t know how long it’ll take for it to level out when it merges to a bigger system,” Embrey said. “ShowingTime is pulling data directly from Bright and Bright is not accurate because of the conversion and changes that come with it. You can’t just pull these 30,000-foot views on zip codes now, you have to do hyper local.” Ava Nguyen of Westgate Realty Group, Inc. in Pimmit Hills, on the other hand, did agree with data. Nguyen brought up the steady wave of Amazon HQ2 workers coming to the area
who are favoring more affordable locales that are closer to the Crystal City site, such as Alexandria. Nguyen also discussed how the seasonal effect on home sales was more pronounced this year as opposed to last. A snowier winter this year made home showings less possible for real estate agents, who either arrange for or shovel out driveways themselves to get the properties ready. A representative from ShowingTime informed the News-Press that it stands behind its numbers. The company’s policy, according to this representative, is to crunch the sales numbers, provide them to members of Bright and members of local boards — in this case, NVAR — and give the local boards the tools to share the data with their clients. When it comes to interpreting or commenting on the data, ShowingTime believes it is best to leave that up to individual members of a local board, as this representative acknowledges that regional trends may vary from local trends. One area that local realtors were united on was the price point in the City still continues to box out potential buyers. Nguyen noted that the $1.5 – $1.7 million range that new homes are listed at in the City often prevent first time home buyers from seriously considering living in Falls Church. Embrey echoed that sentiment, and mentioned her experience with a potential buyer who put a bid on a home and even had its escalation addendum kick in, but the buyer decided to move to North Arlington instead where the home price and real estate taxes were more manageable.
HOMES THAT FALL around the $800,000 range are hot ticket items that seldom make it a week on the market in Falls Church. Once the numbers creep up into that $1.5 million-plus territory, though, buyers often opt for similar areas such as Arlington to reside in. (P����: N���-P����) That’s why City homes that hover around the $800,000 range will often be snatched within days, according to Nguyen, especially with mortgage interest rates dropping to around 4.1 percent, per Davis. Although Embrey did point to two possible factors that could be dissuading buyers from residing within City limits. One was the GreatSchools ratings for Falls Church City Public Schools, which recently dropped from its usual perch as highly ranked 10s or 9s down to 8s (in George Mason High School and Mary Ellen Henderson Middle
School) and a 6 (in Thomas Jefferson Elementary School). Though Embrey said that GreatSchools ratings often frustrate real estate agents, who don’t understand the algorithm used to determine its scores that paint an unduly negative picture of a school system and buying area. Another factor is traffic. Anecdotally, Embrey has said potential buyers have expressed their concern about congestion in the City, and the propensity for people to use side streets such as Park Ave. and Lee St. as cutthroughs. But Nguyen feels that the traffic is just a by-product of
the area’s high demand and that it’s accounted for in buying decisions, while the school system’s strong reputation remains a selling point. But overall, the City’s market remains in good health. Davis addresses this by noting the median ask-to-sold price is 99.1 percent, with the median askto-current list price being 100 percent. To him, he would only be concerned if sales prices were dropping. Davis believes that if inventory or sales are low, it’s more an indication that people don’t want to leave the City.
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R EA L E STATE
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
SPRING 2019 | PAGE 15
Poor Credit Isn’t Home Buying Death Knell It Once Was by Orrin Konheim
Falls Church News-Press
The common perception of many home buyers is that having low credit makes owning prohibitively expensive, but that isn’t as clear-cut as it’s made out to be. “I often tell potential home buyers in this environment that they need three things to be able to secure a house: a pre-approval letter signifying your credit, a strong realtor and a strong lender,” said Frank Kolencik of Fulton Mortgage Company. As housing inventory tightens, it’s not uncommon to have 10 or more offers on houses around the $500,000 range which means being able to show a preapproved credit letter is a must for first-time buyers. A FICO credit score, for example, lower than 580 could still qualify you for a Federal Housing Administration loan but then the down payment increases from 3.5 to 10 percent. Similarly, credit scores can be improved but one might have to pay a steep monthly fee. However, there are a number of options buyers might not be
aware of. Many mortgage lenders, for example, will advise people. Kolencik notes that he’s met with buyers up to six months to a year before they’ve been ready to purchase the loan. They generally live with family, friends or share the rent with a partner while building up their credit score. Ultimately, however, Kolencik says, he just offers advice. “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make them drink,” he says. Mike Ott of First Heritage Mortgage says that home buyers make the mistake of going to a credit repair agency thinking they will get you the results you need when the service can often be done for free for the right lender. If a home buyer’s score doesn’t meet the typical minimum requirement (in the 620 range) and a client’s credit repair requires a longer-term relationship, they can be redirected to non-profits such as Operation Hope. For instance, Fulton Financial Corporation is involved in a grant program with Operation Hope where, depending on eligibility, buyers can receive up to a $2500 grant towards their closing
costs or down payment. HUD-approved agencies are available to help low income home buyers as well. The Center of Assistance of Families has processed over 500 families in the past year with its home ownership program. As a HUD-approved credit counseling organization, it’s not allowed to charge people and they are subsidized in return. Some area real estate agencies also offer financial literacy seminars. Edmy Salazar, who co-founded DiMaVi realtors, got a financial consultant’s license with World Financial Group in 2018 to guide potential home buyers into making more important decisions. She originally ran weekly workshops at the Keller Williams realty office in Falls Church and now co-runs workshops at WFG’s office in Merrifield. Workshops such as Salazar’s help, but the role of credit repair agencies can’t be discounted entirely. They have a licensed authority to take actions no nonprofit or informal advisor can do. Donna Perkins, vice chairman of the National Association
of Credit Services Organizations, and president of KC Credit Services, said her “company has helped millions of people alone.” It’s worth noting that despite all the options, credit writing is still tight. The hope for lenders like Fulton’s sales manager Ryan Mutter is that people know they’re not permanently barred from owning for having bad credit.
“There are lenders that will go as low as 585 credit scores, but I wouldn’t say it’s opened up considerably industry-wise. Credit writing is still tight, especially,” said Mutter. “As far as programs go, I think there’s a perception out there that if your credit’s not perfect, you can’t buy a house, I think that’s not true, and part of what we’re doing is change that perception.”
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R EA L E STATE
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Newly-Minted Railroad Cottages Hit the Market
INTERESTED BUYERS can now take a peak inside the Railroad Cottages that were recently completed in the City of Falls Church. (Clockwise, starting from the bottom left): Shots include two different styles of kitchens, the Railroad Cottages signage, an exterior shot of the cottages layout and the common room that is shared by all who reside in the community. The community is a finalist for the Urban Land Institute’s 2019 Trends Award for Excellence in Housing Development, but the cottages are going fast — four of 10 homes have been sold, with another four currently under contract. Open houses are every Sunday from 2 – 4 p.m. (Photos: Courtesy Theresa Twiford/Pearson Smith Realty)
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
R EA L E STATE A Falls Church News-Press Advertorial
SPRING 2019 | PAGE 17
M e e t Fa l l s C h u rc h’ s Re a l E s t a t e E x p e r t s B������ E����, L��� ��� F�����
Bethany Ellis is a full time and professional Residential Real Estate Agent serving all of Northern Virginia specifically Falls Church, Falls Church City, McLean, Arlington, Herndon, Reston, Fairfax and Great Falls. Bethany is passionate about helping her clients smoothly transition through the buying or selling of a very precious commodity their home! Bethany is tech savvy with a personal touch. Using modern technology as well as timeless tools like phone calls and leg work, Bethany is a local selling and marketing expert. She will be present with you every step of the way from preparing your house for sale to negotiating the contract on your behalf. Bethany’s goal is to help guide you through the buying and selling process with expertise and experience while ensuring you are at ease. Bethany has sold over $130 Million of Real Estate and she can help you too! If you have Real Estate questions, Bethany has the answers. Call, email or text Bethany today for a free, confidential meeting. Bethany is always happy to help you buy, sell or invest in real estate. Bethany Ellis, Long and Foster 1355 Beverly Rd., #109 McLean, VA 22101 703-307-7003 • buyandsellwithBethany.com
T��� M�K�����, K����� W������� Tori McKinney LOVES being a Realtor - perfectly blending her passion for Falls Church and finding her clients their dream homes in her beloved community. After moving to Falls Church in 1998, McKinney immersed herself in community advocacy and served as Housing Commission Vice-Chair. McKinney is Executive Producer of Tinner Hill Music Festival taking place June 8th, 2019, and is a 6-year member of Falls Church City Public Schools Business in Education Foundation. While maintaining her NVAR Lifetime Top Producer, she is a Top Producing Real Estate Agent featured in the Washingtonian and Arlington Magazines. Named Pillar of the Community by Falls Church Chamber of Commerce, she is annually voted Best Realtor by Falls Church News-Press readers. McKinney is Falls Church’s expert, eager to provide home buyers and sellers ROCK STAR service. Tori McKinney, ROCK STAR Realty Group, KW Metro Center 2101 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201 703-867-8674 • ROCKSTARRealtyGroup.com
C���� S����, K����� W������� R����� F���� C����� Colin offers over 12 years of experience helping people buy and sell homes throughout the DC Metro area. From short sales, to bid wars. From international relocations with sight-unseen decisions, to months long searches with dozens of home tours. Colin has seen enough to know that no situation is completely unique, yet no two sets of circumstances are exactly the same. Colin prides himself on guiding his home selling and buying clients based on their unique desires, temperament, and budget, helping them avoid common pitfalls along the way, and helping set them up for success on their terms. MORE ON SELLING: In a time when many homes continue to sell in the first or second weekend it can be tempting to sit back and allow the market to do most of the work. It is Colin’s belief that, even in this environment, a carefully prepared home, a carefully crafted marketing plan, and a hands on marketing launch can still make a notable difference to a home seller’s bottom line. It is also Colin’s belief that there should be an action plan in place up front for when a home sale takes a little longer than expected. MORE ON BUYING: On the other side of this often competitive market are home buyers trying to find their next, or maybe first, home. Knowing when to hold back and when
to go all in is a delicate balance dictated by a number of variables, both data related and emotional. Colin works with his buying clients to make sure they understand the dynamics around their offer decisions, and the urgency involved. Sometimes missing out is the best outcome, other times stretching a bit more than expected might be right, and in others a buyer may actually have an upper hand. Colin and his family call the City of Falls Church home, and can often be found as a swarm of bikes or scooters along the W&OD trail. Colin Storm, Keller Williams Realty Falls Church 105 W. Broad Street, Suite 200, Falls Church, VA 22046 Mobile: 703-638-914 • Office: 703-533-5300 • fallschurchliving.com
E� S�������, RE/MAX A��������� Ed Loves The Little City! As a Falls Church native, he has deep roots in the community where he grew up, works and lives. Ed’s background in residential design, construction and property management have been the backbone of his professional real estate career serving Falls Church and it’s surrounding neighborhoods. Ed loves working with buyers, sellers and property owners to accomplish their goals with real estate. Leveraging his knowledge in construction he is able to help his clients better understand what they are buying in a new home. Buyer clients can be assured they are receiving the benefit of decades of both real estate and professional construction experience when they work with Ed. Looking to Sell? Ed grew up riding his bike on these streets, delivering pizza and yes, even the Falls Church News Press. He knows the ins and outs of this amazing community and knows how to best guide and serve your needs when selling. As a foreign service brat, Ed traveled with his family growing up. Early on he understood the demands of a homeowner leaving their home for parts unknown. As a part of his service offerings, he has been making the process of being a landlord a little less daunting for more than a decade. No matter what your real estate needs, Ed has the mindset of service and the experience to make your sale, purchase or real estate investment a success! Ed Seroskie, RE/MAX Allegiance 3319 Lee Hwy, Arlington, VA 22207 (cell) 703-965-1175 • (o) 703-522-1940 • ed@edsmetroproperties.com
K�� T������, TTR S������’� I������������ R����� Named as one of Washington, DC’s Top Producing Agents (Washingtonian, 2018), Ken specializes in showcasing and selling Falls Church homes. By preparing a custom marketing plan for each listing, Ken’s listings have been featured in the FCNP, as well as The Washington Post, Washington Business Journal, Curbed DC, and DC Magazine. Ken’s custom marketing strategies have resulted in his listings selling for Top Dollar and setting sales records in the Falls Church area. Prior to becoming a top producing Realtor®, Ken was a successful litigation attorney in Washington, DC, and draws frequently from that experience in his real estate career, saying: “The skills to be a successful Realtor® are the same skills it takes to be a successful lawyer. I focus on making my clients’ interests my sole priority and zealously strive to achieve the best results for each client.” Ken also hosts the home-related video series, Home Trends with Ken, featuring tips to help homeowners create a home that inspires them while adding value. View episodes of the series on Ken’s blog at KenTrotterHomes.com. Finally, when it comes time to sell your home, give yourself the Ken Trotter Advantage. For more information about the Ken Trotter Advantage, reach out to him directly. Ken Trotter, J.D., Realtor, TTR Sotheby’s International Realty 703-863-0650 (c) 745-1212 (o) • KenTrotterHomes.com
R EA L E STATE
PAGE 18 | SPRING 2019
MASON DISTRICT SUPERVISOR Penny Gross denied separate offers for a bus depot and a bazaar to takeover the now-bankrupt Toys R’ Us’s lot in Bailey’s Crossroads, which BC7RC backed, but the group often feels its input on Gross’s agenda is unwanted. (Photo: News-Press)
Commercial Vitality Wanted at Bailey’s, 7 Corners But Inertia & Cohesion Missing by Matt Delaney
Falls Church News-Press
The roughly three-mile stretch of land that encompasses Bailey’s Crossroads and Seven Corners has been due for some tender love and care in the form of commercial revitalization with its derelict storefronts and siloed business community dotting the scenery. Generating the momentum and continuity to do so, however, still eludes those who’ve elected to help get this project off the runway. The non-profit, all-volunteer Bailey’s Crossroads Seven Corners Revitalization Corporation (BC7RC for short) has been in existence for roughly 10 years. It was originally put forward by Mason District supervisor Penny Gross, who decided the two adjacent locales should be jointly served, piggybacking off the county’s sweeping community revitalization plan that it released in the mid-1980s. The purpose of BC7RC was to be the mouthpiece for the county’s development objectives to the community at-large, while also providing the community an outlet to provide feedback to the county. But those who’ve taken on the role of overseeing BC7RC aren’t optimistic about how the group’s goals are trending at the moment.
“Since I’ve been here I’ve seen over eight tower cranes crossing east into Carlin Springs Rd. and the only development we’ve seen in Bailey’s Crossroads are 78 townhomes by Stanley Martin [Homes],” Sean Ek, a board member since 2017, said while referencing the constant development in neighboring Arlington County with his cranes comment. “But we’ve also seen HHGregg, Toys R’ Us and Babies R’ Us leave the area. We’re going in the wrong direction.” To be fair, it hasn’t been a winless pursuit. BC7RC’s interim president Alison Oleson acknowledges that landing the District Taco at the Skyline Center, the ever-bustling Chick-fil-A at the Willston II shopping center and the Tom Dolan Swim School that opened a couple of stores down from the Chick-fil-A are all good gets for the area. They are anchored by, according to Oleson, one of the most active Home Depots in the country just across Route 50 in Seven Corners. And the e-lofts, an upscale apartment complex that recently broke ground at the intersection of Columbia Pike and Carlin Springs Rd., is another positive step. Add in a vibrant, international food scene and the payoff of a commercial overhaul has merit. Although, those highlights are
countered by nagging problems. According to Ek, Mason District has the largest office vacancy in Fairfax County with 44 percent of it not in use. Oleson herself wasn’t too enthusiastic to announce that the Chili’s on Leesburg Pike is being replaced by a Denny’s. A lack of Metro access and the commercial investment those stations attract is a subtle, but compounding issue as well. Yet Gross is upbeat when assessing the area’s possibilities. The recently bankrupted Toys R’ Us and Babies R’ Us lots aren’t in operation, but both stores don’t qualify as fallow as they remain under lease and are paying their rents. It’s preventing any redevelopment from occurring at the moment, though the right pitch could change all that. Gross also identifies a special service company that’s taken an interest in the Skyline Center as an opportunity for BC7RC to get involved. To her, she doesn’t believe she and BC7RC are on the same page about what revitalization constitutes. “I believe you need to go big,” Gross said. “[BC7RC] needs a broader business component on its board. It would be helpful in educating the whole board in the potential in Bailey’s and Seven Corners area. There’s great potential there; don’t be afraid of it.”
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Still, the recent flight of big box stores Ek mentioned and the mirror that Arlington holds up daily — with its new apartment structures and mixed-use developments springing to life just a few hundred yards away from the heart of Bailey’s — has made it hard not to question when those prospects will come to fruition. A diagnosis by Oleson concludes there isn’t enough interest at the county or commercial level in moving the process along. “I’d like to see some more proactive people in our area,” Oleson said. “There was a Seven Corners task force a few years ago, and it determined that the demographics [of Seven Corners and Bailey’s Crossroads] don’t support positive development. I have a hard time believing that though as Mosaic [District in Merrifield] has demographics that were about the same and it came along just fine.” One crucial difference, which both Ek and Oleson note, is the complexion of business ownership between Mosaic and BC7RC’s area of focus. The New York Times reported back in 2012 that South Carolina-based private retail developer Edens was the primary architect in revamping Merrifield. For Bailey’s and Seven Corners, a fractured ownership map makes it difficult to convince them to unite under the BC7RC banner. Bringing local business owners onto BC7RC’s board, rather than simply people who live in the community, was what Gross tasked current members to do in late 2017 after meeting with a consultant. Gross emphasized that the peer-to-peer support business owners could offer, which she likened to how she associates with other politicians, would allow BC7RC to better direct its efforts. However, it’s been a tricky feat to pull off. Part of it is a general complacency from property owners who aren’t attached to the surrounding community, per Oleson. Ek added on to that independently when he said business and property owners don’t live in the area, so they struggle with seeing the value in joining the board and trying to enrich the commercial landscape. Another part Oleson pointed out is that BC7RC attempts to function as a de facto chamber of commerce, but without the resources and reputation a chamber embodies — such as recruiting developers and business owners to the area. Revitalizing what the county refers to as the Bailey’s Crossroads Community Business Center (CBC) in its Comprehensive Plan,
revised this past October, has been an ongoing mission for decades. The plan notes that “Bailey’s CBC has developed largely as a concentration of strip-malls and shopping centers without a strong sense of community identity.” BC7RC has been trying to create some identity by hosting community events, such as an Octoberfest this fall at the soon-to-be built Interim Park on Columbia Pike. Oleson has ambitions of doing a small business workshop in order to transfer those community vibes into a commercial setting and bringing in more public art, like last year’s INOUT display at Seven Corners. It comes down to transparency and support from the local government, which BC7RC feels is hit or miss. Gross’s decision to pass on allowing either a bus depot or a bazaar to take over the Toys R’ Us lot was prudent in the eyes of BC7RC. And both are excited about the prosperity that will flow from Amazon’s HQ2 site in Crystal City into the peripheral areas such as theirs. Awareness, or lack thereof, about the county’s plans remains a sticking point. For instance, Ek cited the land swap agreement the county entered into to build the new homeless shelter where the old animal shelter was located on Seminary Rd. after a residential project by Avalon Bay fell through. BC7RC only found out about the plans for the homeless shelter after the deal had been made and the county wanted the group’s opinion on how many beds the shelter should provide. Oleson and Ek also want the county to find a way to hire a parttime administrative assistant for BC7RC who could set up meetings with local business owners to sell them on board membership. “If you were to rate our relationship with our supervisor, it could be better. Much better. To [Gross’s] credit, she has told us what we need to do. But mostly it’s, ‘Here’s my agenda. It’s open for discussion, but this is what we’re doing,’” Ek said. Oleson added separately, “We’re not actively recruiting positive development into our area. Our board could do better if we had the support staff to do that and I think our supervisor should be coordinating that.” Gross, meanwhile, believes the lack of coordination goes both ways. “There’s been very little communication and that disappoints me,” Gross said. “I’m always available.”
R EA L E STATE
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
SPRING 2019 | PAGE 19
Real Estate
Top Falls Church Home Sales
January-March
#2 $1,800,000
#1 $1,825,000
#4 $1,615,000 #3 $1,660,000 Top 5 F.C. Home Sales January 1 – March 31, 2019 Address #1 2126 McKay St. #2 6364 Lakeview Dr. #3 2408 Chestnut St. #4 1502 Crane St. #5 6432 Lakeview Dr.
BR
7 6 7 5 4
FB
7 5 6 5 3
HB 1 1 1 2 1
List Price
$2,180,000 $1,949,000 $1,699,995 $1,699,900 $1,650,000
Sale Price
$1,825,000 $1,800,000 $1,660,000 $1,615,000 $1,610,000
Zip
22043 22041 22043 22046 22041
Date Sold 3/29/19 1/29/19 3/5/19 1/25/19 3/19/19
Source: MRIS, Inc.; Photos: MRIS, Falls Church News-Press
#5 $1,610,000
R EA L E STATE
PAGE 20 | SPRING 2019
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Falls Church Area Housing Market — February 2019 Report Zip Code
Area
Median Price
Number of Homes Sold
Average Days on Market
22046
City of Falls Church
$827,500
6
79
22041
Bailey’s Crossroads
$444,932
20
31
22042
Sleepy Hollow
$535,000
25
34
22043
Pimmit Hills
$650,000
19
56
22044
Lake Barcroft
$591,900
5
28
Home Sales Vs. 1 Year Ago
Home Prices Vs. 1 Year Ago
Change in # of Homes Sold: February ‘19 vs February ‘18
Change in Median Home Price: February ‘19 vs February ‘18
-25.00%
Change in Falls Church City (22046)
+18.12%
Change in Falls Church City (22046)
+5.26%
Change in Bailey’s X-roads (22041)
+56.12%
Change in Bailey’s X-roads (22041)
+25.00%
Change in Sleepy Hollow (22042)
+5.68%
Change in Sleepy Hollow (22042)
+26.67%
Change in Pimmit Hills (22043)
+31.31%
Change in Pimmit Hills (22043)
-37.50%
Change in Lake Barcroft (22044)
+62.16%
Change in Lake Barcroft (22044)
Source: Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc. Copyright © 2019 Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
The Assassination Of Tippecanoe, Part 2
Was the first U.S. president to die in office, William Henry Harrison, done in by foul play? The history books make no mention of this, but the realities as defined by a bigger picture of the young Constitutional democracy’s fight for its sovereignty over time raises significant questions. In this, part 2 of a 2-part column series, I find it astonishing that I seem to be so alone calling out this plausible hypothesis. There were reasons to hide the issue of foul play at the time it happened. In April 1841, just a month after the 68-year old Whig standard bearer Harrison had been sworn in as the ninth president of the U.S. It was at first hard to prove, and word of such FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS a nefarious plot doing in the highest official in the still fragile democracy could have been disastrous. So the nation muddled through with the horrible Tyler turning on the Whigs who elected him, dashing all the legislative package that, under the leadership of Sen. Henry Clay, they’d passed in a special session, hoping for Harrison’s signature. My original article articulating this hypothesis, published in 1981, had the Latin legal phrase “Cui Bono?” in the headline, translated, “Who Benefits?,” because it brings the credibility of the hypothesis more into focus. Harrison’s untimely death torpedoed the Whig internal improvements agenda, weakening the fledgling nation, and put a man in his place, Tyler, who worked to get Texas to enter the Union as a pro-slave state. Harrison’s death made inevitable the Civil War that broke out 20 years later. When the Confederacy formed to prosecute the Civil War, Tyler became one of its elected representatives. The American Revolution wasn’t finally won until President Abraham Lincoln secured the preservation of the Union against the southern pro-slave rebellion in 1865. In fact, despite that victory, the nation still faced internal assaults from the racist, pro-slavery rebels for many decades thereafter, as the author Henry Louis Gates Jr. in his new book, “Stony the Road: Reconstruction, White Supremacy and the Rise of Jim Crow” (Penguin Press) describes. Gates’ book was turned into a two-part series on PBS running this week and next. Gates argues that the nation did not work decisively enough after the Civil War to root out the evil that was southern racism. It was too tentative, as it was in coping with the assassination of Harrison and subsequent deaths in office of two more Whig/Republican presidents, Gen. Zachary Taylor and, of course, Lincoln. Let’s hope that, in this day, tentative approaches will not result in more pure evil being visited upon us. As for Harrison’s death, official reports at the time said he died not of pneumonia, but of the treatment he was subjected to for an ordinary winter cold, according to the August 1841 the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, published just a few months after Harrison’s death. It reported that following Harrison’s inauguration on March 4, he was “mildly fatigued and under the weather” but still carrying on a normal schedule. It was not until March 27 that he “took a violent chill” for which “mustard to the stomach, heat to the extremities, warm drinks and a mild laxative” were prescribed. When Harrison felt worse the next day, his doctor “bled the president from a vein in the arm, then, seeing that it caused his pulse to weaken, stopped that and resorted to “cupping,” the application of a heated cup to the skin. He was administered “a blister over his side with calomel and laudanum, followed by two more pills, another blister, calomel, ipecac and rhubarb, which “debilitated the president.” They followed with opium, camphor, brandy toddy, wine whey, more pills and an infusion of serpentaria and seneca, which brought on “sinking spells.” Despite this relentless barrage, Harrison held on until April 4. As for the official cause of death, the physicians declared, “Pneumonia was used as a general term. It was in fact one of our ordinary winter fevers of low grade in which pneumonic inflammation, hepatic congestion and gastro-intestinal irritation were the prominent traits... Harrison was so worn out, nothing could save him.” Nicholas Benton may be emailed at nfbenton@fcnp.com.
CO MME NT
APRIL 11 – 17, 2019 | PAGE 21
Nicholas F. Benton
Our Man in Arlington By Charlie Clark
Our literate community is chockablock with memoir writers. And as my fellow baby-boomers enter their twilight years, I suspect more will put fingers to keyboard and look back on how their lives unfolded. With permission of my childhood friend Steve Dryden, I’ve pulled some gems of our shared Arlington past that he wrote up eloquently in his just-completed memoir of his father, titled, “The Man Who Held the Bible.” The illustrated paperback is privately printed for Dryden’s extended family. Parts are bravely intimate. But many passages are deserving of a broader audience who lived their wonder years of the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s, when Arlington was hardly your average American suburb. The Bible in the title refers to the one Steve’s father held at the Jan. 20, 1961, Inauguration of President Kennedy, when Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as vice president. Kentucky-bred Franklin Dryden, as a key aide to prominent lawmakers, had helped plan the historic event held on that freezing Friday in the nation’s capital. He appears not only with LBJ as he took the oath, but standing behind JFK in photos that appeared on the cover of Time magazine and are still seen on TV and in the Kennedy Center foyer. Through Steve’s memoir, we learn how the Northern Virginia
Sun sent a photographer to the Dryden home in the run-up to Inauguration Day to capture Steve’s dad dressed in his tails and top hat — his wife, son and daughter gazing in awe. Steve reproduces his own ticket to the Inauguration, during which, as a seven-year-old in a limo, he caught glimpses (appreciated later) of former presidents Hoover and Truman. Re-assessing his childhood as a grownup, Steve describes Capitol Hill machinations of such lawmakers as Kentucky Sen. Earle Clements and Arizona Sen. Carl Hayden. He details his dad’s career as deputy director of the Office of Emergency Planning. Many who grew up here recall vacationing in Ocean City and driving past “Bobby Baker’s Carousel” hotel and nightclub. Baker was the infamous LBJ aide and on-the-QT corporate lobbyist who fell into heavy debt from shady loans. At age 10, Steve and his younger sister Susannah stayed at Baker’s 75-room hotel before his career collapsed. They “played hide-and-seek in the morning darkness of the basement-level bar-room.” Steve, who worked as a Senate page on his way to a journalism career, writes about “Washington Merry-Go-Round” columnist Drew Pearson’s occasional snipes at his father. For flavor of an Arlington boyhood, Steve recalls playing “spy games” on the grounds of
the Knights of Columbus historic house, his mother dancing as a “flapper” at Washington Golf and Country Club and the drama of his races for student government leader at Yorktown High School (he won one, lost a second). And he describes his return from college in the early 1970s to see his parents had moved from their detached home behind Williamsburg school to Tower Villa at Virginia Square. “It is likely no Roman Villa had such small rooms and low ceilings,” he opines. Recalling his dad’s careercapping work as a lobbyist for the Tobacco Institute, Steve pulls no punches on the moral issues of the cancer wars. Frank Dryden had late-life regrets. But Steve remained loyal. At his father’s eulogy in 1994, Steve declared, “So many of the things I am, and love, have antecedents in his life.” *** Spellcheck for our historic community: North Arlington’s Nelly Custis Dr. is named for the step-grand-daughter of George Washington, who was raised at Mount Vernon. (Full name: Eleanor Parke Custis.) But google the street and you find a slew of real estate ads and personal address listings that spell her nickname “Nellie.” You also find references to the defunct South Arlington elementary school spelling it “ie.” Thankfully for us hard-liners, the official street name has it right as “Nelly,” the childhood name used in her 18th-century correspondence.
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
perfect be the enemy of the good.” of war off the streets,” and endTorrent, an environmen- ing the influence of the NRA on tal attorney, said she’s running Richmond. Torrent said that “the Continued from Page 5 against “old school politics.” A Second Amendment is only one 20-year resident of the greater of 10 in the Bill of Rights that also because the surge in 2017 Falls Church area, she said, “We include our right to live peaceably.” that picked up 15 House seats need new voices.” Taeb called for a “New Torrent commended Saslaw’s has inspired a new wave of nonincumbent, often strident, candi- effort to win a five percent pay Virginia Way,” opposing the raise for K-12 teachers, and pro- death penalty and predatory dates to step up. According to a new poll from posed an “education lock box.” lending. Saslaw said that while the Wason Center for Public Taeb urged closing corporate tax Dominion Power has contributed Policy at Christopher Newport loopholes to pay teachers, noting to his campaigns over the years, University this week, Democrats that Virginia’s high school gradu- 80 percent of the money he raises have a four-point advantage state- ation rate is 28th best in the U.S., goes to help other Democratic campaigns, including to candiwide in response by likely vot- “unacceptable,” she said. On housing, Torrent proposed dates who’ve pledged not to take ers to a generic question whether they would more likely vote for a converting some vacant office Dominion Power money. In the second part of the space in Tysons Corner, and Taeb Democrat or Republican. two candidates In the debate Sunday, Sen. said local autonomy, against the program, Saslaw focused his remarks and imposition of the Dillon Rule in for Arlington-Falls Church Commonwealth Attorney squared responses to questions heavily on Virginia, is key. Saslaw said the Dillon Rule “is off. The challenger, attorney his extensive record of accomplishments in his 40 years in not preventing housing, and that Parisa Dehghani-Tafti faced the state senate, including most the vast majority of new employ- off against the incumbent Theo recently his leadership in win- ees Amazon will be hiring in the Stamos. Stamos cited her experining passage of a landmark voter area “are already living here.” He ence representing “truth, accuraredistricting bill that would go a said the “free market system” can cy, fairness and second chances.” Tafti said the Commonwealth long way to end gerrymandering solve the housing shortage. Torrent and Taeb said they’d Attorney’s office “needs real of districts if it passes again next year and is supported by a public refuse corporate political action reform.” She urged the adoption referendum in the fall of 2020, in committee and monopolies’ con- of cash bond options, better divertime to be applied to the results of tributions, and Saslaw said he’d sion programs and voting rights not accept from monopolies, but for felons. Stamos said in her the 2020 census. Saslaw has served in the state from corporations, yes, emphasiz- “entire adult life” as a Democrat, legislature since 1976, is the ing, “They don’t influence my she shares the “Democratic values that are human values.” Senate minority leader and if the vote.” Stamos defended her decision He referenced the new law he Democrats win control of the senate in November, he will most cer- pushed stipulating that by 2028, to align with commonwealth attortainly become the senate majority 50 percent of all residences in neys in the state to challenge thenthe state will be powered by wind Gov. McAuliffe’s push to restore leader. Taeb and Torrent have not and solar. But Taeb criticized voting rights to felons, saying she held public office before. Taeb, Dominion Power’s “unchecked “supports the restoration of the the first Iranian native elected power” and pipeline development. rights of all,” but was worried that PRIVATE TEACHERS Torrent said “we have to electrify the approach McAuliffe sought a member of LESSONS•DEGREED the Democratic INSTRUMENTS•ALL STYLES•ALL AGESway we move people.” would make it easier for felons to NationalALL Committee, based her the remarks in debate against ST., Taeb said “the higher educa- get guns. 416the SOUTH WASHINGTON CHURCH She said there needs to be new what she called FALLS “Virginia poli- tion system is broken” with predatics” that are in703-533-7393 the shadows of a tory student loans, Torrent called laws to help “avoid first felon on community colleges to work convictions,” and Tafti said that repressive past. • SALES She saidLESSONS she supports the more with the private sector, and there is a need for policies to RENTALS REPAIRS Saslaw noted that pipeline devel- “avoid the criminal justice system Saslaw redistricting effort,• though she wanted the decisions under opers in North Dakota are paying altogether.” Tafti said there should be the prospective new law to be for student tuitions there. PRIVATE LESSONS•DEGREED TEACHERS Saslaw said he “gets an F” from no local cooperation with fedmade entirely by private citizens and not elected officials, while the National Rifle Association, eral Immigration and Customs Saslaw said such a proposal had and is pushing to increase age Enforcement (ICE), noting that no chance of passing in the leg- for buying a gun from 18 to 21. the reporting of violent crimes islature, adding, “Don’t let the Taeb called for “getting weapons has dipped since there has been an ICE crackdown. Stamos said that the community needs to be a welcoming one for immigrants, and that efforts taken “to avoid the immigration consequences of petty larcenies and the like.” Tafti said that marijuana PRIVATE LESSONS • DEGREED TEACHERS “should be legalized like tobacco” ALL INSTRUMENTS • ALL STYLES • ALL AGES and no longer prosecuted. Stamos said that “no one is ever incarSTUDY WITH US! cerated or loses a license” when 416 SOUTH WASHINGTON ST., FALLS CHURCH arrested for marijuana possession, but “it is still against the law” and it is not her role to selectively enforce the public’s laws. LESSONS • SALES • RENTALS • REPAIRS
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B������� N��� � N���� Bakeshop Now Open in Falls Church The eagerly anticipated Bakeshop has opened in the Southgate Shopping Center at 100 E. Fairfax Street in Falls Church. Bakeshop offers breakfast items including specialty coffees, scones, and croissants, slices and loafs of fruit and nut breads, cupcakes, layer cakes, cream cakes, pies, macarons, cookies, a variety of vegan options, and puddings, all available for delivery. This is the second Bakeshop location, the first of which opened in Arlington in 2010. The Falls Church location is open Monday through Sunday from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. For more information, visit www.bakeshopva.com.
City Welcomes New Custard Shop Kiln & Kustard hosted a grand opening celebration on Sunday, April 7 at its 455 S. Maple Avenue location. The indoor and outdoor event, which attracted hundreds, included an art installation from Falls Church Arts, arts and crafts for children, adoptable dogs from Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation, a performance by Creative Cauldron’s Alice in Wonderland cast, music by Bach to Rock, custard tastings, and free Krazy Shakes for the first 50 customers. A ribbon cutting was also held with members of the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce and locally elected officials.
Curves Falls Church Closing at End of the Month Curves Falls Church’s last day in operation will be Saturday, April 27. Despite dedicated changes to expand outreach over the past year, the club is closing for financial reasons. Located at 246A Broad Street the circuit training gym will continue classes through the closing date and staff will work with clients to find new fitness venues to meet their needs.
Central Farm Markets Moves from Mosaic to Marshall High Central Farm Markets has moved its Mosaic Merrifield location to the George C. Marshall High School, 7731 Leesburg Pike in Falls Church, to make it more easily accessible for the Falls Church McLean, Fairfax, Vienna and Arlington patrons. The farmers market will be renamed NOVA Central Farm Market. The new market will operate every Sunday from 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Central Farm Markets also operates three farmers markets in Bethesda. For more information or for a copy of the vendor application, visit www.centralfarmmarkets.com.
Iris Therapy Revamps Website Iris Therapy Services has unveiled a new and improved website that includes an easier user interface, enhanced navigation, more-extensive information and a new events and media center. The completely revamped website features a streamlined and simplified design, improved functionality and enriched content areas to those seeking psychology services to make wellinformed decisions about their mental-health needs and goals. Iris Therapy Services, located at 6305 Castle Pl #2A in Falls Church, provides individual, child and adolescent, and group therapy for those experiencing depression or anxiety, grief or trauma, relationship challenges, or life transitions. For more information, visit the new website at iristherapyservices.com.
Congressional School Announces New Head of School Congressional School in Falls Church has announced the appointment of Edwin P. Gordon as its 11th head of school. Joining the community on July 1, Gordon’s career in independent and higher education most recently includes serving as the head of school at Palm Beach Day Academy in Florida. His career highlights include a summer as the academic dean for grades 7-10 at the Center for Talented Youth at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, and serving as head of lower school, River Campus at Riverdale Country School in New York City. He also served as executive director of a K-12 Executive Education Program for the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Congressional School is a co-ed, independent private school for infants through eighth graders in Falls Church. For more information, visit www.congressionalschool.org. Business News & Notes is compiled by Sally Cole, Executive Director of Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce. She may be emailed at sally@fallschurchchamber.org.
5 Days to Tax Day
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Boys Lacrosse
SPO RTS
3 More Wins Tallied By Mustangs by Matt Delaney
Falls Church News-Press
MIDWAY THROUGH THE SEASON, George Mason High School’s boys lacrosse team has a record of 4-2 before heading into conference play in the 4A Dulles district. The Mustangs have outscored opponents 78 to 37 through its first six games, with junior attack Tucker Gaskins posting 20 goals. Sophomores Clay Bond and Carter Mackinnon have 11 and 7 goals, respectively, and also have multiple assists. 60 percent of the team’s goals were assisted thus far. Leading the midfield, juniors Henry Wildman and Daniel Miller, and sophomore Walt Roou, have controlled the offensive tempo, combining for 23 goals and 8 assists. (Photo: Chris Pestel)
THE DEFENSIVE END OF THE FIELD is led by seniors Jason Mueller and Luke Sausville, and junior Enzo Paradiso, who leads the team with 25 ground balls. Excellent team defense has the team averaging over 10 forced turnovers per game and junior Will Ward’s goalie play has been steady, allowing an average of only six goals by opponents per game. The team traveled to Loudoun Valley on Tuesday night, however results were not available by press time. They will face Heritage High School tonight. (Photo: Chris Pestel)
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Settling into its winning ways, George Mason High School’s boys soccer team racked up three more victories this past week to keep its April spotless. With spring break approaching this weekend, Mason (6-1-1) wasn’t looking to have any bad losses spoil its time away from the pitch. And they did just that, with a 3-2 win over Loudoun County High School last Thursday, a 4-0 win over Central High School the following night and an 11-0 win against Strasburg High School that ended early Tuesday night. Winning is fun — scratch that, it’s awesome — but head coach Frank Spinello likes the attitude his team is displaying early in the year more than the results they’re getting. “I think they showed a lot of maturity in other ways,” Spinello said. “[Freshman forward] Yasin [Shams] missed a penalty kick, and [junior forward] Zorhan [Boston] earned the next one and gave his penalty kick opportunity to Yasin. Just unselfish play like
that and it seemed like it was contagious once it happened. Guys were cheering for guys in their position. Once that starts happening and we’re all in the same fight together, things usually work out pretty well. Against Strasburg, Mason was able to qualify for a mercy rule win within the first half. Shams and Boston traded off scoring the first four goals, with Shams earning the first and third and Boston the second and fourth. It wasn’t until the 32nd minute that Shams earned his penalty kick, that he appeared to muff on the delivery and gave Strasburg’s goalkeeper a chance at blocking — which he did. Freshman midfielder William Atkeson scored the next goal at the 35th minute, before Boston drew the penalty that set up Shams’ redemptive penalty kick. Sophomore midfielder Jack Brown and Boston scored again before the half was over to go up 9-0, while sophomore midfielder Declan Quill fed Boston’s fourth goal and sophomore forward Smith Kraft converted a corner kick to complete the game’s scoring.
Facing Central last Friday, the Mustangs were able to have their way. Two goals were notched in the first half to go with two in the second, along with a dominant game possession-wise made sure the Falcons never had a puncher’s chance to seize the game. Last Thursday’s Loudoun County game, however, had peaks of excitement followed by long lulls. In the first 10 minutes Mason tallied two goals to take a commanding lead...until the Raiders scored consecutive goals in the next 5 minutes to knot the game up. An hour-long stalemate ensued until the Mustangs finally broke the ceasefire by netting its third and decisive goal. Again, winning is nice, but making sure the depth is intact is another key component of the team. That’s why Spinello was intent on getting his “reinforcements” in the game to shore up their skills as well. “I didn’t feel like the level of play dropped at all, so they did their job,” Spinello said. Mason will travel to play Rappahannock County High School tomorrow.
KNOW FOR SURE
IF YOUR CHILD IS IN THE RIGHT CAR SEAT.
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APRIL 11 – 17, 2019 | PAGE 25
AAUW USED Book Sale ga
ins
Bar
April 12-13
tion Fic iction -F Non
Fri. April 12...9 am-9 pm Sat. April 13...9 am-4 pm Falls Church Community Center. 223 Little Falls Street (Near corner of Route 7 & Lee Hwy)
Buy a book, send a girl to College
LAST WEEKEND, THE DRAMA Department at George Mason High School undertook a stellar, professional and mature production of the London and Broadway hit play, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” by Simon Stephens, that addresses the issue of autism. The acting of Hansin Arvind and Miles Jackson (left), along with everyone else, was extraordinary, as was the direction of GMHS instructor Shawn Northrip. (P����: FCCPS P����/ C������� C���� S��)
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S����� N��� � N���� Pine Spring Elementary Wins Breakfast Challenge Pine Spring Elementary School was named one of the winners in the 2018-19 Virginia Breakfast Challenge for increasing the number of students who participate in breakfast programs, implementing a Breakfast After the Bell model or by expanding its existing model. Pine Spring had a 311 percent increase in the number of students participating in a breakfast program. The Virginia Breakfast Challenge is an initiative of No Kid Hungry Virginia, the Virginia Department of Education, Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth, Virginia Hunger Solutions, and the Dairy Alliance. The program occurred during the fall of 2018 in an effort to connect more students with school breakfast to ensure academic success. A total of 1,471 Virginia schools from 109 of Virginia’s school divisions enrolled in the Breakfast Challenge to be evaluated this past year. These schools and divisions competed from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 2018. School winners were named based on breakfast participation increases over the 2017-18 school year.
Participation winners will receive funding for school nutrition equipment as well as funding to support technological enhancements, field trips, or playground equipment.
in English from Baylor University in Waco, Texas and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration from Cornell University. He and his wife LaRita have two adult children.
Congressional School Selects New Head of School
Mason Student Wins Congressional Gold Award
The Congressional School announced the appointment of Dr. Edwin P. Gordon as its 11th Head of School. Gordon officially joins the school on July 1. Gordon’s career in independent and higher education most recently includes serving as the Head of School at Palm Beach Day Academy in Florida. His career highlights include a summer as the Academic Dean for grades 7-10 at the Center for Talented Youth at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and serving as Head of Lower School, River Campus at Riverdale Country School in New York City. He also served as Executive Director of a K-12 Executive Education Program (Mid-Career Doctorate Program) for the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Originally from Atlanta, Gordon received his A.B. and M.A.
George Mason High School student Sarah Valley recently won the 2019 Congressional Gold Award. Over the course of the past four years, Valley has also won the bronze and silver certificates and medals. The program recognizes initiative, service and achievement for students from ages 13-23. Gold medalists like Valley have committed themselves to a minimum of 400 hours of voluntary public service, 200 hours of personal development, 200 hours of physical fitness and a five-day, four-night expedition. For her expedition, Valley went to Santa Fe, New Mexico, last August, helping to drywall adobe buildings for Habitat for Humanity. Valley was one of 528 gold medal winners and one of 14 from Virginia. She will be honored this June, receiving her medals from Congressman Don Beyer.
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
FALLS CHURCHCALENDAR COMMUNITYEVENTS THURSDAY, APRIL 11 Middle School Book Club. April Book: “The School for Good and Evil,” by Soman Chainani. Book Club for grades 6-8. Limited copies of the book are available to borrow from the Youth Services Desk. Registration required. Mary Riley Styles Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 7 – 8 p.m. 703-248-5034.
FRIDAY, APRIL 12 Arm Chair Travel: Israel & Palestine. Interested attendees can see the world from the comfort of a chair — the group will watch a video about a different part of the world. No registration required. This program is sponsored by the Falls Church Senior Center & Mary Riley Styles
Public Library. Teen Center @ Community Center (223 Little Falls St., Falls Church). 10 – 11 a.m.
SATURDAY, APRIL 13 Farmers Market. The award-winning, year-round market is filled with fresh, local produce, meat, dairy, flowers & plants, honey, music and much more. City Hall (300 Park Ave., Falls Church). 8 a.m. – noon. 703-248-5034. University Women Book Sale. the American Association of University Women’s book sale is Friday, April 13 from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Saturday, April 14 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Thousands of books are avaialable for browsing and buying. A wide selection of hardback, paperbacks, fiction and non-fiction of all kindsare also available for purchase. Most books priced at $3 or less.
The book sale benefits scholarship/grant programs for women, including local Falls Church high school girls. Community Center (223 Little Falls St., Falls Church). 703-941-5643 Community Clean-Up & Litter Pickup. Residents can help clean up the City of Falls Church and keep litter out of its waterways. Volunteers can either be assigned an area or request one. The City will provide trash pickers, trash bags, recycling bags, gloves and reflective vests for volunteers to wear. Registration required so organizers can provide the correct number of supplies. Community Center (223 Little Falls St., Falls Church). 10 a.m. – noon.
TUESDAY, APRIL 16 Cherry Blossom Cotton Ball Art. Attendees can design their own Cherry Blossom branch. For chil-
dren grades K-5th. Registration opened March 27 at the Youth Services desk by phone or in person. Children must be present at 3 p.m. to enter the room; at 3:05 p.m. spaces will be given to children on the waitlist. Mary Riley Styles Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 3 – 4 p.m. 703-248-5034.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17 Q-tip Pointillism. Interested attendees can learn about pointillism and create a painting inspired by famous artist Georges Seurat. For children grades K-5th. Registration opens March 27 at the Youth Services desk by phone or in person. Children must be present at 3 p.m. to enter the room; at 3:05 p.m. spaces will be given to children on the waitlist. Mary Riley Styles Library (120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church). 3 – 4 p.m. 703-248-5034.
THEATER&ARTS
FRIDAY, APRIL 12 “Grand Hotel.” It is 1928 and Berlin is at the center of a razzledazzle world between two wars. At the bustling Grand Hotel a series of eclectic guests and staff including a fading ballerina, a destitute baron, a wannabe-starlet typist, and an ailing bookkeeper collide in a non-stop musical toast to the high life. Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer reunites the team behind “A Little Night Music” for this musical. Signature Theatre (420 Campbell Ave., Arlington). $87. 8 p.m. sigtheatre.com.
SATURDAY, APRIL 13 “Alice in Wonderland.” “Curiouser and curiouser” down the Rabbit Hole we go! Come join Alice on her fantastical journey through Wonderland. The White Rabbit, The Cheshire Cat, The Caterpillar, the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts, all your favorite characters are here in this musical adaptation of the classic Lewis Carroll tale. Another one of the original
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
adaptations that is being revisited for the 10th anniversary season, Alice gives the entire family a chance to spend an utterly “mad, mad day” at the Cauldron enjoying one of the most famous and enduring children’s classics of all time. Creative Cauldron (410 S. Maple Ave., Falls Church) $18. 7:30 p.m. creativecauldron.org. “August: Osage County.” A missing father, a pill-popping mother and three sisters harboring dubious little secrets. When the large Weston family unexpectedly reunites after Dad disappears, their Oklahoma family homestead explodes in a maelstrom of repressed truths and unsettling mysteries. Mix in Violet, the drugged-up, scathingly acidic matriarch, and you’ve got a major play that unflinchingly—and uproariously—exposes the dark side of the Midwestern American family. James Lee Community Center (2855 Annandale Rd. Falls Church) $17 – $20. 2 p.m. providenceplayers.org.
SUNDAY, APRIL 14 “columbinus.” Coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the tragic 1999 massacre at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, this docudrama combines fact and fiction to illuminate the dark realities of adolescence. Weaving together excerpts of real interviews with parents, survivors, and community leaders and powerful characterizations of contemporary teens, “columbinus” thoughtfully explores the Columbine shooting and the conversations that continue to this day. 1st Stage Theatre (1524 Spring Hill Rd.,Tysons) $39. 8 p.m. 1ststagetysons.edu.
APRIL 11 – 17, 2019 | PAGE 27
Alex “The Red” Parez. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 6:30 p.m. 703-2378333. Arielle. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $12. 8 p.m. 703255-1566. Robyn Hitchcock. Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd. Vienna). $25 – $35. 8 p.m. 703-255-1900. JD and The Rhythm Section. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 8:30 p.m. 703-2419504.
FRIDAY, APRIL 12 2 From the Heart. Clare and Don’s Beach Shack. (130 North Washington St., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-532-9283. Happy Hour: Karl Stoll & Mojo Dixon. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-241-9504. The Sean Show with Milo in the Doldrums + Louisa Hall & Friends + The Pocket + Erik Bradford + Irresponsible + Derek Evry + Josh Johnston. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $12 – $20. 8 p.m. 703-255-1566. Storm Large. Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd. Vienna). $50 – $55. 8 p.m. 703-255-1900. Smokehouse Duo. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington St. A, Falls Church). 8 p.m. 703-8589186. Cactus Liquors. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 9 p.m. 703-241-9504.
THURSDAY, APRIL 11
Tainted Cabaret. The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). $15 – $35. 9 p.m. 703-237-0300.
Elvis Tribute Randoll Rivers. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 5:30 p.m. 703-2419504.
Whiskey Tango Fall Down. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 10 p.m. 703237-8333.
Katie Henry Band. Clare and Don’s Beach Shack. (130 North Washington St., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703-532-9283.
SATURDAY, APRIL 13
LIVEMUSIC
CA L E NDA R
Eric King Band. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls
STORM LARGE will be at Wolf Trap tomorrow. (Photo: Laura Domela) Church). 4 p.m. 703-241-9504. Troll Tribe. Clare and Don’s Beach Shack. (130 North Washington St., Falls Church). 6 p.m. 703532-9283. My Generation. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington St. A, Falls Church). 8 p.m. 703-8589186. The Last Bison with Broke Royals. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $15 – $25. 8 p.m. 703-255-1566. Todd Rundgren — The Individualist Tour (encore performance the following night at the same time and price). The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church). $55 – $299. 8 p.m. 703-237-0300. Gabe Stillman & Skyla Burrell. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 9 p.m. 703241-9504.
Chasing Autumn. Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad St., Falls Church). 10 p.m. 703-237-8333.
SUNDAY, APRIL 14 Bentwood Rockers. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 1 p.m. 703-2419504. DC Swing. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $15. 2 p.m. 703-255-1566. Jimmy Cole Band. JV’s Restaurant (6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church). 4:30 p.m. 703-2419504. Open Mic with Bob Sheppard. Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington St. A, Falls Church). 5 p.m. 703-858-9186. An Evening With David Wilcox. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $35 – $40. 7 p.m. 703255-1566.
MONDAY, APRIL 15 The Strawbs: Electric & Acoustic. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $30 – $40. 7:30 p.m. 703-255-1566. Smokin’ on Planes, Indiana Jonesin’. Galaxy Hut (2711 Wilson Blvd., Arlington). $5. 9 p.m. 703-525-8646.
TUESDAY, APRIL 16 Sugar Mountain – The Ultimate Neil Young Tribute. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $20. 7:30 p.m. 703-255-1566. Majestic: LGBTQ Night. Diva Lounge (6763 Wilson Blvd., Falls Church). 10 p.m. 571-234-2045.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17 Kim Richey (Trio Show!) with Jordie Lane. Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna). $20 – $22. 7:30 p.m. 703-255-1566.
Calendar Submissions Email: calendar@fcnp.com | Mail: Falls Church News-Press, Attn: Calendar, 200 Little Falls St., #508, Falls Church, VA 22046
Be sure to include time, location, cost of admission, contact person and any other pertinent information. Event listings will be edited for content and space limitations. Please include any photos or artwork with submissions. Deadline is Monday at noon for the current week’s edition.
PAGE 28 | APRIL 11 - 17, 2019
CLEANING SERVICES
House Cleaning Service Available 7 days a week Weekly - By Weekly - Monthly or by Time Move Out - Move In • 14 years Experience Good References • Senior Discount For Further Information: Call Susy • Cell (703) 901-0596
ACCT/TAX SERVICES
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OTHER SERVICES
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Attorney/Accountant, Former IRS Attorney All Federal, State, Local & Foreign Taxes Admitted to DC, MD, VA & NY Bars 703-798-3590 or 301-340-2951
A CLEANING SERVICE Over 30 years of providing cleaning services to NOVA, DC and MD Best Cleaning Company Award winner 2011-2017 If you like our service, please leave a review on Google or Yelp. If you have concerns about our service, please give me the opportunity to address it.
HOME IMPROVEMENT
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We Assist: government contractors small & large businesses
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Tel: 703.217.2632 Fax: 703.832.3236 400 Maple Ave., So., Suite 210, Falls Church, Virginia 22046
C L AS S I F I E DS For Sale WATERFRONT HOME in Gloucetser, Impeccable construction & amazing views! 9 BDRM, 8.5 BA, pier with 2 boat lifts, 18+ AC. For info call Henry Schechter at (804) 655-2423 or visit motleys.com/masterpiece. ATTENTION REALTORS:
Advertise your listings regionally or statewide. Print and Digital Solutions that get results! Call Landon Clark at Virginia Press Services 804-521-7576, landonc@vpa.net
LIVE FISH for PONDS-LAKES.
Plants, Lilies, 32 Species Available. Free Catalog. Delivery or Pick-Up. Zetts Fish Hatchery, 878 Hatchery Road, Inwood, WV 25428 (304) 229-3654
VIRGINIA BEEF EXPO is April 17-20, 2019, at Rockingham Co. Fairgrounds. Enjoy Cattle Sales, Industry Trade Show & Youth Events. Learn more at www.vabeefexpo.com
Help Wanted NEED CDL Drivers?
Advertise your JOB OPENINGS statewide or in other states. Affordable Print and Digital Solutions to reach truck drivers. Call Landon Clark at Virginia Press Services 804-5217576, landonc@vpa.net
GERMAN GOURMET seeks friendly and motivated people for multiple positions in Customer Service and Kitchen Helper/ Sandwich maker. English required. German language skills very desirable. Apply in person or email resume: 5838 Columbia Pike or info@germangourmet.com. Company info at GermanGourmet.com.”
Coin Show CHARLOTTESVILLE COIN, CURRENCY & STAMP SHOW. Free Admission! Elks
Lodge #389. 389 Elk Drive Charlottesville, VA. Saturday, April 13th. 9am-5pm. Contact Jackie Dean (540) 832-0024, Debomb14@aol.com. www.monticellocoinclub.org.
Services HONEY-DO HANDYMAN Cosmetic
Home repairs and inspections. Painting, plumbing, electrical service, carpentry. Basements and bathrooms finished. Problem solver with references. Gutter cleaning and repair. Subpumps, drainage, snaking. Tree removal, leaf removal and expert landscape service by Certified Arborist. Decks, fencing, siding, roof repairs and leaf raking. Service calls for appliances and general hauling. HANDYMAN 703-298-3327
DIVORCE-Uncontested, $395+$86
court cost. No court appearance. Estimated completion time twenty-one days. Hilton Oliver, Attorney (Facebook). 757490-0126 Se Habla Espanol. BBB Member. https://hiltonoliverattorneyva.com.
Public Notice ABC LICENSE GEZANA LLC.,Trading as: LEYU SUPERMARKET, 5820 Seminary Road, Suite E, Falls Church, Virginia 22041-3045. The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) for a Beer and Wine Off Premises license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages. Senait Hadgu, Owner. NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www. abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL CITY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA The ordinances referenced below were given first reading on March 25, 2019. Public hearings are scheduled for Monday, April 8 and Monday, April 22, 2019, with second reading and final Council action scheduled for Monday, April 22, 2019 at 7:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matters may be heard. (TO19-02) ORDINANCE FIXING AND DETERMINING THE BUDGET OF EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2020: GENERAL FUND; SCHOOL OPERATING FUND; SCHOOL COMMUNITY SERVICE FUND; SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE FUND; CABLE ACCESS FUND; SEWER FUND; AND STORMWATER FUND (TO19-03) ORDINANCE FIXING AND DETERMINING THE FY2020-FY2025 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM BUDGET AND APPROPRIATING EXPENDITURE AND REVENUE FUNDS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2020 (TO19-04) ORDINANCE SETTING THE RATE OF TAX LEVY ON REAL ESTATE FOR TAX YEAR 2020 AND ON PERSONAL PROPERTY, MACHINERY AND TOOLS AND ALL OTHER PROPERTY SEGREGATED BY LAW FOR LOCAL TAXATION IN THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH VIRGINIA FOR TAX YEAR 2019 The proposed real estate tax rate for the tax
year beginning July 1, 2019 is: $1.355 upon each $100.00 of assessed value of real estate in the City of Falls Church. The proposed tax rate for tangible personal property, and machinery and tools, and all other property segregated by law for the tax year beginning January 1, 2019 is: $5.00 upon each $100.00 of assessed value on tangible personal property, and machinery and tools, and all other property segregated by law for local taxation within the City, including the property separately classified by Section 58.1-3500 et seq. of the Code of Virginia except such personal property as is exempted; and except that pursuant to Section 58.1-2606 of the Code of Virginia, a portion of assessed value of tangible personal property of public service corporations shall be taxed at the real estate rate. All public hearings will be held in the in the Community Center, Senior Center, 223 Little Falls St., Falls Church, Virginia. For copies of legislation, contact the City Clerk’s office at (703-248-5014) or cityclerk@ fallschurchva.gov. The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, call 703-248-5014 (TTY 711) CELESTE HEATH, CITY CLERK
Auction SHORING EQUIPMENT ONLINE AUCTION. Concrete Forms, Lumber,
Scaffolding Fittings, Safety Equipment & More! Sun, April 14 at 5 a.m. – Tues. April 16 at 11 a.m. www.motleys.com | 1-877-MOTLEYS
ATTENTION. AUCTIONEERS: Advertise your upcoming auctions statewide or in other states. Affordable Print and Digital Solutions reaching your target audiences. Call this paper or Landon Clark at Virginia Press Services 804-521-7576, landonc@vpa.net
Garage Sale GARAGE SALE: Fredericksburg, VA.
HUGE Indoor Garage Sale April 13-14, Fredericksburg Expo Center. 200 Sellers under one roof. Admission $4 April 13: 9am-5pm and April 14: 10am-3pm. www. everythingbutthegarage.com
fcnp.com
Education/Career Training AIRLINES ARE HIRING – Get FAA approved hands on Aviation training. Financial aid for qualified students - Career placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance SCHEV certified 877-204- 4130
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We are pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap. All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.” This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 3678530. Toll free call (888) 551-3247. For the hearing impaired call (804) 367-9753.
KIDS LOVE SCALLIWAG By Eileen Levy
It’s always good to start with a song, Mostly right and seldom wrong!
.
A RTS&E NTE RTA I NME NT
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Crossword
ACROSS
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Across
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1. How one might keep something 7. “____ pronounce you ...” 11. Smucker’s product 14. Cards that may be “wild” in poker 15. Prefix with -gon 16. Tiny 17. Like someone buried really deep? 19. Fifth qtrs. 20. James who sang “At last, my love has come along ...” 21. Papal name chosen 12 times 22. Has 23. Super-duper wide road? 27. Ending for glut-, deltoid- and other muscle names 28. One with pointy ears and shoes 29. San Francisco’s ____ Hill 32. Ones wearing black eyeliner and ripped jeans, say 36. Outlet from the left ventricle 40. What multibillionaires earn? 43. Labor leader played by Jack Nicholson in a 1992 biopic 44. Noted architect who turned 100 in 2017 45. Deplete (of) 46. Swelled head 48. Weapon in medieval warfare 50. What a college sophomore might blow out on their birthday? 57. ____ piccata 58. Disney tune subtitled “A Pirate’s Life for Me” 59. Longtime New York congresswoman Lowey 62. QB’s asset
STRANGE BREW
1. How one might keep something
APRIL 11 – 17, 2019 | PAGE 29
63. An hour and a half? 66. “There’s ____ in team” 67. Gala 68. Close temporarily, as a theater 69. Rose of Guns N’ Roses 70. “Stupid ____ stupid does” 71. Festoons
DOWN
1. “And if ____ before ...” 2. Barbershop call 3. Civilian attire 4. Aid in climbing a snowy peak 5. Melania Trump ____ Knauss 6. “Spring forward” letters 7. Belly button type 8. “Well, obviously!” 9. Tot’s attire 10. Subject for “Dunkirk” or “Apocalypse Now” 11. “Snooki & ____” (“Jersey Shore” spinoff) 12. Corporate giant named for a mountain 13. Like drawn-out divorces 18. Bygone channel that aired “Veronica Mars” 22. Granny’s “Darn it!” 24. It’s checked before taking off 25. Not worth ____ (valueless) 26. Beyond slow 29. Org. behind the Human Genome Project 30. Big brand of kitchenware 31. #1 pal 33. Prefix with cycle 34. Fashion line? 35. Not guzzle
JOHN DEERING
Sudoku
37. Motel units: Abbr. 38. Sweet ____ 39. Nile viper 41. Sondheim’s “____ Pretty” 42. Get excited about crosswords, say, with “out” 47. Cameo stones 49. 1980s supergroup that included Ricky Martin 50. Trump who wrote “The Best Is Yet to Come” 51. Pioneer in photocopying 52. Linguistic origin of “mulligatawny” 53. Terra ____ 54. “I remember now” 55. ____ de plume 56. Instrument in “Norwegian Wood” 60. Fork-tailed bird 61. Inquires 63. “____ Ruled the World” (1996 Nas hit) 64. Alternative to Food Lion or Piggly Wiggly 65. Nonverbal “yes” Last Thursday’s Solution
D A Z S
E R O O
I M O K
N O L A
A N D Y H A R D Y
A B A F T
L A U R A
A D E A R
L S I E I A C C E L L L I E A L F T O E T J O B A M P R C L U P R S
D I S C O
A M I S S
N A A Y G N
T H I B E V E E A L I N A S H E E R A F E R T O S Y
B J O F R R A N U T R O I C A S H H A R A K E L T S H T O A I
R E L O G
A N E Y E
M A N O R
C H I P S H O T S
H A R E
S T E R
A W O L
I S E E
By The Mepham Group
Level 1 2 3 4
7. "____ pronounce you ..." 11. Smucker's product 14. Cards that may be "wild" in poker 15. Prefix with -gon 16. Tiny 17. Like someone buried really deep? 19. Fifth qtrs. 20. James who sang "At last, my love has come along ..."
1
21. Papal name chosen 12 times 22. Has 23. Super-duper wide road? 27. Ending for glut-, deltoid- and other muscle names 28. One with pointy ears and shoes
NICK KNACK
© 2019 N.F. Benton
Solution to last Sunday’s puzzle
1
4/14/19
Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk. © 2019 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.
LO CA L
PAGE 30 | APRIL 11 – 17, 2019
dog. lazy ick qu The fox sly p e d j u m the over dog. lazy is the Now for all time cows good co me to aid to the the ir of t u r e . pas
20 s Yearo Ag
is the Now for all time cows good co me to aid to the the ir of t u r e . p a s is the Now for all time cows good me to to coaid of the their.
BACK IN THE DAY
It is now the time fo r all good to go cows to aid of the p a s their ture . * * * Throw * * Pour it up. it up
20 & 10 Years Ago in the News-Press Falls Church News-Press Vol. IX, No. 5 • April 15, 1999
‘No Hate Here!’ City Council Resolves Falls Church Welcomes Diversity By a unanimous vote Monday night, the Falls Church City Council put on the official record “its policy of support for public tolerance and the protection and enforcement of human and civil rights for all people living or working within the City of Falls Church by the elimination of discriminatory practices.” The action, initiated last fall by freshman City Council member Dr. Steve Rogers, stopped short of being a law punishing “hate crimes.”
Falls Church News-Press Vol. XIX, No. 7 • April 16, 2009
Destruction of Property, 510 W Annandale Rd (Pulmonary and Medical Associates), between 4:15 PM, Mar 29 and 7:32 AM, Apr 1, an office sign was detached from a wall post and left on the ground. Trespass, 6773 Wilson Blvd (Eden Center), Apr 1, 11:42 AM, a male, 53, of no fixed address, was issued a summons for Trespassing. Larceny-Shoplifting, 1230 W Broad St (Giant Food), Apr 1, 2:22 PM, suspect, described as a black male approximately six foot three inches tall, heavy build, 30 years of age, wearing glasses, a backpack, and black soccer pants with a white stripe down the side, attempted
10 Year s Ago
It is now the time fo r all good to go cows to aid of the the ir pas ture . * * * Throw * * Pour it up. it up
The chairman of the board of the Fairfax County Water Authority shot back at the City of Falls Church with a sharply-worded letter this week, responding to an exclusive Q and A with F.C. City Manager Wyatt Shields in last week’s News-Press. The letter to the editor by Chairman Philip W. Allin, is published in part, due to excessive length, in this week’s NewsPress and appears in full on the Fairfax Water website.
CRIME REPORT Driving Under the Influence, 1000 blk Hillwood Ave, Apr 1, 1:17 AM, a male, 29, of Arlington, VA, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence (2nd Offense) and Refusal.
Critter Corner
Fairfax Water, F.C.’s ‘War of Words’ Escalates, But in Print
C i t y o f Fa l l s C h u r c h
Week of April 1 –7, 2019
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
to take items of value. Suspect left the area in a green Kia Soul with Maryland tags. Investigation continues. Vandalism to Vehicle, 100 blk E Annandale Rd, Apr 2, between 7 AM and 12:10 PM, unknown suspect(s) keyed a vehicle’s driver side doors. Larceny from Building, 1000 E Broad St (24 Hour Fitness), Apr 2, between 8 and 9:45 PM, unknown suspect(s) took items of value from a secured locker. Hit and Run, E Broad St/N Washington St, Apr 3, 12:30 PM, a vehicle traveling westbound on E Broad St was struck by another vehicle which failed to stop. Drunk in Public, 201 S Washington St (7-11), Apr 3, 5:51 PM, a female, 54, of no fixed address, was arrested for being Drunk in Public. Trespass, 201 S Washington St (7-11), Apr 3, 6:23 PM, a male, 56, of no fixed address, was issued a sum-
mons for Trespass. Larceny from Building, 1000 E Broad St (24 Hour Fitness), Apr 4, between 10:30 AM and 12:30 PM, unknown suspect(s) took items of value from a secured locker. Investigation continues.
PETRA (LEFT) AND SCOTT are enjoying the spring time folliage almost as much as they enjoy each other as best friends (cue a collective “Aww” from News-Press readers) Just because you’re not famous doesn’t mean your pet can’t be! Send in your Critter Corner submissions to crittercorner@fcnp.com.
Hit and Run, 1200 blk W Broad St, Apr 6, 6:29 AM, a vehicle traveling east was struck by a white 4 door sedan which failed to stop. Smoking Violations, 6757 Wilson Blvd, #15 (H2O Café), Apr 6, 10:35 PM, a male, 63, of Falls Church, VA, and a male, 44, of Germantown, MD, were issued summonses for Smoking in a Restaurant. Driving Under the Influence, 400 blk S Washington St, Apr 7, 2:32 AM, a male, 33, of Fairfax Station, VA, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence (2nd offense) and Refusal. Theft of Vehicle Parts, 410 S Maple Ave (Pearson Square parking garage), between 2 PM, Apr 4, and 10 AM, Apr 7, the wheels and tires of a Dodge Challenger were stolen Motor Vehicle Theft, 100 W Broad St, Apr 7, between 10 AM and 2:30 PM, a 2009 Silver Lexus was stolen from a parking lot.
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APRIL 11 - 17, 2019 | PAGE 31
SMARTEST, HEALTHIEST & WEALTHIEST
PEOPLE IN THE NATION. DO YOU? The City of Falls Church: #1 Healthiest Community in America, 2018 U.S. News & World Report #2 Richest County in America, 2017 Forbes 80%+ F.C. residents 25 years+ with Bachelor’s Degrees or Higher, U.S. Census Bureau Also... #1 Best County in the U.S. to Live In, 2018 USA TODAY #1 Fastest Growing County in America, U.S. Census Bureau #1 Tradi�onal High School in Virginia (George Mason H.S.), 2018 U.S. News & World Report
Contact us today to reach the smartest, healthiest and wealthiest readership in the country. Call 703-570-5813 or email ADS@FCNP.COM More info at fcnp.com/advertising
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PAGE 32 | APRIL 11 - 17, 2019
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